Bratislava City Guide 2017

Bratislava City Guide Top attractions in Bratislava Pull-out map of city centre A 7-day city visit plan www.visitbratislava.com

CONVERSIONS Distances 1 km = 0.62 mile (km = mile / 0.62137) 1 mile = 1.61 km (mile = km x 0.62137) Temperature 0°C = 32°F (°C = (°F -32)/1.8) 32°F = 0°C (°F = °C x 1.8+32) Weight 1 kg = 2.2 lb (kg = lb/2.2046) 1 lb = 0.45 kg (lb = kg x 2.2046) KEy TO maIN SymbOlS  address Å phone walking distance from the Main Square (Hlavné námestie)  driving from the city centre (Hodžovo nám.) a open U religious service admission charge for adults ¯ live music é wheelchair access ä restaurant å café, bar e gift shop G museum  gallery ® theatre u public transport stop v public transport: numbers or times N page references for sites described in greater detail elsewhere in the guide information church, chapel, synagogue monument, statue, memorial hospital, polyclinic, pharmacy post office police parking, paid parking, garage tennis sport field cinema hotel fountain bus station train station airport port cemetery pedestrian zone gas station castle ruins stairs supermaket, market place railway highway 1st-class road 2nd-class road 3rd-class road border crossing P road number one-way road dead end W a must-see sight © 2017 The Rock, s.r.o. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited by the law. The authors of the articles published in this issue, represented by the publisher, reserve the right to give their approval for reproducing and public transmissi- on of articles marked © The Slovak Spectator/ Spectacular Slovakia, Address: The Rock, s.r.o. Lazaretská 12, 811 08 Bratislava. In cooperation with:

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CONTENTS How to use this guide 2 Seven days in the city 4 History 6 Sight by sight Historical centre 10 Walking distance 29 Around the city 36 Feature section Changes 40 Simmilarities 43 Coronation city 44 Personalities 46 Legends 48 Museums, galleries and theatres 50 Best deals 53 For 100 Euros 54 Night life 56 Shopping and the modern city 58 Under communism 60 Religion 62 Nations 64 Bird’s eye view 67 Extreme sports 68 The Danube 70 Parks, gardens, lakes 72 The unusual 74 Dining 76 Cafés 78 Wine 80 Luxury 82 Family 84 City hiking 86 Running 87 Outside the city 89 Cycling 96 Hiking 98 Beyond the region 100 Basics for tourists Language (inside front cover) Travellers’ needs 102 Guide to prices 105 Slovak cuisine 106 Souvenirs 108 Events 108 Index Index 110 Street finder 112 Maps (inside back cover) Pull-out map Regional map City map The piano of Johann Nepomuk Hummel The annual coronation ceremony St Martin‘s Cathedral

2 bratislava: How to use this guide How to use this guide This page is designed to help you navigate the Bratislava City Guide. For this edition, we have selected a list of the top sights in Bratislava that you should make sure you visit. You can find the list on page 3. The guide comprises five parts: 1.Sight by sight section (pages 10-39) Practical information and useful contact details related to selected sights in Bratislava a. Bratislava: Historical centre (pages 10-28) b. Bratislava: Within walking distance (pages 29-35) c. Bratislava: Around the city (pages 36-39) 2.Feature section (pages 40-101) a. Articles covering 23 different travel topics and useful contact details related to the sites covered in individual stories (pages 40-87) b. Articles focusing on the region surrounding Bratislava, with information and contact details for the sites covered in individual stories (pages 88-101) 3.Basics for tourists Basic information about Bratislava and Slovakia, and practical advice for travellers (pages 4-9, 102-109 and inside front cover) 4.Index (pages 110-112) Index of all the places mentioned in the guide (pages 110-111) as well as a street finder 5.Maps (inside back cover) a. Pull-out map Detailed map of the city centre as well as public transport in the city, with practical information related to transport b. Regional map c. City map A detailed list of contents can be found on page 1. Feature page The guide has more than 60 feature pages, covering 23 different traveller topics and including useful contact details related to the sites covered in individual stories. Feature article about the site(s) in question, with title. Sidebar with practical information and useful contact details related to the site covered in the individual story. Each site in the guide has its own reference number, which may be displayed in two different ways. A map related to the article, with reference numbers for selected sites connected to the topic. Sites not referred to on other pages are described directly on the page. Map references refer to the pull-out map. Walking distances are from the Main Square (Hlavné námestie). Driving details are from the city centre (Hodžovo nám.). The name of the closest public transport stop. Numbers of public transport services that operate from the closest stop. Ticket prices are for adults. Page references are given for sites described in greater detail elsewhere in the guide.

bratislava: How to use this guide / TOP SIGHTS 3 Sight by sight page This page offers short profiles with useful information on selected sights in Bratislava. Practical information and contact details for featured places in the city. Short description of each place. Each site in the guide has its own reference number, which may be displayed in two different ways. A map related to the relevant part of the city, with reference numbers for selected sights. Map references refer to the pull-out map. Walking distances are from the Main Square (Hlavné námestie). Driving details are from the city centre (Hodžovo nám.). The name of the closest public transport stop. Numbers of public trans- port services that operate from the closest stop. Ticket prices are for adults. 3 Slovak National Gallery, map C 4 N page: 12, 50-52, 53 8 Slovak National Theatre - Historical building, map C 3 N page: 13, 50-52, 82-83 14 Old Town Hall (museum), map C 3 (c 4) N page: 16, 50-52, 53, 67, 80-81 16 Primate’s Palace (museum), map C 3 (c 4) N page: 17, 64-66 18 Nedbalka Gallery, map C 3 (c 4) N page: 15, 50-52 25 Franciscan Church, map C 3 (c 2) N page: 19, 44-45 27 Michael’s Gate (museum), map C 3 (c 1) N page: 20, 48-49, 67 35 Pálffy Palace (gallery), map C 3 (c 3) N page: 22, 50-52, 64-66 38 St Martin’s Cathedral, map C 3 (c 3) N page: 24-25, 44-45, 62--66 42 Bratislava Castle, map B 3 N page: 26-27, 48-49, 53, 54-55, 64-66, 84-85 48 Chatam Sófer Memorial, map A 3 N page: 29, 62-63, 64-66 51 Most SNP (bridge), map B,C 4 N page: 30, 41-43, 60-61, 67, 70-71, 82-83 56 Eurovea (river-front district), map E 4 N page: 30, 53, 54-55, 58-59, 70-71 58 Blue Church, map D 3 N page: 31, 54-55 77 Slavín (memorial), map B 1 N page: 34, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66, 67 80b Volkswagen (car plant) N page: 37 81 Devín Castle N page: 37, 60-61, 64-66, 86 99 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum N page: 39, 50-52, 53, 54-55, 70-71 58 77 35 27 18 16 25 14 56 51 48 81 99 42 38 Top sights in Bratislava 8 3 80b

4 bratislava: Seven days in the city Seven days in the city Bratislava is an ideal city-break destination, it offers some of the most diverse sites in a single city. Even though the historical centre is much smaller than those of nearby capitals like Vienna and Budapest. The other options mean that even travellers here for an extended stay can be kept busy for far longer than just the usual two-day break. Here’s a programme arranged by the authors of this guide for seven days in Bratislava, which you are of course free to re-arrange as you see fit. Day 1 - OldTown Almost all of Bratislava’s Old Town rewards in-depth exploration and even just wandering the city streets can be a richly rewarding experience. However, an idea for a more formal path is mapped out on pages 10-11, starting on the banks of the Danube at the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) and then heading into the narrow, winding streets. Morning: Hop on the Oldtimer XL or Blaváčik tourist trains (N page: 13), which offer extended tours of the historical centre, and a ride to Bratislava Castle. Then switch to art by visiting the SNG (N page: 12). Your next stop could be the Old Town Hall complex (N page: 16), which includes museums and an overview of Bratislava from its tower, before heading to the Nedbalka Gallery (N page: 15) for more wonderful art. Pick up a quick lunch of soup, sandwiches or salad at any location of the Štúr, Mondieu and Urban House cafés which are close to the city centre. (N page: 78-79). Afternoon: Walk off lunch by climbing up the castle hill (N page: 26-27), which can be approached from several directions. On the way back from the castle, pop in to St Martin’s Cathedral (N page: 24-25) and explore its interior and crypts. Before dinner at Skybar (N page: 67), head to the Pálffy Palace (N page: 22), a branch of the city art gallery. After dinner with a magnificent view over the streets you have now explored, the last hours of your busy day could be devoted to music at the Slovak National Theatre (N page: 13). Day 2 - Communism (Contact details for the sites mentioned N page: 60-61) Morning: For a taste of the way it used to be in Bratislava, start your day in the way most families started it under communism: going to the roofed marketplace at Trnavské mýto or the Miletička open-air market. Here you will experience an altogether more authentic hustle and bustle, as well as a variety of products at local prices. From Trnavské mýto you can then take a walk towards Kamenné námestie (Square) in the city centre. The Tesco building here dates from the 1970s, and housed the main Prior supermarket under the previous regime. (On your way, you can see two majestic stone lions which once guarded the headquarters of the communist-era ŠtB secret police force on 14 Špitálska street.) From Tesco cross the street to SNP Square and continue uphill toward the underpass which will lead to the Hodžovo nám. (Sq.). From there take a 203 trolleybus to the Slavín memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Red Army, which also offers an amazing view over the city. Then walk back to Námestie slobody (Square of Freedom) where you can have a quick lunch at the Savage Garden restaurant. Afternoon: Head to Petržalka, and Hřbitov in particular, which is one of the many bunkers left here from the Second World War. Assuming the weather is good, you can take a swim at the Veľký Draždiak lake, in another part of Petržalka. It is also possible to recall the previous era at escape room Brainteaselava located on Obchodná street. Before sunset head up to the pod at the top of the SNP Bridge, which houses the UFO restaurant and offers one of the best views in the city. If you feel like going out, Subclub, one of the most vibrant nightclubs in the region, is housed in a former bomb shelter. Several of these activities are part of post-socialist city tours. Day 3 -Along the Danube Morning: Take a lovely morning walk from the Old Bridge through the Sad Janka Kráľa park (N page: 72-73) to the SNP Bridge. After crossing the river there, you can take a boat from the city port to Devín (N page: 37), which will get you close enough to the Danube to touch it. After enjoying Old Town Hall Sad Janka Kráľa (park)

bratislava: Seven days in the city 5 the castle and the surrounding area, take the bus back to River Park (N page: 58-59), where you can have a quick lunch at one of the riverside cafés. Afternoon: The Chatam Sófer memorial (N page: 29) is close by, from where you can then take a walk to the SNP Bridge. Hop on a bus to the Danubiana Museum of Modern Art (N page: 39), a 30-minute walk along the dam from Čunovo. Čunovo also offers white-water sporting opportunities in the Divoká voda area (N page: 68-69). Water attractions like river cruises, speedboats or water scooters are available also closer to the city centre (N page: 68-69); after returning to the city, you can end your day at the Eurovea (N page: 58-59) river front area for dinner. Day 4 - New experiences Pick anything from the article on pages 74-75 and know that the experiences offered in Alternative Bratislava will set you apart from 99 percent of the tourists who visit the city. Day 5 -Wine (Contact details for the sites mentioned N page: 80-81,90) Morning: Before you booze away the afternoon and evening, why not learn something about Slovakia’s rich wine-making traditions in the Museum of Viticulture in the Old Town Hall complex (N page: 16) with several wine tasting programmes. Remember booking is necessary. Taste also local popular variety Blaufränkisch (Frankovka modrá) from Rača district or currant wine from Devín. Even better, find a designated driver in your travel party and then get them to drive you to some of the numerous wine cellars nearby, which offer wine tasting throughout the year. The best stops are Svätý Jur, Pezinok and Modra, which are also accessible by local buses. In Pezinok and Modra you can even try to make your own pottery (N page: 94) and then have lunch in one of several restaurants. Afternoon: More wine can be found at Elesko, a vineyard and gallery close to Modra. You might want to drop in on Červený Kameň Castle (N page: 89) for a break from all the boozing, and check out the castle’s magnificent cellars to cool off. If you still need something to soak up the alcohol, head to Slovenský Grob (N page: 76-77) for a goose feast (and, of course, more wine). Day 6 - Stay active Think holidays are about lazing around by the pool all day? Forget it. Head to the Malý Dunaj inland waterway (N page: 71) for some rafting, any of the three golf courses (N page: 105) close to the city centre, or just head off hiking (N page: 98-99) or cycling (N page: 96-97) in the surrounding countryside. Day 7 - Shopping Morning: Your last day is a good time to get some presents for your friends and family by visiting many of the souvenir shops in the Old Town. If you are a fan of folk art, head to the outlets of ÚĽUV, the original folk-art manufacturer, which has two outlets in the city centre. For something more contemporary, try Avion, the biggest shopping centre in Bratislava, close to the city’s airport. There is also a decent food court for some sustenance. Afternoon: Further shopping options can be found in Eurovea (located close to the city centre, N page: 30) or in Fresh Market which offers local food and products (N pages: 74-75). You can finish your day at another shopping centre, Central, which also has a swimming pool and wellness centre. Dinner is served at the Outlook Bar & Lounge, located on the 13th floor of the Lindner Hotel (N page: 67), which is part of the shopping centre. Note: For details of the main shopping centres in Bratislava see pages 58-59. Sandberg On Vápenná hill in the Small Carpathians

6 bratislava dates ANCIENT TIMES 2nd century BC – Celtic tribes establish a settlement on the territory of today’s Bratislava and mint coins here, including a golden coin with the inscription “Biatec”. 58AD – A Germanic tribe led by Burebista invades and defeats the Celts. 3rd century – Roman armies first visit the region, establishing several buildings including Devín, Dúbravka and a fortress that would eventually become Bratislava Castle. The town of Gerulata (in today’s Rusovce) grows up on the border between the Roman Empire and Germanic territories. Romans introduce wine- growing and viticulture. THE MIDDLE AGES 9th century – The territory becomes part of the so-called Samo’s Land, established by a Frankish tradesman Samo. It disintegrates after his death and in 836 the region becomes part of Great Moravia. 907 – The first written record of what is now Bratislava. According to the Salzburg Chronicles, old Hungarian tribes defeat Bavarian armies near the castle called Pressalauspurc. 11th century – Bratislava becomes part of the Hungarian Kingdom and inhabitants of the local castle mint silver coins with the image of first Hungarian King Stephen and the inscription Breslava Civitas. 1042 – The German chronicler Herriman mentions a “densely populated town” under the castle called Brecisburg. The town is attacked and destroyed by German King Henrich I. 1073-1074 – The castle serves as a residence for Hungarian King Solomon, the first time a monarch occupies the building. 1096 – German Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa and his knights stop at the castle during their crusade to the Holy Land. 12th-14th century Hungarian and Austrian aristocrats agree on a reciprocal deal to rule the town. 1140-1150 – The Arab merchant Al-Idrisi from Sicilia mentions in his documents a town located on the territory of today’s Bratislava, describing it as part of the Czech Kingdom. 1151 – First mention of the market place under the castle. 1204 – Hungarian King Emeric II receives permission from the pope to relocate the church from the castle, which at that time served as a fortress, to the settlement under the castle. 1221 – The canonry, in which important documents are written, verified and stored, is relocated from the castle to the new settlement. 1241 – Tartars raid the settlement. 1250 – The so-called Water Tower is built to protect the bridge across the Danube. 1287 – Austrian Duke Albert from Babenberg conquers the castle and occupies it until 1291. Bratislava becomes a typical mediaeval town surrounded by stone walls. Its inhabitants, mainly Germans invited to the town by the Hungarian king after being displaced by Tartars, enjoy the privileges granted to landowners. 1291 – Hungarian King Andrew III confers further privileges on Bratislava. 1311 – Chapel of St Catherine is consecrated. 1312 – The town, the castle and its surroundings are returned to the Hungarian King Charles Robert of Anjou. 1370 – Gothic funeral chapel built near the Franciscan monastery church. 1387 – Under the rule of King Sigismund, son of Emperor Charles IV and husband of the Hungarian Queen Mary, Bratislava is included on the list of so- called “free royal towns”, based on the Small Decree issued in 1405. The town receives the right to mint silver coins in 1430 and in 1436 King Sigismund gives the town two documents that permit the town to use the seal with its coat of arms. Bratislava is the only European town that has two copies of this document, made by the Viennese painter Michal. Sigismund begins to build a residence inside the castle. 1389 – The town buys the building that later becomes the city hall. Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy Coronations in Bratislava started in 1563, when King Maximilian II and his consort, Mary of Spain, were crowned Chapel of St Catherine

1452 – A bishop from Esztergom consecrates the cathedral to St Martin. 1453 – The castle is turned into a residence for Hungarian King Ladislaus V, known as “Posthumous” because he was born after the death of his father. 1467 – Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus establishes Academia Istropolitana, the first university in Bratislava. The university closes in 1490-91. 1526 – After the Battle of Mohács, Ottomans occupy the territories of today’s Hungary, including the capital Buda and the main religious centre in Esztergom. Bratislava, then called Pressburg (or Pozsony or Prešporok in Slovak), becomes the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom in 1563. 1531 – Inhabitants of Bratislava expel Jews from the town, blaming them for the lost battle with the Ottomans. 1590 – An earthquake damages the tower of the town hall and destroys the vault over the nave of the Franciscan church. 1605-06 – Town is occupied by rebels led by István Bocskai, a duke from Transylvania. In 1606, after the rebels signed the Vienna Peace Treaty, Protestants living in Bratislava establish the Evangelical Lyceum, which still serves as school. 1638 – Construction of the first Evangelical Church in Bratislava is finished, but in 1672 King Leopold II takes the church away from the Protestants and gives it to the Jesuits and the Ursuline nuns. The church is now the property of the Jesuits, and it is called the Church of the Holy Saviour. 1679 – The plague epidemic sweeps through Bratislava, dramatically decreasing the population of the city. 18th century – Period of great prosperity for Bratislava as the most important town in the Hungarian Kingdom. The aristocracy builds countless palaces, churches, monasteries, etc; the territory of the castle expands; new streets are established; Hungarian parliament presides from Bratislava and the city’s population grows four-fold. 1712 – Bratislava is stricken by cholera, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The column of the Holy Trinity is erected on Rybné Square in memory of the dead. 1740-80 – Maria Theresa oversees a period of intense growth in Bratislava, which includes the construction of several governmental buildings, new palaces and a sewer system. The castle becomes the royal residence. The whole town becomes the centre of social and political life, ending only with Maria Theresa’s death and the decision of her successor Joseph II to turn Bratislava back into a provincial town. 1781 – The residence of the Bishop of Esztergom is built in the city centre. bratislava dates 7 Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy Maria Theresa (Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy) Bratislava as it appeared in 1655 during the coronation of Leopold I, and the ceremony on the coronation mound

8 bratislava dates 1773-75 – The oldest publicly accessible park in Europe opens on the banks of the Danube. Today it is called Sad Janka Kráľa in Petržalka. 1774-76 – The first theatre is built near Rybná Gate. 19th century – Bratislava endures a slump in its fortunes including, in the second half of the century, the Hungarian capital returning to Pest after the Ottomans retreat from central Europe. 1805 – France and Austria sign the Peace of Pressburg in the Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace in Bratislava at the end of the war near Slavkov, also known as Austerlitz. 1809 – Napoleonic armies bombard the town and destroy the southern part of the castle. Another fire, in 1811, destroys the royal palace and part of the area under the castle, especially the Jewish settlements. 1818 – The Steamboat Carolina starts to run between Bratislava and Vienna. 1847 – A model of the Hungarian royal crown is placed on the top of the tower of St Martin’s Cathedral. The first lightning conductor in the town is also installed at the same time. 1848 – The last meeting of representatives of the Hungarian social classes, attended by key political figures including Ľudovít Štúr, one of the codifiers of the Slovak language. Emperor Ferdinand V visits Bratislava for the last time in April and signs the so-called “March Laws” in the Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace. After the end of the meeting, Pest becomes the official capital of the Hungarian Kindgom. 1848 – Steam trains start to run between Vienna and Bratislava. 1867 – The town buys the palace of Earl Apponyi and turns it into the new town hall. The old town hall becomes the city museum, making it one of the oldest museums in central Europe. 1886 – The new city theatre – today the historical building of the Slovak National Theatre – opens in Hviezdoslavovo Square. 1895 – First trams run in Bratislava. 20th century – The century begins with Bratislava in good economic shape, building several new buildings including the Church of St Elizabeth (or so-called Blue Church), the former Military Headquarters, which now serves as a Faculty of Philosophy of Comenius University, as well as the building of Reduta located near Hviezdoslavovo Square. Massive political turmoil throughout the century, however, changes the city beyond all measure. 1914 – The Pressburger Bahn, the first electric railway between Vienna and Bratislava, opens. November 1918 – March 1919 – Bratislava becomes known as Wilson’s Town, after the then US President Woodrow Wilson. 1919 – According to the Treaty of Versailles at the end of the First World War, Bratislava becomes part of Czechoslovakia, but will be the residence for the Ministry with Full Power for Administration of Slovakia, led by a regional president. The town adopts Bratislava as its name for the first time and becomes the new capital of Slovakia. Comenius University is founded. 1921 – First running of the national Devín- Bratislava run. 1939 – Bratislava becomes the capital of the Nazi satellite Slovak state, led by president Jozef Tiso. 1943 – The borough of Karlova Ves is officially attached to Bratislava, the first official inclusion to the city. Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy Františkánske nám. (square) in 1830, with crowds waving to Ferdinand V, the last monarch to be crowned in Bratislava

bratislava dates 9 1944-45 – Bratislava is bombarded during the Second World War, causing significant damage to the city. The Red Army liberates Bratislava on April 4, 1945. Retreating German armies destroy the only bridge over the Danube. 1946 – Seven neighbouring villages are attached to Bratislava, significantly increasing the population. 1947 – Former president Jozef Tiso is executed in Bratislava. 1947-48 – Hundreds of new flats are built in the city. The new borough between Rača and the city centre, Krasňany, is established. 1948-89 – The communist era begins in Bratislava and across the so-called Eastern Bloc. 1950s – Hundreds of families of alleged enemies of the communist regime are moved from Bratislava, during the so-called “Action B”. Families are subsequently replaced by supporters of the regime. 1953-68 – Reconstruction of the ruins of Bratislava Castle begins. 1968 – Soviets occupy the city, destroying archaeological remains of the Great Moravian church in Bratislava Castle. 1968 – Czechoslovakia officially becomes a federation after a meeting and document signing at Bratislava Castle. 1960s – The city borough of Petržalka is established. 1972 – A further seven villages are atta- ched to Bratislava, from south of the Danube and from the Záhorie region. Bratislava grows into its present day form. 1973 – The SNP Bridge and Port Bridge open, the latter originally called the Bridge of Dukla Heroes. 1988 – Thousands of people pour onto the streets of Bratislava for a candlelit demonstration against the oppression of human and religious freedom by the communist regime. The regime responds by sending state police units into the streets armed with water cannons. Building of the Slovak National Bank Photo: TASR Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy A huge demonstration on SNP nám. (square) during the Velvet Revolutionin 1989 Construction of the SNP Bridge, with the emerging landscape of present-day Petržalka behind it (Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy) 1989 – The Velvet Revolution takes place, which, among other things, contributes to the fall of communism in Slovakia. 1990 – John Paul II visits Bratislava for the first time. 1992 – Lafranconi Bridge opens. 1993 – Bratislava becomes the capital of the newly-established Slovak Republic. The residence of the Slovak president is moved to Grassalkovich Palace. 2000 – The new National Bank of Slovakia building is finished. 2004 – Slovakia joins the European Union. 2005 – Bratislava hosts a summit between former US President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin. 2005 – Apollo Bridge opens. 2007 – The new building of the Slovak National Theatre opens. 2016 – Bratislava hosts the presidency of the Council of the EU.

1 Port, D 4 (pg 70-71) 2 Slovak National Museum, map D 4 (pg 12, 50-52, 53, 84-85) 3 Slovak National Gallery W, map C 4 (pg 12, 50-52, 53) 4 Reduta (Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra), map C 4 (pg 12, 50-52, 64-66) 5 Carlton Hotel, map C 4 (pg 12) 6 Church of Virgin Mary’s Assumption, Notre Dame, map C 4 (pg 13) 7 Prešporáčik & Blaváčik (Bratislava tourist trains), map C 4 (pg 13) 8 Slovak National Theatre - Historical building W, map C 3 (c 4) (pg 13, 50-52, 82-83) 9 Hviezdoslavovo nám. (square), map C 4,3 (c 4) (pg 14, 64-66, 108-109) 10 Rubberneck (statue), map C 3 (c 4) (pg 14) 11 Schöner Náci (statue), map C 3 (c 4) (pg 14, 46-47) 12 Main Square (Hlavné nám.), map C 3 (c 4) (pg 14, 44-45, 48-49, 108-109) 13 Napoleonic soldier (statue), map C 3 (c 4) (pg 15, 64-66) 14 Old Town Hall (museum) W, map C 3 (c 4) (pg 16, 50-52, 53, 67, 80-81) 15 Church of the Holy Saviour - Jesuit Church, map C 3 (c 4) (pg 15) 16 Primate’s Palace (museum) W, map C 3 (c 4) (pg 17, 64-66) 17 Tourist Information Centre, C 3 (c 4) (pg 53, 105) 18 Nedbalka Gallery W, map C 3 (c 4) (pg 15, 50-52) 19 Old Market Hall, map D 3 (pg 18) 20 Manderla’s house, map D 3 (pg 18) 21 Church of the Merciful Brothers, map C 3 (c 2) (pg 18) 22 Church of Clerical Congregation of the Reformed Christian Church, map C 3 (c 2) (pg 18) 23 KC Dunaj (Centre of culture), C 3 (c 2) (pg 56-57) 24 Ursuline Church and Convent, map C 3 (c 2) (pg 19) 35 38 39 41 40 34 13 26 27 31 28 32 33 36 Bratislava historical centre 37

Obchodná 17 min Primaciálne nám. Zámocká Zelená Hurbanovo nám. Klariská Michalská Prepoštolská Františ.nám. Farská Riečna Gorkého Zámočnícka Jesenského Paulínyho Vajanského nábrežie Kúpeľná Uršulínska Štúrova Škarniclova Klobučnícka Zochova Palisády Sedlárska Veterná Bradlianska Svoradova Kamenné nám. Panská Strakova Nám. SNP Rybné nám. Panská Ventúrska Kozia Hviezdoslavovonámestie Rudnayovo nám. Fajnorovo nábr. Rigeleho Heydukova Františkánska Navŕšku Kapitulská Biela Most SNP Kolárska Poštová Staromestská Jedlíkova Rybárskabr. Dvořákovo nábrežie Rázusovo nábrežie Palackého Laurinská Mostová Tobrucká Drevená Hlavné nám. Radničná Baštová Nedbalova Župné nám. Medená Staromestská Staromestská Medená Nedbalova Zámocká Podjavorinskej Vodnývrch Žižkova Pilárikova Židovská Židovská Mikulášska Beblavého Konventná Suché mýto  19min 8 9 14 15 25 12 10 11 N 42 3 4 8 10 14 16 18 13 15 35 39 40 38 45 25 27 26 25 Franciscan Church of Lord’s Annunciation, map C 3 (c 2) (pg 19, 44-45) 26 Mirbach Palace (gallery), map C 3 (c 2) (pg 20, 50-52) 27 Michael’s Gate (museum) W, map C 3 (c 1) (pg 20, 48-49, 67) 28 Red Crayfish Pharmacy (museum), map C 3 (c 1) (pg 20) 29 Church of St John of Matha, map C 3 (c 1) (pg 20, 64-66) 30 Church of St Stephen, map C 3 (c 1) (pg 21) 31 St Catherine’s Chapel, map C 3 (c 1) (pg 21) 32 University Library, map C 3 (c 1) (pg 21) 33 Zichy Palace (gallery), map C 3 (c 3) (pg 22) 34 Academia Istropolitana, map C 3 (c 3) (pg 22) 35 Pálffy Palace (gallery) W, map C 3 (c 3) (pg 22, 50-52, 64-66) 36 Erdödy Palace (privat gallery), map C 3 (c 3) (pg 22) 37 Bibiana (children‘s centre), C 4 (pg 84-85) 38 St Martin’s Cathedral W, map C 3 (c 3) (pg 24-25, 44-45, 62-63, 64-66) 39 City walls, map C 3 (c 3) (pg 22) 40 Kapitulská Street, map C 3 (c 3) (pg 23) 41 Church of the Clarisses, map C 3 (c 3) (pg 23) 42 Bratislava Castle W, map B 3 (pg 26-27, 48-49, 53, 54-55, 64-66, 84-85) 43 Museum of Jewish Culture, B 3 (pg 50-52, 53, 64-66) 44 Podhradie (settlement below the castle), map B,C 3 (c 1, c 3) (pg 28) 45 House of the Good Shepherd (museum), map C 3 (c 3) (pg 28) 46 Subclub (music club), B 4 (pg 56-57, 60-61) 47 Zuckermandel (church and museums), map B 4 (pg 28, 64-66, 53) 31 47 24 23 11 12 9 7 6 5 2 20 19 17 21 22 36 37 34 33 32 44 41 30 29 28 43 46 1

12 bratislava: Historical Centre 1 Port  pages 70-71 2 Slovenské národné múzeum (Slovak National Museum)  Vajanského nábr. 2; map D 4  0.65 km (8 min) Å +421 (0)2 2046-9122 G www.snm.sk a Sep-Jun: Tue-Sun 9:00-16:30; Jul-Aug: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30 €4 é e WC This building on the banks of the Danube was designed and built between 1925-27 by the Slovak architect Milan Michal Harminc. It was originally intended to house a branch of the Czechoslovak Museum of Agriculture, but became home to the Slovak National Museum (SNM), established in 1961. Nowadays this monumental edifice, which is one of only a handful of well-preserved examples of the official architecture of the 1920s in Slovakia, holds the management of the SNM and the Natural History Museum. The SNM also uses its exhibition premises for temporary exhibitions. The building was badly damaged during the Second World War and its roof had to be rebuilt. However, the monumental tympanum, which originally contained a relief with a ploughman with a horse, remains empty. 3 Slovenská národná galéria W (Slovak National Gallery)  Nám. Ľ. Štúra 4; map C 4  0.45 km (5 min) Å +421 (0)2 2047-6111  www.sng.sk a Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 Thu 12:00-20:00 €3.50 (free entry in 2017) e é WC The Slovak National Gallery (SNG) is the most important art museum in Slovakia, managing around 60,000 exhibits. Its main Bratislava site comprises a complex of three buildings: the historical, baroque, Vodné kasárne (Water Barracks), the neo-Renaissance-style Eszterházy Palace, and the modern extension by the Slovak architect Vladimír Dedeček. Opinions over the latter wing are divided, with some architecture experts praising it as an example of excellent modern and functionalistic architecture, while others condemn it for damaging the harmony of the historical setting. The Water Barracks and the extension known as “bridging”, facing the Danube River embankment, are currently closed. The reconstruction of the premises started in autumn 2014. The SNG promises that after reconstruction the premises will include a world class art venue. In the meantime, the gallery’s options for displaying masterworks from its collection and travelling exhibitions are limited to the Eszterházy Palace. 4 Reduta  Nám. E. Suchoňa 1; map C 4  0.45 km (5 min) Å +421 (0)2 2047-5233 ¯ www.filharmonia.sk a for performances from €6 å é WC Bratislava’s Reduta was designed by the Hungarian architects Dezső Jakab and Marcell Komor and built on the site of a former granary from the 18th century. Construction started in 1911 but was complicated by the outbreak of the First World War. The building was fully completed some years later, and the organ was installed only in 1956. The Reduta was a place for entertainment, shows, art performances and meetings, and for many years there was a cinema Reduta, restaurant, a bookshop and a casino. The building belonged to the city and after the Second World War was assigned to the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Concerts, balls and other social events continue to be held in the Reduta to the present day. In 2013 the building underwent extensive reconstruction and included the acquisition of a new organ by Orgelbau GmbH from Austria, whose instruments can also be found in the Vienna Stephansdome and in the concert hall of the Paris Conservatory. The courtyard formerly used for parking was roofed and now provides another concert space, while the bronze decoration on the stuccos was replaced by gold, as per the original plans. A lack of money during the inter-war years had meant the cheaper metal was originally used. 5 Carlton Hotel  Hviezdoslavovo nám. 3; map C 4  0.35 km (4 min) Å +421 (0)2 5939-0500 www.carlton.sk ä e é WC Ever since the 13th century, visitors to what is now Bratislava have stopped on the site of the present- day Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel in the heart of the city. Originally a basic inn, it became a hotel named “At Three Green Trees” in 1760, and was further extended under the ownership of Johann Löwy, the director of the first railway line between Bratislava and Trnava, who bought it in 1838. He rebuilt the original one-storey structure according to the design of the architect Ignác Feigler Jr., transforming it into a three-storey building with a classicistic façade. Later it was further extended to encompass neighbouring buildings and became the Savoy-Carlton hotel complex. The name Carlton was

bratislava: Historical Centre 13 an amalgamation of its mid 19th-century owners’ names: “Carl” from the wine merchant Karol Palugyay, and “ton” from his wife Antónia. From 1905, one of Slovakia’s first cinemas, “Elektrobioscop”, was housed in the hotel. After the fall of the communist regime, the hotel underwent extensive reconstruction and reopened in 2001. Part of the hotel complex is also the Savoy restaurant with recipes following the culinary tradition of Bratislava. 6 Kostol Nanebovzatia Panny Márie (Church ofVirgin Mary’s Assumption, Notre Dame)  Palackého 1; map C 4  0.3 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-2846a7:30-17:30 (entrance hall) U Mon-Sat 16:30 Sun 10:30 voluntary What constitutes the Church of the Virgin Mary’s Assumption today was actually only planned to be the presbytery of a much larger single-nave church, which in turn was intended as the final part of a four-winged cloister of the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine. The construction was thwarted in the mid-18th century by the unexpected death of Countess O’Neille, who was providing the finances. Only the presbytery was completed and it was therefore adapted into a church with a wooden tower, which hosted its first holy mass on August 28, 1760. Nowadays the cloister houses the Elementary School of Mother Alexia and the Gymnasium of Mother Alexia. The church is notable for its ceiling fresco by the baroque painter Paul Troger. 7 Prešporáčik & Blaváčik (Bratislava TouristTrains)  (Prešporáčik) Nám. E. Suchoňa; map C 4 (PrešporačikXL)Hlavnénám.;mapC3(c4)  (Blaváčik) Fajnorovo nábrežie (in front of the Slovak National Museum); map D 4 Å +421 (0)903 302-817 (Prešporáčik) Å +421 (0)2 5263-5697 (Blaváčik) www.tour4u.sk; www.blavacik.sk a Mar-Nov: Mon-Sun 9:00-17:00 from €8 é Bratislava tourist trains (Prešporačik and Blaváčik), have become some of the city’s best known symbols.Trains were created by companies Tour4U and Blue Danube Tour. Prešporáčik is the only vehicle allowed to drive through the most historic parts of the Old Town. It has a retractable roof, folding windows and an ecological engine, which pro- pels it at a maximum speed of about five kilometres per hour. One standard tour lasts about 50 minutes. Its big brothers, Prešporačik XL and Blaváčik, travel faster up to Bratislava Castle, Devín Castle (tour is combined with boat trip) or to Bratislava Forest Park Železná studnička (ticket includes also ride by cablecar). All vehicles are equipped with audio guides about the many buildings the tours pass, available in several languages, including English and German. 8 Slovenské Národné Divadlo - Historická budova W (Slovak National Theatre – Historical building)  Hviezdoslavo nám. 1; map C 3 (c4)  0.25 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 2047-2293¯ ® www. snd.sk a Sep-Jun for performances from €4 éåWC The neo-Renaissance building of the Slovak National Theatre was designed by the Viennese duo of Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, architects with more than 200 notable buildings to their names across Europe. The current construc- tion dates from 1886 and replaced the city theatre which stood on the site since 1776. The building has undergone several reconstructions since then, usually to make it more functional and to meet con- temporary demands, although a recent project also allowed for busts of significant cultural figures – Liszt, Shakespeare, Goethe, Katona, Mozart – to be returned to the niches on the façade. Nowadays the building is known as the historical building of the Slovak National Theatre and hosts performances of drama, opera and ballet as well as balls and other prominent events. Slovak National Theatre – Historical building

