Bánovce nad Bebravou
Bánovce nad Bebravou (, ) is a town in Slovakia, in the Trenčín Region. Names. The name is derived from the personal name or title Bán meaning "the village of Bán's people". "Nad Bebravou" means "above Bebrava" (beaver river). The eldest inscription mentioning the town as "villa Ben" dates back to 1232. Other recorded names are "Villa Ban" (1318), "Banowitz" (1389), "oppidum Banowcz" (1439), "Ban" (1467), "Banowcze" (1471). Geography. It is located at the northernmost edge of the Danubian Hills, at the foothills of the Strážovské vrchy mountains at the confluence of the Radiša and Bebrava rivers. It  is 25 km away from Prievidza, 30 km from Trenčín and 50 km from Nitra. History. The oldest settlement stems from the Bronze Age. The town was promoted in 1376 into free royal town (until 1389, then landlord township). In the Middle Ages, Bánovce became an important trade centre - for shoemakers, carpenters, smiths, butchers, weavers and others. In 1633, the Ottomans encroaching from the south plundered the town. The first elementary school was opened in the 17th century. During the first Czechoslovak republic, it was an agricultural-crafting town. During World War II, the town was taken by Romanian troops  of the 1st Army on 5 April 1945. After World War II, automobile, furniture and textile industries developed. Places of interest. In total, there are 15 cultural memorials in the town and its boroughs inscribed in the central inventory of culture memorials in Bratislava. The Bánovská Parenica (the most famous cycling race in the region) is regularly organized every year on 6 September and goes through this village. The competition is available for a high range of cyclists. It starts in the town of Bánovce nad Bebravou and is organized by the regional club of tourists and JPL. Demographics. According  to the 2001 census, the town had 20,901 inhabitants. 97% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 1.4% Roma and 0.7% Czechs. The religious makeup was 73.9% Roman Catholics, 11.5% people with no religious affiliation, and 11.3% Lutherans. Boroughs. The city consists of the following boroughs: Twin towns — sister cities. Bánovce nad Bebravou is twinned with: Genealogical resources. The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Nitra, Slovakia".