Jelšava

Municipality in Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia

Jelšava

Jolsva

Municipality

Protestant church

Flag

Coat of arms

Jelšava

Location of Jelšava in the Banská Bystrica Region

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Jelšava

Location of Jelšava in Slovakia

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Coordinates: 48°38′N 20°14′E﻿ / ﻿48.63°N 20.24°E﻿ / 48.63; 20.24
Country|  Slovakia
Region|  Banská Bystrica Region
District| Revúca District
First mentioned| 1243
Government

• Mayor| Milan Kolesár
Area

[1]

• Total

| 46.80 km2 (18.07 sq mi)
Elevation

[2]

| 258 m (846 ft)
Population

(2021)[3]

• Total

| 3,168
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code|

491 6[2]

Area code| +421 58[2]
Car plate| RA
Website| www.jelsava.sk

Jelšava (German: Eltsch or Jelschau; Hungarian: Jolsva; Latin: Alnovia) is a town and municipality in Revúca District in the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia.

## Etymology

[edit]

The name is derived from Slovak jelša (alder). Jelšava means "a place overgrown with alders" or "a forest with alders".[4]

## Geography

[edit]

The town lies in the Revúcka vrchovina highlands at the border of the Slovak Ore Mountains and Slovak Karst, in the valley of the Muráň river, at an altitude of around 258 m. It is located by road around 10 km (6.21 mi) from Revúca, 100 km (62.14 mi) from Banská Bystrica and 105 km (65.24 mi) away from Košice.

Along to the main settlement, it also has "part" Teplá Voda, bit north-west of the town.

## History

[edit]

In historical records, the town was first mentioned in 1243 (1243 Illswa, 1271 Elswa, 1344 Ilsua, 1564 Jelssawa, 1573 Jolssowa, 1582 Ölch alias Ilschwa, 1594 Oltcz, 1592 Jelsowa, Josuach) as an important town and hammer, hosting German and Hungarian colonists. In the time it was ruled by Desiderius of the Ratoldy family, who was the founder of a new family, the Ilsvay (meaning "from Jelšava"). In 1556, Jelšava was besieged by Turks, to whom it had to pay tributes. In this period Protestantism arrived in the town. It was ruled by Ottoman Empire as part of Filek sanjak (Its centre was Rima Sonbot) during periods of 1554-1593 and 1596–1686. It was known as "Yoşva" during Ottoman period.[5] In the 17th century, Jelšava passed to the Bocskay family. The first magnesite furnace in present-day Slovakia was built in 1894. After breakup of Austria-Hungary in 1918, the town passed to Czechoslovakia, which controlled the town lied until 1993, with exception of years 1938–1945, when it was occupied by Hungary (see First Vienna Award). In 1993, the town became a part of Slovakia.

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1970| 3,538| —
1980| 2,959| −16.4%
1991| 2,508| −15.2%
2001| 3,287| +31.1%
2011| 3,229| −1.8%
2021| 3,209| −0.6%
Source: Censuses[6][7]

According to the 2001 census, the town had 3,287 inhabitants. 84.39% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 9.49% Roma, 2.46% Hungarians and 1.16% Czechs.[8] The religious make-up was 40.77% Roman Catholics, 28.02% people with no religious affiliation and 16.28% Lutherans.[8]

## Twin towns — sister cities

[edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Slovakia

Jelšava is twinned with:[9]

* Uničov, Czech Republic
* Tótkomlós, Hungary
* Nădlac, Romania
* Szczekociny, Poland

## Famous people

[edit]

* Ludwig Greiner, forester

## See also

[edit]

* List of municipalities and towns in Slovakia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Hustota obyvateľstva - obce [om7014rr_ukaz: Rozloha (Štvorcový meter)]". www.statistics.sk (in Slovak). Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
2. ^ a b c "Základná charakteristika". www.statistics.sk (in Slovak). Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2015-04-17. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
3. ^ "Počet obyvateľov podľa pohlavia - obce (ročne)". www.statistics.sk (in Slovak). Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
4. ^ Krajčovič, Rudolf (2010). "Z lexiky stredovekej slovenčiny s výkladmi názvov obcí a miest (19)". Kultúra slova (in Slovak) (1). Martin: Vydavateľstvo Matice slovenskej: 22.
5. ^ "Osmanlılar Hakimiyeti Devrinde Slovakya'daki Vergi Sistemi Hakkında, Jozef Blaskovics". Archived from the original on 2016-08-07. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
6. ^ "Statistical lexikon of municipalities 1970-2011" (PDF) (in Slovak).
7. ^ "Census 2021 - Population - Basic results". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2021-01-01.
8. ^ a b "Municipal Statistics". Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
9. ^ "Partnerské mestá". jelsava.sk (in Slovak). Jelšava. Retrieved 2019-09-09.

## Genealogical resources

[edit]

The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Banska Bystrica, Kosice, Slovakia"

* Roman Catholic Church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1674-1895 (parish A)
* Greek Catholic Church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1775-1928 (parish B)
* Lutheran Church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1783-1895 (parish A)

## External links

[edit]

* Official website (in Slovak)
* Surnames of living people in Jelsava

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities of Revúca District

* Jelšava
* Revúca
* Tornaľa

* Držkovce
* Gemer
* Gemerská Ves
* Gemerské Teplice
* Gemerský Sad
* Hrlica
* Hucín
* Chvalová
* Chyžné
* Kameňany
* Leváre
* Levkuška
* Licince
* Lubeník
* Magnezitovce
* Mokrá Lúka
* Muráň
* Muránska Dlhá Lúka
* Muránska Huta
* Muránska Lehota
* Muránska Zdychava
* Nandraž
* Otročok
* Ploské
* Polina
* Prihradzany
* Rákoš
* Rašice
* Ratková
* Ratkovské Bystré
* Revúcka Lehota
* Rybník
* Sása
* Sirk
* Skerešovo
* Šivetice
* Turčok
* Višňové
* Žiar

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* Czech Republic

*[2021]: Population: 2021-12-31. Population density & Total area: 2021-06-30/-07-01. Elevation, Postal code & Area code (last updated): 2015-04-17.
*[Pop.]: Population
*[±%]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template