14 bratislava: Historical Centre 9 Hviezdoslavovo námestie (square)  map C 4,3 (c 4)  0.23 km (3 min) ¯  ® ä å e The area now known as Hviezdoslavovo námestie (Hviezdoslav’s Square) is today one of the greenest parts in the city centre. However, some 200 years ago, a branch of the Danube flowed through this part of Bratislava, before a decree from Maria Theresa in 1781 ordered the river bed to be filled. The empress also ordered a city wall to be demolished, which she said was preventing the city’s growth. The river branch is now remembered by a long, rectangular fountain. The square has had numerous names throughout the years: the Promenade, Thearplatz, and in 1889 it was named after Lajos Kossúth, a Hungarian revolutionary. From 1932, however, it has carried the name of the Slovak poet Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav. The most prominent buildings in the square include the neo-Renaissance Slovak National Theatre and the US embassy, which is now heavily barricaded behind an ugly barbed fence. In the winter the square hosts the Christmas market and often an ice-rink. 10 Čumil (Rubberneck)  Rybárska brána/Panská; map C 3 (c 4)  0.1 km (1 min) The bronze statue of a man sticking his head out of a manhole – known as Čumil or “Rubberneck”– is among the most favourite and photographed sights in Bratislava. Designed by Viktor Hulík in 1997, Čumil is located at the intersection of Laurinská, Panská streets and Rybárska brána. It is now accompanied by a sign reading “MAN AT WORK” after several motorists drove into it. 11 SchöneR Náci  Rybárska brána; map C 3 (c 4)  0.11 km The Schöner Náci statue commemorates one of Bratislava’s unique characters: Ignác Lamár, who was born on August 12, 1897 in Petržalka and became an unforgettable figure along the city streets thanks to his outfit and exceptionally good manners. He died in Lehnice in October 1967 where he was originally buried before his remains were moved to a memorial grave in Bratislava’s Ondrejský cemetery in 2007. The life-size statue is the work of Juraj Meliš and welcomes visitors to the Main Square in Bratislava’s Old Town. 12 Hlavné námestie (Main Square) map C 3 (c 4) ¯ G ä e Throughout Bratislava’s his- tory, Hlavné námestie, the Main Square, has been the centre of all that was going on in the city, a fact that remains true today. It is an almost regular square, which began to develop between the 13th and 14th centuries, and all the houses flanking it date from the gothic era. Since the 14th century the Main Square has changed its name several times, from the Latin name Forum via the German Franz Joseph-Platz and Hungarian Fő Tér. After the First World War it was called Masaryk’s Square (after the first president of Czechoslovakia), then Hitler’s Square (during the period when the Slovak state was under German rule) and the April 4 Square (during the 40 years of the communist regime). Throughout all eras, the square has mainly been known as a marketplace and still hosts festivals, concerts, outdoor events and ceremonies including Bratislava’s famous Christmas and Easter markets. Visitors can find vendors selling crafts and souvenirs throughout the whole year. Among the most important landmarks of the Main Square are the Old Town Hall and the Maximilian Fountain. The Old Town Hall was not originally constructed for such a purpose, and consists of several buildings: Jacobus’ House with a tower, Pawer’s House, Unger’s House and the Apponyi Palace. It ranks among the oldest buildings in the city and today houses the Bratislava City Museum. The Maximilian Fountain (sometimes known as the Ro- land Fountain) is named after Hungarian King Maximilian II, whose statue stands at its cen- tre. He provided the finances to

bratislava: Historical Centre 15 build the fountain in year 1572. An original part of the fountain was also four naked little boys urinating into the fountain’s basin, the same motif as the fa- mous Manneken Pis in Brussel. This part of the fountain was removed in the 18th century. To- day it can be found as part of a small fountain in the courtyard of a house at Uršulínska 6. An interesting plaque bear- ing the date of February 1850 is placed at the botton of the Old Town Hall. It marks the day and height to which the Danube flooded the square. Higher up in the same tower wall is a cannon ball commemorating the attacks of Napoleonic troops in 1809. 13 Statue of Napoleonic soldier  Hlavné námestie; map C 3 (c 4) The bronze statue of a soldier leaning on a bench is a 1997 work by the Slovak sculptor Juraj Meliš and, judging by the number of photos in which it features, has proven to be a hit with locals and visitors alike. The soldier wears a uniform of Napoleon’s army, which twice visited Bratislava: initially in 1805 when the peace treaty known as the Treaty of Pressburg was signed in Bratislava’s Primate’s Palace after the Battle of Austerlitz (Slavkov), and latterly when the Little Corporal attempted to capture the city in 1809 and his troops bombarded Bratislava from the banks of today’s Petržalka. This event is recalled each June in Sad Janka Kráľa park, when the battle is re-enacted with soldiers in period costumes. 14 Stará radnica (OldTown Hall) W  page 16 15 Kostol Najsv. Spasiteľa - Jezuitský kostol (Church of the Holy Saviour - Jesuit Church)  Františkánske námestie 4; map C 3 (c 4) Å +421 (0)2 5277-5499a Mon-Fri 14:30-19:00 Sat 15:30-19:00 Sun 7:00-12:30, 16:00-19:00 U Mon-Fri 15:15, 16:30, 18:00 Sat 16:30, 18:00 Sun 7:30, 9:00, 11:30, 16:30, 18:00 voluntary ¯ The unusual architecture and ground plan of what is now the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Saviour – or the Jesuit Church – originates from its previous incarnation as a late Renaissance Evangelical church, which was rebuilt in the baroque style. The original three-nave church was built between 1636-38 by the German architect Johan Hans Stoss and was first used by German Protestants. Restrictions in place at the time meant that the church could not have a tower, nor a presbytery nor an entrance onto the main street, but Stoss managed to bend the rules slightly by elevating the middle section of the nave by three steps and building a front entrance and presbytery regardless. After re-catholisation of the country, and following approval given by Emperor Leopold I in 1673, the church was given to the Jesuit Order. They rebuilt the church’s interior in the baroque style while its outside design remained almost unchanged. The church holds one of the most beautiful rococo pulpits in central Europe, constructed in 1753 by Ludwig Gode. 16 Primaciálny palác (Primate’s Palace) W  page 17 17Tourist Info. Centre  page 105 18 Galéria Nedbalka (Nedbalka Gallery) W  Nedbalova ulica 17; map C 3 (c 4)  0.3 km (4 min)  www.nedbalka.ska Tue-Sun 13:00- 19:00 €4 å e é WC Nedbalka Gallery opened in 2012 as an exhibition space for Slovak modern and fine art and its circular, four-floor, open-space plan has earned it the nickname Slovakia’s Small Guggenheim. From the outside the building at 17 Nedbalova Street still has the look of a classical construction, built in the 19th century. But its modern extension, originally built for the Slovenská Sporiteľňa bank, was added in the 1990s and earned its architects Viktória Cvengrošová and Virgil Droppa the prestigious Dušan Jurkovič Award, given to outstanding examples of architecture in Slovakia. New owners turned the building into a gallery and it now contains more than 150 works by prominent Slovak artists from the end of the 19th century to the present day, including pieces by Ladislav Medňanský (Mednyánszky), Ladislav Guderna, Mikuláš Galanda, Ján Fulla and Vincent Hložník. Rococo pulpit in the Jesuit Church

Museum of Viti- culture The museum presents a history of Bratislava’s wine- -growing culture, from the vineyards through production, to the bottle. Several wine- -tasting programmes are available. 14 Stará radnica W (OldTown Hall)  Primaciálne námestie 3 / Hlavné námestie; map C 3 (c 4)  0 km (0 min) Å +421 (0)2 5910-0847 G www.nsvsr.sk www.muzeum.bratislava.ska Tue-Fri 10:00-16:30 Sat-Sun 11:00-17:30 €6 (museum), from €18.99 (opened wine-tasting) åé(excluding Old Town Hall Tower and Apponyi Palace) WC The Old Town Hall, which dominates Bratislava’s Hlavné námestie (Main Square), is a complex of historical buildings dating from the 13th century. Its current appearance is the result of development spanning centuries. The oldest section is the early gothic edifice belonging to the Jacobus’ House, which served as a town hall in the 14th century. The city council gradually bought neighbouring buildings and re-developed and extended the complex in Renaissance, baroque and neo-gothic styles. The complex has formerly housed mayoral offices, accommodation for town guards, an armoury and a prison. Nowadays the Old Town Hall, with preserved historical architecture and decoration, is square-shaped, around a courtyard in which are held various cultural events. The tower affords a view over the Main Square and all of the Old Town. The town hall houses the Bratislava City Museum, which opened in 1868 and is the oldest continually-operating museum in Slovakia. Today it is spread across the Old Town Hall and the adjoining Apponyi Palace, the former home of Count Apponyi, which was built in 1761-62. The museum houses three permanent exhibitions, focusing on city history, viticulture and a Period Rooms Museum, which provides an insight into the lives of Bratislavan aristocracy from the 18th- 19th centuries. The cellar of the Apponyi Palace houses the National Collection of Slovak Wine, a collection of 100 of the country’s best vintages of any given year. Period Rooms Museum The rooms of the Apponyi Palace are furnished to resemble the interiors of noble town houses through Bratislava’s history, featuring restored wall paintings, interior architecture and furniture. 16 bratislava: Historical Centre Museum of the City History The Old Town Hall houses an exhibition of the history of Bratislava from pre-history to the present day.

bratislava: Historical Centre 17 The Fountain of St George In the Slovak version of the St George le- gend, the brave knight saved the maiden Dúbravka from the dragon, gaining her hand in marriage as a reward. Renaissancetapestries The tapestries are the work of the English royal manufactu- rer in Mortlake, near London. The Chapel of St Ladislaus is easily missed, for although it is part of the 18th century Primate’s Palace, and its impressive space stretches through each of its storeys, there are no exterior signs of a chapel, not even a tower. The classicist-style chapel was established by Archbishop József Batthyányi in 1780 with an interior ceiling decorated by paintings probably by the Austrian artist A. F. Maulbertsch. The chapel continues to serve to its original purpose and holy masses are held here regularly (Sun 8:30). Chapel of St Ladislaus 16 Primaciálny palác W (Primate’s Palace)  Primaciálne námestie 1; map C 3 (c 4) Å +421 (0)2 5935-6394  ¯a Tue-Sun 10:00-16:30 €3 åé WC The classicist Primate’s Palace, commissioned in the late 18th century for Archbishop József Batthyányi, is considered to be one of the most beautiful palaces in Bratislava. The first occupant is recalled by the Batthyányi coat of arms and hat, made from iron and weighing 150kg, which can still be seen at the top of the tympanum. The palace’s splendid Mirror Hall, which extends over two floors, has witnessed several important historical events, including the signing of the Treaty of Pressburg on December 26, 1805, which followed Napolean’s triumph in the Battle of Austerlitz. The event is commemorated by a board located near the entrance to the palace. The city council bought the palace at the beginning of 20th century and currently it serves as the seat of Bratislava’s mayor, and a place for meetings of the city council. Ordinarily, visitors can only see certain rooms of the palace, including the Mirror Hall, but can also visit St Ladislav’s Chapel, in the western part of the palace, during masses and other very special occasions. One of the most precious collections owned by the city comprises six late Renaissance English tapestries – the “Mortlake tapestries”– from the beginning of the 17th century, which were found during the reconstruction of the palace in 1903. (Some sources falsely report that they were found in the palace’s chimneys.) Similar tapestries, depicting the tragic love story of Hero and Leander can be seen in the residence of the Swedish royal family in Stockholm. The Fountain of St George, in the inner courtyard of the palace, depicts the famous tussle with the dragon and, according to legend, symbolises the efforts of the Catholic Church to resist the reformation. The Primate’s Palace, in particular its Mirror Hall, is these days often used for marriages or concerts.

18 bratislava: Historical Centre 19 Starátržnica (Old Market Hall)  Námestie SNP 30; map D 3  0.4 km (5 min) www.staratrznica.sk ¯WC a market hall: Sat 10:00-15:00 and for performances, a café: Mon-Sat 8:00-24:00, Sun 9:00-24:00  free or depending on performance For more than 50 years since it opened in 1910, Bratislava’s Old Market Hall served its original purpose, an iron basilica- like shell covering a bustling market place. Later it became a television studio for Slovak Television, before reverting back to being a market for eight years after reconstruction in 2000. It was closed to the public in 2008, serving only as an occasional venue for cultural events, however, it reopened in autumn 2013 as a multifunctional hub, offering space for various cultural events, festivals and farmers’ markets (every Saturday 10:00-15:00). On the other side of the main entrance to the building is a small café. 20 Manderlák (Manderla’s House)  Námestie SNP 23; map D 3  0.4 km (5 min) a exterior views only Manderla’s House, known as Manderlák and constructed in 1935, was the first high- rise building in the former Czechoslovakia. Rudolf Manderla was a butcher and businessman and commissioned architects Christian Ludwig, Emerich Spitzer and Augustín Danielis to design something special for him. They designed a 45-metre high building with shops on the ground floor including a butchers shop, which remained there for 73 years, with offices, a café, and apartments on the upper floors. The building had 11 storeys – an exceptional number for the period. 21 Kostol Milosrdných bratov (Church of the Merciful Brothers)  Námestie SNP 9; map C 3 (c 2) 0.4 km (5 min) Å +421 (0)2 5930-2927a Mon-Sun 8:00-19:00 (entrance hall) U Mon-Fri 8:00, 18:00 Sat 8:00 Sun 9:30, 11:30 (mass in Italian, except holidays)  voluntary The Order of the Merciful Brothers arrived in Bratislava in 1672 at the invitation of the Archbishop of Esztergom, Juraj Szelepcenyi, who gave them land on which they built a complex including church, monastery and hospital. The construction lasted from the 1680s until the early 18th century, and when finished it resembled the monastery and church of the same order in Vienna. The hospital was intended for people in poverty and became greatly significant during the plague epidemic of 1711-13. The interior of the church is dominated by a main altar from 1737, featuring the work of the German late-baroque painter Martin Speer. His painting depicts the Visitation, i.e., the visit of the pregnant Virgin Mary to Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. The precious baroque pulpit, with reliefs of saints, is another important feature. During the communist regime the complex was nationalised and continued to serve as a hospital. The Merciful Brothers were ousted, however, and could return only after the fall of the totalitarian regime. The order took back the hospital in 1995 and continues to run the hospital here. 22 Kostol Cirkevného Zboru Reformovanej kresťanskej cirkvi (Church of Clerical Cong- regation of the Reformed Christian Church)  Námestie SNP 4; map C 3 (c 2)  0.4 km (5 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-3426 a exterior views only U Sun 9:00, 10:30 (HUN) Old Market Hall

bratislava: Historical Centre 19 The neo-romanesque church, also known as the Calvinist Church, is the work of the architects Franz Wimmer and Flóris Opaterny and was built in the 1910s. The Cal- vinist Church formed in Bratislava only in the late 19th century, with Calvinist liturgies originally carried out in temporary premises, either bought or rented. But calls grew for a permanent church and this structure was built on the site of the former Saltzamt, where in the 17th century Protestant churchmen were reportedly imprisoned or sent to the galleys. The church is still in use today and holy masses are held in Slovak and Hungarian. 23 KC Dunaj (Centre of culture)  pages 56-57 24 Kostola kláštor uršulínok (Ursuline Church and Convent)  Uršulínska; map C 3 (c 2)  0.22 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-4696a 6:00-17:00 (entrance hall) U Mon-Sat 6:30; Sun 8:00, 10:00 voluntaryé The Renaissance Ursuline Church was built between 1659-63, originally for the Protestants of the city who used it for only seven years. In 1670, it was taken over by the Order of St Ursula, in whose possession it remains today. The interior of the church is dominated by a baroque main altar, from the late 18th century, and its sculpture of the Virgin Mary. The sculpture is a copy of the Virgin Mary from Loretta, received by Archbishop Leopold Kolonich in 1684. Pope John Paul II stayed in the convent here during his visit in 1995, which is commemorated by a bronze relief by the Slovak sculptor Ján Borko. Nowadays the primary and grammar schools of St Ursula are also located here. 25 Františkánsky kostol Zvestovania Pána W (Franciscan Church of Lord’s Annunciation)  Františkánske námestie 2; map C 3 (c 2)  0.14 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-2145 ¯ a Apr-Oct Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00 (entrance hall) Jul- Aug Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat 10:00-17:00 (entrance hall) U Mon-Sat 9:00, 19:30 Sun 10:30, 12:00, 16:30, 18:00 voluntaryéwww.frantiskani.sk The Franciscan Church, part of the Franciscan monastery, is the oldest religious building in Bratis- lava’s Old Town, originally built in the gothic style between 1280-97. After suffering damage in the earthquake of 1590, the church was rebuilt in the Renaissance style and nowadays the façade is mostly baroque. The church was consecrated in 1297 in the presence of King Andrew III, and the oldest remaining part is the presbytery. A gothic tower was replaced by a neo-gothic version in 1897, but the original is now in Sad Janka Kráľa park, in Petržalka across the Danube, where it serves as a small pavilion. Legend has it that the bell in the tower came to be known as the “beer bell”, announcing the closing time for pubs. The church was an important place during corona- tion ceremonies in Bratislava. New kings of Hungary walked here from St Martin’s Cathedral and appointed their Knights of the Golden Spur. In 1526, Ferdinand I, the holy Roman emperor, was elected as King of Hungary here and throughout medi- aeval times, the huge church premises were also used for public meetings, including the election of the city mayor. The gothic Chapel of Saint John the Evangelist at the church’s northern end is a double-floored chapel with crypt that was built in the 14th century by Ján, son of Bratislava’s then mayor Jakub. It became the funeral chapel for the mayoral family. Reconstructed in 1831, the chapel is now one of the most significant works of gothic architecture in Slovakia. New residential wings of the monastery were added during the 17th and 18th centuries. The main altar representing the annunciation was constructed between 1720-30. Another chapel was added to the church in 1708, dedicated to Santa Maria di Loreto, containing a statue of the Black Madonna with Jesus. The church also houses a rare relic: the torso of Saint Reparat, who was a 4th century Christian deacon from Italy. Reparat died a martyr in 353 and had his tongue cut out and his right hand cut off. He was buried in Rome until 1769, when his body was moved to Bratislava on the request of the Fran- ciscan friar Eugen Kósa. Today the church and mon- astery with garden belong to Franciscan monks and mass is celebrated every day in both Slovak and Hungarian. Black Madonna with Jesus

20 bratislava: Historical Centre 26 Mirbachov palác (Mirbach Palace)  Františkánske nám. 11; map C 3 (c 2)  0.15 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-1556  www.gmb.sk a Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00 €4 e¯WC Mirbach Palace is one of the best preserved pieces of original architecture from old Pressburg, named after its last owner Emil Mirbach. The palace today houses the Bratislava City Gallery and is a fine example of rococo architecture. It was built on the site of buildings first mentioned in 1459, as Curia Civitatis or Weite Hof, but a wealthy brewer named Michael Spech had the old buildings torn down and built the palace we see today between 1768- 70. Spech sold the palace after its completion and it had a number of owners, including Koloman Nyáry, whose beautiful coat of arms decorates the tympanum in the upper central part of the façade. On the palace’s patio is a fountain with a sculpture of the Greek god Triton and nymph by Viktor Tilgner. The gallery houses a permanent exhibition of central European baroque painting and sculpture as well as ever-changing temporary exhibitions, plus numerous concerts and recitals. 27 Michalská brána (Michael’s Gate) W  Michalská 22; map C 3 (c 1)  0.26 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-3044 G www.muzeum.bratislava.ska Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00 Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00 €4.30 e At one point, there were four main gates through solid city fortifications into what is now Bratislava’s Old Town. Michael’s Gate, built at the end of 13th century, is the only one that remains today. In the past, Michael’s Gate had a drawbridge, portcullis and heavy wooden doors, but is now most notable for its gothic tower, which was extended to its present height in the mid-18th century and has a sculpture of St Michael standing at its top. Its name is derived from St Michael’s Church and a settlement in a suburb outside the gate. Nowadays the gate houses the Museum of Weapons and Town Fortification and climbing the tower offers a view over the old city. Beneath Michael’s Tower is the so-called “zero kilometre” with marks showing the distances from Bratislava to 29 major cities around the world. 28 Lekáreň U červeného raka (Red Crayfish Pharmacy)  Michalská 26; map C 3 (c 1)  0.28 km (4 min) Å +421 (0)2 5413-1214 G www.muzeum.bratislava.ska Tue-Fri 10:00-16:45 Sat-Sun 11:00-17:45 €4.30 e é Bratislava’s Museum of Pharmacy is housed in the baroque burgher house that was formerly the premises of the Red Crayfish Pharmacy, a company that dates from the 16th century. The building was constructed within the barbican of St Michael’s Gate in the second half of the 18th century, specifically for the pharmacy, and the pharmacy remained in operation until 1953 when it was transformed into the museum. The museum contains historical pharmaceutical equipment, the oldest of which dates from the 16th century, and ancient pharmaceutical literature. During the summer, visitors can also visit Čitáreň u Červeného raka, the open-air reading room, as well as a garden behind the building which used to be part of a defence moat. The stone bridge of St Michael above is from the 18th century, when it replaced an older wooden bridge. It is the oldest bridge in Bratislava. 29 Kostol sv.Jána z Mathy (Church of St John of Matha)  Župné nám.; map C 3 (c 1)  0.55 km (7 min) Å +421 (0)2 5441-5106 a Mon-Sat 6:30, 17:00 Sun 6:30, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30, 19:30 (entrance hall) U Mon-Sat 7:00, 17:30 Sun 7:00, 9:00 (in Latin), 10:30, 12:00, 20:00  voluntary The Church of St John of Matha, sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Holy Trinity Church, is a baroque-style structure from the 18th century built by the Trinitarian Order. Its curved three- tower façade is similar to St Peter’s in Vienna, designed by Lukas von Hildebrandt. The centre of the church is an oval nave with a trompe-l’œil fresco by the Italian baroque painter Antonio Galli Bibiena on the dome. It is one of a few examples in Slovakia of an art technique that makes the objects depicted appear in

bratislava: Historical Centre 21 three dimensions. The church has an almost untouched original baroque interior, dominated by the main altar, which is decorated with a painting by Franz Xavier Karl Palkó from 1745. It depicts John of Matha with Felix Valois, founders of the Trinitarian Order, setting slaves free from the Ottomans. The church continues to serve to its original purpose, holding regular masses, weddings and concerts. 30 Kostol sv.Štefana (Church of St Stephen)  Župné námestie 10; map C 3 (c 1)  0.6 km (7 min) Å +421 (0)2 5930-3800 a 15:15-20:00 U Mon-Sat 6:00, 17:00, 19:00 Sun 5:15, 6:00, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, 17:00, 19:00 voluntary é The Church of St Stephen, dedicated to the Hungarian king, is attached to the monastery of the Capuchin Order, who first arrived in Bratislava in 1676 and initially used St Catherine’s Chapel. The cornerstone of their monastery was laid in 1708, with building of the church beginning three years later. The first monks became permanent residents in 1712 and the church was finished in 1717, but extensive rebuilding was necessary in 1736-37 owing to moisture in the soil beneath the church. The architecture of the church and the monastery is very simple, without a bell-tower, and typical for the Capuchin Order. But further renovations changed the church again, including in 1961 when its façade was rebuilt in the neo-gothic style according to plans drawn up by the architect Ignác Feigler Jr. The central altar in the church holds a painting, believed to be by Capuchin Udalricus of about 1747, depicting King Stephen consecrating the country. It also depicts the skyline of Bratislava as it would have appeared at time of painting, with the castle, cathedral and town hall all clearly visible. 31 Kaplnka sv. Kataríny (St Catherine’s Chapel)  Michalská 8; map C 3 (c 1)  0.23 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-1359 a exterior views only U Sun 9:30é St Catherine’s Chapel, founded by the Cistercian friar Franciscus Colomba in 1311, is the oldest gothic chapel in Bratislava. The building was finished in 1325 and consecrated by Bishop Ondrej of Székesfehérvár. The architect Ignác Feigler Sr. changed its façade to its present classicistic form around 1840. Between 2003-06, the chapel underwent another reconstruction, during which the chapel reverted to its original gothic appearance. This reconstruction also uncovered an original pastophorium, i.e., a niche in which sacrament was stored, behind a stone epitaph in the wall. Restorers moved the epitaph to another part of the chapel, leaving the pastophorium visible. The chapel, which was named Monument of the Year in 2007 by the Culture Ministry, is still in regular use for holy mass. 32 Univerzitná knižnica (University Library)  Michalská 1; map C 3 (c 1)  0.22 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 2046-6111 www.ulib.sk a exterior views only The magnificent building that currently houses the University Library began life as the baroque Palace of the Hungarian Royal Chamber, the leading financial institution of the Hungarian Kingdom. It was designed by the Italian architect G. B. Martinelli and built in 1753-56. The Hungarian Royal Chamber resided in Bratislava between 1531-1782, and the building latterly housed the Hungarian Parliament, between 1802-48. The famous session that adopted the “March Laws”, essentially establishing Hungary’s independence from Austria, took place here. Between 1860-67, the royal regency resided in the building; after it was abolished, Hungarian, Czechoslovak and Slovak judicial institutions resided there. In 1953- 55, the building was remodelled again to become the library that it is today. It holds some of the most important documents in Slovakia, including Basagic’s Collection of Islamic Manuscripts, which are on the UNESCO heritage list and commemorated by a plaque in the building. Another plaque is dedicated to Ľudovít Štúr, the politician and writer, who campaigned throughout the early 19th for an independent Slovak nation, and who later codified the Slovak language. Church of St John of Matha

22 bratislava: Historical Centre 33 Zichyho palác (Zichy Palace)  Ventúrska 9; map C 3 (c 3)  0.24 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-1681¯  a Galéria Z: Mon-Sat 13:00-18:00 afor performances from €1 é ä e WC Zichy Palace is a typical example of classicist architecture built between 1770-80 by Count Franz Zichy. In the 19th century, one of the founders of German Romantic opera, Heinrich Marschner, was a music teacher to the Zichy family. Nowadays the palace hosts galleries, civil ceremonies, including weddings, as well as cultural events such as concerts, readings and art exhibitions. 34Academia Istropolitana  Ventúrska 3; map C 3 (c 3)  0.25 km (3 min) Å University of Performing Arts +421 (0)2 5930-1411 www.acadistr.ska 6:00-21:30 (courtyard)é Academia Istropolitana was estab- lished in 1467 by King Matthias Corvinus as the first humanist university in the Hungarian Kingdom. It was the second oldest university in what is now Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The school, built in the gothic style, had four faculties, focusing on phi- losophy, theology, natural sciences and law. One of the teachers at the university was Johannes Müller Regiomontanus, a significant Euro- pean pedagogue, who is reputed to have taught about the Earth mov- ing around the sun before Galileo Galilei. The school was closed after Corvinus’ death in 1490, according to some historical sources, and the building now serves as the Theatre Faculty of the Academy University of Performing Arts. 35 Pálffyho palác W (Pálffy Palace)  Panská 19; map C 3 (c 3)  0.28 km (3 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-3627 www.gmb.sk a Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00 €4 åe WC Pálffy Palace offers a thor- ough overview of the various architectural styles and historical phases through which Bratislava developed. The basement holds evidence of Celtic settlements from the 1st century AD, while the Roman period can be traced through secondary building materials in the preserved early mediaeval walls from the 13th century. Excavations have also re- vealed the basis of a gothic palace with a chapel in the basement and a stellar vault from the 15th century on the first floor of the building. The Slavonic period left its traces in the basement, where four graves from the 9th and mid-10th centuries have been discovered. Other build- ing alterations date from the 17th and 19th centuries. The Pálffy family took ownership of the palace in the 18th century but after the death of the last owner, count János Pálffy, who was a philanthropist, supporter and collector of art, the palace was assigned to the Bratislava City Gallery. Today it holds permanent exhibitions of gothic table painting and sculpture and central Euro- pean painting and sculpture of the 19th century. 36 Erdödyho palác (Erdödy Palace)  Ventúrska 1; map C 3 (c 3)  0.29 km (4 min) www.medusagroup.ska 11:00-24:00 (restaurant), Thu-Sat 21:00-5:00 (club) from €3 (club) ä é(restaurant only) WC The rococo Erdödy Palace was built in 1770 for Count Georgius Leopold Erdödy, the chairman of the court and head of the Hungarian Royal Chamber. Later, Erdödy’s second son, Ján Nepomuk, re-built the construction into a luxury palace in which concerts and opera performances took place. (The Erdödys even had their own opera company.) During a vast reconstruction in the 1990s, a third floor was added and the building’s façade and paintings were restored to their original rococo style. Today, part of the building and courtyard are occupied by restaurants, bars and a club, while the first floor houses a private gallery. 37 Bibiana (children’s centre)  pages 84-85 38 St Martin’s Cathedral W  pages 24-25 39 Hradby (City walls)  map C 3 (c 3)  0.5 km (7 min) a May-Sep: 10:00-20:00 free

In years past, only so-called “royal towns” enjoyed the privilege to have fortifications around them, and Pressburg obtained this right in 1297. The city walls encircled the relatively small area of the current Old Town, while the castle had its own fortification system. However what initially helped the town to thrive behind the protection of thick stone walls and a moat later hampered its development. Finally Empress Maria Theresa permitted demolition of the city walls in 1775 to allow the town to grow. Relatively little of the mediaeval fortification system remains today, including only one of the original four gates, St Michael’s Tower, St Michael’s Bridge, the barbican and the moat. The biggest section of preserved walls is next to St Martin’s Cathedral, whose façade used to form part of the fortification – the reason there is no entrance to the cathedral from this side. Some city walls on the north side of the cathedral became the back walls of the houses in the Jewish quarter, meaning they survived until the 1960s. But they were eventually destroyed, along with the rest of the area, during the large-scale re-building of that era. 40 Kapitulská ulica (Kapitulská Street)  map C 3 (c 3)  0.4 km (5 min) Kapitulská Street is one of the oldest thoroughfares in Bratislava and has existed since at least 1204, when a canonry relocated there from the Castle Hill. St Martin’s Cathedral is also located at one end, ensuring the street’s great importance. City walls built in the 14th century separated Kapitulská Street from the castle complex and the street earned the nickname “cvinger”, meaning “the street behind the walls”. It has also remained largely untouched, without shops, cafés or restaurants, to this day. Most of the buildings along the street are the property of the Catholic Church and have resisted development. Fifteen buildings on Kapitulská are on the list of the cultural and historical monuments, including two palaces, the theological college (Collegium Emericanum) and some burgher houses. However, a number of them are waiting for reconstruction and one of the palaces, the Esterházy Palace, is considered to be the biggest ruin in Bratislava. 41 Kostol Klarisiek (Church of the Clarisses)  Klariská 5; map C 3 (c 3)  0.25 km (3.5 min) Å +421 (0)2 5910-3133¯  a for performances depending on performance é The Church of the Clarisses (Kostol Klarisiek) is a former Catholic church that has become one of Bratislava’s most important gothic monuments. The Clarisses – also known as the Order of Poor Clares – came to Bratislava in 1297 and built a church and a convent with the support of King Andrew III on the site of a Cistercian monastery. The mendicant orders, which include the Franciscans (male) and Clarisses (female), were not allowed to construct towers on their buildings, so the pentagonal tower, which is a rarity among gothic structures, was added around 1400. The single-nave church was rebuilt in the rococo style in 1760, and included altars designed by František Anton Palko, dedicated to the Annunciation and to St Claire. They remain in the church today, as well as the original rococo-style pulpit, with allegories of Faith, Hope, Love and Holy Script, designed by Jozef Sartory. In 1782, the Order of Poor Clares was dissolved, and the church became the seat of a legal academy and a Catholic school. The composers Béla Bartók and Ernest Dohnány, as well as scientist Jozef Murgaš and poet Ján Hollý, studied there. It is currently used as a concert and exhibition hall, while the adjacent convent is used by the university library. During reconstruction of the convent in the first decade of the 21st century, a metal box with a document from the 19th century, describing the previous past renovations and repairs of the church, was found in the top of the spire. Bratislava: Historical Centre 23 Kapitulská Street and the Church of the Clarisses

24 bratislava: HISTORICAL CENTRE  Rudnayovo námestie 1; map C 3 (c 3)  0.55 km (7 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-1359 dom.fara.ska Apr-Nov 11: Mon-Fri 9:00-11:30, 13:00-18:00 Sat 9:00-11:30 Sun 13:30-16:30; Nov 11-Mar: Mon-Fri 9:00-11:30, 13:00-16:00 Sat 9:00-11:30 Sun 13:30-16:30 U Mon-Sat 7:30, 12:00 Sun 7:45 (GER), 9:00 (LAT), 10:30, 12:00, 17:00 €2.5 (Sun free) é e G ¯ St Martin’s Cathedral is the biggest and most noteworthy church in Bratislava, which reached the height of its importance between 1563-1830 as the location for the coronation of 18 monarchs of the Hungarian Kingdom. Before that, the cathedral started life as a tiny 13th century romanesque church, originally on the top of what is now Bratislava Castle Hill. In 1221, Pope Honorius III gave permission for the church to be moved to the area beneath the hill, but congregations soon outgrew it as the city flourished. Construction of a gothic building started in the early 14th century and was eventually consecrated in 1452. Further reconstructions continued, including the addition of a bigger, late- gothic presbytery between 1461-87, until the cathedral assumed more or less its present form. It is a three-nave structure, each of the same height, constructed by the same workshop responsible for St Stephen’s in Vienna. Although its interior is suitably ornamental, much of the cathedral’s exterior is relatively plain, especially compared with other gothic cathedrals. This is owing to the cathedral’s dual purpose as part of the city’s fortifications. Its entrances, whose importance changed over the centuries, are on its sides and its western façade, with its “front” comprising part of the fortification wall. Remains of the city walls are preserved today at the southern end of the cathedral. After the Hungarian Kingdom lost the Battle of Mohács to the Ottoman Empire in 1526 – yielding its capital Buda and its coronation city Székesfehérvár – Bratislava (then Pressburg) became the de facto capital of the displaced Hungarian monarchy and the cathedral was used for coronations. With renewed importance, the cathedral’s interior was rebuilt in the baroque style, with most of the work attributed to the prominent Austrian baroque sculptor Georg Rafael Donner, who had been invited to Pressburg by Archbishop Imrich Eszterházy. Donner spent about a decade in Pressburg, when the cathedral got a new main baldachin altar, featuring Citywalls The façade of the cathedral used to be part of the fortified city walls, whose remains have been preserved on its southern side. The crypts The crypts were used for burials of church dignitaries until the end of the 19th century. Chapel of St Johnthe Almoner A work by the baroque sculptor Georg Rafael Donner, which holds the shrine with the remains of the 6-7th century saint John the Almoner. 38 Katedrála sv.Martina (St Martin’s Cathedral) W

bratislava: HISTORICAL CENTRE 25 three of Donner’s lead sculptures. Flanked by two angels, the central sculpture depicts St Martin on a horse cutting his cloak to share it with a beggar. The coronation of Maria Theresa took place in front of this altar in 1741. Donner also built the Chapel of St John the Almoner to hold the mortal remains of the Cypriot saint from the 6-7th century. The archbishop is now also buried in the chapel. In the 19th century, the cathedral underwent further extensive renovations, this time to remove almost all the baroque elements and replace them with gothic features. The main baroque altar was re-assembled and while the equestrian sculpture of St Martin remained in the cathedral, the angels were moved to Budapest. Only the Chapel of St John the Almoner and its interior kept its original style. The current shape and look of the cathedral dates more-or-less from this period. Its main entrance is from the northern nave, beneath an 85-metre high tower that is topped with a gilded copy of the crown of St Stephen. It is 1.6m high and 300kg in weight, an appropriate reminder of the significance of the cathedral during coronation times. Contemporary visitors can see in the cathedral a vast haul of treasures amassed here during its 550 years of existence. These include all the precious items used during holy masses: chalices, reliquaries, bishops’ crosiers and chasubles, Ribbed vault The three-nave structure with eight monumental columns was construc- ted by the same workshop responsible for St Stephen’s in Vienna. Sculpture of St Martin The equestrian sculpture of St Martin is a masterpiece by Georg Rafael Donner and used to be the central piece of the main baroque altar in the cathedral. etc., plus exceptional paintings and wall adornments. Probably the most precious exhibited piece is the 109-cm high gothic monstrance. There is also a treasury located in the sacristy below the tower and in the adjoining chapel. In the western façade is the Chapel of Sophia of Bavaria, which once served as an archive containing 3,285 mediaeval documents and more than 23,000 papers from the period after the 1526 Battle of Mohács, as well as several liturgical books. The crypts beneath the cathedral were used for burials up until the end of 19th century, and are now accessible via the Chapel of St Anna in the cathedral’s northern section. The door at this end was previously the main entrance portal for the church and is decorated by a tympanum featuring a relief of the Holy Trinity. The chandelier in the three-nave hall with eight columns is from the end of the 16th century. The cathedral continues to be the home of the Bratislava Archdiocese and apart from holding holy masses, weddings and other religious events, it is also the venue for frequent concerts. In the past, Ludwig van Beethoven premiered his Missa Solemnis here and Franz Liszt is also believed to have premiered some of his works in the cathedral. The organ from 1880 was replaced in 2010 with a piece by the German organ master Gerald Woehl.

26 bratislava: HISTORICAL CENTRE  Bratislavský hrad; map B 3  1.2 km (18 min)  1.3 km (2 min) u Zámocká v 203, 207 Å +421 (0)2 2048-3110 G  www.snm.ska Summer season (Apr-Oct) Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00; Winter season (Nov-Mar) Tue-Sun 9:00-16:00; (areal of the castle open 8:00-24:00) €7 (museum) ä e é (upon request, excluding tower and treasury) WC The monumental Bratislava Castle – described by some as resembling a table turned upside down – has been dominat- ing the city’s skyline for centuries. Built at the top of an 85m-high hill, where it enjoys a key strategic location peering over the Danube, the castle has experienced heydays and periods of decline, all of which have contributed to its current appearance. Reconstruction has been nearly continual since the castle’s first brick was laid. The most recent project sought to return the castle to the baroque style of the period of Queen Maria Theresa during the castle’s golden age. The garden, winter riding hall and orangery were added at this time. The castle’s location has been significant since the Stone Age, with the first settlers likely to have set up home around the 3rd century BC. By the Iron Age, the site had grown important not only for its proximity to the Danube (there was a ford across the river here), but also because of its position on some significant trade routes. The Amber Road, for instance, along which Celts and Romans transported amber from the Baltics to the Mediterranean, passed the castle. In 2009, archaeologists unearthed 22 gold and silver coins bearing the names of the Celtic nobles Biatec and Nonnos, among other extraordinary artefacts, dur- ing excavations of the castle – a haul now known as the “Golden Treasure of Brati- slava Castle”. These findings, along with the discovery of the remains of Roman buildings built for Celtic nobility, which 42 Bratislavský hrad (Bratislava Castle) W are believed to be from the 1st century BC. Remnants of the castle’s Romano- Celtic foundations were found during the controversial construction of underground garages in 2009. The findings are now displayed in an exhibit below the castle. Bratislava Castle was mentioned for the first time in written documents in 907, bearing the name Pressalauspruch. However, the oldest part of the castle still standing is what is now known as the Crown Tower, from the 13th century. In the 15th century, the castle underwent its first extensive re-building programme and was transformed into a gothic edifice during the rule of Sigismund of Luxemburg. The king demolished almost all the existing structure and built a two-floored gothic palace with a trapezium- shaped ground-plan in its place. The current layout of the castle, with four wings around the main courtyard, is the result of an architectural movement in the Renaissance and early baroque eras. After Bratislava became Repre- sentative rooms During the castle’s most recent recon- struction, the rooms in the southern wing of the castle received stucco gilded decorations similar to those that graced them during Maria Theresa’s occupation. Windows Preserved gothic and Renaissance windows have been left uncovered to show various construction phases of the castle. The Crown Tower The oldest part of the castle dating from the 13th century. Its name is derived from its previous function, when coronation jewels used to be stored here.

bratislava: HISTORICAL CENTRE 27 the capital and coronation city of the Hungarian Kingdom in 1526, the castle became the residence of the monarchs. It was not considered grand enough by Emperor Ferdinand I of Habsburg, who decided to rebuild and modernise the outdated mediaeval castle in the 16th century. He employed the best builders and artists from Italy, but almost none of their work remains today. Only the Renaissance oriel of the former palace chapel, with rich fresco decorations, survives. The castle’s current look owes most to its 17th century redevelopment, when another floor was added to the palace, as well as two towers, bringing the total to four. However, only one of them – the Crown Tower – actually qualifies as a real tower. The others are merely turrets on the rooftop. After Maria Theresa came to the throne in the 18th century, the castle was rebuilt again into a stately baroque residence. Her son-in-law Albert of Saxe- Teschen (who married Maria Theresa’s favourite daughter Marie Christine) added a family gallery, a predecessor of the Albertina gallery in Vienna. The large areas of the yard behind and around the castle were also cultivated into terraces, French gardens, orangeries, and summer and winter riding schools and stables. The good times came to a halt during the reign of Maria Theresa’s son, Joseph II, however, who oversaw the return to Pest for the Hungarian Kingdom in 1783, which caused a decline in prestige for Bratislava. Albert left the castle, and all the family’s precious items were moved to Vienna or further afield. Joseph II established at the castle a school and seminar for the catholic clergy, and then during the Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century, the castle served as military barracks. This had unexpectedly dreadful consequences: the army caused a great fire in 1811 and the castle became little more than a ruined shell for more than 140 years. There were serious discus- sions in the 20th century about pulling down the ruins entirely, or redeveloping the site into something completely different. However, common sense eventually prevailed and the ruins were rebuilt to the castle’s previous shape. The interior remains rather plain – few documents exist to give planners an idea of how it would have previously looked – but the castle was opened to the public for the first time in 1968. Since then, it has been home to numerous museums and the Slovak parliament has used its stately premises for ceremonial events. The castle’s treasury currently holds its most exciting artefacts, including the coins unearthed in 2009 and a selection of Roman mosaic floors. There is also an exhibition of historical paintings, in the southern wing, overlooking the Danube that depicts former owners of the castle. Part of the castle tour is a permanent exhibition about the history of the area which is now Slovakia. On the third floor is located a café and after refreshment the tour is completed by climbing to the top of the Crown Tower, on a clear day it of- fers a 360-degree view including Hungary and Austria (wind turbines visible from the tower are in Austria). The castle also hosts temporary exhibitions. Sigismund Gate The gothic prism-shaped gate with rich stone decoration dates from the 15th century. Victory Gate The gate now features sculptures of military symbols, including helmets, armour, shields, various weapons, banners, etc., which symbolise the ruler’s power and victory. Bastion Luginsland One of two semi-circular cannon-bastions built during the gothic redesign of the castle to reinforce the fortification.

