Banská Bystrica, Slovakia

Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banska-Bystrica-centre-5.jpg
Author: Vassia Atanassova


Banská Bystrica is a city in the central part of Slovakia. It covers 103.37 sq km (39.91 sq mi) and has a population of 80,000 people (2011 estimate). It is the 6th most populous municipality in Slovakia. The city is located in the long, wide valley carved by the Hron River. Surrounding it are several the mountain ranges including the Low Tatras, the Vel'ká Fatra and the Kremnica Mountains.

Church of the Assumption, Banska Bystrica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P1020590.JPG
Author: Xpucmo


Banská Bystrica is 362 m (1,188 ft) above sea level. It is about mid way between Bratislava and Košice. The city experiences the continental climate. Summers here are hot while winters snowy. Hottest months are July and August, when the average high temperature reaches 26°C (79°F). Coldest months are January and February, when the average low temperature drops to -6°C (20°F). July is the wettest month in Banská Bystrica, receiving 6.02 cm (2.37 in) of rainfall.

The area surrounding Banská Bystrica is rich in minerals, particularly silver, which has been mined here since prehistoric times. The area has inhabited by the Puchov culture, a Celtic tribe, in the 3rd century BC. They were replaed by the Quadi, a Germanic tribe, during the Roman Era. The Slavic tribe took over the area in the 9th century.

Banská Bystrica was established on the site of the Slavic settlement. It was a mining town, as were the previous settlements. By the 15th century, the mining industry has reached an advanced stage. The main mining company in Banská Bystrica was Ungarischer Handel, which employed the most sophisticated mining technologies at that time, and even provided medical care for its one thousand workers.

Church of St Francis Xavier, Banska Bystrica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:N%C3%A1m.SNP_R.k.-kostol_sv.Franti%C5%A1kaXaversk%C3%A9ho.jpg
Author: Miroslav Zlevsky


By the 18th century, the copper deposits of Banská Bystrica had been exhausted, and the city turned to other industries including timber, paper and textile. The city was a hotbed for anti-Nazi resistance during the Second World War. The insurgents were brought down by the Nazis, which occupied Banská Bystrica for a brief period until liberation by Soviet and Romanian troops.

Today Banská Bystrica is a major city for central Slovakia. It is a university town since the 1950s, and a regional cultural hub. The old town is well preserved with many historic buildings concentrated around the market square.

Visiting Banská Bystrica

The most convenient way to reach Banská Bystrica is to go by train or bus from any other major Slovak city. There are also direct train services from Vienna and Budapest as neighboring Poland the the Czech Republic.

Places of Interest in Banská Bystrica

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