Žiar nad Hronom Garamszentkereszt | |
|---|---|
 Aluminium processing plant in Žiar nad Hronom | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Žiar nad Hronom Location of Žiar nad Hronom in theBanská Bystrica Region Show map of Banská Bystrica Region | |
| Coordinates:48°35′N18°52′E / 48.58°N 18.86°E /48.58; 18.86 | |
| Country |  Slovakia |
| Region |  Banská Bystrica Region |
| District | Žiar nad Hronom District |
| First mentioned | 1075 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Peter Antal (Most–Híd,Smer-SD,SNS) |
| Area | |
• Total | 39.09 km2 (15.09 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 272 m (892 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 16,955 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 965 01[2] |
| Area code | +421 45[2] |
| Car plate | ZH |
| Website | www |
Žiar nad Hronom (slang: Žiar, German:Heiligenkreuz,Hungarian:Garamszentkereszt; until 1920Svätý Kríž and until 1955Svätý Kríž nad Hronom) is a city inBanská Bystrica Region, Slovakia.
The name of the settlement has gone through multiple developments. Prior to 1237, the settlement was known as aplace with a toll station. In 1237, first name of the settlement emerges, as a combination ofLatin andHungarian, with the town calledCristur (laterKerestúr), which translates toThe Cross of the Lord.[4] Back then, the settlement was split between the dominions of theŠášov castle and theBenedictine Abbey of Hronský Beňadik.
In 1773, the village was known asHoly Cross, in various language versions, includingLatin (Sancta Crux),Hungarian (Szent Kereszt), German (Heiligs Creütz) orSlovak (Swaty Kriss). Similar names were recorded in 1808, despite minor influence caused by linguistic developments. In 1873, Hungarian nameBarsszentkereszt is used, but the same changes at the turn of the 19th and 20th century intoGaramszentkereszt (translates to:Holy-Cross-upon-Hron).
After the formation of theFirst Czechoslovak Republic, the settlmenet was known asSvätý Kríž nad Hronom in Slovak, copying the earlier Hungarian name. Although, historically synonymous with the settlement, the nameKerestúr was used byZemplínska Teplica in the early 20th century. In May 1953, when aluminum manufacturing andmetallurgy began to flourish in the settlement, it impacted the life and the name of the city. In combination with the anti-religious sentiment of theCzechoslovak Socialist Republic, the name was changed to the current versionŽiar nad Hronom, which translates toGleam-upon-Hron.
It is located in theŽiar Basin, on theHron river, around 40 km fromBanská Bystrica and 170 km fromBratislava. In addition to the main settlement, the city includes two annexed neighbourhoods:ghost village ofHorné Opatovce (since 1969) and a Šášovské Podhradie, south-east of the city, annexed in 1971. The city is the administrative seat ofŽiar nad Hronom District. Average year temperature is 8 °C, with frequent rainfall.
Celtic tribes had lived in the area, as documented by sizable archeologic discoveries dating to 6th century. Following the 10th century, the local population was mostlySlavic and the Celtic culture and settlement had receded.
The first written record is dated to 1075, when a charter, issued by Hungarian kingGéza I of Hungary, had established theBenedictine Abbey of Hronský Beňadik. On 4 February 1246 the landowner and theArchbishop of Esztergom,Stephen I Báncsa, had elevated the status of the settlement, submitting surrounding villages to the dominion and granting the citizens further rights. The settlement was submitted to theŠášov Castle.
In the same period, the village had developed into a small town and became known as an administrative and cultural core of the region, due to the growth of commerce and the rise of tradeguilds.[5]
The following period, until the 16th century, saw the flourishment ofguilds, like that of tailors or shoemakers.
A chateau (manor house) was erected and became the town's landmark in 1631, building on a preceding structure, on the orders ofPéter Cardinal Pázmány. Later, it became a summer residence for theArchbishop of Esztergom. The manor had undergone multiple renovations due to various unrests and uprisings. One such uprising in the area was a late sequel ofAnti-Habsburg rebellions, which lasted until 1621. Following the suppression of the uprising Habsburg army had remained in the area to protect from the advancingOttoman troops, which had worried the local population. The Ottomans, eventually, had failed to conquerBanská Štiavnica some 25 kilometers south.
