Banská Bystrica Castle stands in the center of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, on a hill where trade routes crossed. It was built beside a mining settlement and was not meant for residential use. It protected the mining revenues and the royal treasury, and it housed the king's representative, church officials and the city council.
The oldest building is the Church of the Virgin Mary, which dates from the second half of the 13th century and is late Romanesque. The fortress developed at the end of the Middle Ages, with a stone fortification, bastions and a barbican gate.
Other buildings in the complex include Matthew's House, the Slovak Church, the town hall and the rectory. The castle guarded against enemies from outside and against unrest, especially mining riots.
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