Marek Sobola (born 3 July 1981) is an authorised landscape architect, heraldic artist and from 2023 Honorary Consul of Romania to the Slovak republic.
Biography
Sobola was born in Žilina, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) into a family from Lalinok and Divina. He spent the first years of his life in Divina. Sobola studied landscape architecture at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SUA) at the Horticulture and Landscape Engineering Faculty. He graduated in 2004 and began working in own studio. Alongside the architect's practice he continued doctoral studies at SUA at the Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, the Department of Sustainable Development in 2004 – 2007. After finishing his Ph.D. study he again continued his studies at the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra at the Faculty of Arts as an historian for another five years. He works as a heraldic artist since 2015. His specialization is the Ecclesiastical heraldry in Missionary countries. Sobola has since 2011 been a member of the Slovak Chamber of Architects. Between 2018 and 2019 he was a visiting member of the Czech Chamber of Architects. From 2017 is a member of the Liturgical Commission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Žilina.
In 2018 three projects represented Slovakia at the international landscape exhibition entitled “Landscape Architecture as a common ground”. One of them was the author's work of Marek Sobola called Green wall Gothal in Liptovská Osada. The exhibition was organized by the European branch of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA).
He is also a member of the Scientific Board of the Kysuce Museum in Čadca and a member of the Council of the Episcopal Conference of Slovakia for Science, Education and Culture. Since 2020 is a member of the Heraldry Society of New Zealand and the Orders & Medals Research Society.
Selected works
Landscape architecture and architecture
Private gardens in Slovakia and Austria (Vienna) Monument of Divina Meteorite – Monument (corten steel) 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 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 Carl Gustav Swensson Memorial and Carl Gustav Swensson Park in Žilina, Slovakia
Postal design
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
Medals
Memorial medals for Roman Catholic Diocese of Rožňava, Slovakia
Silver Cross of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Žilina
Tree of Peace Memorial Plaque and Memorial Medal of Tree of Peace
Medal of Merit for Slovak Diplomacy, the highest award of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia
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) Apostolic Prefecture of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan) Mission "Sui Iuris" of Afghanistan
Persons
Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, S.D.B. Archbishop Karl Hesse MSC, MBE Archbishop Stephen Joseph Reichert, OFM Cap. Archbishop Rochus Josef Tatamai Bishop William Fey, OFM Cap. Bishop Dariusz Kałuża MSF Bishop Dávid Bartimej Tencer, OFM Cap Bishop Vladimír Fekete, SDB.