Trenčín belongs to the oldest Slovak cities, chronicled as early as in the 11th century. located near Carpathian mountain.
Earliest archaeological findings show the presence of early humans in Trenčín and its surrounding regions as early as 200 000 years ago. In the 2nd century AD, during the time of the Marcomanni Wars, soldiers of the II. auxiliary legion who were spending winter at Laugaricio, left a writing on the rock below the castle, known today as the Roman Inscription. The inscription places the city of Trenčín amongst other European cities with antique history. In his work Geographica, Claudius Ptolemaeus – a Roman geographer, cartographer, and polyhistor living between 90 and 168 AD, mentions a commercial station called Leukaristos on the other side of Danube, identical with Laugaricio, or today’s city of Trenčín.
Slavic presence on the territory of Trenčín has been documented since as early as the 6th century. At first, the city became one of the pillars of the Great Moravia Empire. Following interim periods of the Czech and Polish dominions, the city and its surroundings became border district of the Hungarian kingdom in the early 11th century.
The city of Trenčín as such is mentioned in 1111 and 1113. In 1241, Bogomer (Bohumir) – District Lord of Trenčín, waged a defensive warfare from the castle against the Tartars. Settlement below the castle was most likely destroyed by the invasion, however; the castle itself, built in part from stone, survived the attack.
Fifty years later, Trenčín was to live its time of greatest splendor. Matthew Czak of Trenčín, turned the city into the center of his vast dominions. In 1321, following his death, Trenčín went back under the ownership of the Hungarian ruler, Charles Robert.
In the 14th century, the city hosted royal heads from almost the whole of Europe. King Charles Robert and his son Luis met at the castle on August 24, 1335 with the Czech king Jan of Luxembourg accompanied by his son Charles, and Polish ruler Kazimír, to carry out negotiations that ended a lengthy conflict between Bohemia and Poland. It was again in 1362, when the castle hosted peace talks between Louis the Great and the Roman emperor Charles IV. Trenčín’s city walls also welcomed people who would come to the city for joy. It was there, where in 1461 the king Matthew Korvin, together with his mother Elisabeth, was expecting the arrival of his fiancée, Bohemian princess Katarina (Kunhuta), daughter of George of Podebrady. In 1512, the castle hosted the engagement ceremony of Stephen Zapolsky’s daughter with the Polish king Sigmund.
Diplomatic traditions of Trenčín have not been forgotten. In May 24 and 25, 2002, the castle hosted a summit of the prime and foreign affairs ministers of the Visegrad Group and the Benelux, while in 2004 it became the meeting place of the participants to the NATO Parliamentary Session.
In 1599, plundering hordes of the Krum Tartars serving the Oman Sultan penetrated as far as Trenčín and ravaged broad surrounding areas. In 1604, the Botchkay’s hayducks inflicted a horrendous damage to the city. 20 years later, another catastrophe hit the city – Trenčín was given to the mercy of the plundering armies of Gabriel Bethlen. During the years 1644 – 1645, the rebel armies of George I. of Rakoci again threatened the city. Repeated invasion of the Oman armies hit the Middle Vah region in 1663. On October 2 of the same year, the castle and the city survived the attack; however, the enemy burned down adjacent suburbs outside the city. 15 years later (1678 – 1683), Trenčín was raided by the armies of Imrich Tököli. The last and biggest catastrophe hit Trenčín in the period of the revolt of classes headed by Francis Rakoci II. The Kuruk armies did not conquer the castle itself; however, they besieged the city below. There was an outbreak of famine, worsened by a catastrophic fire on May 14, 1708.
The second half of the 16th and 17th centuries did not only bring disasters. These years turned out to be the times of blooming arts and culture. Since the second half of the 16th century, Trenčín became the place of settlement of the first newly baptized converts (Habans) that initiated later existence of the characteristic Trenčín majolica.
In 1790, the city was again hit by a disastrous fire that destroyed almost the whole inner town. The fire has also put a definite end to the Castle of Trenčín, which was to be reduced down to ruins ever since. Flood of August 1813 caused the lives of 44 local people. F. Palacký, later „father of the Czech historical school“ almost lost his life.
Establishment of the Piarist Gymnasium is connected with the year 1647, when the Jesuits founded their own school that soon afterward, in 1649, was to be changed into the famous Gymnasium. At the beginning of the 19th century, there was also the Town School, together with other denominational schools – Catholic (for girls), Lutheran, and Jewish.
In 1874, Trenčín became garrisoned town, home to the 15th militia regiment. 71st infantry regiment of the Austrian army.
In 1877 Natural Science Society of the district of Trenčín was established, chaired by Dr. K. Brančík.
People’s Library promoted education of the broad public by letting people check out books at no charge. Today’s Public Library of Michael Rešetka builds on its traditions.
Sports activities in Trenčín started to be organized in the 1890s. Athletes in the city were involved in sports such as rowing, fencing, tennis, and figure skating. Cycling Union in Trenčín was short-lived, though. Demonstration of a soccer match in Trenčín was performed in 1904, at the visit of the archprince Fridrich and archprincess Isabel. However, it was not until after 1908, when the game began to be played periodically. Trenčín Physical Education Society established in 1904, offered still greater mass membership. Today’s TTS builds on these historical traditions. 24. On May 24, 1914, a Slovak – Andrew Kvasz, performed a takeoff of a plane heavier than the air, first of its kind in the Váh region.
Period of World War I in Trenčín was marked by a known revolt of the soldiers of the 71st regiment in the Serbian Kragujevac on June 2, 1918. Subsequently, 44 regiment soldiers were executed for having participated in the revolt.
New boost to Trenčín’s economic and industrial base took place after the rise of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. At present, there is a number of secondary schools in Trenčín. Gymnasium of Ľudovít Štúr (Grammer School) , Piarist Gymnasium (grammer school) , Gymnasium of J. Branecký, Business Academy of Dr. M. Hodža, Secondary Nursing School, Secondary Industrial School of Textile Production, Emil Belluš Secondary Industrial Construction School. Universities of Trenčín include Alexander Dubček University, and City University of Seatle focused on Management.