I visited this WHS in 2022 and it probably is Slovakia's best WHS town thanks the wealth generated by mining on a large scale since the 12th century, especially through silver mining in the 15th century. Incredibly enough, Banska Stiavnica is located in an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. The influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is evident as it looks pretty much like an Austrian city such as Salzburg or Graz, in a mining environment similar to that of the towns near the Ore Mountains in Germany or Czechia.

The main monuments scattered around the town's historic centre are the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Protestant Church, St. Catherine's Church, the Town Hall, the Old and New Castles, the Knocking Tower, the Forestry Academy, the Piarg Gateand the Plague column in Holy Trinity Square. Another building worth mentioning is known as Fritz's House with its Neo-Renaissance facade with sgraffito details on its facade. Just opposite St. Catherine's Church one can find the UNESCO WHS plaque. Walking around town is quite a fitness exercise as it involves a lot of uphill walking, although there are some shortcuts through flights of stairs. There are several associated mining sites one can visit such as the Bieber drainage gallery, the Mayer shaft, the Silver-lead mining plants, the water basins or "teichs" above town, or the buildings of the former Mining Academy where one can experience the harsh mining environment and working conditions for free. The Medieval coat of arms with two lizards is due to a local legend whereby on a sunny day a local shepherd reached a place high above the valley where he noticed two lizards with their backs covered in shining gold and silver dust. The lizards disappeared into a crack below a large boulder. When the shepherd rolled the boulder aside, he found a gleaming lump of gold.

Another highlight of Banska Stiavnica is its Baroque Calvary complex. The lower church is used in part as a visitors' centre, presenting an exhibition of the history of the Calvary's renovation. The illusory wall paintings and sculptures decorate the lower church's, the upper church's and the chapels' interiors and especially the chapels reminded me a lot of the Sacri Monti in Italy or Kalwaria Zebrydowska in Poland. The most beautiful frescoes are those of the dome of the Holy Stairs with a motif of a concert celebrating the angels of God and those of the dome of the upper church with a motif of the Resurrection of Christ.