Audionahrávka MP3: Slovakia My Homeland

Audionahrávka MP3: Slovakia My Homeland

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Slovakia My Homeland

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Topic number 25: Slovakia – My Homeland....

General information.

The official name of our country is The Slovak Republic.

1.) LOCATION. Slovakia is situated in Central Europe. We can say that it is in the heart of Europe. Slovakia is a small country. Its area is 49,036 square kilometres. It has a population of about 5 and a half million people. It borders on: Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, and Austria.

2.) MOUNTAINS. Slovakia is a very mountainous country. In the north, there are the High Tatras with the highest peak, Gerlach Peak. There are also other peaks, for example, Kriváň Peak, and tarns such as Popradské pleso. The Low Tatras are not as high as the High Tatras, but the nature there is beautiful, and it is an ideal place for hiking. The most popular peaks in the Low Tatras are Ďumbier, Zvolen, Chopok, and Kráľova Hoľa. In the west, there are the Big Fatra, the Small Fatra, the White Carpathian Mountains, and the Small Carpathian Mountains. In the eastern part of central Slovakia, there are mountains called the Slovak Paradise and the Slovak Karst.

3.) RIVERS and LAKES. The biggest rivers are the Danube, Moravia, Hron, Ipeľ, and Ondava. The most important river is the Danube, which has ports in Bratislava, Komárno, and Štúrovo. The longest river is the Váh. Slovakia doesn’t have many lakes. The most important lakes are in the High Tatras, and they are called tarns, such as Popradské pleso. The biggest dams are Domaša Dam, Liptovská Mara, Orava Water Dam, and Zemplínska Šírava. The biggest water power station is Gabčíkovo.

4.) CLIMATE in Slovakia is mild. The warmest part of Slovakia is the south.

5.) INDUSTRY and AGRICULTURE. The biggest and most important factories for our economy are the US Steel Košice, Volkswagen Bratislava, and Slovnaft. The woodworking industry is based in Zvolen and Banská Bystrica. We can find the food industry in every town in Slovakia. The most important factories are in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica, and Martin. Most of the industry is situated in the west of Slovakia, which is bad for people living in other parts of Slovakia – many people are unemployed, for example, in the east or in the north, like the Kysuce region. Agriculture is very important for Slovakia. People in Slovakia grow potatoes, sugar beets, and corn. In Pezinok and Modra, people usually grow grapes for wine. People in Slovakia also grow fruit and vegetables. Animal production is important too. People keep cows, goats, hens in hen farms, pigs, and sheep.

The history of Slovakia. The area of modern Slovakia was settled by Slavs at the end of the 5th century. They belonged to Samo’s Empire. Later, the Samo’s Empire was dissolved, and the Slavs became part of two princedoms: Pribina’s Princedom and Mojmír’s Princedom. These two princedoms were united and became the Great Moravian Empire. In 863, Cyril and Methodius came and brought the Christian religion to this region. They were also the founders of the Slavic script. At the beginning of the 10th century, the Great Moravian Empire ended, and the area of Slovakia became part of the early feudal Hungarian state. The following centuries were hard for the Slavs due to Tatar and Turkish invasions that lasted for about 150 years. In the 19th century, Slovakia became part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Personalities like Štúr, Hurban, and Hodža fought for our independence. After World War 1 in 1918, the Czechoslovak Republic was established. Later in 1938, the Slovak State was created, and in 1948 the communists came to power, reestablishing Czechoslovakia. In 1989, there was a revolution in Czechoslovakia, and the two countries were divided. From 1st January 1993, Slovakia has been independent.

Places of interest. There are many interesting places in Slovakia, such as:

• Mountains – The High Tatras, The Low Tatras.
• Old towns/villages – Vlkolínec, Čičmany, Vychylovka, Rajecká Lesná.
• Caves – The Dobšinská Ice Cave, Belianska Cave, Domica Cave.
• Castles – Devín Castle, Bratislava Castle.
• Spa baths – Piešťany, Bardejov, Rajecké Teplice.

The nature in Slovakia is very beautiful. In summer, we can go hiking, and in winter, we can go skiing in our mountains. We have the High Tatras and the Low Tatras – the nature there is protected by law (TANAP). You can also visit old towns and villages, for example, Vlkolínec and Vychylovka, where you can see how people in Slovakia lived in the past with old wooden houses. Vlkolínec is protected by UNESCO. In Rajecká Lesná, there is an old wooden Bethlehem. Slovakia has many caves – the Dobšinská Ice Cave is the largest ice cave in Europe. Other caves include the Cave of Freedom, Belianska Cave, and Gombasecká Cave. There are also some very nice castles in Slovakia, such as Bojnice Castle, which hosts a ghost festival every year. Čachtice Castle was the home of the bloody countess Alžbeta Báthoryová, who killed young women and bathed in their blood. Other castles include Beckov Ruins, Trenčín Castle, Bratislava Castle, Spiš Castle, Orava Castle, Strečno, and Krásna Hôrka. Slovakia also has spa baths in Piešťany, Bardejov, and Rajecké Teplice. People who visit Slovakia should also visit the historical town of Kremnica, famous for gold mining and the production of golden coins.

People and their customs and traditions. Slovak people are very friendly and hospitable, though not very rich. They enjoy traditional music and dancing, and every year there are many folk festivals in Slovakia, such as in Detva or Východná, where you can hear folk music and see beautiful folk costumes and dances. These festivals are also visited by foreign tourists. Slovak people have typical food. Our national dish is Bryndzové halušky, a meal made of potatoes and cheese called bryndza. We have very good cheese in Slovakia, for example, oštiepok and parenica. A Slovak national hero is Juraj Jánošík. Slovak people are mostly Christians, and because of this, the most important holidays are Christmas and Easter. During these holidays, Slovak families usually get together, visit each other, bake cakes, and cook traditional meals.

Bratislava. Bratislava is the capital city of Slovakia. It is situated on the banks of the river Danube, which gives it a very good strategic position. It is also an important industrial city and is vital to our economy. There are many factories, for example, Slovnaft, Volkswagen, and Palma. The city has a low unemployment rate of about 3%. People who enjoy shopping can visit popular shopping centres such as Aupark and Polus. Bratislava has many historical buildings and sightseeing places, including:

• The Slovak National Theatre on Hviezdoslav Square, with a statue of Hviezdoslav, an important Slovak writer.
• The new Slovak National Theatre building near the Eurovea shopping centre and Apollo bridge.
• The Slovak National Gallery.
• The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra at REDUTA, which is often used for social and cultural events.
• Grassalkovich Palace (the President’s Palace), the residence of our president.
• Primate’s Palace, famous for its Mirror Hall.
• Bratislava Castle.
• St. Michael’s Gate.
• The St. Martin’s Cathedral, where 11 kings and 8 queens were crowned in the past.
• Academia Istropolitana, the building of the first university in the Hungarian Kingdom.
• The statue of Čumil, a man sticking his head out of a hole in the road, which is a popular tourist attraction.