Žiar nad Hronom

Žiar nad Hronom
Town
Aluminium processing plant in Žiar nad Hronom
Coat of arms
Country Slovakia
Region Banská Bystrica
District Žiar nad Hronom
Tourism region Pohronie
River Hron
Elevation 265 m (869 ft)
Coordinates SK 48°35′03″N 18°51′39″E / 48.58417°N 18.86083°E / 48.58417; 18.86083Coordinates: SK 48°35′03″N 18°51′39″E / 48.58417°N 18.86083°E / 48.58417; 18.86083
Area 39.06 km2 (15.08 sq mi)
Population 19,883 (2011)
Density 509 / km2 (1,318 / sq mi)
First mentioned 1075
Mayor Peter Antal (independent)
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 965 01
Area code +421-45
Car plate ZH
Location of Žiar nad Hronom in Slovakia
Location of Žiar nad Hronom in the Banská Bystrica Region
Wikimedia Commons: Žiar nad Hronom
Statistics: MOŠ/MIS
Website: www.ziar.sk

Žiar nad Hronom (German: Heiligenkreuz, Hungarian: Garamszentkereszt, until 1920 Svätý Kríž and until 1955 Svätý Kríž nad Hronom) is a town in Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia.

Geography

It is located in the Žiar Basin, on the Hron river, around 40 km from Banská Bystrica and 170 km from Bratislava. In addition to the main settlement with in 1969 annexed Horné Opatovce village, the town also has "parts" of Šášovské Podhradie (annexed 1971). Žiar nad Hronom district was named after this city. Average year temperature is 8°C, with often rainfall.

History

The first written record about area was in 1075 in a document of Benedictine abbey in Hronský Beňadik. A settlement with name Cristur was first mentioned in 1237, which became a town in 1246. The town was renamed from Svätý Kríž nad Hronom to its current name in 1955.

Economy

The main employer is company Nemak Slovakia, member of Nemak Group, worlwide largest producer of aluminum powertrain parts for vehicles and the metallurgy factory company Slovalco, formerly called Závody Slovenského národného povstania ("Slovak National Uprising Works"), built in the 1950s.

Mayors of Žiar nad Hronom

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the town had 19,945 inhabitants. 94.27% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 1.97% Roma, 0.95% Czechs and 0.69% Hungarians.[1] The religious make-up was 62.07% Roman Catholics, 25.54% people with no religious affiliation and 3.19% Lutherans.[1]

In 2011 census, had shown a population of 19 883 citizens. Of these 78,9% identified themselves as Slovaks, 2,84% as Roma, 0,5% as Czechs and 0,4% as Hungarians. Over 18% did not chose an national identification. The 2011 census was first national census with this option. In the same year, 48.75% of the city identified as Roman Catholic, 2.4% identified as Lutheran. Only one person identified as a Jew, despite city's significant Jewish population before the war.

Partner towns

References

  1. 1 2 "Municipal Statistics". Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-12-20.

External links

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