Danube Swabians
Germans of Hungary
Hungarian Names
Hungarian People

Bódvavendégi - Abaúj- Torna
Kosice
Levoca
Slowakei
Spisska Nova Ves
Szepes County
Upper Hungary
Zavada_Spis_Slovakia

Mertes Family - neighbor family of Feske

Burnside_Chicago_Illinois
Our Lady of Hungary Catholic Church

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levo%C4%8Da

Aussprache^?/i

Geographie

Die Stadt befindet sich am Nordrand des Kessels Hornádska kotlina am Fuße der nördlich gelegenen Leutschauer Berge. Westlich des Stadtzentrums fließt der Bach Levočský potok, ein linker Zufluss von Hornád. Das Stadtzentrum liegt auf einer Höhe von 573 m n.m. und ist 90 Kilometer von Košice und 368 Kilometer von Bratislava entfernt.

Verwaltungstechnisch gliedert sich die Stadt in die Stadtteile, Levoča (deutsch Leutschau), Levočská Dolina (deutsch [Leutschauer] Tal), Levočské Lúky (deutsch Schießplatz) und Závada (1976 eingemeindet; deutsch Tscherneblod).

Die folgenden Angaben beziehen sich auf die Luftlinie zum nächsten Ortszentrum und die Entfernungen sind auf halbe Kilometer kaufmännisch gerundet. Städte sind fett hervorgehoben.

Geschichte

Die erste dauerhafte Besiedlung der Stadt gab es in der jüngeren Steinzeit. Die Slawen besiedelten das Gebiet in 9. bis 11. Jahrhunderten. Bei dem Weg nach Spišská Nová Ves befand sich das sogenannte „Alte Levoča“, wo Archäologen eine Siedlung um die Fundamente der alten Kirche St. Nikolaus ausmachten; beim heutigen Kaschauer Tor befand sich noch eine weitere Siedlung mit romanischen Heilig-Geist-Kirche, eine Rotundenkirche. Mit den neu gegründeten deutschen Siedlungen, die die eingeladenen Kolonisten nach dem Mongoleneinfall 1241 angelegt haben, entstand die heutige Stadt.

Die Stadt wurde zum ersten Mal in einer Urkunde des Königs Béla IV. von 1249 als Leucha schriftlich erwähnt, in deren ein rechtliches Akt des Grundstückschenkens dem Zipser Propst behandelt wird. Mit der fortsetzenden deutscher Besiedlung wurde Leutschau zur bedeutendsten Stadt der Gespanschaft Zips und wurde 1271 zur Hauptstadt der Provinz der Zipser Sachsen erklärt. Wie andere Zipser Städte genoss Leutschau verschiedene Rechte, unter anderem eigene Selbstverwaltung, Gerichtsbarkeit, Erzförderungsrecht, Recht der Nutzung der Wälder, Recht des Handels und Lagerrecht. 1317 wurde die Stadt durch den König Karl Robert von Anjou zur Freien Königlichen Stadt erhoben. Der Handel blühte nicht zuletzt wegen seiner Lage: die Stadt befand sich an einer Kreuzung von Handelswegen (Ostsee–Balkan und Ost–West). Durch ständige Privilegien, wie Befreiung von Lagerrecht anderen Städten von 1402 und Befreiung vom Zahlen des Dreißigstelzolls im ganzen Königreich Ungarn von 1419 war die Stadt sehr reich.^[1] Anfang des 15. Jahrhundert trat Leutschau in den Bund Pentapolis bei. Regional trat jedoch ein jahrhundertelanger Streit um die Führungsposition mit der Stadt Käsmark auf. Nach einem Hussiten-Angriff im Jahr 1431 brannte die Stadt nieder. Dennoch sind die 15. und 16. Jahrhunderte der Höhepunkt der städtischen Entwicklung gewesen. In dieser Zeit blühte der Kupferhandel, mit dessen ist die Familie Thurzo berühmt geworden und die Bürger handelten mit Krakau, Hansestädten und Venedig.^[2] Weder der Brand von 1550, bei dem die Mehrheit der gotischen Architektur verschwand, noch der Brand von 1599 bremste die Entwicklung. Die reiche Stadt unterstützte Bildung und Kultur. Bekannte Persönlichkeiten dieser Epoche sind Bildhauer Paul von Leutschau, englischer Dichter Leonard Cox und Humanist Johann Henkel. Ein Großteil der Bevölkerung war in den mehr als 40 Zünften (Gerber, Lederverarbeiter, Schlosser) oder in verschiedenen Handwerken (Goldschmiede, Bildhauer, Steinmetze, Maler) tätig.^[3]

