Banská Belá (German: Dilln; Hungarian: Bélabánya) is a village and municipality in the Banská Štiavnica District, in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia. It has a population of 1,234.

Banská Belá
Bélabánya
Flag of Banská Belá
Banská Belá is located in Banská Bystrica Region
Banská Belá
Banská Belá
Location of Banská Belá in the Banská Bystrica Region
Banská Belá is located in Slovakia
Banská Belá
Banská Belá
Location of Banská Belá in Slovakia
Coordinates: 48°29′N 18°56′E / 48.48°N 18.93°E / 48.48; 18.93
Country Slovakia
Region Banská Bystrica Region
DistrictBanská Štiavnica District
First mentioned1228
Area
  Total
21.07 km2 (8.14 sq mi)
Elevation469 m (1,539 ft)
Population
 (2025)[3]
  Total
1,139
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
966 15[2]
Area code+421 45[2]
Vehicle registration plate (until 2022)BS
Websitewww.banskabela.sk

Names and etymology

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The settlement got its name after the creek Biela (1228 torrens Bela, now Starý potok), in Slovak "white".[4] The village founded on the creek was named Bana (a mine), later Biela Bana to distinguish between Banská Belá and Banská Štiavnica which was called also Bana.[4] The Hungarian name Feyerbanya and its variations are translations of the Slovak name.[4] The origin of the German name Dilln is uncertain.[4]

The first written mention is probably terra nomine bela (1288), older sources mention also an unreliable record terra banensium (1156).[4]

History

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The village arose by separation from Banská Štiavnica, but it was part of Banská Štiavnica again from 1873 to 1954.

King Béla IV invited German miners from Banská Štiavnica and the village got the German name Dilln (Dyln, Dilln, Dylen). The village suffered from Turkish raids during the Ottoman wars.

Geography

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The municipality lies at an altitude of 469 metres (1,539 ft)[2] and covers an area of 21.07 km2 (8.14 sq mi) (2025).[5]

Population

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Population statistic (10 years)[6]
Year1995200520152025
Count1250124211861139
Difference −0.64% −4.50% −3.96%
Population statistic[6]
Year20242025
Count11541139
Difference−1.29%

It has a population of 1139 people (31 December 2025).[7]

Ethnicity

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Census 2021 (1+ %)[8][9]
EthnicityNumberFraction
Slovak111094.79%
Not found out534.52%
Total1171

In year 2021 was 1171 people by ethnicity 1110 as Slovak, 53 as Not found out, 8 as Czech, 7 as Romani, 5 as Other, 3 as Ukrainian, 3 as Moravian, 2 as German, 1 as Italian, 1 as Polish, 1 as Hungarian and 1 as Canadian.

Note on population: The difference values of population numbers in the table "Population statistic" and in the sections "Ethnicity" & "Religion" is caused by the use of various statistical methods.

Religion

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Census 2021 (1+ %)[10]
ReligionNumberFraction
Roman Catholic Church71260.8%
None28224.08%
Evangelical Church968.2%
Not found out564.78%
Total1171

In year 2021 was 1171 people by religion 712 from Roman Catholic Church, 282 from None, 96 from Evangelical Church, 56 from Not found out, 5 from Other and not ascertained christian church, 5 from Greek Catholic Church, 4 from Calvinist Church, 3 from Jehovah's Witnesses, 2 from Eastern Orthodox Church, 2 from Paganism and natural spirituality, 1 from Christian Congregations in Slovakia, 1 from United Methodist Church, 1 from Czechoslovak Hussite Church and 1 from Ad hoc movements.

Genealogical resources

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The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive in Banská Bystrica (Slovak: Štátny archív v Banskej Bystrici).

  • Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1688-1895(parish A)
  • Lutheran church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1678-1905(parish B)

See also

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References

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  1. "Hustota obyvateľstva - obce [om7014rr_obc=AREAS_SK, v_om7014rr_ukaz=Rozloha (Štvorcový meter)]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "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) [om7101rr_obce=AREAS_SK]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Martin Štefánik - Ján Lukačka et al. 2010, Lexikón stredovekých miest na Slovensku, Historický ústav SAV, Bratislava, p. 20, ISBN 978-80-89396-11-5. http://forumhistoriae.sk/-/lexikon-stredovekych-miest-na-slovensku Archived 2017-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Hustota obyvateľstva - obce [om7014rr_obc=AREAS_SK, v_om7014rr_ukaz=Rozloha (Štvorcový meter)]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  6. 1 2 "Počet obyvateľov podľa pohlavia - obce (ročne) [om7101rr_obce=AREAS_SK]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  7. "Počet obyvateľov podľa pohlavia - obce (ročne) [om7101rr_obce=AREAS_SK]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  8. "Population - Basic results". www.scitanie.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  9. "Population - Basic results". www.scitanie.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  10. "Population - Basic results". www.scitanie.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
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