28 bratislava: HISTORICAL CENTRE 43 Museum of Jewish Culture  pages 50-52 44 Podhradie (Settle- ment below the castle)  Židovská, Zámocká, Beblavého; map B,C 3 (c 1, c 3)  0.65 km (9 min) ä e WC G Podhradie is the name given the area that spreads over the eastern and southern slopes of Bratislava Castle hill, which in mediaeval times would have been separated from the Old Town by city walls. This is also the site of the former Jewish quarter, established in the 16th century when the palatine Mikuláš Pálffy allowed Jews expelled from the city to settle here. Podhradie became part of what is now Bratislava only in the middle of the 19th century but it was all but destroyed by the construction of the SNP Bridge in the mid-20th century, which served to re- new the mediaeval division. The most signifi- cant buildings pre- served in the narrow cobblestone streets of Podhradie are the baroque Church of St Nicolas from 1661, built by Francis Khuen, a widow of František Pálffy, and the House of the Good Shepherd, which is one of only two rococo buildings in Bratislava. 45 Dom u dobrého pastiera (House of the Good Shepherd)  Židovská 1, 3 ; map C 3 (c 3)  0.65 km (9 min) G Å +421 (0)2 5441-1940 www.muzeum.bratislava.sk a Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00 Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00 €2.5 ä e WC The House of the Good Shepherd is among the most beautiful rococo-style buildings in central Europe, and is one of few preserved buildings of the old settlement around Bratislava Castle. It was named after the statue of Christ, the Good Shepherd, which stands in a niche on its corner. The four-floor house was built between 1760- 65, in the shape of a trapezium, with an extremely narrow frontal face; the width of one room and staircase. The bottom part was used for trade and craft activities, while the upper served for accommodation. The House of the Good Shepherd has undergone several reconstructions. In addition to changes to the interior, there have been also some modifica- tions of the exterior, including the addition of white louvre windows. After a fire in 1913 the windows were substituted for ones with glass wings. The building now houses the Museum of Clocks, an exhibi- tion of more than 60 historical timepieces from the end of the 17th century to the end of the 19th century. 46 Subclub (music club)  pages 56-57 47 Zuckermandel and Vydrica  Žižkova; map B 4  1.2 km (15 min)  1.5 km (2 min) u Chatam Sófer v 4, 6, 28, 29, 30, 31, 39 G www.snm.ska Tue-Sun 10:00-16:30 (museums) U Mon-Sat 17:00 Sun 8:00, 17:00 (the Holy Trinity Church) €3 (bulk ticket for all museums at Žižkova street) Zuckermandel and Vydrica are the names of the former settlement comprising several streets beneath the Bratislava castle, which first grew up in the 13th century when some important trade routes crossed the area. From the 18th century un- til the Second World War it became a notorious red light district, and it was mostly demolished between 1949-69, with the construction of the SNP Bridge completing the damage. Only a few buildings from bygone eras remain intact along the area’s narrow streets. These structures currently house a museum that focuses on Hungar- ian and Carpathian German minorities as well as museums de- voted to musical instruments and archaeology. Recent development of the area added residential, administrative and commercial buildings. Another preserved building from the historical Zuckermandel is the baroque Holy Trin- ity Church (Kostol Najsvätejšej Trojice). It was built at the foot of Bratislava Castle hill between 1734-38 on a site once occupied by a wooden chapel. The church is known for its three valuable paintings of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Christ on the cross, as well as a rare organ from the early 19th century, which has been restored to full working order. On the south wall of the church is a bronze slab depicting the priest Karol Scherz de Vasoja (1807-1888) by the sculptor Alojz Rigele. The priest was well known for his generosity, philanthropy and self-sacrifice dur- ing natural disasters and reportedly saved more than 50 people from fire and floods during his lifetime. Church of St Nicolas Holy Trinity Church Podhradie

bratislava: WALKING DISTANCE 29 48Pamätník ChatamaSÓferaW (Chatam Sófer Memorial)  Nábrežie armádneho generála Ludvíka Svobodu 24; map A 3  1.8 km (22 min)  2.1 km (3 min) u Chatam Sófer v 4, 6, 28, 29, 30, 31, 39 Å +421 (0)2 5441-6949 G www.chatamsofer.sk a Mon-Fri, Sun (except Jewish holidays) booking necessary at Å+421 (0)948 554-442 (9:00-17:00) €6 The Chatam Sófer memorial is a Jewish burial shrine built over the graves of prominent rabbis and scholars, including that of Chatam Sófer himself. Sófer (1762-1839), whose original name was Moshe Schreiber, is one of orthodox Judaism’s most significant scholars, described by www.chatamsofer.sk as “world renowned for his comments on the Talmud and Tora, and the founder of conservative Pressburg’s yeshiva, one of the most prominent centres of traditional Jewish learn- ing in Europe”. This is the sole remaining part of the Jewish cemetery used until 1847 that was destroyed in 1943 during construction of the nearby tunnel. The current memo- rial is a result of an extensive re-development of the site from 2000-02 – a project by the Slovak architect Martin Kvasnica, who followed the strict requirements of the halakhah (Jewish law) when designing the monument. The memo- rial, which is a pilgrimage destination for many Jews from around the world, was opened in 2002 on the 240th anniversary of Chatam Sófer’s birth. 49 River Park  Dvořákovo nábrežie; map A 3  1.8 km (22 min)  3.5 km (5 min) u Chatam Sófer or Park kultúry (PKO) v 4, 6, 28, 29, 30, 31, 39 or 5, 9 Å +421 (0)914 399-999 www.riverpark.sk a Mon-Sun 10:00-2:00 (restaurants/ bars); Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00 (shops/ services generally) éä e WC On the banks of the Danube between what was formerly the Park of Culture and Leisure and the SNP Bridge, River Park is now princi- pally a residential, commercial and hotel complex comprising flats with a river view and offices peering over the busy street. Part of it also houses the five-star Grand Hotel River Park, with 231 rooms, including the presidential apartment, which opened in 2010. The original archi- tect was Erick van Egeraat, from the Netherlands, whose plans followed the demands of the city to harmo- nise the shape of the complex with the silhouette of Bratislava behind it. Egeraat designed his structures to avoid conflict with the height of the buildings, even if the finished product may have strayed from the original plans. The construction drew some critical responses from civil activists, who protested against the loss of urban greenery. Before it became a multifunctional complex, the site was part of the promenade along the Danube River with a stone balustrade. 50 Incheba (exhibition centre)  page 105 48 Chatam Sófer Memorial W map A 3 (pg 30, 62-63, 6) 49 River Park (river-front district) map A 3 (pg 30, 58-59, 70-71) 50 Incheba (exhibition centre), map B 4 (pg 105, 108-109) 51 Most SNP (bridge) W, map B,C 4 (pg 30, 41-43, 60-61, 67, 70-71, 82-83) 52 UFO restaurant, map B,C 4 (pg 30, 60-61, 67, 70-71, 82-83) 53 Sad Janka Kráľa (park), map C,D 4 (pg 72-73) 54 Starý most (bridge), map D 4 (pg 67) 55 Most Apollo (bridge), map E,F 4 (pg 30) 56 Eurovea (river-front district) W map E 4 (pg 31, 53, 54-55, 58-59, 70-71) 57 Slovak National Theatre - New building map E 4 (pg 31, 50-52) 58 Blue Church W, map D 3 (pg 31, 54-55) 59 Kamenné nám. (square), map D 3 (pg 32, 60-61) 60 Church of St Ladislaus, map D 3 (pg 32) 61 Church of St Elisabeth, map D 3 (pg 32) 62 Jewish Synagogue, map D 3 (pg 33, 64-66) 63 Obchodná ul. (Shopping Street), map C 3 (c 2); D 2 (pg 34, 108-109) 64 Great Evangelical Church, map C 2 (pg 33, 64-66) 65 Grassalkovich - Presidential Palace map C 2 (pg 33, 54-55, 64-66, 72-73) 66 Archbishop’s Summer Palace, map C 2 (pg 34) 67 Námestie slobody (Square of Freedom) map C,D 2 (pg 34, 60-61) 68 Slovenskýrozhlas(SlovakRadio) mapD1(pg34,60-61) 69 National Bank of Slovakia, map D 2 (pg 34) 70 Aspremont Palace, map D,E 2 (pg 29) 71 Medická záhrada (Medical Garden), map D,E 2 (pg 54-55, 64-66, 72-73) 72 Main bus station, map E 3 73 Tržnica (market place), map F 1 (pg 60-61) 74 YMCA (multi-cultural hub) map D 1 (pg 56-57, 74-75) 75 Main train station, map C 1 76 Museum of Transport, map C 1 (pg 50-52) 77 Slavín (memorial) W, map B 1 (pg 29, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66, 67) 58 60 61 62 63 67 68 77 69 70 66 65 64 59 55 56 51 52 53 54 50 48 49 57 71 72 73 74 75 76

30 bratislava: WALKING DISTANCE 51 Most SNP W (Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising) 52 UFO restaurant  map B, C 4  0.7-1.1 km (8-13 min)  3.5 km (4 min) u Most SNP (Slovenského národného povstania) v 4, 6, 28, 29, 30, 37, 50, 70, 88, 91, 133, 191, 901 (regional bus to Hainburg, AT) Å +421 (0)2 6252-0300 a Observation Deck & Bar Mon-Sun 10:00-23:00; Restaurant Mon-Sun 12:00-23:00  €7.4 (lift to Observation Deck) ä e é (upon request; access only to the restaurant/bar) WC The construction of the iconic cable-stay bridge suspended over the Danube, between 1967-72, destroyed significant sections of the Old Town and the former Jew- ish quarter and cut the castle away from the city. Originally named after the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), the bridge was officially renamed the New Bridge between 1993-2012, reflecting the popular name for it among city residents. But it officially reverted back to its original name in 2012. The only pylon of the bridge is topped with a pod in the shape of a flying saucer, and houses a res- taurant 85 metres in the air. The original concept was that the bridge should resemble the driver of a carriage, with the steel cables representing reins and the pylon the driver with a hat. Its actual appearance is best reflected in its colloquial name: the UFO bridge. There is an observation deck above the restaurant offering 360° views across the city and into Austria, made accessible to the public after the fall of the previous regime. 53 Sad Janka Kráľa (park)  pages 72-73 54 Starý most (bridge)  page 67 55 MostApollo (Apollo Bridge)  map E, F 4  2.4 km (30 min)  3.9 km (6 min) u Most Apollo v 50, 68, 87, 88, 90 The Apollo Bridge is Bratislava’s long-awaited fifth crossing over the Danube, constructed between 2002-05 to the design of the Slovak architect Miroslav Maťaščík. To save money, the four-lane, cable-stay bridge, with paths for pedestrians and cyclists, was first built on the riverbank before, in September 2004, crews used four tugboats to position the completed bridge across the river. It was the first time a bridge this large had been put in place this way and the operation attracted thousands of spectators. The bridge is named after the refinery that used to stand nearby and which was destroyed during the Second World War. 56 Eurovea W  Pribinova; map E 4  1.2 km (15 min)  2.7 km (4 min) u Nové SND or Šafárikovo nám. v 28, 78, 133, 210 or 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 Å +421 (0)2 2091-5000 www.eurovea.com a Mon-Sun 10:00-21:00 (shops); Mon-Sun 10:00-2:00 (restaurants/bars) ¯®éä e WC Eurovea is a development of shops, leisure and entertainment areas, on the north bank of the Danube near to the historical city centre and next to the new building of the Slovak National Theatre. It has become a popular site for Bratislavans since its opening in 2010, also thanks to a generously designed public space that slopes down to the river. The complex was designed by the Slovak architects Marek Varga, Miroslav Vrábel and Branislav Kaliský and consists of the five-star Sheraton Bratislava Hotel, appartments, as well as airy retail premises and an office complex. A monumen- tal bronze statue of the Slovak statesman Milan Rastislav Štefánik occupies a central square, with a lion standing atop a 27-metre high plinth. 57Slovenskénárod- nédivadlo - Nová budova(Slovak National Theatre - new building)  Pribinova 17; map E 4  1.4 km (18 min)  3.2 km (6 min) u Panorama city or Nové SND v 50, 88, 90 or 28, 78, 133, 210 Å +421 (0)2 2047-2111 ¯ ® www.snd.sk a for performances from €4 åé WC Eurovea

bratislava: WALKING DISTANCE 31 Few constructions in contemporary Bratislava took as long to complete as the new building of the Slovak National Theatre (SND), by the Slovak architects Martin Kusý, Pavol Paňák and Peter Bauer. Its construction lasted 21 years and spanned two regimes, starting under the communists in April 1986 and finishing in April 2007. It is tiled with famous Spiš travertine, the last pieces from a pit in eastern Slovakia. The building has seven floors, more than 2,000 rooms and three main halls, for opera, ballet and theatre, as well as a studio. It is also packed with innovations, including an unusual air-conditioning system that blows air from the audience’s armrests. A number of exterior and interior works of art embellish the building, including a fountain at the front created by Alexander Biľkovič, Iľja Skoček and Pavel Bauer; a waterfall by Peter Roller and two towers by the architect Bauer. The spring in the lobby is also the work of Bauer and the painter Dušan Buřil. 58 Modrý kostolík (Blue Church) W  Bezručova 2; map D 3  0.9 km (11 min)  3 km (6 min) u Šafárikovo námestie or Malá scéna v 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 or 28, 50, 70, 78, 133 Å +421 (0)2 5273-3573 a Mon-Sun 8:00-19:00 (entrance hall) U Mon-Sat 7:00, 18:00; Sun 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, 18:00 voluntary St Elizabeth’s Church, commonly known as the Blue Church, is one of few examples of art nouveau architecture in Bratislava. It was built between 1909–13 accord- ing to plans by the Hungar- ian architect Edmund Lechner and was initially intended to be a chapel for students from the nearby high school. It is dedicated to St Elizabeth of Hungary, daughter of King Andrew II of the Árpád family, who was probably born in Bratislava Castle in 1207. Its familiar name is drawn from the colour that dominates both its interior and façade: it is decked in a pastel blue mixed with white ele- ments, and patterned with flowers and leaves. The church remains in use today and is a popular site for wedding ceremonies. 59 Kamenné nám. (Kamenné Square)  map D 3  0.6 km (7 min)  2.3 km (6 min) u Kamenné námestie or Nemocnica sv. Michala v 3, 4, 9 or 202, 205 é ä e WC Developers, architecture experts and city administrators continue to squabble about the future of Kamenné námestie, one of Bratislava’s busiest central squares but one which has been in need of refurbishment for many years. Currently the central features of the square are a department store built in 1968 (now housing a branch of Tesco) and the adjacent Kyjev Hotel (1973), both examples of Slovak modernist architecture by Ivan Matušík and both registered with the Documentation and Con- servation of Buildings, Sites and Neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement (DOCOMOMO), an international organisation aimed at research, documentation, promo- tion and preservation of Modern Movement architecture. Hotel Kyjev used to be one of the most prominent and visited hotels in Bratislava, and even after the fall of the communist regime and a change in owners, it served as a low-cost hotel enabling visitors to sample the atmosphere and design of the previous regime. However, since late 2011 it has been closed completely and its future is unclear. In April 2017, the Luna bar in the underground of the hotel reopened with some of its original iconic furniture. Various civic initiatives have also centred on the square, mainly intended to prevent extensive re- building of the area. Kamenné námestie

32 bratislava: WALKING DISTANCE 60 Kostol sv.Ladislava (Church of St Ladislaus)  Špitálska 5; map D 3  0.5 km (6 min)  2 km (5 min) u Kamenné námestie v 3, 4, 9 Å +421 (0)2 5720-0622a Mon-Sun 8:00-18:30 (entrance hall) U Mon-Sat 17:30 Sun 9:30, 11:00 (mass in English), 17:30 voluntary The classicist Church of St Ladis- laus, designed by Ignác Feigler in the 1830s, is the third sacral build- ing to occupy the site. Originally the Order of Antonites had a hos- pital here, adjoining a chapel and monastery, which remained until a new hospital building, comprising the first St Ladislaus, took its place in 1397. In the 15th century, the complex was seriously damaged during Hussite attacks, but was restored and remained until 1529, when it was pulled down as the city began preparations to defend itself against the Ottomans. The new hospital was built in 1543, but by the early 19th century has fallen into dereliction. It was replaced by the current church, albeit with a plain white interior. In 1927 the church painter J. Grünwild covered its walls with figurative paintings, supressing the classicist character of the construction. The main altar features a painting by the Viennese painter Ferdinand Lütgendorf from 1830. 61 Kostol svätej Alžbety (Church of St Elizabeth)  Špitálska 21; map D 3  0.6 km (7 min)  2 km (5 min) u Kamenné námestie v 3, 4, 9 Å +421 (0)2 5924-9630 a Mon-Fri 5:30-18:30 Sat-Sun 6:30-19:00 (entrance hall) U Mon-Fri 6:00 Sat 7:00, 18:00 Sun 7:00, 9:00, 18:00 voluntary The baroque Church of St Elizabeth was commissioned by Archbishop Im- rich Esterházy and constructed be- tween 1739-42 to the plans drawn up by the Vienna-based architect Franz A. Pilgram. The single nave church is decorated with paintings by the Austrian artist Paul Troger, as well as sculptures of St Stephan, St Ladislaus and St Elizabeth with a beggar. The latter are works by Ľudovít Gode, a contemporary of the prominent baroque sculptor G. R. Donner. The Order of Saint Elizabeth continues to care for seriously ill patients in their own hospital, the Oncological Institute of St Elizabeth, which is adjacent to the church. 62 Židovská synagóga (Jewish Synagogue)  Heydukova 11-13; map D 3  0.6 m (7 min)  3 km (6 min) u Námestie SNP v 1, 7, 8, 9 Å +421 (0)2 5441-6949 G www.synagogue.sk a Community Museum May 20 - Oct 9 Fri, Sun 10:00-16:00 (except Jewish holidays) €6 e WC The synagogue on Heydu- kova Street is the only remaining synagogue in Bratislava, designed and built in 1923-26 by the Brati- slava-based Jewish architect Arthur Szalatnay-Slatinský. Its construction was in response to the increasing number of Jewish residents in Bratislava, which reached 10,973 in 1921. The interior combines the innovative design of reinforced concrete and contemporary details with Cubist elements and also meets traditional religious require- ments, such as separation of men and women and placement of the bimah in the centre. The synagogue still serves as an active Jewish house of worship and in 2012 was extended to house the Bratislava Jewish Community Museum. It is located in the synagogue’s disused women’s gallery and includes key items from the Judaica collection of the Bratislava Jewish community as well as other objects – some of them associated with the Holocaust – donated by individual community members. 63 Obchodná ulica (Shopping Street)  map C 3 (c 2); D 2  0.5 km (6 min) u Poštová-Martinus v 1, 5, 7, 8 www.obchodnaulica.sk a Mon-Sat 9:00- 20:00 (shops generally) ä å e Obchodná ulica, which literally translates as the “Shopping Street”, is one the oldest streets outside the historical centre of Bratislava, mentioned for the first time in documents from the 13th century. It leads from Michael’s Gate up to Kollárovo námestie and before the likes of Polus, Aupark and Eurovea were built was, as its name sug- gests, where Bratislavans did their shopping. 64Veľký evanjelický kostol (Great Evangelical Church)  Panenská 28; map C 2  0.8 km (8 min) u Hodžovo námestie v 83, 84, 93, 147, 184, 203, 207, 208, 212, U Sun 10:00 Å +421 (0)2 5441-4604 ¯  voluntary The baroque-classicist Great Evangelical Church was built between 1774-76 to cater for the ever-growing church congregation sizes of the 18th century. Empress Maria Theresa granted special con- sent permitting construction of the church on Panenská Street, but only on the condition that the church remained modest in decoration and without a bell-tower. The architect Matias Walch built the church with Church of St Elizabeth Jewish Synagogue

bratislava: WALKING DISTANCE 33 a central space with a pulpit altar by Peter Brandenthal and two floors of choirs below the monumental vaults of the ceiling. The church is also known for its outstanding acoustic qualities and hosts regular concerts as well as still being one of the key centres for Evangelical worshippers in Bratislava. 65 Grasalkovičov - Prezidentský palác (The Grassalkovich - Presidential Palace) Hodžovonámestie1;mapC20.7km(9 min)uHodžovonámestiev83,84,93,147, 184,203, 207,208,212,X13free aPark/ GardenOct-MarMon-Sun10:00-19:00;Apr-May Mon-Sun10:00-20:00;Jun-SepMon-Sun8:00-22:00; Palaceisopentothepubliconlyonceayearduring officialPresidentialOpenDay,usuallyinJune Bratislava’s Presidential Palace dates from 1760 and was formerly owned by Count Anton Grassalkovich, an advisor to Empress Maria Theresa and the chairman of the Hungarian Royal Chamber. Originally, the late-baroque summer palace would have been at the centre of the city’s high society, but has subsequently been adapted for various purposes. During the previous totalitar- ian regime it was turned into the Klement Gottwald House of Pioneers and Youth, i.e., a facility where schoolchildren could spend their free time. After the fall of the communist regime in 1989 it un- derwent an extensive reconstruction and became the seat of the Slovak president. The rear part of the park is accessible to the public. 66 Letný arcibiskupský palác (Archbishop’s Summer Palace)  Námestie slobody 1; map C 2  1.2 km (15 min)  0.7 km (2 min) u Štefanovičova v 203 a exterior views only What is now known as the Archbishop’s Summer Palace was commissioned by Archbishop Ferenc Forgách in the 17th century and underwent several stages of re- building and refurbishment until it reached its current form: a baroque façade, with a rococo interior. The architect F. A. Hillebrandt made the last significant changes to building, adding a columned hall with an upper terrace, a portico in front of the main entrance and the massive double-armed staircase carried by muscular figures of Atlas on the garden side. The historical building, and its extensions from the mid-1970s, now serve as the seat of the Slovak government and is accessible to the public only during special occasions. Slovak prime ministers have not been able to resist the temptation to leave their own mark on the building: Mikuláš Dzurinda, for instance, ordered a replica of the fireplace from the White House to be added before George W. Bush visited Slovakia in February 2005, and although Iveta Radičová hid a majolica tablet depicting Slovak outlaw Juraj Jánošík, Robert Fico has brought the piece back to light again. 67 Námestie slobody (Square of Freedom)  map C, D 2  1.2 km (15 min)  0.7 km (2 min) u Slovenská technická univerzita (STU) or Žilinská v 31, 39, 94 or 1, 2 ä å What is now known as Square of Freedom originally dates from the 17th century, when the Archbishop’s Summer Palace, now the headquarters of the Slovak government, would have been one of the only buildings surrounding it. These days it is also flanked by buildings of the Slovak University of Technology and the Ministry of Transport. During the previous communist regime the square bore the name of the notorious former presi- dent Klement Gottwald, and also housed a huge stone statue of him, which was removed in 1990. The biggest fountain in Bratislava, named Družba (Dru- zhba or “Friendship”) has stood at the square’s centre since 1980, but has been out of order for years and awaiting reconstruc- tion. Presidential Palace

34 bratislava: WALKING DISTANCE 68 Slovenský rozhlas (Slovak Radio)  Mýtna 1; map D 1  1.5 km (19 min)  0.8 km (2 min) u Slovenská technická univerzita (STU) or Žilinská v 31, 39, 94 or 1, 2 Å +421 (0)2 5727-3624 ¯ www.rozhlas.sk a for performances from €5 ä WC It is impossible to miss the distinc- tive upside-down pyramid-shaped building opposite the offices of the National Bank of Slovakia. This was the headquarters of Slovakia’s public-service radio, designed by the Slovak architect Štefan Svetko (and others) and built between 1963-85. Ironically, Svetko was not invited to the official opening of his building due to his critical opinions of the communist regime. The structure is one of the first steel buildings in Slovakia, reaching 61 metres into the Bratislava sky, with an antenna adding a further 19 metres. It contains generous inner spaces, including an excel- lent concert hall, with one of the biggest organs in Slovakia, and recording studios. Six radio stations still broadcast from the tower and public concerts are held. 69 Národná banka Slovenska (National Bank of Slovakia)  Imricha Karvaša 1; map D 2  1.5 km (19 min)  0.8 km (2 min) u Slovenská technická univerzita (STU) or Žilinská v 31, 39, 94 or 1, 2 Å +421 (0)2 5787-1111 www.nbs.sk aCentral Cash-desk Mon-Fri 7:30-12:00 The headquarters of the National Bank of Slovakia occupy the tallest building in Bratislava – a 111m high structure with 33 floors above ground and three below, with a helipad on top. The build- ing was designed by the Slovak architects Martin Kusý and Pavol Paňák and opened in 2002. There are 23 elevators in the building, including six glazed high-speed elevators for personal service with a view over the capital (for those who do not suffer from dizziness). In the centre of the lower part of the building, there is an atrium with a green area, creating a con- trast with the modern glass and concrete architecture. 70Aspremontov palác (Aspremont Summer Palace)  Špitálska 24; map D,E 2  1 km (12 min)  1.4 km (4 min) u Americké námestie or Špitálska v 3, 4, 7, 9, 207, 208 or 212 a Palace - exterior views only; Medická záhrada (garden) Apr-Sep 7:00-21:00, Oct-Mar 10:00-18:00 Aspremont Summer Palace is one of the most beautiful garden palaces in Bratislava, designed and built in 1769 by Johann Joseph Tallher. It stands in a baroque garden owned by the French count Johann Gobert of Aspremont. The palace façades and interiors were influenced by the décor of Louis XVI and the palace also includes a late baroque style chapel featuring paintings depicting Old and New Testament allegory, plus an Altar of the Crucifixion fashioned from white and red marble. Count Aspremont was a descendant of the famous Hungar- ian magnate families of Rákóczi and Báthory, but he sold the palace after 10 years to the Esterházy family, and it remained their property for nearly 100 years. (It was commonly known as Esterházy or Schiffbeck Palace.) Nowadays the palace houses the office of the dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University and most locals refer to the Medická záhrada (Medical Garden), the public garden in which the palace is located, rather than the structure itself. 71 Medická záhrada (Medical Garden)  pages 54-55 72 Main bus station  Mlynské Nivy 31, Bratislava 73Tržnica (market place)  pages 60-61 74YMCA (multi-cultural hub)  pages 56-57 75 Maintrainstation  Predstaničné námestie 1, Bratislava 76 Museum ofTransport  pages 50-52 77 Slavín W  Na Slavíne; map B 1  2 km (30 min)  1.8 km (4 min) u Búdková v 41, 147, 203, 207a non-stop free The Slavín monument remembers the lives of the 6,845 Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Bratislava in April 1945, many of whom are buried in six mass and 278 individual graves. The monu- ment was designed by the Slovak sculptor and architect Ján Svetlík and was built between 1957-60 to be officially unveiled on April 4, 1960, the 15th anniversary of the liberation. On the same day every year since, representatives of the Slovak government lay wreaths to commemorate the victims. The central and dominant section of Slavín is a ceremonial hall tiled with marble, which is surrounded by a monumental colonnade. The entrance door is decorated with a bronze relief by Rudolf Pribiš. Above the ceremonial room there is a monumental granite pillar, towering 39.5m, and topped by an 11m-tall sculpture, designed by Alexander Trizuljak and depicting a soldier carrying a flag and crushing the Nazi swastika beneath his boot. A list of Slovak towns liberated by the Red Army adorn the walls of the memorial’s basement. The monument is surrounded by a park containing trees from various parts of the former Soviet Union. Slavín also affords spectacular views over major parts of Bratislava, including Bratislava Castle. Slavín

Please contact us for more information about your visit: + 421 2 6964 6964 visit@volkswagen.sk www.visit-volkswagen.sk    → Thematic tours of the Bratislava plant → Adrenaline drive on the Offroad Parcours → Volkswagen e-up! experience Visit us SP013099/001

90 81 91 82 92 83 93 84 94 85 95 96 87 97 88 98 89 99 78 Lourdes cave (Church of Our Lady of the Snows), pg 62-63 79 Horský Park (park), pg 72-73 80a Sandberg (sandstone hill), pg 37, 74-75 80b Volkswagen (car plant), pg 37, 68-69 81 Devín Castle, pg 37, 50-52, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66, 86 82 Botanical Garden, pg 72-73 83 ZOO, pg 84-85 84 Iron Spring (Železná studienka), pg 37, 72-73, 86 85 Koliba - Kamzík (TV tower), pg 38, 67, 72-73, 86 86 Atlantis Science Centre, pg 84-85 87 Ondrej Nepela Arena (hockey stadium), pg 38 88 National Tennis Centre, pg 105 89 Kuchajda (lake), pg 72-73, 53 90 Zlaté Piesky (lake), pg 39, 72-73 91 M. R. Štefánik Airport, pg 39 92 Divadlo Aréna (theatre) 93 Petržalka (estate housing), pg 32, 60-61, 64-66 94 B-S 8 Hřbitov (museum), pg 60-61 95 Veľký Draždiak (lake), pg 72-73, 74-75, 53 96 Gerulata (museum), pg 38, 50-52, 84-85 97 Rusovce Manor House, pg 38 98 Divoká voda (rafting), pg 68-69, 70-71 99 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, pg 38, 50-52, 53, 54-55, 70-71 STU University district where faculties related to information technologies are located = 0.9 mile 0 0.6 1.2 1.9 2.5 3.1 mile 86 79 78 80b 80a STU

bratislava: AROUND THE CITY 37 78 Lourdes cave (Church of Our Lady of the Snows)  pages 62-63 79 Horský Park (park)  pages 72-73 80a Sandberg  Devínska Nová Ves, Bratislava  16 km (20 min) u Sandberg v 28 A demanding uphill walk above Devínska Nová Ves will take the traveller to the Sandberg lookout, with views of the Danube, Morava rivers and as far as the Palace Schloss Hof in Austria. Sandberg is the site of some significant paleon- tological finds, including the bones of prehistoric sharks and seals. The area is known as the “Slovak desert” for its sandy deposits. 80bVolkswagen W (car plant)  Jána Jonáša 1, Bratislava  24 km (18 min)  Volkswagen 21, 24, 25, 26, 92  +421 (0)2 6964-6964 sk.volkswagen. sk  Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00 (visits must be arranged at least one day in advance via phone or email – visit@volkswagen.sk; group size: 5-15 people; age requirement: 12; tours in Sk, G, E)€4 solid boots required The plant of Volkswagen Slovakia in Bratislava offers special programmes for tourists. After getting special headphones for both noise protection and to hear the guide when the tour makes its way directly through production halls during working hours, the mechanically-inclined can observe selected parts of the Bratislava- based Volkswagen’s body shop, as well as production and press halls. The company also offers themed tours throughout the year. Another option for visitors is a special drive with an electric car or on an off-road course. For the off- road, the company uses specially modified vehicle at a track which simulates various tough terrains, from a wooden roadway, through sand, water and steps, to hills at various gradients. Visitors can either travel as a passenger or take a turn behind the wheel with the help of an instructor. 81 Hrad Devín W (Devín Castle)  Muránska  11 km (12 min) u Hrad Devín v 29; during the summer season, boats operate from the port in Bratislava to Devín Castle Å +421 (0)2 6573-0105 G e www.muzeum.bratislava.sk a Nov-Mar Mon-Sun 10:00-15:30 (entry possible only in good weather); Apr, Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-16:30; May-Sep Tue-Fri 10:00-17:30; Sat-Sun 10:00-18:30 €5 é (partial access; except castle tower) WC The Devín Castle, perched on a rocky cliff at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, is one of the oldest castles in Slovakia and one of its best known. Its perfect strategic location has attracted settlers since prehistoric times, and it has played an important role in the country’s military and cultural development. The first written record of Devín dates from 864, when a place named Dowina is mentioned in documents belonging to Fulda monastery. At that time it was a border fortress and one of the political and administrative centres of the Great Moravian Empire. However, the oldest artefacts found on the site date from the Stone Age, when the cliff was settled by various tribes. The Celts arrived and settled in the region in the 1st century AD, followed by the Romans. Some ru- ins of Roman buildings have been found here. After the fall of the Great Mora- vian Empire, the owners of the castle changed frequently and each gradually developed and extended it. In the 15th century the castle became the property of the Garay family, who built a palace inside the fortifications and modernised the walls around. Between 1527 and 1605, it was home to the Báthorys, who built a new palace wing and transformed the whole complex into the Renais- sance style. The castle then became the property of the Pálffys, who were the last noble family to occupy it. Devín was no longer used as a residence from the 18th century. Its decline was complete in 1809 when Napoleonic armies besieged it, and blew up large portions. As the Slovak nation gradually came into being in the first half of the 19th century, however, the Devín Castle became a symbol of the national awakening, and some of its older fame was restored. Re- construction projects from the 20th century revived the castle’s former majesty. Visitors can see pieces of preserved Roman architecture plus remains of the Báthory and Garay palaces. The gothic tower palace also peaks above the whole castle area, which is still circled by fortification walls. Visitors can see the remains of the Great Moravian church from the 9th century, and al- though only its foundations marked by stones can be seen nowadays, there is a model depicting how the rectangular church with a trefoil apse may have looked. The whole area offers an excellent view over the Danube and into Austria. Devín’s most iconic feature is the so-called Virgin Tower, a small late Renaissance tower at the castle’s extremity, jutting out over the river path. It is the setting for numerous myths and legends, some of which are detailed in the museum about the castle’s history that can be found in its best preserved parts. There is also information about how Devín conquered water leaking into the place which is common in buildings of its age. A 55m-deep well, prob- ably built by the Garays, can still be seen in the castle grounds. After nearly nine years of reconstruction, the upper part of the castle was opened to the public in May 2017. Visitors can now look inside caves to find ancient artefacts and enjoy excellent views from the top of the castle. 82 Botanical Garden pages 72-73 83 ZOO  pages 84-85 84 Železná studien- ka (Iron Spring, park)