Doch die Blütenzeit endete Ende des 16. und im ganzen 17. Jahrhundert, hauptsächlich durch ungarische Ständeaufstände von Stephan Bocskay, Gabriel Bethlen, Franz I. Rákóczi und Franz II. Rákóczi. Aus dieser Zeit stammen zwei Legenden, die später zum Subjekt der Romane der ungarischen Schriftsteller Kálmán Mikszáth und Mór Jókai geworden sind (siehe Literatur). 1624 wurde die erste Druckmaschine der Stadt angelegt und die Stadt war Zentrum der Reformation in Nordungarn. Im 19. Jahrhundert wurde Leutschau zum kleineren Zentrum der slowakischen Nationalbewegung, insbesondere durch den evangelischen Lyzeum und dazugehörigen Institut der tschecho-slowakischen Sprache und Literatur. Besonders bekannt ist die Episode von 1844, als die Studenten des Pressburger Lyzeums als Protest gegen die Absetzung von Ľudovít Štúr dort in die Stadt kamen, um ihre Studien fortzusetzen.

Die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung der Stadt verringerte sich weiter im 19. Jahrhundert, da die neu gebaute Kaschau-Oderberger Bahn im Jahr 1871 die Stadt 10 km südlich umging und bediente die Stadt Zipser Neudorf (heute Spišská Nová Ves). 1898 wurde aber noch eine Nebenbahn von dort errichtet. Trotzdem war die Stadt nur wenig mehr als administratives Zentrum des Komitats Zips.

Nach dem Zerfall von Österreich-Ungarn im Jahr 1918 kam Leutschau zur neu entstandenen Tschechoslowakei (durch den Vertrag von Trianon völkerrechtlich bestätigt). Während des Zweiten Weltkriegs wurde die örtliche jüdische Gemeinde fast vollständig in die deutschen Vernichtungslager abgeschoben. 1950 wurde die Altstadt zur städtischen Denkmalreservation erklärt. Nach der Unabhängigkeit der Slowakei im Jahr 1993 wurde die Stadt 1996 erneut Sitz eines Okres. Am 3. Juli 1995 zelebrierte der Papst Johannes Paul II. eine Masse am Berg Mariánska hora in Anwesenheit von 650.000 Wallfahrern.^[4]

2009 wurden die Altstadt und die Werke des Paul von Leutschau in die UNESCO-Welterbeliste aufgenommen.

Namen

Nachfolgende eine Aufzeichnung der Namen seit der ersten schriftlichen Erwähnung. Die hier aufgeführten Namen waren nicht nur zur angegebenen Zeit gebraucht und schließen sich gegenseitig nicht aus.^[5][6]

• 1249: Leucha
• 1268: Lyucha
• 1271: Lewcha
• 1277: Lyucha
• 1284: Leuche, Lyuche, Leiuche
• 1408: Lewscen
• 1479: Lewcsouia
• 1497: Leutschaw
• 1773: Lewucža
• 1786: Lewoče, Lőcse (ungarisch), Leutschau (deutsch), Leuchovia (lateinisch), Leutschovia, Leutsaria
• 1808: Leutsovia, Lőcse, Leutschau, Lewoča
• 1863-1913: offizieller Name: Lőcse
• seit 1920: heutiger Ortsname: Levoča

