Žiar Nad Hronom
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Žiar nad Hronom (slang: Žiar, , ; until 1920 ''Svätý Kríž'' and until 1955 ''Svätý Kríž nad Hronom'') is a city in
Banská Bystrica Region The Banská Bystrica Region (, ; , ) is one of the eight regions of Slovakia. It is the largest of the eight regions by area, and has a lower population density than any other region. The Banská Bystrica Region was established in 1923; its bord ...
, Slovakia.


Name development

The name of the settlement has gone through multiple developments. Prior to 1237, the settlement was known as a ''place with a toll station''. In 1237, first name of the settlement emerges, as a combination of
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
and Hungarian, with the town called ''Cristur'' (later ''Kerestúr''), which translates to ''The Cross of the Lord''. Back then, the settlement was split between the dominions of the Šášov castle and the
Benedictine Abbey of Hronský Beňadik The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, they ...
. In 1773, the village was known as ''Holy Cross'', in various language versions, including
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
(''Sancta Crux''), Hungarian (''Szent Kereszt''), German (''Heiligs Creütz'') or Slovak (''Swaty Kriss''). Similar names were recorded in 1808, despite minor influence caused by linguistic developments. In 1873, Hungarian name ''Barsszentkereszt'' is used, but the same changes at the turn of the 19th and 20th century into ''Garamszentkereszt'' (translates to: ''Holy-Cross-upon-
Hron The Hron (; ; ; ) is a long left tributary of the DanubeP ...
''). After the formation of the
First Czechoslovak Republic The First Czechoslovak Republic, often colloquially referred to as the First Republic, was the first Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak state that existed from 1918 to 1938, a union of ethnic Czechs and Slovaks. The country was commonly called Czechosl ...
, the settlmenet was known as ''Svätý Kríž nad Hronom'' in Slovak, copying the earlier Hungarian name. Although, historically synonymous with the settlement, the name ''Kerestúr'' was used by
Zemplínska Teplica Zemplínska Teplica () is a village and municipality in the Trebišov District in the Košice Region of eastern Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the n ...
in the early 20th century. In May 1953, when aluminum manufacturing and
metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the ...
began to flourish in the settlement, it impacted the life and the name of the city. In combination with the anti-religious sentiment of the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, (Czech language, Czech and Slovak language, Slovak: ''Československá socialistická republika'', ČSSR) known from 1948 to 1960 as the Czechoslovak Republic (''Československá republika)'', Fourth Czecho ...
, the name was changed to the current version ''Žiar nad Hronom'', which translates to ''Gleam-upon-Hron''.


Geography

It is located in the
Žiar Basin Žiar may refer to: * Žiar, Liptovský Mikuláš District, a municipality in Slovakia * Žiar, Revúca District, a municipality in Slovakia *Žiar (mountain range), Slovakia *Short name of Žiar nad Hronom Žiar nad Hronom (slang: Žiar, , ; un ...
, on the
Hron The Hron (; ; ; ) is a long left tributary of the DanubeP ...
river, around 40 km from
Banská Bystrica Banská Bystrica (, also known by other #Etymology, alternative names) is a city in central Slovakia, located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Greater Fatra, Veľká Fatra, and t ...
and 170 km from
Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
. In addition to the main settlement, the city includes two annexed neighbourhoods:
ghost village A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
of Horné Opatovce (since 1969) and a Šášovské Podhradie, south-east of the city, annexed in 1971. The city is the administrative seat of
Žiar nad Hronom District Žiar nad Hronom District () is a Districts of Slovakia, district in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia. Until 1918, the district was part of the Administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Hungary, county of Tekov. Demographics ...
. Average year temperature is 8 °C, with frequent rainfall.


History


Earliest settlement

Celtic tribes This is a list of ancient Celts, Celtic peoples and tribes. Continental Celts Continental Celts were the Celtic peoples that inhabited mainland Europe and Anatolia (also known as Asia Minor). In the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, Celts inhabited a la ...
had lived in the area, as documented by sizable archeologic discoveries dating to 6th century. Following the 10th century, the local population was mostly Slavic and the Celtic culture and settlement had receded.


