City Castle – Barbican

The town castle in Banská Bystrica was built next to the original mining settlement that preceded the founding of the town. Already in those times there was a parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which became the centre of the new fortress at the end of the Middle Ages. The function of the city castle was to protect the revenues from precious metal mining and the royal treasury. Representatives of the king and the church resided here, the town council met here. The fortification consisted of a high stone wall and circular bastions. The most important part of the fortification was the entrance gate with a barbican. After some time, the town hall was incorporated into the town castle. At present, a permanent THURZO-FUGGER experiential exhibition on the history of mining in Banská Bystrica and its surroundings, especially during the town’s heyday, is located in the premises of the Municipal Castle.