KOMÁROM-KOMARNO TWIN CITIES
Hungary/Slovakia
This looks at the interrelationships of communities on both sides of the Danube river border, at success and limiting factors for strengthening cohesion between cross-border destinations in the area,
The cross-border twin city of Komárom/Komarno is located on both banks of the Danube river between Slovakia and Hungary. The region has a rich archeological and historical heritage because it has been inhabited from the oldest ages and was a crucial part of the Limes that protected the Roman Empire from barbarian invaders.
From the medieval ages, as an important river crossing and a fortified place, the town (located that time exclusively on the northern side of the Danube) has gradually become one of the most significant urban centres of the Hungarian Kingdom.
It also became a developed Danube port city, with Danube trade and shipbuilding. Thanks to shipping, many trading Danubian nations and ethnic groups settled in the city.
The peace treaty after the First World War dissolved the Hungarian Kingdom. The Danube became a state border between Czechoslovakia and Hungary, the northern part of the town by its new name Komárno was annexed to Czechoslovakia (after its dissolution (1993), today Slovakia), while the southern part remained part of Hungary.
Today, the area’s main attraction is the Fortification System that surrounds the city. Komarno (SK) has been the birthplace of many famous writers and composers. One of the greatest Hungarian writers, Mór Jókai; the globally known composer, Ferenc Lehár; and Hans/János Selye, the chemist and endocrinologist, one of the creators of stress theory were born in the area. Many buildings, public places and statues commemorate the famous people of the area. Jókai’s name has been guarded by a secondary school and the Hungarian speaking theatre (since 1952), while Selye’s name by the Hungarian speaking university (since 2004) that is home to nearly 2000 students.
The Hungarian Equestrian Theatre in Komárom (HU) offers a distinctive cultural experience, and is unique in the history of theatres, as it is the only stone theatre in Hungary that has been operating as an equestrian theatre with its own building, stables and a permanent company for more than 15 years.
The museums like the Klapka György Museum (HU) and the Danube Museum (SK) offer insight into the historical heritage of the area.
Peer-reviewed articles:
Hardi, T. (2020). Cross-border possibilities of ecotourism in the "inner Delt of Danube”.
Good practice: STAR FORTRESS IN KOMÁROM
Policy Brief: A cross-border cultural tourism destination: the possibility of levelling up through cooperation
