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ŽILINA AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
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CULTURE
INTRODUCTION
The city of Žilina, in cooperation with partners, each year or­
ganizes cultural events which have become a part of the city’s
atmosphere. Many of its residents and visitors today can no
longer imagine Žilina without the Old Town Festivals or with­
out the Žilina Summer of Culture, favoured perhaps by all
generations. Some of the regular events now have their own
long years of tradition, while others are still building it and
acquiring their own circle of enthusiasts.
Among the events which the majority of Žilina residents
look forward to are the Old Town Festivals. This is the largest
cultural event in Žilina and in northern Slovakia. Among
the other events which are also an inherent part of the city,
we can include the Central European Festival of Concert Art,
the Žilina Puppet Festival, Carneval Slovakia Žilina, the Žilina
Summer of Culture, Fest Anča, Medieval Day, Jašidielňa, Ži­
lina Days of Health and others. Fans of the creative arts can
visit the Museum of Art Žilina, ­while the Gallery Plusmínus­
nula is the creation of a young generation of creative artists,
and Galéria M is focused on the sale of creative works and
exhibitions.
You can also choose from several museums in Žilina.
You’ll find the Považie Museum in Žilina in the grounds of
Budatín Castle, and in the building of the former orthodox
synagogue is the Museum of Jewish Culture. You’ll find the
first private museum exhibition in the Lombardini House on
the street Horný val. The oldest professional puppet the­
atre in Slovakia is the Žilina Puppet Theatre, while a Town
Theatre also operates.
Fans of classical music certainly know the State Chamber Or­
chestra Žilina. You also have the opportunity in the city of
using the services of the Regional Library, which houses a Brit­
ish Centre as well as ­collections of the French Alliance and
Goethe Institute.
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CULTURE
CONTENTS
CARNEVAL SLOVAKIA ŽILINA 03
ŽILINA SUMMER OF CULTURE 04
OLD TOWN FESTIVALS 05
FEST ANČA 06
MEDIEVAL DAY 07
ST. NICHOLAS IN TOWN AND CHRISTMAS MARKETS 08
MUSEUM OF ART ŽILINA 09
POVAŽIE MUSEUM IN ŽILINA 10
ŽILINA-ZÁRIEČIE STATION 11
ŽILINA PUPPET THEATRE 12
ŽILINA TOWN THEATRE 13
STATE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA žilina 14
VALENTINE’S DAY AT LIETAVA CASTLE 15
LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS 16
MAP OF THE REGION 17
CULTURE
02
Carneval
Slovakia Žilina
Event name: Carneval Slovakia Žilina
Web: www.tikzilina.eu/178.0/carneval-slovakia-zilina-/
Month taking place: February – March
Each year the largest Shrovetide festival in Slovakia
takes place in Žilina under the name of Carneval Slova­
kia Žilina. Throughout the entire event the streets of the city
centre are full of masked figures, spectres, monsters and other
creatures that are dancing, singing and having fun.
In recent years folklore groups from the entire Slovak Repub­
lic have also presented at the festival. Their performances are an
illustration of Shrovetide customs from the individual regions
of Slovakia. The most significant participating folklore en­
semble is Rozsutec, which has 50 years of tradition. Its ma­
jor focus is on the songs and dances from Terchová and its sur­
roundings. On the second day, the program of folklore groups
continues in the spaces of the Žilina Town Theatre.
The event Carneval Slovakia Žilina is known not only in Slova­
kia, but also abroad. Carneval mask-wearers from neighbouring
Czech Republic or Poland also manage to attend the event.
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CULTURE
ŽILINA SUMMER
OF CULTURE
Event name: Žilina Summer of Culture
Web: www.kulturneleto.eu
Month taking place: June – September
During the summertime many events that are a part of the
Žilina Summer of Culture are held on Marian Square and on
Andrej Hlinka Square. Visitors from different countries can
enjoy entertainment in the form of concerts, theatrical
performances, film screenings for all age categories as
well as the exhibitions of creative artists.
The primary events are the Creative Arts and Crafts
Workshops, at which a visitor comes to know the traditional
work of craftsmen and can even make their own souvenir.
Other well-known events are the Day of European Culture,
which presents the culture and arts of several partnership
cities; Medieval Day; a Woodcarver’s Symposium; North
against South, also known under the name of the people of
Žilina have fun with football; the Fest Anča animation festi­
val; a touring cinema bus as a review of different forms of film
presentations; Jašidielňa, a three-day meeting of people with
mental disabilities; and many other events.
