Trip tip: magical Banská Štiavnica

Once upon a time, in the hills of the Štiavnica Mountains in central Slovakia, there was a magical city hidden, which was created thanks to the eruption of a volcano, which predetermined its further fate. After erosion, rare ores of precious metals, among which silver prevailed, came to the surface, which is why Banská Štiavnica was also called the "silver city". Accept our invitation and spend a few days with Žurnál Alain Delon in a city that still has a lot to offer today.

A bit of history

In the 18th century, Banská Štiavnica became the largest center of precious metal mining in the Habsburg Monarchy. Mining education and science also began to be concentrated here, and in 1735 the oldest Hungarian mining school was founded here, which later became the Mining Academy, the first university of its kind in the world. Thanks to the talented inventors who have long concentrated here, today the locals and visitors of Banská Štiavnica can cool off in the surrounding artificially built tajchas in the summer. However, their water was originally used to power mining in the mines. In the mid-19th century, mining and the price of precious metals were declining. The city's image was maintained by the famous Academy, but after the formation of Czechoslovakia it was moved to Hungary and Štiavnica stagnated. In the 1970s, the communist government began the reconstruction of dilapidated buildings and the city "rose from the ashes". Today, Banská Štiavnica is one of the most beautiful and historically interesting cities in Slovakia. Since 1993, it has been included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List with its surroundings and is visited by more and more tourists. The current reigning Capital of Culture 2019 will bring dozens of events this year called "Almázia", ​​which in the Štiavnica dialect means "good, but little". If you do not postpone your visit to the city, you can look forward to street theater, contemporary literature, art workshops and various artistic performances.

Check in

Taste good food

Locals praise the 4 Sochy restaurant, where chefs cook different dishes every day from seasonal ingredients. The kitchen is interactive and you can watch your meal being prepared through glass. You can also eat well at the Kachelmann Guesthouse , where you can choose from Slovak and international cuisine. The guesthouse also has a pizzeria, which offers various pasta dishes, salads, and other specialties in addition to pizza. The restaurant at Penzión na Kopcí is also extremely popular, as it offers great food and a beautiful view of the historic city center. A real gastronomic treat (and not only) for beer lovers is the Erb Brewery , which continues the tradition of small breweries in Banská Štiavnica (in the Middle Ages there were 9 of them). In a historic building from the 16th century in the city center, there is complete beer production technology, an excellent restaurant and a room for a closed company with the possibility of beer being tapped directly by customers. An interesting bonus is the theater located in the attic, where various cultural events are held.

Come for coffee (or tea)

Do you like tea? In that case, we recommend the Klopačka Teahouse, located in the building of a former miner's knocker from 1651. Its tower once housed a knocker device that was used to summon miners to work, but they also knocked on festive occasions and in case of imminent danger. Today, you can enjoy more than 150 types of quality teas and tea specialties or Arabic coffee in its premises.

What not to miss

Above the squares rises the Old Castle , whose oldest building is the former parish church built in the 13th century. Later, a defensive wall, a bastion and an entrance gate with a tower were built around the church. Today, the castle serves as a museum. Opposite the Old Castle, on the hill is the New Castle , which served as a fortress and signal tower for the central Slovak mining towns during the Turkish threat. Currently, you will find an exhibition here about the battles against the "Turk" with weapons displays and a view of the wide surroundings.

Kammerhof , translated as the Chamberlain's Court, is the seat of an exhibition that maps the history of mining in the Štiavnica Mountains, but also in Slovakia. In addition, it is possible to visit the Mining Museum in the open air , whose biggest attraction is a trip to the Bartolomej adit. Wearing a miner's coat, with a helmet and a lantern, you will experience firsthand the conditions in which miners once mined here. The last "functional" mine here was closed in 2001. The aforementioned building of the Mining Academy (later the Mining and Forestry Academy), whose premises are now also used by the Samuel Mikovíni Secondary Industrial School, is surrounded by a unique Botanical Garden open to the public. Among the most interesting plants there are redwoods and cedars.