Town Hall Historical Building | The Museum History
With
no doubts, the Town Hall building, which is the seat of Hron Regional Museum, is
an architectonic highlight of Nová Baňa's center. This Gothic building had four
floors originally. Built sometimes after 1353, it shows fortification features.
It was rebuilt in the first half of the 18th century, after a fire. The fourth
floor was removed thence, and the angular tower with a baroque calotte was
raised. One of three bells inside this tower was made in the 18th century. A
Gothic cross vault inside the eastern bay of the ground floor is preserved, as
well as some Gothic- and Renaissance-style details on the higher floors and the
northern façade. Inside the session room, Baroque-style wall paintings with
portraits of Hungarian rulers persisted up to now. In the building underground,
protected by wagon vaults, the underground corridors (urban catacombs) are
starting. There are a lot of hypotheses and popular legends about the building
original purpose. However, the most likely seems to be that the building has
been built as a royal house under the Charles I (the king of Hungary) decree
issued in 1335. According to this decree, such a royal house (domus regiae)
should be built in each mining town and the miners should deliver the noble
metals there. The Mining Earl, or comes camerae camerarius, was the chief of the
royal house in accordance with the decree of Charles I issued in 1338. He was
the only person authorized to examine the gold purity. The existence of Mining
Earls in Nová Baňa during this period is supported by written documents. After
the 18th century rebuilding, the building is mentioned as the Town Hall.
Slovenský ústav pamiatkovej starostlivosti a ochrany prírody Bratislava branch in Banská Bystrica has made thorough renewal of the monument between 1965 and 1972. The building is included in the list of cultural monuments.
