Bojnice (; ) is a historical town in western Slovakia located on the Nitra river, near the city of Prievidza. The town is situated just below the Bojnice Castle. It has a population of around 5,000.
Bojnice is best known for its popular tourist attractions, among them being the Bojnice Zoo and the Bojnice Castle, and generally for being one of the oldest in Slovakia.
Geography
Bojnice lies in the upper
Nitra River valley, under the Strážov Mountains. It is located very near the city of Prievidza, with which it shares a common public transport system. Other major cities nearby include Žilina 60 kilometres to the north and Trenčín 65 kilometres to the west.
History
The town's history is closely connected to that of Bojnice Castle. The town was first mentioned in writing in 1113, when it was mentioned as a settlement under the castle. Bojnice was granted
town privileges in 1366.
Landmarks
The town is most known for the
Bojnice Castle, first mentioned in 1113 and originally built as a wooden fort, it was over time built as a stone castle and in the 20th century, in the Romantic style. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction. The castle has appeared in many international films, and a well-known international festival of
ghost takes place there every year. It is built on
travertine rock with a natural cave.
The Bojnice Zoo was founded in 1955. In 2006, it had 355 different species and more than 1,800 animals.
Bojnice is also known for its spa. The therapeutic springs were mentioned 1549 for the first time. Today they treat patients with disorders of the locomotor system, with diseases, post-traumatic conditions, orthopaedic disturbances of the spine, neurological diseases and occupational diseases.
Demographics
According to the 2001
census, the town had 5,006 inhabitants. 97.06% of inhabitants were
Slovaks, 0.68%
Czech people and 0.24%
Germans (Carpathian Germans).
The religious make-up was 74.55%
Roman Catholics, 19% people with no religious affiliation and 2%
Lutherans.
Notable people
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Karina Habšudová, tennis player
-
Miloslav Mečíř, tennis player, Olympic winner
-
Andrej Sekera, Dallas Stars (National Hockey League) defenseman
-
Mirka Federer, tennis player
-
, classical pianist
-
Antonia Liskova, Italian actress
-
, artist
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Juraj Kucka, footballer
-
Anna Záborská, Member of the European Parliament
-
Ján Vlasko, slovak footballer
Twin towns — sister cities
Bojnice is twinned with:
See also
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List of municipalities and towns in Slovakia
Genealogical resources
The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Nitra, Slovakia"
-
Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1668-1912 (parish A)
External links
