Handlová

Handlová (German: Krickerhau, Hungarian: Nyitrabánya, before 1913 Handlova) is a town in the Prievidza District, Trenčín Region in the middle of Slovakia. It is made up of the three parts Handlová, Nová Lehota and Morovno.

Handlová
Town
St. Catherine Church in Handlová
Coat of arms
Handlová
Location of Handlová in the Trenčín Region
Handlová
Location of Handlová in Slovakia
Coordinates: 48°43′38″N 18°45′43″E
Country Slovakia
RegionTrenčín
DistrictPrievidza
Founded1376
Government
 • MayorSilvia Grúberová
Area
 • Total50.75 km2 (19.59 sq mi)
Elevation
420 m (1,380 ft)
Population
 (2018-12-31[1])
 • Total16,999
 • Density330/km2 (870/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
972 51
Area code(s)+421-46
Car platePD
Websitewww.handlova.sk

Geography

It is located in the Handlovka brook valley, surrounded by the mountain ranges of Vtáčnik in the west and Žiar in the south, east and north, in the historical region of Hauerland. It is 15 kilometres (9 miles) away from Prievidza and 20 km (12 mi) from Žiar nad Hronom.

Besides the main settlement, it also has "parts" of Morovno (north-west) and Nová Lehota (south), both annexed 1976.

History

The town was established in 1376 and was inhabited by German settlers which were later known as the Carpathian Germans. The first known settler in Handlová was Peter Kricker from Kremnica, who came here together with 200 others to establish a settlement on a site called Krásny les (Beautiful Forest). At first the settlers lived just from crops and pastoral farming. Only much later, in the 18th century, did coal mining begin. Local miners at first worked mainly to supply the needs of nearby Bojnice Castle.

In 1945 after World War II, Handlová underwent the biggest upheaval in its centuries-long history. Most of its ethnic German inhabitants was expelled from the town due to the so-called Beneš decrees. Of the original 12,800 people who lived here as late as in 1943, only 4,000 remained in Handlová by 1945. As a result, Handlová's character changed completely.[2] It received town privileges in 1960.

In 2009, the town suffered a major disaster during the 2009 Handlová mine blast, in which 20 people were killed.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the town had 18,018 inhabitants. 96.14% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 0.85% Hungarian, 0.67% Czechs and 0.24% Germans.[3] The religious make-up was 46.10% Atheists, 44.74% Roman Catholics and 2.42% Lutherans.[3]

People

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

Handlová is twinned with:[4]

See also

References
  1. "Population and migration". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. Retrieved 2019-04-16.
  2. "Handlová's changing fortunes". Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  3. "Municipal Statistics". Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Archived from the original on 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  4. "Základné informácie o Handlovej" (in Slovak). Handlová. Retrieved 2019-09-07.

Genealogical resources

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

  • Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1642-1939 (parish A)
  • Lutheran church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1735-1950 (parish B)

Media related to Handlová at Wikimedia Commons



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