 "Jelšava" means "a place overgrown with alders" or "a forest with alders".The town lies in the Revúcka vrchovina highlands at the border of the Slovak Ore Mountains and Slovak Karst, in the valley of the Muráň river, at an altitude of around 258 m. It is located by road around from Revúca, from Banská Bystrica and away from Košice.Along to the main settlement, it also has "part" Teplá Voda, bit north-west of the town.