Created by:
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic United School
Created by:
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic United School
The Banská Štiavnica Calvary is a fascinating complex of sacred Baroque-style structures, consisting of three churches, nineteen chapels, and a statue of the Virgin Mary. Located on a hill in the center of the Štiavnica volcano, this complex is a prominent landmark of the town of Banská Štiavnica. Its construction dates back to the period between 1744 and 1751, when Jesuit František Perger initiated its development in the Baroque style.
The Banská Štiavnica Calvary was intended as a visual representation of the events of Jesus’s crucifixion through numerous paintings, frescoes, statues, and wooden and stone portals. These artistic expressions served as a guide for pilgrims to better understand the depth and meaning of these religious moments.
In 1951, the Calvary was nationalized by the communist regime, marking the beginning of its gradual decline—caused both by the passage of time and human neglect. This deterioration prompted several activists from the Banská Štiavnica ’91 Association and Slovak Scouting to take action to reverse the trend. In 2007, their efforts led to the inclusion of the Calvary on the list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World. This recognition drew public attention and helped to revive the Calvary Fund, whose mission is to carry out the complete restoration of the damaged structures and to restore religious and cultural life to the site. As a result, the Calvary has undergone extensive reconstruction.
Although it is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, the Banská Štiavnica Calvary has faced an unfortunate fate. After the political coup in 1948, it was taken over by the state. From that point on, it gradually deteriorated. A partial reconstruction took place between 1978 and 1981. However, following the Velvet Revolution, the Calvary suffered its greatest damage—decorations were looted, and some structures were even destroyed. In 1993, the Calvary, together with the historical center and mining sites of Banská Štiavnica, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Since 2007, the Banská Štiavnica Calvary has been listed among the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World. This status led to the start of gradual and comprehensive restoration efforts in 2008, led by the civic association Calvary Fund, with financial support from various companies and private donors.
The fate of Banská Štiavnica is closely tied to its rich deposits of precious metals, especially silver ore. The area was inhabited by Celts as early as the 3rd–2nd century BC, who mined gold here. The oldest written mention dates back to 1156, referring to terra banensium – the land of miners. The town's coat of arms features a silver fortification and golden mining tools on a blue shield. From the 13th century until the end of the 18th century, the Banská Štiavnica ore district was at times the most productive silver mining region in Europe and also ranked among the most important producers of gold.
In the 13th century, settlers from Tyrol and Saxony arrived. A document from 1217 provides the first written evidence of silver mining in the area. In 1238, the town was granted royal town privileges, and in 1275, the first charter bearing the town's seal was issued. In 1442, the town was plundered and devastated by the troops of Šimon Rozgoň, and in 1443, it was struck by a destructive earthquake, after which it had to be rebuilt. In the 16th century, the town took over mining operations in the area. Between 1546 and 1559, the parish church was rebuilt into what is now the Old Castle, which served as an anti-Turkish fortress. From 1564 to 1571, the New Castle was constructed for the same purpose.
In 1627, gunpowder was used for the first time in a mine for tunneling at the Daniel adit. In 1681, the Klopačka bell tower was built to signal the start of mining shifts. The 17th century marked the peak of metal extraction for Banská Štiavnica. Gold and silver production reached their highest values in 1690, with 605 kg of gold and 29,000 kg of silver extracted that year.
Between 1722 and 1724, English mechanic Isaac Potter constructed a Newcomen atmospheric steam engine in nearby Nová Baňa—the first on the European continent. In 1729, it was dismantled and moved first to Hodruša, then to Banská Štiavnica, where it served its final years. In 1735, Samuel Mikovíni founded the first mining school in the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1751, the Calvary was completed, initiated by Jesuit František Perger. That same year, the town was visited by Francis I of Lorraine, husband of Maria Theresa. In 1763, the Mining College (Vysoká banícka škola) was established, later renamed the Mining Academy (Banícka akadémia) in 1770—the first mining school in Europe and the oldest technical university in the world. Its first professor was Nikolaus Jacquin. In 1919, the academy was relocated to Sopron, Hungary.
By the end of the 18th century, Banská Štiavnica and its surrounding villages had over 20,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest settlement in Slovakia after Bratislava. During this time, a sophisticated water reservoir system (tajchy) was developed by Samuel Mikovíni, Matej Kornel Hell, and Jozef Karol Hell. In 1870, the town received municipal rights, separating it from the Tekov County and placing it under the Ministry of the Interior. In August 1873, a narrow-gauge railway from Hronská Dúbrava was opened, the first public steam-powered narrow-gauge railway in the Kingdom of Hungary, now known as the "Youth Railway" (Trať mládeže). In 1878, a 16 km-long drainage tunnel (Voznická dedičná štôlňa) was completed to help dewater the mines.
In June 1919, the Hungarian Red Army entered the town. After the creation of Czechoslovakia (1918–1922), provisional administrative regions were established. On September 21, 1922, the government of the Czechoslovak Republic issued decree no. 275/1922, reforming political administration. As a result, the town of Banská Štiavnica-Belá lost its status as a municipal town and became part of the Hont region on January 1, 1923.
From 1923, the town held district town status, which it lost in 1960 when it was incorporated into the Žiar nad Hronom district. This status was restored in 1996. On October 28, 1948, a railway line to the town was put into operation. On December 11, 1993, the town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2001, an asteroid was named after the town—(22185) Štiavnica. From 1996 to 2016, several Slovak presidents visited the town, including Michal Kováč, Rudolf Schuster, Ivan Gašparovič, and Andrej Kiska during the Salamander Days or on official visits.
Official Website of the Banská Štiavnica
Official Website of the Kalvársky Fund and Calvary in Banská Štiavnica
https://www.virtualna-banska-stiavnica.sk/virtualna-stiavnica/kalvaria-banska-stiavnica
https://blog.relaxos.sk/kalvaria-v-banskej-stiavnici
https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalvária_(Banská_Štiavnica)
https://www.kalvaria.org
https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banská_Štiavnica
