- summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Area 24.3 km² | Elevation 255 m Local time Friday 10:14 PM | |
 | ||
Weather 5°C, Wind N at 19 km/h, 73% Humidity Region krajs Trenčín Region, Ilava District | ||
Ilava (German: Illau, Hungarian: Illava) is a town in the Trenčín Region, northwestern Slovakia.
Contents
Map of 019 01 Ilava, Slovakia
Geography
It is located in the Ilava Basin near the Váh river at the foothills of Strážovské vrchy mountains, near the cities of Považská Bystrica and Trenčín. In addition to the main settlement, it also has "boroughs" of Iliavka and Klobušice (both since 1969, latter with a Classic castle).
History
The first written reference to the town dates from 1332/1337, the town charter stems from 1339. The settlement developed below a Gothic castle (bearing the same name) from the 13th century, turned into a Renaissance fortification in the 16th century, into a monastery in 1693 and finally, in 1856, into a prison. A concentration camp was in the prison in 1938.
Demographics
According to the 2001 census, the town had 5,441 inhabitants. 98.1% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 0.9% Czechs and 0.1% Roma and Hungarians. The religious makeup was 87.2% Roman Catholics, 7.9% people with no religious affiliation, and 1.2% Lutherans.
Famous people
It is the birthplace of two-time Stanley Cup Champion and current Florida Panthers left winger Tomáš Kopecký as well as Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar. Also, former vice-chairman of Social Democratic Party of Slovakia Rastislav Blaško.