Bevölkerung

Auszug aus den Ergebnissen der Volkszählung 2001 (14.366 Einwohner):

Weblinks

• Commons: Levoča – Sammlung von Bildern, Videos und Audiodateien
• Homepage der Stadt auf slowakisch und englisch
• Der Dom des heiligen Jakob in Levoča
• Luftaufnahmen über Levoča

Blick auf die Stadt vom Süden; Mariánska hora rechts	Rathaus	Hauptplatz
Jährliche Leutschauer Wallfahrt	Das Komitatshaus	Bahnhof Levoča mit dem Wallfahrt-Sonderzug
The Košice Gate	Doorway of the New Minorite Cloisters	Sculptures from Master Paul's altar in St. James's Church
"Cage of Shame",  punishment cage outside the old Town Hall	Tower of the Church of the Holy Spirit	St. James Church and Levoča old town hall

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levoča

pronunciation (help·info)

On 28 June 2009, Levoča was added by UNESCO to its World Heritage List

History

Levoča is located in the historical region of Spiš (formerly Szepes), which was inhabited as early as the Stone Age. In the 11th century, this region was conquered and, subsequently, became part of the Kingdom of Hungary and remained such until 1918. After the Mongol invasions of 1241/1242, the area was also settled by Germans. The town became the capital of the Association of Spiš Germans, with a form of self-rule within the Kingdom of Hungary. The oldest written reference to the city of Levoča dates back to 1249. In 1317, Levoča (at that time generally known by the German name of Leutschau - see Chronology below for lists of changing names) received the status of a royal town. In 1321 a wide storing right was granted enticing merchants, craftsmen and mine owners to settle in this town.

In the 15th century the town, located on an intersection of trade routes between Poland and Hungary, became a rich center of commerce. It exported iron, copper, furs, leather, corn, and wine. At the same time the town became an important cultural centre. The English humanist Leonard Cox taught around 1520 in a school in Levoča. The bookseller Brewer from Wittenberg transformed his bookstore in a prolific printing plant, that lasted for 150 years. Finally, one of the best-known medieval woodcarvers Master Paul of Levoča settled here.

The town kept this cultural and economic status until the end of 16th century, in spite of two damaging fires : the first in 1550 destroyed nearly all of the Gothic architecture and another in 1599. In this period of prosperity several churches were built and the town had a school, library, pharmacy, and physicians. There was a printing press as early as 1624. Levoča was a center of the Protestant Reformation in Northern Hungary. The town started to decline during the anti-Habsburg uprisings in the 17th century.

In a lurid sequence of events in 1700, the mayor of the town was accidentally wounded by a local nobleman during a hunt, generating a series of revenge attacks, finally resulting in the murder of the mayor, Karol Kramler, a Saxon magistrate. The mayor's arm was then cut off, embalmed, and preserved in the town hall as a call to further revenge. This became the subject of a Hungarian novel about the town, The Black City, by the writer Kálmán Mikszáth.^[2]

The economic importance of the town was further diminished in 1871 when the important new Košice–Bohumín Railway was built just 8 km (5.0 mi) to the south, bypassing Levoča and going through the nearby town of Igló, (today known by its Slovak name, Spišská Nová Ves). Later, in 1892, only a spur line was built from Spišská Nová Ves railway station to Levoča.

After the Treaty of Trianon and the dismantling of the Kingdom of Hungary, the city became part of the newly formed Czechoslovakia and its traditional Slovak name of Levoča was formally adopted. Later, during World War II, under the auspices of the First Slovak Republic, 981 local Jews were deported from the town to concentration camps.

On July 3, 1995 Levoča was visited by Pope John Paul II. He celebrated a mass for 650,000 celebrants at the traditional pilgrim site of Mariánska hora, a hill about 2 km north of Levoča with a spectacular view of the town.

