In 2026, Trenčín will be proud of the title of European Capital of Culture as the second European Capital of Culture to be presented in 2026 through the winning project Cultivating Curiosity.
The European Capital of Culture is an initiative of the European Union that has taken place every year since 1985. It was founded by the distinguished Greek Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri with the aim of making European countries, cities and people get to know each other better and talk to each other about culture and exchange. First, important and large cities bore this title. The first European capital of culture was Athens, later Florence, Madrid, at the turn of the millennium up to nine cities boasted the title, including Prague.
Now every year the European Commission selects two or three cities from different European countries. They abandoned the well-known centers of culture. In recent years, we have seen a shift towards smaller cities that are searching for their identity thanks to the title.
The European Capital of Culture is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage and creativity of individual cities, but also to support cultural development and innovation, diversity, and the involvement of different groups of the population. The fundamental task is to strengthen the common European identity. This title gives cities the opportunity to become visible on the European and world cultural map and attract tourists, artists and cultural professionals from all over the world.
For the year 2026, two countries were designated in which cities competed for the title of European Capital of Culture - Finland and Slovakia. In Finland, the city of Oulu won the title. The Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic announced a call for participation in the competition in 2020. Of the eight registered cities, three - Nitra, Trenčín and Žilina - passed the first round and reached the finals.
All three cities received forty-three questions from the international expert commission. The answers to them form the project book of each city, the so-called Bid book. The expert jury evaluated their preparation, presentation and defense of the project. People from the commission also visited all three cities and got a taste of their plan and potential.
In competition with Nitra and Žilina, Trenčín prevailed precisely with a strong plan. In the evaluation report on Trenčín, the expert commission stated: "The proposed cultural concept is well-grounded in the needs of the city, the region and the residents and has the potential to leave an important lasting legacy in Trenčín. In its essence, it demonstrates how a small city in Central Europe can, through culture, openness and cooperation to become a truly European city - a city in which people will like to live and visit."
The European Capital of Culture is not just an annual festival. It is a project to change the city and the region. The one from Trenčín is dedicated to a significant extent to public space and its improvement, offers opportunities for the growth of people from culture, is dedicated to the involvement of the population in life in the city, creates connections with Europe.
Trenčín is one of the three oldest Slovak cities and the largest city in the Trenčín region. Hotel Elizabeth is located right at the beginning of the historic center - Mierový náměstí below the castle rampart. All the most important monuments are within walking distance.
