Nitra (Slovak pronunciation:[ˈɲitra]ⓘ; also known by otheralternative names) is a city in southwesternSlovakia, situated at the foot of theZobor Mountain in theNitra River Valley about 90 km (56 mi) northeast of the country's capital, Bratislava. With a population of about 78,353, it is the fifth-largest city in Slovakia. Nitra stands on varied terrain, which features both rolling hills[4] and vast plains, particularly to the south.[5] Nitra is one of the oldest cities in Slovakia. It was the center of thePrincipality of Nitra, a duchy of great historic significance.[6] Today, the city serves as the administrative center ofNitra Region (kraj) andNitra District (okres). Nitra is the agricultural capital of Slovakia due to its long tradition of farming, favorable climate, and geography.[7]
The first mention of Nitra dates back to the 9th century. The name of the city is derived from theNitra River. The name isIndo-European, but the question of itspre-Slavic orSlavic origin has not been satisfactorily answered. Nitra might be derived from the old Indo-European rootneit-,nit- 'to cut' or 'to burn' using the derivational element-r- (see alsoslash-and-burn agricultural technique).[8] The same root is still present in theSlovak verbnietiť 'to make a fire', but also in other Indo-European languages likeLatinnitere 'to burn' or inGermanschneiden 'to cut'.[9] Another view of the origin of the name is related toLatinNovi-iter orNeui-iter 'new territory behind thelimes'.[10] The hypothetical Latin name could have been adopted by theQuadi and later by theSlavs.
The first written records also contain the suffix-ava (Nitrava). Particularly in older literature, the suffix is interpreted as deriving from theProto-Germanic root*ahwa 'water'.[11] However, the suffix-ava can also be found in numerous toponyms with a clearly Slavic origin and without any relationship to rivers. The existence of the hydronymNitrava remains hypothetical[12] and all versions with the suffix are related to a location, not a river. Thus, the formNitrava can refer to a larger property or territory around the Nitra River.[13] Both forms were probably used concurrently and were already recorded in the 9th century[8] (Conversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum:in loco vocata Nitraua, but in 880ecclesie Nitrensis).
The oldest archaeological findings in Nitra are dated to around 25,000-30,000 years ago. The locality has been inhabited in all historical periods in the last 5,000-7,000 years.[14] Several European archaeological cultures and groups were named after important archaeological discoveries in Nitra or its near surroundings - Nitra culture, Brodzany-Nitra group, or Lužianky group ofLengyel culture.
The people ofMadarovce culture had built the first fortification onCastle Hill by around 1,600 BCE. In the Iron Age, a largehillfort was built on Zobor Hill and additional smaller hillforts on the Lupka Hill and in Dražovce (700-500 BCE).[14] Several Celtic settlements are known from the 5th-1st centuries. The Celts minted silvertetradrachms known as coins of the Nitra type and probably also built a hillfort in the locality Na Vŕšku.[14] In the Roman period (1st-4th centuries CE), the Germanic tribe ofQuadi settled in the area, which is also mentioned as their possible capital (396 CE). The largest Germanic settlement from the migration period in the territory of modern-day Slovakia was unearthed in Nitra-Párovské Háje.[15]
The firstSlavs arrived in the territory of present Slovakia at the end of the 5th and early 6th centuries.[16] The early Slavs settled mainly in the lowlands near the water flows; the highest density of their settlements is documented just in the area of Nitra.[17] As theAvars expanded into the territory of modern-day Slovakia in the latter half of the 7th century and early 8th century, the border between Slavic and Slavo-Avaric territory shifted toward Nitra. A biritual cemetery in Nitra-Dolné Krškany lies on the northern border of the mixed settlement area.[18]
The importance of Nitra for the Slavs began to grow in the 8th century, and thereafter it evolved to the administrative centre of the wider region.[19] Nitra became the center of thePrincipality of Nitra. Three of the eleven extant copies of theConversio Bagoariorum et Carantanorum contain a reference to a church consecrated for Pribina in his domain called Nitrava. The problem of Pribina's church and the dating of this event was addressed by numerous scholars; most of them do not doubt the reliability of the information and associate this event with Nitra.[20] In 833, Pribina was ousted by the Moravian princeMojmír I and both regions were united into the early medieval empire ofGreat Moravia.
