Banská Štiavnica - tourist attractions

Forest Arboretum Kysihýbel near Banská Štiavnica was founded in the early twentieth century, on account of research on introduction and cultivation of exotic forest trees. Arboretum area is divided into four parts. It is located at an altitude of 530-563 meters, and its total area is 7.78 hectares. A t the beginning 282 trees of temperate zones of the northern hemisphere were planted in the arboretum. Currently, there are around 260 species of trees. The area of arboretum includes the International phenological garden with the other 30 species of trees. Arboretum meet the educational...

The Bank of Love is currently temporarily closed due to a fire.

Mining Museum is located west of the town of Banská Štiavnica, about 1 km in the direction of Levice. It is situated in a picturesque valley below the former mining lake Klinger on the outskirts of the town. As the oldest and most comprehensive thematic exhibition of mining in Slovakia shows the development of ore mining in Central Europe from Middle Ages to the late 20th century. The most precious exhibit in underground exposure is Gápel on horse power (engine from the mine elevator), which is the only preserved machine of that type in Slovakia. With its significance, the Kachelman water-bar...

Belházy House – an elegant Renaissance-Baroque gem on the corner of Andrej Sládkovič Street. Originally built in 1616 by Sigmund Eggenstein and later rebuilt by Mayor Ján Belházy, the house fascinated with its oriel window, loggia, and Baroque arcade corridor attached to the original structure. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it served as the heart of mining education – housing the department of chemistry and physics of the Mining Academy, including laboratories that influenced methods of teaching chemistry at universities worldwide. Today, it ranks among the most beautiful and significant...

The Evangelical Church in Banská Štiavnica is one of the city’s most remarkable sacred monuments. Built between 1794 and 1796 in the Classicist style, it was designed by the renowned architect Jozef Taller. Its most striking feature is the circular rotunda layout complemented by a two-tower façade that gives the church a majestic appearance. The interior is spacious and centrally arranged, dominated by the main altar with its pulpit. Today, the Evangelical Church serves not only as a place of worship but also as a vibrant cultural venue, hosting concerts and important social events. A visit...

Gallery of mirror illusions - Infinitórium consists of various mirror, optical and light illusions. The gallery is located in the original premises of the Renaissance palace of Count Lienpacher on Náměstí sv. Trojice right in the center of Banská Štiavnica. Here you will see interesting exhibits that may convince you that reality can sometimes be different than it seems at first glance.

Calvaries were built throughout Europe in the Middle Ages to commemorate the sufferings of Jesus. The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica was built by the Jesuits on the eastern side of the town, on the slope of Scharfenberg – Calvary Hill, facing the town. It consists of three churches and many small chapels. The upper church was called the German church, the middle one the Hungarian, and the lower one the Slovak, as masses during pilgrimages were celebrated in these languages. The Calvary of Banská Štiavnica is renowned not only for its picturesque location but also because, instead of the...

The Klopačka in Banská Štiavnica is a distinctive two- to four-storey tower-like building in Renaissance-Baroque style, built in 1681. Despite its simplicity, it belongs among the most remarkable mining monuments in Slovakia. At the top of the tower, there was a device – a wooden board used for knocking to summon miners to work. The knocking signaled shifts underground, festivities, or fires, and became an acoustic symbol of miners’ life. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the ground floor served as a prison for convicted miners and also housed the Brotherhood Treasury – a charitable...

Built in the first half of the 13th century, this Romantic-era monument originally served as a three-nave Dominican basilica dedicated to St. Nicholas – today it is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Behind its Classicist façade lies one of the best-preserved Romanesque sacred buildings in Slovakia. Although the church suffered two fires (the last in 1806), the subsequent Classicist reconstruction significantly shaped its current appearance – including the characteristic central tower with two lower turrets and the elegant façade lines. The interior combines antiquity with...

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria – a pearl of Late Gothic architecture, vaulted with a delicate star-shaped net vault that seamlessly extends from the nave to the presbytery – a unique type of building in Slovakia. Built between 1488 and 1491, it was consecrated on November 16, 1500, by Bishop Gregory. It lies directly between the Holy Trinity Square and the Town Hall Square and is referred to as the “Slovak” church, since sermons have been preached here in Slovak since 1658. Beneath the church is a crypt where mayors and prominent townsmen were buried. The interior preserves...