Welcome to the Banska Bystrica region

Banská Bystrica region is located directly in the heart of Slovakia and it comprises 13 districts. Its territory covers an area of 9,455 sq. km and its population is 655,762. The centre of the region is the city of Banská Bystrica with a population of almost 90,000.
The area is connected to the international roads and railway network.The existence of thermal healing springs offers significant opportunities for the development of tourism. Nervous, kinetic, and digestive disorders and cardiovascular diseases are treated in the Sklené Teplice, Dudince, Sliač, Kováčová and Brusno spas. Natural and climatic conditions also create excellent chance for exploitation of the tourism, agro-tourism, winter, water sports and hunting resources.
In the last two decades foreign visitors are attracted by renovated urban monumental reservations in Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica and Kremnica. The Banská Štiavnica city, together with its surrounding was inscribed on the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of UNESCO.
To other interesting places belong castles in Zvolen, Vigľaš and Slovenská Ľupča; fortification in Bzovík; wooden church in Hronsek; St. John´s church in Krahule, where the geographical centre of Europe is located; folk architecture of the former mining settlement Špania Dolina; attractive Čiernohorská narrow - gauge railway in Čierny Balog.
The deposits of ore raw materials, like gold, silver, copper, and zinc are historically known to be found around Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica and Kremnica.
The non-metallic raw materials play important role in the regional economy. There are several quarries of building stones in the region such as limestone, dolomite limestone, ceramic clay, brick earth, gravel and gravel sand, basalt and pearlite. Very important are also resources of wood substance.
Thanks to exceptional natural features of the region, there are numbers of state natural reservations in which numerous protected natural creations and localities could be found. Geographically, the region includes National Park Low Tatras, protected scenic area Veľká Fatra, Poľana and Štiavnické Vrchy.
The system of 338 elementary schools, 25 grammar schools and 61 secondary vocational schools provides the base for formal education in the region. There are also three universities. The Academy of Arts in Banska Bystrica, the Technical University in Zvolen and the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica.

Welcome to the Banska Bystrica region Banská Bystrica region is located directly in the heart of Slovakia and it comprises 13 districts. Its territory covers an area of 9,455 sq. km and its population is 655,762. The centre of the region is the city of Banská Bystrica with a population of almost 90,000. The area is connected to the international roads and railway network.The existence of thermal healing springs offers significant opportunities for the development of tourism. Nervous, kinetic, and digestive disorders and cardiovascular diseases are treated in the Sklené Teplice, Dudince, Sliač, Kováčová and Brusno spas. Natural and climatic conditions also create excellent chance for exploitation of the tourism, agro-tourism, winter, water sports and hunting resources. In the last two decades foreign visitors are attracted by renovated urban monumental reservations in Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica and Kremnica. The Banská Štiavnica city, together with its surrounding was inscribed on the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of UNESCO. To other interesting places belong castles in Zvolen, Vigľaš and Slovenská Ľupča; fortification in Bzovík; wooden church in Hronsek; St. John´s church in Krahule, where the geographical centre of Europe is located; folk architecture of the former mining settlement Špania Dolina; attractive Čiernohorská narrow - gauge railway in Čierny Balog. The deposits of ore raw materials, like gold, silver, copper, and zinc are historically known to be found around Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica and Kremnica. The non-metallic raw materials play important role in the regional economy. There are several quarries of building stones in the region such as limestone, dolomite limestone, ceramic clay, brick earth, gravel and gravel sand, basalt and pearlite. Very important are also resources of wood substance. Thanks to exceptional natural features of the region, there are numbers of state natural reservations in which numerous protected natural creations and localities could be found. Geographically, the region includes National Park Low Tatras, protected scenic area Veľká Fatra, Poľana and Štiavnické Vrchy. The system of 338 elementary schools, 25 grammar schools and 61 secondary vocational schools provides the base for formal education in the region. There are also three universities. The Academy of Arts in Banska Bystrica, the Technical University in Zvolen and the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica.