| Region | Žilina Region |
|---|---|
| District | Žilina District |
| Coordinates | 49.09°N 18.63°E |
| Mayor | Milan Hanus |
| First mentioned | 1193 |
| Elevation | 448 m |
| Postal code | 150 1[1] |
| Area code | +421 41[1] |
| Registration plate | ZA |
| Website | www.rajec.sk |
Rajec (pronunciation; Hungarian: Rajec; German: Rajetz) is a town in the Žilina District, Žilina Region in northern Slovakia.
Etymology
Rajec, Rajčianka, Rajčanka are derived from Proto-Slavic appellative *rajь – a wet, muddy place (modern Slovak raj – a paradise, "a place with rich vegetation").[2]
History
The first written record about Rajec was in 1193, as Raich, in a document issued by King Béla III. The first mention of the town comes from 1397.
Geography
It is situated between Strážovské vrchy, and Malá Fatra mountains, in the Rajčanka river valley, around 20 km (12 mi) south-south-west of Žilina.
Population
It has a population of people (31 December ).
Religion
According to the 2001 census, the town had 6,074 inhabitants. 98.86% of inhabitants were Slovaks and 0.68% were Czechs.[3] The religious make-up was 92.79% Roman Catholics, 3.42% people with no religious affiliation, and 1.89% Lutherans.[3]
Sightseeings
- Town Hall, a Renaissance one-floor building available from all sides. Open arcades served as a market. On the second floor, there were administrative rooms of the town council. After the newest reconstruction in 1992, the arcades are full glassed and the town hall serve as wedding, concert and exhibition room. (3D Model)
- Town museum, former brewery residence
Culture
The Rajec Marathon, an annual road race, was established in the town in 1984.[4]
Twin towns — sister cities
- Czechowice-Dziedzice, Poland
- Kęty, Poland
- Krnov, Czech Republic
- Rýmařov, Czech Republic
References
- ^ "Základná charakteristika" (in Slovak). www.statistics.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2015-04-17. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ Krško, Jaromír (2011). Hydronymia horného povodia Váhu [Hydronymy of the Upper Váh Basin] (in Slovak). Banská Bystrica: Univerzita Mateja Bela. p. 125.
- ^ "Municipal Statistics". Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Archived 2008-01-11 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "1. Ročník Rajeckého maratónu (11.8.)" (in Slovak). Maratón. 21 (11): 2. November 1984. Retrieved 2025-09-01.
- ^ "Partnerské kraje a mestá" (in Slovak). rajec.info. Rajec. Retrieved 2019-09-09.