Považská Bystrica (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈpɔʋaʂskaː ˈbistritsa] ⓘ; German: Waagbistritz; Hungarian: Vágbeszterce) is a town in northwestern Slovakia.

Považská Bystrica is situated in a fold of mountain ranges Strážovské vrchy (1213 m) and Javorníky (1071 m a.s.l.).

Another popular tourist attraction close to the town is a breathtaking canyon Manínska tiesňava.

Považská Bystrica has one twin town Rožnov pod Radhoštěm in the Czech Republic.

The roots of the settlement of the town connect to Baden culture, in addition to Celtic coins were found on the castle cliff supporting the presence of previous settlers.

The history of the town is very closely connected with the nearby Považský hrad castle, built in the 13th century.

The most famous owners of the Bystrica castle and the land were knights Ján and Rafael Podmanitzky, known for their robberies.

As an example of the language could be used engraving on the tombstone of Rafael Podmanitzky in the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Považská Bystrica.

Despite the hard times, the town obtained more and more privileges from Hungarian kings during the period, and it had a significantly higher status than the surrounding countryside.

In 1929, an ammunition plant Roth transferred its production from Bratislava to Považská Bystrica, which significantly improved the employment situation.

After World War II the munitions factory at Považská Bystrica continued to produce weapons and ammunition for both the military and for commercial purposes.

[6] * Juraj Smatana resigned from the candidacy and supported Andrej Péli, but remained on the ballot paper.

Považský hrad is a landmark of the town and witness of the history (e.g., Celtic coins were found on the castle cliff).

Originally, it was a Renaissance single-storey manor-house which was supposed to bring the promise of new, modern and comfortable living for the aristocratic Balassa family, which the cold and uninviting Považský castle could no longer provide.

At the time, it was quite common for the nobility to abandon their castles – unconquerable, stone fortresses whose defensive function has lost their meaning – and to build modern, comfortable family seats in the town or countryside.

Another important owner who had a large impact on the manor-house's appearance was Pavol Balassa, the great-grandson of its founder.

In the first half of the 18th century, he together with his wife, Juliana Batthyány reconstructed the manor-house in a grandiose Baroque style.

One of the most precious parts of the manor-house is the late Baroque chapel of St. John of Nepomuk with its Rococo interior, built between 1770 and 1780.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the manor-house was owned for several years by the world-famous Czech violin virtuoso and composer, Jan Kubelík.

Klementin Ružička, the General Director of Zbrojovka Brno, the largest armory in Czecho-Slovakian region.

In the premises of the church is statue of John of Nepomuk, which was coincidentally brought to Považské Podhradie on abandoned flatboat during floods in 1784.

Manínska tiesňava is the narrowest canyon in Slovakia, lying 6 kilometres from Považská Bystrica.

The Motorway viaduct, due to its size, conception and short time of building, can be counted between the top structures of civil engineering in Slovakia.

Boroughs: Villages near Považská Bystrica: Dolny and Horny Milochov, Jelšové, Industrial zone, Šuvarovce.