View source for Brezno

{{Other uses}}
{{expand Slovak|date=February 2024|topic=geo}}
{{Infobox Slovak place
| name                    = Brezno
| native_name             = 
| other_name              = 
| settlement_type         = city
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = Brezno1.JPG
| image_caption           = City center of Brezno
| image_flag              = Brezno-brezno-flag.svg
| image_shield            = Coat of Arms of Brezno.svg
| motto                   = 
| nickname                = 
| etymology               = 
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type1       = 
| subdivision_name1       = 
| subdivision_type2       = Region
| subdivision_name2       = [[Banská Bystrica Region|Banská Bystrica]]
| subdivision_type3       = District
| subdivision_name3       = [[Brezno District|Brezno]]
| subdivision_type4       = 
| subdivision_name4       = 
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map               = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = Slovakia Banská Bystrica Region#Slovakia
| pushpin_relief          = 1
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location of Brezno in the [[Banská Bystrica Region]] 
| coordinates             = {{coord|48|48|14|N|19|38|37|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| leader_title            = Mayor
| leader_name             = Tomáš Abel
<!-- established -->
| established_title       = First mentioned
| established_date        = 1265
<!-- area -->
| area_total_sq_mi        =
| area_land_sq_mi         = 
| area_water_sq_mi        = 
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes     = <ref name="base_info">{{Cite web |url=http://datacube.statistics.sk/#!/view/sk/VBD_SK_WIN/om5001rr/v_om5001rr_00_00_00_sk |title=Základná charakteristika |language=sk |date=2015-04-17 |website=www.statistics.sk |publisher= Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic|access-date=2022-03-31}}</ref>
| elevation_m             = 504
| population_density_sq_mi=
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type        = Postal code
| postal_code             = 977 01<ref name="base_info"/>
| area_code_type          =  
| area_code               = +421 48<ref name="base_info"/>
| geocode                 = 
| iso_code                = 
|registration_plate       = BR
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website                 = [http://www.brezno.sk www.brezno.sk]
| footnotes               = 
|area_note= ({{Tooltip|2022|2022-06-31/2022-07-01}})
}}

'''Brezno''' ({{IPA|sk|ˈbreznɔ|lang|Sk-Brezno.ogg|pronunciation}}; 1927–1948: {{lang|sk|Brezno nad Hronom}}; {{langx|de|Bries}} or {{lang|de|Briesen}}; {{langx|hu|Breznóbánya}}) is a town in central [[Slovakia]] with a [[population]] of around 21,000.

==Etymology==
The name is derived from the Slovak word "breza" for birch.<ref name="lexicon">{{cite book |editor1-first=Martin |editor1-last=Štefánik |editor2-first=Ján |editor2-last=Lukačka |title=Lexikón stredovekých miest na Slovensku |trans-title=Lexicon of Medieval Towns in Slovakia |pages=140|publisher=Historický ústav SAV |location=Bratislava |year=2010 |isbn=978-80-89396-11-5 |language=sk, en |url=http://www.forumhistoriae.sk/e_kniznica/Lexikon-stredovekych-miest.pdf |access-date=2016-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302114716/http://www.forumhistoriae.sk/e_kniznica/Lexikon-stredovekych-miest.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
{{Slovak municipality/geo|504|<ref name="base_info"/>}}

Brezno is located within the [[Geomorphological division of Slovakia|Horehronské podolie]] basin. Brezno lies between the [[Low Tatras]] mountain range and the [[Slovak Ore Mountains]], both of which belong to the [[Inner Western Carpathians]]. The town is situated on the right bank of the River [[Hron]], which flows through town from the east, in the direction of the city of [[Banská Bystrica]], approximately {{convert|45|km|0|abbr=off}} west. The local climate in the basin is rather cold, with an annual average of {{convert|6.6|C|F|1}} and an annual precipitation of {{convert|700|-|750|mm|0|abbr=on}}.
{{Further|Havrania Dolina}}

==History==
The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but the current town arose from an old Slovak settlement, next to which newly arrived German miners erected a typical market square in the early 13th century. The first written evidence of the town's existence is dated 1265 when King [[Béla IV of Hungary]] issued a charter for hunters from the area of [[Liptov]], allowing them to use the woods around the settlement known as ''Berezuno''. The name is derived from the Slovak word "breza" for [[birch]].  In the nineteenth century Brezno was a typical, almost purely Slovak town and was one of the centers of the Slovak national movement.

