BRATISLAVA
County: Bratislava
District: Bratislava I, II, III, IV, V
Region: Bratislava and environs
Coordinates: 48° 08' 00" N
17° 06' 00" E
Altitude: 514 m - 126 m
Area: 367,580 km2
Population: 455 761
Density of Population: 1 165/km2
First Written Reference: y. 907
Address: Municipal Office of Bratislava, Primaciálne nám. 1, P.O.Box 192, 81 499 Bratislava
Website: www.bratislava.sk
Mayor: doc. RNDr. Milan Ftáčnik, CSc
Bratislava is the capital as well as the biggest city in the Slovak Republic. The city spreads on both banks of the longest European river, the Danube River. Its strategic location guaranteed the city an important position among other cities in the past.
Bratislava originated in a place where important trade routes crossed – Podunajská cesta (the Lower Danube Route) which connected the east and southwest of Europe with the west of Europe, and the Jantarová cesta (the Amber Route) which connected the southern Adriatic area with the northern Baltic area.
Early in the Iron Age, in the territory of today´s city there was a Celtic settlement called oppidum which was one of the most remarkable ones in Central Europe.
Since the 6th century Bratislava was colonized by Slavic people. Until 1918 Bratislava was a part of the Kingdom of Hungary, later of the Habsburg Monarchy (named as Prešporok, Pressburg, Pozsony). Municipal privileges were granted to Bratislava in 1291 by the Hungarian King Andrew III. In 1464 Matthias Corvinus gave the city a significant right of the sword. Thus the municipal council could punish offenders with the maximum penalty – the capital punishment.
In 1465 the first school in Slovakia was established here. It was called Academia Istropolitana. It was founded by Matthias Corvinus with the consent of the Pope Paul II. Two years later the university launched its activity within 4 faculties, including the field of theology, law, medicine and philosophy.
In the period from 1526 to 1784 Bratislava was the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary. Authorities of the Hungarian state administration have their headquarters here and Hungarian kings were crowned in the gothic St. Martin`s Cathedral. In 1805 Napoleon Bonaparte and the Austrian Emperor Franz I. signed the Peace Treaty of Pressburg in the Primate`s Palace. However, Napoleon broke the treaty and on June 26 to 28, 1809, he bombarded Bratislava from the Petržalka bank of the Danube River.
Since 1919 Bratislava has been the capital of the Slovak Republic. After formation of the independent Slovak Republic, it also became a seat of the president, the National Council and other supreme cultural, economic and scientific institutions.
As for industry, Bratislava is particularly an important centre of chemical industry, rubber industry, engineering industry, electrical industry, brewery industry and food industry.
Bratislava is the Slovak centre of education (Comenius University founded in 1919, Slovak Technical University, University of Economics, University of Musical Arts, University of Fine Arts), of science (Slovak Academy of Sciences, several research institutions) and of culture (Slovak National Theatre, Slovak National Gallery, Slovak National Museum, Slovak National Philharmonic).
Regular festivals take place here, such as Bratislavské hudobné slávnosti (musical festivities), Bratislavská lýra (music competition), Bienále ilustrácií Bratislava (fine arts exhibition), Flóra (exposition of flora), Incheba (chemical industry fair), Coneco (international fair of construction and engineering), and many others.
Bratislava is an urban monumental preserve with national cultural monuments like the Bratislava Castle, the Devín Castle, Slavín (World War II. monument), Academia Istropolitana and Evangelic Lyceum. Other architectonic monuments include the gothic St. Martin`s Cathedral, Old Town Hall (14th to 15th century), Mirbach Palace, Primate`s Palace, Michael`s Gate (14th century), Grassalkovich Palace and many others.
Bratislava is currently experiencing an extensive rapid development also thanks to the fact that it is a part of the exceptional triangle formed by three capital cities of Bratislava – Vienna – Budapest which has no equivalent in Europe.
Either by road, or by air, or even on the Danube River, Bratislava is flooded by more and more tourists, businessmen, investors who are attracted by secrets of an old and unknown town as well as by its lively atmosphere. Having eight universities and 60 thousand students, Bratislava is a city of young people. The proof of it can be found in the renovated city centre at evenings. There are many pubs, stylish coffee houses, restaurants, clubs and bars.
There are many interesting places in Europe but only some of them have such an unrepeatable dynamic atmosphere of growth and freedom as Bratislava.
