Quick Facts
Biography
Marek Sobola (born 3 July 1981) is a authorised garden and landscape architect, professional gardener, designer and heraldic artist. Marek Sobola was born in Žilina, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) and is a native of Divina. He is a member of the Slovak Chamber of Architects. Clientele: Institutions and private investors in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Bahrain, American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Iceland and others.
Education/Career
- 1999 – 2004 Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Horticulture and Landscape Engineering Faculty, study of Garden and landscape architecture (Engineer‘s degree)
- 2004 – 2007 Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, Department of Sustainable Development (Academic degree: philosophiæ doctor – Ph. D.)
- 2007 – present: designs of Gardens and landscape architecture in own studio
- 2011 – Member of the Slovak Chambers of Architects as an Authorized landscape architect
- 2011 – 2016 Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Arts, study of History (Academic degree: Magister)
- 2017 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Žilina: member of the liturgical commission of the diocese
Selected works
- Private gardens in Slovakia and Austria (Vienna)
- Divina Meteorite – Monument (corten steel) and postmark (official postal product)
- Vertical gardens: Gothal Liptovská Osada, Mirage Shopping Centre in Žilina, Thalmeiner Café in Trnava, Vertical garden in Château Gbeľany
- Roof Gardens: Eurovea Shopping Centre in Bratislava – intensive garden, SPA Rajecké Teplice – extensive garden
- Green roof: Lietava Castle (Slovak: Lietavský hrad) – extensive castle ruin in the Súľov Mountains of northern Slovakia
- Public place: Mirage Shopping Centre Žilina, A composition in the old town (corten steel)
- Chapel of Saint Lazarus in Nová Bystrica: the reconstruction and renovation is an exact replica. The Chapel was blessed by Cardinal Dominik Duka O.P., the 36th Archbishop of Prague, Primate of Bohemia
- Memorial medals for Roman Catholic Diocese of Rožňava, Slovakia
- Postmark (official postal product) for the Slovak Post
- Postage stamp with a personalized coupon: St. John of Nepomuk in Divina, author of postage stamp: Adrian Ferda
- Prepaid envelope with imprint: St. John of Nepomuk in Divina, issue number: 121 COB 106/17
Vertical garden, Gothal Liptovská Osada
Roof Garden, Eurovea Shopping Centre
Public place, Mirage Shopping Centre
Statue of St. John of Nepomuk in Divina
Divina Meteorite – Monument (corten steel)
Ecclesiastical heraldry
Institutions – coats of arms/flags/seals
- Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea – PNG)
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madang (PNG)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Alotau-Sideia (PNG)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Goroka (PNG)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Kimbe (PNG)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Bereina (PNG)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago (American Samoa)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Reykjavík (Iceland)
- Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia based in Bahrain
- Diocese of Tonga (Kingdom of Tonga)
Diocese of Tonga
Archdiocese of Rabaul
Archdiocese of Madang
Diocese of Goroka
Diocese of Kimbe
Diocese of Bereina
Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago
Diocese of Reykjavík
Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia
Persons
- Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, S.D.B.
- Archbishop Karl Hesse MSC, MBE
- Archbishop Stephen Joseph Reichert, OFM Cap.
- Bishop William Fey, OFM Cap.
- Bishop Dariusz Kałuża MSF
- Bishop Dávid Bartimej Tencer, OFM Cap.
Francesco Panfilo, S.D.B
Karl Hesse MSC, MBE
Stephen Joseph Reichert, OFM Cap.
Dariusz Kałuża MSF
Dávid Bartimej Tencer, OFM Cap.
William Fey, OFM Cap.