38 bratislava: AROUND THE CITY  Železná studienka  5 km (6 min) u ŽST Železná studienka v 207, 211, 212, 43 (bus 43 offers daily service for all area but do not get out on the Vojenská nemocnica stop) å WC Å +421 (0)2 4425-9188 (cablecar); +421 (0)944 056-309 (fishing) +421 (0)2 5443-3715 (rowing)a Thu-Sun 10:00-17:45 each hour (cablecar); daily 7:00-19:00 during summer season only (fishing); Fri-Sun 12:00- 20:00 during summer season only (rowing) €4 (cablecar - return ticket); €10 per day (fishing); €3 per 30 min (rowing); hiking and treehouse N pg 86 Železná studienka (Iron Spring) area, near the Kramáre district, is a meandering valley popular in the summer with picnickers centred on a chain of linked man-made lakes. Passing under the red steel railway bridge, visitors are greeted by a large playground, including fields for football, volleyball, basketball, pétanque and table tennis. It’s easy to spot people sitting on the banks, rowing and fishing. Surrounding the lakes are paths and parks that are immensely popular with families on the weekends. The valley also provides jungle gyms for kids and several outdoor refreshment stands. A cableway connects Železná studi- enka with area close to the Kamzík TV Tower. 85 koliba / Kamzík (TVTower and park)  Cesta na Kamzík  6.1 km (12 min) u Koliba v 44, 203 Å +421 (0)2 4425-6946 ä www.altitude.sk (Restaurant) a ä Mon-Sun 11:00-22:00; Cablecar Železná studnička - Kamzík Thu-Sun 10:00-17:45 (each hour) Cablecar €4 (return ticket) ä WC; hiking N pg 86 The 194-metre Kamzík television tower, built in 1975, is the tallest structure in Bratislava and is visible from almost all of the city’s access roads. During good weather, views from the top stretch into the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and even over the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. The tower is located on Kamzík hill (“Chamois hill”), which is about 15 minutes from the city centre by bus. Walk about 20 minutes in the Koliba area to reach the tower. The tower is made of reinforced concrete and steel columns and its unique pyramidal shape helps to overcome the horizontal load. A gourmet restaurant 70 metres up the tower offers panoramic views of Bratislava, with a rotating floor that provides 360° views from the table. Kamzík continues to be used as a television transmission tower. It has 15 platforms from the up- permost labelled “A” to the lowest floor “O”. On platform “J” there is a 24-hour central monitoring system station, which controls the quality of all television transmitters in Slovakia. 86Atlantis Science Centre  pages 84-85 87 Zimný štadión Ondreja Nepelu (Ondrej Nepela Arena)  Odbojárov 9, map F 1 3 km (8 min) u Zimný štadión v 39, 53, 61, 63, 74, 78, 204, 205, 207 Å +421 (0)2 4910-3202 ¯from €10 åé WC www.nepela-arena.eu a for perfor- mances/hockey games; ice skating Nov-Apr Wed, Fri 16:00-17:30 Sat-Sun 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00 (€2) The main hockey stadium in Bratislava, officially named after Ondrej Nepela (1951-1989), a Slovak Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion figure skater, was extensively rebuilt prior to the Ice Hockey World Cham- pionships hosted by Bratislava and Košice in 2011. Sometimes called the Slovnaft Arena, after the spon- sors of the Slovak hockey team, the main arena covers an area of more than 10,000 square metres and can hold nearly 10,000 specta- tors. The stadium’s tenants, HC Slovan Bratislava, plays in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), the European sister of the NHL. The stadium has also hosted concerts by such stars as Beyoncé, Sting, Bryan Adams and José Carreras. 88 NationalTenNis Centre  page 105 89 Kuchajda (lake)  pages 72-73 90 Zlaté Piesky (lake)  Zlaté Piesky  10 km (19 min) u Zlaté piesky v 4, 53, 56, 57, 65, 153, 525 Å +421 (0)2 4425-7018 anon-stop €3 (admission fee only during summer season Jun 22 - Sep 1 Mon-Sun 9:00-19:00); from €13 (water-skiing; Mon-Fri 11:30-sunset Sat-Sun 10:00-sunset) WC It costs €3 to access this well-known Bratislava lake, close to the airport, but is open long hours (9am-6pm during the summer season) and is well served by restaurants and re- freshment counters. It is possible to rent a paddle boat or water bikes or to play tennis here. The lake is easily accessible by public transport: take tram 4 to the end of the line, turn right, cross the street, and you are there. The nearby Shopping Palace mall provides further shopping and dining opportunities. Zlaté Piesky also offers water-skiing as well as free access to an unofficial nudists’ bath- ing beach on the eastern shore. 91 Letisko M.R. Štefánika (airport)  Ivánska cesta 2 10 km (20 min); distance to Vienna Airport: 50 km (50 min) u Letisko Milana Rastislava Štefánika v 61, 96 Å +421 (0)2 3303-3353 www.bts.aero Bratislava Airport, named after the prominent Slovak politician, diplomat, and astronomer Milan Rastislav Štefánik, is the biggest international airport in the country, located about 20 minutes from Bratislava city centre. It was originally opened in 1951, but has undergone extensive reconstruc- tions and refurbishment since. Two new terminals were completed in 2012, which increased its annual capacity to five million people. The main departure terminal is decorated by the only existing life-size replica of the biplane Caproni Ca 33, on which Štefánik was killed when it crashed on May 4, 1919. 92 DivadloAréna (theatre)  Viedenská cesta 10 Å +421(2) 6720-2557 ® www.divadloarena.sk a for performances u Sad Janka Kráľa v 1, 3

bratislava: AROUND THE CITY 39 93 Petržalka map A 4–F 4 www.petrzalka.sk; www.divadloarena.sk; www.aupark-bratislava.sk; www.bunker.bs8.sk; www.zavodisko.sk; www.mpo.sk Bratislava’s – and Slovakia’s – larg- est high-rise suburb houses some 100,000 people, almost a quarter of the inhabitants of the city. It may be hard to believe, but before the 1970s Petržalka was a picturesque village full of gardens and fruit or- chards. Today it is a combination of modern architecture (mostly built along the highway and Panónska Street) and ‘paneláks’, pre-fabricated concrete blocks of flats in housing projects. Many traditional paneláks have already undergone reconstruc- tion, during which they have given thermal insulation beneath colour- ful exterior paint-jobs, turning the one-time grey suburb into a palette of primary colours. The suburb extends along the south bank of the Danube, an area that also boasts Sad Janka Kráľa park, containing the Arena Theatre, as well as several restaurants, boat bars and the Aupark shopping centre. Bratislava’s racecourse is also here, as well as several military bunkers, built in the 1930s by the then-Czechoslovak government as part of a defence system along its borders. Originally intended to repel a Nazi invasion, they later became part of the Iron Curtain dividing the capitalist West from the communist East. 94 B-S 8 Hřbitov (museum)  pages 60-61 95Veľký Draždiak (lake)  pages 72-73 96 Gerulata  Gerulatská 69, Rusovce  13 km (14 min) u Gerulata v 90, 91, 191 €2.5 e WC Å +421 (0)2 6285-9332 a Apr-Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-16:45 www.muzeum.bratislava.sk Gerulata was once a Roman mili- tary camp, located in what is now Rusovce. It formed part of the so-called “Limes Romanus”, the 3,000km-long border defence sys- tem of the ancient Roman Empire and, as such, was part of a unique European chain of fortifications. Other sites of the Limes Romanus are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and some in Slovakia hope the privilege can be extended to Gerulata. The camp dates from between the 2nd-4th centuries AD but its remains were only uncovered in the 1960s, when some industrial workers noticed the remnants of some stone pillars. There are some records of a camp here from the 16th century, but otherwise little is known about the site. Present day visitors can see the foundations of the ancient buildings as well as other archaeo- logical findings, including stone altars and some monuments with rich figural and herbal decoration. There are also some other artefacts discovered on the site displayed in the exhibition showroom. 97 Kaštieľ Rusovce (Rusovce Manor House)  Balkánska, Rusovce  13.2 km (15 min) u Kaštieľ Rusovce v 90, 91, 191 a exterior views only The neo-classical manor house in Rusovce, built in the so-called “Windsor” style amid an English park, is currently only a shadow of its former self, mired in arguments over ownership and refurbishment that have kept its doors closed to the public. Historical documents suggest that a castle stood on this site since the 13th century, then a manor house from 1521, even though the current design is a result of renovations in the mid- 19th century. It was owned for the first part of the 20th century by the Hungarian Prince Elemér Lónyay, who bequeathed it to the Benedictine Order on his death in 1946. It latterly fell into the hands of the state and into stasis. Conservationists list the house among the 10 most endangered historical sites in Slovakia. 98 Divokávoda (rafting)  pages 68-69 99 Danubiana Múzeum moderného umenia (Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum) W  Čunovo  18.5 km (20 min) u Danubiana v 90 Å +421 (0)2 6252-8501 www.danubiana.sk a Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 €10 eéWC The Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, situated on a man- made peninsula on the Danube near the village of Čunovo, was founded by a Dutch entrepre- neur, collector and patron of art named Gerard H. Meulensteen, and the Slovak gallerist Vincent Polakovič. It was built in the shape of a Roman galley to the design by the architect Peter Žalman. Since 2000 it has held dozens of exhibitions of modern art, including internationally renowned artists, and has been visited by the Spanish King Juan Carlos I, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the French actress Catherine Deneuve, among others. Danubiana added a number of exhibition spaces during reconstruction that ended in September 2014, which trans- formed it into the largest modern art museum in Slovakia. The new spaces contain permanent exhibi- tions of the Meulensteen and Danubiana’s collections. Photo: Courtesy of Danubiana Rusovce Manor House

When strolling through Hviezdo- slavovo Námestie, it is easy to be swept away in the square’s tranquil atmosphere and lovely historical buildings. The tree-lined, cobbles- toned promenade is irresistible, while the castle in the distance beckons from its majestic hilltop setting. But suddenly, the square ends and you are standing at the side of a busy freeway. To the left, a suspension bridge crossing the Danube is capped by something resembling a flying saucer from a 1950s sci-fi film. Directly below the road is a noisy, graffiti-en- crusted bus depot. Looking over the traffic to the right, you start wondering how you’re supposed to reach the castle on the other side. You wouldn’t be the first to stand at this odd collision of old and new, and wonder, “What the hell happened here?” It is clear to anyone who has spent time in Bratislava that the ancient city straddling the Danube possesses many charms. Yet Bratislava sometimes gets brief and ambivalent write-ups in major travel guides, and tourists rarely visit the city for more than a day. One explanation for this apparent neglect is that the communists rea- lly worked Bratislava over, using it as a testing-ground for creating a model, modernised communist city. Unfortunately, this was done with a pathological disregard for the city’s rich history, and large swaths of Bratislava’s historical sections were demolished and redeveloped as the communists saw fit. It has been said that Brati- slava suffered more damage under communism than during Second World War, and that a third of its historical centre was destroyed. Many travellers come to Europe to revel in its stunning old world charm, but sadly find much of Bratislava either ruined or absent entirely. Roughly a quarter of Bratisla- va’s Staré Mesto (Old Town) was bulldozed in the late 1960s for a single project: the Most SNP (SNP Bridge known also as the Nový Most – New Bridge), and the short stretch of freeway co- nnected to it, called Staromestská. Dubbed the “UFO Bridge” for its obvious sci-fi aesthetic, it is a major artery, bringing traffic across the Danube, in and out of the Staré Mesto, while Staromestská links the bridge with the busy intersection just north of the historical centre. To make space for this development, much of the city’s centuries-old, historical Jewish quarter was razed, including the 19th-century Moorish-styled Neo- log Synagogue. The freeway itself ploughed a deep scar through the western edge of the historical centre, and now runs less than four metres from the façade of St Martin’s Cathedral, Bratislava’s largest, most historically signifi- cant church. “If [the freeway] were any closer, it would go through the nave,” noted the travel writer Rick Steves. Although the Most SNP could be seen as practical planning, it is difficult to deny the devastating effect it had on the Staré Mesto’s history and urban fabric. The bridge and freeway clash with their centuries old historical surroundings, and an estimated 230 buildings were demolished. The freeway isolates Bratislava Castle from the original mediaeval centre, and it claimed half of the once bustling Rybné Námestie and nearly all of its buildings, which were as striking as any in the Staré Mesto today. Adding insult to injury, the cathedral’s foundations had to be restored to protect them from the vibrations The changing face of Bratislava Bratislava‘s most visible historical landmark: then and today Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy 40 bratislava: changes

bratislava: changes 41 of the traffic that rumbles constantly by. From its inception in 1599, the Jewish quarter evolved around Židovská Street. This strip of land between the castle and the walled mediaeval centre was the only place where Jews in Bratislava could legally live until 1848. All of the buildings along Židovská’s eastern side were demolished to make room for the freeway, while most of the buildings along its western side were replaced by modern residential structures. One of the neighbourhood’s few surviving historical buildings currently houses the Museum of Jewish Culture. Aside from the museum, the only thing to indicate that a Jewish neighbourhood thrived here for centuries is a monument to Jews who perished in the Holocaust, erected in what remains of Rybné Námestie where the synagogue stood, along with an engraving of the synagogue on an adjacent black marble slab. So, how did the communists justify demolishing a historically significant Jewish quarter? As in much of central Europe, Slovakia was a dreadful place for Jews during the Second World War. Roughly three quarters of the pre-war Jewish population were killed, and many of the 30,000 who survived emigrated to the US, Israel, and elsewhere. By the war’s end, Jewish boroughs throughout Slovakia were largely deserted. When the communists seized power in 1948, the regime’s hostility towards Jews dealt a further blow to the dwindling population. Many of the deserted Jewish neighbourhoods fell into disrepair. In some towns one can still see old abandoned synagogues, either boarded up and languishing or re-purposed into storerooms, workshops or even art galleries. Bratislava’s Jewish quarter was similarly derelict, leaving it more vulnerable to the wrecking ball. While many locals were not keen on flattening the Jewish quarter, the repressive regime choked off any dissent. “People were unable to protest,” says Viera Kamenická from the Museum of Jewish Culture. “Their hands were tied.” Besides, the communists preferred creating their own monuments over saving older ones that conflicted with their ideology, Kamenická added. The communists didn’t stop with Židovská. In 1961, a towering orthodox synagogue behind the castle on Zámocká Street was levelled and replaced by nondescript retail and office spaces. A hulking, aesthetically incongruous extension was erected over the front of the Slovak National Gallery’s Water Barracks building, masking its arcaded 19th century façade and tree-lined courtyard. Bratislava’s main train station was hidden behind a characterless 1980s add-on. The list goes on. Even in the pre-communist 1940s, the city flirted with a plan to demolish the castle, Bratislava’s most iconic historical landmark. A fire in 1811 had left it a hollowed out ruin for more than a century, but eventually planners opted for reconstruction instead. However, maintaining old structures requires active preservation and money. Several church-owned buildings at one Židovská Street, the heart of the Jewish quarter Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy

42 bratislava: changes end of historical Kapitulská Street appear on the verge of collapse, with sagging roofs and crumbling, graffiti-covered fasçades. These buildings, like most church-owned property, were seized by the state during communism, and neglected for 40 years. Although the buildings barely survived the regime, they may not survive the elements if the neglect continues. The church reportedly lacks the mo- ney to restore them, but seems reluctant to sell the property to developers. While saving these buildings could prove prohibiti- vely costly, is it right to let them deteriorate? One suspects there would be no shortage of bids for this prime real estate. Obviously, urban renewal is not exclusive to Bratislava. From Baron Haussmann carving grand boulevards out of Paris’ narrow mediaeval lanes, to American cities demolishing countless beaux-arts and art deco cinemas to make way for parking garages and strip malls, urban areas have always been reshaped and upda- ted to serve the needs of growing populations. Unfortunately, this has often come at the expense of unique and irreplaceable historical structures. In Europe, however, there is growing interest in preserving historical areas, partly because they attract droves of money-spending tourists, eager to step back in time and escape the mundane settings of their own lives. An ever-growing list of protected UNESCO world heritage sites is proof of this. But while today many people agree on the importance of preserving what remains of Bratislava’s historical centre, battles are currently being waged to prevent post-war communist-era landmarks, once objects of ridicule, from being torn down. One such landmark, the 1970s-era Hotel Kyjev and Tesco’s My Bratislava (formerly Prior) complex, is now considered a jewel of modern communist architecture, with its sleek, travertine marble exterior and stylish, retro-modern interior. However, when the UK-based Lordship Developers purchased the complex in 2006, they unveiled plans to demolish the hotel and adjacent buildings to make way for a vast complex of hotels, offices and retail shops. The plans were met with protests from the architectural community and general public, who pleaded with the city to preserve the hotel. But firm plans have still not been released. The hotel closed in November 2011 and the developers are apparently still locked in discussions with the city and monuments board over zoning regulations. When contacted by Specta- cular Slovakia in 2016, Lordship released a statement that read: “In our optimal vision the new site built in more phases should unify all buildings at the Kamenné Námestie – the Kyjev Hotel, the shopping centre as well as new buildings.” Whether the company’s “optimal vision” will preserve the hotel’s retro-futuristic aesthetic remains to be seen, but any uni- fication with the existing Tesco store could result in a modern Eurovea-style shopping centre in this area. It is difficult to deter- mine where Hotel Kyjev will fit, particularly in its current form. Maik Novotny, a Vienna- -based architect and co-author of Eastmodern, maintains there are “several other buildings that have been and still are at risk of demo- lition or insensitive reconstruc- tion. In some cases, [they] are difficult to adapt and expensive to maintain”. And although “appreciation of these buildings seems to have improved slightly”, given Slovakia’s economic clima- te, the risk still persists. In light of this, one has to wonder whether anyone has learned from the mistakes that scarred the city in the past.  -JeffWhiteaker The construction of UFO Bridge in 1960-70s had a major impact on the historical city and Jewish circle Photo: Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy

bratislava: Connection with the world 43 I have seen this somewhere Bratislava has several monuments which have a lookalike abroad or vice-versa. There are also places which in some way remind visitors of other places in other parts of the world. Here are some of those visually interesting connections. Stepan the Plumber in Omsk (Russia), Photo: Dmitry Roudakov Čumil (Rubberneck), Bratislava Lusitania bridge in Merida (Spain), Photo: José Manuel García Fontain in courtyard (Uršulínska 6, Bratislava) DZ Bank, Frankfurt (Germany), Source: DZ Bank National Bank of Slovakia, Bratislava Manneken Pis in Brussel (Belgium) Apollo Bridge, Bratislava Nedbalka Gallery, Bratislava Gugenheim Gallery in New York Source: Gugenheim (USA) Bratislava skyline Skyline of the city of Saumur (France), Source: Flicker

44 bratislava: coronation city Bratislava’s advantageous locati- on on the banks of the Danube, and its close proximity to Vienna and Budapest has made it one of the most important cities in central Europe for hundreds of years, especially during the period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Indeed, the single most significant period in Bratislava’s history was from 1563-1830, when it became the corona- tion city of the Hungarian Kingdom. At the time, Bratislava was a well-developed, multilingual city, with a population compri- sed of majority of Germans and solid minorities of Hungarians and Slovaks. Society was divided into several classes: the upper aristocratic class provided the secular and ecclesiastical authorities, but the middle and lower classes remained strong, comprised as they were by the craftsmen and merchants crucial to the city’s business develop- ment, as well as servants and manual labourers. There were many job opportunities in Bra- tislava, and in local vineyards, and it attracted workers from far and wide. Capital of the empire Bratislava’s fame rapidly grew after the Battle of Mohács in 1526, when Sultan Suleiman I defeated King Louis II of Hungary. In the aftermath of the battle, the Ottoman army occu- pied the Hungarian capital Buda as well as the primary coronation city of the Empire, Székesfehérvár. In 1543, the displaced rulers of the newly-founded empire turned to Bratislava to found their capi- tal. It was besieged by Ottomans but never conquered. In 1563, the new King Maximilian II became the first Hungarian monarch to be crowned in St Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava, and the church would continue to serve the same function for almost 300 years. Even today, it still has a 300kg gilded copy of St Stephen’s crown (the Holy Crown of Hungary) at the top of its cathedral tower. After the era of coronations in Bratislava ended, the crown jewels were moved from the city. At the moment, the original crown is in Hungary, while Bratislava has only a copy. The gothic cathedral is now one of the most popular sights on the Bratislava tourist trail and contains numerous fascinating artefacts in its main building and catacombs. There is a permanent exhibition of relics and liturgical objects used during the coronation ceremonies, and a list on the cathedral wall records the 11 monarchs and seven consorts who were crowned here. Maria Theresa Queen Maria Theresa was crowned in Bratislava in 1741 and became one of the most The centre of the Empire Crowds always packed the Bratislava streets for the coronation procession Small golden crowns mark the route of coronation march in Bratislava Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy

bratislava: coronation city 45 significant figures in central European history. Maria Theresa acceded to the throne after the death of her father, Charles III, and only after he had successfully campaigned for what became known as the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which allowed a female to inherit the possessions of the Habsburgs. Although Maria Theresa took charge of the empire when it was still recovering from the plague epidemic of 1712, and her rule was blighted by conflicts in the region, including the war of Austrian Succession (1740-48) and the Seven Years’ War (1756-63), her influence over the empire was largely positive. Bratislava, in particular, underwent a period of significant economic and social improvement. “Maria Theresa is interesting for being an enlightened ruler; she made several appealing changes,” said the historian Pavel Dvořák. “For example, she introduced compulsory school attendance and forbade torture.” Journeyto history These days, the royal history of Bratislava is best remembered by the annual coronation march through the city, which remains as close as possible to the route taken by the Hungarian monarchs on their coronation day. The new monarch would have led a parade on foot through the streets, via the Main Square and past Maximilian’s fountain, which was placed there in 1572. The tour continued into the Franciscan Church, where the king or queen would confer on selected noblemen the prestigious Order of the Golden Spur. The procession would then proceed along Michal- ská Street towards Michael’s Gate, where the monarch would climb aboard a waiting charger and gallop to the coronation mound on the banks of the Danube. He would wave his sword to the north, east, south and west, promising to defend his kingdom from all directions. In those days, the route would have been covered by red canvas, which was torn down by citizens after the celebration. Today’s residents of Bratisla- va get to enjoy the festivities every year, in June, when actors play the parts of the courtiers and monarchs, dressed in period costume. “I think it is good that Bratislava remembers its history,” said Dvořák. “A lot of buildings from that era have been demolished, such as the towns’ gates, and old buildings have been replaced by new ones. There were even plans to bring down Bratislava Castle during the first republic [1918-1939]. This is why it is very important to recall the glorious times of Bratislava.” - Carmen Virágová Monarchs crowned in Bratislava 1563 – King Maximilian II and his wife, Mary of Spain 1572 – Rudolf II 1608 – Matthias II 1613 - Anne of Tirol, wife of Matthias II 1618 – Ferdinand II 1638 – Maria Anna of Spain, first wife of Ferdinand III 1647 – Ferdinand IV Habsburg 1655 – Maria Eleonora Gonzaga, third wife of Ferdinand III 1655 – Leopold I 1687 – Joseph I 1712 – Charles III 1714 – Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfen- büttel, wife of Charles III 1741 – Maria Theresa 1790 – Leopold II 1808 – Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este, third wife of Francis II 1825 – Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, fourth wife of Francis II 1830 – Ferdinand V The route taken by monarchs on their coronation day Obchodná 17 min Primaciálne nám. Zámocká Zelená Hurbanovo nám. Klariská Michalská Prepoštolská Františ.nám. Farská Riečna Gorkého Zámočnícka Jesenského Paulínyho Vajanského nábrežie Kúpeľná Uršulínska Štúrova Škarniclova Klobučnícka Zochova Palisády Sedlárska Veterná Bradlianska Svoradova Kamenné nám. Panská Strakova Nám. SNP Rybné nám. Panská Ventúrska Kozia Hviezdoslavovonámestie Rudnayovo nám. Fajnorovo nábr. Rigeleho Heydukova Františkánska Navŕšku Kapitulská Biela Most SNP Kolárska Poštová Staromestská Jedlíkova Rybárskabr. Dvořákovo nábrežie Rázusovo nábrežie Palackého Laurinská Mostová Tobrucká Drevená Hlavné nám. Radničná Baštová Nedbalova Župné nám. Medená Staromestská Staromestská Medená Nedbalova Zámocká Podjavorinskej Vodnývrch Žižkova Pilárikova Židovská Židovská Mikulášska Beblavého Konventná Suché mýto  19min Coronation mound

46 bratislava: personalities Power to the people: investigating Bratislava’s personalities For most foreign tourists, a trip to Bratislava means a stroll through the historical centre, a visit to some museums, and a walk up to Castle Hill. But it is also rewarding while in the city to delve into its human history, and to remember some of the personalities that have either lived or visited throughout the years. The city has hosted monarchs, musicians, sportsmen and scientists, who have been crowned, performed and made remarkable discoveries here. Franz Liszt played one of his first concerts in Bratislava. Maria Theresa was crowned Queen of Hungary here. And Jaroslav Halák stopped his first goal-bound shot in Bratislava before starring in the NHL. What else is a city if not a mosaic of human acts and stories? City’s diversity “I love this city,” wrote the Danish author Hans Chris- tian Andersen in his diary while visiting Bratislava in the mid 19th century. Andersen would have en- countered a very different Bratislava to the way it is today, when numerous religions and cultures lived side-by-side. “It was a much more tolerant city than nowadays,” says the historian Vladimír Tomčík. “The Chris- tian St Martin’s Cathedral, an orthodox church, the neologi- cal synagogue, an orthodox yeshiva and even a Muslim house of prayer stood next to each other in one street.” Tomčík added that the city’s diversi- ty was probably also one of the reasons that Bratislava came to be visited by so many famous people from different fields and different countries, and why people from here have achieved success abroad. “And they came here also because of good wine and food as well,” added Tomčík with a smile. Rich history of classi- cal music When walking through the Old Town, visitors will no doubt notice a series of memorial plaques on the walls of the various palaces, often displaying Brati- slava’s links to a rich history of classical music. Some of history’s most signi- ficant composers are known to have played their sonatas at the homes of Bratislava’s noble families. A 6-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is believed to have given a concert on Ventúrska Street in 1762. In 1820, a 9-year-old Franz Liszt performed in what is now the University Library. Both visited Bratislava at the beginning of their illustrious careers and dazzled the local audience. Liszt became a regular visitor to Bratislava. During the 18th century, the Aus- trian classicist composer Joseph Haydn worked as a Kapellmeister (in charge of music) for Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy in one of Esterházy’s palaces on Kapi- tulská Street. (The ruins of the palace still stand.) In 1772, Haydn conducted the wedding ball of Queen Maria Theresa’s daughter in Grassalkovich Palace, today’s seat of the Slovak president. Esterházy also hosted Haydn and Mozart’s student, Ludwig van Beethoven, who visited Bratislava several times and had many friends here. It is also rumoured that Johann Strauss composed the first melodies of his famous waltz The Blue Danube in Bratislava in 1852, although the story cannot be confirmed. Bratislava also boasts its own home-grown talent to match this group of successful visiting musi- cians: Johann Nepomuk Hummel, who was born in 1778 in Ne- BRATISLAVA’S SONS AND DAUGHTERS Famous people who were born in Bratislava 1704 – 1777 Johann Segner, scientist 1725 – 1793 Karl Gottlieb von Windisch, Hungarian-German writer 1778 – 1837 Johann Nepomuk Hummel, composer and virtuoso pianist 1734 – 1804 Wolfgang von Kempelen, inventor and technician 1804 – 1849 Stephan L. Endlicher, botanist and director of Botanical Garden of Vienna 1807 – 1849 Lajos Batthyány, first Prime Minister of Hungary 1819 – 1886 Jakub Palugyay, baron, winemaker 1844 – 1896 Viktor Oskar Tilgner, neo-baroque sculptor and portraitist 1862 – 1947 Philipp Lenard, physicist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics 1897 – 1967 Schőner Náci, renowned character of Bratislava’s street 1951 – 1989 Ondrej Nepela, Olympic gold and three-time World champion figure skater 1956 - Peter Šťastný, ice hockey player and politician 1985 - Jaroslav Halák, ice hockey goaltender Franz Xaver Messerschmidt - Character head 3 (Photo: Courtesy of SNG) During the mid-20th century, one of the best loved characters in Bratislava’s Old Town was Ignác Lamár, better known as Schőner Náci Maria Theresa, who was crowned the Hungarian queen in St Martin’s Cathedral in 1741, is depicted here with Bratislava Castle in the background Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy

bratislava: personalities  47 The piano of Johann Nepomuk Hummel is exhibited in his former home Famous people who lived part of their lives in Bratislava Maria Theresa (1717 – 1780), the most famous empress coronated in Bratislava Chatam Sófer (Moses Schreiber) (1762 – 1839), world-renowned orthodox-Jewish rabbi Georg Rafael Donner (1693 – 1741), Austrian sculptor, pioneer of baroque classicism Béla Bartók (1881 – 1945), composer and pianist Franz Xaver Messerschmidt (1736 – 1783) German-Austrian sculptor, most famous for his „character heads“ A card from Ludwig van Beetho- ven’s concert in Bratislava dbalova Street in Bratislava, where you can find his museum today. Hummel was a pupil of Mozart and at the time was equally well-known as his teacher and Beethoven. Forty-eight years after Hummel’s death, the Russian pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein played a memorable concert in Bratislava to collect money for Hummel’s memorial. researchand invention In addition to the musicians, numerous highly-reputed scientists have walked the streets of Bratislava, including Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein, who carried out research in the city. Nearly 200 years earlier, however, the inventor Wolfgang von Kempelen was born here in 1734 and worked much of his prolific career in the city. Von Kempelen designed pumps to carry water to Bratislava’s castle and constructed fountains in Schőnbrunn in Vienna. He built a pon- toon bridge over the Danube and invented a type-writer for blind people. His two most popular inventions even made it to several royal courts in Europe. He invented a machine called “the Turk” which could reputedly play chess and defeated number of great chess players across the world, including Napoleon Bonaparte, among others. The original was destroyed by a fire in a museum in Philadelphia and its me- chanism remains unknown, leading to speculation over the past few years that it was most likely only a trick cabinet that contained a chess-playing human-being. However, Kempelen’s Speaking Machine was no such fraud: it was the first fully functional speech synthesis machine, which used bellows, a set of lungs and bagpipe to imitate human’s speech. Face ofthe city But not only famous people shaped the face of the city. During the mid-20th century, one of the best loved characters in Bratislava’s Old Town was Ignác Lamár, better known as Schőner Náci. Lamár grew up in a poor family and worked as confectioner’s apprentice and shoemaker, among numerous manual jobs. But he dreamed of becoming a clown in the circus, and began to wear a white tie and a pair of patent leather shoes that had been given to his father by a rich lady. In this elegant garb, with top hat and cane, he walked the streets of the Old Town from Michael’s Gate to the Danube embankment, greeting women with the words “I kiss your hand” in three languages: Slovak, German and Hungarian. Schőner Náci also used to sing his own songs to ladies in the cafés, where they often offered him coffee for free. Although this unforgettable Bratislava character died in 1967, you can still meet him today on the streets of the Old Town. His silver statue still greets tourists a few metres from the Main Square, next to his beloved Café Mayer. -LukášOnderčanin- Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy Photo: Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy Franz Liszt (left) and Géza Zichy

48 bratislava: legends The home of myths Michael’s Gate, the last remaining gate in the mediaeval fortification, and location for the legend of Peter and the plague. Today it is a home to a museum of arms. The lives of people around the world are forever intertwined with the legends, myths and ghost stories that permeate their land. Every city has its mysterious places, its age-old yarns and its historical characters. The capital of Slo- vakia is no exception. Indeed, seemingly every building, squa- re or street in Bratislava has its own long and unlikely tale. Few stand up to much historical scru- tiny; fewer still are proven. And there are variations on every theme. But each adds to the unique flavour of this vibrant city, and so here is a quick primer to Bratislava’s myths and legends. The Giant’sTable We start with the symbol of Bratislava: its castle, whose appearance resembles a table turned upside-down, its four towers like legs in each of its corners. That, if you believe the myth, is exactly what once happened to the castle, in the dim and distant past. One night, the residents of the castle awoke from tormented sleep. All the castle’s paintings were on the floor and the lamps were destroyed. Nobody knew what had happened during the night and the queen was furious. She called for an old witch to tell her what had happened, and the witch pointed the finger at Klingsor, a giant wizard, who lived in Transyl- vania. Klingsor sometimes travelled to Germany and passed close by the castle. One night, he had picked it up and turned it upside down to use as a table so he could rest. The queen instructed the witch to tell Klingsor never to use the castle as a table again. As yet, he has not returned. But who knows what may happen in the future... MICHAEL’S GATE One of the most visited places in the Old Town is Michael’s Gate below Michael’s Tower, the last remaining gate into the city from the mediaeval fortifications. At least three popular myths and legends are centred here, but the most interesting story is about the guardian of the gate. It was 4:00 and the people in the city were sleeping. Only the guardian of the gate, whose name was Peter, was awake. Suddenly two men came to the gate, one of them carrying a scythe, and told Peter to open up. He refused and said it was too early. But they told him they had very important work to do for the lord. The two men gave one golden ducat to Peter and finally he was per- suaded to open the gate. But as soon as they entered the city, the men began a murder spree, killing Peter first. They were the carriers of the plague that then swept through Bratislava. Roland’s Song The fountain in Bratislava’s main square is officially named after

bratislava: legends 49 Maximilian II, the Hungarian king of the 16th century. But it is commonly known as the Roland Fountain after a knight who features in another popular Bratislava legend. Roland was a brave knight, who had a wonderful sword named Durandal. But he grew to be best known in the city not for his heroic exploits on the field of battle, but for a love-song he sang while sitting in the square, dedicated to his love Olifanta. The children of the city loved Roland’s song, but the knight was summoned back to France, taking his wonderful singing with him. The children found they could not sleep without the song, so the mayor of the city built a fountain with Roland’s statue at its centre, and whose trickling water would sound like the song and lull the children to sleep. Legend has it that the fountain is magic, and that on December 31 every year, the statue of Roland turns his head to the town hall and bows to the lords who fought for the city. The knight also comes to life on Good Friday, when he waves his sword to all four sides of the world. However, the only person that can witness the miracle is the one born in Bratislava but who has never hurt anyone. Napoleon’straces in Bratislava Legend has it that a young French soldier named Johann Evangelist Hubert from Champagne when recovering from wounds he had suffered during the failed Napoleon’s expedition to Russia in Pressburg that is called Bratislava today fell in love with and married the pretty nurse Paulína. As he knew secrets how to produce the famous champagne wine and saw excellent local wines, he established here a sparkling wine factory in 1825. The legend closes that at that time it was the first factory in Europe outside of France that manufactured champagne using the original French recipe. The reality is that the first factory in Europe outside of France where sparkling wine was produced following the original French recipe was really founded in Bratislava, but not by Johann Evangelist Hubert, but by local burghers Johann Fischer and Michael Schönbauer. The Hubert family entered the business only later, giving it its name. But the sparking wine production, even thought it has moved outside Bratislava to Sereď, it is not the only trace, legendary or real, Napoleon left in Bratislava. Each year in May or June fans of military history re-enact fights from a famous battle of 1809 during which Napoleon failed to conquer Bratislava at the same place at which it took place, the Sad Janka Kráľa city park on the Petržalka bank of the Danube River under the title Ubránili Sme Sa! or We Managed to Defend Ourselves! A cannon ball in the wall of the Old Town Hall’s tower as well as the nearby sculpture of a Napoleonic soldier leaning on a bench, a popular photo-op for tourists, recall the Napoleonic siege, too. - Karolína Kučerová - Each year in May or June fans of military history re-enact fights from a famous battle of 1809 during which Napoleon failed to conquer Bratislava The Roland fountain, officially named after Maximilian II, is central to a story about the sleepless children of Bratislava Bratislava Castle looks like an upside-down table, with its four corner towers resembling the legs of the furniture

50 bratislava: MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND THEATRES Bratislava is not only the administra- tive capital of Slovakia, it is also the centre of the country’s cultural life. If you are an incurable museumgoer or gallery lover, Bratislava, with plentiful such institutions and a busy event schedule, will suit you very well. Gal- leries in Bratislava are mostly situated in ex-palaces of noblemen, so the historical experience mixes with art, both old and modern. Since there are so many of these palaces here, there are many art galleries too, the best of which are the Slovak National Gallery, the Nedbalka Gallery, Danubiana and Bratislava City Gallery. National gallery The biggest and most important gallery is, unsurprisingly, the Slovak Na- tional Gallery in downtown Bratislava. Though currently under reconstruc- tion, many of its exhibitions are still accessible, albeit in closer quarters of Esterházy Palace, coffee-house Berlinka and bookshop Ex Libris. In Esterházy Palace, works come from the mediaeval, gothic and baroque periods, as well as more contemporary art. The first floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions usually with some interactive parts for visitors. There are many regular events, some of them dedicated to foreigners including commented expositions Sun- day Rest and Open Studio projects of Ilona Németh from Fine Arts Academy. City gallery In the centre of the Old Town, the Bratislava City Gallery occupies Pálffy Palace as well as Mirbach Palace. It hosts a rich collection of older works plus an array of contemporary pieces. A permanent exhibition entitled “Stories and Phenomena: 20th Centu- ry Slovak Fine Art II” offers a glimpse of modern art. It comprises two installations: “Passage” by Matej Krén and “Villa of Mysteries” by Alex Mlynárčik, both intriguing. “Passage” is es- sentially a pathway through an installation of mirrors and books, which create an illusion of an infinite space around the visitor, who is invited to walk along it. “Villa of Mysteries” is made also of mirrors and paintings that together create a maze, bathed in red. It is unlike anything else in the gallery. Galleries: 3Slovak National Gallery  page: 12 18Nedbalka Gallery  page: 15 26Mirbach Palace (Bratislava City Gallery)  page: 20 35Pálffy Palace (Bratislava City Gallery)  page: 22 99Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum  page: 39 CKunsthalle Bratislava  Námestie SNP 12  Å +421 (0)2 2047-1504 www.kunsthallebratislava.sk Mon, Thu-Sun 12:00-19:00, Wed 13:00-20:00free Museums 2Natural History Museum (Slovak National Museum)  page: 12 14Bratislava City Museum; Museum of Viticulture; Museum of Historical Interiors all museums are located in the Old Town Hall complex  page: 16 27Museum of Weapons (Michael’s Gate)  page: 20 28Museum of Pharmacy (Red Crayfish Pharmacy)  page: 20 Culture everywhere you look The Nedbalka Gallery, which opened in 2012 and houses 20th century Slovak art, is referred to as Bratislava’s Guggenheim 3 2 4 8 14 C1 C C2 26 28 27 43 45 42 47 35 18

bratislava: MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND THEATRES 51 Museums 42Historical Museum (Bratislava Castle)  page: 26 43Museum of Jewish Culture  Židovská 17; map B 4 0.8km(10min) Å+421(0)22049-0101 G www.snm.sk Mon-Fri11:00-16:30,Sun 11:00-17:00€7eéWC 45Museum of Clocks (House of the Good Shepherd)  page: 28 47Archaeological Museum; Music Museum; Museum of Carpathian German Culture; Museum of Hungarian Culture in Slovakia all museums are located in Zuckermandel  page: 28 C1Johann Nepomuk Hummel Museum  Klobučnícka 2; map C 3 (c 4)  0.16 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-3888 G www.muzeum.bratislava.sk  Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00 €3.3 In addition to these installations, there are also permanent exhibitions showcasing Central European Painting and Sculpture 1800–1918, the Celtic mint in Bratislava, Tapestries from England, and a Picture Gallery. Combined they create an incredibly diverse collection – and they are not restricted only to the city centre. Nedbalka “It reminds me of the Guggenheim gallery in New York, where I was sitting in front of Manet’s Before the Mirror for more than 30 minutes,” said Jana Meňušová, an enthusiastic traveller, sit- ting in the café of the Gallery Nedbalka, surrounded by books about Slovak painters. “It is much smaller but also much cheaper.” The gallery opened in 2012, tucked away in an anonymous building on Nedbalova Street in the Old Town. Its riches only become apparent after paying a €4 entrance fee and proceeding to the first floor, when you are suddenly in a circular open-plan gallery surrounded by paintings and sculptures of Slovak artists mostly from the 20th century. The top floor is given over to the work of Ladislav Medňanský, from which you can peer over another three levels of galleries including the work of Ján Fulla, Ladislav Guderna or the Galanda group, among others. The entrance hall is used for temporary exhibitions. The gallery is fully accessible to disabled visitors via a lift to each floor. Danubiana On the northern corner of a windy, artificial island in the middle of the Danube, 15 km from downtown Brati- slava, is the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum. This nest of modern art is accessible via car or the No. 91 bus from the SNP Bridge to Čunovo – followed by a 4-km walk along the dam. On Sundays during the summer season it is also possible to take a boat trip from Bratislava city centre directly to the island, with fares including the gallery entrance fee. The reward is a magnificent view of the Danube accompanied by the statues in Danubiana Park, plus a large, airy exhibition hall, featuring a constantly changing roster of contemporary art. Museums Numerous museums dotted across Slovakia are governed by the central Slovak National Museum organi- sation, and eight of them are in Bratislava. These include the Natural History Museum, permanently exhibiting a huge number of objects of living and non- living nature, alongside other different temporary exhibitions. It is located on the embankment, close to the port and tiny park. Žižkova Street, right under castle hill, is a home to four museums: the The Town Hall Museum focuses on the history of the city harum Danubiana is Slovakia’s island of modern art

