Horné Opatovce

The village Horné Opatovce had a long history dating back to the 11th century. The first written mention of it is from 1253, when it was referred to as "terra Apathy de Grana."

In the 1950s, an aluminum factory, known as Závod Slovenského národného povstania (ZSNP),

was built near the village. Initially, the local people welcomed this industrialization as it brought new job opportunities.

However, the operation of the aluminum plant had a negative impact on the environment and the health of the residents. Children returned from the meadows covered in black dust and suffered from coughing, wildlife began to die, and the health of the people deteriorated.

In 1960, the Czechoslovak government decided to eliminate the village due to the ecological

issues caused by emissions from the plant. At that time, the village had about 1,380 inhabitants and 228 houses.

The relocation of residents took almost ten years. Most of them moved to nearby towns, Žiar nad Hronom and Hliník nad Hronom, where the state provided alternative housing.

The village was officially abolished on July 31, 1969, and its territory was incorporated into the town of Žiar nad Hronom