Situat in partea de vest a judetului Salaj, la o distanta de 29 km fata de municipiul Zalau, orasul Simleu Silvaniei cu localitatile rurale componente, Bic, Cehei si Pusta, se intinde pe o suprafata de 62,26 km2 in depresiunea Simleului, sub Magura Simleului, in bazinul hidrografic al Crasnei.
Prima atestare documentara a orasului dateaza din anul 1251, cand, intr-un document emis la Alba-Iulia, se aminteste de Vathasomlyowa, prima denumire cunoscuta a localitatii. Pana la denumirea actuala, orasul este cunoscut in anul 1429 sub denumirea de oppidum Somllyo, iar la 1854 este cunoscut ca Szilagy - Somlyo. Localitatea Cehei este amintita documentar in anul 1259 sub denumirea de terra Chechy, iar in anul 1854 sub denumirea de Somlyo Csehi. Celelalte localitati sunt atestate mult mai tarziu, respectiv Pusta in anul 1913 sub denumirea de Csehipuszta si Bic in anul 1956 sub denumirea actuala.
Descoperirile arheologice facute pe teritoriul administrativ al orasului au scos la lumina un bogat material ce a apartinut civilizatiei dacice. Doua tezaure formate din piese de aur descoperite la Simleu, datate din secolul al V-lea, se afla in prezent expuse la Muzeele de Istorie din Viena si Budapesta.
Istoria medievala a Simleului este strans legata de familia Bathory, familie princiara care a jucat roluri importante in istoria transilvaneana.
Cetatea Simleu intra in posesia familiei mai sus amintite in urma casatoriei lui Bathory Laszlo cu Medgyesaljai Anna in anul 1351. Cetatea Simleului a fost de-a lungul istoriei resedinta principilor ardeleni din familia Bathory, fiind teatru de razboi pentru armatele turcesti care in anul 1660 au incendiat orasul. A fost si un centru important vizat de rasculatii curuti si locul de unde generalul Iosif Bem a pornit in anul 1848 actiunile militare pentru ocuparea oraselor de pe Somes: Jibou, Dej si Cluj. Dupa 1817, Simleul devine si un puternic centru al intelectualitatii romanesti gazduind un gimnaziu romanesc, vicariatul greco-catolic, departamentul salajean al "Astrei", tipografia romaneasca "Victoria" etc., aflandu-se sub semnul marelui carturar Simion Barnutiu.
Cu evolutii fluctuante de-a lungul timpului, populatia orasului Simleu Silvaniei numara la ultimul recensamant 16066 locuitori. Din punct de vedere etnic, conform datelor de la recensamantul populatiei din anul 2002, populatia avea urmatoarea structura: 65,68% romani, 24,95% maghiari, 8,86% rromi, 0,09% germani, 0,42% alte nationalitati.
Alaturi de municipiul Zalau, orasul Simleu Silvaniei este un important centru economic al judetului Salaj. Industria prelucrarii lemnului, industria textila si industria alimentara sunt bine reprezentate in oras, iar activitatile sectorului tertiar au capatat in ultimii ani ponderi din ce in ce mai insemnate.
Calitatea sampaniei produsa la Simleul Silvaniei a dus faima acestui oras atat in tara cat si in strainatate.
Potentialul turistic al orasului este strans legat de fondul turistic natural si elementele fondului turistic antropic, aflate intr-o deplina armonie. Valoarea panoramei peisagistice ce se desprinde de pe inaltimile Magurii Simleului, spre depresiune, este una de exceptie, iar lacul Cehei este una dintre cele mai frumoase rezervatii naturale ale judetului Salaj.
Dintre cele 10 monumente de arhitectura catalogate, cele mai importante obiective din punct de vedere turistic sunt: Ansamblul Cetatii Bathory (1532- cu modificari ulterioare), Biserica reformata (1730), Biserica romano- catolica (1532-cu modificari ulterioare) si Biserica ortodoxa "Sfintii Apostoli" din Cehei (1765).
At a distance of 29 kms from the county capital Zalau, the town Simleul Silvaniei with its belonging localities Bic, Cehei and Pusta has a surface of 62,26 square kms. The town is situated in the depression of Simleu, under Magura Simleului, in the hydrographic basin of Crasna.
In the historical sources the city was first mentioned in 1251, by the name Vathasomlyowa (the first known name of the locality) in a document given out at Alba Iulia. Until it reached its actual name the town had the following names: oppidum Somllyo in 1429, Szilagy-Somlyo in 1854. The locality Cehei was mentioned in 1259 as terra Chechy and in 1854 as Somlzo Csehi. The other localities are only mentioned in 1913 as Csehipuszta and Bic in 1956 as it is called today.
The archeological discoveries on the administrative territory of the town revealed a great material belonging to the Dacian civilization. Two treasures formed out of golden pieces from the 5th century discovered at Simleu are now on view at the History Museum from Wien and Budapest.
The medieval history of the town is strongly connected to the Bathory family playing an important role in Transylvanian history. The Simleului Stronghold becomes property of the above mentioned family in 1351 when Laszlo Bathory marries Anna Medgyesi Pok. Throughout its history the stronghold was the residence of the Bathory family, the battle stage with the Turks who in 1600 set the city on fire. The city has been an important centre for the Kuruts appraisers and the place from where General Bem started his military actions for occupying the cities from Somes-Jibou, Dej and Cluj in 1848. After 1817 Simleu becomes also a major centre of the Romanian intellectuals hosting a Romanian Gymnasium, the Greek-Catholic Vicarage, the Salejan department of "Astra", the Romanian typography "Victoria" etc, being influenced by the great scholar Simion Barnutiu.
