The earliest history of Banská Bystrica was connected with the exploitation of its abundant deposits of copper.
Banská Bystrica became the official name of the city in 1920.
Banska Bystrica covers an area of 103.37 square kilometres (39.9 sq mi).
Banská Bystrica is a city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains.
Banská Bystrica was the scene of the Slovak national uprising against the Germans.
The oldest part of Banská Bystrica is City Castle at the edge of SNP Square.
Banská Bystrica lies at an altitude of 362 metres (1,188 ft) above sea level.
The second-largest insurrection against the German Nazi regime following the Yugoslav partisan war took place in Banská Bystrica.
Banská Bystrica is twinned with Alba, Italy; Ascoli Piceno, Italy; Budva, Montenegro; Charleston, United States; Dabas, Hungary; Durham, United Kingdom; Halberstadt, Germany; Herzliya, Israel; Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; Kovačica, Serbia; Larissa, Greece; Mangalia, Romania; Montana, Bulgaria; Radom, Poland; Salgótarján, Hungary; Tarnobrzeg, Poland; Tula, Russia; Vršac, Serbia & Zadar, Croatia.
Banská Bystrica is the home of Matej Bel University.
The Slovak name Banská Bystrica includes two roots: the adjective Banská from Slovak baňa-mine, and the name of the local river Bystrica.
Banská Bystrica was first mentioned in 1255 as a royal free mining town.