Komárno

www.komarno.sk

Komárno is a town in southwestern Slovakia in the district of Komárno (County Nitra), lies at the confluence of the rivers Danube and Váh, 90 km southwest of Bratislava. The city is easily accessible from Bratislava with long-haul transport. In the settlement there is a railway station.

Komárno is one of the oldest settlements in the Karpatská kotlina with a very rich history.

Its area was from an older Bronze age continuously inhabited. Celts lived here, than later also Romans.

Hungarian tribes during the 10th century created here a fortified, walled place by the confluence of Danube and Váh, which became the centre of the Komárno Royal county during the time of creating the Kingdom of Hungary.

The first famous privileges to the town were given by King Béla IV. in 1265. Privileges of the town, which were later confirmed and extended by the following rulers, have contributed to the development of medieval Komárno, and developed greatly during the ruling of Matias Corvin. He was the one who gave Komárno the order to build a Renaissance palace, which he then many times visited to relax and have fun. He also built the Royal Danube Fleet whose main base at the time of fighting the Turks was Komárno.

During the expansion of the Turks in the 16th century Komárno got into the border of the Habsburg and Ottoman empires. The local medieval castle was because of this rebuilt to an easier defendable fortress in the mid-16th century during the ruling of Ferdinand I. This created the so-called Old fortress, which was in the time of  other anti-Turkish struggle in the 60's and 70's of the 17th century extended to the New Fortress.

The fortresses successfully resist the attacks by the Turkish army. After the expulsion of the Turks from the country and ending of the anti-habsburg uprising, in the 18th century thanks to its convenient location on the intersection of aquatic and terrestrial routes Komárno became one of the biggest towns in the country with flourishing trade and crafts. Charter of Queen Maria Theresa in 1745 finally obtained the title and the right of a free royal town. His better-off citizens and noblemen had baroque palaces, Trinity, Franciscans and Jesuits had monasteries and churches built.

After the collapse of  the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Czechoslovakia and the emergence of the state border on the Danube split Komárňanská historic county and the city of Komárno. The left side of the town from the river became the seat of the district of Komárno after the territorial reorganization in 1923. The economic development of the city in later years helped  building a new shipyard. Large, not always deliberate conversion of the former town Komárno remained virtually the only historical center, where most historical monuments of the town are located. Komárno is widely known as a town with rich cultural and social life. Every two years in April International Competition of Singers of F. Lehár, as well as the Lehár Festival staging musicals are organized. By the end of April and beginning of May Days of Komárno jointly organized by the towns of Komárno and Komárom in Hungary attract numerous visitors. Their tradition is connected with the International running race commemorating the anniversary of grating municipal rights to Komárno and that of the victorious battle of the 1849 emancipation efforts. The days include pop concerts, a beer feast, navigation on the Danube, days of open doors to the forts in both towns, various exhibitions, a ceremonial Mass and fireworks.

The water sports area and boathouse is on a dead arm of the Váh. The visitors of town are attracted by its thermal pool. It exploits two hot springs with a water temperature of 37 °C.

Sights:

-      The fort of Komárno is the largest bastion fortification in Central Europe. It is a historic monument of European significance and a national cultural monument.

-      Zichy Palace – built in the late 17th century, rebuilt in the Neo-Classical style and widened by addition of two lateral wings in the 19th century. There is a permanent exhibition of the modern history of the town in the rooms on the first floor of the palace.

-      The Neo-Renaissance town hall – it was built in 1875 on the foundations of an older building from 1756, from which the ground plan and peripheral walls were preserved.

-      The former County house – Originally late baroque building from the mid 18th century was in 1798 rebuilt according to the projects of the Courtly office building and in 1813 in classicistic style adjusted.

-      Officer’s pavilion – 1858-1861.Originally the building served as a set of officers' housing for officer’s imperial and royal army and their families. On the ground floor there was a casino set up for the officers, which is nowadays used for representative purposes of the town. In 1999-2000 an amphitheatre was built in the courtyard. The bridge located in the courtyard symbolizes the collaboration of Komárno and the hungarian Komárom. There is also a bust of John Selye in the courtyard.

-      Hungarian culture museum – Former palace of culture, built in 1913 in late romantic style.

-      The Late Baroque Roman Catholic parish church of St. Andrew, built in the years 1748-1756, the now disappeared parish church stood here sometime around 1268. The church was renewed after the 1848 fire. It has a single nave with lateral chapels.

-      The Roman Catholic church of St. Rozália, a Neo-Classical building from 1848.

-      The Neo-Classical Reformed church built in 1788 without a tower. The tower was added to it in 1832.

-      The Late Broque military church from 1769 was originally the Franciscan monastic church

-      The Neo-Classical Evangelical church from 1769 with a tower built in the late 19th century

-      The originally Baroque church of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1754. Its interior contains a collection of 23 Orthodox icons from the 17th and 18th centuries and a voluptuous iconostasis from 1770.

-      The Courtyard of Europe is the name of a unique construction project. They implemented to build historic architecture typical for the individual regions of Europe in a styled form.

-      In the town there is situated: Jókai Theater, cinema, thermal spa, marina, National Nature Reserve island Apáli.

-      Cultural monuments include the originally Neo-Classical manor house with English park, which has a Roman sarcophagus at it’s entrance, remains of a little Romanesque church, and a Neo-Classical church from 1815.

There is a Tourist Information Office, hotels, pensions, private accommodations, restaurants, pubs and shopping malls and various shops in the town.