CULTURE
04
OLD TOWN
FESTIVALS
Event name: Old Town Festivals
Web: www.staromestske-slavnosti.sk
Month taking place: May – June
The Old Town Festivals are the largest cultural event in
Žilina and all of Slovakia. The history of this event began in
September of 1995 with the name the Žilina folk arts and ar­
tistic crafts markets. It has had its present name of Old Town
Festivals since 1997, from its third year of being held.
The events take place each year in the centre Žilina, on An­
drej Hlinka Square and on Marian Square. The program begins
with a celebratory escort – the mayor of Žilina symbolically
hands over the key to the city gates to the artists who are to
rule the city over the following three days.
The Old Town Festivals also include traditional folk
and artistic crafts fair and performances by domestic and
for­eign musical groups and interpreters. Traditionally, the
sounds of brass music, jazz and swing play on Marian Square,
while on Andrej Hlinka Square visitors can hear popular and
rock music.
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CULTURE
Fest Anča
Event name: Fest Anča
Web: www.festanca.sk
Month taking place: June
The international festival of animated films Fest Anča was
held for the first time in 2008 and since then it is an inseparable
part of the Žilina Summer of Culture. The places of holding the
event are traditionally the Žilina-Záriečie Station, the Ster Centu­
ry Cinemas, the New Synagogue, the Museum of Art Žilina and
the Artforum Library.
During the festival visitors can watch the best contempo­rary
animated films from all over the world. The majority of the
films have their premiere in Slovakia here and in the scope of Slo­
vakia they can only be seen at this event. A visitor to the festival
will get to know the spirit of animated film and can take part
in different lectures, workshops, exhibitions and concerts.
Because it is a multi-day festival in an open-air environment,
visitors can also make use of the tent city which is located imme­
diately next to the Záriečie Station. Tickets can be purchased ei­
ther for one screening or for a whole day or for the entire festival.
CULTURE
06
MEDIEVAL DAY
Event name: Medieval Day
Web: www.stredovekyden.sk
Month taking place: August
The main idea of holding the event Medieval Day was
to organize a thematic folk entertainment. Because Žilina
is a significant historical city with a rich history from the me­
dieval period, the selection of the main idea of the event was
not difficult. For this reason the first Medieval Day event was
held in 2008, and it has since taken place each year in Marian
Square, whose layout and the arcade that surrounds it evoke
the atmosphere of medieval times. Each year it is held in the
spirit of a different historical event in Žilina.
The event includes different presentations – illustrations
from the life of people in the Middle Ages, scenes of tragic
events from this time, performances of falconers, fencing en­
sembles and other presentations. In addition to the event
a visitor can taste typical medieval cuisine, watch the me­
dieval art of smiths, bakers, honey-cake makers and jewellers
and listen to samples of medieval music.
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CULTURE
ST. NICHOLAS
IN TOWN AND
CHRISTMAS MARKETS
Event name: St. Nicholas in Town and Christmas Markets
Web: www.tikzilina.eu/189.0/mikulas-v-meste-a-vianocne-trhy-/
Month taking place: December
Christmas markets and the welcoming of St. Nicholas are
events which annually enliven the pre-Christmas atmosphere
in the city centre. The rich Christmas decorations also con­
tribute to the feel of advent in the air.
The arrival of St. Nicholas to the city has a magical power for
children. All wait impatiently for the program he has prepared
for them and the presents he’ll bring. The atmosphere of advent
and the arrival of Christmas are emphasized by the traditional
Christ­mas markets. They take place each year on the squares
in the city centre city – Andrej Hlinka Square and Marian
Square. At the markets visitors can enjoy a typical Christmas
atmosphere – the smell of cinnamon and cloves from Christmas
stands offering punch and other delights.
The Christmas markets also include a cultural program and the
lighting of the Christmas tree in both main squares. Žilina at this
time of year also doesn’t forget those less fortunate; each year it
holds a charitable event called Beneficial Punch.
CULTURE
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MUSEUM
OF ART ŽILINA
Name: Museum of Art Žilina
Address: Štefánikova 2, 010 01 Žilina
Contacts: tel.: +421 903 510 467
[email protected], www.pgu.sk
The Museum of Art Žilina originated in 1976 with its inde­
pendence from the Považie Museum. At its beginnings it was
oriented primarily on the medium of drawings and through
regular exhibitions it presented contemporary Slovak draw­
ing. At the beginning of the 1990s a major transformation of
the gallery’s specialization took place, with the ambition of
reflecting progressive forms of contemporary art in its
most current forms and at the same time in a retrospec­
tive view (from the 1960s up through the present).
