Bratislava, Slovakia
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
Of the 4 countries on an upper Danube route, probably the least known country is Slovakia. It was once a part of the Hapsburg Empire, then part of Czechoslovakia, and finally became independent in 1989.
Bratislava’s city limits actually share the borders of Austria and Hungary..
So, let’s explore together and learn about Bratislava and its key sights.
Bratislava Castle-- The massive Bratislava Castle is located on a hill that has been populated as early as in the Stone Age. The Celts built a fortified stronghold here in the 1st century BC. The Romans, the Germans, the Slavs, the Hungarians and the Austrians have ruled the area in the later centuries. Bratislava Castle became the residence of the Hungarian Kings and was repeatedly rebuilt in various styles.
The most famous residence of the castle was Maria Theresa, who used the castle as her official seat to rule the Kingdom of Hungary.
Bratislava Castle. Please look closely at this photo Anne took. At first glance it looks like there are turrets at the corners, but the closest turret is attached to the roof and the far turret is a real turret.
From the exterior, it looks like a square with 4 turrets at the corners, but inside it has irregular shapes, gardens, and other buildings other than the castle. Again, even the turrets are deceiving. 3 are attached to the roof, while only the turret on the southwest corner is an actual turret. The actual turret is 47 meter tall (over 141 feet).
This famous landmark almost did not survive after it burned down in 1811. It lay in ruins until 1953, when reconstruction began.
Today it houses the exhibition of the Slovak National Museum and serves as a state function venue. The museum entrance fee is currently 10 Euros. Many river cruise companies offer hikes up to the castle as part of their active wellness offerings.
The castle at night
St. Martin's Cathedral is the most important church in Bratislava. This 3-nave church, with its Gothic Dome, was build in the place of an Older Romanesque church. It was consecrated in 1452.
Inside the Cathedral, on the altar, there the 18th century statue of St. Martin and the Beggar equestrian statue sculpted by famous baroque sculptor Raphael Donner. St Martin is wearing the traditional Hungarian Hussar clothing.
St Martin’s Church. Please look carefully at the cupola—it is a replica of the crown of Hungary.
As Bratislava became the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom in the 16th century, the Cathedral was the coronation place for Hungarian Emperors. There were 11 Hungarian Kings and 8 queens crowned here between 1563 and 1830.
On the top of the church tower, some 85 meters (280 feet) above ground, there is a 1 m high copy of the Hungarian royal crown that weighs 300 kilograms.
Michael's Gate is the only surviving gate of the former walled city of Bratislava. Medieval Bratislava was entered through four gates, and Michael’s Gate is the northern entrance.
The 3 other gates were Vydrica (the western gate), the Laurinc (the eastern gate) and the fisherman’s gate, which was added to the original gate system.
Not only was it an entrance to the city, but it also served as the watchtower of the original city fortifications. Over 50 meters high, the tower was built in the early 14th century, and was rebuilt many times since its original construction.
As it is no longer needed as a watchtower, it now serves as a museum and has a collection of medieval arms and town fortification on display. The tower also offers a stunning view of the city for just a few euros.
The following 2 pictures are about the Laurinc Gate that was built in the 14th century. The gate was demolished by the order of Maria Theresa, as the walls of the city were limiting growth of the town. It did not have a tower on top of the gate.
The Old Town Hall with the clock tower, and the romantic courtyard with renaissance arcades, makes it one of the most appealing historical buildings of Bratislava.
It is a complex of several construction styles.
Today, the Old Town Hall houses the City Museum with a large collection documenting Bratislava’s history. The Old Town Hall is located on the main square, which is used during the Christmas season as some lively markets.
The old town hall clock tower is 45 meters tall (over 135 feet).
This unique tiled roof is part of the old town hall
Christmas Markets 2015
Christmas Markets in 2022 at night
The Primate's Palace The 18th century Palace in the spirit of French Classicism is one of the most beautiful attractions of Bratislava. This Archbishop’s residence also welcomed the Hungarian Kings when the Castle was burnt down in 1811.
The Primate’s Palace.
The palace also has an important role in European history. In 1805 Napoleon and Emperor Franz I of Austria signed the Treaty of Pressburg in the Mirror Hall Room. The treaty was a result of the Battle of Austerlitz, in which Napoleon crushed the Russian and Austrian forces. The treaty resulted in significant loss of territory by the Austrian Empire and reparations of 40 million francs paid to France.
Detail of the roof on the Primate’s Palace
In 1903, the palace was bought by the city and today it serves as the residence of Bratislava’s mayor. The historical interior conceals the exhibition of the European paintings as well as the set of 6 English tapestries from the 17th century.
There is also a beautiful Baroque fountain in the courtyard.
The fountain of St. George, showing the knight slaying the dragon.
St John of Nepomuk with angles outside of the Primate Palace
Slovak National Theatre is situated in the lovely restored Hviezdoslavovo square. The historical building of the Slovak National Theatre is the gem of the Neo-Renaissance architecture built by the Viennese architects F. Fellner and H. Helmer between 1884 and 1886.
The Slovak Theater
There is a lovely Ganymede’s fountain in front of the building. The beautiful interiors of the theatre house are an acclaimed venue for Opera and Ballet performances.
A good photo of the fountain outside the Slovak National Theater
Grassalkovich Palace is still in use today. --This impressive Rococo palace was built as the summer residence of Count Grassalkovich in the 18th century (it was finished in 1760). Quickly It became the center of the Hungarian aristocracy social life and was also visited by the Empress Maria Theresa. The palace was used for parties and balls by the Habsburg royal court.
Maria Theresa Statue on the promenade alongside the Danube River
During the communist era, after first being used by the Council of Commissioner (a quasi-government of Slovakia), the palace was used as an activity center for Bratislava schoolchildren, known as the “House of Pioneers and Youth”.
After its reconstruction in 1996, the Grassalkovich Palace became the residence of the Slovak Republic's president. Its excellent garden is now a public park.
Chatam Sofer Memorial--The Jewish community has always played an important role in the life of the city. Although the historical Jewish quarter under Bratislava Castle was destroyed, the most significant Jewish funerary shrine and place of religious worship still can be found in the Castle Hil.
There is a preserved part of original Jewish Cemetery with graves of rabbis including the famous Bratislava rabbi Chatam Sofer, the most important figure in the history of Jews in Bratislava.
The Blue Church (its proper name is Church of St. Elizabeth) is very different from the old town portion of Bratislava. It is an Art Noveau style that was built in 1913.
According to the Bratislava tourist office website, the blue church is a popular place for wedding and baptisms.
The Blue Church
Detail of the Blue Church
Curious Statues of Bratislava--Three life size bronze statues hidden in the streets of the Old Town have lately become the biggest attraction for visitors of Bratislava. They are:
Cumil-The Peeper (on the corner of Panska and Rybarska brana streets),
French Napoleon Soldier (on a bench on the Hlavne namestie - Main Square),
Schoener Naci - Beautiful Ignaz (on Rybarska brana street).
There is actually a sad story behind the inspiration for the greeter statue, but no one knows for certain the truth of this story. While there are various versions of the story, the greeter went mad at the loss of a woman he loved. The story becomes clouded here—did she not respond, was his lady deported by the Nazis in WW II to a concentration camp? The greeter, berefted with grief, is said to have dressed each day in tails and offer flowers to all the ladies he encountered wandering the old town square area.
The UFO Bridge, as it is popularly known, has an observation deck that looks like it came from outer space. The bridge is 95 meters tall (285 feet tall).
The UFO Bridge with our rivership, the AmaCerto in the foreground
Even with all the fun of visiting this capital city, along the promenade, I was reminded in this former iron-curtain country, how they feel about there freedom. Here is a ponient reminder of the cost of war and freedom. It is a picture of several Ukrainian women who lost their husbands in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A political message about the cost of the Ukraine War during our 2022 visit. The six ladies all lost husbands during this conflict.
Our Final Thoughts
It is a wonderful thing to visit the former iron curtain countries and learn more about them. Bratislava is a blending of the old and new and until recently been ruled by kings and queens and later under communist domination. This is an upbeat, thriving country eager to put its past domination as only a history lesson and they look to a bright future.
We hope you enjoyed this report and learned something about this country.
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ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
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