Several decades of socialism had their effect on urbanism and architecture of towns. These processes can be found in several post-socialist countries. One of the examples in Slovakia is the town of Bánovce nad Bebravou. Until the end of the 19th century the town was not economically important. During the time of socialism the city underwent significant architectural and urban changes due to large industrial development. The definitive image of the historic core changed according to the principles of modern urbanism. Nowadays with the compact city policies, it is important to find the balance between the traditional compact urban form and the modern urban form. The contribution deals with mapping and the process of former urban changes. The aim is to find locations for the transformation and refurbishment of the town’s historic core, in order to its preserved cultural and historical values, while fulfilling the requirement for an ecological and sustainable city.