Barborská cesta is an educational and exploratory tourist route spanning nearly 200 km, connecting the most significant mining towns and sites in Central Slovakia. It is a project of the civic association Banský Región – Terra Montanae, which brings together entities such as local governments, entrepreneurs, tourism organizations, the church, mining associations, schools, universities, and individuals.

The history of systematic mining activities, metallurgy, coin minting, and copper processing dates back to the 10th century. After the formation of Hungarian Monarchy, Germans and Flemings arrived with knowledge of effective mining methods, which they shared with the local population. Thanks to mining activities, the region became one of the most important intersections of trade routes in Europe and the home of the world’s first technical (mining) university in 1763. Since 1993, a part of the territory around the town of Banská Štiavnica has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Barborská cesta (route) opens up the localities and heritage associated with mining for both locals and visitors, presented as a whole in its context and in the context of its impact on the development of Slovakia over the past 500 years. The project’s aim is to revive and develop the mining heritage of a multinational and multicultural environment in the heart of today’s Europe.