Šahy (Hungarian: Ipolyság, rarely German: Eipelschlag) is a town in southern Slovakia, The town has an ethnic Hungarian majority and its population is 7,238 people (2018), with an average age of 42.5.

Šahy
Ipolyság
Town hall, a former guildhall
Town hall, a former guildhall
Coat of arms of Šahy
Šahy is located in Nitra Region
Šahy
Šahy
Location of Šahy in the Nitra Region
Šahy is located in Slovakia
Šahy
Šahy
Location of Šahy in Slovakia
Coordinates: 48°04′N 18°57′E / 48.07°N 18.95°E / 48.07; 18.95
Country Slovakia
Region Nitra Region
DistrictLevice District
First mentioned1237
Government
 • MayorPál Zachar
Area
 • Total42.75 km2 (16.51 sq mi)
Elevation135 m (443 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total6,992
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
936 01[2]
Area code+421 36[2]
Car plateLV
Websitewww.sahy.sk

Geography

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It is located at the eastern reaches of the Danubian Lowland on the river Ipeľ at the Hungarian border, on the E77 road from Budapest to Kraków. Besides the main settlement, it also has two "boroughs" of Preseľany nad Ipľom (4 km (2.49 mi) west of centre, annexed 1980) and Tešmák (3 km (1.86 mi) east of centre, annexed 1986). From 1980 to 1996 it also had now independent village of Hrkovce.

History

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The first written mention is from 1237 in a document of King Béla IV under name Saag, when Martin Hont-Pázmány founded a Premonstratensian monastery there.[4] It got character of a small town in the 14th century. It was part of Ottoman Empire between 1541–1595 and 1605–1685 and was known as "Şefradi". It was also sanjak centre in Uyvar eyalet between 1663 and 1685. Before break-up of Austria-Hungary in 1918/1920 and incorporation into Czechoslovakia, it was part of the Hont County, and was from 1806 its capital. It was part of Hungary from 1938 to 1945 as a result of the First Vienna Award.

Demographics

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According to the 2014 census, the town had 7,516 inhabitants. In 2001 62.21% of the inhabitants were Hungarians, 34.57% Slovaks, 0.56% Czech and 0.41 Roma.[5] The religious makeup was 84.06% Roman Catholics, 6.87% people with no religious affiliation, and 3.46% Lutherans.[5]

Facilities

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The town is home to the Hont Museum and Gallery of Ľudovít Simony.[6]

Twin towns – sister cities

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Šahy is twinned with:[7]

Notable people

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References

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  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. ^ "Former Norbertine Monastery". Explore Carpathia. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Municipal Statistics". Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  6. ^ Milan Paprčka; Simona Nádašiová (2016). Hont z neba. Banská Bystrica: CBS spol. ISBN 978-80-8144-109-7.
  7. ^ "Partnerské mestá". sahy.sk (in Slovak). Šahy. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
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