Naperville's First Sister City

In 1989, with the fall of the Iron Curtain, a group of Naperville citizens began exploring the possibility of developing a Sister Cities relationship with one of the emerging democracies. The Naperville City Council supported the concept and a partnership with Nitra, Slovakia was formalized on November 17, 1993.

Located 90 miles east of Vienna, Nitra is the fourth largest city in Slovakia, with a population of approximately 100,000. This 6,000-year-old city is nestled in a valley surrounded by seven rolling hills. Although geographically distant, Nitra and Naperville share many similarities. Both communities:

• Developed from an agricultural base and now support technical industries;
• Have similar climates;
• Enjoy a river walk and a nearby arboretum;
• Place a high value on education and are college towns;
• Benefit by the presence of service organizations, such as the YMCA and the Lions Club; and
• Enthusiastically support athletics, the arts and family centered activities.