Nitra and St. Michael’s Church – Great Moravia’s Ancient Heart
Standing in a solitary fashion on a hill not far from the city of Nitra in Western Slovakia, the ancient Romanesque Church of St. Michael cuts an impressive figure. Built near the Nitra river, it stands at the center of the Principality of Nitra, who would later merge with the Principality of Moravia on the Morava river to create the Great Moravian Empire, the first recognized Slavic state. The name Great Moravia will not solicit great interest from most casual observers, yet the ancestors of the Slovak people have had a great influence on the survival of the Slavs of Central Europe and their religious and linguistic development and it all starts in Nitra the traditional home of the Great Moravian rulers!
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Geography
Situated in the heart of Western Slovakia, in an area called the Nitra River valley of the the Danubian Lowland (a watershed draining to the Danube), you will find the city of Nitra. It is located well above sea level, in a part of the country renowned for its agricultural land. Continuing east of the city, the hills and mountains of central Slovakia will begin to take shape.
A Brief History
The heartland of Great Moravia, and a onetime home to the two Byzantine monks, sts Cyril and Methodius known as the Apostles to the Slavs, Nitra is at the heart of the development of the Slavs as an recognized ethnic group with their own Kingdoms
A Note on the Apostles to the Slavs (sts Cyril and Methodius): Navigating the complex relationship between the Orthodoxy and the Pope in Rome, these missionaries helped give the Slavs religious recognition and also transcribed their language, old Slavonic into the written Glagolitic the ancestor to Cyrilic. They also promoted the use of old Slavonic in the liturgy. For more information see my post on the city of Ohrid, where Methodius founded a school that would influence the development of Bulgaria, the Kievan Rus’ and all of Slavdom.
Antiquity and Great Moravia
Occupied since the Neolithic era, fortifications were built on the site of the current castle hill as far back as 1,600 BCE. Several other hillforts were built during the occupation of the region by Celtic tribes. Slavs began to migrate to the region during the 5th century, settling in lowlands by rivers. They main settlements were clustered around Nitra. The pastoral Slavs would soon fall to the control of the domineering Germanic Avars. In rebellion they formed first a short lived state called Samo’s Empire, all the while the newfound Principality of Nitra continue to grow throughout the 8th century. Later, the Principality of Nitra and the Principality of Moravia would form Great Moravia. Although Great Moravia is the ancestor to Slovakia, it was also the first iteration of a joint Czechoslovak state and the first recognized Slavic Kingdom by the Pope in Rome, thanks of the work of two cleaver Byzantine Monks the previously mentioned Sts. Cyril and Methodius. Both the kingdom and the city of Nitra reached its maximum extent under kin Svätopluk I. His rule would see the first Christian bishopric in Slovakia was established in Nitra in 880.
Hungary and the Hussites
The disintegration of Great Moravia, under pressure from the Magyars (Hungarians), in the early tenth century would end Nitra’s prosperity. The Slovak lands of Great Moravia would become Upper Hungary and the nearby city of Trnava would rise in importance as a major center of Slovak culture. Despite these difficulties Nitra did maintain its position as a place of importance in this new political configuration. A testament to this could be found though archeology. The settlement would escape destruction from the Mongol invasion that would devastate Hungary in 1241. Being one of the few survivors of this massacre, King Béla IV gave Nitra the privileges of a free royal town in 1248.
Yet Nitra’s good fortune was about to run out. During the 13th century the legendary Czech king Ottakar II raided the city and in the early 14th century, the town was damaged after repeat attacks from the powerful Hungarian noble Matthew III Csák, as he rebelled against the crown. It was also a target of the proto-protestant Hussite rebels in the 15th century.
Habsburg Rule
The Hungarian state would collapse after the Battle of Mohács in 1526, were it was soundly defeated at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. What little was left was absorbed by the Hapsburg run Austrian Empire. The treat caused by the Turks turned large swaths of Slovakia into a military frontier. Thus in 1563, the town became the seat of the Captaincy of Lower Hungary. The Turks would move northbound failing three times to take the city, and finally succeeding in 1663 before being driven off the next year. It would be taken again for a short period during the Great Turkish War. The turmoil of the 17th century was complimented anti-Habsburg uprisings such as those of Gabriel Bethlen and the Kuruc Hungarian revolts from 1703 to 1711, the town being burned down by later.
The city was rebuilt in the 18th century in Baroque style, a nod to the Catholic influence. The Revolutions of 1848, led to the compromise of 1867, whereby Hungary re-gained its independence as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a result Nitra received self-government and re-acquired its bishopric. It also industrialized, but did not receive a direct railway link until 1876. The dark side to this newfound prosperity during Hungarian rule was that a policy of Magyarization was implemented, in the goal of extinguishing the city’s Slovak population through the eradication of their language and culture.