In the 9th century, Nitra was one of the largest agglomerations in Central Europe.[18] The agglomeration consisted of fortified centres and more than twenty non-fortified villages.[21] It spread out on a territory exceeding the present town. The Slavs, Slovak ancestors, built a large castle on an area of 8.5 hectares (21 acres). on Castle Hill,[22]. Further important locations, Na vŕšku and Martinský Vrch, were probably also fortified.[23] Other hills, some of them fortified already in prehistoric times, had a guarding and refuge function. Surrounding villages were used as an agricultural hinterland for the princely retinue and for specialised production (jewellery production, forges, pottery kilns, etc.). More than forty burial sites are documented on 20 km (12 mi)2.[24] In all burial sites, exclusively inhumation rite (compliant with Christian belief) was practised, instead of cremation, typical for earlier Slavs.[25] The known necropolises with military equipment around the perimeter of the agglomeration probably belonged to the settlements guarding access roads to the centre.[24]
The city reached its height during the reign ofSvätopluk I. During his rule, the first known Christianbishopric in Slovakia was established in Nitra in 880 (withWiching as the bishop). The question of the origin of the Monastery ofSt. Hippolytus (the oldestBenedictine Monastery inKingdom of Hungary) has not been sufficiently answered yet. Even if findings of ceramics documented a settlement in the location, its character is unclear.[26][27]
The development of Nitra was temporarily slowed down after the disintegration of Great Moravia.[28] However, Nitra did not follow the fate of other prominent Great Moravian centres (Mikulčice-Valy,Pohansko,Staré Město-Uherské Hradište), and until the 13th century it preserved its status as a prestigious centre. According to older assumptions, Nitra should have been occupied by masses ofMagyar (Hungarian) units, predictably followed by significant destruction of the previous settlements.[29] However, later archaeological research does not support this theory.[30] The extinction horizon (e.g., destruction by fire) is not documented for any known settlement, and the continuity between the graveyards from different periods remained high.[31][32] In the 10th century, the settlement structure was not affected by any observable destruction process or significant change in the ethnic composition.[33] The continuity of Slavic settlements and economic infrastructure was preserved.[34] Archaeological evidence pointing to an early presence of Magyars directly in Nitra has not been found yet, except for the warrior grave in Nitra-Mlynárce.[30][35] Paradoxically, their presence is documented north of Nitra (Čakajovce) and from peripheral areas with more rural character, where they joined the majority Slavic population.[30] Here, their members were buried together with the Slavs in common graveyards.[30][36] Later, both cultures merged into the commonBijelo Brdo culture, with ethnic-specific attributes fading away.[30]
Political affiliation of the territory in the 10th and the early 11th century is unclear – the influence of the HungarianÁrpáds, the CzechPřemyslids, and the PolishPiasts is being considered. Finally, Nitra became an integral part of the Kingdom of Hungary and the seat of several Árpáds princes. The town survived theinvasion of Mongols in 1241. In 1248,Béla IV gave Nitra the privileges of a free royal town. In 1271–1272, Nitra was heavily damaged by the Czech kingOttakar II. The raids also damaged the bishop's property and, therefore, as compensation, Nitra was put under his administration in 1288. The town lost its royal privileges, and in the next centuries, it was unable to recover, mainly because of frequent military conflicts.[37]
In the early 14th century, the town and the castle were damaged several times byMatthew III Csák. In the conflict between the king and oligarchy, the bishop of Nitra remained loyal to the king. In 1313, the king confirmed bishopric privileges and extended them for the right to administer not only Nitra, but the wholeNitra County.[37]
