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Banská Bystrica is one of the first Slovak cities to have received the status of the urban monument reservation. The beginning of its history is dated to the time of gold-mining in this region. The town centre of Banská Bystrica is a historical heritage and the castle area has been officially declared a national cultural monument. Take a walk through the town centre and get to know many historical monuments there; in Banská Bystrica there are also many museums that will lead you back to the ancient history of this city.

Fans of hiking will have at their disposal over 500 kilometers of hiking trails in the surrounding region. Due to their high quality Banská Bystrica is, with regard to hiking, one of the best marked-up areas in Slovakia. Since 2007, hikers also have at their disposal new hiking tracks in the area of the City Forests (Mestské lesy) such as The City Forest Park Urpín – Stará kopa (“Mestský lesopark Urpín - Stará kopa”), or the City Forest Park Podlavice – Laskomer (Mestský lesopark Podlavice - Laskomer). A visit to Banská Bystrica in itself combines an encounter with both history and nature. However, it also includes lots of opportunities for social and cultural life for all the age groups.

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