Salgótarján is surrounded by beautiful forests and hills topped with castle ruins, which are accessible by bus that may be taken from the center of town.

The town already existed in the Middle Ages, but information on it is scarce possibly because it was a small settlement.

After the 1682 siege of the nearby Castle of Fülek (today Fiľakovo, Slovakia) the town was deserted, and new settlers arrived only ten years later, but remained a small village.

The job opportunities provided by the mine and the developing industry began to attract people.

The coal mines closed years ago, leaving the city with high unemployment rates.