Stone menhirs rise above the silver mining town. They stand there for a short time, but they look like they belonged to the place for thousands of years, silently reminding of the ancient times when people ran more towards nature. In 2018, a stone structure was built above Banská Štiavnica, which attracts more and more tourists, but also unleashed a wave of discussions. Are menhirs on the edge of a supervolcano a magical place? Make up your own mind and go to Rosniarky hill with a panoramic view of Banská Štiavnica.

When we were staying in Banská Štiavnica for a few days, our wonderful landlady told us about the stone menhirs on Paradajz hill, which seemed to have been created overnight and many people didn't even know about them at that time. We decided to explore it and early in the morning we went through the autumn forest to reveal the secret of the mysterious megalithic structure.

For us, the walk started in the town near our accommodation, from where a forest road led to the Červená studňa saddle, where you could possibly park your car and start the journey following the red sign. You can go directly through the forest along the unpaved road to Predné Rosniarky or follow the educational trail Paradajz, which can be walked in 1 and half hour and learn interesting things about the town, mining and the surrounding nature from the information panels. We chose the second option, which is a bit longer, but you will have beautiful views of Štiavnické vrchy and along the way you will find many stone mounds - rock samples stacked in the shape of cones or pyramids.

The menhirs are located on a large meadow with a view of the remains of the Štiavnica supervolcano, in the bowels of which Banská Štiavnica slumbers, and like watchtowers emerge Calvary or New Castle from the panorama. If we were standing in this place fifteen million years ago, we would be on the edge of one of the five largest volcanoes in Europe. Five stones will excite you at first glance. Four monoliths point to the four cardinal directions, and the fifth largest stone, two meters high, stands in their center. Many people look for them to harmonize and recharge vital energy. The authors of this stone structure write in their informative picture: "Such and larger groups of active stones were used by our ancient ancestors to harmonize themselves, the country and our planet Earth. You can wake up among them, relax your mind, feel your soul, heart, universe and Earth. Energy, which MENHIR radiates to the surroundings, will itself find in you what needs to be balanced and harmonized."

The main author of the structure is Slavomír Búci, who one day was sitting on a hill and admiring the beauty of Banská Štiavnica, when the thought of a megalithic structure popped into his head, which has no parallel in Slovakia today, because most similar places have been destroyed throughout history. He got the stones from a local quarry and used quartzite for the construction. Of course, the construction was preceded by several approval processes. As Ms. Šušková from the environment department of the city of Banská Štiavnica told in the local television in 2018, a project plan was submitted, to which the Regional Monuments Office, the city as the owner of the land, and the State Nature Conservancy, because this place is in the second level of protection, subsequently commented and last but not least, the local forests that manage this land owned by the city. So the menhirs did not appear overnight, as it might seem to some people. The whole process of setting the stones took more than a year. According to the author, menhirs have a calming, harmonious and healing effect, and during his visits he found various small gifts, nuts or wishes from people who seek their positive energy.

It is also said that you should come to the stones with good intention and love in your heart, because this magical place will multiply what you come to it with.

Štiavnica is magical. This charming historic city is full of special energy. It is inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List, its architecture and cultural heritage, stitched streets, stairs and views will steal your heart and unusual nature, turquoise taiches, mining shafts and forested hills will steal your soul. There is still much to discover in the city and its surroundings. It is not only historical facts, but also legends shrouded in mystery that tell about it, so I will return to writing about Banská Štiavnica in the future.