After the [[Second World War]] the town developed into an industrial center. By far the largest industrial concern was Mostaren Brezno, a construction company which specialized in crane construction for the whole of Central Europe. Mostaren Brezno's restructuring in the early '90s caused high unemployment in the whole region. Since the late '90s, Brezno has built a large retail sector and promoted itself and the whole region as a tourist destination. Sports games and events such as the [[IBU_Cup|European Biathlon Cup]] and golf championships are held regularly.

== Population ==
{{Historical populations
|align=right
|source=<ref>{{cite web | title = Population statistics | url = http://www.quandl.com/CITYPOP/CITY_BREZNOBANSLOVAKIA }}</ref>
|1980|17872
|1991|22469
|2001|22875
|2005|22279
|2006|22221
|2011|21894
|2012|21161
|2013|21534
|2018|20953
}}

{{Slovak municipality|pop}}

It has a [[population]] of {{Slovak municipality|p}} people (31 December {{Slovak municipality|y}}).{{Slovak municipality|P}}

=== Ethnicity ===
{{Slovak municipality|etno}}

=== Religion ===
{{Slovak municipality|relig}}

==Sports==
The town's three sports clubs with the highest attendance are [[HK Brezno|HC Brezno]], FC Brezno and Biathlon Club Brezno. Other sports clubs include Volleyball Club Brezno, Cycle Club Brezno, and Swim Club Brezno.

The hockey club HC Brezno represents the town as part of the 1st senior league since the 2009/10 season. Therefore, the Brezno town council decided to reconstruct it's indoor stadium in 2009. During the reconstruction, new seats were added and the stadium was renamed the Brezno Arena; total capacity was increased to 2,500 seats.

==Notable people==
*[[Ivan Bella]], cosmonaut
*[[Ján Chalupka]], writer
*[[Pavol Habera]], singer
*[[Ottó Herman]], ornithologist
*[[Jozef Karika]], experimental writer and publicist
*[[Karol Kuzmány]], writer
*[[Miroslav Leitner]], ski mountaineer
*[[Martin Rázus]], writer
*[[Petr Sepéši]], singer
*[[Adriana Sklenaříková]], fashion model
*[[Dušan Švantner]], politician

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Slovakia}}

Brezno is twinned with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerské mestá|url=https://www.brezno.sk/partnerske-mesta/|publisher=Brezno|language=sk|access-date=2019-09-03}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Ciechanów]], Poland
*{{flagicon|SRB}} [[Čačak]], Serbia
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Meudon]], France
*{{flagicon|ROM}} [[Nădlac]], Romania
*{{flagicon|CZE}} [[Nový Bydžov]], Czech Republic
{{div col end}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:City centre brezno (8).jpg|Courthouse
File:City centre brezno (4).jpg|[[Marian and Holy Trinity columns|Plague column]]
File:City centre brezno 4.jpg|Modern architecture
File:Brezno2.JPG|Catholic church and town museum
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of municipalities and towns in Slovakia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Genealogical resources==
The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Státný Archiv in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia"
* Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1656-1904 (parish A)
* Lutheran church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1784-1896 (parish A)

==External links==
{{Commons category|Brezno, Slovakia}}
* [http://www.brezno.sk/ Official website of Brezno]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101126233241/http://cisarik.com/0_Brezno_Brezno_BC_Zolyom_Zvolen.html '''Surnames''' of living people in Brezno]
* [http://hkbrezno.com/ Official website of HC Brezno] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617192059/http://hkbrezno.com/ |date=2013-06-17 }}
* [https://www.minv.sk/?statny-archiv-v-banskej-bystrici/ Official website of the Slovak State Archive in Banská Bystrica]

{{Brezno District}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Slovakia|Brezno]]
[[Category:Mining communities in the Slovak Republic]]