Despite its long history, Považská Bystrica does not have many monuments. The most important of them are the ruins of the Powaski Castle standing on a hill above the city.
Today's Považská Bystrica is primarily an industrial center. The center was demolished and built up with blocks after the Second World War. Only a baroque church and a few tenement houses have survived.
Považská Bystrica Castle, which is the main attraction of Považská Bystrica, is located in the Podhradie district, outside the center. It stands on a hill and is visible from a distance. It was built in the 13th century, and in the following centuries it belonged to important Hungarian noble families. Today it remains in a state of ruin and is open to tourists.
