Trnava

Trnava (in German: Tyrnau) is a town in western Slovakia, near Bratislava, at the Trnavka river. Population: 72,000 (1991). Seat of a region (kraj) or Higher Territorial Unit (VÚC) and of a district (okres). Seat of a Roman-Catholic archbishopric (1541-1820 and then again since 1978).

Because of the many churches in the town, Trnava is often called the "Slovak Rome". In the past, it was an important center of counter-reformation in Hungary and Slovakia (17th century), of the Slovak national revival (late 18th century) and seat of the important (Jesuit) Trnava University (1635-1777, founded by the archbishop Peter Pázmány). The town has a historic center. The first codified Slovak language standard (by Anton Bernolák in 1787) was based on the Slovak dialect used in the region of Trnava. With the establishment of a separate Trnava archbishopric in 1978, Slovakia became independent on Hungary again also in terms of church administration for the first time after centuries.

The construction of a big factory of the French car manufacturer PSA was started in Trnava in 2003.

See also: Slovakia, History of Slovakia