Jelšava


Jelšava is a town and municipality in Revúca District in the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia.

Etymology

The name is derived from Slovak jelša. Jelšava means "a place overgrown with alders" or "a forest with alders".

Geography

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 from Revúca, from Banská Bystrica and away from Košice.
Along to the main settlement, it also has "part" Teplá Voda, bit north-west of the town.

History

In historical records, the town was first mentioned in 1243 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. 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 during periods of 1554-1593 and 1596-1686. It was known as "Yoşva" during Ottoman period. 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. In 1993, the town became a part of Slovakia.

Demographics

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. The religious make-up was 40.77% Roman Catholics, 28.02% people with no religious affiliation and 16.28% Lutherans.

Twin towns — sister cities

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