Krupina

THE HISTORY

The town of Krupina lies in the basin marking the line between the Štiavnické hills and the Krupina plateau. Originally a trading settlement it was built on the important mediaeval trade route known as the Via Magna. The Hungarian king Belo IV granted privileges to German colonists before 1241. On December 15, 1244 these documents were renewed. Krupina had thus become one of the oldest towns in Upper Hungary, now part of the Slovak Republic.

WORTHIES

Several personalities of Slovak cultural and national life used to live in Krupina. In 1694, Samuel Hruškovic was born there. This Lutheran priest and bishop compiled the biography of Matej Bell, a Slovak active at the time of the 18th century enlightenment.
Andrej Braxatoris Sládkovič, a distinguished poet of the national revival movement of the 19th century was born in Krupina in 1820. In 1855, the founder of the Slovak female movement, and writer Elena Maróthy-Šoltésová was born into the family of a Lutheran priest.
Writer and the main administrator of the Matica Slovenská national institution Jozef Cíger-Hronský lived here for a long period of time, as did Rudolf Geschwind, a world famous rose cultivator.

PECULIARITIES

One of them is the Krupina Roman Catholic church devoted to the Virgin Mary’s Birth built in the 13th century. It is the oldest and without doubt the most beautiful building in the town and its vicinity. At the end of the 18th century, a baroque Lutheran church was constructed.
Tourists should see the Holy Trinity Square, the Trinity column, Town-hall, the SNP Square and the Small Market. Locals recommend taking a walk through the town park along the fortification system.
The Andrej Sládkovič Museum provides visitors with details about Krupinaś history and the life of its citizens. The Information and Communication Centre in the Dom služieb building can serve as an additional source of information.
Lovers of natural beauty can enjoy the attractions of the Mäsiarsky bok natural reservation, the Štangarígeľ protected monument and the Bebrava dam. They can also spend leisure time in the saddle provided by some of the nearby ranches.
Of the cultural events held in this town the most popular are the Krupina Guild games, the National Hont Region Culture Days and the Songs Under the Vartovka tower music festival. Local restaurants and cosy coffee rooms are renowned for their enjoyable atmosphere. The town accommodation includes the Stavbár guesthouse and the Mojžišová hut located 2km from Stará Hora.

SCHOOLS

Foreign languages are taught in Krupina as early as kindergarten. Today, there are three of them focused on this kind of education. Two primary schools have an extended system of education in foreign languages and are also involved in the Infovek project. Their sport centres are focused on football, volleyball and cycling.
Students can choose from several secondary schools in Krupina. The Andrej Sládkovič Secondary Grammar School, aimed at extended foreign language education,offers 4 and 8 year study programmes, and has also been involved in the Infovek project.
This Secondary Grammar School shares its directorate with the Academy of Commerce for economy students.
Among the schools there is also a training college focusing on agriculture, food processing and traffic operation. This specialised college offers an extra study program too.
The local school system includes a Primary Art School developing the musical and art skills of its students.
The Domček Centre of leisure time activities runs 46 clubs attended by over 800 children. The most popular are courses in modern and ballroom dancing, folk music and singing as well as fine art.

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

Since March 2003, the Krupina Town Hospital has been run as a non-profit organisation providing consultations, surgery and gynecological and maternity departments as well as a therapy unit. The hospital plans to reopen its children’s department. Currently, it has 97 beds and 9 specialised clinics.
The hospital management tries not only to keep up with the latest required standards in therapy and prevention but also to extend its extra services. This has been achieved so far with the gynecological and maternity departments where an above standard care room was opened in September 2003.

SPORTS

Krupina sporting life has been organised by three clubs. The Krupina Sports Club runs tennis and table tennis activities. The Sports Clubs Krupina caters forathletic, skiing, chess and tourist groups. It also organises recreation courses. Besides managing the football and hockey clubs, the TJ Strojár Sports Club Krupina has a cycling division too.
The most successful local sportsmen come from the table tennis teams. Two players, Miko and Čermák, became Czechoslovak national doubles champions back in 1953.
Today, Krupina locals are proud of their walkers who represented Slovakia at the Summer Olympics as part of the national team. Despite the fact that the Krupina Cycling Club was only established in 1995, its members have done well and some have become part of the national team.

THE PRESENT

Krupina has a population of 8000. The main jobs of its inhabitants includes industries represented by firms like the WAY INDUSTRY, a joint stock company, LIND MOBLER SLOVAKIA, ltd. and SOLE SLOVAKIA, a joint stock company. An important role is also played in the agriculture and food industries, construction activities and rock and stone processing.

THE FUTURE

In coming years, the Krupina municipal government wants to create better conditions for the development of small and medium sized businesses, and stimulate local and foreign investors to set up their businesses in the town. Its main goal remains the improvement of all aspects of life in the town coordinated with the strategy of Slovakiaś integration into the EU.