Košice facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Košice
City
View of Hlavná ulica (Main Street) from St. Elisabeth Cathedral, with the State Theatre Košice building in the center
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  City of tolerance
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Country	Slovakia
First mentioned	1230
Website	https://www.kosice.sk

Košice 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 240,000 Košice is the second largest city in Slovakia after the capital Bratislava. Košice was founded in 1230.

Being the economic and cultural centre of eastern Slovakia, Košice is the seat of the Košice Region and Košice Self-governing Region, 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. Košice is the economic hub of eastern Slovakia. It accounts for about 9% of the Slovak gross domestic product. The steel mill, U.S. Steel Košice with 13,500 employees, is the largest employer in the city and the largest private employer in the country.

The town has extensive railway connections and an international airport.

The city has a well-preserved historical centre, which is the largest among Slovak towns. There are many heritage protected buildings in Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Nouveau styles with Slovakia's largest church: the St. Elisabeth Cathedral.

The long main street, rimmed with aristocratic palaces, Catholic churches, and townsfolk's houses, is a thriving pedestrian zone with many boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. The city is well known as the first settlement in Europe to be granted its own coat-of-arms.

Images for kids

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  Eastern Hungarian Kingdom around 1550, including Košice shown as 'Kassa'

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  Part of the Ottoman Empire in 1683, including the Principality of Upper Hungary, based around Košice shown as 'Kassa'

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  "Cassovia: Superioris Hungariae Civitas Primaria", the prospect from Civitates orbis terrarum. Cassovia (Slovak: Košice, German: Kaschau, Hungarian: Kassa), the "capital" of Upper Hungary in 1617.

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  The military base in Košice at the end of the 18th century

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  National Theater built in 1899

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  Hlavná ulica (Main Street) in historic downtown

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  Statue of Košice's coat of arms, the first municipal coat of arms in Europe

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  Aupark Shopping Centre

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  St. Elisabeth Cathedral in Košice is Slovakia's largest church

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  Košice International Airport

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  Steel Aréna

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  The Tree of Partnership on Hlavná Street