Senec, Slovakia


Senec is a town in the Bratislava Region of south-western Slovakia. The town is the administrative seat of the Senec District and its largest municipality. In 2022 it had a population of over 20,000.
The town is a summer tourism and recreation center well known for its summer resort Sunny Lakes and its proximity to Bratislava, the capital and largest city of Slovakia.

Etymology

The town's contemporary name comes from a Slavic appellative seno, meaning hay, as the inhabitants dealt with cattle trade. Throughout its history the town name's form changed multiple times, in 1252 being written as Zemch, in 1451 as Sencz.
In German, the name Wartberg was historically used. The name is supposedly derived from a fortified hill upon which the Church of Saint Nicholaus stands to this day.

History

In the 9th century, the territory of Senec became part of the Great Moravia.
In the second half of the 15th century, Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus gave Senec privileges and it got the right of organizing a fair around 1480. In the 19th century, it started to develop after the Pressburg - Budapest railway which runs through the town had been built. After the Austro-Hungarian army disintegrated in November 1918, Czechoslovak troops occupied the area, later acknowledged internationally by the Treaty of Trianon. Between 1938 and 1945 Senec once more became part of Miklós Horthy's Hungary through the First Vienna Award. In 1945, it was recovered by Czechoslovakia. A number of residents were affected by the Beneš Decrees and 630 citizens who collaborated with Miklós Horthy's forces during occupation of Senec were forced to leave the town in 1947 to Hungary. This was a part of Czechoslovak-Hungarian post-war treaty regarding exchange of citizens signed by both, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. From 1945 until the Velvet Divorce, it was part of Czechoslovakia. Since then it has been part of Slovakia.
The historic Church of Saint Nicholaus is located in the southwestern part of the town.

Geography

Senec is situated in Podunajská nížina, on the boundary line of Podunajská rovina and Podunajská pahorkatina. The town is 27 km far from the Austrian boundary, and 28 km far from the border with Hungary. Vienna, Budapest and Prague are the nearest European capitals.
The town is located 25 kilometres north-east from Bratislava, 126 m above sea level. It has good access to the motorway D1 from Bratislava to Žilina, and is situated on the significant 4th Corridor of Trans-European Transport Network Railway route Prague–Bratislava–Balkans/Orient.
The town consists of four boroughs.

Population

It has a population of  people.
In education, technical and secondary schools without the General Certificate of Education dominate with 27.91%. In 2001 graduates represented 11.17% share of Senec residents.

Ethnicity

Religion

Twin towns – sister cities

Senec is twinned with:
Asteroid 20664 Senec was named in honor of the Slovak town. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018.