Lendava (pronounced[ˈleːndaʋa]ⓘ; formerly Dolnja Lendava, in older sources also Dolenja Lendava; Hungarian: Lendva, formerly Alsólendva; German: Lindau, formerly Unter-Limbach) is a town in Slovenia in the region of Prekmurje. It is the seat of the Municipality of Lendava. It forms part of the border crossing with Hungary at Dolga Vas–Rédics and it is near the border with Croatia at Mursko Središće. Alongside Slovene, Hungarian serves as an official language of the municipality.
The town is the centre of the Hungarian minority in Slovenia. It is also known for the monumental theater and Hungarian Community Centre designed by the architect Imre Makovecz.
Name
The town is named after the Ledava River; the original nasal in the name of the river was lost in Slovene, but the n in the name of the town was preserved due to Hungarian influence.[2] The former name of the town, Dolnja Lendava (literally, 'lower Lendava'), contrasted with that of Gornja Lendava (literally 'upper Lendava'). The name of the settlement was changed from Dolnja Lendava to Lendava in 1955.[3]
History
Hungarian stamp and name still in use in 1925
Alsólendva was a district (Hungarian: járás) of the Zalacomitat in the Kingdom of Hungary[4] until 1918. It was part of Hungary again from 1941 to 1945.[5]
The first census of the population in the beginning of the 18th century mentions two Jewish merchants, and the following censuses showed an increasing Jewish population composed of merchants, innkeepers, distillers, mead producers, lawyers, and physicians. They played an important role in the economy of Lendava, owning a local hotel, a few pubs, and stores. Local Jews also started the first bank in Lendava. A Jewish school opened in 1850 and it was active until 1921. The last rabbi in Lendava was Mor Lowy.[6]
The meteorological station is a climatic station and is one of 17 of its kind in the country. The station in Lendava is at an altitude of 190 m and is located on a sloping hillside. The surrounding area includes neighbouring houses with outbuildings, vineyards, trees, gardens and meadows. The station has been at this location since January 1962.
With an annual precipitation of 796 millimetres (31.3 in), Lendava is one of the driest towns in the country; in general this is true for the whole of Prekmurje.
Since records began, Lendava has had a White Christmas on 12 occasions: 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2007. The thickest snow cover for a Christmas Day was in 1963 at 40 centimetres (16 in).[7]
Lendava Castle is a former property of the Esterházy family. The mainly 18th-century building stands on a hill above the town centre and contains a museum and a gallery.[10]
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