Slovakia Horehronie

Banska Bystrica is a city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Velka Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. The present town was founded by German settlers, however it was built upon a former Slavic settlement. The copper mining town acquired its present picturesque look in the Late Middle Ages when the prosperous burghers built its central churches, mansions, and fortifications. As a historical city with an easy access to the surrounding mountains, Banska Bystrica is a popular winter and summer tourist destination. Its many attractions include churches, museums, and remnants of a city castle.