Earliest settlement

Celtic tribes had lived in the area, as documented by sizable archeologic discoveries dating to 6th century. Following the 10th century, the local population was mostly Slavic and the Celtic culture and settlement had receded.

Middle Ages

The first written record is dated to 1075, when a charter, issued by Hungarian king Géza I of Hungary, had established the Benedictine Abbey of Hronský Beňadik. On 4 February 1246 the landowner and the Archbishop of Esztergom, Stephen I Báncsa, had elevated the status of the settlement, submitting surrounding villages to the dominion and granting the citizens further rights. The settlement was submitted to the Šášov Castle.

In the same period, the village had developed into a small town and became known as an administrative and cultural core of the region, due to the growth of commerce and the rise of trade guilds.^[5]

Late Middle Ages and early Modernity

The following period, until the 16th century, saw the flourishment of guilds, like that of tailors or shoemakers.

A chateau (manor house) was erected and became the town's landmark in 1631, building on a preceding structure, on the orders of Péter Cardinal Pázmány. Later, it became a summer residence for the Archbishop of Esztergom. The manor had undergone multiple renovations due to various unrests and uprisings. One such uprising in the area was a late sequel of Anti-Habsburg rebellions, which lasted until 1621. Following the suppression of the uprising Habsburg army had remained in the area to protect from the advancing Ottoman troops, which had worried the local population. The Ottomans, eventually, had failed to conquer Banská Štiavnica some 25 kilometers south.

Even later 17th century was not easy for the local population, as the region had suffered from continued armed conflicts and plague, originating in Italy. During the conflicts the town and the Šášov castle, a hub of the rebels, were besieged and conquered. The area was badly struck by the events and it had recovered for a long time, as its economy had to be renewed. The town received the right to host fairs in 1690.

After the establishment of Diocese of Banská Bystrica and following a renovation, the chateau became the seat of the Bishop and a representative building. Štefan Moyses had resided here in the 19th century.

20th century

The city becomes a seat of a District in 1923. The district was split between districts based in Kremnica and Nová Baňa. This was caused by the administrative reorganisation of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. The city had regained the status of the district seat in the 1960 and retained it after Slovak independence in 1993. The cities importance declined after 1996, when cities of Žarnovica and Nová Baňa and nearby villages, which were previously a part of the District, became the seats of two independent administrative districts.

During World War II the city was occupied by the German Army until 1945, when it was liberated by the advancing Red Army. The city and the surrounded areas were known hubs for partisan fighters of the Slovak National uprising.

Major socio-economic growth in the city began with the development of an aluminium plant, which was established in 1953, under the name Slovak National Uprising Works (Závody Slovenského národného povstania). This had caused a boom of employment opportunities in the city. Industrial development had essentially completed the transformation of the village or a small town into a city, as it encouraged construction of schools and housing, in form of standardised apartment blocks, as well as individual construction. Overall, the city became largely self-sufficient. Between 1969 and 1991 the city had annexed nearby villages of Lutila and Ladomerská Vieska, which are now independent. Šášovské Podhradie and a ghost village of Horné Opatovce, annexed in the same period, remain a part of the city.

In 2021, the municipality recycled 53.14% of the municipal waste.^[6]

Mayoral history

• Marián Futák – economist
• Jaroslav Cíger – veterinarian
• Márius Hrmo – lawyer
• 2002 – 2012: Ivan Černaj – entrepreneur, resigned in November 2012
• 2012 – (expected 2026): Peter Antal – lawyer, former MP

Landmarks

• Šášov castle – A ruin of gothic castle, dated first half of the 13th century, guarding the Hron gorge. It is located in the city's part of Šášovské Podhradie. The first written record dates back to 1253. The castle became a royal castle in the 14th century. It had multiple owners in the difficult 17th century. It was captured by the anti-Habsburg Kuruc troops of Emeric Thököly and later regained by the imperial army. As its importance declined and due to numerous falls, the fortress was abandoned in the 18th century.^[12]
• Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – A single-nave, classical church with two towers and a rectangular presbytery.^[13] It was built on top of an older structure at the initiative of the Bishop of Banská Bystrica Gabriel Zerdahely. The facade is dominated by a portico of Toscan pillars, topped by a triangular tympanum, bearing Bishop Zerdahely's coat of arms. The segmented attic is decorated by a Latin inscription reading: "Fugite partes adversae" ("Begone, all evil powers!", as written in the prayer of exorcism by St. Anthony of Padua). The towers are lined with pilasters and topped with a crowning ledge. A crypt below the church contains the remains of Štefan Moyses and Michal Chrástek.
• Roman Catholic Church of St. Lawrence in Horné Opatovce – The historically gothic structure with polygonal presbytery and an ejected tower was reconstructed between 1710 and 1711, 1777 and finally in 1911, which added some Neo-Roman elements.^[14] Facade is decorated by frieze, supportive pillars and chambranles. The tower is topped by a pyramid helmet.
• Bishop's chateau – The four-wing, three-level building with two corner towers and from the late-Renaissance and Baroque era, from 1631. It is built on top of medieval foundation. The last major reconstruction took place between 1850 and 1869, when the upper floor was built. Chateau's facade is decorated by chambranle windows and window cornices. The chateau neighbours a park, which was developed in the second half of the 18th century.

Monuments

• Štefan Moyses Statue at Matica slovenská Square
• Ladislav Exnár Monument at Dr. Jánsky Street
• Michal Chrástek Monument
• Karol Dúbravský Monument

Museums

• Archeological Exposition and Gallery of the Archeological Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences

Observatories

• Regional Maximilián Hell Observatory and Planetarium

Events

Public transportation

Public transport in the city is appropriate for its size and population, consisting entirely of a bus fleet. Services are more frequent in the morning and in the afternoon. Its serves two major purposes: commute of the workforce to and from the industrial park south of the city and the commute of children to and from schools. It also serves the population of nearby villages, mainly Lutila and Ladomerská Vieska.

Train

The Nové Zámky – Zvolen railway passes through the city, allowing travel to Bratislava, as well as Košice. The train station became more notable with the construction of the SNP Works in the 1950s, due to the railways being a major mean of sourcing raw materials and shipment of the products.