Beckov

Beckov (Beckó, Beckow) is a village and municipality in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in the Trenčín Region of western Slovakia.

History
In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1208. Mihály de genere Bána, royal equerry, who was the forefather of the Cseszneky family, performed several heroic deeds against the Mongolian invaders of Hungary (during the invasion in 1241–42) and for his bravery in 1241 King Béla IV appointed him Count (comes) of Beckó. Before the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, Beckov was part of Trencsén County within the Kingdom of Hungary. From 1939 to 1945, it was part of the Slovak Republic. On 6 April 1945, the Red Army dislodged the Wehrmacht from Beckov and it was once again part of Czechoslovakia.

Geography
The municipality lies at an altitude of 190 metres and covers an area of 28.629 km2. It has a population of about 1375 people.

Sights
Above the village is Beckov Castle, now in ruins. The village, which used to be a town, was fortified by mighty wall, large parts of which are preserved. Religious buildings include the gothic catholic parish church and baroque former franciscan monastery with church within the walled town and the protestant parish church outside the walls. In the town there are several renaissance and baroque manors. Some of them are restored and well kept, some are dilapidated and falling in ruins.

People

 * Jozef Miloslav Hurban born 1817
 * Baron László Mednyánszky born 1852
 * Dionýz Štúr born 1827

Genealogical resources
The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Bratislava,Slovakia"


 * Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1676–1934 (parish A)
 * Lutheran church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1792–1942 (parish A)