The city Liptovský Mikuláš is situated right in the middle of the Liptovská kotlina (Liptovská Basin) on the way from Žilina to the Vysoké Tatry (High Tatras). It is a very suitable starting point if you want to go to the Západné Tatry (West Tatras) or to the Nízke Tatry (Low Tatras).
Historically, this area was inhabited already during the Bronze Age, which was proven by archaeological findings of bronze instruments. A burying ground from the 11-th and 12-th century was found here, too. The first written reference about the city is from the year 1286. At that time it was a town of yeomen. The first royal privileges it gained in the 14-th and 15-th century: such as the right to organise annual as well as weekly open markets. In 1677 it became the main seat of the Liptov County. Juraj Jánošík (the Robin-Hood like Slovak national hero) was executed here in 1713.
In the middle of the 19-th century the town became a centre of the Slovak national cultural activities. They were based on old cultural traditions and activities of Juraj Tranovský (Tranoscia) in the 17-th century, of Gašpar Fejérpataky-Belopotocký, Michal M. Hodža, Matúš Blaho and others from the group around Ľudovít Štúr in the 19-th century. This group founded a literary and editorial association - Tarín. By the end of the 19-th and the 20-th century the Slovak cultural life developed rapidly in this city (new associations, theatres and editorial activities were founded). National movement culminated on May 10, 1848 by the declaration of "Requests of the Slovak Nation".
At the oblong central square, there are houses of yeomen from the 16-th and 17-th century (Pongrácova kúria, Seligovský dom - nowadays a museum of Janko Kráľ, a County House and a Roman-Catholic church of St. Mikuláš). The church was built around the year 1280 on the ruins of another building. During the second half of the 15-th century it was rebuilt and enlarged. In the 18-th century it gained some Baroque features, but after the fire in 1883 it had to be totally repaired. Some gothic vaults, windows, portals, pastrophorium, and a part of original interior. The main neo-gothic altar has original gothic painted wings from the years 1500 - 1510 and a statue of a saint. Between 1783 - 1785 an Evangelic classicistic church with late-roman facade was built in the city. In 1833 - 1885 it was repaired and a new tower was added.
In the city there is also a classicistic synagogue (built between 1842 - 1846, repaired in 1906), a memorial of Janko Kráľ and a picture gallery of P. Bohúň.
NOTE: Present day Liptovský Mikuláš consists of the following neighbourhoods: Bodice and Demänová.
