Nitra, city in western Slovakia, about 70 km (about 40 mi) northwest of Slovakia's capital, Bratislava. Nitra is located on the Nitra River, a tributary of the Danube River, in the rich agricultural area of the Danubian Lowlands. It is a major food processing center. In addition to food products, manufactures include transportation equipment, metal and lumber products, clothing, porcelain, and faience (earthenware). The city is a road and rail hub, with connections to Bratislava. Landmarks in Nitra include a 15th-century bishops' palace, a Franciscan church (built in 1624), the Provost's Palace (1779), and a museum. The city also has an agricultural college.
Nitra was founded as a Slovak settlement in the 8th century. During the 9th century it was part of the Empire of Great Moravia, a Slavic state, and served as an important religious and administrative center. The first Christian church in what is now Slovakia was built here in about 830. From the 10th century until World War I (1914-1918) the city was called Nyitra and was under the control of Hungary. It was a part of Czechoslovakia from 1918 until Slovakia's independence in 1993, except when it belonged to the pro-German Slovak Republic that existed during World War II (1939-1945). Population (1999 estimate) 87,548.