The statue St. John of Nepomuk in Divina
The project of restoration The statue St. John of Nepomuk in Divina was carried out under auspices of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Slovakia. St. John of Nepomuk is one of the most frequently illustrated saints in the territory of the former Habsburg monarchy and there are monuments (mostly statues) of him in almost every village in Slovak and Czech republic. The, until now, unknown story of the statue of St. John of Nepomuk in Divina goes back to canonical visitation of the Divina parish on 1 September 1828, which provides the first reference of the time of origin of the statue – 1796. As referred to by the canonical visitation, the statue was damaged by a massive flood in 1822. Partners, who were addressed by Marek Sobola, the author of the project, to cooperate have either some connection to St. John of Nepomuk or to Slovakia. The project was honoured by patronage of His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia and His Majesty Simeon II., the last Tsar of Bulgaria. Along with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Žilina, the project donors are: His Royal Highness Franz, Duke of Bavaria, The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (Ordo Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani), The Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, the only Catholic knight order or Czech origin (Ordo militaris Crucigerorum cum rubea stella in pede pontis Pragensis), Metropolitan Chapter House of St. Vitus in Prague, which is the owner of the saint’s grave and the town Nepomuk – the birthplace of St. John of Nepomuk. Out of domestic partners, the project was supported by municipalities of Divina, Divinka–Lalinok, Svederník and the Philatelist Club 53-19 from Žilina. The ceremonial holy mass in the St. Andrew’s Church in Divina was on Friday 2 June 2017. After the holy mass, the statue was uncovered on its new stand by Joachim Bleicker, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Slovakia together with Emil Molko, Mayor of Divina and author of the project. Subsequently, it was blessed by Mons. Tomáš Galis, Bishop of Žilina.
Publications
Until 2017
- Lectures: 10 – for The Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra and Slovak Environment agency (SEA)
- Scientific and technical articles: 22
- Popular articles: 14
Selected books
- SOBOLA, Marek (ed.): Príbeh svätojánsky, Socha sv. Jána Nepomuckého v Divine / The Story of St. John, Statue of St. John of Nepomuk in Divina / ដំណើររឿងរបស់ St. John, រូបចម្លាក់ St. John Nepomuk នៅក្រុង Divina / Die Johannisgeschichte, Die Staute des hl. Johannes Nepomuk in Divina / Историята на св. Ян, Статуята на св. Ян Непомуцки в Дивина. Žilina : Servare et Manere, o. z. a Kysucké múzeum v Čadci, 2017. ISBN 978-80-972614-3-6.
- SOBOLA, Marek: Marek Sobola PORTFOLIO. Žilina : Marek Sobola 2016. ISBN 978-80-972537-0-7.
- SOBOLA, Marek: Ľudová architektúra v Javorníkoch. In: KOLEKTÍV AUTOROV: JAVORNÍKY, Veľká kniha o nemalom pohorí, monografia. Martin : Matica Slovenská 2016. ISBN 978-80-8128-175-4.
- SOBOLA, Marek: Kaplnka sv. Lazára z Betánie v Novej Bystrici. [S.l.], Slovenská komenda vojenského a špitálskeho rádu sv. Lazára Jeruzalemského, 2015. ISBN 978-80-972071-4-4.
- JANURA, Tomáš - ZVEDELOVÁ, Kristína - SOBOLA, Marek. Vidiecke šľachtické sídla v Turčianskej stolici. Spoločnosť Kolomana Sokola s finančnou podporou Ministerstva kultúry SR a Historického ústavu SAV, 2014. Projekt HÚ SAC CE Hrady na Slovensku. Interdisciplinárny prierezový pohľad na fenomén hradov. ISBN 978-80-89756-02-5.
- SOBOLA, Marek – BIELEK, Pavol: Prioritné a deficitné poľnohospodárske oblasti v katastrálnom území obce Oponice určené pedologickými charakteristikami (Preferred and deficit agricultural areas in cadastral area of Oponice village defined by pedological characteristics). In: Vedecké práce Výskumného ústavu pôdoznalectva a ochrany pôdy. Bratislava: Výskumný ústav pôdoznalectva a ochrany pôdy 2007, p. 138 – 151. ISBN 978-80-89128-40-2.
Awards
Association for Garden Design and Landscaping of Slovakia, Category „GARDEN DETAIL OF 2016“
- Bronze medal: Green wall in Château Gbeľany – Slovakia
- Silver medal: Green wall in Gothal Liptovská Osada – Slovakia