It is first mentioned in 1208 as "t(er)ra de Selinan". Today's name is derived from the place name Želinany, formed from the Slavic personal name Žela. Its first coat of arms, still in use today, dates from 1379. Róbert Károly granted the settlement the status of a free royal city in 1321, while his successor, Lajos Nagy, issued the privilege letter Privilegium pro Slavis on May 7, 1381, granting its Slavic and German population equal rights. Zsolna had its heyday in the 17th century, and after a short decline, its economy boomed again due to the construction of the railway (1872). The car factory established in the 2000s further strengthened its economic role. It was the capital of Slovakia twice in the 20th century.