52 bratislava: MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND THEATRES Museums C2Arthur Fleischmann Museum Biela6;mapC3(c4)  0.13 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5413- 1211 (museum) G www.muzeum.bratislava.sk  Tue-Fri 10:00-16:30, Sat-Sun 11:00-17:30 €3.3 å eWC C2Museum of Trade Biela6;mapC3(c4)  0.13 km (2 min) G www.muzeumobchoduba.sk  Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00, €1.5 e 76Museum of Transport  Šancova 1; map C 1  1.5 km (20 min) 3.6 km (9 min) u SAV v 21, 25, 32, 63, 64, 83, 84, 93, 184, 204, 209, 212 €3.3e é WC Å +421 (0)2 5244-4163 G www.muzeumdopravy.com  Tue-Sun 10:00-16:30 81Devín Castle  page: 37 96Gerulata  page: 39 Museum of Croatian Culture in Slovakia  Istrijská 68; map F 4  16 km (17 min) u Novoveská v 20, 21, 28 Å +421 (0)2 2049-3103 G www.snm.sk  Apr-Oct Tue-Fri 11:00-16:30 Sat-Sun 12:00-16:30, Nov-Mar Tue-Fri 11:00-15:30€2 WC Classical Music 4 Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (Reduta)  page: 12 8 Historical building SND  page: 13 57 New building SND  page: 30 92 Aréna Theatre  page: 38 Archaeological Museum, the Music Museum and two others focused on the lives of Hungarian and Carpathian Ger- man minorities. There are also museums of Jewish and Croatian cultures in other parts of the city, also reflecting the life of ethnic minorities in Slovakia. Bratislava Castle is also part of the Slovak National Museum family, and houses temporary and permanent exhibitions that tell the story both of the fortress itself and the history of the territory known today as Slovakia. A tour inside concludes with a trip up the Crown Tower, which affords magnificent views over the city. The Museum of Transport, next to the main railway station, hosts a variety of vehicles and accessories, such as old steam locomotives, snowploughs and other railway machines. Old warehouses are also stocked with cars, both old and modern, classics and prototypes, as well as motorbikes and bicycles. In short, everything that a transport or engineer- ing nut might desire. The Town Hall museums in the Old Town Hall focus on the history of the city as well as offering exhibits of wine and furniture in the nearby Apponyi Palace, where in cellars several winetasting programme are available. Weapons are presented in Michael’s Gate which is close to the Museum of Pharmacy located in the yellow building behind the gate. Closer to the castle is the picturesque House of the Good Shepherd which houses the Museum of Clocks. Two other museums in the historical centre are devoted to musician Johann Nepomuk Hummel and sculptor Arthur Fleischmann, both of whom were born in Bratislava. The city is also in charge of managing Devín Castle and the ruined foundations of a Roman military camp called Gerulata in Rusovce. Musicandtheatre Cultural life is also rich in Bratislava as far as concerts, festivals and exhibitions are concerned. During the summer months, a programme called Cultural Summer includes variety of concerts and happenings all over the Old Town. The highlight of every season is the re-enactment of coronations of Hungarian kings and queens. The Bratislava Jazz Days festival also draws the best jazzmen to Slovakia from all over the world. Year round, the Slovak National Theatre is the jewel in Bratislava’s theatrical crown. It is housed in two buildings: the ornate, historical one on Hviezdoslavovo námestie (square) and a modern, well-appointed new construction next to Eurovea. Opera and ballets admirers from abroad come to Bratislava to see unforgettable performances, such as Don Giovanni, Nabucco or Swan Lake. The home of the Slovak Philharmonic orchestra also re-opened in 2012 after extensive reconstruction. It offers a varied pro- gramme during a season that lasts from September to June. - Sanela Kurtek, Ivan Belko, Ján Pallo - Bratislava Castle offers both a magnificent view and exhibitions that tell the story of the territory known today as Slovakia Photo: Courtesy of SND

bratislava: BEST DEALS 53 FOOD a Alotofrestaurantshavea fixeddailymenu(typicallysoup andamaindish)foraround€4 aTheall-you-can-eatplaceswhich areclosetothehistoricalcentre inBratislava:Chineserestaurant, Laurinská3;all-you-can-eat Mon-Fri11:00-15:00(€6.5); GaneshUtsav,Vysoká2/A(Mon-Fri 11:00-16:00(€5.5),Sat-Sun 11:00-16:00(€6)); Sajado,Pribinova8(Eurovea,price from€10.8); Asianrestaurant, Einsteinova18(AuparkShopping Park,pricefrom€6.89) aThe food courts in Eurovea, Aupark and Central shopping centres, which are close to the historical centre, offer many different meals and fast foods aGood,cheapChinesefoodcan befoundinrestaurantsonObchod- ná,ŠpitálskaandLaurinskáStreets aLacinka–Palacinka,atŠancová 18(closetothetrainstation), isasocialisticstyleplacethat offersthebestandcheapest pancakesinthecity.Aplain pancakecosts€0.5(openMon-Fri 11:00-21:00,Sun14:00-21:00) aGrocerystorestendtoopen from9:00to21:00,buttheTesco hypermarketsinPetržalkaandZlaté Pieskyareopen24-hours,aswell asasmallersupermarketHviezda atNámestie1.mája(mapC2). Anotheroptionistoorderyourfood onlineatpotravinydomov.itesco.sk GENERAL a The Bratislava tourist office offers a discount card, called Bratislava City Card, which allows visitors free travel by public transport and discounts from 5 percent upwards at participating museums, galleries, and restaurants. The card is valid for up to three days and costs €19. The card also includes a guided tour around the city, which starts every day at 14:00. Booking is necessary (+421 (0)2 5935-6651, www.visitbratislava.com). a Free tours to the Old Town and beyond leave at 10:00, 11:00 and 16:00 from beside the statue of Hviezdoslav in Hviezdoslavovo Square (www.befreetours.com). a The first Sunday of the month - state museums and galleries are free to enter. These include the Slovak National Gallery, the Museum of Transport, as well as ten sites of the Slovak National Museum across the region, which include Bratislava and Červený Kameň castles or the Natural History Museum. Thanks to sponsors of the Slovak National Gallery entrance is free year-round. a There are a few free WiFi zones across the city: Primaciálne námestie, Medická Garden, Rázusovo and Fajnorovo waterfront. You can also get online in buses displaying a WiFi sign. See also: www.wificafespots.com. a For more discount tips visit www.zlavadna.sk, www.morezliav.sk, www.zlavomat.sk or other shopping websites. Although these sites are in Slovak, you will be well advised to find a native speaker to help as after you make an online payment, you will receive a voucher offering discounts at a variety of restaurants or fitness and wellness centres. a Bratislava pre všetkých (Bratislava for Everyone) launches, in the second half of April, the tourist season, special entertainment programmes and free entry to selected venues. TRANSPORT ANDACCOMMODATION a Cheaper tickets are available on Bratislava’s public transport system if you buy for a longer period in advance. Bratislava city card holders can ride the city’s public transport for free. a For visitors who want to see the city from tram, they can take number 5 from the tram stop Poštová (at Obchodná Street) to the stop named Park kultúry (PKO), outside the modern River Park complex and then take tram number 4 or 6 back to the city centre. (www.dpb.sk). a Hostels close to the city centre include: Downtown Backpacker’s Hostel (www.backpackers.sk), Hostel Blues (www.hostelblues.sk), Hostel Patio (www.patiohostel.com), Hostel Possonium (www.possonium.sk), Hostel Svoradov (www.hostelbratislavasvoradov. sk), Hostel Mansard (www. hostelmansard.com), City Hostel (www. cityhostel.sk), Hyde Park Hostel (www.hyde-park.sk), A1 Hostel (www.a1hostelbratislava.hostel.com). a There are several ways to visit Vienna from Bratislava, including: by boat (€29 for a return ticket), by train (€14 return), or by bus (€8 return). Return tickets are cheaper than two singles. a Ryanair is the cheapest carrier flying to Bratislava’s international airport, but also check out other low-cost airlines’ flights to Vienna. It is less than an hour away from Bratislava, with good transport links. a Rail transport within Slovakia is free of charge for all students and pensioners from the EU. It is required to obtain a card from the cash desk at the station and then obtain a free ticket for each ride. SUMMER SEASON a In the summer you can swim for free in various lakes: Kuchajda, Veľký Draždiak, and Rusovce. a Every Saturday and Sunday at 13:30 boat visits Čunovo, home of the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum. The boat return fare (€12) also includes entrance to the gallery. Best deals and discounts in Bratislava

54 bratislava: FOR 100 EUROS 14 Old Town Hall  page: 16 17 Tourist Information Centre  Klobučnícka 2; map C 3 (c 4)  0.16 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5441-9410 www.visitbratislava.com Apr–Oct 9:00–19:00, Nov–Mar 9:00–18:00 42 Bratislava Castle  page: 26 56 Eurovea shopping centre  page: 30 58 Blue Church  page: 31 65 Presidential Palace  page: 33 71 Medická záhrada (garden)  Ul. 29. augusta/Špitálska; map D, E 2  1.2 km (14 min)  2.1 km (5 min) u Mariánska v 3, 4, 7, 9  Apr-Sep 7:00-21:00, Oct-Mar 10:00-18:00 free  77 Slavín  page: 34 Bungee jump from the Lafranconi Bridge  Lafranconi Bridge  5.7 km (7 min) u Lafranconi v 4, 5, 6, 9, 28, 29, 30, 31, 37, 39, 131, 133 Å +421 (0)904 223-333 www.actionzazitky.sk €11 Many foreigners come to Slovakia for a weekend to have fun, enjoy the sum- mer days and to try a taste of a new country. And they also hope to do so without breaking the bank. Bratislava is ideal for bargain travel, and with a few tips from the locals or fellow trav- ellers, you can find accommodation, food and entertainment for little more than €100 for the weekend. “Bratislava is a cheap city,” said a Polish tourist named Mateusz, visiting Bratislava with his girlfriend Gabriela. “You can drink a beer in a restaurant here for €1.5, which is cheaper than in Krakow.” You will, of course, need a place to stay and there are several hostels not far from the city centre. Only three or four minutes by foot from the train station is Hostel Possonium on Šancová Street (beds from €11), which offers quick and easy access to all the main sights and a free daily walking tour to the city centre, 15 minutes away. Even closer to the Old Town are Hostel Blues and Hostel Patio on Špitálska Street, where a bed in a dorm room will cost from €12.9 (Blues) or €12 (Patio). The Downtown Back- packer’s Hostel on Panenská Street has beds from €10. Hostel Mansard (beds from €15), City Hostel (beds from €13.75) and Hyde Park Hostel (beds from €14) are located on Obchodná Street. Getting around Bratislava is relatively simple. It is a small and manageable size and a lot of attrac- tions are in walking distance from one another. However, if you prefer to use public transport, then the €15 Bratislava city card (www.visitbratislava.com) is a good choice. It offers unlimited use of the buses and trams, as well as discounts for several city attractions. The best time to come to Bratislava is probably a weekend which includes the first Sunday of every month, when all state museums and state galleries in the city offer free admission. But even at other times, a lot of what you’ll find here is inexpensive. day ONE - Saturday A new day can bring new excitement, and daredevils might like to try a bun- gee jump off the Lafranconi Bridge, for only €11 (www.actionzazitky. sk), if booked through discount companies. The adrenaline boost will give you the energy to last the next few days. Perhaps to slow down and relax a bit you can take tram number 4 or 9 to the Mariánska stop and visit the Medická záhrada (garden) and his- torical Ondrejský cintorín (cemetery) both on 29. augusta Street (pull-out map E 3,4). This site offers a pleasant walk through the gardens and the cemetery as well as a free WiFi zone and an opportunity to share new experiences online. The Blue Church at Bezručova Street, only a 10-minute walk from the cemetery in the direction of the river and the Eurovea shopping centre, offers an interesting photo opportunity and takes travellers to a neighbourhood with plenty of op- tions for lunch, including Pizza Mizza Aweekend for €100 The “Magio Beach”, which provides a free summer cinema

bratislava: FOR 100 EUROS 55 Magio Beach  Tyršovo nábrežie; map C 4  2 km (24 min) u Sad Janka Kráľa or Aupark v 1, 3 or 50, 80, 83, 84, 88, 91, 93, 94, 191aJun-Sep å WC Divný Janko Restaurant  Jozefská 2; map C 2 Restaurant Bratislavský Meštiansky Pivovar  Dunajská 21; map D 3 www.mestianskypivovar.sk Restaurant Kláštorný Pivovar  Nám. SNP 8; map C 3 (c 2) and the Secondi Pasta Bar which serves excellent pancakes stuffed with whipped cream for only about €3. Alternatively, you can bring a picnic to enjoy on a huge green area by the river, where you will also find some free exercise machines to work off the calories. It is an attractive spot, and totally free, just to laze around. Bratislava city card holders have the opportunity to join a free daily walking tour around the city centre, starting at 14:00 in front of the main Tourist Information Centre at Klobučnícka Street, and lasting an hour. You can also pick up countless leaflets and guides to attractions in the office. (You will need to make a res- ervation for the tour, either by e-mail to citycard@visitbratislava.com or in person, at least two hours in advance.) Alternatively, www.befreetours.com also offers a free city walking tour. Several museums are scattered through the Old Town, and €6 will get you a bulk ticket to three of the best: the Old Town tower, the Old Town Hall and the Apponyi Palace at Main Square. The last entrance is at 16:30 on week- days and an hour later at weekends. After a day of explorations, head to Kláštorný pivovar, a micro-brew pub, at 8 Nám. SNP (square), about five minutes walk from Tesco. You can get a good local meal for €8 and a signature beer for about €1.9, then head down to the Old Bridge or SNP Bridge to watch the sun set over the Danube and take a riverside stroll. There are other options for food in this area. If you wander to the other side of the Old Bridge you’ll find “Magio Beach”, where there are stands selling food and drinks. The prices are slightly higher than average, but there’s nothing stopping you from bringing your own refreshment and watching a film at the “summer cinema”, which is free. “You’ll need to come before the film begins, so you can find seats, but if the weather is good, it’s a perfect place to watch a film with friends,” said Peter, from Stropkov. dayTWO - Sunday There are plenty of places to visit that do not demand any entrance fee. For instance, a walk up to the Slavín war memorial and military cemetery costs nothing, yet it affords a splendid view over the city and is an excellent place to start a tour to get your bearings. On the way back to the city centre, you can pop into the grounds of Brati- slava Castle. You will need to pay to go inside and visit the historical exhibitions (except on that first Sunday of the month) but you can explore the sur- roundings for nothing, and again survey the city and the Danube from on high. A walk (or trolleybus ride) down from the castle can pass through Hodžovo námestie (square), where you can see the Presidential Palace, guarded by the distinctive sentries. At 13:00, you can watch the changing of the guard. Close by, is the Divný Janko restaurant at Jozefská Street, which offers good cheap food (even if the service can be erratic). Remember that a lot of restau- rants offer a two-course lunchtime menu for about €4. Before you start to pack your luggage for home, why not take an afternoon boat trip to Čunovo, which includes a visit to the Danubiana gallery of modern art. The boat leaves at 13:00 every Saturday and Sunday during the summer season from the passenger port at Fajnorovo nábrežie 2. A return ticket costs €14 (€10 for concessions) and includes entrance to the gallery. City card holders can enjoy a further 20 percent discount. If modern art is not your thing, you can take a boat in the other direction to explore the ruins of Devín Castle. Catch the 29 bus back to the city centre. All in all, that’s two days’ accommodation, sustenance and enter- tainment with change from €100. Save up again, and there’s plenty more to see next time. - Martina Raábová - Ondrejský cintorín is a historical cemetery, national cultural monument and final resting place of several signi- ficant Slovak personalities Boat trips can be a nice addition to a weekend in Bratislava Photo: Courtesy of Bratislava Region Tourism

56 bratislava: NIGHT LIFE Every city has a club, but not every city has a Subclub. Deep in a former bunker beneath Bratislava Castle is one of the city’s most unusual night spots, which has been the alma mater of Slovak night- clubs for two generations. It is a place known across Europe for its deep, loud and steady rumble, where the founding fathers of a vibrant underground culture dust off their vinyl to play. Diversityof genres Subclub is only one out of hundreds of places to spend a buzzing night in Brati- slava, a city that has often been dubbed Party-Slava for its vast array of bars and clubs. You can spend nights quietly sip- ping dry martini, or rocking wildly into tomorrow. Bratislava may be charming and tranquil during the day, but Party- Slava is a different place entirely. Subclub, formerly known also as U Club, started out as a venue for alterna- tive rock concerts, where the audience sat on empty beer crates. However, more and more DJs were invited to play sets here and the cornerstone of the Slovak techno, house, drum ‘n’ bass and jungle music scene was laid in place. “Subclub was the first post-communist club in Slovakia with a completely different mu- sic style than anywhere else,” said Branislav Kŕč, who was one of the club’s owners for six years and is its current music manager. “English DJs all came over here, just so they could play unorthodox techno, which they simply couldn’t play in England.” Today the range of performances and genres in Subclub stretches from indie to rock‘n’roll, through reggae and both traditional and progressive bass music, as well as good old-fashioned techno. “The best thing about this club is definitely the diversity of genres,” said Juraj Šimkovič, who visits regularly. “I’ve experienced different kinds of fantastic concerts here and today I’m here because it’s on fire even though it’s the middle of the week.” Multicultural Back in the city, a multicultural hub is emerging on Karpatská Street, which is now home to about half a dozen bars and clubs in which congregate a variety of subcultures. Arguably the wildest and most famous venue over the past couple of decades has been Randal Club, which offers rock‘n’roll, punk and metal music in front of a large and loyal audience. “On regular nights it is to be avoided unless you wish to spend your time in the company of underage wannabes,” said Zuzana Hircová, a student from Bratislava, dressed all in black. “However if a truly exceptional artist is to perform here all your negativity suddenly unites with the others and vanishes to produce a contagious and revolutionary energy that is beyond words and makes you re- alise that punk and metal are not genres of music but ways of life.” Slightly more peaceful, but no less interesting, is the a4 – nultý priestor, also on Karpatská Street. It is an established Clubs mentioned in the article 23 Kultúrne centrum Dunaj www.kcdunaj.sk; Nedbalova 3, map C 3 (c 2); culture and music centre 46 Subclub; www.subclub.sk; Nábrežie arm. gen. L. Svobodu; map A 3; music club 74 A4; www.a4.sk; Karpatská 2, map D 1; culture and music centre 74 Majestic Music Club www.majestic.sk; Karpatská 2 map D 1; music club 74 Randal club www.randalclub.eu; Karpatská 2 map D 1; rock music Y The Club; Hotel Park Inn Rybné nám. 1, map C 4; disco club Other clubs in the historical centre Y1 Rio Grande Restaurant www.medusagroup.sk; Hviezdosla- vovo námestie 15, map C 4; night bar, live DJs Y2 Lemon Tree (club, Sky Bar) www.lemontree.sk; Hviezdoslavo- vo námestie 7, map C 4 Y3 LUX; www.luxclub.sk; Panská 14, C 3 (c 3); night club Y3 Le Club; www.medusagroup. sk; Hviezdoslavovo námestie 25, map C 4; night bar, live DJs Y5 Trafo Music Bar www.medusagroup.sk; Erdödy Palace, Ventúrska 1, map C 3 (c 3); music bar Y6 Masquerade Club www.masqueradeclub.sk Ventúrska 16, map C 3 (c 3) lounge bar and club Y7 The Dubliner Irish Pub www.irish-pub.sk; Sedlárska 6, map C 3 (c 3); live music Y8 Barrock www.medusagroup.sk Sedlárska 1, map C 3 (c 3); rock Y9 Kabaret Cats Night Club; www.kabaretbratislava.sk; Michalská 2 (Old City Hotel passage), map C 3 (c 3) strip club Dunaj cultural centre offers a wide variety of events including club nights, visual art exhibitions or discussions Y11 Y9 Y8 Y7 Y6 Y5 Y3 Y4 Y2 Y1 Y10 Y12 Y15 Y14 23 46 Y13 Y Photo: František Halás Sleepy Bratislava by day; raucous Party-Slava by night

bratislava: NIGHT LIFE 57 Y10 U Dežmára; Klariská 1, map C 3 (c 3); music club Y11 Infiniti Rock Cafe; www.musicbar.sk; Michalská 9, map C 3 (c 3); rock Y12 Primi; www.primi.sk/ Michalska; Michalská19-21, map C 3 (c 1); disco, live DJs Y13 Havana Café; www.havanacafe.sk; Michalská 26, map C 3 (c 1); Cuban music Y14 Music bar Priatelia; www.musicbarpriatelia.sk Hurbanovo nám. 6 map C 3 (c 2); music bar Y15 Channels Župné nám. 2, map C 3 (c 1); disco club Clubs - walking distance from the historical centre Ateliér Babylon; www.babylonatelier.sk; Námestie SNP 14, map D 3; theatre & music club Bar Baron; Obchodná 31 map C 2, bar British Rock Stars; Nám 1. mája 14, map C 2 live music club Duplex; Hodžovo nám. 2, map C 2; night club Klub Dole www.klubdole.sk; Námestie SNP 30, map C 3 (c 2); music club Luna bar; www.lunabar.sk; Rajská 1, map D3;music club Moulin Rouge; www.stripdance.sk; Cintorínska 32, map E 3; strip club Nu Spirit Club; www.nuspirit.sk; Pasáž Luxor - Štúrova 3, map D 3; jazz, funk, soul Pub u zeléneho stromu; www.uzelenehostromu.sk; Vysoká 26, map D 2; music club Radosť Music Club; www.mojaradost.sk; Obchodná 48, map D 2; chill-out Rock OK; www.rockok.sk; Šafárikovo nám. 4, map D 4; music bar culture project that moved into these premises in 2012. a4 constantly expands the boundaries of contemporary culture, with artists of any vocation given the opportunity to present their talents. It has hosted theatrical performances, con- certs, exhibitions, parties, lectures and a Sunday community market. A similar place can be found on Nedbalova Street, in the city centre. The cultural centre Dunaj serves a daily mul- ticultural menu, including live concerts, club nights, literature, visual arts, theatre and discussions with interesting person- alities. There is also a bar and a terrace, offering the best views of the Old Town. In April 2017 the reopening of Luna Bar in the underground of the Kyjev Hotel at Kamenné Square added to the map of Bratislava night life. “It was my dream to bring the Luna bar back to life,” said Martin Petrus, the new operator of the legendary bar. The design of the bar has been left unchanged since its opening in the 1970s during the previous communist regime. The programme focuses on retro hits and oldies, recalling memories of the previous regime and the wild years that followed its fall. Dance club At the other end of the spectrum, The Club, is one of the most luxurious and fashion-conscious dance clubs in the city. It is an elite Bratislava night spot and celebrity hang-out, hosting all the beautiful people and serving drinks at eye-watering prices. “It’s true that this place is quite expensive, but it definitely provides the best entertainment in Bratislava and so it’s worth all the money,” said Filip Timár, a student from Bratislava. The Club offers various themed discos, and boasts famous DJs from Brati- slava and neighbouring countries. It is also one of the few nightspots in Europe to use 3D mapping projection, which transports its guests through different periods of time and space. In short, it doesn’t mater if you are a fan of reggae, dancehall, techno or old school disco music: you will find a place to suit you in Bratislava. However, it is back to Subclub if you want to find it all in one place. “Just look around, there’s no place like this,” said Michaela Žureková, a music journalist from Bratislava. “The lighting, the intimate atmosphere, the bass... This unique atmosphere captivates you whatever event you attend and defi- nitely leaves you gasping for more.” -KristínaKrupčíková- The best thing about Subclub is the diversity of music genres it offers, says a regular visitor Photo: Gaspo Photography Photo: Gaspo Photography

58 bratislava: SHOPPING 49 River Park  page: 29 56 Eurovea  page: 30 M1 Aupark  Einsteinova 18  2.5 km (31 min) 3.4 km (5 min) u Aupark v 50, 80, 83, 84, 88, 91, 93, 94, 191 www.aupark-bratislava.sk a Mon-Fri 10:00-21:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-21:00 (shops); Mon-Sun 8:00-22:00 (supermarket); Mon-Sun 10:30-22:30 (cinema) é M2 Central  Metodova 6; map F 1  2.4 km (30 min) 3.3 km (8 min) u Trnavské mýto v 2, 4, 8, 9, 39, 51, 53, 61, 63, 64, 68, 74, 78, 201, 204, 209 www.central.sk a Mon-Sun 10:00-21:00 (shops/restaurants); Mon-Sat 7:00-21:00; Sun 8:00-21:00 (supermarket) é M3 Polus City Center  Vajnorská 100 5 km (10 min) u Polus City Center v 2, 4, 50, 51, 98 www.poluscitycenter.sk a Mon-Sun 9:00-21:00 (shops); Mon-Sun 8:00-21:00 (hypermar- ket); Mon-Fri 13:30-22:00, Sat-Sun 10:30-22:00 (cinema) é M4 Avion  Ivánska cesta 16 11.4 km (10 min) u Avion Shopping Park v 61, 63, 65, 96 www.avion.sk a Mon-Sun 10:00-21:00 (shops); Mon-Sun 8:00-21:00 (hypermarket); Mon-Sun 9:00-21:00 (IKEA) é After Slovakia adopted a series of eco- nomic reforms during the first decade of this century, Bratislava has become one of the fastest growing regions in Europe and a construction boom has started all over the city. Developments have brought new life and spirit to many lo- cations and created new living, business, shopping and leisure zones, popular among locals and tourists alike. Two shopping centres close to the city centre - Eurovea and Aupark - are typical of these new developments. They both combine shops, bars and restaurants with entertainment facili- ties in a pleasant indoor and outdoor environment. Eurovea, completed in 2010, is a shiny, modern shopping facility, situated on the bank of the Danube between Old and Apollo bridges. It represents a perfect combination of shopping and relaxation close to the city centre and features a number of modern, medium- height buildings that mark a clear contrast to older houses in the area. Although Eurovea is a single landmark itself, it comprises a series of smaller landmarks, including a low tower at the entrance to the complex which is reminiscent of London’s “Gherkin”. Eurovea’s central square is an ideal setting for cultural events, ranging from concerts, Christmas markets and the mass projection of sporting matches. (The square lies in front of the new building of the Slovak National Theatre (SND) which it is not officially part of Eurovea.) On the opposite side of the square, close to the embankment, stand two glorious statues. One depicts Milan Ras- tislav Štefánik, a scientist, astronomer, diplomat, brigadier general and one of the founders of the first independent Czechoslovak Republic. He is conse- quently one of the greatest and most famous Slovaks. The other statue is of a mighty lion holding the coat of arms of the former Czechoslovakia, remember- Modern Bratislava Eurovea, on the banks of the Danube, offers numerous shops, entertainment and food options Zaha Hadid’s Bratislava project Sky Park (next to the Eurovea district) will bring apartments, offices and public space (Photo: Courtesy of Penta Investments / Zaha Hadid Architects)

bratislava: SHOPPING  59 ing the common history of Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Both statues face the river Danube and Petržalka district, in order to greet potential incomers by boat. The embankment also offers a public park with three piers protruding over the lower paths with spectacular views over Eurovea, the Danube, bridges, and Petržalka opposite. Over on the Petržalka side of the river, between park Sad Janka Kráľa and the intersection of the SNP Bridge and highway D1, is Bratis- lava’s other major shopping complex: Aupark. “I like Aupark more, it’s our old and good friend,” said Cristina Botan, a student from Moldova. “It’s so great, when you can get almost everything in the same building.” Aupark is similar to Eurovea, but slightly older. A new part of the complex was finished in 2007, the controversial Aupark Tower, which was said by some to interfere with the favourite panorama from Bratislava castle, over the SNP Bridge and Petržalka. The tower went ahead and is already a prestigious business address, occupied by the headquarters of various companies. There was a similar discussion concerning the planning and building of River Park, designed by the Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat in 2005. Although some locals complained about the development, which comprises the five-star Grand Hotel River Park as well as offices, luxury flats and commercial premises about 10-15 minutes walk from the SNP Bridge, it is already a popular spot in the city and crowds often balloon onto the river path. The J&T Banka café here includes a “vertical garden” (literally, a selection of mosses, vines, trees and flowers that extends upwards in the bar), while children are excellently catered for by the Woow toy shop, milk bar, interactive game console and playgrounds both inside and out. As Bratislava becomes increasingly more modern, including a radically rebuilding of the airport, its bus and train stations are lagging well behind. “I spend a lot of time at Bratislava’s main station, and it can’t be compared with any other European station,” said Marek Soták, a student who frequently commutes to Bratislava. “It’s too small, filthy and is a repulsive gate to the city. For foreigners, it must be a shocking experience.” Advocates hope that the neglected place will soon be totally rebuilt into a modern transport hub combining the existing Museum of Transport with an underground shopping centre and maybe even a park with greenery that will become more welcoming entrance to Bratislava. The future of the central bus station at Mlynské Nivy is much brighter. The developer HB Reavis began construction on the site. Plans for the centre include a 125-metre administration tower, a modern shopping centre with a new bus terminal in its underground.  -IvanBelko- River Park, designed by the Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat, has became a popular spot in the city M5 Shopping Palace  Cesta na Senec 2 14 km (16 min) u Cesta na Senec v 4, 56, 57, 65, 153 www.shoppingpalace.sk a Mon-Sun 9:00-21:00; Mon-Sun non-stop (Tesco hypermarket) é M6 Bory Mall  Lamač 6780;  14.4 km (12 min)  Bory Mall  21, 25, 92, 123 www.borymall.sk  Mon-Fri 10:00-21:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-21:00 (shops); Mon-Sat 8:00-22:00, Sun 8:00-21:00 (supermarket)  Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a scien- tist, astronomer, diplomat and brigadier general, is one of the founders of the first independent Czechoslovak Republic and one of the greatest and most famous Slovaks. His statue is located in Eurovea. M1 49 56 M2 M3 M5 M4 M6

60 bratislava: under communism Post socialist Bratislava city tours Meeting point: according to agre- ement Å +421 (0)908 308-234 www.authenticslovakia.com from €22 Guided ride along remains of the Iron curtain  possibility to be picked up anywhere in Bratislava www.what-bratislava.sk +421 (0)904 838 769 €20 per seat BrainTeaseLava Escape room with theme related to communist-era secret police www.brainteaselava.sk  Obchodná 2, Bratislava  +421 (0)2 2102-5536 €49 (for team) booking necessary 46 Subclub, www.subclub.sk  Nábrežie arm. gen. L. Svobodu; map B 4 Å +421 (0)903 776-633  for performances å é WC 51 and 52 Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising  page: 30 59 Kamenné námestie (square)  page: 31 67 Námestie Slobody (square)  page: 33 68 Slovak Radio page: 34 73 Tržnica (market place)  Trnavské mýto; map F 1  3.6 km (8 min) u Trnavské mýto v 2, 4, 8, 9, 39, 61, 63, 201, 204, 209Mon-Fri 6:00- 18:00 Sat 6:00-14:00 åéWC 77 Slavín  page: 34 81 Devín  page: 37 93 Petržalka  page: 38 94 B-S 8 Hřbitov closetotheterminalstop ofbus80(nexttotheareaof poplars);mapF46.7km (11min)uKopčanyv80 Å+421(0)902961-164 GApr-OctMon-Fri15:00- 19:00Sat-Sun14:00-19:00;Nov- -Mar:Mon-Fri14:00-17:30,Sat-Sun 14:00-17:00voluntaryéWC www.bunker.bs8.sk S1 Large dark hole (subway station)  Panónska cesta (close to the terminal stop of buses); map F 4  7.2 km (8 min) u Vozovňa Petržalka v 92, 93, 95, 192 www.mpba.sk S2 Two majestic lions  Špitálska 14 (close to the Kamenné Square); map D 2  0.9 km (11min) u Mariánska v 3, 4, 7, 9  exterior views only For all the massive political progress of the past couple of decades, the city of Bratislava still bears the scars of a turbulent 20th century, when it endured the horrors of two World Wars and then a long period under communist rule. Several sites across Bratislava offer the chance for visitors to look back on the not-too-distant past, and understand something of the life of Bratislavans from the communist era. Petržalka All along the border with Austria are more than 20 bunkers remaining from the Second World War and these days one of them, known as B-S 8 Hřbitov in Petržalka, is a museum containing military uniforms, documents and pho- tographs from the era. Another example is Bunker B-S 4 run by volunteers who provide for tourists also a guided ride along remains of the Iron curtain and pre-war bunker system in an old-time Russian vehicle used by border guards during the communist era. But Petržalka itself also stands as a vivid reminder of the communist approach to housing a nation’s population: it is the biggest high-rise housing estate in central Europe, home to more than 100,000 people, packed into in vast “paneláks”, or pre-fabricated concrete blocks of flats. “Honestly, I have never seen a place before where there are so many similar buildings in such a huge space,” the British architect Jonathan Falkingham told the Sme daily. Attempts to link Petržalka to the rest of Bratislava via a subway system were abandoned in 2004, leaving today a large, dark hole where the last stop was intended to be. It is located near the final stop of buses 93 and 95. Slavín Another enormous souvenir socialism left in Bratislava is Slavín, the vast monument to soldiers of the Soviet army who died in the battle to liberate the city at the end of the Second World War. The monument sits atop a hill just outside the city and offers one of the best views over Bratislava. But its construction came at a cost. Slavín is only 500 metres away from the Church of Our Lady of the Snows on Calvary mount, and the communists destroyed the church’s tower in 1960 as they felt it threatened the dominance of their new memorial. Aroundthe city Slavín and the tower-less church are stopping points on a unique tour offered in Bratislava by a man named Branislav Chrenka, who ferries tourists around the various com- munist-era landmarks in a vintage Škoda car. Other interesting destina- tions include the famous upside-down pyramid building of the Slovak public service radio on 1 Mýtna Street, the work of the architect Štefan Svetko. He also designed the modernist Hotel Bôrik, which was built in 1974 as luxurious accommodation for visiting diplomats. Further along Mýtna Street is what is now officially Behind the Iron Curtain The first modern roofed market- place ever to open in the city: Tržnica on Trnavské mýto Bunker B-S 4 run by volunteers (Photo: www.mpo.sk)

bratislava: under communism 61 S3 Museum of 17. November Small museum with photos and panels describing the time of the Velvet revolution (a series of events that brought about the collapse of communism)  Nám. SNP 8, Bratislava (back part of café of F.X. Messer- schmidt)  +421 (0) 905 237- 054 u Námestie SNP v 1, 7, 8, 9  Mon-Sun 8:30-21:00 (better to call)  free  www.muzeumrevolucie.sk S4 Miletičova (market place)  Miletičova 9 3.6 km (8 min) u Saleziáni v 8, 9, 68, 201, 205, 207, 209  Mon-Fri 6:00-19:00 Sat 6:00-14:00 å é WC S5 KGB  Obchodná 52 (close to the Freedom Square); map D 2 Å +421 (0)2 5273-1279 Mon-Wed 11:00-24:00 Thu 11:00-1:00 Fri 11:00-2:00 Sat 16:00-2:00 éWC S6 Lacinka–Palacinka  Šancová 18; map C 1 Å +421 (0)2 5249-7414  Mon-Fri 11:00-21:00, Sun 14:00-21:00 å é WC S7 Hotel Bôrik  Bôrik 15; 2.9 km (6 min) u Jančova v 203, 207 Å +421 (0)2 5998-1000 www.hotelborik.gov.sk é WC S8 Museum B-S 4  Bunker close to the border with Austria (Berg), from parking area (almost on border) follow the signs Bunker B-S 4, location is also published on www.mpo. sk/en/kontakt/  +421 (0)904 838-769  www.mpo. sk/en/museum/  Apr-Oct: Sat 11:00-18:00 (entrance every hour) Nov-Mar: closed € voluntary known as Námestie slobody (Freedom Square). Locals may, however, refer to it as “Gottko” recalling its name under the previous regime: Gottwaldovo, after Klement Gottwald, the fifth president of Czechoslovakia. The statue of Gottwald is long gone, leaving the biggest fountain in Bratislava, but which has been out of order since 2007, to dominate the square. Evidence of the communist regime’s presence in Bratislava can also be less obvious. At 12 Špitálska Street, near the Old Town and Kamenné námestie (square), for example, visitors will notice two majestic lions either side of an impressive entrance. This was one of the first homes of the ŠtB state security service, before the organisation moved to its better-known headquarters Februárka, at 45 Račianska Street (now a police HQ). According to František Neupauer, who is behind an initiative to open a Museum of Crimes and Victims of Communism in Brati- slava, many opponents of the previous regime were interrogated in this building. The socialist atmos- phere is still very much present in the market- place on Miletičova, which is the biggest in Bratislava, and at the first modern roofed mar- ket place ever to open in the city: Tržnica on Trnavské mýto. The construction of SNP Bridge in the 1960-70s had a major impact on the city. A significant part of the his- torical centre was destroyed during the construction including almost all of the Jewish quarter. Today, what was once a bomb shelter near the bridge houses Subclub nightclub (see page 56). SECRET POLICE It is also possible to recall the previous era at escape room Brainteaselava located on Obchodná street. Courageous visitors can travel back a couple of decades when the communist-era secret police ŠtB monitored the regime enemies. The game is based on escaping from the apartment of a police officer but only with a forgotten passport of a local dissident who cannot leave the country without it. A great deal of short but demanding tasks linked to historical events of Bratislava supplement contemporary facilities in rooms including massive furniture, old technical apparatuses and portraits of the communist leaders Lenin and Stalin. “It is a great challenge with a nice atmosphere and the rooms represented the communist era very good,” said Alexandra Klein who came from Austria. The BrainteaselavaCity Game simulates a chase with the communist secret police as players fulfil a “mission” within the historical centre of Bratislava. Devín Arguably one part of Bratislava in which the communist presence was most keenly felt was Devín, only a stone’s throw across the Morava river into Austria - tantalisingly close to freedom. The area beneath the castle was among the narrowest stretches of the Iron Curtain, the largely impenetrable border between the Soviet nations and the West. It meant that the region became a popular spot for would-be deserters to attempt their escapes. According to Ľubomír Morbacher, former employee of the Nation’s Memory Institute, more than 100,000 people fled the Eastern Bloc. Some of these people seeking freedom fled through Devín. The number includes departures during times “when leaving the country was still possible”, then “when it was very difficult to depart” as well as the emigration wave in 1968-69, Morbacher said. It also meant the Devín area was under permanent guard with residents living side-by-side with troops. Of course, not every escape attempt was successful and a poignant monument, riddled with symbolic bullet holes, sits at the foot of the castle and remembers those killed during their bids for freedom.  -MichaelaDžomeková- 81 S1 94 S8 93 51 46 S2 73 S6 S5 77 S7 S4 S3