The town became a target ofHussite attacks in the 15th century, at the time defended byIspán of Nitra county,Stibor of Stiboricz, and later his son Stibor deBeckov.[38] After the Hungarian defeat at theBattle of Mohács in 1526 and subsequent Ottoman advances into the Hungarian territory, Nitra was under threat of Ottoman attacks. In 1563, the town became the seat of theCaptaincy of Lower Hungary. The Turkish forces failed to capture the castle three times before they conquered it in 1663. Habsburg troops underJean-Louis Raduit de Souches recaptured it on 2 May 1664 before theBattle of Léva. The Turks returned at the start of theGreat Turkish War and held the town until 1685.[39] The town was also affected by anti-Habsburg uprisings, fromStephen Bocskay andGabriel Bethlen uprisings in the 17th century to theKuruc uprisings from 1703 to 1711, and the town burned down in 1708 as a result of fights.[40] It was renovated in the 18th century in theBaroque style. As a consequence of theRevolutions of 1848, Nitra was awarded an independent self-government for the first time since 1288 and became independent from theDiocese of Nitra and its bishops.[41] Still an agricultural and handicraft town, Nitra started to industrialize. Before World War I, a distillery, an agricultural machinery factory, a brewery, a dairy, and other works were established. The first indirect connection to a railway was a road built in 1850 to the closest station inTrnovec nad Váhom.[42] The railway arrived in Nitra in 1876, when a connection fromŠurany was built. Later, lines were built toTopoľčany,Hlohovec andNové Zámky. As a part ofMagyarization, from 1883 to 1919, Nitra was the seat of the Upper Hungarian Teaching Association (FEMKE), a government-sponsored association whose main goal was to apply Magyarization policies on Slovaks.[43]
AfterWorld War I and in the atmosphere of postwar chaos and rising anarchy, the Hungarian National Council in Nitra decided to negotiate with theCzechoslovak Army, pushing out Hungarian military forces and police from the territory of present Slovakia.[44] The Hungarian National Council and the Town Council needed the Czechoslovak Army to restore public order, but hoped that the situation was only temporary and formally protested against the "occupation" on 10 December 1918.[44] However, the town became a part ofCzechoslovakia. Nitra continued to be the seat of the Nitra county until it was dissolved in 1928. In 1933, Nitra played an important role in the Slovak autonomist movement when Pribina's Celebration (the anniversary of the consecration of the first Christian church) turned into the largest demonstration againstCzechoslovakism.
After the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1939, Nitra became a part of theFirst Slovak Republic and once again a seat of Nitra county until 1945. The period of the First Slovak Republic was tragic for the Jewish population of Nitra, which was first victimized by the anti-Jewish law and then mostly exterminated in German concentration camps (90% of Jewish citizens).[45] The city was liberated by the SovietRed Army in 1945, for only three years of restored democracy in Czechoslovakia.
Slovak historians believe that Nitra is the location of the oldest Slovak Jewish community.[46]
The Communist period from 1948 to 1989 was marked by the oppression of the Catholic church, which had traditionally had a strong presence in Nitra. Catholic seminaries, monasteries, and other properties were nationalized and converted to museums, schools, and offices. This period experienced extensive growth, the building of housing projects, and the annexation of formerly independent villages. After theVelvet Revolution of 1989 anddissolution of Czechoslovakia, Nitra became part of newly established Slovakia and became the seat of theNitra Region in 1996.
In 2008, the remains ofJozef Tiso—the controversial leader of the First Slovak Republic who collaborated with the Nazis and was executed in 1947 as a war criminal—were exhumed from a Bratislava cemetery and reburied in the canonical crypt of the Catholic Cathedral in Nitra.[47]
Nitra lies at an altitude of 190 metres (623 ft)above sea level and covers an area of 100.48 square kilometres (38.8 sq mi).[48] It is located in theNitra River valley in theDanubian Lowland, where the bigger part of the city is located. A smaller part is located at the southernmost reaches of theTribeč mountains, more precisely at the foothill of the Zobor mountain 587 metres (1,926 ft). It is around halfway between Slovak capitalBratislava, 92 kilometres (57 mi) away and central Slovak city ofBanská Bystrica, 118 kilometres (73 mi) away. Other towns in the surroundings includeTrnava to the west (53 km),Topoľčany to the north (35 km),Levice to the east (42 km), andNové Zámky (37 km) andKomárno (71 km) to the south. A national natural reservation calledZoborská lesostep is located within the city's boundaries.
