Trenčín and the coming of the 19th century

After the grave events of the 17^th and the 18^th centuries, Trenčín finally needed several decades to shake off its curse of wars, plagues, and natural disasters. Crafts would soon be revived and commerce, culture, and schools began to flourish. People lived the period of peace until the end the 18th and the beginning of the 19^th century when wars would again mar their lives. This time it was wars with the adjective of "Napoleonic". Despite the extensive fire that afflicted the city once again, crafts and commerce would speedily recover and develop until the end of feudalism. The 19^th century saw Trenčín as a prosperous, middle-size town. Difficult political situation under the Bach's absolutism after 1848 resulted in tense relations in Trenčín and a strong Hungarian influence. It was the old transportation in Trenčín that halted the development of industries. The closest railway station was 9 hours away with the bridge over Váh as the weakest point of the route. Housing problem was being solved through restructuring or building new town houses on top of the remnants of the city walls that long ago had lost their military significance. This was how the main Trenčín square came to its today's unusual, oblong shape.