Banská Bystrica — Slovakia’s pleasant surprise
After a rather odd experience in Prešov, along with a beautiful one at Spiš Castle, Slovakia surprised us yet again with Banská Bystrica, a city in the center of the country carefully guarded by the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica mountains. The city used to be famous for the copper-mining industry, but got its picturesque look somewhere in the late Middle Ages when rich burghers started building the churches and buildings that still live on today.
On a brisk Sunday morning, we met Jana, our tour guide through the city, and started walking through the main square and its surroundings. ‘Fusion’ was there as well — from Art Nouveau buildings to Gothic churches with Baroque details, it all made Banská Bystrica charming. Jana told us that the people living there have a saying: “While alive, in Banská Bystrica: after death, in heaven. They are very almost the same.” We were happy to see the locals taking such pride in their town, and it’s no wonder that they do: the town is truly beautiful.
One of the main attractions in the city center is the Holy Mary Church, a Roman-Catholic church originally built in the 13th century in the Roman style. The church was rebuilt over the next 3 centuries, ultimately getting a baroque appearance, while still keeping traces of its architectural origins, especially around the windows. Although the church can’t be visited on a regular basis, we were lucky to get there right at the end of Mass, so we were able to take a peek inside. What caught our eye was a side altar featuring a stone sculpture of St. Barbara created by Master Paul from Levoča in a very appealing Gothic style. What we learnt was that Master Paul had a trademark — he always included ear-like shapes in his sculptures, which we noticed in what we initially thought to be a crease in St. Barbara’s dress.
Close by, we got to see The Matthias House, a late-Gothic building that served as a residence for King Matthias Corvinus and his Queen Consort Beatrix. Although we couldn’t visit it on the inside, it felt a bit like home; in my hometown, King Matthias Corvinus had a permanent residence, Corvin Castle, which I promise to write about in a future article. Speaking of home, we were glad to find out that Romania played an important part in Banská Bystrica’s history, as the Romanian army, along with the Soviet one, liberated the city in 1945. We even spotted the Romanian emblem on a building. #feelingproud
We later visited the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising, which, I must admit, left quite an impression on me. The building was clearly Communist, and it was strategically positioned so as to observe the old, Bohemian part of the city as well as the Communist one, with apartment blocks standing tall on the horizon. I had no idea how much Slovakia had been involved in World War II, nor how deep the influence of the war ran in the people’s minds. Since the Slovaks sided with the Germans at first, the atrocities that happened later (granted, after Slovakia stopped cooperating) contributed to a feeling of general shame with regard to their complicity.
The museum exhibited a lot of weapons from the war, including military apparel and objects belonging to those who were part of it. Seeing them and imagining them actually being used gave me the chills — the bad kind of chills. What’s more, we understood that there remains a division in opinions regarding World War II, as there are still believers who claim that Slovakia should have continued siding with the Germans, while others strongly express their Soviet support. It’s been more than 60 years since the war, so it’s painful to see how much its influence still lingers on.
After walking more through the city center, we discovered that Banská Bystrica had very friendly inhabitants — we were greeted warmly in an art gallery and were even given permission to photograph the first floor of it — a Gothic building situated in the heart of the city. And though the very nice ladies from the gallery did not speak English, we managed to communicate thanks to Jana, and we even got ourselves big hugs on the way out.
All in all, I must admit that the day spent in Banská Bystrica was one of my favorite Slovak experiences. The bohemian and bourgeois feel to the city makes me safely say that, for me, it was love at first sight — and I haven’t even talked about the very cosy cafés and the exhibition of lights in the city center that made our evening shine (literally). It’s definitely a place worth visiting for more than a day. I’ve already put it on my list, and you should too!
Photo credit: Flavius Neamciuc
This story was originally published on www.easternchronicles.com.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, please consider recommending/sharing it.
Our latest articles: Ilok — the easternmost city of Croatia, 1,300 years of Bulgaria: A Controversial Monument in Sofia, The Bells — a communist token of freedom.
Follow Eastern Chronicles on Medium, Facebook, and Instagram.
