[4][5] The present-day town was founded by German settlers, invited by the Hungarian Árpád-kings, during the Middle Ages (as part of the Ostsiedlung),[6] however it was built upon a former Slavic/Slovakian/Avar 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 town with an easy access to the surrounding mountains, Banská Bystrica is a popular winter and summer tourist destination.

The earliest history of Banská Bystrica was connected to the exploitation of its abundant deposits of copper (and to a lesser extent of silver, gold, and iron).

[16] People of the Lusatian culture built their settlements at Špania Dolina, Horné Pršany, Malachov, and Sásová.

The Germanic tribe of the Quadi took over the place during the Roman Era, leaving for instance a hoard of silver artifacts in Netopierska jaskyňa (Bat Cave).

The first known stone church was built by Saxon immigrants in the then still independent settlement of Sásová in the first half of the 13th century, when the area belong to the king.

[dubious – discuss] In 1255 King Béla IV granted Banská Bystrica extensive municipal privileges, in order to attract more skilled settlers.

[15] The affluent Fugger and Thurzo families founded the prosperous Ungarischer Handel company (German for "Hungarian Trade") in 1494.

Depending mainly on the mines around Banská Bystrica, the company had become a leading world producer of copper by the 16th century.

[19] With the most sophisticated mining technologies in Europe, an advanced accounting system, and benefits including medical care for its 1,000 employees, Ungarischer Handel was one of the largest and most modern early-capitalist firms.

The Ottoman Empire's thrust northwards led the magistrate to improve the city's fortifications with modern stone walls in 1589, but the Turks never occupied the region.

[22] Later on, the city had to fight for its religious freedom guaranteed by the Royal Charter against the ruling dynasty of the Austrian Roman Catholic Habsburgs, for its physical independence against the Ottoman Turks and for its self-governance against the Kingdom of Hungary's powerful magnates.

[22] In 1620, Prince Gabriel Bethlen of Transylvania, a Protestant, was elected King of Hungary by the Diet meeting at Banská Bystrica.

The village of Radvaň, now a borough of Banská Bystrica, was granted the economically important right to hold annual fairs (Radvanský jarmok) in 1655.

In 1766 the city became the capital of Zólyom county[18] when Banská Bystrica also became the seat of a Roman Catholic bishopric (1776) and of several institutions of higher education.

[18] After Austria-Hungary lost the First World War, Banská Bystrica along with the entire northern part of Hungary was given to Czechoslovakia by the peace treaty of Trianon in 1920.

[18] The insurgents were defeated on 27 October,[24] and Banská Bystrica was briefly occupied by the German forces before it was liberated by Soviet and Romanian troops on 26 March 1945.

Banská Bystrica lies at an altitude of 362 metres (1,188 ft) above sea level and covers an area of 103.37 square kilometres (39.9 sq mi).

A chain of discrete suburbs and villages connects it with Zvolen, another major town 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the south.

While Banská Bystrica's prosperity used to be derived from copper mining in the distant past, the most important sectors of the local economy are now tourism, timber, and mechanical industry.

In the period 2007–2013, the city intends to work with Zvolen and other municipalities in the vicinity in order to jointly develop one of Slovakia's major metropolitan areas.

[35] The municipal strategy of economic development envisages Banská Bystrica as a regional center of tourism, services, administration, and entrepreneurship.

[15] Other major monuments on the square include an Art Nouveau fountain from the beginning of the 20th century and a black obelisk raised to the honor of the Soviet soldiers killed during the liberation of the city in 1945.

Most buildings enclosing the square and in the nearby streets are well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque noblemen's mansions and wealthy burghers' residences.

[32] The museum located at the Memorial of the Slovak National Uprising contains a large military collection, including an open-air exhibition of World War II tanks, artillery, aircraft, and armored trains.

It is enclosed within what has remained of its original fortifications − a barbican protecting the main gate, three bastions, and part of the walls.

[41] The Matthias House (Slovak: Matejov dom) was built in 1479 as a five-story late-Gothic structure with a Gothic portal and stone console balcony.

Several films were banned, among them: Tri prání directed by Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos, Zde jsou lvi by Václav Krška, Hvezda jede na jih by Oldrich Lipský and Konec jasnovidce by Vladimír Svitáček and Ján Roháč.

[5] The Národný Atletický Štadión is a multi-purpose stadium, used mainly for athletics and football matches and is the home ground of MFK Dukla Banská Bystrica.