Getting to Banska Stiavnica by train is not an easy one and requires numerous changes. The upside is that you are travelling through a very varied landscape with both mountain scenery and fields. The town of Banska Stiavnica is located on the slopes of what was once - some 20 million years ago – one of Europe’s biggest volcanos. And as we all know, volcano’s equals mineral deposits and there are evidence that mining took place here as early as the stone age. But in the early 12th century things started to get organised and it all later became the rich town of Banska Stiavnica where the first steps in industrial mining was once taken.

Dozens of tons of gold and silver has left the town gates of Banska Stiavnica and the riches were used to erect the town and fund wars. But it was also used to support science, education and culture. The town is filled with numerous beautiful buildings, two castles, churches and – the towns logotype – the Holy Trinity Column – erected in 1711 as a sign of gratitude for the end of the plague. And it was here the first European Mining Academy was founded in the 1760:ies. But in the midst of the 19th century the mines began to dry up and the town slowly went into decay. Today it’s slowly being refurbished and tourists are finding their way to this charming town in southern Slovakia. Don’t miss it if you are in the neighbourhood….