Okres Banská Štiavnica combines urban history and mining. In 1762, Europe's first mining and forestry academy was founded in Banská Štiavnica. The preserved town centre was shaped in the 16th century and includes magnificent late Gothic and Renaissance burghers' houses, the town hall and the late Gothic Church of St Catherine.
The desire to rent a holiday apartment in Okres Banská Štiavnica may be part of your personal travel planning.
Culture and history
Salamandrové dni has been held every year since 1993 during the second week of September. It includes a historical Salamander procession, music, a traditional fair, exhibitions and activities for children and families.
The Banskoštiavnická Calvary is an extensive Baroque complex on a hillside above the town, with three churches, nineteen chapels and a cross with a sculptural group depicting the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The visitor route begins in the lower part of the grounds, passes the chapels to the Upper Church and then descends again on the other side of the hill.
The Banské múzeum v prÃrode offers guided tours through original mining areas and documents the development of ore mining in Central Europe from the Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century. Its surface exhibition combines technical mining monuments with a geological exhibition comprising 70 stops.
The Kammerhof was built in stages from the 12th century onwards and was the seat of the chief chamber count's office in the 16th century. It houses the information centre of the Slovak Mining Museum, with minerals, souvenirs, representative publications and information materials; it also presents the history of mining, technology and the everyday life of miners.
The Old Castle of Banská Štiavnica serves as a museum and includes exhibitions on pipes and shooting targets, among other topics. The New Castle is also used as a museum, houses an exhibition on the battles against the Ottomans and offers a beautiful view of the town.
A drainage tunnel from the 14th century runs beneath the centre of Banská Štiavnica and can also be entered by families with children over the age of six.
Landscape and nature
The World Heritage site encompasses the surrounding landscape, with remnants of gold and silver mining within the Štiavnické vrchy Protected Landscape Area. The Banskoštiavnický Geopark is located in Okres Banská Štiavnica and covers an area of 374 km². It contains a total of 156 sites; the Štiavnické vrchy Protected Landscape Area also extends into the geopark.
At 1,009 metres, Sitno is the best-known and highest mountain in the Štiavnické vrchy.
Geographical location
Banská Štiavnica can be reached from the R1 expressway and the main railway lines in approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
More local pages: Banska Bela, Banska Stiavnica, Å tiavnické Bane, Dekýš, Svätý Anton, Banský Studenec, Ilija, KozelnÃk, Vysoká, Podhorie.