Geography

Levoča lies at an altitude of 570 metres (1,870 ft) above sea level and covers an area of 64.042 square kilometres (24.7 sq mi).^[3] It is located in the northern part of the Hornád Basin at the foothills of the Levoča Hills, at the stream Levočský potok, a tributary of Hornád. Poprad is 25 kilometres (16 mi) away to the west, Prešov 50 kilometres (31 mi) to the east, Košice 90 kilometres (56 mi) to the southeast and Bratislava 370 kilometres (230 mi) to the southwest.

Historical Features

The old town is picturesquely sited and still surrounded by most of its ancient walls. In associating the town with Spiš Castle and Žehra in June 2009 as the renamed World Heritage Site of "Levoča, Spišský Hrad, and the Associated Cultural Monuments", UNESCO cites the town's historic center, its fortifications, and the works of Master Paul of Levoča preserved in the town.

The main entrance to the old town is via the monumental Košice Gate (15th century) behind which is located the ornate baroque Church of the Holy Spirit and the New Minorite Monastery (c. 1750).

The town square (Námestie Majstra Pavla - Master Paul’s Square) boasts three major monuments; the quaint Old Town Hall (15th-17th century) which now contains a museum, the domed Evangelical Lutheran Church (1837) and the 14th century Roman Catholic Church of St. James (in Slovak: Chrám svätého Jakuba, often mistakenly referred to in English as St. Jacob's). It houses a magnificently carved and painted wooden Gothic altar, the largest in Europe, (18.62 m (61.09 ft) in height), created by Master Paul around 1520. The square is very well preserved (despite one or two modern incursions) and contains a number of striking buildings which were the townhouses of the local nobility in the late Middle Ages. Also notable in the square is the wrought iron "Cage of Shame", dating back to the 17th century, used for public punishment of miscreants. A plaque on one of the houses records the printing and publication in the town of the most famous work of Comenius, the Orbis Pictus. Other buildings on the square house a historical museum and a museum dedicated to the work of Master Paul.

Behind the square on Kláštorská Street are the 14th century church and remains of the old monastery of the Minorites, now incorporated into a Church grammar school. Nearby is the town's Polish Gate, a Gothic construction of the 15th century.

From the 16th century to the end of 1922, Levoca was the administrative center of the province of Szepes (Spiš). Between 1806 - 1826, the Hungarian architect from Eger Antal Povolny built a grandiose administration building, the Large Provincial House, as the seat of the town's administration. He adjusted its Classicist style to Levoca's Renaissance character by emphasizing the building's horizontal lines. The House is considered the most beautiful Provincial House in the former Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it is reconstructed and it is a seat of the administration.

The State Regional Archives (Štátny oblastný archív) are in a tan stone building on the north side of the square at nám. Majstra Pavla 60.

Demographics

Levoča has a population of 14,677 (as of December 31, 2005). According to the 2001 census, out of 14,366 inhabitants 87.07% were Slovaks 11.20% Roma, 0.33% Czechs and 0.31% Rusyns.^[3] The religious make-up was 79.54% Roman Catholics, 9.01% people with no religious affiliation, 3.87% Greek Catholics and 1.61% Lutherans.^[3]

Town and nearby settlements

• Levoča (main town)
• Levočská Dolina (=English: Levoča Valley). About 4 km out of town, on the way to Závada.
• Levočské Lúky (=English: Levoča Fields). Settlement on the road to Spišska Nová Ves.
• Závada. Village in the hills above Levočská Dolina.