At present the gallery specializes especially in the art of
new media (e.g. installation art, video art). In addition to
short-term exhibitions visitors can attend two permanent
expositions, namely the exposition of the lifelong work
of painter and graphic artist Vincent Hložník and further
the exposition with the name First Museum of Interme­
dia, focusing on some aspects and subjects of contemporary
art from the beginning of the 1990s.
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CULTURE
POVAŽIE
MUSEUM IN ŽILINA
Name: Považie Museum in Žilina
Address: Budatínsky hrad, Topoľová 1, 010 03 Žilina
Contacts: tel.: +421 41 500 15 10, +421 41 500 15 11
[email protected], www.pmza.sk
The museum has been in Budatín Castle since 1953. It is
run by the Žilina Self-Governing Region and has more than
147,000 objects in its collection, which it presents at the cas­
tles Strečno and Budatín, the Jánošík expositions in Terchová,
the Transport Museum in Rajecké Teplice, the Wedding Palace
in Bytča and folk architecture houses in Čičmany.
The museum prepares several cultural-educational
events each year, among which are, for example, the Tinker­
ing Festival, the Castle Games of Žofia Bosniaková, Rajecká
Anča (rides on historical trains), the Budatín Square, and
a night time tour of Strečno Castle. The museum publishes
every two years the Vlastivedný zborník Považia (the Považie
Homeland Collection). Other publications include Malá ­knižnica
drotára (The Little Book of the Tinker), História dopravy (History
of Transport), a series of catalogues Premeny drôtu (Trans­
formations of Wire). There is also a professional library ­available
in the grounds of the Budatín Castle.
CULTURE
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ŽILINA-ZÁRIEČIE
STATION
Name: Žilina-Záriečie Station
Address: Závodská cesta 3 / 2844, 010 01 Žilina
Contacts: tel.: +421 948 344 606
[email protected], www.stanica.sk
The Záriečie Station is located in the original building of
the old but still functional Žilina-Záriečie railway station. It is
a cultural space in which people reflect, create and educate. The
operator of the Station is the civic association Truc sphérique. At
present the space of the Station consists of two buildings – S1
and S2. In the near future the extension of a building S3, which
will be created from shipping containers, is planned.
Many events for children and adults both, such as fes­
tivals, theatrical presentations, concerts, film screenings
and different types of lectures and discussions are held in
the spaces of the Station. The Station also has a coffee h
­ ouse
in which not only those attending events can order refresh­
ments but also those waiting for a train. Alongside its many
activities the Záriečie Station still serves as a waiting room and
sales location for the train along the Žilina – Rajec line.
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CULTURE
ŽILINA
PUPPET THEATRE
Name: Žilina Puppet Theatre
Address: Kuzmányho 6, 011 37 Žilina
Contacts: tel.: +421 41 562 39 95, +421 41 562 03 15
[email protected], www.bdz.sk
The first version of the Žilina Puppet Theatre dates from
1 September 1950. Amateurs from the puppet theatre Radosť in
Žilina came under the working Regional Theatre and began to
operate under the name of Bábková scéna (Puppet Stage) of the
Regional Theatre. On 1 April 1961 the Puppet Stage broke away
and changed its name to Bábkové divadlo Žilina (Žilina Puppet
Theatre). The oldest professional puppet theatre in Slovakia
thus set off on the road of experimental searching for new
possibilities of synthetic expression in a puppet theatre,
with the aim of putting in a good word for new forms for
children and youth.
At present the Žilina Puppet Theatre, the administrator of
which is the Žilina Self-Governing Region, is a repertoire theatre
with a permanent troupe. Its primary activity is the creation and
spreading of puppet and alternative theatrical activities for chil­
dren, youth and adults, in which there are puppets and costumes
in different creative forms, in metaphorical and symbolic meaning.
CULTURE
12
ŽILINA
TOWN THEATRE
Name: Žilina Town Theatre
Address: Horný val 3, 010 01 Žilina
Contacts: tel.: +421 41 381 00 00, +421 903 510 671
[email protected], www.divadlozilina.eu
A boom of professional theatre work began in Žilina back
in 1950, when the working Považie-Bystrica Theatre moved
to the city and transformed into a working Regional Theatre.
In addition to the better spaces for operating the theatre, the
city of Žilina was a more suitable candidate mainly due to the
fact that the city had obtained a much larger administrative,
economic and industrial significance within the republic.
The Žilina Town Theatre originated on 1 January 1992 after
a long break and has become the first professional the­atre
in Slovakia which has not fallen under the authority of
the administrator the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak
Republic. All theatrical activities were and are financed from
the budget of the city of Žilina. A component of the theatre is
a large representative salon with a capacity of up to 310 seats,
a studio with a capacity of 66 seats, a dancing salon and
a theatre coffee house.
