mestä

Mestá is the Slovak term for cities and towns, used as the plural form of mesto. In contemporary Slovakia, it denotes urban municipalities that have been granted city or town status, as opposed to obce, which are villages or rural municipalities.

In the Slovak administrative system, municipalities are the basic units of local government. Some municipalities are designated as mesto based on factors such as population size, urban character, economic role, and historical status. Once designated as mesto, the locality typically has a local government headed by a mayor (primátor) and a town or city council, with responsibilities in areas such as local planning, schools, public services, and cultural affairs.

Historically, towns in the Kingdom of Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia received charter-based privileges that defined their self-governance, market rights, and fortifications. In modern Slovakia, the designation of mesto reflects both historical tradition and contemporary administrative function, granting urban municipalities a degree of autonomy within the national framework.

Notable examples of mestá include Bratislava, the capital and largest city, Košice, and Prešov, among others. Collectively, mestá play a central role in regional development, economic activity, and public administration, while many smaller towns contribute to regional networks of services, transportation hubs, and cultural heritage.

See also: Municipalities of Slovakia, Local government in Slovakia, Mesto.