Brezno

Brezno (1927 to 1948 Slovak "Brezno nad Hronom"; German Bries or Briesen , Hungarian Breznóbánya ) is a town in Slovakia on the edge of the Low Tatras , in Breznianska kotlina (German Bries valley basin ) on the Hron river (German Gran ).

The city is an economic, administrative and cultural center of the corresponding district .

history

Early history and the Middle Ages

View of the market square

The area of the city is an old settlement area; there are finds from the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, among other things . Although there are no old Slavic finds from today's urban area , there was such a settlement in its vicinity.

In the 12th century the demand for precious metals increased and the rulers saw mining as a new source of income. They invited wealthy German mining entrepreneurs and German miners a. a. from Saxony and Tyrol into the mountainous areas of the Kingdom of Hungary and thus also triggered the development of the cities in the area of the upper Hron (Gran). The German miners founded their settlements on the Gran. For example, the cities of Banská Bystrica (German Neusohl ), Ľubietová (German Libethen ) and Bries / Brezno came into being. The Mongol storm of 1241/42 largely depopulated the area, so that new German miners and settlers were called into the country. Until well into modern times, the upper Grantal - from the town of Neusohl (Slov. Banská Bystrica) to the source of the Gran was a German-speaking island.

In addition to the earlier (deserted) Slovak settlement, German miners founded the settlement with a typical square market in the early 13th century, which formed the basis for today's city. The first written mention of the city comes from 1265 in the form of "Berezune" (other sources speak of "Berchun"). The name is derived from the Slovak word "breza" (birch), which occurs very often in Slovak place names.

In 1380 the settlement "Bryzna iuxta Gron" (today's town of Brezno) received its town charter from King Ludwig I. Mining had a huge impact on the development of the city. As a mining town, Brezno / Bries received various special privileges: market rights , mills , a brewery and a toll station . Gold, silver and copper were mined in Brezno.

Modern times

The 16th and 17th centuries brought significant changes to the city's economic life. The increased iron consumption opened up new opportunities for the residents. Brezno became an important location for wood production and forestry. The new job opportunities attracted new settlers, woodcutters and charcoal burners . The population losses caused by the Turkish wars were offset by Slovak immigrants from the neighborhood and other German immigrants. In 1650, King Ferdinand III. Brezno became a royal free city . The trades represented a perspective for the next centuries . Various guilds emerged (from 1604). The craftsmen preferred the small residential areas because they could get a piece of land there. Agriculture and handicrafts were the main sources of livelihood for the residents.

A renaissance of mining took place in the 18th century, but it ended very quickly due to a lack of effectiveness. The 18th century was marked by conflicts with numerous robbers living in the vicinity of the city, which gradually led to an exodus of the urban population. In the 18th and 19th centuries, iron ore was mined in this area and the iron processing industry expanded.

In the 19th century, the now largely Slovakized city was a center of the Slovak national movement . This century brought a lively cultural life to Brezno. The Slovak playwright Samo Chalupka , after whom the theater company was named, worked there. In 1884, the city received a train connection with Banská Bystrica on the Banská Bystrica – Červená Skala railway .

In 1894 the following former districts of Brezno became independent municipalities: Bystrá, Mýto pod Ďumbierom, Jarabá, Michalová.

20th century

Before the Second World War, the city remained a small agricultural and craft town. After that, numerous companies were settled there, so that Brezno turned into an industrial center of the Grantal.

Today the literary and music event “Chalúpkovo Brezno” (literally Chalupkas Bries ) is successful . 1850-1860, 1883-1960 and 1990 (?) - 2003 Brezno was the capital of an Okres (district) of the same name . At the end of the 1930s there were about 5500 inhabitants in Brezno. They were able to receive their training at a community school, an agricultural school, a lyceum for women's professions or a high school.

Attractions

Marketplace:
- interesting houses
- former town hall (now a museum)
- City tower
- Marien pillar
Churches:
- catholic church (classical)
- Protestant Church (classicistic)
- Synagogue (built in 1900)
Piarist monastery
Horehronie Museum