Major Attractions In Bratislava

More than a millennium old, Bratislava Castle is one of the city’s most prominent buildings; originally built sometime in the tenth century, the castle started off as a citadel for a Slavonic Prince.  

Over the centuries, it changed hands and shape many times, until the Empress Maria Theresa had it rebuilt to make it the official residence of the Habsburgs. The castle as it stands today, was renovated after the actual castle burnt down almost completely in 1811, and offers an interesting insight into Bratislava’s history. The Castle houses a huge collection of antiques and exhibits- that of the Slovak National Museum- and includes the quarters of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and the Government of Slovakia. ratislava Castle sits atop a 100 m high hill, and is basically a Gothic structure, in the form of a quadrilateral, with pointed turrets, beautiful grounds and an excellent view of the city. Some parts of the castle, especially those occupied by the government, are off-limits to visitors, but the Slovak National Museum’s exhibition with its collection of silver, copperware, clocks, furniture and armoury is open - as is the Music Museum. The latter houses folk musical instruments and manuscripts by Slovak composers, and opens, as does the National Museum exhibition from Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5 pm.

 The main church, not just of Bratislava, but also of the Austro-Hungarian empire, St Martin’s Cathedral dates back to the 14th century.  A beautiful building, dominated by a steeple that rises to a height of 85 m, it is topped by a 300 kg golden replica of the Hungarian crown. The golden crown rests on a golden pillow and is symbolic of the fact that this cathedral was where the Hungarian kings were crowned. 

St Martin’s saw the coronations of eleven monarchs and eight royal consorts. Among the church’s greatest attractions is a bronze statue crafted by George Donner of St Martin giving away his cape.

The building of the Old Town Hall dates back to the 15th century, and houses one of Bratislava’s many museums- the Municipal Museum. Actually, the structure has no specific date to its construction- for bits and pieces of it were added on at different times. Much of the building is Gothic in form, and has a tile-roofed oriel as one of its later additions- it’s around six hundred years old. The most interesting thing about the building, though, is the cannon ball lodged in one side of the tower. Although popular legend has it that this was a stray shot from the guns Napoleon’s army, there’s a theory that it was probably planted deliberately in 1814, in order to get money sanctioned for repairs & renovations.

Within the Old Town Hall, other than the Municipal Museum, there are also the town’s archives and an Exhibition of Feudal Justice. The main courtyard of the Town Hall is the venue for a number of cultural performances through the year.

One of Bratislava’s forest parks - the city has a number of them, of which the best known are Horsky and Kamzik- both offering an excellent respite from the crowds of the city, Horsky is a wonderfully relaxing stretch of greenery. It has lots of forest trails leading through it, and is perfect for anyone who’s keen on nature. The park also has some tourist sights close to its periphery- the most well known being the Church of the Virgin Mary. It’s a neat church, rendered even more so by the communists, who chopped off the tower which originally crowned the building. Behind the church are a chapel and monument to the Blessed Virgin, and a path that leads to the main city centre. Worth a visit if you’re fed up to you’re back teeth with the crowds of the city, and are craving some peace and quiet.

At one time the residence of the Archbishop of Estergom, the Primacial Palace is one of Bratislava's most historical buildings. It was in this palace, in the Hall of Mirrors, that the Bratislava Peace Treaty was signed in 1805 between Napoleon and the Habsburgs after the battle of Slavkov. Today, the palace houses some of the city’s best collections of art. The Gallery of the Capital of the Slovak Republic, on the first floor, houses a collection of 17th century tapestries depicting the Greek legend of Hero and Leander, while other rooms in the palace have a permanent exhibition  of old European paintings. There’s also a 15th century chapel dedicated to St Ladislaus with an excellent fresco and a medieval pipe organ.

The residence of Count Jan Palffy, the Palffy Palace was constructed on the site of an ancient Romanesque house, and excavations have revealed that it had also once been the site of a Celtic settlement. Located close to the University of Bratislava, the Palffy Palace is today home to the Austrian Embassy -rather appropriate for in these rooms, the six-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart once performed for the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. In addition, it houses the Bratislava Art Gallery- a good collection of art - paintings and sculpture by Flemish, Dutch and Italian masters.

Slightly outside Bratislava city- a few minutes by car or bus- lies the ancient castle ruin of Devin. The Castle, an enormous fortress guarding the frontier of Slovakia has been at the confluence of the Danube and the Morava Rivers for more than ten centuries now. Blown up by Napoleon’s armies in 1809, the castle is now undergoing reconstruction and renovation. Access to the castle was restricted till some years back, but today it swarms with visitors. The castle is actually quite interesting, and has a rather fanciful legend- of a hunter in love with twin princesses, one of who died and the other turned into a goat- attached to it. Even if you don’t believe the legend, the castle’s grounds make for a pleasant stroll.

There are, in addition, a number of other sights to see in and around Bratislava- many of them historical, like the Franciscan Church, the Mirbach Palace, the Main Square of the City, Michael’s Gate - a medieval armoury in excellent condition, and the Grassalkovich Palace. The city also has a large number of museums and galleries, including the Johann Nepomuk Hummel Museum, the Slovak National Museum, the Gallery of Bratislava, and the Clock Museum. All make for good sightseeing.