62 bratislava: religion Sunday services in foreign languages Roman Catholic Church 21 Church of the Merciful Brothers 11:30 (Italian)  page: 18 29 Church of St John of Matha 9:00 (Latin)  page: 20 38 St Martin’s Cathedral 7:45 (GER), 9:00 (Latin)  page: 24 60 Church of St Ladislaus 11.00 (ENG)  page: 32 OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES Malý evanjelický kostol (Small Evangelical Church)  Panenská Street (entrance from Lýcejná Street), map C 2 8:15 (GER), 9:30 (ENG) bratislavainternationalchurch.org Citylight Church  Nám. 1.mája 1, map C 2; 10:00 (ENG); www.citylightbratislava.com Bratislava Internati- onal Fellowship  Sreznevského 2; 10:00 (ENG) www.bif.sk International Baptist Church  Súľovská 2; 10:00 (ENG) www.ibcb.baptist.sk Jewish service 62 Jewish Synagogue Friday evening (before twilight), Saturday morning (usually at 9:00), and during feasts. Services held in Hebrew.  page: 32 For some contemporary visitors, Bratislava is merely Party-Slava, home of nightclubs and bars. But that view of the city is only a modern one: for hun- dreds of years the dominant presence here has been religion, and Bratislava remains a wonderful place in which to sit in the cool shadows of ancient walls and statues of saints, or to contemplate in silence while basking in the sunlight reflected through the majestic coloured windows of its spec- tacular places of worship. Since as long as records go back, Bratislava has been the destination for pilgrims who have come to en- gage with the city’s rich spiritual his- tory. There are five sites in Bratislava that are of particular relevance and to which pilgrims continue to come to pay homage. Johnthe Almoner One of the first places most tourists will visit in Bratislava is St Martin’s Cathedral, one of the greatest monuments of the city and significant as the coronation church of the Hungarian Kingdom. It is also a specific pilgrimage destination. In the Chapel of St John the Almoner (Kaplnka sv. Jána Almužníka) on the left side of the church, are the mortal remains of John the Merciful. John was the patriarch of Alexan- dria, born in Cyprus in the seventh cen- tury. His body took a circuitous route to Slovakia, via Istanbul (which was then Constantinople) and Venice, before ar- riving in Slovakia, probably in the mid 16th century. His remains are now stored in a glazed silver shrine above the altar in the chapel that bears his name. Chatam Sófer Bratislava has also always been an important cen- tre of Jewish culture, despite suffering long periods of persecution common across Europe, as well as a series of con- struction projects that have devastated former Jewish neigh- bourhoods. Neverthe- less, one crucial site in the city has remained intact and is now visited by Jews from across the world. The old Jewish cemetery, at the bottom of the castle hill, dates from the 17th cen- tury and at one time contained around 6,000 graves. Much of it was destroyed in 1942-43 when a tram tunnel was built under the castle, exiting through the cemetery. Latterly, the rest of the former Jewish quarter was razed during construction of the SNP Bridge in 1969. However, one of the tombs that was saved and is now preserved in a tiny underground room is the final resting place of Chatam Sófer, the orthodox scholar born Moshe Schreiber in 1762 and who died in 1839. Sófer became Chief Rabbi of Pressburg in 1806 and also headed the yeshiva (rabbinical school) in the city. He was a strictly Orthodox rabbi. Somehow his tomb was saved despite the massive societal upheavals and the scarring of the landscape. Most visitors now come in September, on the anniversary of his death, to pay their respects. “This town was always tolerant,” said Viera Kamenická, from the Mu- seum of Jewish Culture in Bratislava, part of the Slovak National Museum. They come from far and wide St Martin’s Cathedral, the coro- nation church of monarchs, is one of the greatest monuments of the city. Pilgrims often visit the cathedral to see mortal remains of John the Merciful The final resting place of Chatam Sófer (on the photo), the Chief Rabbi of Pressburg, whose tomb was saved despite the scarring of the landscape Photo: Viera Kamenická

bratislava: religion 63 38 St Martin’s Cathedral  page: 24 48 Chatam Sófer  page: 29 78 Lourdes cave  Pod Kalváriou, map B 1; The cave is located close to the Church of Our Lady of the Snows an approximate 20-minute walk along Hlboká Street from the bus stop SAV; map B, C 1  2.3 km (26 min) 3.9 km (8 min) u SAV v 21, 25, 32, 63, 64, 83, 84, 93, 184, 204, 209, 212 R6 Marianka (Marian Valley)  Marianka (to visit the pilgrimage site - follow the street Námestie 4. apríla and descend to located The Marian Way and The Way of the Cross sacred journey featured by many landmarks as The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary) 18 km (19 min) v 28 min (www.cp.sk) Å+421 (0)2 6593-5226 (parish office) 7:45-19:00, summer season 7:45-20:00 U Mon-Sat 8:00, 18:00 Sun 8:00, 9:15, 10:30, 18:30 voluntary e WC R2 Malacky (Holy Stairs)  Kláštorné námestie 3, Malacky 37 km (29 min) v 38 min (www.cp.sk) Å+421 (0)34 772-2189 one hour before service or upon request at the parish office (Holy Stairs) U Mon-Sat 8:00, 18:00 Sun 8:00, 10:30, 19:00 e é WC Calvary There was once also a Calvary in the hills of Bratislava, close to the Church of Our Lady of the Snows. But 13 of its 14 stops were destroyed during the previous regime, as well as the tower of the church, leaving only the peaceful Lourdes cave. It contains a statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by hundreds of marble plaques offering thanks. Although plans for redevelopment of the whole Calvary are often discussed, priorities tend to be with the reconstruc- tion of existing monuments rather than building from new, and there are no fixed dates for the construction. Holystairs One last special, but almost forgotten, pilgrimage destination is in the town of Malacky, about 40 kilometres from Bratislava. Contained in a chapel to the right of the main Franciscan church is a copy of the Holy Stairs (Scala sancta) from Rome, which Christ climbed to meet Pontius Pilate during his trial. The staircase is considered to be one of the most faithful copies existing any- where in the world, but is visited by only a few hundred pilgrims per year. The stairs are open one hour before service or upon request at the parish office. Marianvalley Another of the most visited and most important pilgrimage sites in Slovakia is the Marian Valley and the village of Marianka, the oldest Catholic pilgrim- age destination in Slovakia and one of the oldest in the whole of central Europe. As the name suggests, the whole area is devoted to the Virgin Mary and includes numerous holy sites, drawing pilgrims from across the region for several centuries. The most significant sites are the Pilgrimage Church of the Nativity of Virgin Mary (Kostol Narodenia Panny Márie), a shrine to the Virgin Mary that has come to be known as the Lourdes cave, the Chapel of the Holy Well, and the Way of the Cross, which has 14 stopping points. Many legends have grown up con- cerning the healing powers of a visit to the area, and to be gained from praying to a statue of the Virgin Mary believed to date from 1030. In 2011, the Marian Valley also gained the privileges of a basilica minor, which means visitors can obtain indulgence here. The Marian Valley is visited by 200–300 pilgrims on the first Sat- urday of every month, increasing to 500–1,000 during good weather. Regardless of the conditions, the Feast of the Holy Trinity, in spring (May or June), and the Feast of Nativity of Our Lady, in September, usually attract 5,000–6,000 pilgrims annually.   - Dušan Dudík - The Marian Valley has nurtured many legends about the healing power of the area A copy of the Holy Stairs from Rome in Malacky, conside- red one of the most faithful copies in the world (Photo: Miro Konečný Malackepohlady.sk) R6 48 78 38 R2

64 bratislava: nations Bratislava has always been a multicul- tural city, the result of its location on the crossing of trade routes and close to several national borders. Its traditional composition of inhabitants has typically depended on the current ruling nation and the political situation in central Eu- rope, which has been in flux for many hundreds of years. Indeed, Bratislava has even changed its name numerous times, with previous generations of locals referring to it as Pressburg, Pozsony or Prešpork and even a period spent as “Wilson’s Town” after the American presi- dent Woodrow Wilson. Repre- sentatives of every nation have left even more permanent traces on the Slovak capital, and it is often possible to trace these various occupa- tions at numerous sites in the city. Hungary andAustria Along with the former federation with the Czech Republic (Czechoslova- kia) Bratislava is most commonly associ- ated with Austria and Hungary which border Slovakia to the west (Austria) and to the south (Hungary). Bratislava spent nearly 300 years as the coronation city and capital of the Hungarian Kingdom, and in addition to the shared history, there are numerous examples of Austrian and Hungarian styled architecture from the period. Many of these date specifically from era of Empress Maria Theresa, who reigned between 1740-80 and oversaw a prodigious period of construction. Several governmental buildings, new palaces and water- works were all built during these 40 years as the whole town became the centre of social and political life for the empire. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was composed of several nations, including the countries of central Eu- rope and some of today’s Balkan states. It meant that Germans, Czechs and Croatians have also made their home in Bratislava, as well as a Jewish popu- lation whose numbers predictably – and dread- fully – declined during the mid 20th century. Spain, Denmark and France Spain also has links to Bratislava. In 1631 Mariana of Spain, the youngest daughter of Spanish King Felipe III and Margarita of Austria, married Ferdinand III, the heir of the Hungarian crown. She was crowned, together with her husband, in St Martin’s Cathedral in 1638. There are several sculptures and plaques in the city to commemorate the visit of numerous famous his- torical figures or to mark significant events. The Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen has his statue on Hviezdoslavovo Square; the Czechoslovak president Tomáš Gar- rigue Masaryk stands in front of the Slovak National Museum; and there is a sculpture of the Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi in Medická Garden. A statue depicting a Napoleonic soldier leans on a bench in the Main Square and the French presence in Bratislava is also commemorated on a plaque in the Primate’s Palace, recalling the signing of the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805. Diplomats from France and Austria signed it after the battle of Austerlitz, which was won by Napoleon. Poland,Indiaand Italy Pope John Paul II visited Bratislava several times after the Velvet SEVERAL NATIONS N1 Presidential Alley 28 trees planted in the Presidential Garden by official visitors to the country  page: 72-73 Euroarboretum Partizánska Lúka in the Železná studienka area  page: 37 AUSTRIA Several sites related to the Austro-Hungarian empire BRAZIL Bratislava is the name of a small town in the south of Brazil BULGARIA Memorial to the victims on board the Bulgarian “Tabso” plane that crashed here. Sakrakopec (between Bratislava- -Rača district and Svätý Jur) CROATIA Museum of Croatian Culture in Slovakia  page: 50-52 65 Grassalkovich Palace (Presidential Palace) Grassalkovich Palace is named after the Croatian aristocrat Antun Grassalkovich  page: 33 A city of a hundred nations A bronze circle inlaid in the path beneath Michael’s Gate, in Bratislava’s Old Town Bratislava experienced a “golden age” under the rule of Maria Theresa N2 62 N1 65 2 N4 N5 N6 38 43 N3 35 4 42 29 24 47 13 16

bratislava: nations 65 THE CZECH REPUBLIC Several sites related to the former Czechoslovakia 2 Statue of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Statue in front of the Slovak National Museum  page: 12 57 Czech lion Statue at Nábr. M. R. Štefánika on the square in Eurovea DENMARK N4 Statue of Hans Christian Andersen  Hviezdoslavovo nám. 13; map C 4 FRANCE 13 Statue of a Napoleonic soldier  page: 15 16 Primate’s Palace Plaque recalling the signing of the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 (after Napoleon’s victory in the Battle of Austerlitz)  page: 17 GERMANY Spuren deutscher Kultur in Brati- slava Free iPhone app prepared by Goethe Institute, which exami- nes German heritage in Bratislava. Download at www.goethe.de 47 Museum of Carpathian Germans Culture located in Zuckermandel  page: 28 Stollwerck factory  Račianska 44; Former cho- colate factory of the Stollwerck- -family (buildings currently belong to Mondeléz Slovakia) N2 Home of Segner family  Michalská 7, map C 3 (c 1); The German family Segner moved to Bratislava at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Andreas Regner served as Bratislava’s mayor in the 17th century. His great-grand son Johann Andreas Segner (1704 Bratislava – 1777 Halle) was a university professor and his sculpture is located at the Nábr. arm. gen. L. Svobodu. Cintorín Vrakuňa (cemetery)Popradská;Around 1,000 German soldiers are buried in the cemetery uCintorínVraku- ňav65,75,201,202,212 HUNGARY Several sites related to the Austro-Hungarian empire Sculpture of Sándor Petőfi In Medická záhrada (garden)  page: 72-73 47 Museum of Hungarian Culture in Slovakia located in Zuckermandel  page: 28 Revolution and there is a statue of him in Námestie Jána Pavla in Petržalka, commemorating a 1995 trip, and a bronze relief in the Ursuline Church and Convent in the city centre. In 1938, Bratislava also welcomed Indian dignitaries. One of the plaques oposite to the McDonald’s at Hviezdoslavovo Square recalls the visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, with his daughter Indira Gandhi, the leaders of the Indian freedom movement against British rule. The Italian presence in the city is best seen in the artwork of Pálffy Palace and Bratislava Castle, where Italian paintings from the 16th century provide centuries-old clues to cultural ties between Bratislava and Italy. The Church of St John of Matha has frescoes of the Italian baroque painter A. Galli Bibiena, while the mirrors in the Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace come from Venice. Jewish sites The Jewish population of Bratislava is small these days, but there were once vibrant communities in the city, living mostly in the residential area around the castle. The Jewish burial shrine that includes the tomb of Chatam Sófer and the graves of other prominent rabbis and scholars is all that remains of what was once a much larger Jewish cemetery. Some historic buildings have survived: the only remaining synagogue in the Slovak capital on Heydukova Street; the Holocaust memorial on Rybné Square and the old Jewish quarters: Zámocká and Židovská Streets. The Museum of Jewish Culture, located on Židovská Street, was opened in 1994 as part of the Slovak National Museum. Other traditional minorities living in Bratislava have their own museums showcasing their cultures: Croatians have one in Devínska Nová Ves, Hungarians and Carpathian Germans both have museums on Žižkova Street. All of them operate under the Slovak National Museum. The Hungarian minority is the biggest minority in Slovakia and represents 8.5 percent of all inhabitants. Slovenia,Russia, Bulgariaand United Kingdom Bratislava also has a reputed connec- tion with Slovenia, specifically at Devín Castle. Many Slovenians believe that the castle is connected with the Italian town of Duino, near Trieste, whose Slovene name is Devín and which has a large Slovenian population. Duino is also the setting for a popular Slovenian folk legend “Lepa Vida”. The former Soviet Union has, of course, also had a significant impact on Bratislava, and there are numerous sites that recall the era of the mid-20th century. None is more obvious than the Slavín monument, which remembers the lives of the 6,845 Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Bratislava in April 1945, many of whom are buried in six mass and 278 individual graves. The monument is surrounded by a park containing trees from various parts of the former Soviet Union. It is not the only military cemetery in the city. There is another near Kopčianska Street in Petržalka (open daily in the afternoons between April- October) with 331 graves of soldiers from Hungary, Austria, Germany, Romania, Poland, Russia and Italy. Čunovo, just outside of Bratislava, is where British visitors head to pay respects to the crew of a British aircraft shot down there while fighting the Nazis in the Second World War. Many Slovaks fought alongside the British during the conflict. The decoration of the dome of the Church of St John of Matha is a masterpiece by A. Galli Bibiena A statue of the Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi, located in the Medická záhrada (garden)

66 bratislava: nations Slovakia’s main connection with Bulgaria is similarly tragic. In Novem- ber 1966 a Bulgarian “Tabso” plane crashed in Sakrakopec, near Rača, killing all 82 of its passengers. Among the victims was the Bulgarian opera singer Jekaterina Popova and the writer Ramon Amador from Honduras. It was the worst plane tragedy in the former Czechoslovakia and is commemorated by 82 birch trees planted near the crash site. A memorial with stone cross and plaque was added in May 2010, as well as an inscription on one of the trees. Germany In June 2013, the Goethe Institute launched an internet- based application called “Spuren” (“Traces”), which examines the German heritage in Bratislava. Historians have identified several locations in and around the city that are linked in some way to famous personalities of German descent or can be associated to important events. Visi- tors can take a walk through Bratislava following the traces of its German past on their smart-phones. Among these are a few sites that are largely unknown to the general public, including the former chocolate factory of the Stollwerck-family, the home of Segner family and the war cemetery which is part of Cintorín Vrakuňa (cemetery), where around 1,000 Ger- man soldiers, who died in the battles in and around Bratislava towards the end of the Second World War, are buried. BraZIL and USA Many Slovaks have, of course, often gone in the opposite direction to the many immigrants who have made their home in Bratislava. There are pieces of the capital city scattered around the world. For instance, Bratislava is still the name of a small town in the south of Brazil established by Slovak emi- grants many decades ago. According to the Brazilian Embassy in Bratislava, the country has a football team whose kit bears the flag and col- ours of the Slovakia, and a sing- ing folklore group called Život (meaning ‘Life’) was started by a Slovak immigrant. Visitors from the USA some- times come to Slovakia to trace their family roots, while others are drawn by the rich history and culture of Bratislava and the beauty of the surrounding countryside. Norwayand other nations Bratislava’s multicultural status is nowhere more apparent than along the so-called Presidential Alley in the gar- dens of the Presidential Palace, where every visiting foreign head of state is invited to plant a small tree. Rudolf Schuster started the tradition in 1999 and today there are 28 trees represent- ing official visitors to the country. Euroarboretum on Partizánska Lúka, in the popular Železná studienka area, follows a similar theme. When it is finished, it will include a representa- tive tree from each nation in the Euro- pean Union, along with an informa- tion panel about forestation there. In addition, there are some streets in Bratislava bearing the names of nations: Česká (Czech), Vietnamská (Vietnamese), Bulharská (Bulgarian), Poľská (Polish), Bieloruská (Bielorus), Estónska (Estonian), Lotyšská (Latvian). It is difficult, however, to trace the reason behind these names. One exception, however, is the street named after the Norwegian writer Björnstjerne Björnson who was an advocate of Slovak national language and identity. Björnson’s Street (Björn- sonova) near the so-called pyramid building of the Slovak Radio carries a small memorial plaque. There is also a courtyard named for him at the Slovak Philharmonic building which was reconstructed partly with funds from Norway. “Do you want me to tell a fairy tale about Bratislava? But the town itself is a tale,” said Björnson and Slovaks remember his positive attitude toward their country with gratitude. - Radka Minarechová, Ján Pallo - INDIA N3 Plaque  Rybárska brána 8; map C 3 (c 4); Plaque near a restaurant recalling the visit of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ITALY 16 Primate’s Palace Mirrors from Venice in the Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace  page: 17 29 Frescoes Frescoes by the Italian baroque painter A. Galli Bibiena in the Church of St John of Matha  page: 20 35 Artworks in Pálffy Palace  page: 22 42 Artworks in Bratislava Castle  page: 26 JEWISH SITES 43 Museum of Jewish Culture  page: 50-52 48 Chatam Sófer  page: 29 62 Synagogue  page: 32 N5 Holocaust memorial Rybné Square; map C 4 N6 Jewish quarters  Zámocká and Židovská streets; map B,C 3 (c 3) NORWAY Memorial plaque to Björnstjerne Björnson  Björnsonova Street; map D 1 4 Reduta Courtyard named after Björnstjerne Björnson at the Slovak Philharmonic building (reconstructed partly with funds from Norway)  page: 12 POLAND Statue John Paul II A statue of Pope John Paul II stands in a squa- re named after him in Petržalka 24 The Ursuline Church Bronze relief of Pope John Paul II in the Ursuline Church  pg. 19 RUSSIA 77 Slavín  page: 34 SLOVENIA 81 Devín Castle  page: 37 SPAIN 38 St Martin’s Cathedral Mariana of Spain was crowned in the cathedral in 1638  pg. 24 UNITED KINGDOM Čunovo A monument to five Bri- tish airmen killed when their pla- ne was shot down here in 1944 16 Primate’s Palace The so-called Mortlake Tapestries in the Primate’s Palace were wo- ven in the UK in 1635  pg. 17 USA Forashortperiodin1919, Bratislavawasknownas Wilsonovomesto(Wilson‘s City)afterWoodrow Wilson. TreesinthePresidentialAlleyplantedbyvisitingVIPs

bratislava: bird‘s - eye view 67 Helicopter tour www.flight.sk  Čulenova 5 (office); Å +421 (0)905 329-217  €69.42 (start of a tour based on agreement) Balloon Flights www.balony.sk  Pluhová 2 (office) Å +421 (0)911 225-577 from €172/person (min. 4 persons; start of a tour based on agreement) 14 Old Town Hall Tower  page: 16 27 St Michael’s Gate  page: 20 42 Bratislava Castle  page: 26 51 SNP Bridge  page: 30 77 Slavín  page: 34 85 TV Tower Kamzík  page: 38 Sky bar restaurant  Hviezdoslavovo nám. 7 map C 4; www.skybar.sk Å +421 (0)5441-1244 Outlook Bar & Lounge  Lindner Hotel Gallery Central, Metodova 4; map F 1 Å +421 (0)2 3993-0000 www.lindner.de Bratislava possesses many places of inter- est, some of which can make visitors and locals alike stop and stare in awe - even if it is just to consider the feat of engineer- ing or architecture they are looking at. Many of these places even allow visitors inside them, offering the opportunity to admire the monuments themselves from the outside, or the city below from within. For those who enjoy watching the chaos of an anthill, the best choice in Bratislava (apart from a helicopter tour) is the observation deck of the SNP Bridge, which spans the Danube and provides the vital link between the city centre and Petržalka. The bridge has an observation deck and restaurant on the top of its only pylon, 95 metres above the ground. It combines luxury dining with spectacular views over an area of about 100 km. Less than a kilometre to the east is a steel bridge called Starý Most (Old Bridge), the first bridge to link both banks of the river. It was destroyed during the Second World War and later rebuilt by the Soviet army. Between 2013-15 it was replaced by a new one, where pedestrians can enjoy a view of two of Bratislava’s iconic sights: the SNP bridge and the castle. Other options exist for views over the Old Town, including from the Old Town Hall Tower at the Main Square and Michael’s Gate at Michalská Street. Another option is the Sky bar restaurant at Hviezdoslavovo Square, next to the US embassy. It has a terrace on the top of the building with a glass roof. Be sure to make a reservation. Bratislava Castle offers another possibility to look on the city from above. Its gardens offer an excellent view, free of charge, over the city and the Danube. Another possibility is to visit the castle and climb its Crown Tower, which apart from being one of the oldest parts of the castle offers a 360° view into four countries in case of good weather: Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. Outside the centre, on one of the hilltops above the city perches the Slavín war memorial, dedicated to the fallen soldiers of Red Army who liberated Bratislava in 1945. The park features a magnificent view over the eastern part of the city, in addition to the military cemetery. In the middle is a 39.5 m high column, topped with a statue of a Soviet soldier erecting the flag above the liberated Bratislava and crushing a swastika under his feet. The almighty TV Tower, which can be seen from every direction, also houses Altitude restaurant on a rotating deck. It offers a 360° panorama of Bratislava and the surrounding region, including a glimpse into Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Hotel Lindner, opened in May 2013, is another possibility. It offers a view over the city from its Outlook Bar & Lounge at the 13th floor. Unfortunately some of the city’s other landmark towers are not open to the public. The distinctive upside down pyramid building is the home of Slovak Radio, and one of the city’s highest modern skyscrapers is owned by the National Bank of Slovakia, Slovakia’s central bank. Visitors will have to make do with the other scenic overlooks noted above. - Ivan Belko - Peering at Bratislava from above

68 bratislava: extreme sports There are many ways to experience Bratislava, and if you have sufficient courage, you might want to try to view the Slovak capital while hanging from an elastic cord over the Danube, or tumbling down a hill in a giant plastic balloon. There’s plenty of time to explore the city’s historical monuments, cultural sites and exceptional architecture, but if you want to cut loose and do something crazy on your trip to Bratis- lava, there is also a world of extreme sports waiting for you in the city. Jumping Areyou afraid?You should be. “I thought I was about to find my- self in the Danube,” said Peter Kováč, a 21-year-old student from Žiar nad Hronom, who was brave enough to try a bungee jump from Bratislava’s Lafran- coni Bridge, a 25-metre-high plummet towards the water. “In a split second of a free-fall, I saw the oncoming water and my heart was squeezed by fear.” The only restrictions on willing daredevils are that they weigh less than 110kg and part with €28 (€11 if there is a discount). Otherwise anyone is welcome to throw themselves off the bridge, with only the bungee keeping them safe. “Everything underneath me was moving away,” Kováč said. “The pillars of the bridge were disappearing, the trees and benches on the shore were also becoming smaller, the SNP Bridge and even Bratislava Castle in the distance were moving. Everything except the river was in motion.” Renáta Pospíšilová, a 20-year-old student from Poprad, also jumped from the Lafranconi Bridge. “People passing by started encouraging me [to jump]. I was standing there, staring downwards, looking at those people and I asked myself if it was all really necessary. Originally I felt courageous, but later on all these feelings were suppressed by fear. That was the moment my brain turned off and I had no choice but simply to jump.” OFF-ROAD Another option for visitors to Bratislava is a special drive with an electric car or on an off-road course at carmaker Volkswagen Slovakia, located in Devínska Nová Ves. For the off-roading, the company uses a specially modified vehicle at a track which simulates various rough terrains, from a wooden roadway, through sand, water and steps, to hills at various gradients. Visitors can either ride as a passenger or take a turn behind the wheel with the help of an instructor. It does not matter if you are afraid of heights, water or speed. You can scream as much as you like as you enjoy the more extreme view of Bratislava. 80b Volkswagen (off-road)  page: 37 Orechová Potôň-Slovakia Ring Car racing;  page: 101 98 Area Divoká voda Rafting ride  Vodné Dielo – Čunovo; map F 4  21 km (22 min) u MiÚ Čunovo v 91 Å +421 (0)2 6252-8002 www.divokavoda.sk a Mon-Sun 9:00-19:00 from €26  WC Pendulous jump from Lafranconi Bridge  Lafranconi Bridge; 5.7 km (7 min) u Lafranconi v 4, 5, 6, 9, 28, 29, 30, 31, 37, 39, 131, 133 Å +421 (0)2 6252-8077 www.actionzazitky.sk a Jan-Dec€11 Action Park (www.actionpark.sk) Zorbing-Rolling in a bubble  Schengenská – Čunovo 18.6 km (20 min) u MiÚ Čunovo v 91Å +421 (0)904 223-333 a Mon-Fri booking necessary, Sat-Sun 11:00-19:00 from €8  WC The place offers several extreme and unusual sports Laser Arena (laser games)  Prešovská 45  4.7 km (11 min)  Bajkalská  39, 53, 61, 63, 74, 75, 78, 98, 204, 205; www.laserarena.sk  +421 (0)903 914-386 from €5  Mon-Fri 13:00- 24:00, Sat: 13:00-24:00, Sun 13:00-22:00 “I felt like Iwas in awashing machine”: Welcome to Extreme Bratislava Those brave enough can try a bungee jump from Lafranconi Bridge The white-water Divoká voda area in Čunovo offers rafting trip Photo: Martin Janata

bratislava: extreme sports 69 Escape games €50 (for team), booking necessary Izba č. 13 (Room Thirteen) www.izbacislo13.sk/ba  Cintorínska 7, Bratislava  +421 (0) 948 268 613 BrainTeaseLava Escape room with theme related to communist-era secret police (ŠtB)  pages: 60-61 EscapeRoom.sk www.escaperoom.sk  Vajnorská 48, Bratislava  +421 (0)940 590-122 PaniqRoom(www.paniqroom.sk)  Hattalova 12/B, Bratislava  +421 (0)904 380-790 Team Up (www.teamup.sk)  Studená 4/B, OC STYLA +421 (0)948 358-910 Extreme rides on the river speadboats, water scooters, wa- terskiing, kneeboarding, towables. www.prenajom-lodi.sk  start of a ride based on agree- ment  +421 (0)910 312-399 from €110 per hour SpeedBoats.sk  +421 (0)903 610-716  start of a ride based on agreement from €180 (for team); www.speedboats.sk Jump aréna (www.jumparena.sk)  Ivánska cesta 30/D, Brati- slava;  9 km  +421 (0)2 2086-2411 €9.9 / hour indoor karting Kart One Arena (www. kartarena.sk)  Kopčianska 82 5 km (6 min)  +421 (0)911 818-122;  Mon-Fri 14:00-24:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-24:00 €8 (10 min) Max 60 (www.motokary.sk)  Vajnorská 127/A  5 km (11 min)  +421 (0)907 606-060  Mon-Thu, Sun 11:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-1:00 €8 / ride Space World (laser games)  Račianska 22/A  3 km (7 min)  Ursínyho  3, 5, 7  +421 (0)918 235-433  Mon 13:00-20:00, Tue-Fri 13:00-23:00, Sat 10:00-23:00, Sun 10:00-22:00 €5 (12 min); www.spaceworld.sk Paintball  Mierová kolónia 7 km (14 min) u Vihorlatská v 58 Å +421 (0)902 347-315 www.bratislavapaintball.sk a booking necessary €8 Rafting Even though the jump will certainly increase the adrenalin pumping around your body, you won’t even get wet. The same cannot be said of the experiences on offer at Čunovo, Slovakia’s paradise for water sports, where visitors are invited to paddle their way down a number of courses of rapids. The area known as Divoká Voda was established in 1995 and since then it has hosted numerous prestigious Euro- pean and world canoeing and kayaking events. No other place in Slovakia offers you a better rafting ride than Čunovo, but newcomers are as welcome as the experienced. One-hour raft trips are available with five other people and an instructor. “It begins peacefully, but suddenly water drags you in like a sink and there is no way back,” said Slavo Mrug, a 23-year-old student from Stará Ľubovňa, who experienced the power of waves in Čunovo. “If somebody makes a mistake, the raft starts turning around, it rolls down the bank backwards and you do not know whether you will bump into a rock, or capsize or fall from the boat. That’s why you have to follow the direc- tions of the instructor and paddle the way he navigates you.” Rafting demands humility from its participants and respect for all the safety rules. “Every instructor takes responsibility for his crew and therefore it is essential that everyone follows the instructions,” said Martin Janata, 19, a student at the Business Academy in Bratislava, who also works as a rafting instructor. “Sometimes there are visitors who ignore the rules, thinking that nothing can hap- pen to them. But they soon realise how important it is when they are hit by the first wave. They not only see but also feel the strength of the water’s flow.” Onthe river “For waterskiing, water scooters, kneeboarding and other extreme rides we take tourists from Eurovea or several different places on the Danube river,” said Jaromír Minařík from Hot Chilli lode company, who owns several boats and other equipment he uses for water attractions in Bratislava. Speedboat rides are one of the most popular excursions. During the trip visitors can enjoy the view from the river of Devín Castle, the historical centre, bridges as well as quiet areas with houseboats which are among visitors the most popular even though the ride is slower there. “During the trip we usually stop in Marina café where we can stay in touch with water,” Minařík said. Water attractions are available in Čilistov. The group usually pay for the speedboat rental and all other equip- ments well as special neoprene clothing and life jackets. Inabubble Not far from Divoká Voda is another centre of extreme and unusual sports: Action Park, which offers the visitors also the chance to try “zorbing”–roughly the equivalent of standing in a giant bubble and running down a hill. “I got into the ball and was strapped in and was suddenly overwhelmed by fear,” said Veronika Bugajová, a 19-year- old student from Martin. “But I realised that there was no way to back down. The ball was pushed and rolled down the hill and I felt like I was in a washing machine… I came out with my feet sore, like after a long night partying.” Escape games For brave spirits it may be interesting to play interactive “escape” games in which small teams must solve thematic tasks in order to get out. One of the most known games, mainly in Japan, China and the United States, is Izba č. 13 (Room Thirteen), situated in a crime scene with lots of brain-teasers and logical story lines. “One third of our customers are coming from abroad,” Lucia Pšenicová from Izba č. 13 said. In addition, visitors can enjoy also other escape games such as BrainTease- Lava with theme of the communist ŠtB secret service and City Game, funny EscapeRoom.sk rooms or Paniq Room’s Secrets of Da Vinci focused on finding the Holy Grail. The Team Up park, gives teams twenty tasks testing their physical strength, mental endurance, logical thinking, communication skills and team spirit. -KarinaMiartanová- Zorbing gives you the feeling of being in a washing machine Photo: Courtesy of Action Park

70 bratislava: THE danube 1 Prístav (Port)  Fajnorovo nábrežie 2; map D 4  1.6 km (19 min)  2.1 km (3 min) u Nám. Ľ. Štúra v 11, 13, 14 Å +421 (0)2 5293-2226 www. twincityliner.com, www.lod.sk aMon-Sun 9:00-12:00, 12:30-16:00 Regular cruises by hydrofoil express boats (Bratislava – Vienna); Sightseeing Cruises: (Devín Castle, Bratislava Round Trip, Čunovo Dam, Danu- biana Muelensteen Art Museum in Čunovo) €20 (regular cruises), from €7 (sightseeing cruises) åWC 49 River Park New development with several restaurants directly on river bank  page: 29 51 UFO restaurant  page: 30 56 Eurovea New development with several restaurants directly on river bank  page: 30 D1 Botel Marina www.botelmarina.sk  Nábrežie arm. gen. L. Svobodu; map B 4 Å +421 (0)2 5464-1805 D2 Botel Gracia www.botelgracia.sk  Rázusovo nábrežie; map C 4 Å +421 (0)2 5443-2132 D3 River’s Club www.riversclub.sk  Tyršovo nábrežie; map C 4 Å+421 (0)911 277-377 D4 Au Cafe, www.au-cafe.sk  Tyršovo nábrežie; map C 4 Å +421 (0)2 6252-0355 D5 Magio Beach  Tyršovo nábrežie; map C 4  2km (24 min) u Sad Janka Kráľa or Auparkv 1,3 or 50, 80, 83, 84, 88, 91, 93, 94, 191 a Jun-Sep å WC D6 LOĎ - Divadlo v podpalubí (Boat Theatre) Tyršovo nábrežie;mapC4®Å +421(0)903449-650WC www.lodteatro.sk The Danube is not an ordinary river: its power has become a symbol for Slovakia and its influence stretches across Europe. It is the only river in the world to con- nect four capital cities: Vienna, Bratis- lava, Budapest and Belgrade, and it has formed the border between countries many times throughout history. The Danube was first used as a border in the 1st century, as part of the Limes Romanus protecting the Roman Empire from barbaric Germanic tribes. Nowadays it divides nation from nation: Romania from Bulgaria; Croatia from Serbia. It also creates a firm, natural border between Slovakia and Hungary, where the areas surrounding its banks have typically been fraught with nationalistic tensions. However, the river itself, in its strength and beauty, is more a source for harmony than tension. “I am a very introverted person, but when I sit near the Danube, I think of everything but me and wonder how peaceful it is when civilisation meets nature,” said Lucy Wright, 22, a university student from Brighton, who has made a spot near the Danube her favourite place in the city. Civilisation has met the river a few times in the past, but what may be a whole lifetime for a human is but a slight moment for the Danube. Its deep waters hide countless secrets, where measurements are made on a different scale. For half a million years, the largest river island in Europe, Žitný Ostrov, has been entirely consumed within the river’s breadth, a direct legacy of the sea that once covered this area. There is also an invisible process happening all the time under the island, which stretches more than 80km from Bratislava to the area of Komárno. According to Peter Malík, the head of the Department of Hydrogeology and Geothermal Energy at the State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, “the island is sinking, because of the constant movement of the earth’s crust. Therefore it is losing stability and creates gaps, which the river fills up with gravel. This process is actually loud and if you decide to paddle in the river and stay quiet for a while, you will hear the stones rolling under the water”. Faces of the Danube A view of the city from the Old Bridge during flooding in June 2013 49 D1 51 D4 D2 D3 D5 D6 D7 56 1

bratislava: THE danube 71 D7 Dunajský pivovar www.dunajskypivovar.sk  Tyršovo nábrežie; map D 4  +421 (0)948 418-934 98 Divoká voda  pg. 68-69 99 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum  page: 39 Mark Twain Pub page:74Karloveské rameno4.1km(6min) uBotanickáv4,5,6,9, 28,29,32asummerseason 14:00-24:00 RIVER CRUISES Hot Chilli Boats www.prenajom-lodi.sk  start of a ride based on agree- ment  +421 (0)910 312-399 from €110 per hour SpeedBoats.sk +421 (0)903 610 716  start of a ride based on agreement from €180 (for team); www.speedboats.sk Extremerides page: 68-69 Malý Dunaj Inland waterway www.maly-dunaj.sk Å +421(0)907799-663 from€8(rentingprice forcanoe)€1(paddle) Bird watching www.watching.sk Å+421 (0)948 495-111de- pending on program Cycling  page: 96-97 The river carries 100 kg of stones per second under the island. There is 10 m of gravel under the centre of Bratislava, 150 m under Čunovo and up to 500 m in Gabčíkovo, which lies approximately 52 km from Bratislava. Gravel is a great storage place for water. About 8,000 litres per second get lost under the ground of Bratislava, which then flow under the island and appear on the surface again near the town of Kolárovo. The underground river runs for 98km. “If you dug deep enough anywhere on Žitný Ostrov, you would find drinking water,” Malík said. The island is the largest reservoir of water around the Danube: 25,000 litres of drinking water per second circulate underground, with only 4,500 litres ever used. But the Danube is not only a salvation; it can also be a threat. Under the rule of Maria Theresa, in the 18th century, engineers changed the river’s course, building dams and embankments and attempting to push Europe’s largest inland river delta underground. In the past, the river started to divide in Hainburg, but there are only a few of the branches left today. It means that the pressure of 10,000 litres of water remains under the island, occasionally rising dramatically to the surface. Many of the significant floods caused by the Danube can be attributed to its deep underwater life. The most famous came in 1850 when the whole of Bratislava was flooded by water and ice floes. An attentive visitor will no doubt notice the signs on some old city buildings, which indicate how high the water rose on the precise date of February 5, 1850. The most prominent can be found on the corner of the Primate’s Palace or on the Old Town Hall. The Danube not only provides drinking water to the people of Bratislava, but it also offers residents many leisure-time opportunities. Very popular are romantic rides on boats with special views of the city, bridges or even Devín Castle. The majority of people living near the river make good use of its beaches, which are, of course, not white sanded and massed with tourists, but intimate, secluded and enjoyable. These tranquil spots can be found along the river’s length, and its banks also provide cycling paths, great fishing opportunities and hiking routes. It is also possible to explore the river or one of its branches (the most popular is Malý Dunaj) either in small kayaks or canoes. Less active visitors may also appreciate the possibilities to hop on a bigger boat and head off for Vienna. You can see the Slovak and Austrian capitals while never leaving the beautiful surrounds of the Danube itself.   -TimeaBecková- The Danube can be also dangerous – the line shows how high its waters rose in Bratislava on Feb 5, 1850 Paddling down the Malý Dunaj Danubiana is located on a man- -made peninsula on the Danube Photo: Courtesy of Danubiana