Even later 17th century was not easy for the local population, as the region had suffered from continued armed conflicts and plague, originating inItaly. During the conflicts the town and the Šášov castle, a hub of the rebels, were besieged and conquered. The area was badly struck by the events and it had recovered for a long time, as its economy had to be renewed. The town received the right to host fairs in 1690.
After the establishment ofDiocese of Banská Bystrica and following a renovation, the chateau became the seat of the Bishop and a representative building.Štefan Moyses had resided here in the 19th century.
The city becomes a seat of aDistrict in 1923. The district was split between districts based inKremnica andNová Baňa. This was caused by the administrative reorganisation of theCzechoslovak Socialist Republic. The city had regained the status of the district seat in the 1960 and retained it after Slovak independence in 1993. The cities importance declined after 1996, when cities ofŽarnovica andNová Baňa and nearby villages, which were previously a part of theDistrict, became the seats of two independent administrative districts.
DuringWorld War II the city was occupied by theGerman Army until 1945, when it was liberated by the advancingRed Army. The city and the surrounded areas were known hubs for partisan fighters of theSlovak National uprising.
Major socio-economic growth in the city began with the development of an aluminium plant, which was established in 1953, under the name Slovak National Uprising Works (Závody Slovenského národného povstania). This had caused a boom of employment opportunities in the city. Industrial development had essentially completed the transformation of the village or a small town into a city, as it encouraged construction of schools and housing, in form of standardised apartment blocks, as well as individual construction. Overall, the city became largely self-sufficient. Between 1969 and 1991 the city had annexed nearby villages ofLutila andLadomerská Vieska, which are now independent.Šášovské Podhradie and aghost village ofHorné Opatovce, annexed in the same period, remain a part of the city.
In 2021, the municipality recycled 53.14% of the municipal waste.[6]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12,571 | — |
| 1980 | 17,122 | +36.2% |
| 1991 | 19,612 | +14.5% |
| 2001 | 19,945 | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 19,883 | −0.3% |
| 2021 | 17,578 | −11.6% |
| Source: Censuses[7][8] | ||
The population of the city grew until 1996 and dropped below 20,000 in 2002, not exceeding the mark since.[9]
According to the 2001 census, the town had 19,945 inhabitants. 94.27% of inhabitants wereSlovaks, 1.97%Roma, 0.95%Czechs and 0.69%Hungarians.[10] The religious make-up was 62.07%Roman Catholics, 25.54% people with no religious affiliation and 3.19%Lutherans.[10]
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 choose a national identification. The 2011 census was first national census with this option. In the same year, 48.75% of the city identified asRoman Catholic, 2.4% identified as Lutheran. Only one person identified as a Jew, despite city's significant Jewish population before the war.
During2022 Slovak local elections, reigning mayor and former MPPeter Antal had won four consecutive elections. In this election, he ran as an independent while running with the support of cross-spectrum parties. He defeatedindependent candidate Petra Mazúrová.[11]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Peter Antal | 3,770 | 81.93 | +4.95 | |
| Independent | Petra Mazúrová | 831 | 18.06 | new | |
| Majority | 2,939 | 63.87 | +9.90 | ||
| Turnout | 4,793 | 32.85 | +2.87 | ||
| Independenthold | Swing | +4.95 | |||
The City Council consisted of 19 deputies elected in five constituencies:Etapa,Stred,Centrum II + Stará časť mesta,Pod vŕšky,IBV +Šášovské Podhradie.[12] Of the 19 deputies most ran as independent candidates.
