Heiligenkreuz: Culture, History and Special Excursion Destinations

The Biskupský kaštieľ is a Renaissance-Baroque manor house and the most significant monument in Žiar nad Hronom.

Cultural History in Žiar nad Hronom

During a visit, you can see the courtyard with a plane tree, the Bishop’s Hall, Štefan Moyses’s study and the bishop’s private chapel. This makes history tangible not only through the exterior architecture, but also through specific rooms and their former uses. The Bishop’s Hall, the study and the private chapel combine a representative space, a personal workplace and a sacred site.

The guided tours of the Biskupský kaštieľ also include the archaeological exhibition of the town of Žiar nad Hronom and the gallery of the self-taught painter and native of Žiar, Július Považan. Those interested in the development of the town can thus combine historical evidence and regional art in a single visit.

Another place with a historical connection is the Jewish cemetery below Šibeničný vrch. It preserves the remains of several gravestones and forms part of the Svätokrížsky educational trail. The votive chapel is also located at a clearly designated point: it stands on the so-called Skalka before the entrance to Žiar nad Hronom from the direction of Kremnica. It was built in 1709–1711 on the initiative of the Heiligenkreuz parish priest František Hajnovič.

A cultural site in Žiar nad Hronom commemorates the former village of Horné Opatovce. It is considered the village’s largest and only cultural site of this kind. Together with the historic religious and memorial sites, this creates a cultural focal point that extends beyond individual sights without equating the different places of remembrance.

Astronomy, Water and Urban Recreation

Hviezdna sála is intended for visitors who want to experience astronomical topics in an accessible way. Astronomical films with Fulldome projection in 4K resolution are shown there; 60 seats are available for visitors. The astronomical observatory of Krajská hvezdáreň a planetárium Maximiliána Hella also offers public astronomical observations. This provides both an indoor cinematic format and the opportunity to get to know the starry sky through observation.

For recreation and exercise, there is the Plážové kúpalisko outdoor swimming pool. There, you can rent equipment for badminton, football played with small goals, table tennis, nohejbal, Russian skittles, beach volleyball, tennis and soft tennis. The non-swimmer pool has a 43-metre water slide. In addition, Slovalco Relax Centrum Žiar nad Hronom includes the municipal indoor swimming pool.

The Štefana Moysesa Park is quieter: it is a listed historic park in Žiar nad Hronom that is publicly accessible for recreation and relaxation. Štefana Moyzesa Park is the oldest part of the municipal green spaces in Žiar nad Hronom.

For further options in the travel portal, you can also access Lúčky, Bzenica, Vyhne, Vieska, Horná Ždaňa, Dolná Ždaňa, Kremnica and Kopernica.

For the higher-level travel overview: Žiar Nad Hronom.