Middle Ages

The first written record is dated to 1075, when a charter, issued by Hungarian king
Géza I of Hungary Géza I (; ; 104025 April 1077) was King of Hungary from 1074 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Béla I of Hungary, Béla I. His baptismal name was Magnus. With German assistance, Géza's cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, Solomon ac ...
, had established the
Benedictine Abbey of Hronský Beňadik The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, they ...
. On 4 February 1246 the landowner and the
Archbishop of Esztergom In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
, 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 the Šášov 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 trade
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...
s.


Late Middle Ages and early Modernity

The following period, until the 16th century, saw the flourishment of
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...
s, like that of tailors or shoemakers. A chateau (
manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were usually held the lord's manorial courts, communal mea ...
) was erected and became the town's landmark in 1631, building on a preceding structure, on the orders of Péter Cardinal Pázmány. Later, it became a summer residence for the
Archbishop of Esztergom In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
. The manor had undergone multiple renovations due to various unrests and uprisings. One such uprising in the area was a late sequel of Anti-Habsburg rebellions, which lasted until 1621. Following the suppression of the uprising Habsburg army had remained in the area to protect from the advancing Ottoman troops, which had worried the local population. The Ottomans, eventually, had failed to conquer
Banská Štiavnica Banská Štiavnica (; ; , ) is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as the Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica has a population of ...
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 in
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. 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 of Diocese 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.


20th century

The city becomes a seat of a
District A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
in 1923. The district was split between districts based in
Kremnica Kremnica (; , ) is a town in central Slovakia. It has around 5,300 inhabitants. The well-preserved medieval town built above important gold mines is the site of the oldest still-working mint in the world. Name The name is derived from Slovak '' ...
and
Nová Baňa Nová Baňa (; ) is a town in the west of central Slovakia and the largest town of the Žarnovica District, located in the Banská Bystrica Region. Etymology The original name of Nová Baňa was Štiavnica - derived from the still existing spring ...
. This was caused by the administrative reorganisation of the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, (Czech language, Czech and Slovak language, Slovak: ''Československá socialistická republika'', ČSSR) known from 1948 to 1960 as the Czechoslovak Republic (''Československá republika)'', Fourth Czecho ...
. 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 of
Žarnovica Žarnovica (; ) is a town and municipality in the Žarnovica District, Banská Bystrica Region in Slovakia. The town is situated in the Hron river valley. It has a population of around 6,000 people. History The first written mention about Žarnov ...
and
Nová Baňa Nová Baňa (; ) is a town in the west of central Slovakia and the largest town of the Žarnovica District, located in the Banská Bystrica Region. Etymology The original name of Nová Baňa was Štiavnica - derived from the still existing spring ...
and nearby villages, which were previously a part of the
District A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
, became the seats of two independent administrative districts. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the city was occupied by the
German Army The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
until 1945, when it was liberated by the advancing
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
. The city and the surrounded areas were known hubs for partisan fighters of the
Slovak National uprising Slovak National Uprising ( Slovak: ''Slovenské národné povstanie'', abbreviated SNP; alternatively also ''Povstanie roku 1944'', English: ''The Uprising of 1944'') was organised by the Slovak resistance during the Second World War, directed ag ...
. 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 of Lutila and Ladomerská Vieska, which are now independent. Šášovské Podhradie and a
ghost village A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
of Horné Opatovce, annexed in the same period, remain a part of the city. In 2021, the municipality recycled 53.14% of the municipal waste.


Demographics

The population of the city grew until 1996 and dropped below 20,000 in 2002, not exceeding the mark since. According to the 2001 census, the town had 19,945 inhabitants. 94.27% of inhabitants were
Slovaks The Slovaks ( (historical Sloveni ), singular: ''Slovák'' (historical: ''Sloven'' ), feminine: ''Slovenka'' , plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry, culture, history ...
, 1.97%
Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
, 0.95%
Czechs The Czechs (, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavs, West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common Bohemia ...
and 0.69%
Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...
. The religious make-up was 62.07%
Roman Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, 25.54% people with no religious affiliation and 3.19%
Lutherans Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched the Reformation in 15 ...
. 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 as
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, 2.4% identified as Lutheran. Only one person identified as a Jew, despite city's significant Jewish population before the war.


