Topoľčany is a town in the Nitra Region of Slovakia. The population is around 25,000. The town’s population is nicknamed Žochári (sing. Žochár) (producers, or owners of “mosses”).

The Nitra River flows through a wide valley between the two mountain ranges that are visible from the town: Tribeč (to the east) and Považský Inovec (to the west).

Sights

A large army barracks is located in the town; during the Communist era there were about 2,000 troops stationed in the city. The surrounding forests are full of abandoned bunkers.

Industry

There are four main industries in Topoľčany: the Topvar brewery (owned by SABMiller), kitchen furniture producer Decodom, cableware producer SEWS (owned by a Japanese company), and the clothing company Ozeta (producer of suits and jackets). The large “ZTS” factory, a heavy machinery producer in neighboring Tovarníky, is no longer a major employer.

Education

The educational infrastructure is made up of kindergartens, elementary schools, high schools (both general and specialised) and a branch of a Bratislava-based university. However, most of the town’s young people go to Nitra, Bratislava, or Trnava for higher education.