Brezno

History

The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but the current town arose from an old Slovak settlement, next to which newly arrived German miners erected a typical market square in the early 13th century. The first written evidence of the town's existence is dated 1265 when King Béla IV of Hungary issued a charter for hunters from the area of Liptov, allowing them to use the woods around the settlement known as Berezuno. The name is derived from the Slovak word "breza" for birch. In the nineteenth century Brezno was a typical, almost purely Slovak town and was one of the centers of the Slovak national movement. After the Second World War the town developed into an industrial center. By far the largest industrial concern was Mostaren Brezno, a construction company which specialized in crane construction for the whole of Central Europe. Mostaren Brezno's restructuring in the early '90s caused high unemployment in the whole region. Since the late '90s, Brezno has built a large retail sector and promoted itself and the whole region as a tourist destination. Sports games and events such as the European Biathlon Cup and golf championships are held regularly.

Geography

Brezno is located within the Horehronské podolie basin. Brezno lies between the Low Tatras mountain range and the Slovak Ore Mountains, both of which belong to the Inner Western Carpathians. The town is situated on the right bank of the River Hron, which flows through town from the east, in the direction of the city of Banská Bystrica, approximately west. The local climate in the basin is rather cold, with an annual average of and an annual precipitation of .

Most-observed species

• Alpine marmot

  Marmota marmota (Linnaeus, 1758) · Mammalia
  946
• Norway Spruce

  Picea abies (L.) H.Karst. · Pinopsida
  383
• Beech

  Fagus sylvatica L. · Magnoliopsida
  211
• Sycamore [tree]

  Acer pseudoplatanus L. · Magnoliopsida
  172
• Willow Gentian

  Gentiana asclepiadea L. · Magnoliopsida
  172
• Rowan

  Sorbus aucuparia L. · Magnoliopsida
  165
• Bilberry

  Vaccinium myrtillus L. · Magnoliopsida
  148
• European Silver-fir

  Abies alba Mill. · Pinopsida
  142

Most recent

• M 4 — 2014-01-19
  4 km ESE of Balassagyarmat, Hungary
• M 4.1 — 2013-06-05
  4 km NE of Érsekvadkert, Hungary
• M 2.9 — 2007-11-18
  6 km SSE of Rimóc, Hungary
• M 3.1 — 2006-06-25
  10 km S of Bukowina Tatrza?ska, Poland
• M 2.6 — 2005-08-24
  6 km N of Ko?cielisko, Poland
• M 2.8 — 2005-06-02
  7 km S of Czarny Dunajec, Poland