Bratislava

Sights

Bratislava is picturesquely situated on both banks of the Danube, at the base of the outlying spurs of the Little Carpathians, in a position of strategic importance near the Devín Gate (earlier called Hainburger Pforte or Porta Hungarica), and the area includes a picturesque old town.

Related Topics:
Danube - Little Carpathians - Devín Gate

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One of the most conspicuous buildings of the town is the Bratislava Castle situated on a plateau 82 m above the Danube. The castle exists since time immemorial, has been the acropolis of a Celtic town, a part of the Roman Limes Romanus, a huge Slav fortified settlement and a political, military and religious center of Great Moravia. A castle of stone was built only in the 10th century (part of Hungary), it was turned to a Gothic anti-Hussite fortress under Sigismund of Luxemburg in 1430, in 1562 to a Renaissance castle, and in 1649 a baroque reconstruction took place. Under queen Maria Theresa, the castle was turned into a prestige seat of the royal governor Albert von Sachsen-Teschen, the son-in-law of Maria Theresa, who founded the Albertina picture gallery in the castle, which was later moved to Vienna. In 1784, when Bratislava ceased to be the capital of Hungary, the castle was turned to a school for Catholic clergy, and later in 1802 to barracks. In 1811, the castle was inadvertently destroyed by fire by the soldiers of the barracks and was in ruins till the 1950s, when it was reconstructed mostly in its former Maria Theresa style.

Related Topics:
Bratislava Castle - Acropolis - Celt - Roman - Limes Romanus - Great Moravia - 10th century - Hussite - Sigismund of Luxemburg - 1430 - 1562 - Renaissance - 1649 - Baroque - Maria Theresa - Albert von Sachsen-Teschen - Albertina - Vienna - 1784 - 1811 - 1950s

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Another castle is the Devín Castle (still in ruins) in the city part Bratislava-Devín. It is situated on the top of a high rock at the point where the March (Morava) river, which forms the boundary between Austria and Slovakia, falls into the Danube. It is one of the most important Slovak archaeological sites and has been –thanks to its excellent location –a very important frontier castle of Great Moravia and the early Hungarian state. It was deliberately destroyed by Napoleon troops in 1809 and is an important symbol of Slovak and Slavic history.

Related Topics:
March (Morava) river - Great Moravia - 1809

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Yet another castle, built in 1813 and turned to English Gothic style castle in the late 19th century, is situated in the city part Bratislava-Rusovce, otherwise known for ruins of Roman Gerulata settlements.

Related Topics:
1813 - English Gothic - 19th century

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Other noteworthy buildings are:

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• the St. Martin's Cathedral (a Gothic edifice of the 14th-15th century replacing an older church from the 13th century) in which many of the Hungarian kings were crowned
• Bratislava's Town hall (a complex of 14th-15th century buildings) containing an interesting museum – the City Museum founded in 1868
• Bratislava's Franciscan church, dating from 1297
• the building of the University Library (erected in 1756) where the sittings of the Diet (parliament) of the Kingdom of Hungary were held from 1802 to 1848
• the Primate´s Palace (erected in 1781) in which the (4th) Peace of Pressburg has been signed
• the beautiful Slovak National Theatre (built in 1886), and
• the Michael's Gate (early 17th century), the only still existing tower of the town wall
• the narrowest house in central (or maybe in whole) Europe (just behind the Michael's Gate)
• Nový Most Bratislava is a bridge across the Danube river, featuring a UFO-like tower restaurant
• Kamzik TV Tower is a TV tower of unique design with an observation deck

In general, the historic center is characterized by many baroque palaces. The Grassalkovich Palace (built around 1760), for example, is now the residence of the Slovak president, and the former Archiepiscopal palace (1614-1765, the former summer residence of the archbishop of Esztergom) is now the seat of the Slovak government.

Related Topics:
Baroque - Grassalkovich Palace - Archiepiscopal palace - Esztergom

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