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Tower · Banská Bystrica, Banská Bystrica
Clock Tower in Banská Bystrica
A 1552 tower atop SNP Square, known as the leaning tower because of its visible tilt from the vertical. The gallery looks over the square, the urban castle and the surrounding mountains.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Clock Tower in Banská Bystrica
The Clock Tower (Hodinová veža) stands on the upper side of SNP Square, the main square of Banská Bystrica. It was built in 1552, when the Ottoman advance threatened the mining towns of the region, and served both as the support for the public clock and as a watch post. Next to it was the municipal scale, which is why the tower is also called the Scale Tower, and underneath were the city jail and torture chamber.
Trumpeters lived in the tower; in case of fire they would go to the gallery and sound the alarm. Over the centuries the tower burned several times and underwent repairs. Structural problems made it lean, and today the deviation from vertical is noticeable to the naked eye, which earned it the nickname the leaning tower.
From the gallery you can see the entire SNP Square, with the merchants’ facades, the column of Our Lady and the Jesuit Church of Saint Francis Xavier, as well as the urban castle complex just behind and the mountains surrounding the town.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
20 to 30 minutes.
Best time
At the start of your walk to see the center from above, or late afternoon when the square is busy.
How to get there
It is on the upper side of SNP Square, in the historic center, a few steps from the urban castle.
Tip
Notice the tilt by looking up at the tower from one side of the square before climbing. The steps are many and narrow; for a view without stairs, use the courtyard of the urban castle.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Clock Tower in Banská Bystrica
Can you climb the clock tower of Banská Bystrica?
Yes. The tower is open to visitors and has a gallery with views over SNP Square and the town castle.
How old is the clock tower of Banská Bystrica?
From 1552. It served to support the public clock and as a watch post.
What was under the clock tower?
The city prison and the torture chamber. Beside it stood the municipal weighing house, which gave the tower one of its other names.