| Constituency | Elected Deputies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etapa | Indep | Indep | Indep | Indep | SMER |
| Stred (Central) | Indep | Indep | Indep | Indep | HLAS |
| Centrum II + Stará časť mesta (Central II + Old Town) | Indep | Indep | Indep | Indep | |
| Pod vŕšky | Indep | Indep | |||
| IBV +Šášovské Podhradie | Indep | SaS, KDH | |||
The main employer is company Nemak Slovakia, member ofNemak Group, worldwide largest producer of aluminum powertrain parts for vehicles and the metallurgy factory companySlovalco, formerly calledZávody Slovenského národného povstania ("Slovak National Uprising Works"), built in the 1950s. Currently, served by most major supermarket retailers in Slovakia, includingKaufland,Tesco,Billa orCOOP Jednota, Žiar nad Hronom was one of 14 inaugural cities in Slovakia whereLidl launched its operations back in September 2004.[13][14]
Hospital in Žiar nad Hronom is a part of the network of regional hospitals – Svet zdravia, a.s, which is owned byPenta Investments.[15]
The village of Horné Opatovce had been through a turbulent period after the construction of aluminium plant in Žiar nad Hronom. The plant was in the immediate proximity of the village. When the production had commenced, technological standards and processes were insufficient to sustain the life in the settlement. Fauna had begun to disappear from the area and the public health had deteriorated. The village was repeatedly covered by fine ashes from the nearby plant chimneys.The government had decided to abolish the village by decree in 1969. Majority of the original population had resettled to then-expanding town of Žiar nad Hronom, as well as nearby village ofHliník nad Hronom, or other major cities across the country. Natives and their relatives meet annually in the St. Lawrence Church in the village and commemorate their village of origin.
Žiarsky jarmok (translates to 'Žiar Fair', historically known asSvätokrížsky jarmok) is annual event hosted in October. It is a continuation of a historic tradition of trading fairs hosted by towns and cities across the country, where craftsman, artisans and other smiths met and traded their works. The Fair was one of the better-known fairs acrossSlovakia. Contemporarily, it is popular for its entertainment, rides, musical performances, traditional food or game stalls. In 2023, it attracted roughly 20 thousand visitors from the city and the neighbouring regions, 350 seller stalls and 80 food and beverage sellers.[19]
During the ball season (inSlovakia the season usually lasts between theEpiphany, lasting untilAsh Wednesday), the municipality organises a City ball. It serves as an opportunity for socialisation of citizens, as well as persons of domestic and foreign cultural, social and professional lives. It enjoys relatively high turnouts and good reviews among the attendees.
City Fest is an annual one-day summer festival, taking place inŠtefan Moyses Park. It usually take place in August. It enjoys large crowds from the city, region and beyond. Annually, it features leading artists of Slovak and Czech pop music. Usually, in the early hours, it features children's artists, followed by local and regional musicians in the afternoon, followed by headliners until the night.
The city is intersected by theR1 Expressway, with an exit nearŠášovské Podhradie. Road I/9 leads toPrievidza.R2 serves for transit purposes, surpassing the city, connecting on to I/9 and R1. R2 line was required due to urban roads having insufficient capacity, to accommodate contemporary traffic. The connection to the highway system and the geographical location make Žiar nad Hronom a notable crossroad. Road I/65 passes through Horné Opatovce and the neighbouring village ofLadomerská Vieska.
Public transport in the city is appropriate for its size and population, consisting entirely of a bus fleet. Services are more frequent in the morning and in the afternoon. Its serves two major purposes: commute of the workforce to and from the industrial park south of the city and the commute of children to and from schools. It also serves the population of nearby villages, mainlyLutila andLadomerská Vieska.
TheNové Zámky –Zvolen railway passes through the city, allowing travel toBratislava, as well asKošice. The train station became more notable with the construction of the SNP Works in the 1950s, due to the railways being a major mean of sourcing raw materials and shipment of the products.
There are 4 primary schools in the city (numbered I., II., IV. and aCatholicŠtefan Moyses' Primary School), for children aged 6–15. Additionally, there are multiple kindergartens in the city.
Middle (high) schools, for students aged 15–19, number five:
At the start of the 20th century, the town was an agricultural settlement, with citizens cultivating the fields of the Žiar Basin. AfterWorld War II, the only aluminium plant (ZSNP) inCzechoslovakia was developed in the town, with production commencing in 1953, securing thousands of work places. The Works have been a base for town's transformation into an industrial city. With the growth of the aluminium plant came the population boom, supported by domestic migration. TheSNP Works were privatised in 2002, withPenta winning over 40% of the shares.[20] Some of the old parts of the plant are no longer in use. The industrial park now houses multiple private companies.
Žiar nad Hronom istwinned with:[21]
Svitavy, Czech Republic
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