Nitra lies in thehumid continental climate with four distinct seasons. It is characterized by a significant variation between hot summers and cold, snowy winters. The city is located in the warmest and driest part of Slovakia.
Points of interest in the area include theNitra Castle, the old town, and the adjacent hill, named Zobor, overlooking the city.
Notable religious structures located in Nitra areSt. Emmeram's Cathedral in Nitra castle, aPiarist church of St. Ladislaus and the adjacent monastery.The oldest church of the city is theSaint Stephen church, which was built in the 11th-12th century, although the foundation of the building was constructed in the 9th century.
The monastery on Piaristicka street was founded in the 13th-14th century. Its dominant church of St. Ladislaus was later destroyed by a fire and remodelled in 1742–1748 inbaroque style. Two towers were also added. The main altar has a statue ornamentation with the portraits ofSaint Stephen andLadislaus I of Hungary. The interior was renovated in 1940, and three modernfrescos depicting themes from the Slovak history of Nitra were created.[citation needed]
The old town (Staré Mesto) is dominated by the castle (Hrad), which is one of the most interesting ancient structures in Slovakia. Archaeological findings indicate that a large fortified castle had already stood here at the time ofSamo's Empire, in the seventh century. Archaeological findings prove the existence of a church from the ninth century beneath the more recent Gothic St. Emmeram's Cathedral. The construction of the stone castle began during the 9th century during the reign of the Prince of Nitra Svätopluk. The castle currently serves as the seat of one ofRoman Catholic bishoprics in Slovakia, which was founded in 880 as the first bishopric of western and eastern Slavs, which continued its existence since then, with a break from the 10th century until around 1110.
TheNitra Synagogue was built in 1908-1911 for theNeolog Jewish community. It was designed by Lipót (Leopold) Baumhorn (1860–1932), the prolific Budapest-based synagogue architect. Located in a narrow lane, the building is typical of Baumhorn's style. A mélange of Moorish, Byzantine, and Art Nouveau elements, it faces the street with a two-tower façade. The sanctuary is a domed hall supported by four pillars that also support thewomen's gallery. After more than a decade of restoration by the municipality of Nitra, the building is now used as a center for cultural activities. The women's gallery houses "The Fate of Slovak Jews" – Slovakia's national Holocaust memorial exhibition. TheNitra Synagogue serves as a permanent exhibition space for graphic works by the Nitra-born Israeli artistShraga Weil.[50]
The most powerful medium wave transmitter of Slovakia, running on 1098 kHz[citation needed], was situated in Nitra atVelke Kostolany until recently. This transmitter could broadcast throughout all of Europe at night. Since 2003, however, it has operated on lower output to save energy costs and has transmitted regional programming only.[citation needed]
The Virgin Mary's mission house at Calvary Hill was built in 1765 for the Spanish order of Nazarens. They were taking care of the church and the pilgrims. Later, the building served as an orphanage. In 1878-85, this building was rebuilt in the Novoromanesque style, and in 1925, a new floor was added to the building. The building as we know it today is a work of the Slovak architect M. M. Harminec. Nowadays, the whole building is the mission house of The Divine Word Society.[51] The Mission museum of nations and cultures is located in this building.
