Ilija village is located in district of Banská Štiavnica. The first written mention of the village is from 1266. Roman Catholic Church of St. Egidio is a dominant feature of Ilija and belongs to the gems of sacred architecture, mainly thanks to the preserved rare late Romanesque portal, the oldest in Slovakia. The church played an important role in formation of the settlement nearby. The population of Ilija in Middle Ages was engaged in agriculture, timber harvesting and burning charcoal. Milling, blacksmithing and butchery belonged to traditional village crafts in Ilija. In 1599, Ilija also belonged to manor house at Sitno , although performed a defense function against the Turks.
