Prievidza

Sister cities

• Šumperk
• Valjevo
• Jastrzębie-Zdrój

History

The Upper Nitra Basin was inhabited as early as the middle of the Paleolithic period, as evidenced by the rich paleontological findings in Bojnice and Prievidza. Thousands of artifacts have been discovered, including stone tools, animal bone fossils and fireplace remnants. The first written mention of Prievidza was in 1113, as Preuigan. It was promoted to a royal free town in 1383, on 26 January. This meant that the town obtained privileges such as paying benefits to hold markets, choice of pastor and mayor, building mills, catching fish, the free development of crafts and sale of produce. From the 16th to the first third of the 17th century, the Thurzó family controlled the town. Ottomans approached Prievidza from the south and burned it in 1599, along with other towns in the upper Nitra river valley. In 1666, the Piarists built the baroque church (now known as the Piarist Church) and Monastery, which became a centre of culture and education. During the Kuruc uprising in 1673, Prievidza was burned down again, with fire burning a part of town's archives. In 1870, it had 2,719 inhabitants. Since the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, industry started to grow, as the railways to Prievidza were constructed. During World War II, the city was one of the centres of partisans. On 4 April 1945, Prievidza was captured by troops of the Soviet 40th Army. Since the end of the war, the population has grown enormously from 5,000 inhabitants to around 53,000 inhabitants, as industry grew. Prievidza became the home of many miners and workers that found employment in the coal mines located in nearby village Cigeľ and towns Handlová and Nováky.

Geography

The city is near the smaller town of Bojnice, sharing a public transport system. The valley of the Nitra River, in which the city lies, is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides, in the west Strážov Mountains, in the north Malá Fatra, in the east Žiar and in the south Vtáčnik. Prievidza is the eleventh largest city in Slovakia. It is located around south of Žilina, east of the regional capital Trenčín and from capital city of Slovakia Bratislava (by road).

Most-observed species

• Beech

  Fagus sylvatica L. · Magnoliopsida
  405
• Scots Pine

  Pinus sylvestris L. · Pinopsida
  198
• Norway Spruce

  Picea abies (L.) H.Karst. · Pinopsida
  180
• Cypress Spurge

  Euphorbia cyparissias L. · Magnoliopsida
  177
• Wild Privet

  Ligustrum vulgare L. · Magnoliopsida
  134
• Sycamore [tree]

  Acer pseudoplatanus L. · Magnoliopsida
  126
• Hazel

  Corylus avellana L. · Magnoliopsida
  121
• Cornelian-cherry

  Cornus mas L. · Magnoliopsida
  118

Most recent

• M 2.8 — 2018-08-17
  1 km ENE of Tren?ianske Teplice, Slovakia
• M 4 — 2014-01-19
  4 km ESE of Balassagyarmat, Hungary
• M 4.1 — 2013-06-05
  4 km NE of Érsekvadkert, Hungary
• M 2.5 — 2007-11-15
  2 km N of Morávka, Czechia
• M 3.6 — 2006-03-13
  5 km NNW of Leopoldov, Slovakia
• M 3.1 — 2006-03-09
  3 km SSW of Tren?ianske Teplice, Slovakia