8^th Visegrad Symposium on Structural Systems Biology

Venue

The conference will be held in the Miraj Rezort in Opatová, which is now part of the town Lučenec. Lučenec is small town (cca. 28 000 inhabitants) located in south part of central Slovakia. Historically it was capital of Nógrád County in Kingdom of Hungary. The first inhabitants in this region was during the Stone Ages (tools from chalcedony, copper ax) and Bronze Ages (bronze jug and several swords). The first indirect mention of Lučenec was in 1128, when Lambert built a chapel in honor of Virgin Mary. The first direct mention of the settlement was in 1247 under the name Luchunch, but until the first half of the 15th century it was only a village, and was located off the main trade routes. Because of its location during 13th and 14th century it was too small to get privileges of the free kingdom city. King Leopold I allowed only in 1695 to organize markets.

Town was occupied by Ottoman Turks from 1554 to 1593. Till the half of 19th century it was several times burned down, last time by Russian imperial troops.

Major cultural attractions in Lučenec (see photos):

Town hall

Roman-catholic church

Evangelical church

Calvinist church

Synagogue - one of largest in Slovakia (for more than 1100 people)

Nearby Lučenec is possible to visit ruins of castles Divín (north-west direction), Fiľakovo (south-east), Šomoška (in woods, sourh-east), Hajnáčka (sourh-east) and Modrý Kameň (south-west). It is also possible to visit small cave in village Mučín, which was created by eroded carbonified tree trunk covered by volcanic ashes.