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What is it

„Martin“?

Martin ( up to year

1950 “Turciansky Svaty

Martin”) is a town in the

north of Slovakia. It is the

historical centrum of

Turiec and also a distric

town.

It is situated at

about 20 kilometers

south-east from Zilina, and

170 kilometres north-east

from Bratislava (capital

city of Slovakia), in Zilina

district. It is situated in

Turiec Valley along the

river called Turiec, under

the foothills of Mala Fatra.

Martin is also

separated to numerous

parts. The names of the all

parts are listed below.

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- Priekopa

- Zaturcie

- Kosuty

- Podhaj

- Strane

- Sever

- Stred

- Tomcany

- Jahodniky

- Ladoven

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Basic

History

First written

mention is from year 1284.

In the middle ages, Martin

had a very good strategic

position.

From 17th

century to year 1922

Martin became the centre

of Turiec District, and in

19th century Martin

became also the centre for

Slovak Culture. At the end

of 19th century the “Slovak

National Revival” started

here. Since the year 1863

is is the seat of Matica

slovenska. In the year 1866

Slovakian Petal

Gymnasium was

established here. On 30th

October 1918 thanks to

Declaration of Martin,

Slovakia joined with the

Czech republic and created

one unit called

“Czechoslovak republic”.

By the end of the Second

World War, Martin was

freed by the Red Army on

April 11th,

1945. On 24th

August, 1994 Martin was

declared by law for the

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national town of culture in

Slovakia.

Matica

slovenska

Matica slovenska

one of the most cultural

sites of the Slovak

Republic.

Matica slovenska

is international Slovak

cultural institute with its

headquarters in Martin.

The mission of Matica

slovenska is to consolidate

the Slovak nation, lash and

exponentiate national

awareness of the Slovaks

and country men living in

the foreign countries, deep

an attitude for citizens to

slovakian nation.

Headquarters

1st building:

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The authentic

building of Matica was

built in 1864-1865. The

building was built

according to a project of an

architect Jan Nepomuk

Bobula from the gifts of

the Slovaks. Originally,

almost classical building,

was rebuilt at the

beginning of 20th century

for state institute. In the

building is now located

stood exposition Slovak

national literature museum.

2nd building:

The second

building of Matica

Slovneska was built in

1925 – 1926 according to

the proposal of Ján

Palkovič. From year 1964

the building is a cultural

monument. In the small

park in front of the

building is a bronze statue

by Jan Kulich from 1964.

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Recent headqaurters of

Matica slovenska was

situated in this building.

3rd building:

The third building

of Matica slovenska was

built in 1963 – 1975. It was

the headquarters of Matica

slovenska up to 2005. After

the division of Matica

slovenska and Slovak

national library, the third

building serves for the

needs of Slovak national

library. Matica slovenska is

now situated back in the

second building.

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Other

cultural

monuments

Saint Martin

Roman Catholic Church

The church dates

back to 70 year of 13th

century. It belongs to the

category of roman-catholic

churches. The church was

built at already existing

graveyard, and there’s also

one theory, that at the same

place some small church or

chapel was previously

built, too.

National

Cemetery

It could be called „The

final resting place of many

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important personalities of

Slovakia“.

The list includes writers,

poets, national activists,

pedagogues and many

others.

The first

building of Tatra Banka

Built in 1912 – 1913

according to the project of

Milan Harminc. It’s the

building where Declaration

of Slovak nation was

accepted, and then Slovak

and Czech republic created

one unit called

Czechoslovak republic, as

mentioned above.

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Copyrights

The Internet was used as

the source of correct and

actual information.

Photographs were created

originally for this purpose

without any break of

copyright.