72 bratislava: PARKS, GARDENS AND LAKES Gardens: 65 Prezidentská (Grasalkovičova) záhrada  Štefánikova/Banskobystrická; map C 2  1 km (12 min) u Hodžovo námestie v 83, 84, 93, 147, 184, 203, 207, 208, 212 aOct-Mar:Mon-Sun 10:00-19:00;Apr-May:Mon-Sun 10:00-20:00;Jun-Sep:Mon-Sun 8:00-22:00free 71 Medická záhrada  Ul. 29. augusta/Špitálska; map D, E 2  1.2 km (14 min)  2.1 km (5 min) u Mariánska v 4, 9 a Apr-Sep 7:00-21:00, Oct-Mar 10:00-18:00free 82 Botanical Garden  Botanická 9 (near Student dormitory Družba); map F 4  4.1 km (6 min) u Botanická záhrada v 4, 5, 6, 9, 28, 29, 32 Å +421 (0)2 6542-1311 a Apr-Oct 9:00-18:00 €3 åWC Parks: 53 Sad Janka Kráľa  Viedenská cesta/Einsteinova; map C 4  1.4 km (17 min) 3.5 km (4 min) u Sad Janka Kráľa v 1, 3 a non-stopfreeå 79 Horský park  Bohúňova/Búdková cesta map A,B 1  2.4 km (34 min)  2.6 km (5 min) u Horský park v 207 a non-stopfreeå 84 Železná studienka  page: 37 Bratislava has suffered at the hands of ruthless investors and developers over the years - not least the communist government - who not only changed the face of the city by modifying and constructing buildings, but also ruined playgrounds and removed greenery. It is remarkable, therefore, that so many of Bratislava’s parks and woods have been preserved to this day. Some visitors are still suprised that the city has also a cablecar which operates between Koliba and Železná Studienka areas. There are still numerous choices of whether to spend free time in an oasis of peace and quiet situated in city centre or completely surrounded by the forests, lakes and streams outside the metropo- lis. According to official city sources, 4,000 hectares of the city’s total area is green. And if that is still not enough, there’s always the white-water canal too. Gardens Inside the city centre, only about 500m from Kamenné Square, is the well-kept Medická záhrada (garden), a popular place among young Bratislavans, who flock there when the sun shines. Some just sit on benches or on the ground; others play football, badminton or fris- bee. The other main garden in the city centre is Prezidentská záhrada (garden), a park just behind the Grassalkovich Palace, home of Slovakia’s president. The trees lining the eastern fence were all planted by foreign politicians during their stays in Bratislava. The garden features benches, statues and a fountain, while the lawns can be used for sports (if the keeper is in a good mood). The Botanical Garden of Comenius University provides a similar refuge from hurried city life. Visitors can admire a huge variety of plant species in outside landscapes, as well as in greenhouses. The garden used to be primarily a research centre for Comenius University, but in the course of time it has become a park to be enjoyed by the general public too. Parks The Sad Janka Kráľa, established in 1774-76 as one of the first public parks in central Europe, is located just across the Danube from Bratislava’s historical centre. Many visitors of the nearby Aupark Shopping Centre stop to relax there. One interesting attraction is the surviving part of a gothic tower. It was moved here from the Franciscan Let’s take a break in the city Having fun in the Prezidentská záhrada (garden) Bratislava offers several green places

bratislava: PARKS, GARDENS AND LAKES 73 85 Koliba - Kamzík (TV Tower and park)  page: 38 Lakes and swimming: 89 Kuchajda  Vajnorská/Tomášikova; map F 4 5.8 km (12 min) u Polus City Center v 2, 4, 50, 51, 98a Apr 7:30-21:30; May-Sep 6:00-22:30; Oct-Mar 7:00-20:30free å 90 Zlaté Piesky (lake)  page: 38 95 Veľký Draždiak (lake)  Tematínska/Antolská; map F 4 7.3 km (12 min)u Šintav- ská v 68, 83, 92, 95, 99, 192 a non-stopfreeå TheSadJankaKráľawasthe firstpublicparkincentralEurope A cableway connects TV Tower Kamzík with the lower-down former hotel, Snežienka in Železná Studienka area Horský park holds an open-air gallery Zlaté Piesky (lake) offers bathing, water-skiing and other water attractions Church, located in the historical centre, which was partly destroyed by an earthquake in 1897. The park runs all the way to a river bank area called Tyršovo nábrežie where several bars and restaurants are located including a couple that are actually on boats. Between May and September, the popular Magio Beach offers fun, playgrounds and more bars. An even more peaceful option is Horský park, a piece of unspoilt nature on a hill that separates the Old Town from the western districts. Horský Park, which can be translated as “Mountain Park”, has its very own atmosphere. Despite its proximity to the city, visitors can breathe clean air, get lost in the forest or relax on numerous wooden benches that are spread all over the area. There is an open-air gallery and a cosy café beside the main entrance, which are popular meeting places. The park is an approximate 30-minute walk along Hlboká Street (map B, C 1) from the city centre, close to the Slavín memorial. On the way down, it is possible to explore the streets around Slavín, which are among the most prestigious addresses in the city. “I like that there are forests right around the city and it is really easy to get up in to the woods and get away from the city life here,” said Paul Mc- Cullough, an American who moved to Bratislava more than 20 years ago. Koliba is an extremely popular area, with several snack bars sat atop a slope used for bobsleigh in summer and skiing in winter. The area is dominated by the highest structure in Bratislava, the TV Tower, with an observation deck and restaurant. Paths and trails for hiking and biking lead all over the area, while a cableway connects upper Koliba with the lower-down former hotel, Snežienka in Železná Studienka area. The western passage to the marvel- lous area of the city’s forests is called Železná Studienka. Passing under the red steel railway bridge, visitors are greeted by a big playground, including fields for football, volleyball, basket- ball, pétanque and table tennis. There is also an old amphitheatre with a café and toilets, offering another place to sit and enjoy the beautiful scenery. However, it would be pity not to go further into the forest. The lakes and zigzagging pathways with restaurants in reconstructed old mills are just waiting to be discovered. The trails lead deeper into the forest, some connecting to nearby Koliba. Popular is also the 4.5-hour hike to the ruins of the castle Pajštún. Lakes and swimming Slovakia may be a landlocked country, but its residents have learned to make the most of its plentiful lakes, even in the heart of the city. Bratislava’s biggest lake is Zlaté Piesky, near to the airport, which offers the chance to water-ski and/or bathe naked at an unofficial nudists’ beach on the eastern shore. (There is a fee for entry to the lake.) The closest lake to the city centre is Kuchajda, near to the Polus City Centre, which also offers various sporting activities and water bikes. Other options for swimmers include Veľký Draždiak in Petržalka, Vajnorské jazero in Vajnory and Rusovské jazero in Rusovce. There are also numerous wellness centres and swimming pools open to the public, including Hotel Nivy (www.hotelnivy. sk), Golem Club and a wellness centre in the Central Shopping Centre (www. central.sk/en).  -IvanBelko- 53 95 79 82 65 71 89 90 84 85

74 bratislava: THE UNUSUAL 19OldMarketHallpage:18 74 YMCA  Karpatská 2; map D 1  1.8 km (22 min) 2.4 km (6 min) u Karpatská v 61, 64, 74, 201, 204, 209, 210 www.majestic.sk 80a Sandberg  page: 37 95 Veľký Draždiak (lake)  Tematínska 6 km (9 min)u Strečnianska v 68, 83, 92, 94, 95, 192   Mark Twain Club  Botanická 9 (near Student dormitory Družba) 4.1 km (6 min) u Botanická záhrada v 4, 5, 6, 9, 28, 29, 32 Marketplace on Žilinská Street  Žilinská; map D 1  1.6 km (19 min) 2 km (5 min) u Žilinská v 1,2 a Mon-Sat 7:00-12:00 Palisády  Palisády/Kozia/Panenská/ Zochova; map C,B 2; B 3  0.9 km (5 min) å Cemetery on Šulekova Street (Cintorín Kozia brána)  Šulekova 1; map B 2  1.3 km (8 min) u Kozia v 147, 203, 208a Oct-Feb 7:00-17:00; Mar-Sep 7:00-20:00 Kochova záhrada  Partizánska 27; map A 2; A 3  1.3 km (20 min) 1.4 km (4 min) u Partizánska v 203, 207a exterior views only Statue of a UFO  Bieloruská, Medzijarky  12 km (15 min) u Stavbárska v 78, 87 How about you slow down and take a look at Bratislava on a more authentic level? You can eat fried fish at sunset on the Danube or swim in a lake in the middle of Petržalka’s tower blocks. You can hang out with Bratislava’s answer to Charles Bukowski, or join the aliens that once landed in the city. You may think you have seen all that this place has to offer, but there is much, much more than meets the eye. Bratislava is full of strange little won- ders not listed in the tourist guidebooks. Some may call this a guide to “alterna- tive Bratislava”, but for others, this is the page that will keep them sane and alive. Closetothe river Bratislavans love rivers and one of the best places you can go to get close enough to touch the Danube is the Mark Twain Club, a charming old anchored boat, like the one Huckleberry Finn might sail down the Mississippi, which was converted into a pub more than 20 years ago. The Mark Twain is situated in a small bay near the Canoe Club (Kanoi- stický Klub Karlova Ves) and provides not only a magical view, but also occasional guitar players picking out the blues as well a barbeque on which you can cook delicacies of your choice. It is well off the beaten track, but as rowers drift by, to the soundtrack of singing birds, it is well worth the trouble to seek it out. “It’s a place out of time,” said Barbara Lamoot, a 45-year-old artist. There is a slightly different water experience to be next to the shipyard of Lodenica Vlčie hrdlo, where there is a seafood canteen in the quiet, industrial bay, surrounded by retired houseboats and old ferries. Although it may sound unap- pealing, it is a remarkably popular and unusual place to take a deep breath after a hard working day. When ordering food in the canteen, you will be given a number, which will be called by microphone when the food is ready. It is the perfect motivation to learn to count in Slovak, or else you might end up hungry. (To find this place, it’s not the time to be brave: take a taxi.) Another perfect spot from which to take a moment to admire the surround- ings is at Sandberg (literally a sandy hill), at the end of Slovinec Street in Devínska Nová Ves. Years ago, this area, which is now close to the Morava River and the border with Austria, was all un- der water: fossils have been found here dating from 14 million years ago, as well as fragments of whale bone. Some parts of the area are highly protected and entry is restricted, but it is a charming place surrounded by irises and colourful birds reminiscent of parrots. Wandering aroundthe city It is slightly more urban in the area of Palisády. You are free here to get lost along the streets, discovering its romantic old villas and more functional modern buildings. There is also an old cemetery on Šulekova Street and the famous Ko- chova záhrada (garden), Alternative Bratislava Tourist Information Centre offers Secret door to Bratislava guide, with tips for hidden places in the capital Mark Twain Club

bratislava: THE UNUSUAL 75 Fresh Market  Rožňavská 1A 7 km (13 min) www.freshmarket.sk aMon-Fri 7:00–19:00, Sat 7:00–14:00, Sun: closed u Trnavská, ŽST Nové Mesto or Haburská Kop Saloon Pub  Kollárovo námestie; map D 2 Bistro Vanesa Pub  Nedbalova; map C 3 (c 4) Prašná bašta restaurant  Zámočnícka 11; map C 3 (c 1) Å +421 (0)2 5443-4957 www.prasnabasta.sk Verne restaurant  Hviezdoslavovo námestie 18 map C 4 Å +421 (0)2 5443-0514 VEGETARIAN Balans Bistro  Živnostenská 2; map D 2 City Vegetarian  Obchodná 58; map C 3 (c 2) Å +421 (0)2 5273-1381 Góvinda  Obchodná 30; map C 3 (c 2) www.govinda.sk Made eith Laf  Dunajská 34; map D 3 Veg Life (www.veglife.sk)  Mickiewiczova 18; map D 2 Veggie (www.veggie.sk)  Obchodná 66; map C 3 (c 2) RAW FOOD Bemba  OD Slimák, Hálkova 1  www.restauraciabemba.sk GLUTEN FREE Sole Mio  Grösslingova 31; map D 3 www.solemiopizza.sk Pizza Mizza  Tobrucká 5; map D 4 www.pizzamizza.sk Funki Punki  Klariská 12; map C 3 (c 3) Å +421 (0)2 2102-8881 which however can be admired only through a fence. If you then cross the SNP Bridge on foot, you will be in the middle of Petržalka, the biggest housing project in central Europe and hardly a place renowned for its tourism appeal. But you can swim here in Draždiak lake and know that your experiences from a visit to Bratislava are considerably more than typical. If, through all this, you still feel a little out of place, then take a moment to hang out with fellow alien beings: there is a statue of a UFO in the middle of Bieloruská Street in Medzijarky. Its somewhat run-down condition suggests what might happen to any poor aliens landing on this predatory planet. Food foraliens Even aliens have to eat sometimes, however, and vegetarians or gluten-free eaters, behold! It is possible for you to find suitable food in Bratislava. The chef at the Beer Palace on Gorkého Street comes from the famous veg- etarian restaurant Vegetka, the only Bratislava restaurant at which people were willing to queue for half an hour just to get lunch. There are two other vegetarian options on Obchodná Street–Góvinda and City Vegetarian restaurant–plus Veg Life on nearby Mickiewicova Street. Various gluten-free choices can be also found in the pizza restaurants Sole Mio and Pizza Mizza and, in case of emergency, at fast food outlets in Mariánska Street. You can also get a buckwheat pancake at Funki Punki pancake house. You can also find a tasty and affordable dinner on the terrace of Prašná bašta and at Verne restaurant, although it’s not necessarily gluten free. If you are lucky you can join a seasonal vegan feast on Nám. Slobody (square), where people come and share their homemade vegan food. Alternatively, Fresh Market is an interesting option. On two storeys, it houses gastronomic premises (includ- ing vegetarian ones), cafés, shops, a children’s corner and stalls with local fresh foodstuff, flowers, meat and baked goods. Every Saturday morning you can buy also fresh vegetables from local farmers at the marketplace on Žilinská street or in Old Market Hall at SNP square. There is also the seasonal open-air market Dobrý trh (Good Fair) in Panenská Street or Jakubovo námestie, which offers a mixture of bio food, designer products, antiques and a street art programme. Surprising places After night falls, Bratislava comes alive and few places offer as much diversity as the old YMCA building on the corner of Šancová and Karpatská Streets. According to Peter Wilfling, 38, an advocacy and human rights lawyer: “It contains six pubs and clubs mixing together punks, metallers, hipsters and lost souls…It is Bratislava, Boulevard Montparnasse and Camden Town all in one.” Similar brave and lonesome hearts– who may find themselves more at home with Charles Bukowski than in posh, soulless bars–can find in Bratislava the kind of retro, low-cost pubs that feel as though they will collapse when their last regular leaves for the night. According to Wilfling, the Kop saloon pub, on the corner of Kollárovo námestie and Živnostenská street, is: “a small bizzare place with walls covered by old musical instruments, paintings of naked lesbian vampires, commu- nistic icons, the armour of Roman legionnaires and idyllic countryside drawings.” There is also an anatomically ac- curate statue of a naked female torso, leaving little to the imagination, and air is thick with clouds of smoke from the old barflies, all behind a sign reading “Módny salón”, or “fashion salon” on the front wall. Maybe also try Bistro Vanesa, which also hosts small exhibi- tions and occasional improvised musi- cal recitals, all beneath an extraordinary old-fashioned ceiling. “For me its a piece of old Bratislava,” said Hela Boldišová, 30, a coordinator of a dance group, of Bistro Vanesa. “It is an authentic pub with good quality beer, for a good price, in the centre of the town with a pleasantly severe barmaid and underrated artists as guests.” - Sandra Tordová - DraždiakinPetržalkaoffersoneoftheunusualbathing opportunities

76 bratislava: dining F0 Liviano  Kutlíkova 17 Å +421 (0)2 6828-6688 www.liviano.sk F1 Fou Zoo  Ševčenkova 34 Å +421 (0)901 747-474 www.fouzoo.sk F2 Leberfinger  Viedenská cesta 257; map C 4 Å +421 (0)2 6231-7590 www.leberfinger.sk F3 UFO watch.taste.groove  Most SNP; map B 4 Å +421 (0)2 6252-0300 www.u-f-o.sk F5 Reštaurácia Riverbank  Dvořákovo nábr. 6; map A 3 Å +421 (0)2 3223-8611 www.riverbank.sk F5 Savoy Restaurant  Hviezdoslavovo námestie 3 (Hotel Carlton); map C 4  +421 (0)2 5939-0400 www.savoyrestaurant.sk F6 Gatto Matto Ristorante  Panská 17; map C 3 (c 4) Å +421 (0)2 5443-8408 www.gattomatto.sk F7 Laboratoire  Laurinská 1; map C 3 (c 4)  +421 (0)918 439-005 www.mondieu.sk F8 Bratislava Flag Ship  Nám. SNP 8; map C 3 (c 2) Å +421 (0)917 927-673 www.bratislavskarestauracia.sk F9 Pulitzer  Župné nám. 7; map C 3 (c 1)  +421 (0)948 116-316 www.pulitzer.sk F10Zelený Rodrigéz  Zámocká 36; map B 3  +421 (0)905 218-569 More information about restaurants in Bratislava: N page: 104 Thewide andvaried tastes of Bratislava Although there are some varieties of wine that can be called typical to Bratislava, the same cannot necessarily be said about the city’s cuisine. But this is not cause for regret. Instead, because of Bratislava’s location close to borders and along significant ancient trade routes, food in the region displays influences from across Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria as well as more remote corners of the world. This remains true in modern times, when Bratislava has not escaped globalisation. Nowadays all the major fast food chains can be found here, as well as countless Italian, Greek, Chinese and Indian restaurants, and some high-end, swanky eateries too. The fierce competition from global brands has also prompted a reaction among local foodies keen to ensure Slovak recipes continue to be cooked in the city. There are now a number of history books about local cuisine by a writer named Vladimír Tomčík, plus cook books containing historical recipes, including a popular series by Silvia Pilková. Similarly a few restaurants in Bratislava have elevated traditional, local cooking to top-end restaurant standard. Try Leberfinger on the Petržalka bank of the Danube, for instance, which dates from the second half of the 18th century. Savoy Restaurant, in Carlton hotel in the city centre, is another favourite. It focuses on modern gastronomy, but draws an influence from Slovak and central-European cuisine. There are also a reliable smattering of cheaper restaurants, popular with locals, that offer a vibrant atmosphere and good food. Try Verne, opposite the US Embassy, or the Slovak Pub, or Bratislava Flag Ship. Fancy restaurants As the richest city in Slovakia, it is only to be expected that Bratislava offers a number of fancy restaurants that regularly top national lists for both cuisine and service, compiled by the economic weekly Trend. The restaurant at the top of the SNP Bridge over the Danube – UFO watch.taste.groove, to give it its full (but very infrequently used) name – is certainly the restaurant with the most attractive location in the city, and it also offers acclaimed cuisine to complement its spectacular 360° views over Bratislava. However, Petržalka’s Fou Zoo, which also rides high in the lists and combines Asian and European cuisine, is proof that location is not everything. Likewise Liviano, a restaurant sitting in the high-rise office building in Petržalka, was recently named among the 101 best restaurants in Europe. Gatto Matto, Bistro Soho or Zelený Rodrigez have some of the best rankings on TripAdvisor. Bratislava pastry In the inter-war period, Bratislava used to have a strong café tradition, F0 F1 F4 F3 F2 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 The restaurant UFO watch.taste.groove has one of the most attractive locations in the city, with a 360 degree view

bratislava: dining 77 Bratislava traditional pastry www.fantastico.biz F.X.MesserschmidtCaféNpg:78 Zeppelin Café N page: 79 FOOD EVENTS Winter Food Festival Bratislava (Jan), www.zimnyfestivaljedla.sk Street food park - every month in front of Old Market Hall (SNP Square) Days of asparagus (Apr/May) Slovak Food Festival at Bratislava Castle (May/Jun) www.slovakfoodfestival.sk Gurmán Fest Bratislava (Jun), www.gurmanfestbratislava.sk Goose feast (Sep-Nov) several restaurants in Bratislava offer special goose menu (in village Slovenský Grob goose menu is served all year) Vegan festival Bratislava (Sep), www.veganskehody.sk Christmas market (Nov-Dec) SIX USEFUL TIPS FOR RESTAU- RANTS 1. When ordering drinks, remember that Slovaks count beginning with the thumb (1), then the thumb and index finger (2), and so on. If you raise your index finger to signify one beer, you may end up with a confused waiter bringing two. 2. ‘Na zdravie’ is equivalent to the English ‘cheers’, literally meaning ‘to health’. Before the first round, you are expected to clink glasses (štrngnúť) – at which point remember to make eye contact with your fellow clinker, and don’t cross the path of two other clinkers. After the first round, it’s no longer necessary to štrngnúť. 3. On weekdays between about 11:00 and 14:00 many restaurants offer a daily menu (denné menu) with two or three alternative dishes (soup and main course). The price is usually between €4 and €5. 4. If you’re a vegetarian be careful what you order. Even apparently innocuous dishes like cabbage soup tend to come with chunks of pork sausage bobbing around in them. 5. It’s not always service with a smile. Don’t take offence if your waiter or waitress fails to smile; it’s not personal. Customer service in many places in Slovakia hasn’t reached the levels it has in top tourist destinations. 6. There is no strict rule about tipping in Slovakia. Some Slovaks only round up the bill; others calculate tips as 10 percent of the total. Pivnica u Zlatej Husi  Pezinská 2, Slovenský Grob Å +421 (0)905 525-417 www.zlatahus.sk which it has been gradually re- gaining in the post-communist era. The local speciality is Bratislavský rožok, a fine, crescent-shaped pastry with filling made from poppyseed or walnuts, which is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee. After a five-year process and negotiations with Hungary and Austria (who were also part of the Habsburg empire when Bratislavský rožok became world known) it earned its “traditional speciality guaranteed” (TSG) seal from the EU in 2012. Pastries are available for example in Zepellin or F. X. Messerschmidt cafés. Company FantastiCo is one of the best known producers. Austria and Hungary have their own variations of the pastry: the Pressburger Kipfel and Pozsonyi kifli. Goose fests Back in the days when Bratislava was known as Pressburg, residents of the city would often find fish from the Danube on their tables. But the tradition has sadly not survived. Rejoice, then, for Slovenský Grob, a small village just outside Bratislava, in which a long tradition for roast goose has endured and which was not interrupted even by the communist regime. During autumn goose is an integral part of the seasonal menu. Roast goose or husacina is served with lokše (potato pancakes covered with goose fat), and often with goose liver as an entrée. The tradition of goose roasting in Slovenský Grob dates back more than 100 years and nowadays there are several venues scattered in the tiny village. Originally roast goose could be eaten only during the traditional season lasting from September until December, but now husacina can be enjoyed throughout the whole year – assuming you can get a table. These are mostly small family businesses with limited space offering a cosy, casual and rustic atmosphere. (One of the exceptions is the larger and better known Pivnica u Zlatej Husi.) Gourmet festivals During the summer, Bratislava and the surrounding areas host various food festivals, which are often worth exploring for the combination of both cuisine and culture. For instance, the zabíjačka festival (which translated literally means the “pig killing”) offers some good traditional specialties. Meanwhile, the best restaurants in the region will often attend the gourmet festival in Sad Janka Kráľa (park) or the Slovak Food Festival in Bratislava Castle. In the autumn, the wine- making districts of Bratislava hold “vinobranie”, the name given to festivities marking the end of the grape harvest. These offer an excellent opportunity to taste burčiak, fermented grape juice, a specialty served only in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria. - Jana Liptáková - The goose roasting tradition in Slovenský Grob - numerous venues cook and sell the local specialty

78 bratislava: cafés Cafés in the city centre Axioma  Lazaretská 8; map D 3 Å +421 (0)2 5249-9925 Bistro St. Germain  Rajská 7; map D 3 www.stgermain.sk Dobre&Dobré  Nedbalova 13; map C 3 (c 4)  +421 (0)905 136-110 www.facebook.com/cafedobre Foxford; www.foxford.sk  Obchodná 26; map C 3 (c 2)  +421 (0)905 914-739 F. X. Messerschmidt Café  Nám. SNP 8; map C3 (c 2)  +421 (0)905 237-054 www.messerschmidt.sk Greentree; www.greentreecaffe.sk  Ventúrska 20; map C 3 (c 3)  Štúrova 4; map D 3  Obchodná 29; map C 3 (c 2) KAFEHAUS; www.kafehaus.sk  Palackého 6; map C 4  Špitálska 4; map D 3 Kaffee Mayer www.kaffeemayer.sk  Hlavné námestie 4; map C 3 (c 4) Å +421 (0)2 5441-1741 La Putika; www.laputika.sk  Klobučnícka 4; map C 3 (c 4) Å +421 (0)911 610-743  Panská 12; map C 3 (c 3) Å +421 (0)901 709-079 Acoffee revolution takes hold The function suite of the Hotel Sheraton seemed to be filled with nothing but coffee. Its smell filled the air and it was the subject of every conversation among each of the groups of people, who were holding samples named like “crèma passion” in cardboard, “to-go” cups. This was the first “Coffee Fest” in Bratislava, where organisers had expected a small turnout of coffee afficionados but were instead inundated by hundreds of coffee fans, who came in their droves to enjoy professionally-prepared espresso, cappuccino or latte, and to prove that the global passion for the black stuff has made it to Slovakia. “Slovaks have cared for the coffee quality much more since they started to travel all around the world,” said Slovakia’s leading coffee expert, Michal Šturc. They also enjoy it in great quantity, at least if Coffee Fest was anything to go by. The coffee phenomenon in Bratislava is best represented by the increasing number of coffee shops opening up across the city. But it is not only a modern thing as the city has a long, coffee-centred tradition. By 1918, Bratislava was considered by many to resemble a suburb of Vienna, from where it had acquired a trend for cosy coffee- houses. According to Imrich Sečanský’s book Memories and Professions of a Doctor, after the First World War, coffee houses became the kind of place where business contracts were signed, chess was played, artists and journalists met to gossip and exchange ideas. They moulded the soul of the city. Only the communists could end the thriving sub-culture, and their fears of the intellectual classes resulted in the forced closure of all the famous coffee houses. Sečanský feared that the tradition would never return, but thanks to the opening of Europe’s borders, coffee started making a comeback in Bratislava. Whereto go These days, the city’s coffee shops offer significantly more than just the core product: they sell cakes, confectionery and alcoholic drinks, and are meeting places for students, tourists and office workers. To help homeless people get back from the street to normal life is the main goal of the project of the café Dobre&Dobré, which resides in the Old Market Hall Some of Bratislava’s cafés can also be found inside the bookshops

bratislava: cafés 79 Cafés in the city centre Mondieu (www.mondieu.sk)  Panská 27; map C 3 (c 3) Å +421 (0)905 063-507  Laurinská 7; map C 3 (c 4) Å +421 (0)905 063-508 Štúr Café (www.sturcafe.sk)  Obchodná 17; map C 3 (c 2)  +421 (0)919 271-625  Štúrova 8; map D 3  +421 (0)919 271-854  Štefanovičova 6; map C 1  +421 (0)919 271-848 Urban House  Laurinská 14; map C 3 (c 4)  +421 (0)904 001-021 www.urbanhouse.sk Zeppelin cafe  Sedlárska 10; map C 3 (c 3)  +421 (0)911 110-287 www.zeppelincafe.sk BEST ICE CREAM Koun  Paulínyho 1; www.koun.sk Luculus  Hviezdoslavovo námestie 25 café café Cremeria Milano  Eurovea Galleria, Pribinova 8 www.cafecafe-cremeriamilano.sk One such place is Štúr Café, named after 19th-century scholar Ľudovít Štúr. They offer homemade cakes, sandwiches and lemonades. The characteristic feature of the café is that it uses the Slovak language in the form it was used during Štúr’s life. To help homeless people get back from the street to normal life is the main goal of the project of the café Dobre&Dobré, which resides in the Old Market Hall. Some of Bratislava’s cafés can also be found inside the book- shops. One such place is Foxford located in the Martinus store on Ob- chodná Street. The concept comes from abroad where various big as well as small networks of shops work in this way. While there the shop and café are more divided from one another, Martinus tried to unite them into one common space, said its e-shop manager Martin Štrba. Also the Gorila.sk bookshop joined forces with the Urban Space network and opened a mutual space in downtown Bratislava. The idea came from founder of the shop Ján Budaj, and was inspired by similar concepts in New York or London, Ján Laš of Beyond Media company which runs Gorila.sk said. Another small café can be found on Kozia street, in the prem- ises of Artforum bookstore. Axioma café offers along with coffee, beer and wine, used books, which decorate the walls and give the place an intellectual atmosphere. La Putika is a similar chain of cof- fee shops, but with a slightly different character, drawing inspiration from French-style bistros. According to the supervisor Ga- bika Horná, customers appreciate that the coffee shop “has soul”. The owners Patrik Holek and Dušan Novota filled their shops with stylish vintage furniture and decora- tions connected with coffee from the whole world. “I like the whole atmosphere at La Putika,” said a customer named Peter. “You don’t have to be ashamed to get a beer or wine even though it’s not a pub.” Indeed, La Putika is renowned for its selection of Belgian beers and wines from Slovakia and Chile. Its chic interior also appeals to students. “I meet my schoolmates and friends from drama groups here,” said Dominika, a student at Comenius University. “When people visit Brati- slava and have no idea where to go, I definitely take them to Putika.” Coffee beans For some, the coffee itself is of sec- ondary importance, but for the real connoisseurs, it is all that matters. “Coffee houses are primarily about coffee,” said Šturc. “And quality coffee means 100 percent Arabica espresso of high-grade, professionally roasted and prepared.” Slovak taste-buds are gradually being refined after years of enforced abstinence from the highest quality fla- vours. During the communist period, Slovak people had no idea of the differ- ences between types of coffee and got used to drinking a strong, dark Turkish-style coffee because it was the only one available in the Eastern Bloc. According to Coffee Culture Academy, there are two main species of coffee beans: Robusta and Arabica. But most of Bratislava’s coffee shops offer blend coffee, which is a mixture of both. Štúr also offers their own fairtrade coffee called “1843”, after the year in which Štúr first codified the language. Meanwhile La Putika serves Mauro coffee or Bristot.  Kristína Hamárová - La Putika drew inspiration from French style bistros and visitors appreciate its soulful appearance

80 bratislava: wine BRATISLAVA 14 Apponyi’s Palace (Museum of Viticulture + wine tasting) N page: 16 www.nsvsr.sk a Tue-Fri 10:00- 18:00 Sat 11:00-18:00 (booking required) from €4.99 Hotel Matyšák – wine restaurant  Pražská 15, Bratislava www.hotelmatysak.sk Villa Vino Rača www.villavinoraca.sk  Andreja Hlinku 2, Bratislava Å +421 (0)902 896-709 aMon-Thu 9:30-17:00 Fri 9:30-18:00 Sat 9:00-12:00 Vinohradníctvo a vinárstvo Miloš Máťuš (www.vinomatus.sk)  Detvianska 33, Bratislava Å +421 (0)905 202-818 abooking required R17 The Small Carpathian Wine Route (MVC) N page: 90 R21 Pezinok N page: 90  21 km (27 min) The Small Carpathian Museum  M. R. Štefánika 4, Pezinok Å +421 (0)33 641-3347 G www.muzeumpezinok.sk a Apr-Sep Tue-Fri 9:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00 Sat 10:00-17:00 Sun 14:00-17:00 (Oct-Mar Sun closed); wine tasting: booking in advance required from €9 (including wine tasting) e WC R22 Šenkvice  28 km (35 min) Karpatská Perla Šenkvice www.karpatskaperla.sk  Nádražná 57, Šenkvice Å +421 (0)33 649-6855 aTue-Fri 9:00-19:00 R25 Modra N page: 90  27 km (34 min) Villa Modur Modra www.villamodur.sk  Kalinčiakova 35, Modra Å +421 (0)948 252-264 booking required R27 Doľany  54 km (49 min) JM vinárstvo Doľany www.jmvinar.sk  Vinárstvo 445, Doľany Å +421 (0)903 484-030aMon- -Fri 8:00-17:00 Sat 9:00-13:00 Drowning in wine since the 7th century BC There’s a certain irony in the fact that Slovakia is considered among the so- called “new” wine-producing countries of the world. Winemaking in these parts has a proven history dating from the 6th– 7th century BC. Yet the comparatively low awareness of Slovak wines abroad is largely owing to patterns of its consump- tion: almost none makes it beyond the keen wine-drinkers of Slovakia itself. It means that if you want to try Slo- vak wine – and you should –you’ll need to come here to do so. The reputation of Slovak wines has improved markedly in recent years, as indicated by results in international compe- titions. Slovakia also boosted its image as a wine-produc- ing country when it hosted the 20th Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) 2013, a prestigious international wine competition. According to the CMB president Baudouin Havaux, the tasters discovered a region “which is maybe less known but has [a lot] to offer”. He added as he introduced the competition: “I’m very happy that I’m here, because this is not an accident: one of the goals of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is to watch the development of the wine market as well as new trends, and it is obvious that in central Europe, and especially in Slovakia, this develop- ment is very interesting.” Havaux lists Slovakia alongside places like Chile, New Zealand and South Africa as the emerging nations, separate from countries with a tradi- tion of wine production such as Italy, Spain and France. “I think that the time for a new wave, which will balance these two tendencies between traditional coun- tries and the so-called new countries, has arrived,” said Havaux. “We see this development also in central Europe. And Slovakia is a notable example of this development, where the quality of wine is really on a high level and keeps rising.” Slovakia produces about 340,000 hectolitres (hl) of wine (i.e. 34 million litres), of which only 100,000 hl is exported. White wines make up 75 percent of local production. “We here in Slovakia can- not afford to produce cheap, low-quality wines,” said Jaroslava Kaňúchová, executive director of the Grape and Wine Producers of Slovakia (ZVHV). “In this [area], bulk producers beat us. Kaňúchová highlights the importance of new varieties among Slovak wine produc- ers, which are specifically cultivated to exploit the full potential of Slovakia’s climate and soil. The result is a selec- tion of wines that cannot be made anywhere else. “You can taste Chardonnay almost everywhere in the world, but the Devín, Dunaj, and Mília varieties you can taste only here in Slovakia,” said Kaňúchová. “This is how we can establish ourselves in the world. Devín and Dunaj are wines that are also harvesting success in world competitions.” White Devín and blue Dunaj are the most popular Slovak grape varieties among Slovak winegrowers. “These two varieties occur in the portfolio of almost every Slovak winemaker,” told Ľudmila Miškovičová from the Slovak National Collection of Wine. She specified that the white Devín grape, a cross between the Tramín červený (Gewürztraminer) and Veltlínske červenobiele varieties, Slovak wine producers say that they cannot afford to produce cheap and low quality wines here, keeping standards high

bratislava: wine 81 EVENTS January: Day of Svätý Jur cellars Wine tasting for a fee www.terroir.sk/sjvs February: Pezinok wine cellars Wine producers in Pezinok open their cellars for public; www.pvp.sk April: Vitis Aurera in Modra International exhibition of wines and wine tasting; www.vincur.sk Exhibition of wines in Svätý Jur and Rhine Riesling competition Wine tasting for visitors www.terroir.sk/sjvs Day of Modra cellars Winemakers in Modra open their doors for wine tasting for a fee www.vinovino.sk Festival of Slovak wines in Bratislava; Tasting of the most popular Slovak wines www. vinovino.sk Wine Markets in Pezinok Wine tasting and competition of wine producers; www.zpvv.sk May/June: Festival of Franko- vka in Bratislava Wine tasting of Blaufränkisch or Frankovka modrá traditional vari- ety of wine in Bratislava region; www.visitbratislava.com May, November: Day of open cellars; Winemakers in the Small Carpathian region open their doors several times a year for a day and visitors can taste anything they want for a fee; www.mvc.sk July: Currant Devín Tasting of traditional currant Devín wine made from red and black currants September: Vintage in several towns of the region (Bratislava-Rača, Modra, Pezinok, Svätý Jur) offers the opportunity to taste burčiak (young wine or immature wine typical for the region) October: Wines at the castle Červený Kameň www.hradcervenykamen.sk produces a green-yellow wine with a moderate spicy aroma, leaning towards Muscat. This variety, crossed by Dorota Pospíšilová and Ondrej Korpás in 1958 in the Wine Research Institute in Bratislava, produces dry wines as well as naturally sweet wines. “They enthral with spiciness, full- ness and perfect harmony,” Miškovičová said, adding that Devín, within its aroma and taste, conceals hints of dried apricot, dandelion honey and bread. The Dunaj variety was created by Pospíšilová in 1958, when she first crossed Muškát Bouchet with Oporto and then with Svätovavrinecké (St. Laurent). With its early ripening it is a very suitable variety for Slovak climatic conditions. As the capital of the country, it is only fitting that Bratislava’s vineyards also made the city the first significant viticultural and wine-making town in what is now Slovakia. However, the commercial prosperity of the modern city, and pressure from developers, has meant the acreage of vineyards in Bratis- lava has decreased over the years. Bratislava and its surroundings belong to the Small Carpathian wine- growing area and the region’s changing terrains mean that each of its wine- growing districts is known for a differ- ent variety. In Rača it is Blaufränkisch or Frankovka modrá; in Vajnory it is the white Leanka; and Devín is best known for its currant wine, according to Kaňúchová. Over the last decades Devín has re- vived its tradition of production of qual- ity currant wine. Now local wine makers want to draw attention to this special kind of wine and are organising in July the festival Ríbezľový Devín (Currant Devín). During the festival visitors have the opportunity to taste the traditional currant Devín wine made from red and black currants in the ratio 80:20, other kinds of currant wine as well as other specialties made from currants. Frankovka has a royal seal of ap- proval, bestowed by Empress Maria Theresa in 1767. She was reputedly enchanted by its taste and quality and deemed it suitable to be served at the imperial table. Two centuries later, scientists were able to give her opinion some additional credence when they discovered resveratrol, an ingredient believed to have benefits to the heart, in Frankovka. According to Kaňúchová, the sunny location of the vineyards in Rača accounts for the quality of Frankovka, a belief echoed by Miloš Máťuš, a grape grower and wine maker from the region, who added that the area also enjoys specific soil conditions. Máťuš, who is also one of the organisers of the annual festival of Frankovka in Bratis- lava, describes Frankovka modrá wine as soft, full of concentrated bouquets of fruit and berries, with a harmonic and round taste. Many Slovak wine experts insist that wine should be tasted where it is produced, and a lot of wine makers have thrown open their cellars to allow visitors the opportunity to do just that. Numerous ancient cellars or brand new premises are open throughout the year, many clustered along the so-called “wine roads” that snake the country. The Small Carpathian Wine Route (MVC) is the oldest example in Slova- kia and it hosts several popular events through the year, including the annual autumn Day of Open Wine Cel- lars and the annual spring St Urban’s Day of Open Cellars. On both occasions, many of the top wine producers open up for visitors to taste young and vintage wines. Meanwhile, the Slovak National Collection of Wine in Apponyi’s Palace on Bratislava’s Main Square offers a collection of the 100 best wines from Slovakia to taste or buy year-round. Booking is required. -JanaLiptáková-

