The unique set of monuments in town Banská Štiavnica (inscribed in the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage) consists of valuable technical monuments associated with the mining past of the town.
Great number of precious technical monuments which demonstrate the level of progress reached here in the sphere of mining exist in the famous town of Banská Štiavnica. The town itself is situated amid a wonderful natural setting of the mountains Štiavnické vrchy.
The set of technical structures associated with extraction and processing of polymetalic ores consists of mines, pits, extraction towers, ingenious system of canals and artificial water reservoirs. Its indivisible parts are the buildings of the first Mining and Forest Academy in Europe. There are 33 pits and mines, 5 stopes and 8 other technical structures in Banská Štiavnica.
The pit Bieber is very popular. It bears the name of the well-to-do family of Štiavnica from the 15th century. It is 5,670 metres long. The pit Ondrej is open to public as part of the open-air Mining Museum of Štiavnica. It is 433 m deep. Along with pit Bartolomej, it is schemed to demonstrate the historical mining techniques.
The historical building of klopačka - the structure used for calling miners to work is from the 17th century.
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The dominant monument of the town centre of Banská Štiavnica that has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List is Starý zámok (Old Chateau) standing on the terrace west of the Trojičné námestie square.
On the hill above Banská Štiavnica, Nový zámok (New Chateau) stands since 1571 bearing the name of the hill Frauenberg or Dievčenský or Panenský hrad in Slovak (Maiden Castle or Virgin Castle).
In the heart of the mountains Štiavnicke vrchy in central Slovakian village Svätý Anton (known as Antol before 1996) stands a monumental Baroque-Classicist manor house with a wonderful English park.
Sitno, the tallest mountain of the Štiavnické vrchy Mts., (1,009 m), dominates the south-western horizon of Banská Štiavnica and offers a fabulous view. Three faces of the mountain are steep, almost inaccessible, and on the fourth side the Castle of Sitno, or better said its ruins, stand. It was built in the 13th century on the site of a primeval fortified castle. It is in ruins since the 18th century.
The ruins of the medieval Šášov Castle stand above the river Hron not far away from Žiar nad Hronom in central Slovakia. According to a legend, the lord of the Zvolen Castle had it built for his court joker who saved his life while hunting.
The ruins of the Castle Revište near Hliník nad Hronom in central Slovakia are set amidst a romantic environment. They stand on top of steep rock about 100 m above the floodplain of the river Hron. There is a wonderful meadow below the castle used by canoeist as a camping site.
The detached exposition of Tekovské museum in Levice – a mill settlement of former miller Pavol Turčan – lies at the Sikenica stream, appoximately 1 km from the upper (north) end of the Bohunice village.
The Pustý hrad Castle (also known as the Old Castle of Zvolen) is situated near Zvolen on the slope of a forested mountain in the Javorie mountain range, above the confluence of the Hron and Slatina rivers, in central Slovakia. It is surprisingly large, comparable with the more famous Spiš Castle.
The Zvolen Castle, which is located on the bank of the Slatina River, is the most distinctive feature and symbol of the Central Slovakian town of Zvolen. An armoured train that reminds the Slovak National Uprising is placed nearby the castle.
The fort Bzovík in the south of central Slovakia next to more northerly situated village of Bzovík is another mute witness of local history.
