Šamorín

www.samorin.sk

Šamorín is a town in southern Slovakia in Trnavský region lying near the capital, Bratislava.

The town is situated in the Danubian Lowland in Rye Island by bank of the Danube by the Water Works in Gabčíkovo. It consists of 5 townparts: Šamorín, Bučuháza, Čilistov, Kraľovianky and Mliečno. The village is easily accessible from Bratislava and Dunajská Streda with suburban services. The nearest railway station is in Kvetoslavov, 4 km away.

The exact time of the town’s foundation  is not known. According to Matthew Bél and other well-known historians, the town was named after the church erected in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was first mentioned as Villa Sancta Maria in records dating from 1238.

In 1405, King Sigismund granted the town the right to the title of Royal Free Town. Thus, Šamorín enjoyed all the same rights as Bratislava at that time. By the 14th century, Šamorín was a center of trade for Rye Island. The town’s thriving handicraft industry supplied neighboring rural areas with a great variety of industrial products.

Battles with Turks in the second part of the 16th century had put an end to the town’s steady development. In 1589, it lost its Royal Free Town status, and was demoted to being a Market Town. Only later, starting in the 17th century, did Šamorín regain its role as the agricultural and trade center of Upper Rye Island.

During the 1848-1849 revolution, smaller battles occurred in and around Šamorín. One of the local battles was the battle by the former tavern Pipagyújtó, which was situated in the area of the town.

Šamorín has an important role in administration, this can be seen in the fact that until 1960 the town was the county seat (district seat).

During the construction of the water works in Gabčíkovo the town developed Hrušovská reservoir and built the canal, which is now a tourist attraction and offers opportunities for water sports and boating.

The paved and well maintained international Danube cycle path, one of Europe’s most significant bicycle routes, runs on top of the levy above the reservoir. On the northwest edge of the town on 10 ha of land lies a beautiful park called Pomle with pathway. This park has an important environmental, cultural, aesthetic and recreational function. In Šamorín there are some annual events organized, for example Samaria-Dni starej hudby, New Music At Home, Letný hudobný večer, adventné a fašiangové koncerty. In one part of the town, Mliečno has already more than 100 years old Carnival celebrating tradition.

Sights:

-      The Reformed church is one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Rye Island. The originally Late Romanesque church from the end of the 13th century was rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries in Gothic taste. The chancel contains unique and thoroughly restored Gothic wall paintings from the 13th century depicting various events from the Bible.

-      The Roman Catholic church of the Virgin Mary’s Ascension built in the Late-Baroque style (1722-1778) is also one of the gems of the local sacred architecture. The church forms a complex with the Pauline monastery and is connected with it by a corridor and sacristy. The Baroque monastery represents the type of monastery built around a courtyard with a cloister.

-      The Evangelical church is from 1784-1785. It is Neo-Classical, but its interior bears traits of the Baroque style.

-      A unique type of sacred architecture can be seen at the Roman Catholic church of St. Margita, which is to be found outside the town in a little settlement called Šámot. Originally it was built in the Romanesque style in 1260.

-      The synagogue is the town was built in 1912. For the construction the Jewish religious community applied not only romantic architectural elements but motives of the Middle East as well. Since 1996 thanks to the organization At Home Gallery now serves as a showroom and occasional works of art concert hall.

-      The town hall was originally a Renaissance structure, which was repeatedly adapted.

-      A permanent exhibition of the town’s history can be seen in The Municipal House of Homeland Studies. There are some objects connected with the history of gold washing in Rye Island.

-      Turf has a long tradition in the town. There are three horse race courses and a horse breeding station.

-      In one part of the town, Čilistov at Hrušov (DAM) is a popular recreation area with a swimming pool and a lagoon beach by water.

There are hotels, pension, restaurants, pubs and various shops in the town.