Banská Štiavnica

Banská Štiavnica (German: Schemnitz, Hungarian: Selmecbánya), located in Central Slovakia, is a unique town in the country with its completely preserved medieval town center and an unrepeatable atmosphere. There are 201 cultural heritage monuments and sites on the territory of the town.

The old medieval mining centre grew into a town with Renaissance palaces, 16th-century churches, elegant squares and castles.

Banska Stiavnica Castle

The historical center of the town and technical sites in its surroundings containing important relics of the mining and metallurgical activities of the past, were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. Over the centuries the history of Banská Štiavnica was closely connected with mining activity.

From the 13^th to the 18^th century Banská Štiavnica’s ore region was in some periods the most productive out of all mining regions in Europe with regard to extraction of silver and among the most significant producers of gold.

Its two renaissance fortresses, the Old Castle and the New Castle were transformed into museums.

Banska Stiavnica churches

It’s also worth mentioning the late gothic St Catherine church, the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Town Hall, the Knocking Tower, the former Mining Academy and the Kammerhof – the former seat of the mining chamber.

Banska Stiavnica Old Town

More photos: Banská Štiavnica Photo Gallery