The Old Castle
A green tower over town.
Cafcoo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jozef Kotulič — CC0 · Jan Starec — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Yulya Moroz — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jan Starec — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cafcoo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Patrik Kunec — CC BY-SA 4.0
Banská Štiavnica is a historic mining town in central Slovakia, set inside an immense caldera left by the collapse of an ancient volcano. UNESCO listed the town and its surroundings as World Heritage in 1993. It has fewer than 10,000 people, with houses and churches stepping down green slopes. Its story is tied to silver. Celts founded the first mining settlement here in the third century BC, and it was called the land of miners as early as 1156. In 1627 gunpowder was used in one of its mines, among the first times in the world. Samuel Mikovíny founded the first mining school in the Kingdom of Hungary here in 1735, which became an academy in 1763. By 1782 it was the kingdom's third biggest town. From above you see grey and green roofs, the green tower of the Old Castle over town and a steep stone street with iron balconies. On the facing hill is the Calvary, a Baroque complex with a red twin-towered church, finest seen from afar. Around town lie the tajchy, 60 artificial reservoirs built to power the mines, linked by more than 100 km of channels. The town is 36.6 km in a straight line south-west of Banská Bystrica. Streets are very steep and cobbled, so wear comfortable shoes. The open-air mining museum has a 1.5 km underground tour with helmet, cloak and lamp, so ask about a guide in advance. The churches are places of worship, so dress modestly. The lakes fill with holidaymakers in summer.
A green tower over town.
A red church among the hills.
The old mine reservoirs.
Central Banská Štiavnica, central Slovakia
Yes, the open-air museum has an underground tour with helmet and lamp.
One day covers the town, and allow more for the lakes in summer.