Castles and Caves : Myths and Legends of Europe

THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Our Country
Name:	Slovak Republic
Area:	49,035 km2
Population:	5,401,000 (in 2008)
Language:	Slovak language
Capital city:	Bratislava
Largest city:	Bratislava
Head of state:	Ivan Gašparovič
Head of government:	Róbert Fico
Atherm:	Lightning over the Tatras
Currency:	€ - euro
National emblem:	cross, colours : white, blue, red
Longest river:	Váh

Main production:
- Industry:	cars (Kia), fridges (Whirlpool), steel (USS), plastic folis (Chemosvit), socks (Chedos), vagons (Tatravagónka), chemicals (Chemkostav),
- Agriculture:	wheat, rye, barley, oat, corn for grain, potatoes, sunflower, oilseed rape, sugar beet

Castles: (130)	Caves: (5350) - (16 available for people)	National parks:
Bratislava castle Banská Bystrica castle Bojnice castle Bytča castle Čachtice castle Devín castle Kežmarský castle Košice castle Sitno castle Spiš castle Stará Ĺubovňa castle Strečno castle	Belianska cave Bojnická cave Bystrianska cave Demänovská cave slobody Demänovská ĺadová cave Dobšinská ĺadová cave Domica cave Driny cave Gombasecká cave Harmanecká cave Jasovská cave Krásnohorská cave Mŕtvych netopierov cave Ochtinská aragonitová cave Važecká cave Zlá džura cave	National park Malá Fatra (NPMF) National park Muránska planina (NPMP) National park Nízke Tatry (NAPANT) National park Poloniny (NPP) National park Slovenský kras (NPSK) National park Slovenský raj (NPSR) National park Veĺká Fatra (NPVF) Pieninský national park (PIENAP) Tatranský national park (TANAP)

Our City : Poprad

Poprad is the third biggest town of East Slovakia and the 10th biggest town of Slovakia. It covers an area of 63.05 km2 and it has 54,000 inhabitants.

	Poprad's biggest attraction for domestic as well as foreign visitors is Aquacity water sports and relax centre. The town leaders concentrate on the activities promoting the town to the position of a worth visiting standard European town. It is also a gate to the National Parks. In the north there is the Tatras National Park, the pride of the whole Slovakia and a unique climatic resort. In the south-west there is the National Park of the Low Tatras with its majestic Mt. Kráĺova hoĺa. In the south you will find the National Park of Slovak Paradise with its limestone rocks and gorgeous canyons and gullies. In the north-east is the Pieniny National Park with its well-known Dunajec River.
The history of Poprad started with the oldest written mentions of 1256 and its oldest preserved witness - St Egidius Church of the second half of the 13th century. It's the most valuable monument in Poprad. This sacral construction in gothic style dominates the Square of St. Egidius, which is the historical centre of Poprad. In the interior of the church you will also find two Baroque works of arts - Blessed Virgin Mary and the painting of St. Egidius. The church is a very significant historical monument, because it represents the building style of Spišské double aisles.

	After 1945 the formerly separated medieval townships- Veĺká,Kvetnica, Spišská Sobota, Stráže and Matejovce, were incorporated within the town of Poprad. Spišská Sobota is Poprad 's well preserved historical area. The oldest written mention of this tourist jewel of the Spiš region is found in the same document as that of Poprad, i. e. 1256. The main square is dominated by the church of St George, dating from 1273 and rebuilt in the baroque style in the 18th century. The original gothic interior of the church and the wooden altar of Master Paul from Levoca dating from 1516 are some of its main attributes.

Our School : Gymnázium Our school is situated in Poprad, near the centre, by the river Poprad. In the past its building served as military barracks but in 2004 it changed and became a school which is attended by 550 students.

Our grammar school was founded in September 1st 1953. It was only a small school with about 120 students but now it consits of a 4-year grammar school and an 8-year grammar school and has more than 500 students and 40 teachers. Our headmaster is called RNDr. Ján Verný and we have 2 deputies - Mrs. Katarína Genčanská and Mr. František Gomboš. Our school caretaker takes care of our facilities and our maids look after the cleanliness of our classrooms, corridors and labaratories.
	Our school has 20 classrooms, laboratories of Languages, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computer Studies and also 4 multimedia classrooms with dataprojectors.
Students can learn 4 languages: English, German, French and Russian. Students prefer English to other foreign languages.
Our school takes part in many international projects. We also have a cooperation with Hungary, Poland, the Neatherlands and we now a Comenius project with France and Turkey.
	We have a very old gymnasium and we are planning on building a new one. Our students can spend their free time in the afternoon in the gym or take part in extra activities organised by teachers or Students Council. The Council is led by Martin Mierka who is also involved in our Comenius project: "Caves and castles: Myths and legends of Europe".