Politics

During 2022 Slovak local elections, reigning mayor and former MP Peter Antal had won four consecutive elections. In this election, he ran as an independent while running with the support of cross-spectrum parties. He defeated
independent candidate An independent politician or non-affiliated politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party or bureaucratic association. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent. Some politicians have polit ...
Petra Mazúrová. The City Council consisted of 19 deputies elected in five constituencies: ''Etapa'', ''Stred'', ''Centrum II + Stará časť mesta'', ''Pod vŕšky'', ''IBV + Šášovské Podhradie''. Of the 19 deputies most ran as independent candidates.


Mayoral history

* Marián Futák – economist * Jaroslav Cíger – veterinarian * Márius Hrmo – lawyer * 2002 – 2012: Ivan Černaj – entrepreneur, resigned in November 2012 * 2012 – (''expected 2026''): Peter Antal – lawyer, former MP


Economy

The main employer is company Nemak Slovakia, member of
Nemak Nemak, S.A.B. de C.V., known as Nemak, is a global automotive parts manufacturing company headquartered in García, Nuevo León, a municipality next to the City of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. The company manufactures a wide range of automotiv ...
Group, worldwide largest producer of aluminum powertrain parts for vehicles and the metallurgy factory company Slovalco, formerly called ''Závody Slovenského národného povstania'' ("
Slovak National Uprising Slovak National Uprising ( Slovak: ''Slovenské národné povstanie'', abbreviated SNP; alternatively also ''Povstanie roku 1944'', English: ''The Uprising of 1944'') was organised by the Slovak resistance during the Second World War, directed ag ...
Works"), built in the 1950s. Currently, served by most major supermarket retailers in Slovakia, including
Kaufland Kaufland () is a German hypermarket chain, part of the Schwarz Gruppe which also owns Lidl. The hypermarket directly translates to English as "buy-land." It opened its first store in 1984 in Neckarsulm and quickly expanded to become a major ch ...
,
Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...
, Billa or
COOP Jednota Coop or Co-op most often refer to: * Chicken coop or other animal enclosure * Cooperative or co-operative ("co-op"), an association co-operating for mutual social, economic or cultural benefit ** Consumer cooperative ** Food cooperative ** Housing ...
, Žiar nad Hronom was one of 14 inaugural cities in Slovakia where
Lidl Lidl ( ) is a trademark, used by two Germany, German international discount supermarket, discount retailer chain store, chains that operates over 12,600 stores. The ''LD Stiftung'' operates the stores in Germany and the ''Lidl Stiftung & Co. K ...
launched its operations back in September 2004.


Healthcare

Hospital in Žiar nad Hronom is a part of the network of regional hospitals – Svet zdravia, a.s, which is owned by Penta Investments.


Culture


Landmarks

* Šášov castle – A ruin of gothic castle, dated first half of the 13th century, guarding the
Hron The Hron (; ; ; ) is a long left tributary of the DanubeP ...
gorge. It is located in the city's part of Šášovské Podhradie. The first written record dates back to 1253. The castle became a royal castle in the 14th century. It had multiple owners in the difficult 17th century. It was captured by the anti-
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
Kuruc Kuruc (, plural ''kurucok''), also spelled kurutz, refers to a group of armed anti- Habsburg insurgents in the Kingdom of Hungary between 1671 and 1711. Over time, the term kuruc has come to designate Hungarians who advocate strict national inde ...
troops of
Emeric Thököly Emeric Thököly de Késmárk (; ; ; ; 25 September 1657 13 September 1705) was a Hungarian nobleman, leader of anti-Habsburg uprisings like his father, Count István Thököly, before him. Emeric was Prince of Upper Hungary, an Ottoman vass ...
and later regained by the imperial army. As its importance declined and due to numerous falls, the fortress was abandoned in the 18th century. *
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – A single-nave, classical church with two towers and a rectangular presbytery. It was built on top of an older structure at the initiative of the Bishop of Banská Bystrica Gabriel Zerdahely. The facade is dominated by a
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
of Toscan pillars, topped by a triangular tympanum, bearing Bishop Zerdahely's coat of arms. The segmented attic is decorated by a
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
inscription reading: "Fugite partes adversae" (''"Begone, all evil powers!"'', as written in the prayer of
exorcism Exorcism () is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be do ...
by St. Anthony of Padua). The towers are lined with
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s and topped with a crowning ledge. A
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
below the church contains the remains of Štefan Moyses and Michal Chrástek. *
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
Church of St. Lawrence in Horné Opatovce – The historically gothic structure with polygonal presbytery and an ejected tower was reconstructed between 1710 and 1711, 1777 and finally in 1911, which added some Neo-Roman elements. Facade is decorated by
frieze In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic order, Ionic or Corinthian order, Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Patera (architecture), Paterae are also ...
, supportive pillars and chambranles. The tower is topped by a pyramid helmet. *Bishop's chateau – The four-wing, three-level building with two corner towers and from the late-
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
and
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
era, from 1631. It is built on top of medieval foundation. The last major reconstruction took place between 1850 and 1869, when the upper floor was built. Chateau's facade is decorated by chambranle windows and window
cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...
s. The chateau neighbours a park, which was developed in the second half of the 18th century.


