Banská Štiavnica :: Slovakia

Deep in the heart of central Slovakia is a completely preserved medieval town built upon the collapsed caldera of an ancient volcano. With a population of about 10,000, this small town is steeped in history and culture and was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1993. The history of Banská Štiavnica is closely tied to its rich resources of silver ore and dates all the way back to the Huns in the 3rd century BC. By the late Middle Ages the town was the main producer of silver and gold in the Kingdom of Hungary and in 1627 it used gun powder in a mine for the first time in the world. Today, the town has shifted its focus from mining to recreation and tourism thanks to the rich local heritage and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Slovakia.

In the heart of the town sits the historical Trinity Square highlighted by its beautiful monumental plague column. The square is often host to a variety of cultural events and is also home to a wonderful open air mining museum that lets you explore a two kilometer area inside a 17th century mine under the town. Banská Štiavnica is surrounded by ancient mining water reservoirs that were built through the 15th and 18th centuries for the towns booming mining industry and are currently used for recreational purposes. The town hall was originally a gothic style home, between 1507 and 1679 it was extended and renovated into a Renaissance style building. Its current Baroque exterior was created in 1787-88 by Štiavnica’s master mason.

Banská Štiavnica is also home to two castles that have been converted into museums, Stary Zamok (Old Castle) and Nový zámok (New Castle). Stary Zamok dates back to the early 13th century and has been home to a museum since 1900. It features exhibitions on architectural styles, archaeology, local industries and weapons of the time. Nový zámok is six story Renaissance style building with four bastions. It was originally used as a watch tower in the Turkish Wars thanks to the high location it sits on. The castle is home to an Anti-Turkish War exhibition on four floors graphically documenting the struggle against the Turks. The view from the highest floor of the castle is amazing and gives visitors a panoramic view of Banská Štiavnica and its surroundings. With so much history and culture to take in, you will definitely want to spend at least half a day on your visit to Banská Štiavnica.