Towns
Involved in the Project
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Iliašovce (Spišská Nová Ves District) |
Spišská Nová Ves (Spišská Nová Ves District) |
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LEVOČA |
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Background
The city of Levoča, with its
nickname “The Pearl of Spiš“, is an important historical center of the Middle
Spiš region. Levoča was previously the regional administrative center, and at
present it is a district capital. The development opportunities in the city are
closely connected with the revitalization and expansion of small and medium
business activities in the tourism industry and the development of traditional
handicrafts.
Levoča has 14,282 inhabitants, 7,003 of which are men. The number of economically active people is 7,181. By December 31, 2001, unemployment had reached a total of 1,991 people, of which 1,095 people are long-term unemployed. Levoča is also inhabited by a large population of visually impaired people from all over Slovakia who come to Levoča for its special schools and libraries. This group constitutes 7 percent of the total number of inhabitants.
Almost all of Levoča is surrounded by well-preserved ramparts. The architecture of the town houses in the main square gradually changed from Gothic to Renaissance. One of the most distinctive buildings in the square is the Town Hall, which was rebuilt in the 19th century in neo-Renaissance style. The principal attraction of the town is the Church of St. James, located in the center of the square. There is a Protestant church near the Town Hall, and there are also two other churches on adjacent streets.
The city is also the site of several schools. The pride of the town is the Ancestors Memorial, and architectural and artistic jewel that was proclaimed a protected memorial by the state in 1950. Thanks to art restorers and skilled craftsmen, life is returning to the town’s renovated historical buildings. In their stylish rooms, you can find the social, cultural, and economic centers of town life.
At present, the city has the following non-governmental organizations: Civil Association Civitas – l, Civil Association Pro Dial, Society for the Protection of Unborn Life, Foundation Pro Horizont, Romany Club Savore, and the Civil Association of Artistic Craft Guilds.
History
The site of present day Levoča
and the surrounding area were already settled in the early Stone Age. The city
rose from those original settlements and the settlements of Germans who came to
the area in the 12th - 13th centuries. From the first written reference of
Levoča - the charter issued by the Hungarian king Belo IV in 1249 - it is
obvious that in those times it was already an important and well-known city. It
was strategically located at the crossroads of old trade routes and was granted
the privileges of the free royal cities, which included the privilege of storage
that substantially supported the development of Levoča.
In the Middle Ages the wealth of Levoča was founded on the trade and craft industries. There were guilds of butchers, shoemakers, bootmakers, smiths, goldsmiths, carvers, painters, furriers, tinsmiths and others. Citizens used to own a piece of land that they used to complement their incomes from crafts and trade. Since the 15th century the city has had physicians, pharmacies, and a municipal school. The first bookshop appeared in the 16th century. The growth of Levoča culminated at the turn of the 15th century. Its development was slowed down by the Turkish invasion, numerous fires, and the plague. In the 17th and 18th centuries, crafts and trade still persisted, but the Technical Revolution in the 19th century weakened their importance and brought about the economic decline of Levoča.
From the 13th century to 1923 Levoča was the capital of the Spiš county, and until 1960 it was a district capital. It recently resumed this position.
Involvement with the Program
On July 20, 2001 the YOUR SPIŠ
selection commission decided that Levoča would become one of the program's
pilot communities. In the area of Nad Tehelňou and Poľná, the Romany
Neighborhood Club of Levoča (Klub Rómske sídlisko Levoča) was created through
YOUR SPIŠ. The club members are currently unemployed, and through cooperation
with YOUR SPIŠ, they want to enhance their professional and general knowledge
in order to find better opportunities in the labor market. The club’s
activities have had a positive impact on their environment and shown how
problems can be solved through close cooperation with the local government.
As an example of this, the club cooperates with the Local Authority on the project Sidewalks and Landscaping, which deals with the repair of sidewalks, mowing overgrown grass, cleaning grounds, landscaping, and improving the common areas in front of city houses. Through these voluntary project activities, the club intends to mobilize and activate the residents of the Romany neighborhood, develop their occupational skills, and involve them in finding solutions to community problems. Another goal of the club members is to reduce the tension between the majority and the Romany minority.