Listing of town names

Below is a listing of names by which the town of Levoča has been known or recorded. The names were not necessarily at any time mutually exclusive and often reflect minor linguistic differences.^[4][5]:

• 1249: Leucha
• 1268: Lyucha
• 1271: Lewcha
• 1277: Lyucha
• 1284: Leuche, Lyuche, Leiuche
• 1408: Lewscen
• 1479: Lewcsouia
• 1497: Leutschaw
• 1773: Lewucža
• 1786: Lewoče, Lőcse (Hungarian), Leutschau (German), Leuchovia (Latin), Leutschovia, Leutsaria
• 1808: Leutsovia, Lőcse, Leutschau, Lewoča
• 1863 - 1913: official name: Lőcse
• since 1920: official name: Levoča

Official Website

http://eng.levoca.sk/

The town of Levoča is situated in the centre - in the heart - of a region called Spiš, which is located in north-east Slovakia bordering on Poland. The region covers mountainous terrain 573 m above sea level. It is a magnificent region bordered to the north by the Levoča hills which are a part of the Carpathian heights whereby to the northwest you may view the peaks of the lowest alpine-like mountains in Europe - that is to say the High Tatras.
To the south there is a unique national park known as Slovak Paradise predominantly consisting of limestone which through the ages has led to the formation of deep canyons and waterfalls.
In the eastern direction it is connected with the thee mountain range known as the Slovak Rudohorie. The river Hornád, with its tributary the Levoča stream, weaves through this area like a silken thread. The country abounds in mineral water sources and thermal waters in Vrbov and in Poprad which serve swimming pools.
Levoča is an ideal centre as a starting point for walking tours. The surroundings abound in a variety of historie monuments well worth seeing considering their outstanding artistic features.

BASIC INFORMATION

First written reference from 1249

Population 14, 346

Area 6, 404 ha.

Altitude 573 m

Historic town center in 1950 became town monument reservation

Town Wall almost completely preserved, 6 of 15 bastions and watch-towers have been preserved as well as three gateways: Kosicka, Polska and Menhardska Gateways.

Parts of the town Levoca, Levocska Dolina, Levocske Luky, Zavada (Does this mean that the village of Zavada was absorbed by Levoca? Home of Anna Labuda) tct

Situation in the north of east Slovakia, district of Presov, 48 km west of Presov

Tourist trail "Gothic Route" ,267 km long, in the Spis and Gemer region

Destinations Levoča - Bratislava 370 km
Levoča - Košice 90 km

Slovak anthem The anthem of the Slovak Republic, "Nad Tatrou sa blyska", was for the first time sung in the Levoca lycée in the 19th century.

Bank note On the front side of one-hundred-crown note, there is a picture of Madonna from the main altar in the St James's Church, made in Master Pavol's workshop. On the back side of the bank note, there are some features of the St James's Church and the Town Hall, as well as the illustration of a gothic stone head from the vestry of the old Minorites church.

COAT OF ARMS OF LEVOCA

Levoca's coat of arms, probably from the 15th century, consists of the red shield with a double cross on a green triple hill, which is supported by two silver lions with gold crowns on their heads. There is a helmet on the shield with the so called "jewel" on red and white covers, represented by a gold crown and a silver double cross. Next to the double cross, on both sides, there are two mussels , the attrributes of the patron of the town, pictured on several seals, but they are not found in the heraldry charter.

THE TOWN'S HISTORY

The town's history

It was proved that the town and its surroundins were settled in the New Stone Age. The old Levoca was situated on the left side of the road from Levoca to Spisska Nova Ves, where the archaeologists excavated the foundations of a Roman church, the size of which was quite respectable: it is 23.5m long, the width of the nave is 12m and the apse is over 8m. It was the Church of St. Nicholas dating back to the 11th-12th century . The next large settlement, or a little town and a rotund church from the 11th century are situated next to what is now Kosicka Gate. When in the 12th century, and also after Tartar Raid in 1241,the German colonists arrived in Levoca, they found the original settlements- the little towns which, with their own new dwellings, became the foundation of the present town.

