Salgótarján

Infobox Settlement


image_caption = Downtown Salgótarján
image_shield = WĘG Salgótarján COA.jpg
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = HUN
timezone=CET
utc_offset=+1
timezone_DST=CEST
utc_offset_DST=+2
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =
pushpin_map_caption =Location of Salgótarján
pushpin_mapsize =

official_name=Salgótarján


subdivision_type1=County
subdivision_name1=Nógrád
area_total_km2=102.96
population_total=43169|population_footnotes=
population_as_of=2005|population_density_km2=419.44
postal_code_type=Postal code
postal_code=3100
area_code=32
latd=48.08531
longd=19.78689
website= [http://www.salgotarjan.hu/ salgotarjan.hu]

Salgótarján (approximate pronunciation: "shal-gow-tahr-yaan") is a city with county rights in Nógrád county, north-eastern Hungary.

Location

At the foot of Karancs mountain, in the Cserhát hills, 250 meters above sea level, convert|120|km|mi|0|abbr=on north-east from Budapest, convert|70|km|mi|0|abbr=on west from Miskolc. Salgótarján is surrounded by beautiful forests and hills topped with castle ruins, which are accessible by bus that may be taken from the center of town.

History

The town already existed in the Middle Ages, but information on it is scarce, it is likely that it was a small village. The word "salgó" means "shining" in Old Hungarian, while "Tarján" was the name of one of the Hungarian tribes conquering the area.

The castle of Salgó was built in the 13th century on a mountain of volcanic origin. In the 13th century the town already had a church.

After the siege of the nearby Castle of Fiľakovo (1682) the town was deserted, and new settlers arrived only ten years later, but remained a small village.

Development came in the mid-19th century, when a coal mine was opened nearby. The job opportunities provided by the mine and the developing industry began to attract people. The village grew quickly and was granted town status in 1922. Today visitors can see the remains of the mining industry by visiting the Mine Museum, which is located next to the main entrance of the mine.

In 1950, Salgótarján became the capital of Nógrád county instead of the previous county seat Balassagyarmat. In the next twenty years several villages were annexed to the growing city.

The coal mines have been closed years ago, leaving the city with high unemployment rates.

In 1994, Salgótarján was granted the rank of city with county rights, in accord with a new law stating that all county seats are cities with county rights. (Previously only cities with a population over 50.000 were granted county rights, and Salgótarján was one of only two county seats that had smaller population than 50.000; the other was Szekszárd).

Twin towns

*flagicon|United Kingdom Doncaster, United Kingdom
*flagicon|Poland Gliwice, Poland
*flagicon|Slovakia Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
*flagicon|Slovakia Lučenec, Slovakia
*flagicon|Finland Vantaa, Finland
*flagicon|Italy Vigarano Mainarda, Italy
*flagicon|Sweden Nacka, Sweden
*flagicon|France Valenciennes, France
*flagicon|Russia Kemerovo, Russia

External links

*
* [http://www.salgotarjan.hu Official site of Salgótarján]
* [http://www.tarjaninfo.hu Tarjáninfó.hu informations, programs, events.]
* [http://www.akm.externet.hu/km/varak/adatok/var101.htm Some pictures of the castle]
* [http://www.civertan.hu/legifoto/legifoto.php?page_level=546&pageNum_
]
* [http://www.guesthousehungary.com Family friendly guesthouse, accommodation in Salgótarján]