Námestovo is a town in northern Slovakia. It is the capital and largest town of Námestovo District in the Žilina Region. As of 2018 its population was 7,827.

Geography

The town is located under the Orava Highlands at the shores of the Orava reservoir, not far from the Polish border, around 15 km (9.32 mi) from Tvrdošín and 30 km (18.64 mi) from Dolný Kubín.

History

The town was mentioned in the 16th century, when the massive colonisation of Orava took place. It was growing quickly, thanks to its favourable location on the trade route to Poland. The town was burned down at the end of World War II. The construction of the Orava reservoir affected the way of life in the town, as two-thirds of the town were inundated, including the town centre. Boom of the industry and the following apartment construction in the 1970s contributed to the growth of the town.