Karancsalja (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈkɒrɒntʃɒjːɒ]) is a village in Nógrád county, Hungary, in Salgótarján District.
Karancsalja has probably been inhabited since the time of the Hungarian conquest, since its area – the northern side of the valley – is slightly raised from its surroundings, thus providing a suitable place for settlement.
Like other settlements of the Karancs region, at the beginning of its history, Karancsalja was a typical village on a highway, and it was established along the road connecting the Great Plain and the Highlands. Until the middle of the 19th century, this was an important trade route for the county and even for the country. The traffic here was of considerable economic importance.
Despite its favorable geographical conditions, Karancsalja did not become a large settlement, although in the second half of the 19th century, with the emergence and rapid development of mining, the village began to grow. More than 1400 people live in Karancsalja today.
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