Culture
In Žilina performs the City Theatre with the ensemble Maják (for the youth), with the brassband Fatranka and the folk ensemble Rozsutec. This ensemble ranks among the highest quality in Slovakia. It regularly represents our town in the most important festivals in Slovakia and abroad (Malta, Brasil, etc.). Organiser of another well-known ensemble Stavbár is the University of Žilina.
Folk ensemble Rozsutec
The city of Žilina is the founder of the Žilina Mixed Choir which achieved lot of successes in the most prestigious festivals of choir singing in Europe (e.g. in Spittal am Drau, Austria, in Llangollene, Wales). It performed successfully also in Spain, Ireland, Vatican etc.
Žilina Mixed Choir with State Chamber Orchestra
The State Chamber Orchestra represented Slovakia and Žilina in almost all the continents. Its extraordinary successful tours were to US, Japan, Brazil and many European countries. It collaborates often with foreign musicians and with Žilina Mixed Choir.
Excellent quality reaches the children choir Odborárik. In Žilina perform a number rock groups among which the best results are achieved by AYA and Arzén. Active is also the folk and country scene.
Považská Gallery of Arts focuses its attention on the drawings and arts of the second half of 20th century. In its deposits are more than 3,000 pieces of art. The Gallery is oriented mostly to the works of local artists - from Žilina and its surroundings the number of which reaches more than 40. However, often also artists from abroad exhibit their work in the Považská Gallery.
Považské Museum has its seat in Budatín Castle. The Museum houses exhibits from the history of Žilina and archaeology. The visitors are attracted by the exhibits of tinkers' arts - unique of its sort in the world. The Museum organises regular meetings of master-tinkers. Žilina and the nearby villages Dlhé Pole and Veľké Rovné were the cradle of tinkers' craftsmanship; they reached the highest boom at the end of the 19th century. The craftsmen of the Žilina Region founded a number of manufactures in Europe and overseas. The wire arts alone or in combination with other materials belong up to now to the typical souvenirs of our town and region.
In our home country and also abroad well known is the Puppet Theatre - the oldest professional theatre of that sort in Slovakia.
Regional Centre of Enlightening organises cultural events, exhibitions, lectures and theatrical activities.
The city of Žilina in co-operation with other institutions organises yearly in June the Old Town Festival, in which within the cultural programme a number of artistic ensembles from Žilina and from its surroundings perform, and their skills are propagated by the pupils of several training institutions. In quizzes and literary competitions about our town participate pupils and students of virtually all the primary and secondary schools of Žilina.
The Old Town Festival at the Square of Andrej Hlinka
The Žilina Cultural Summer belongs already to the tradition. In concerts in the streets of the town a number of ensembles perform.
The Festival of Creativity of handicapped youth - Jašidielňa - takes place regularly at the onset of September. It is shared by kids and adolescents from Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany and other countries.
Traditional became also the Central-European Festival of Concert Art held annually in April at the House of Arts - Fatra. In the festival young musicians from many countries of Europe perform their art. Autumn is the time for a regular international festival of television and video programmes Ekotopfilm held each year in Žilina - focused on the problems of living environment.
The city of Žilina participates in the organisation of Jánošík's Days at Terchová village. This folk festival with more than 30 years' tradition belongs to the most important in Slovakia, and is held annually in the first week of August.
Jánošík's Days in Terchová
Jánošík's Days in Terchová
The House of Matica slovenská in Hollý Street together with the Local Branch of Matica slovenská organise a number of information and education programmes, lectures etc. and Živena - the association of Slovak women also organises a lot of various activities.
In the past in Žilina lived and worked many important personalities e.g. painters Jozef Božetech Klemens (1817-1883), Ľudovít Fulla (1902-1980), Vincent Hložník (1919-1997), writers Ján Palárik (1822-1870), Emo Bohúň (1899-1959), Ján Papp (1929-1998), Ján Frátrik (1916-2000), art bookbinder Ján Vrtílek (1906-2000). Among the contemporary writers: Ján Lenčo (1933- ), academic painters: Mojmír Vlkoláček (1915- ), Fero Kráľ (1919- ), sculptor: Ladislav Berák (1938- ), and many others. In Žilina were born or acted here: the chansoniérist Hana Hegerová, opera singer: František Livora, writer: Ľubomír Feldek, world famous art photographer: Karol Kállay, and sculptor: Vladimír Kompánek, musical singer Sisa Sklovská.
Schools and educational institutions
The most important educational institution is the University of Žilina with its 7 faculties and more than 9,000 students in all forms of the studies. Until 1996 it bore the name of the School of Transportation and Communications. With its orientation to transportation it was unique. Today it provides opportunities of education in many study branches with such important fields as information technologies and telecommunications. Since 1960 the studies were completed by 30,000 domestic students and many students from abroad. Main facilities of the University are stationed at Veľký Diel area.
University of Žilina in Veľký Diel
Another important educational institution in Žilina is the Conservatoire. It belongs to the largest in Slovakia and had brought up many concertmasters and music pedagogues - the students often reach successful results in various competitions. There is a choir based on the school, a bigband and other music bodies.
Jazyková škola patrí počtom študentov a kvalitou vyučovania k najvýznamnejším školám svojho druhu. V Žiline sú štyri gymnáziá a veľký počet stredných odborných škôl.
The Language School. By the number of students and quality of education it ranks among the best schools of that sort. In Žilina are 4 grammar schools (gymnasiums) and a number of secondary general and technical schools. In education of the pupils of primary schools an important role is played by the Basic School of Arts of Ladislav Árvay, founded in 1927. The school is one of the largest of that sort in Slovakia. The main topics are play on various instruments, ballet, dance etc. education. The pupils regularly achieve success in various competitions, namely in guitar playing, violin, accordion etc.
Young people have many opportunities to promote their talent in different special activities organised by the Centre of Spare Time Spektrum (gymnastics, dance, majorettes, natural history, tourism).
An important role in education of the youth is played by the members of Salesian order of St. don Bosco. In Salesian House their spare time spend lot of kids and adolescents, mostly in sport activities. Žilina is an important centre of the Slovak Scouting. In the District of Žilina are registered more than 500 permanent members of this movement of young people. The scout activities are strongly supported by the city administration that has, among other support, provided a building in Vlčince quarter. In the House of Scouts members are congregating in 15 club rooms.