There are many personalities in the pantheon of Košice whose work has become an important part of the Slovak history. Among those who undoubtedly belong there one finds the polyglot, notary, rector and mayor Ján Bocatius, as well as the philosopher, theologist and historian Samuel Timon. On the 11 November 2011, the ceremonial unveiling of memorial plaques in their honour took place on the Main Street in the presence of the Mayor of Košice, the Chairman of Matica Slovenská, the Chairman of the Ecumenic Fellowship of Denominations and Religious Communities and numerous other guests.
In 2011, 390 years have passed since Ján Bocatius deceased and 290 years have passed since Samuel Timon started his career at the University of Košice. The memorial plaques to both of them were unveiled on the building of the Ancient University and the Old Town Hall in Košice, the ceremonial being accompanied by the performance of the Košice choirs and medieval buglers.
”We live in the present, we think about the future, but sometimes we forget about our rich past. Thanks to such ancestors as the mayor Ján Bocatius and the historian Samuel Timon, Košice has become an important town. They prove that the biggest steps forward are not made by talking, but by deeds. All of us whom you trust will do everything we can do to make Košice improve constantly” – the Mayor of Košice, Richard Raši, declared in his address.