The oldest document, where Levoca is mentioned for the first time, was issued by Hungarian king Belo IV in 1249 and he documented the act of presenting the grounds to the Spis Prior. It says that: "The border of the ground called Jablonov descends to the road which leads to Levoca." In 1271 Levoca becomes the center of the Saxons' province and, like the other Spis towns, uses the rights of free king's towns: they have autonomy, judicial authority, personal freedom, the right to mine ores, exploit forests, perform crafts, carry on trade and the right of store, which caused a long-lasting conflict with the town of Kezmarok, which won it only thanks to a trick. The conflict is known as "Hundred-year War" and Levoca was the winner. In 1402 the citizens of Levoca were freed from the right of store of other towns, in 1419 the rulers freed Levoca's merchants from the thirties duty all over Hungary. Thanks to its advantageous position on the crossroads of trade routes and and substantial support of the both political and economic priviliges from the rulers, finances started to flow to the town's treasure, as well as to the burghers' purses, allowing general development. It was the period of architectural, educational, cultural, artistic and crafts splendour. The fires in 1550 and 1599 caused a lot of damage. But the strong and rich town recovered successfully from those disasters and kept its significant position till the end of the 16th century.

The town of Levoca used to be surrounded by the well -preserved Town-Wall, which was rebuilt several times. The architecture of the burghers' houses in the square was changing from Gothic to Renaissance, as we know it now. Due to the fires, only the remains of the Gothic house have been preserved and they are discovered during the reconstructions. The Town Hall is built in Renaissance style, too. Religious brotherhoods, and especially churches , were the centers of spiritual culture. The most important were: the Church of St. Nicholas, Holy Spirit, St. John and probably the Church of St. Elizabeth, too. But the most significant of them is the church of European importance, the Church of St. Jacob. Since the 15th century the town supported education by giving certain sum of money to school. There were a library, pharmacy, bath and some doctors worked here as well.

In the last century of this millenium the town becomes administrative center of district and later county importance. It is also a town of schools. Still its most impressive treasure is its heritage- artistic. They were why the town has become historical reservation in 1950. Life is coming back to the restored historical buildings thanks to the restorers- artists and skillful craftsmen. In the stylish buildings, there are new centers of social, cultural and economic life of the town.

SURROUNDINGS OF LEVOCA

The town of Levoca is dominated by a steep hill with a Neo-Gothic church- MARIANSKA HORA. It is one of the oldest and most important pilgrimage places in Slovakia. At the beginning of July annual pilgrimages take place. It is supposed that a chapel on Marianska hora was built by the Spis people to thank for survival at this place in times of Tartar raids in 1241 - 1242. This place might have been the haven of the town's citizens from the Tartars in a fortified fort-hill. A chapel on the hill under the hill-fort was bulit to commemorate the event, and annual thanksgiving processions started to take place.  The people from neighboring villages joined the processions, which was the beginning of the first pilgrimage tradition. A new church for the pilgrims was built in 1906-1914. Its Neo-Gothic altar was consecrated on 2 July 1922 by the Spis bishop Jan Vojtassak. Today, a modern pilgrimage house is here as well. The church was promoted to Basilica Minor in 1984. Coming to Marianska hora is a source of spiritual energy for thousands of pilgrims each year. In 1955 the Pope visited the place during his stay in Slovakia.

In the direction of Levocska dolina the CAMPSITE-KOVACOVA VILA is situated. Its oldest part originated in the first half of the 19th century and its name is derived from the first owners. There are accomodation and boarding facilities in this splendid countryside. Nearby, there is a lake with the area of 3.5 ha providing water sports and fishing facilities. The buildings of former Levoca's public baths are near the campsite. In the Levoca valley, there is another culture and nature momument - Kohlwald- to be visited. The chalet, standing in the shadow of ancient limetrees, used to be a meeting place for the Stur's supporters. Today, there is a literary and ethnographic exposition of the Spis Museum. Following the road via Levocska dolina, we get to the typical ancient village of Zavada with well-preserved folk architecture. This place in beautiful countryside, with cross-country ski-runs, ski slopes, ski lifts and other services, with accomadation facilities, became the center of winter sports.

Satellite Map

October 2012

http://www.cisarik.com/0_Galanta_Galanta_TA_Pozsony_Bratislava.html