World Wars, Czechoslovakia and the Modern World
After World War I the city became part of the new state of Czechoslovakia. Although this was a positive development, still some yearned for a greater degree of autonomy for the Slovaks. In fact Nitra saw the largest protest against Czechoslovakism, on Pribina’s Celebration which is the anniversary of the consecration of the first Christian church in Moravia.
As a prelude to the Second World War, Hitler took the Czech lands for his own and installed a puppet state called the First Slovak Republic. This state was extremely anti-Semitic and its Jews were unceremoniously murdered by way of concentration camps. Jozef Tiso the war criminal, irulent anti-Semite, collaborator and leader of the First Slovak Republic is buried in the crypt of the Catholic Cathedral in Nitra.
The city was “liberated” by the Soviets in 1945, they would soon reincorporated in Soviet controlled Czechoslovakia. Under Soviet rule, the city’s catholic heritage was suppressed and church property confiscated. The Velvet Revolution of 1989 and subsequent Velvet Divorce brought Slovakia independence from both the Soviet orbit and Czechoslovakia.
Things to do Nitra
Although blighted by communism, the city has many redeeming qualities. It should be noted that system has not been kind to the city center and the city is currently reinventing itself.
Exploring the Old Town
Nitra’s old town site just south of Castle hills, wrapped in a bend in the Nitra River. The old town streets radiate out from Svätoplukovo námiestie (Svatopluk’s Square), named after the legendary ruler of Great Moravia. The square itself is rather unpleasant being all hardscaping with no trees, and is rather empty on sunny days. There are two buildings of note, the first is the ugly Divaldo theatre, an ecample of all that is wrong with the communist era’s architecture.
The second is painted green and harkens back to better times. It serves as the Ponitrian museum in Nitra, a regional hosting a massive collection of 80 000 artifacts, including 2000 peaces of jewellery dating back from the stone age. The old town of Nitra may have its faults but this is not one of them. Since Nitra was the center of Great Moravia, it is no surprise that the museum is host to the largest collection of Great Moravian artifacts in the world including Blatnica Sword, the stone throne of Great Moravia, the diadem of Nitra, a dual cross found in Velka Maca, as well as various pieces of artwork.
The old town has little sites of note, with the exception of a beautiful Synagogue, once home to a thriving community.
Castle Hill
The most interesting thing to do in Nitra, the castle overlooks the city, a watchful protector for millennia. On your quest to the top you will pass various administrative buildings that once served in a religious capacity as well as a massive statue of Sts. Cyril and Methodius. The white church spire will guide you to the top!
Once you enter the outer wall you be greeted into the 11th century sanctuary. As you may have notice, the Austrian Baroque era saw many additions to the complex.
As you may have notice, a statue of John Paul II is located at the fortresses tallest point. This slavic pope (he was polish), gave the city back its archbishopric.
The white spired building is the Basilica of Saint Emeram. If you book a tour of the building you will be able to climb the spire for great views of the surrounding countryside, but more on that later. The church itself was originally built in Gothic stile during the 14th century, although the rotunda dates from the 11th century, before being renovated in baroque style over the 17th century. The door of the building has a more recent relief depicting Sts Cyril and Methodius.
Among the churches prized collection of reliquaries are those of St. Cyril but also St. Clement of Ohrid, St. John of Nepomuk, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. George, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Thomas Becket and St. John Paul II.
Inside the painted baroque reliefs are stunning. They were commissioned by Bishop László Ádám Erdődy during the 18th century. Unfortunately in 2008 the collaborator Jozef Tiso, was buried in the Crypt of St. Emmeram’s Cathedral in 2008. He does not deserve this honour.
If you took the tour, you will be able to climb up into the tower, where the best views of the city are offered.
Back down on the ground you will find the castle museum. In its basement is a treasure trove of documents including the 885 A.D bull from pope Steven V to King Svatopluk outlawing the use of Old Slavonic. This was part of a conspiracy by the first bishop of Nitra Wiching to unseat Methodius. Another one of significance is the 879 letter of the pope John VIII to Svatopluk inviting Methodius to Rome to explain his teachings, unlike the 885 letter this was a friendly invitation. There is also the Zobor document of 1111, the oldest document preserved in Slokakia.
Mt. Zobor
Just north of the city in the suburb of Zobor you will find the a popular mountain hiking area on mount Zobor called the Via Ferrata Zobor. From here you will be able to climb up towards the famous Zobor radar tower and receive great views of the city.
St. Michael’s Church
This ancient structure sits in an idyllic location on a foothill of mount Zobor overlooking some of Slovakia’s prime farmland.
The 11th century structure is one of the oldest in Slovakia and is of immense cultural value. It is also the perfect place for a picnic.
Conclusion
Nitra may be scarred from years of communist rule but yet there is still much to appreciate in the city from a history fanatic’s point of view. With a little more work to bring the old town to life, this could be a very lovely weekend destination, but the work needs to be put in to make the public spaces feel like alive.