According to the 2011census, Nitra has a population of 78,916. 89.3% (70,447) citizens declaredSlovak nationality, 1.8% (1,443)Hungarian, 0.7% (521)Romani, 0.7% (520)Czech and 7.8% (5,330) did not specify any nationality.[54]
The demographics changed dramatically during the 20th century; in 1910, from a total population of 16,419, some 9,754 (59.4%) were Hungarians, 4,929 (30.0%) Slovaks, and 1,636 (9.96%) Germans - Jews are hidden under these nationalities. (According to the Slovak Jewish Heritage Center, Jews made up a quarter of the total population, and the vast majority of them spoke Hungarian and were, for census purposes, not counted as a separate ethnicity to inflate the number of Hungarians.) In 1940, Nitra was home to 4,358 Jews.[55] In the 21st century, the population of Nitra began declining from the peak of 87,690 in 2002 to 75,208 in 2025.[56]
GDP per capita in 2008 for the whole Nitra region was€10,508, which was below Slovakia's average (€12,395).[58]Nitra's enterprises were a brewery, a grain mill, food processing plants, and other food-related industries. In the new free trade economy after 1989, and after entering the European Union and the Euro currency club, only the wine bottling plant is left. Out of the factories started under the communist regime, 1948–1989, the plastic processing plant is still doing well. The most prevalent industries are electronics and car parts, concentrated in the new business park.The city plans to have a balanced budget of 42 mil€ in 2011.[59]
The city is governed bymayor (Slovak:primátor) and thecity council (Slovak:mestské zastupiteľstvo). The mayor is the head of the city and its chief executive. The term of office is four years. The current mayor isMarek Hattas. The city council is the legislative body, with 31 council members.
The city is divided into 13 urban districts (boroughs):Dolné Krškany,Horné Krškany,Staré Mesto,Čermáň,Klokočina,Diely,Párovské Háje,Kynek,Mlynárce,Zobor,Dražovce,Chrenová, andJaníkovce.
Nitra is the seat of two universities:University of Constantinus the Philosopher, with 13,684 students, including 446 doctoral students.[61] and of theSlovak University of Agriculture, with 10,297 students, including 430 doctoral students.[62] The city's system of primary education consists of 14 public schools and three religious primary schools, enrolling in overall 6,945 pupils.[63] Secondary education is represented by five gymnasia with 3,349 students,[64] 8 specialized high schools with 3,641 students,[65] and 5 vocational schools with 3,054 students.[66][67] Schools in the city include theUnited Catholic School.
Nitra used to be the site of the Jewish schoolYeshiva of Nitra, the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during World War II, associated with famous rabbisChaim Michael Dov Weissmandl andShmuel Dovid Ungar. The yeshiva was moved toMount Kisco, New York, US, after the Second World War, where it still exists.
Nitra is connected to Bratislava, Trnava, Žiar nad Hronom, Zvolen, and Banská Bystrica by a freeway (E58). There are also first-class road connections to Topoľčany,Zlaté Moravce (labelled as "Highway of Death"),[68]Vráble and Nové Zámky.
Nitra also has its own recreationalairfield; it hosts the factory of theAeropro Eurofox ultralight. However, the closest international airport isBratislava Airport.
Nitra is home to several museums and galleries. The Museum of the Nitra Region supervises a collection of objects in several fields (Archaeology, Ethnography, Numismatics, Geology, and Zoology).[71] Since 1993, it has also had an exhibition of the most precious artifacts discovered by the Archeological Institute in Nitra. The exhibition contains more than 2,200 gold, silver, and other objects,[72] among them golden-plated plaques from (pre-)Great Moravian hillfortBojná. The Diocesan Museum of the Nitra Diocese on theNitra Castle exhibits the facsimile of documents and archaeological discoveries closely connected to the origin of Christianity in Slovakia, including the oldest manuscript from the territory of Slovakia (the Nitra Gospel Book, 1083).[73] Open-air museum "Osada Lupka" is a reconstruction of a Slavic village from the early Middle Ages. The Slovak Agricultural Museum specializes in the history of agriculture and is the only one of its kind in Slovakia. The museum also has an open-air exposition (skanzen). The Mission Museum of Nations and Cultures exhibits objects from missionary activities. The Museum of Jewish Culture in the synagogue presents culture and history and has a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Holocaust.
There are two theaters in Nitra: theAndrej Bagar Theatre (Divadlo Andreja Bagara) and the Old Theatre of Karol Spišák (Staré Divadlo Karola Spišáka)[74] (Karol Spišák Old Theatre). The Nitra Amphitheater is one of the largest in Slovakia.
Nitra's main arts museum is the Nitra Gallery.[75] Another popular gallery is The Foyer Gallery, a part of the Old Theatre of Karol Spišák. A permanent exhibition of prestigious Jewish painterShraga Weil is installed in the Exhibition Hall of theNitra Synagogue.[76]
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