Malý Krtíš in the Ipeľ Basin: History and Landscape

Location and Landscape

Malý Krtíš lies in the Ipeľ Basin, in the valley of the Krtíš stream. Two elevation figures are important for understanding its geography: the center is 175 meters above sea level, while elevations in the cadastral area range from 162 to 281 meters. The first figure locates the village center; the second describes the wider range across the municipality. The village is surrounded by a varied, deforested hilly landscape with flat ridges formed from Upper Tertiary deposits.

The Mädokýš spring lies directly in the bed of the local watercourse. It adds a specific water feature to the geographical picture, while the flat ridges describe the terrain. The spring and the ridges thus represent two different aspects of the surroundings. The area has brown earth soils, possibly illimerized soils, as well as alluvial and floodplain soils.

Local History

Malý Krtíš is documented from 1251 under the name “Curtus, alia villa Cvrtus.” Historical forms include “Kyskwrthes” from 1482 and “Maly Krtýš” from 1920; the Hungarian name is “Kiskürtös.” The sequence of names thus combines dated spellings with a distinct linguistic reference.

The village’s history has seen significant disruptions. Malý Krtíš was occupied by the Turks from 1554 to 1593; by the beginning of the 17th century, the village had been completely deserted. It was again mentioned as a settlement between 1715 and 1720 and soon afterward developed once more into a municipality. In 1828, Malý Krtíš had 29 houses and 266 inhabitants, who worked in agriculture. The number of houses, population, and agricultural activity belong to the same snapshot in time and provide information about the built environment, population size, and the way people made a living at the time. In historical perspective, the occupation and abandonment mark a break; the village’s renewed mention and development into a municipality mark its resettlement phase.

Architecture, Economy, and Culture

The village church bell tower in Malý Krtíš is a simple, masonry rural structure with a square ground plan, dating from 1848. Inside the structure is a bell dating from 1824. The two dates refer to different components: 1848 to the building, and 1824 to the bell.

The extraction of sand for glassmaking is part of the area’s economic and local history. A municipal report from 2025 describes the deterioration of an old, originally steam-powered mill in Malý Krtíš. The municipal coat of arms symbolically refers to coal and quartz sandstone seams, as well as to agriculture, bringing together references to raw materials and farming in a single design.

The municipal library and cultural center together form the cultural hub of Malý Krtíš. Unlike the individual historic village church bell tower, they are notable for the shared cultural role of two institutions.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Horné Strháre, Kleňany, Kováčovce, Kamenné Kosihy, Dolná Strehová, Veľké Straciny, Slovenské Ďarmoty, Vinica

Return to the main travel overview: Veľký Krtíš District.