Banska Bystrica
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Banská Bystrica (German: Neusohl, Hungarian: Besztercebánya) is a town in central Slovakia, in the Hron river valley, surrounded by the mountains Nízke Tatry, Veľká Fatra, and Kremnické vrchy. It is the capital of a kraj (Banská Bystrica Region) and an okres (Banská Bystrica District). In 2004, the city had population of 83,056.
A medieval mining town with access to mountains, Banská Bystrica is a popular winter and summer resort, especially for vacationers from the Slovak capital Bratislava. It has bus and train connections to the rest of the country, as well as to Vienna and Prague; there are also flights to the latter city from Sliač Airport. Banská Bystrica is the home of the University of Matej Bel (Univerzita Mateja Bela).
History
The early history of Banská Bystrica is connected with the exploitation of abundant deposits of copper (and to a lesser extent of silver, gold, and iron). The tools used by prehistoric miners in a locality called Špania Dolina are dated as early as 2000-1700 BC.In 1255, King Béla IV of Hungary granted Banská Bystrica extensive municipal privileges in order to attract skilled settlers from the Holy Roman Empire. The town, called Neusohl by these Carpathian Germans, flourished as a regional mining center. In the second half of the 13th century, a remarkable Romanesque church was built in the town. In 1494, the company Ungarischer Handel ("Hungarian Trade" in German), was founded by the affluent Fugger and Thurzo families. Depending mainly on the mines around Banská Bystrica, the company became the leading world producer of copper by the 16th century.
The Ottoman Empire's northern advance led the magistrate to fortify the town with modern stone walls in 1589. Banská Bystrica was one of the foremost centers of the Protestant Reformation in Slovakia and the town had to fight for its rights against the ruling dynasty of Catholic Austrian Habsburgs, as well as against the Ottoman Turks and powerful Hungarian magnates. In 1620 Prince Gabriel Bethlen of Transylvania, a Protestant, was elected King of Hungary at the Diet in Banská Bystrica.
As the copper deposits were almost depleted, the development in the subsequent centuries was based on new industries (timber, paper, textiles). Banská Bystrica also became the seat of a Catholic bishopric and several institutions of higher educations. During World War II, the town was the center of anti-Nazi opposition in Slovakia. The Slovak National Uprising, one of the largest movements of anti-Nazi resistance in Europe, was launched from Banská Bystrica on August 29, 1944. Banská Bystrica was an administrative, economic, and cultural center for central Slovakia throughout the 20th century. Because of the unprecedented development of the University of Matej Bel in the 1990s, it has gained the character of a university town.
Places of interest
Banská Bystrica has a large network of hiking paths all around the town. In wintertime, it attracts fans of cross-country skiing and downhill skiing, as there are a number of ski resorts close to the city, including the Donovaly resort famous for dogsled racing.
Most historical monuments are concentrated near the picturesque main square (Námestie SNP), which in summertime is covered by flowers and street cafes. The square is dominated by a leaning clock tower built in 1552, an ancient plague column, an interesting fountain, and a black obelisk raised to the honor of the Soviet soldiers killed during the liberation of the city in 1945. Most buildings on the square and the surrounding streets are well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque burgher houses.
The oldest part of Banská Bystrica is the castle complex within walking distance of the main square. The Church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary, built in the Romanesque and Gothic styles, contains precious Gothic altars and sculptures. The Church of the Holy Cross was built in 1452 by Slovaks as a challenge of some sort to the "German" Church of the Virgin Mary. The King Matthias House (1479) is a five-story late-Gothic palace with a Gothic portal and stone console balcony. The old Renaissance town hall, dated from 1500, has been transformed into a gallery.
From the fortifications, a barbican protecting the main gate, three bastions and a part of the historical walls have been preserved. Banská Bystrica also has a museum located at the Memorial of the Slovak National Uprising, which offers a large military collection, including an open-air exhibition of tanks, artillery, airplanes, and armoured trains from World War II.
Famous people
- Peter Budaj, ice hockey player
- Ján Cikker, composer
- Michal Handzuš, ice hockey player
- Ivan Majeský, ice hockey player
- Vladimir Orszagh, ice hockey player
- Tomáš Surový, ice hockey player
- Peter Tomka, diplomat
- Richard Zedník, ice hockey player
See also
External links
- [Official municipal website] ()
- [Banska Bystrica information]
- [Information about the city]
- [Satellite view of Banská Bystrica]
| [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit ] | Municipalities of Banská Bystrica District |
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Banská Bystrica Badín | Baláže | Brusno | Čerín | Dolná Mičiná | Dolný Harmanec | Donovaly | Dúbravica | Harmanec | Hiadeľ | Horná Mičiná | Horné Pršany | Hrochoť | Hronsek | Kordíky | Králiky | Kynceľová | Lučatín | Ľubietová | Malachov | Medzibrod | Moštenica | Motyčky | Môlča | Nemce | Oravce | Podkonice | Pohronský Bukovec | Poniky | Povrazník | Priechod | Riečka | Sebedín-Bečov | Selce | Slovenská Ľupča | Staré Hory | Strelníky | Špania Dolina | Tajov | Turecká | Vlkanová | ||
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