In the centre of the small town of Banská Stiavnica, a proud medieval castle stands at the top of Mt Paradajs. The fortress was built on the foundations of the Romanesque basilica, which was transformed into the Gothic Church of the Virgin Mary in 1497-1515. The building was then fortified due to the threat of Turkish invasions. The Himmelreich watchtower, which dominates the old fortifications, was once a place of incarceration and torture.