Demographically, according to the last census in 2002, the population of Simleul Silvaniei is structured as it follows: 16.066 inhabitants, out of which 65,68% Romanians, 24,95% Hungarians, 8,86% Roms, 0,09% Germans, 0,42% Jews etc.
Together with the county capital Zalau, the city Simleul Silvaniei forms an important economical centre in county Salaj. Besides the well represented wood-processing, textile and food industry the activities of tertiary domain became more and more important in the last years. The quality of the champagne produced there makes Simleul Silvaniei locally and worldwide famous.
The touristic potential of the city is bound to the natural and manmade touristic elements that are in perfect harmony. The view from the heights of Magura Simleului towards the depression is a special one and Lake Cehei is one of the most beautiful natural reservations of the county Salaj.
From the ten catalogued archeological monuments, the most important from a touristical point of view are: Bathory Stronghold Ensemble (1532 - with subsequent changes), the reformed church (1730), the roman-catholic church (1532 - with subsequent changes), and the orthodox church "Sfintii Apostoli" (1765) from Cehei.
Szilagy megye nyugati reszen fekszik, 29 km-re Zilah municipiumtol. A kovetkezo falvak tartoznak hozza: Bukk (Bic), Somlyocsehi (Cehei) es Csehipuszta (Pusta). Teljes felulete 62,26 km2, a Somlyoi medenceben, a Somlyoi Magura alatt, a Kraszna folyo volgyeben fekszik.
A varos elso irasos emlitese 1251-bol valo, ekkor egy Gyulafehervaron kibocsatott okirat Vathasomlyowa neven emliti. Kesobb, 1429-ben oppidum Somllyo neven szerepel, 1854-ben pedig mar a Szilagy-Somlyo nevet viseli. Somlyocsehi elso emlitese 1259-bol szarmazik, terra Chechy-kent, majd 1854-ben Somlzo Csehi-kent szerepel. A tobbi telepules csak joval kesobb szerepel irasos dokumentumban, Csehipuszta 1913-ban, mig Bukk csak 1956-ban.
A varos teruleten es a Maguran vegzett asatasok jelentos regeszeti leletekkel szolgaltak. Somlyo legismertebb regeszeti hagyateka az a gepida aranylelet melynek egy reszet a becsi, masik reszet pedig a budapesti Torteneti Muzeumban orzik.
Somlyo tortenelme a kozepkor idejen osszefonodott a Bathory csaladdal, mely, fejedelmi csalad leven, jelentos szerepet jatszott Erdely tortenelmeben. 1351-ben, Bathory Laszlo es Medgyesi Pok Anna hazassagakor Somlyo vara a Bathory csalad tulajdonaba kerult. A var hosszu idon keresztul a Bathory csaladbol kikerulo erdelyi fejedelmek rezidenciaja volt. A torok seregek 1660-ban felgyujtottak a varost, kesobb a kuruc felkeles fontos kozpontja volt, es 1848-ban Bem Jozsef tabornok innen indult seregevel a Szamos menti varosok (Zsibo, Des es Kolozsvar) elfoglalasara. 1817 utan Somlyo a roman ertelmiseg kozpontjava valik, amikor helyet ad egy roman gimnaziumnak, a gorog katolikus helynoki hivatalnak, az Astra Szilagy megyei igazgatosaganak, a Victoria nevu roman nyomdanak stb. A varos ertelmisege a nagy tudos, Simion Barnutiu egisze alatt tevekenykedik.
Szilagysomlyo lakossaga a 2002-es nepszamlalaskor 16.066 fo volt. Nemzetisegi osszetetelet tekintve 65,68%-ban romanok, 24,95%-ban magyarok, 8,86%-ban romak, 0,09%-ban nemetek es 0,42%-ban zsidok lakjak.
Zilah mellett Szilagysomlyo a megye masik jelentos gazdasagi kozpontjanak szamit. A fafeldolgozas mellett a varos jol mukodo textiliparral es elelmiszeriparral rendelkezik, emellett pedig az utobbi evekben a szolgaltatoipar is fejlodesnek indult. A szilagysomlyoi pezsgo kituno minosege hirnevet szerzett a varosnak az orszagban es kulfoldon egyarant.
Turisztikai jelentosege szep tajainak es erdekes latnivaloinak koszonheto. A Somlyoi Magurarol belathato panorama kulunleges vonzerovel bir, a somlyocsehi to pedig Szilagy megye egyik legszebb termeszetvedelmi terulete.
A Bathory kastelyt 1562-ben kezdtek epiteni. Ma is allo kapubastyajan Bathory-Bebek cimer es az 1592-es evszam lathato. A romai katolikus templom 1532-ben epult, Bathory Istvan erdelyi vajda emeltette. Utolagos modositasokat szenvedett. Belso festese Millje Kalman munkaja 1874-bol. Kulso falan emlektabla all Bathory Istvan fejedelem tiszteletere, elotte pedig mellszobra lathato. A reformatus templom 1729-1737 kozott epult Losonczi Banffy Laszlo tamogatasaval. Kazettas mennyezetet Pataki Asztalos Janos festette 1737-ben. Erdemes meg megtekinteni a somlyocsehi ortodox fatemplomot (1765).