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CULTURE
STATE CHAMBER
ORCHESTRA
ŽILINA
Name: State Chamber Orchestra Žilina
Address: Dolný val 47, 011 28 Žilina
Contacts: tel.: +421 41 245 11 11, +421 41 562 09 79
[email protected], www.skozilina.sk
The State Chamber Orchestra Žilina originated in 1974 as
the only orchestra of the Mozart type in Slovakia, and it
remains so today. In a short time it has obtained a significant
position not only in Slovakia, but also abroad. It was a festival
orchestra at the Salzburger Festspiele, for which it obtained
international acknowledgement in 1977.
The orchestra is made up of 34 members, predominately
graduates of the musical academies in Bratislava, Prague, Brno
and the Conservatory in Žilina. The orchestra has performed
more than 2,800 concerts, most of which have taken place
in European countries, as well as in Tunisia, Turkey, Armenia,
China, Japan (a 4-concert tour), in the USA and in Canada (for
a 2-concert tour). The State Chamber Orchestra Žilina performed
in 1998 in Brazil as the historical first Slovak orchestra on the
South American continent. The State Chamber Orchestra Žilina
performs at home in the spaces of the concert salon of the
Fatra Culture House in Žilina with a capacity of 380 seats.
CULTURE
14
VALENTINE’S DAY
AND OPEN HOUSE DAY AT LIETAVA CASTLE
Event name: Valentine’s Day at Lietava Castle
Open House Day at Lietava Castle
Web: www.hradlietava.sk
Month taking place: February, August – September
The first year of the Valentine’s Day event at Lietava Castle
was 2009, and the event has been held every year since. The
idea of organizing a Valentine’s Day event at Lietava Castle
came from the Association for the Preservation of Lietava
­Castle. The event is intended not only for lovers but for all who
want to help protect and support this rare historical landmark
with a voluntary contribution.
Aside from refreshments in the form of roasted sausages,
tea with rum and mulled wine, the Valentine’s Day event at
Lietava Castle also offers visitors a tour of the castle and an
interesting raffle.
In addition to the Valentine’s Day event, an open house is
also organized here each year, also under the auspices of the
Association for the Preservation of Lietava Castle. Its goal is to
promote the castle and obtain financial resources for reno­
vation of this beautiful landmark.
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CULTURE
Photograph by: Martin Szotkowski /
Association for the Preservation of Lietava Castle
Museum of Jewish Culture
Place: Malá synagóga, Daniela Dlabača 15, 010 01 Žilina
Web: www.tikzilina.eu/226.0/muzeum-zidovskej-kultury/
Gallery Plusmínusnula
Place: Nová synagóga, J. M. Hurbana 11, 010 01 Žilina
Web: www.plusminusnula.blogspot.sk
Battle for the Atlantic
Place: Žilina reservoir (Vodné dielo Žilina)
Month: August
Folk arts and crafts
Place: Mariánske námestie
Month: August
Bažant Cinematograph
Place: Mariánske námestie
Month: July
Web: www.kinematograf.sk
Musical Wednesdays in Sad SNP
Place: Musical gazebo in the Sad SNP
Month: June – September
Web: www.kulturneleto.eu
Summer Cinema
Place: Námestie Andreja Hlinku
Month: July – August
Web: www.telkavmeste.sk
woodcarver symposium
Place: Mariánske námestie
Month: July
Web: www.kulturneleto.eu
Pony Express
Place: Mariánske námestie
Web: www.ponyexpress.sk
North versus South
Place: Námestie Andreja Hlinku
Month: September
Web: www.sport.zilina.sk/category/sever-proti-juhu/
CULTURE
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MAP OF THE REGION
UPPER VÁH
17
CULTURE
LEGEND
Highways under construction /
Planned highways
Highway
Two-lane road
1st class road
2nd class road
3rd class road
Railway line
Water course
Water surface
Inhabited area
PL
ŠENOV
BIELSKO-BIAŁA
CZ
VRATIMOV
BRUŠPERK
SZCZYRK
SK
FRÝDEK-MÍSTEK
FRÝDLANT
NAD OSTRAVICÍ
SUCHA BESKIDZKA
ŻYWIEC
ČADCA
JORDANÓW
NÁMESTOVO
TURZOVKA
KYSUCKÉ NOVÉ MESTO
BYTČA
ŽILINA
RAJECKÉ TEPLICE
RAJEC
CULTURE
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www.zilina.sk
www.zastranie.sk
www.lietava.info
www.lietavskalucka.sk
www.rajecke-teplice.sk
www.obecporubka.sk
www.tikzilina.eu
www.rajeckapohoda.sk