Memorials Banská Bystrica

Some sights leave deep feelings in people after visiting them. One such place is Kalište – osada declared a national cultural monument, located near Banská Bystrica. The Partizánska republika Kalište (Partisan Republic of Kalište) was a long-term area controlled by partisans on the southern slopes of the Nízke Tatry.

Today, we would search in vain for traces of this settlement's development. Nestled among coniferous forests, the slightly huddled village speaks for itself about a cruel truth. Even upon visiting this settlement, you will understand what terrible things happened here. With your own eyes, you will see burnt and demolished houses, a cemetery, two small houses with a chapel, and a tree above the grave of fallen partisans. It is precisely in the 2 already reconstructed houses that an exhibition of the Múzeum SNP titled Partizánska republika is open to the public.

During the Second World War, the village of Kalište was the so-called center of the partisan republic. Local people supported it passionately because, thanks to the partisans, they saw hope for a better tomorrow. However, the Germans did not like this, and on 18 March 1945, they set fire to the village and murdered the locals. Almost no living soul remained here. Precisely so that this devastation from many years ago is not forgotten, the Partizánska republika Kalište serves as a detached exhibition of the Múzeum SNP in Banská Bystrica. Life in this municipality was never restored, making it the only one of its kind in Slovakia.

Every year, the memory of the fallen villagers is commemorated during the SNP anniversary celebrations in Banská Bystrica. If you head directly to the settlement, 17 informative boards, part of an educational trail located throughout the entire area, will guide you through the history of Kalište. You can reach the settlement directly from Donovaly on foot along the yellow tourist trail or via cycling routes leading through the surrounding villages. Alternatively, you can choose to drive through Moštenica. If you set off for the settlement early in the morning, we recommend booking accommodation near Partizánska republika Kalište.

Somewhat better feelings will be left in you by other attractions in Banská Bystrica and its surroundings. During the summer season, swimming at Aqualand – Plážové kúpalisko is a great option. Or would you like to plan a visit to the observatory as part of your holiday in Banská Bystrica? Remember, the best childhood memories come when a trip is longer and the accommodation is cozy. Therefore, choose an apartment in Banská Bystrica. If you come as a couple who simply enjoys spending time discovering new points of interest, a hotel room will suffice for you as well. Of course, you do not have to follow our recommendations entirely; it is enough to choose the right accommodation in Banská Bystrica through our portal.

If you are currently in Špania Dolina, do something for your health and set off on a hike along the Partizánsky náučný chodník. Below Jelenská skala, you will find the small and well-hidden Partizánsky bunker Mor ho!, where the staff of the "Pomstiteľ" brigade operated during World War II. The bunker owes its name to an illegal resistance magazine that, along with various propaganda leaflets, was printed here during the suppression of the Slovak National Uprising at the turn of 1944 and 1945.

Reminisce about the difficult war period and visit Staré Hory, which were an important part of the so-called Partisan Republic. A strategic telephone exchange was also located here, ensuring communication between individual partisan groups. We must never forget this decisive stage in the history of our nation.

The Bunker Mor ho! is one of the stops along the Partizánsky náučný chodník. You can reach it via an unmarked branch off the red-marked hiking trail, along a very narrow path leading through dense forest and brushwood. The bunker has undergone reconstruction and is freely accessible to the public today. You will also find a commemorative plaque beside it, recalling its former significance.

Špania Dolina, the starting point to the bunker, is situated on the border of the Nízke Tatry and Veľká Fatra. Discover more beauties of this region and book your holiday in Špania Dolina today. A wide selection of accommodation near the Partizánsky bunker Mor ho! can be found on our accommodation Špania Dolina page. Another gem located directly in the village is the unique Banícky orloj (Astronomical Clock of Miners), built in 2004 in honor of the miners and pitmen from this area. Špania Dolina attracts tourists in the winter season as well. At the Šachtičky ski resort, 14 km of perfectly groomed slopes await you with a breathtaking view of the Nízke Tatry. Both beginners and experienced skiers will find something to enjoy here. We wish you a wonderful holiday filled with extraordinary experiences.

A hero who was almost forgotten. The railwaymen of Zvolen etched their names into the famous history of the Slovak National Uprising primarily through the express construction of three armored trains: Hurban, Štefánik, and Masaryk. Hurban was the second armored train in sequence to fight for our freedom. As it was severely damaged in battle, today in Zvolen you can view only its replica, which was produced in 1974 for a movie about the SNP.

The production of improvised armored trains was driven by the fact that the insurgent army faced an acute shortage of motorized artillery and tanks. The order for their construction was issued by the Command of the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia on September 4, 1944.

The train J. M. Hurban was manufactured at the beginning of October 1944, and work on it lasted only 11 days. Since it was the second in sequence, it was technically better constructed, even though in this case too, it was armored only with ordinary 7 mm boiler plate. However, its armament was stronger than that of its predecessor. Its weapons equipment consisted of a field howitzer 14/19 with a caliber of 100 mm in a gun wagon, 3 cannons with a caliber of 37 mm in tank wagons, and 10 heavy machine guns with a caliber of 7.92 mm.

Its command was entrusted to Capt. Martin Ďuriš-Rubanský and 1st Lt. Dominik Miartuš. The train was driven by a civilian locomotive driver, Pavol Maťaš. The crew consisted of 75–80 soldiers and civilians. Electrical lighting, a telephone line with field telephones, and a device for operating the steam whistle from every wagon were installed on the train.

The entire combat unit consisted of an armored locomotive, tank wagons, an ammunition and machine gun wagon, an accommodation and kitchen wagon, and a wagon with sandbags. It was deployed in battle on the lines Hronská Dúbrava – Žiar nad Hronom and Banská Bystrica – Brezno – Heľpa, where it operated from October 3 to October 25, 1944.

On October 4, 1944, it was deployed in battles near Banská Bystrica, which the Germans wanted to reach through Malý Šturec. The order was clear: stop the enemy's advance, push them out of their defensive position, destroy the position that the Germans had about 800 m northwest of the Čremošné station, and thus allow our own units to restore the original defensive position. The Germans were surprised by the unexpected attack of the insurgents, which was accompanied by effective fire from the train, and so they retreated.

The train was seriously damaged in combat, but within two days workers not only repaired it, but also improved it and reinforced the tank turrets with additional armor. After replenishing the crew, it moved to the Červená Skala area and later to the section Banská Bystrica – Brezno – Heľpa, where it covered the retreat of insurgent units. It engaged in battle for the last time on October 23 near Heľpa.

However, the Germans were approaching from all sides, so the commander received an order to move the train into a tunnel in Harmanec after rendering the weapons and machinery useless. Here they met with the third train, which suffered the same fate. The combat journey of the trains ended here, and their crews left to fight in the mountains alongside the partisans.

The Germans captured the train sets and towed them away. After the war, two locomotives were found in the territory of Austria and the former Yugoslavia. You can find the replica of the armored train J. M. Hurban in the Park Štefana Višňovského under Zvolenský zámok.

After viewing the combat train, stay in the area below the castle and take a tour of the aforementioned Zvolenský hrad. If you feel like discovering the beauties of Podpoľanie, book your accommodation near Pancierový vlak Hurban right now and start planning your trips. You will find a rich selection of accommodation on the page accommodation in Zvolen. During your stay, be sure to visit Športový areál Orlík and do not miss Arborétum Borová hora.