Banska Stiavnica

Site visited in May 2023, shortly after the fire that destroyed part of historic houses in the strict center of Banska Stiavnica. 

That was my second visit to Banska Stavnica (first was in 1993), so after 30 years I had a chance to see the results of devastating fire and overall changes of city look-out from the early nineties. I hardly recognized the city. In 1993 it was neglected with hardly no open restaurants, lots of buildings were scratched, some city palaces were just transferred to hotels / hostels and overall impression was somehow disappointing. Currently it is completely the opposite. Historic center is full of cafes, art galleries, boutique hotels. The majority of houses (with exception of few) are restored and well maintained. I also realized that world heritage status is accorded to quite substantial territory – not only historical Old Town of Banska Stiavnica but also surrounding villages (Svätý Anton, Banská Belá, Hodruša-Hámre, Vyhne). If you see the official map of inscribed property it is really a huge area.

As focus my visit on the places previously not visited or changed substantially I started from Calvary Hill. Not long ago this unique site due to decaying conditions was placed on list of the 100 most endangered monuments in the world (World Monuments Fund). From 2007 thanks to local efforts and international support process of comprehensive restoration was started and currently you can see the results. All chapels, churches are beautifully restored, everything is well prepared for …

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. …

I visit the site almost 20 years ago. In those times, I started with my independent exploration of the outside world as I was 20-something years old. Slovakia was the first target because of its slightly exotic spirit and pristine landscape as compared to homeland Czechia. So, I traveled with a friend to hike and to overnight outside in the nature of Štiavnické Vrchy protected natural landscape area - actually its area overlaps with the buffer zone of the WHS. The mountains are of volcanic origin with the highest peak Sitno (1009 m), and the old mining town Banská Štiavnica is sitting in the middle. Because all the highways and main railway routes go outside the protected landscape, it keeps the area relatively unspoilt.

So, we travelled by train to Žiar nad Hronom, and walked in direction the protected landscape from the railway station and spent around one week by walking in this hilly landscape remodelled by human impact for centuries. The aim was to spend time in the "nature" and not so much in the UNESCO protected town. But I had slightly "distorted image" what was the WHS, and I thought that only the town and few ponds around were parts of this WHS. However, I checked the nomination text very recently and quite large area of 10 x 20 km large rectangle with the town in the middle was actually inscribed. It means that I spent in the WHS much longer time than I though! In the …

What I like most about the World Heritage List is that it draws my attention to places I would otherwise never add to my itinerary, and Banska Stiavnica is one of these sites. The main sight and the most enjoyable part of our visit was the town itself, beautifully located in a narrow valley. The town centre has a lot to offer: pretty burgher houses, the Holy Trinity Square with an impressive Plague Column, the Knocking tower (now a cosy tearoom), and several churches. The views are dominated by the two castles. The Old Castle was originally a Romanesque basilica, it was extended in the 16th century to a fortress for the defense against the Turkish raids. The striking New Castle on the opposite hill can be seen from almost anywhere in the town, a real eye-catcher. The photo shows the tip of the Plague Column and the New Castle in the background. You get the best views to the old town and the two castles when you walk along the Vodarenska street north of the town centre, the walk ends at the Vodarenska jezero, the oldest of the artificial water reservoirs around Banska Stiavnica.

We also went to the Calvary, the Baroque chapels are arranged symmetrically on the steep slope of a dormant volcano. It is not far from the town centre, but we followed the advice by Els and go by car - a good decision. There were construction works going on, the lower church was already finished, …

We visited this site on 10th June 2014 (day 5 in our holiday). As a day trip from Bratislava were we where for holiday. It's like a 1.5h hour drive (with some speeding).

Day 5 – Banska Stiavnica

Today it’s time to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site: Banska Stiavnica. This this a site, like the one above on day 3, which you need the full day to visit. It consists of multiple places starting with the old town, the calvary complex, castles, towers, lakes and the mining sites. We drove from Bratislava about 9 AM arrived there around 11 AM at the Holy Trinity Square and parked the car there. We did breakfast/lunch at a local restaurant. At the end of the day we noticed we should have driven an hour orso earlier as we had to hurry everything and we could not see Castle in Sv. Anton (not part of this UNESCO site but very nice!).

We started to check out downtown (in gallery everything is chronologically). Holy Trinity Square which was erected in the 14th to 16th century and has the Holy Trinity Column in the middle and is surrounded by houses of the rich in those times including the mining court. Down the square we walked to the St. Catherine’s Church which is a late gothic church from the end of the 15th Century. For some reason it was locked. From there it’s a short walk to the botanical garden, and the oldest church of the …

The buildings along Kammerhofska Street have been restored sympathetically to the originals, as has the New Castle. But the Old Castle overlooking the town remains unashamedly unrestored.

Transport remains scarce, with only occasional trains from Hronska Dubrava. There are also buses from Banska Bystrica and Zvolen.

This historic mining town deep in the mountains of Central Slovakia is an interesting site, but since I didn't have much time, I had to content myself with a quick walk around the main square with the Trinity Column and up to the castle. There is a short mining shaft next to the tourist office that gives you a nice impression of the history's mining area.

The tension rises during the 18km approach from the highway to this town. Tiny villages and derelict mining sites (with the appropriate desolate apartment blocks) alternate. Déjà vu: Alaverdi, Armenia (close to the Haghpat WHS). You just wonder what is behind the next corner and what Banska Stiavnica is like. Well: the first view of its valley really makes you want to slam the brakes of the car. Elegant, colourful, and many many church spires dominate the vista. Walking its steep and cobbly streets another déjà vu hits in Ouro Preto. Banska Stiavnica is smaller and less exuberant baroque but has its Old World charm. And a number of remarkable sights: its shiny plague column of course, but also the pretty New Castle and the Knocking tower which woke the miners every morning.

In the late afternoon, I decided to check out the Calvary, which lumbers so attractively on a hill just outside town. I go by car, which proves a good choice when I notice the red faces of the hikers that I pass by. You’d better save your breath for the Calvary walk itself. There’s no sign, but when you see the Calvary at its best from the main road, there’s a turn to the left into a small paved road. At the entrance of the Cavalry there is parking space for a couple of cars. The climb along the various chapels to the church at the top takes about half an hour. There are great (Sound …

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 …

I spent two days and one night in Banska Stiavnice last summer. It was an amazingly friendly and beautiful town. Both the old and new castles are a treat to see, and the old castle hosts a medieval show for families on some evenings. People here were very approachable and interested in talking to tourists.

I am 22 and was with some others my age, and we found some nice local nightlife. There is a street with 3 small, crowded discos and an excellent tea house overlooking the town with hookahs (water pipes) and cozy rooms to sit on pillows on the floor with your friends.

The hotel we stayed at was named The Chameleon, and it was extremely nice with great breakfast, a leather living room set and TV in most rooms, and heart-shaped gingerbread cookies on our pillows.

Definately a worthwhile stop in Slovakia.

-Christina