UNESCO Heritage
Banská Štiavnica, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is one of Slovakia’s jewels – a place where a rich history meets remarkable architecture and technical monuments.
The town is known for its historic buildings, such as the Old Castle, originally a Romanesque church rebuilt as a fortress, and the New Castle, a renaissance Watchtower, both of which dominate the town’s skyline. St Catherine’s Church, also known as ‘the Slovak Church’, is another important monument that reflects the spiritual life of the townspeople.
A unique feature of the region is the tajchy – man-made water reservoirs built in the 18th century to supply water to the mines. There were originally 60 of them; 24 survive today and are used for recreation, making them popular places for swimming and relaxing. The Calvary, a Baroque gem built on Scharffenberg Hill, is another of the town’s landmarks. This complex of 23 separate buildings offers visitors not only a spiritual experience but also wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. A stroll through the town’s narrow lanes reveals a wealth of burgher houses, churches and other historic buildings that together create a truly unique atmosphere. Every corner of Banská Štiavnica tells its own story, just waiting to be discovered.
Cold-water swimmers seek out the Štiavnica tajchs (historic mining reservoirs) all year round. Three local groups in particular come here regularly. The first is the home-grown […]
The largest and best-known tajch (a historic mining reservoir) is tajch Počúvadlo. The water here gets deeper gradually, so it suits children and older swimmers. You […]
The largest and most visited tajch (a historic mining reservoir) in the area lies beneath Sitno (1,009 m above sea level), the highest peak in the […]
This tajch (a historic mining reservoir) in Štiavnické Bane is still one of the largest in the area. Its dam was built in 1710 on the […]
This tajch (a historic mining reservoir) is a traditional and much-loved swimming spot for locals, and a lovely 30-minute walk from town. The authorities once set […]
Veľký Kolpašský tajch, called ‘Kolpachy’ by the locals, is an ideal tajch (a historic mining reservoir) for swimming with children. Its banks slope more gently than […]
Many locals say that Beliansky tajch is one of the warmest of all the tajchs (historic mining reservoirs). It lies just below the hill of the […]
This tajch (a historic mining reservoir) lies in the village of Štiavnické Bane and is a little hidden away from the tourist crowds. Snack bars serving […]
In summer this tajch (a historic mining reservoir) is used for swimming and aquazorbing, and in winter for ice skating and cold-water swimming. Fishing and letting […]