Košice
Košice (UK: /ˈkɒʃɪtsə/ KOSH-it-sə, Slovak: [ˈkɔʂitse] ⓘ) is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of approximately 230,000, Košice is the second-largest city in Slovakia, after the capital Bratislava.
Košice | |
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City | |
Top: Cathedral of St. Elizabeth and St Michael Chapel Center: General Aerial View Bottom (left to right): State Theater; Center of Hlavná street; Coat of Arms Statue Superimposed: Coat of Arms | |
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| Nickname: City of Tolerance | |
Košice Location in Slovakia Košice Location in Košice Region | |
| Coordinates: 48°43′N 21°15′E | |
| Country | Slovakia |
| Region | Košice Self-governing Region |
| District | Košice I, Košice II, Košice III, Košice IV |
| First mentioned | 1230 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jaroslav Polaček |
| Area | |
| • Total | 243.7 km2 (94.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 206 m (676 ft) |
| Population (2021-07-01) | |
| • Total | 228,249 |
| • Density | 940/km2 (2,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 040 00 |
| Area code | +421-55 |
| Car plate | KE |
| GDP | 2017 |
| – Total | Nominal: €18 billion PPP: $21 billion |
| – Per capita | Nominal:
€18,100 PPP: $16,300 |
| Website | https://www.kosice.sk |
Being the economic and cultural centre of eastern Slovakia, Košice is the seat of the Košice Region and Košice Self-governing Region, and is home to the Slovak Constitutional Court, three universities, various dioceses, and many museums, galleries, and theatres. In 2013 Košice was the European Capital of Culture, together with Marseille, France. Košice is an important industrial centre of Slovakia, and the U.S. Steel Košice steel mill is the largest employer in the city. The town has extensive railway connections and an international airport.
The city has a preserved historical centre which is the largest among Slovak towns. There are heritage protected buildings in Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau styles with Slovakia's largest church: the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth. The long main street, rimmed with aristocratic palaces, Catholic churches, and townsfolk's houses, is a thriving pedestrian zone with boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. The city is known as the first settlement in Europe to be granted its own coat-of-arms.