Monuments

* Štefan Moyses Statue at
Matica slovenská Matica Slovenská (en. Slovak Matica) is the oldest Slovakia, Slovak national, Culture, cultural and scientific organization. The headquarters of Slovak Matica is the town of Martin, Slovakia as the center of the national culture of Slovak ...
Square *Ladislav Exnár Monument at Dr. Jánsky Street *Michal Chrástek Monument *Karol Dúbravský Monument


Museums

*Archeological Exposition and Gallery of the Archeological Institute of
Slovak Academy of Sciences The Slovak Academy of Sciences (, or SAV) is the main scientific and research institution in Slovakia fostering basic and strategic basic research. It was founded in 1942, closed after World War II, and then reestablished in 1953. Its primary ...


Observatories

*Regional Maximilián Hell Observatory and Planetarium


Events


Natives' Meeting in Horné Opatovce

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 A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
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 of Hliník 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.


Žiar Fair

''Žiarsky jarmok'' (translates to 'Žiar Fair', historically known as ''Svätokrížsky 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 across
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
. 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.


City ball

During the ball season (in
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
the season usually lasts between the Epiphany, lasting until
Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent: the seven weeks of Christian prayer, prayer, Religious fasting#Christianity, fasting and ...
), 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

City Fest is an annual one-day summer festival, taking place in Štefan 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.


Transportation

The city is intersected by the R1 Expressway, with an exit near Šášovské Podhradie. Road I/9 leads to
Prievidza Prievidza (; , ) is a city in the western Slovakia. With approximately 46,000 inhabitants it is the second biggest municipality in the Trenčín Region and 11th List of cities and towns in Slovakia, largest city in Slovakia generally. Name The ...
. 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 of Ladomerská Vieska.


Public transportation

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, mainly Lutila and Ladomerská Vieska.


Train

The
Nové Zámky Nové Zámky (; ) is a town in Nové Zámky District in the Nitra Region of southwestern Slovakia. Geography The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km fr ...
Zvolen Zvolen (; ; ) is a city in central Slovakia, situated on the confluence of Hron and Slatina rivers. It is famous for several historical and cultural attractions. It is surrounded by Poľana mountain from the East, by Kremnické vrchy from the ...
railway passes through the city, allowing travel to
Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
, as well as
Košice Košice is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of approximately 230,000, Košice is the second-largest cit ...
. 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.


Education

There are 4 primary schools in the city (numbered I., II., IV. and a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Štefan 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: * Milan Rúfus' Gymnasium at
Ján Kollár Ján Kollár (; 29 July 1793 – 24 January 1852) was a Slovak writer (mainly poet), archaeologist, scientist, Lutheran pastor, politician, and main ideologist of Pan-Slavism. Life He studied at the Lutheran Lyceum in Pressburg (Pozsony, ...
St. *Private Business Academy *Private Technical High Schools *Hotel Academy *Private Pedagogical and Social Academy EBG


Economy

At the start of the 20th century, the town was an agricultural settlement, with citizens cultivating the fields of the Žiar Basin. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the only aluminium plant ( ZSNP) in
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
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. The SNP Works were privatised in 2002, with Penta winning over 40% of the shares. Some of the old parts of the plant are no longer in use. The industrial park now houses multiple private companies.


Twin towns – sister cities

Žiar nad Hronom is twinned with: *
Svitavy Svitavy (; ) is a town in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 16,000 inhabitants. It is the birthplace of Oskar Schindler and the centre of the Czech Esperanto movement. The historic town centre is well pr ...
, Czech Republic


Notable people

* Rozália Danková (1920–2017), Roman Catholic nun


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ziar Nad Hronom Cities and towns in Slovakia