Banská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, the oldest mining town in Slovakia, was established in the 13th century, although evidence of mining dates back to the late Bronze Age. While it served as an important town during the Middle Ages, the surviving urban centre was formed during the 16th century. It is characterized by the grand Late Gothic and Renaissance burgher houses, the town hall, and the Late Gothic Church of Saint Catherine. In the same era, a fortification system was built which has visible remains in the fortress of the Old Castle, the Renaissance watchtower of the New Castle, and the only surviving of the town gates – the Baroque-style Piarg Gate. In the High and Late Middle Ages, the town was the main producer of silver and gold in the Kingdom of Hungary. During the Ottoman Wars, the Turks made concerted efforts to conquer rich mining towns in Upper Hungary (Banská Štiavnica, Banská Bystrica and Kremnica). This new threat led Banská Štiavnica to build powerful fortifications, including two castles, in the 16th century. As one of the most important centres of the Protestant Reformation in the country, the town belonged to the Protestant "League of 7 Mining Towns" together with Banská Belá, Banská Bystrica, Kremnica, Ľubietová, Nová Baňa and Pukanec. The establishment of the first Mining and Forestry Academy in Europe in 1762 demonstrates the importance of this town as a centre for the education of mining experts. Moreover, an extensive complex of technical works, connected with mining and processing of polymetallic ores, can be found in the town and in its vicinity. Surviving components include shafts, tunnels, mining towers, a knocking tower, and a sophisticated water management system. The system of artificially built water reservoirs – ponds and collecting ditches – built in the 16th century and developed in the 18th century, served the needs of the mining industry and provided fresh drinking water for the town. It was the most modern work of its type until the 19th century. After this time, the exhaustion of mineral resources has led to decline in the historic urban structure, the water management system, and much of the mining infrastructure. Banská Štiavnica progressively became the biggest mining centre in the Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th century. In the period between 1790 and 1863 the mountains surrounding the town yielded 490 metric tonnes of silver and 11 tonnes of gold. Mining schools and science also flourished in the town. In 1735, the oldest mining school in the Kingdom of Hungary was founded here, which was promoted to the Banská akadémia (Mining Academy) in 1762, the first university of its kind in the world. In 1846 it joined the Forest Academy founded in 1808 to form one common entity. Prosperity and fame returned to the town for some time and by the end of the 18th century Banská Štiavnica was the third biggest town of the Kingdom of Hungary with approximately 20,000 inhabitants. In 1782 (20,753).
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