82 bratislava: luxury LUXURY ACCOMMODATION Albrecht Hotel  Mudroňova 82; map A 2 www.hotelalbrecht.com Arcadia Hotel  Františkánska 3 map C 3 (c 2) www.arcadia-hotel.sk Grand Hotel River Park  Dvořákovo nábrežie 6; map A 3 www.grandriverpark.com Marrol’s Boutique Hotel  Tobrucká 4; map D 4 www.hotelmarrols.sk Sheraton Hotel  Pribinova 12; map E 4 www.sheratonbratislava.sk Tulip House Hotel  Štúrova 10; map D 3 www.tuliphousehotel.com 51 UFO restaurant N page: 30 8 Historical building SND N page: 13 I. Polo Klub Bratislava 1888  Schloss Niederweiden 1, Austria  24.9 km (25 min) Å +421 (0)2 5292-3222 a Tue (individual training), Wed (club chuckers), Thu-Fri (individual training), Sat-Sun (club chuckers); booking necessary €80 (a polo lesson with an Argentine professional polo player and a hired "polo-pony"); €50 (a polo riding lesson and dressage training for polo with own horses) å WC Small,Slovak,but no less luxurious Bratislava is often overlooked as a des- tination for the high-end traveller. The city’s reputation tends to be founded on its modest, undiscovered qualities and low prices. Yet Slovakia actually has a remarkably modern capital, with luxurious hotels on the banks of one of Europe’s most spectacular rivers, as well numerous glorious old buildings containing exquisite restaurants, bou- tiques and spas. Each is packed with unique central European charm, but with standards to match the best of the west. It is possible here to take romantic walks by the Danube, visit enchanting little cafés in the Old Town, else relax in spas and five-star hotels. The city boasts delicious cuisine, beautiful golf courses and even venues for polo matches. You can experience extraordinary views from hotel suites, without the noise and crowds of many European cities. As a bonus, everything is in walking distance. Many of Bratislava’s finest hotels, boutiques and galleries are in the Old Town. But if you wish to stray further, there are ample opportunities to picnic by mediaeval castles, or play sports in exceptionally well appointed facilities. You can return in the evening for a spot of opera at one of Europe’s most enchanting theatres. Sleepand eattrendy Bratislava Airport is situated only ten minutes drive from the centre of the Old Town, but if you take a room at the Grand Hotel River Park, you can take a ride from the airport in a glamor- ous Rolls Royce limousine. This is one of several five-star establishments in Bratislava, and, like the Albrecht Hotel, situated on the top of a hill close to Bratislava Castle, or Sheraton Hotel in Eurovea district, is appointed with the finest modern designs. Other high-end establishments, such as Tulip House or Marrol’s Boutique hotels, combine historical appeal with luxurious fittings. Marrol’s was named the best hotel in the world by the Expedia’s 2012 Insiders’ Select ranking. Similarly, the Arcadia Hotel in the heart of the Old Town offers stunning Renaissance arcades in the hotel lobby. The Danube offers a host of possibilities for romance in the Slovak capital, starting with dinner in one of Bratislava’s landmarks: the restaurant in the pod at the top of the SNP Bridge, looming 85 metres over the river. As well as serving wonderful seasonal Mediter- ranean and Asian cuisine, the UFO restaurant offers a unique opportunity to watch the captivating sunset over the river and city. High-end entertainment Walking into the Old Town cen- tre, you will be greeted by the magnificent historical building of the Slovak National Theatre, which also serves as the opera house. A full program of operatic performances plays from September by the end of June, including those from Visitors can enjoy both the atmosphere of the spa as well as a view of Bratislava: Zion Spa Photo: Courtesy of Hubert J.E. Sereď

bratislava: luxury 83 Slávica  Laurinská 17; map D 3  0.3 km (3 min) www.slavicadizajn.sk a Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00, Sat 11:00-17:00 Zion Spa  Dvořákovo nábrežie 6 (the eleventh floor of the Grand Hotel River Park); map A 3  1.8 km (22 min)  3.6 km (8 min) Å +421 (0)2 3223-8451 www.zionspa.sk a Mon-Fri 6:30-23:00, Sat-Sun 7:00-23:00; Mon-Sun 10:00-22:00 (spa procedures) from €45 ä é WC Spa in Arcadia Hotel  Františkánska 3; map C 3 (c 2)  0.18 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5949-0500 www.arcadia-hotel.sk a Mon- -Sun 9:00-23:00 from €90 ä é WC 7Spa  Hlboká 71.5 km (21 min)  1.8 km (4 min) u SAV v 21, 25, 32, 63, 64, 83, 84, 93, 184, 204, 209, 212 Å +421 (0)2 2321-6244 www.7spa.sk from €9 a Mon-Sun 9:00-21:00 ä é WC travelling companies, and featuring all the biggest hitters: Verdi, Mozart, Rossini, etc. Bratislava has always been a thriving commercial hub, and there are numerous glossy shopping centres dotted around the city with hundreds of stores and boutiques. But the best work of local designers can be found in the Old Town and, for example, in the small Slávica fashion store located on Laurinská street. The owner, Slovak model Ivica Sláviková, opened the store to provide local designers with a space to present their collections. The stylish concept store is now a showcase for established and up-and-coming designers alike. The store holds an extensive range of clothing, jewellery, bags, shoes, ceram- ics and other accessories, all created in the studios of Slovak and Czech designers. Polo While golf is gradually beginning to take hold in Slovakia, it is also possible to go several steps further up the ladder of elite sports and sample the refined world of polo. “Polo is in fact like a golf on a horse,” said Peter Godányi, a professional polo player and a founder of Polo Klub Bratislava, the only polo club in Slovakia - even if their main facilities are 25km away in Niederwei- den, Austria. Polo fields are four times as large as a soccer pitch but are maintained like golf courses. The tournament pitch in Niederweiden is close to a wonderful Schloss Hof castle and visitors cannot only watch official tournaments, but can also observe the team practice during the season. “Visitors don’t have to play polo themselves, they can experience the atmosphere as well,” said Godányi. “Visitors can organise picnics, have a lovely day with the horses and they can see something they don’t see every day.” Wellness After a long day either in or out of the city, weary visitors can bathe their limbs in one of the exclusive wellness and spa facilities found in the best hotels. Few can match the Zion Spa in the Grand Hotel River Park, located on the 11th floor and offering amazing views over the Danube and Bratislava through the glass walls. Alternatively, the cellar of the Arcadia Hotel, which now serves as the well- ness area, is the oldest part of a build- ing listed on the National Heritage of Slovakia list. Ironically, the area now used for pampering and relaxation was used as a torture chamber in the 13th century. “We’ve travelled a lot, all over Europe, and this is right up there with every- where else – Paris, Vienna, Lubljana,” said a 58-year- old American tourist named Chris, marvelling at the buildings in Bratislava’s main square. Even though it maybe smaller in scale, standards are high here. Bratislava can offer the same luxury as Paris, London or New York – all with a dose of a certain Slovak charm. - Miroslava Germanová - Polo is a relatively young sport in Slovakia but it also draws from the sport’s tradition among the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy. The country currently has three official and two unofficial clubs. Photo: Christian Prandl

84 bratislava: family 2 Children’s Museum (Slovak National Museum) Accessible via the entrance on Muzejná Street. English-speaking visitors should arrange their visit in advance. €2 (children €3) N page: 12 37 Bibiana, International House of Art for Children  Panská 41 map C 4  0.45 km (6 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-4986  www.bibiana.sk a Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30  from €1 é WC 42 Bratislava Castle N page: 26 83 Zoo Bratislava  Mlynská dolina; map F 4  5.4 km (11 min) u Zoo v 30, 31, 32, 37, 39, 92, 192 Å +421 (0)2 6010-2111 www.zoobratislava.sk é WC a Apr-Sept 9:00-18:00; Oct 10:00-16:00; Nov-Feb 10:00- 15:00; Mar 10:00-16:00 from €4 (children from €3) ä e 86 Atlantis Science Centre  Prievozská 18 6.7 km (8 min) u Prievozská v 70, 96, 196, 201, 202, 212 Å +421 (0)917 237-454 G  www.atlantiscenters.sk a Mon-Fri 8:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00 from €6 (chil- dren from €5) å e WC K1 Swimming pool area, Hotel Nivy  Líščie nivy 3  4.7 km (10 min) u Slovanet v 8, 9, 50, 66 Å +421 (0)2 5541-0390 www.hotelnivy.ska10:00-22:00 from €5 (children from €2.5) ä e é WC K2 Lanoland – Ropes course  Koliba-Kamzík  6.1 km (12 min) u Koliba v 44, 203 Å +421 (0)948 000-968 www.lanoland.sk a Jul-Aug: Tue-Fri 15:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-19:00; Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct: Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00 €9 (children €5) ä WC Ample fun for all the family It is mid-afternoon in early April and on the banks of the Danube in the centre of Bratislava there is a hive of joyful activity. Children are running in and out of what resembles a huge nose-shaped play-house or busily searching the area for other undiscov- ered exhibits. Children’s Museum Six-year-old Nina Sudovská and her older brother Maťo are visiting the Children’s Museum, part of the Slovak National Mu- seum (SNM), for the first time. They are en- joying one of Bratislava’s unique attractions designed specifically to combine fun and education for the younger visitor. “I like it so much,” said Nina. “I was in the mouth and in the nose, I was everywhere. It was fun. Now I am going to sing in the ear to destroy a bad bacteria.” She promptly disap- peared inside a huge ear, which was part of the previous museum’s exhibi- tions entitled “Me and My Body”. The most contemporary exhibitions focus on the Earth, recycling, and the vital importance of water. The Children’s Museum is the only one of its kind in Slovakia, and has successfully managed to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for children and their parents to learn in a creative way. Andrea Sudovská, Nina and Maťo’s mother said: “It is very educative and also very nice”. Children are encouraged to interact with the exhibits - they can touch everything - and as a result begin a positive relationship with museums, that in the past have often repelled them. Bibiana A few streets away, near to the SNP Bridge, is Bibiana, the International House of Art for Children, whose stated purpose is to develop a sense of arts and culture in the young. The gallery hosts interactive exhibitions, theatre shows and creative workshops, and is packed with fantasy and creativity around every corner. Its playfully- painted entrance hall leads to a winter won- derland on the ground floor and upstairs into a gallery space filled with games involving food. Families are encouraged by the unusual exhibitions to make ordinary things interesting and amazing. “It is nicely created for children; in fact it is all about children,” said the mother of 11-year-old Alexandra, who was excitedly trying on a costume of Cleopatra. “Bibiana is a very good way to spend time with children. I often visit with my daughter.” Bibiana is also behind the regular Biennial of Illustrations, Biennial 83 2 42 37 86 K2 K1 K3 The Children’s Museum is specially designed to combine fun and education for youngsters Bibiana’s mission is to hone a sense of the arts and culture in children

bratislava: family 85 of Animation and the Slovak IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People), a series of exhibi- tions and festivals showcasing art and animation specifically for children. Science Centre Children are also encouraged to visit the Atlantis Science Centre, on Priev- ozská street, in the Ružinov borough. This unique experience centre allows children and adults to enjoy learning about various aspects of science. On a recent visit, 10-year-old Laura bounded down the corridor, insisting: “The bubbles are amazing, you have to see those bubbles.” She was referring to one of numerous exhibits at the centre, which finds a fun way to teach scientific principles to children as young as three. The Atlantis Centre also includes a Pharaoh Museum where children are invited to discover the mysteries of the ancient Egyptians, including the mummification process. Playground In the verdant forest of Koliba there is the Lanoland Ropes Course. To get there; follow the road or the hiking path indicated by a green sign. It is an adventure playground that has grown in popularity year on year and provides entertainment for adults and children alike. The ropes course con- sists of five tracks through the trees – a combination of bridges, zip lines and swings – that vary in difficulty according to age and ability of the visitors. There is a “ground” track for the youngest children, then a “blue” course, which means light intensity and is one of the most popular tracks here. The difficulty gradually increases through the red, medium intensity course, through a yellow “team” track designed primarily for couples and the most difficult “black” track, recommended only for the most proficient and athletic visitors. Castles,swimming andanimals Children can also get a lot out of a visit to some of the region’s most notable historical sites, including the recently-renovated Bratislava Castle, which houses History Museum of SNM. Similarly, the 13th century Red Stone Castle (Červený Kameň), near to the village of Častá is well known for its historical festivals, with falconry displays and actors in period dress. Just across the borders with Austria is the beautiful baroque castle Schloss Hof, owned also by Maria Theresa. Meanwhile, Roman times are remembered at the his- torical exhibitions in Gerulata, near Rusovce, and the Archaeological Park Carnuntum, a few kilometres further from the Slovak-Austrian border. When it all gets too much, you may wish to take the children to one of numerous spa and wellness complexes, which allow adults to relax in the healing waters while the kids can enjoy pools, slides and wave machines. Aquapark Senec, situated about 30km from Bratislava, is one of the biggest in the country, offering countless attractions for everyone. Meanwhile in Bratislava itself, Hotel Nivy has a selection of pools and saunas in its wellness area, and you can also stay overnight. Finally, Bratislava Zoo, in the Karlova Ves district of the city, offers a decent respite from the bustle, despite its location be- side a motorway. Origi- nally opened in 1960, it is by no means as bleak a place as might be feared. Instead, the animal species, including white tigers, bears, giraffes and the ever-amusing meerkats, enjoy sizeable enclo- sures and a remarkably clean environment. An exhibition of dinosaurs among the existent animals is slightly confusing, but is an agreeable boon for the younger generation of dino-lovers. Outside the city, but still in the region, children can experience di- rect contact with domestic animals in places such as Abeland near Lozorno or Biofarma near Stupava. - Natália Semianová - K3 Al Trivio (special restaurant for families with children)  Metodova 6 (Central); map F 1  3.3 km (8 min) u Trnavské mýto a Mon-Sun 10:00-22:00 www.altrivio.sk/central Å +421 (0)2 2086-4600 Children playgrounds in shopping centres Avion Shopping Park (www.avion.sk) Children playground; Playtime Aupark(www.aupark-bratislava.sk) Time Out Bory Mall (www.borymall.sk) Time Out Central (www.central.sk) Time Out Eurovea (www.eurovea.sk) Be cool Sport Kids Park Polus City Center Rodinné centrum (Family centre) www.rodinnecentrumpolus. webnode.sk River Park Woow Toys (www.woowtoys.sk) outside the city R3 Lozorno-Abeland Village of crafts, horse riding www.abeland.sk N page: 92-93 R4 Stupava-Biofarm Bio farm www.biofarma.sk N page: 92-93 R14 Aquapark Senec  Slnečné jazerá, Senec  33 km (27 min); ä é WC www.aquaparksenec.sk Å +421 (0)2 4564-8021 a 9:00-21:00 from €8 (children from €4) R26 Červený Kameň Castle N page: 91 Schloss Hof Castle N page: 100 Archaeological Park Carnuntum N page: 100 One of the biggest water parks in the country offers slides for children and relaxation for adults Zoo Bratislava

86 bratislava: Hiking From Bratislava to Devín Castle: Take bus 32 or 33 to Kuklovská and head toward the forest for an 11 km trek. Take the blue-marked trail until you catch signs for the red-marked trail to Devínska Kobyla and Hrad Devín. (Keep left when the trail splits with a white bar.) For a shorter but steeper route, follow the green-marked trail from park entrance in Dúbravka. 81 Devín Castle N page: 37   Kačín Treehouse (Železná Studienka area) Email koharova@ba-lesy.sk to reserve the treehouse a Apr-Oct €100 / per night (three adults or two adults and two children) Guests staying in the treehouse are given special permission to bring their car into the park, and a representative can meet you at Partizánska Lúka (7 km from city centre) to guide you to the cottage. You can also reach the treehouse by taking public trans- portation and walking through the park: on weekdays, take bus 43 to Železná studienka bus stop and turn left onto paved road toward Kačín. Just after passing a pond about 3 km down the road, turn right at the sign for Chata Kačín. The bus 43 can take you closer to the house on weekends: get off at Kačínska Dolina to head toward Chata Kačín. 84 Železná studienka (park) N page: 37   Koliba u Koliba or Magurská v44, 203 or 209, 212 From bus stop Magurská walk a half-mile up Magurská Ulica. Following the trail up-hill brings you to the main road of the park. 85 Koliba - Kamzík (TV tower and park) N page: 38 Lanoland - Ropes course N pg 84 Hiking in the Small Carpathian mountains N page: 98-99 City hiking in Bratislava A creaking wooden floor and the wind swaying the branches of trees around you. Have you ever wondered how it would feel to spend a night in a treehouse? In Bratislava, you can give it a try. Starting from the city centre, it is easy to spend a night (or day) enjoying the forests and meadows along the city’s edges. Try sleeping six metres above the ground in the branches of oak trees within Železná studienka park. Up to three adults can stay in the hidden three-bed cottage, but remember to bring your own food and water. Guests who have stayed in the house describe the beauty of being so close to the birds - and the surprise of hearing the house creaking in the wind. (You can sleep soundly knowing that the popular cottage undergoes regular checks by its builders.) Reserve your spot early, since summer weekends fill up quickly for this one-of-a-kind experience in Bratislava. One of Bratislava’s closest hiking parks is Koliba, a forest on the southern tip of the Small Carpathians. “Everyone in Bratislava knows about Koliba,” said Bratislava native Darina Müllender- Taeter, who hikes there regularly. Cyclists can challenge themselves on a dirt obstacle course or glide through the forest on a paved road, while hikers and runners climb its shaded hills. Koliba’s popular gathering point is a meadow lined by outdoor restaurants, a high-ropes course and a summer bobsleigh track. Continuing north past the meadow brings you to Koliba’s cable car junction, and signs lead to a 15-metre wooden observation tower that offers panoramic views of the city and the Danube. Looking for a new way to sightsee? Combine hiking and history by visiting the ancient Devín Castle on foot. Hikers can choose from several different treks, all of which lead to the area’s highest point of Devínska Kobyla, offering picnic tables and an Austrian skyline - plus a smooth descent to the ultimate destination of Hrad Devín (Devín Castle). Hikers who follow the green marker will be impressed by the variety of scenery along the steep ascent, while the gentler red-marked trail offers a path through dense forests. From Kobyla, follow the red markers down the switchbacks and through the town of Devín. After touring the castle and sitting by the Danube and Morava rivers, you will feel as if you have earned the bus- ride back to the city centre. – Hannah Falchuk – The stability of the structure is inspected regularly by its builders, but guests must sign a waiver before staying in the six-metre-high treehouse Koliba - wooden observation tower Inside of the treehouse

Photo: TASR Run for fun in Bratislava Running enthusiasts have a plethora of opportunities for running in Slova- kia’s capital, be it a daily run or a big running event. Joggers will quickly find that Bratislava offers enough diverse landscape to cater to anyone’s prefer- ences: there are long running trails, parks, as well as hilly terrain. Nature is basically just a 15-minute run away from any spot in the city. Miguel Rosa from Portugal recommends the Eurovelo 6 cycle road: “not polluted, close to the river, surrounded by nature, with other people running, cycling or on roller blades.” Alan Mauldin, an American living in Bratislava, usually runs along the Danube “from Eurovea to Lafranconi and across the bridge and through Sad Janka Kráľa.” Diego Loyola, from Mexico, recommends Železná Studienka on the hilly side of Bratislava: “the scenery is incredible.” The running com- munity in Bratislava is quite welcoming, says Loyola,“from the waves or head nods from other runners to the cheers from the public that see you at a race.” The biggest event in the city is the Bratislava Marathon, which usually opens the season. At the Devín to Bratislava run, the most notable difference from races in the US for Alan Mauldin was the fact that some people were drinking slivovica and beef before the race, rather than afterward. “Maybe I need to test this idea to see if my time is better after a few shots of slivovica,” he said. The Devín to Bratislava run is among the most popular running events in Bratislava. The run has been organised since 1921, with some breaks, and is the oldest athletic event in Slovakia. “The whole experience feels like an enjoyable party,” Loyola said. He also enjoys the fact that there is unusual spontaneous public support for the runners during the event. “How many other races do you have people setting up water and beer drinking stations along the route of the race?” he said. Bratislava’s Night Run is another definite on the to-do list. The special feature of this run, apart from it taking place at night, is that the route goes through the long tram tunnel under the castle hill, where DJs stage their music and lights for the event. People who took part in the run talk about it as a memorable experience. “It allowed us to see a lot of the city,” Nikki Uhure from the UK said. Runners also men- tioned the Color Run, during which participants are covered in coloured powder as they progress along the route. In Bratislava it is a charity run, similar to the Wings for Life run that also has an edition in the Slovak capital. – Michaela Terenzani – Plan your run in Bratislava Mar/Apr: ČSOB Bratislava Marathon www.bratislavamarathon.com Apr: Devín - Bratislava www.devin-bratislava.eu May: Wings for Life www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/ sk/en/ May: Run in colors www.runincolors.sk May: Volkswagen Slovakia Run & Fun www.bratislavamarathon.com Jun: Run Fest - Maresi www.behsity.sk Jun: O2 Moon Run www.behsity.sk Sep: dm Womens Run www.bratislavamarathon.com Sep: Telekom Night Run www.bratislavamarathon.com Oct: Bratislava’s Cross www.starz.sk Dec 31: Run across Bratislava’s bridges www.starz.sk bratislava: running 87 Joel Mwangi has won the Devín-Bratislava Run several times. The winner of this race runs with a laurel wreath through the finish line, which is given before the finish by men or women dressed in traditional costumes. ČSOB Bratislava Marathon is the biggest running event in the city Several charity runs are organised in Bratislava Photo: STaRZ

88 bratislava: Connection with the world www.tourismbratislava.com Region in your phone Download the free Bratislava Region app and explore, admire, taste and enjoy variety of options offered by the Region. www.facebook.com / BratislavaRegionTourism www.gob.sk SP013097/001

bratislava: outside the city 89 R1 R11 R21 R30 R2 R12 R22 R32 R3 R13 R23 R33 R4 R14 R24 R5 R15 R6 R16 R7 R8 R28 R9 R19 R29 R10 R20 R31 R26 R27 R25 R18 R17 Dračí hrádok Vápenná Klokoč Ostrý Kameň Malokarpatská vínnacesta Biely kríž Biely kameň Villa rustica R11 Hrubá Borša (farm) pg 92-93 R12 Kostolná pri Dunaji (Siberian tigers) pg 92-93 R13 Kráľová pri Senci (tourist flights) pg 95 R14 Senec (aquapark, lake, observatory) pg 92-93, 84-85 R15 Bernolákovo (paintball, golf) pg 95 R16 Ivanka pri Dunaji R17 Malokarpatská vínna cesta (Small Carpathian Wine Route) pg 90-91, 80-81 R18 Svätý Jur (wine, hiking) pg 90-91 R19 Biely Kameň (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R20 Slovenský Grob (goose feast) pg 98-99 R21 Pezinok (wine, pottery) pg 90-91, 94, 80-81 R22 Šenkvice (wine) pg 80-81 R23 Pezinská Baba hill (hiking) pg 98-99 R24 Malé Karpaty (the Small Carpathians) (hiking, cycling) pg 98-99 R25 Modra (wine, pottery) pg 90-91, 80-81, 94 R26 Červený Kameň (castle, hiking) pg 91, 53, 84-85 R27 Doľany (wine) pg 80-81 R28 Vápenná hill (hiking) pg 98-99 R29 Plavecké podhradie (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R30 Plavecký hrad (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R31 Klokoč hill (hiking) pg 98-99 R32 Smolenice (castle, cave, hiking) pg 98-99 R33 Ostrý Kameň (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R1 Veľké Leváre (Haban Museum) pg 94 R2 Malacky (Holy Stairs, golf) pg 62-63, 105 R3 Lozorno (farm, shooting range) pg 92-93, 95, 84-85 R4 Stupava (farm) pg 92-93, 84-85 R5 Pajštún (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R6 Marianka (pilgrimage site) pg 62-63 R7 Dračí hrádok (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R8 Biely kríž (hiking) pg 98-99 R9 Villa rustica (remnants of an ancient Roman building) pg 98-99 R10 Malý Dunaj (inland waterway, canoe) pg 70-71 0 3.1 6.2 9.3 12.4 mile = 3.1 mile

90 bratislava: outside the city R18 Svätý Jur  16 km (21 min) v 20 min Feši Restpub  Krajinská cesta 58, Svätý Jur Å +421 (0)903 705-245 www.fesi-restpub.menu.atlas.sk Wine tasting – Dubovský- -Grančič  Zuby 293, Svätý Jur Å +421 (0)905 607-379 www.dubovskygrancic.sk a booking necessary  depends on number of tasted wines R21 Pezinok  21 km (28 min) v 30 min Small Carpathian Museum N page: 80-81 City Wine Shop  Radničné nám. 9, Pezinok Å +421 (0)907 593-294 www.vinoteka-pezinok.sk aMon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-12:00 Wine tasting – Víno Hacaj  Cajlanská ulica 66, Pezinok Å + 421 (0)948 539-453 www.hacaj.sk a booking necessary R25 Modra  28 km (35 min) v 50 min Zoya Museum (ELESKO)  Elesko Wine Park 2275, Modra Å +421 (0)2 2092-2649 www.eleskorestaurant.sk The restaurant and museum are located to the southwest from the town among vineyards. a Wed-Sat 11:30-22:00, Sun 11:30-18:30 Museum of Slovak Ceramics Sculpture and Gallery of Ignác Bizmayer N page: 94 Wine tasting – Chateau Modra  Štúrova ulica 108, Modra Å +421 (0)907 944-726 www.chateaumodra.sk a booking necessary  depends on number of tasted wines The Catholic Church of St George, built in Svätý Jur at the beginning of the 13th century Through the Small Carpathians Historical wine cellars, with their distinctive moist smell and walls over- grown by moulds, make all your senses tingle. There are countless examples of places like this on the Small Carpathian Wine Route, a string of more than 30 towns and villages along the east side of the Small Carpathians of which Pezinok, Modra and Svätý Jur are the best known. There are more than 100 wine growers in this region, each fol- lowing a tradition that dates in the area from Roman times. The real wine renaissance came in the 13th century, when German colonists settled here. According to the 18th century polymath Matej Bel, “Svätý Jur wine is the best, Pezinok vineyards are the most beautiful and Modra vineyards are the most fertile”. Although a lot has changed in the region since then, the assessment still holds largely true. Driving out of Bratislava, Svätý Jur is the first town to greet the keen wine-taster, but it’s worth taking a few minutes to explore the town itself before delving into the cellars. Svätý Jur’s hillside location grants terrific views from the top of the town. Eventually you will wind up with a glass in your hand and in the company of a local wine producer. “You never buy good wine at the supermarket,“ said Miloš Grančič, 45, who is typical of Svätý Jur’s wine makers, decrying the mass production of millions of litres of wine a year. “The thing I like the most about wine making is to sit down with people, talk with each other and enjoy the wine.” Further along the road from Svätý Jur is Pezinok, the de facto centre of the Small Carpathian Wine Route. The town also houses the Malokarpatské múzeum (Small Carpathian Museum), which informs visitors about the wine- making process and the lives of the people who work in the vineyards. “The wine in the past was produced from lots of grape types, so the wine wasn’t pure and it contained more alcohol,” said Martin Hru- bala, the museum’s historian. “Nowadays, 85 percent of wine produced in the Small Carpathians is white wine.” “Modra – the capital of wine” (a registered trade- mark) is another typical wine making town whose hillside vineyards can be seen from afar. Although the most com- mon wines for the region are internationally-known white wines such as Riesling or Veltliner there are also new Slovak grape varieties. “You can taste Dunaj, Hron or Nitria, which are red wines,” said Jerguš Hajdučík, a wine-maker standing next to a row of barrique barrels. Apart from winemaking, Modra is well known for its multi-coloured, hand-painted ceramics, of which white and blue are the most typical. Various fine examples are displayed in an old tower gate converted into a small museum, as well as the gallery of Ignác Bismayer, where there is an exhibition of special ceramics depicting people working in vineyards, beggars, brides or typical Slovak outlaws.  PeterNagy- Tasting Slovak wine along the Small Carpathian Wine Route is an excellent way to explore the region

bratislava: outside the city 91 R26 Hrad Červený Kameň (Red Rock Castle)  37 km (48 min) v 70 min u Častá Å +421 (0)33 245-5103 The castle is located on a cliff above the village of Častá. From Častá, you can either walk or drive (2 km) right to the castle where there is a large parking area. www.hradcervenykamen.sk a May-Sept: Mon-Sun 9:00- 17:00 (tours in English May-Jun: Sat-Sun 11:30, 15:30; Jul-Sep: Mon-Sun 11:30, 15:30), Oct-Apr: Tue-Sun 9:30-15:30  €7 (€8 for English tours) ä e WC Červený Kameň is a goldmine of historical architecture, furniture, weapons, cellars and more Afamilyhome of red rock Between the 16th and mid-20th centuries, the renowned Pálffy family were fortu- nate enough to call the castle at Červený Kameň (Red Rock) home. But to anyone born outside an order of Hungarian noblemen, their humble abode will be seen as nothing short of a monumental palace, now one of the most imposing and best preserved castles in Slovakia. Originally constructed in the 13th century in the foothills of the Small Carpathians, Červený Kameň was later owned by the prosperous mining magnate Anton Fugger, who began its transformation into both an “ultimate fortress” and a luxurious Renaissance residence. Fugger\'s rebuilding took place under the influence of Albrecht Dürer, arguably the most talented German painter of all time, and also a pioneer of design. The master builders’ finesse, coupled with Fugger’s wealth, produced a quite wonderful structure of style and stolidity, the perfect foundations for fur- ther renovations under the Pálffys, who were also hardly timid in their approach to decoration. The last Pálffy departed the castle in 1945, and its late 20th century refurbish- ment as a tourist attraction was probably easier than most similar projects. It is now chock-a-block with exceptional, sometimes eccentric, furnishings and art, and is large and grand enough to host conferences and exhibitions, including a meeting of European leaders in the early 21st century. Among countless notable sights is the “salla terenna”, or concert hall, on the ground floor, which resembles a mysti- cal cave grotto with an underground lake and dripping walls providing a permanent accompaniment to occasional recitals held on the premises. The Pálffy family stage-coach is now on display in the entrance hall, and there is also an on-site apothecary, inlaid with turtleshell, built during the plague epidemic. Parked in a first floor gallery is a fur-lined sledge, covered in solid gold, the kind last seen hauling the White Witch through Narnia. Huge tapestries that line the walls were not only pleasing to the eye, but were also used to keep the warmth in the vast chambers. The inventory of impossible extravagance is endless. Lest we get carried away in the opulence, however, there is also an exhi- bition in the castle of savage weaponry, including one especially brutal teardrop- shaped sword favoured by the Ottoman invaders, complete with a nifty device for cutting off the ears of the slain in order to earn a bloody bonus for the slayer. It’s also impressive to see some primitive and recyclable hand grenades, essentially a metal handle attached to a rock. The knight’s banquet hall, decorative baroque chapel, well-stocked library and a dining hall replete with crystal chan- deliers are probably only to be expected. But the enormous cellars are likely to surprise even the most seasoned castle- goer. The largest measures 90 metres in length and is something like a stone aircraft hangar. The lighting is unique: despite being buried in rock, natural light is channeled through vertical vents and the cellars are far from the cramped, dingy places you might expect. - Howard Swains - Photo: Courtesy of Bratislava Region Tourism

92 bratislava: outside the city Near the capital,near adventure If you have a spare day or two while visiting Bratislava, why not pay a visit to places outside the city. Sheepand Awooden village In Stupava, you can soon be surrounded by sheep, pigs, horses and other domestic animals in the unique bio farm, where you can also taste the national cuisine in the local restaurant or buy some food as a present. The Slovak cheeses korbáčiky and bryndza are both available in the shop, as well as žinčica (a sheep’s milk product) or home-made bread and cakes. The farm is especially popular with families, and features a children’s playground, plus the opportunity to ride horses and ponies or to pet the various other animals. You can sample your food and drink on a small terrace area and enjoy the entertainment. “At Easter, there was a performance on a shepherd´s pipe by some skilled musicians,” said Jana Miklošová from the farm. In addition to the farm, you can also visit the manor house, Saint Stephen’s Church or a museum dedicated to the renowned ceramics maker Ferdiš Kostka. The area also offers plenty of hiking and cycling opportunities. The town of Lozorno is another welcome stop if you are fleeing the hectic life. The wooden village of Abeland is situated nearby, which features a chalet, tea house and church all constructed from timber. There is a rare, relaxing atmosphere as you gaze at still ponds stocked with fish or the surrounding untarnished environment. You can try shooting with a traditional bow and arrow, horse- riding, fencing or observing the locals go about their daily business, which they carry out dressed in period costume. You can also encounter more domestic animals, such as ducks, pigs or quails. You can also sample homemade goulash. “All visitors are foreign for us – we made our own kingdom here, coins included,” said Igor Abel, one of the owners of Abeland. “Everybody finds something they like and we are happy making new friends.” The crowded car park confirms Abeland’s popularity. Water,tigers and horses Approximately 22 kilometres south- west of Bratislava is Senec, best known for the Slnečné jazerá (Sunny Lakes) recreational area. R14 Senec  31 km (28 min) v 50 min A popular summer location for tourists thanks to Slnečné Jazerá (Sunny Lakes) located to the east of the city. Aquapark Senec  Slnečné jazerá – sever, Senec Å +421 (2)4564-8021 Located in the north of the town after passing two roundabouts surrounded by many hotels. www.aquaparksenec.sk aMon-Sun 9:00-21:00 from €8 ä WC Solar – Senec Observatory  Nám. A. Molnára 2, Senec Å +421 (0)910 482-150 The observatory is connected to A. M. Szenczi school, close to the Church of St Nicolaus. www.senec.solarastronomy.sk a booking necessary voluntary Aquapark Senec provides everything for the visitor seeking a spot to relax, all the year round The wooden village of Abeland

bratislava: outside the city 93 R3 Lozorno  25 km (23 min) v 45 min Abeland  Abeland is located in the town of Lozorno, about 1 km past Vodná nádrž dam Å +421 (0)904 237-777 www.abeland.sk a Sat 10:00-18:00 é R4 Stupava  19 km (23 min) v 45 min Biofarm Stupava  Pass through Stupava and continue in the Lozorno direction for approximately 3 km. Then turn right onto a narrow two-way road through the forest. Å +421 (0)918 280-546 www.biofarma.sk a10:00- 21:00 (during the summer), 11:00-20:00 (during the winter) free ä WC R11 Hrubá Borša  40 km (38 min) v 60 min Corporex farm  The farm is in the village of Hrubá Borša, approximately 7 km from Senec and signposted from the town. Å +421 (2) 4590-1322 a booking necessary R12 Kostolná pri Dunaji  36 km (33 min) v 60 min Oasis of the Siberian tiger  Leave the village of Kostolná pri Dunaji in the direction of Urbanova Ves. After about 3 km, turn right onto a rough road, where Oasis is situated in the middle of a field. Å +421 (0)905 423-846 www.tigre.sk a Mon-Sun 12:00-16:45 (booking necessary) voluntary The town also boasts Aquapark Senec, a complex of 11 swimming pools, water attractions, beach volleyball courts, a wellness centre and sauna, providing everything for the visitor seeking a spot to relax, all the year round. For those less interested in water tourism, however, there are other sights in the town, including the Turkish house, the Church of Saint Nicolas or the observatory, which is a part of the local school but open to visitors. The best time to visit is late at night, when you can admire a breathtaking view of the universe. The observatory is under the supervision of the astronomical association Solar, which provides a lecture series from leading astronomers and various projects and activities. It is necessary to book visits in advance, for a maximum of 12 people. There is more to see in the surrounding area too – if you can find it. To get to the main attraction in Kostolná pri Dunaji, visitors have to pass through the village and then take a right turn onto a dirt track. They will be rewarded by a visit to a farm where some 20 tigers and one lion now find their home. This oasis of the endangered Siberian tiger is run by about eight volunteers and financed by contributions. Much of the money goes to the approximate 10-15 kg of meat consumed by each beast each day. “It’s better to come in the winter, when they tend to be more active,” said Michaela Kocmundová, one of the volunteers. “It’s the most natural season for them. In the summer they are hidden in their sheds.” Although the animals are dangerous, there is no need to be afraid and no injuries have been sustained on the park. “You can determine the mood of the tiger by specific signs, movement and noises,” said Kocmundová. “I have known this tiger, Samko, since his birth. I’m not afraid of him.” Slightly less carnivorous animals can be found in the nearby village of Hrubá Borša, specifically at the Corporex riding school. “It’s a great place for the children from the cities,” said Miriam Agárdiová, the owner of the school. Horses, ponies, ducks, pheasants, parrots, and even ostriches could accompany you during your stay. There is also a pony that has been known to jump at visitors like a dog. Welcome to the farm, which is popular among people of any age. Take a saddle and helmet, and climb aboard. - Lucia Rusnáková, Michaela Gedaiová - The Oasis of Siberian Tigers is home to 20 tigers and one lion Biofarm Stupava

94 bratislava: outside the city Ancient crafts alive today The area around Bratislava has become internationally known as the home of folk majolica, a particular style of ceramics produced since the 16th century, especially centred on the towns of Pezinok and Modra. The craft was brought to the area by the Habans, a branch of Anabaptists, who fled persecution in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands to settle in western Slovakia. Even though the Habans moved on, their skills transferred to local artists, who have continued the production to this day. The products – plates, bowls and cups, as well as more elaborate figurines, etc. – are made from clay and are something between regular porcelain and terracotta. The clay is spun on a potter’s wheel, and then fired in a kiln, as usual. But then a glaze of melted glass is applied that covers the red pottery in a white sheen. Various patterns are then hand-painted onto the white coating, traditionally in greens, blues and yellows. In Pezinok, one of the most noted producers of majolica ceramics is Renáta Hermyšová, a former employee of a state-owned pottery company who, in 1989, when she was 20, founded her own company. Hermyšová transformed her house into a small factory and shop to create and sell her wares, now employing more than 10 people to fulfil orders received from across the world, including Japan, where she supplied ceramics to the organisers of the Nagano Olympics. Visitors are invited to take tours around the small factory, where they can see the production methods up close. The processes are intricate and rely very much on the skills of individual craftsmen and women; there is not a machine in sight. Rather there is a potter’s wheel and some painstaking brushwork involved in each item, before the item is stamped with an “R” and is ready to hit the shelves. In case any visitor is sceptical of the skills required to produce such items, there is even the chance to take a spin on the wheel yourself. The apron is very much recommended. Anyone wanting to know more about the lifestyle of the Habans should head to Veľké Leváre, where a house in a former Haban village has been recon- structed in its former style and is now a museum dedicated to the enigmatic community. The Habans were similar in beliefs to the Amish of today and also lived in simple, community-oriented villages. They excelled in the seemingly diverse fields of pottery, irrigation and medicine, with many of their methods credited as the basis for modern practices. They were, in turn, harried out of Slovakia by the Catholic Habsburgs, but some descendants remained in the village for several generations, long enough, at least, to be snapped in some terrific photographs showing the entire community posing in the village square, else hard at work. As was typical, the house in Veľké Leváre is long and narrow, with a high, steeply pointed roof, slanting over three floors. The ground level comprises two large rooms, utilised as galleries to showcase authentic Haban clothing, as well as the machinery they used to make it, and lined by several photographs. Upstairs, the long attic-like room is a single dormitory-style bedroom, with several beds arranged in lines. Be aware, however, that at time of writing none of the museum’s signs or information pan- els were in English, so ask for manual in English. - Howard Swains A pottery display with a craftsman of ÚĽUV, the Centre For Folk Art Production R25 Modra  27 km (39 min) v 50 min Múzeum slovenskej keramickej plastiky a Galéria Ignáca Bizmayera (Museum of Slovak Ceramics Sculpture and Gallery of Ignác Bizmayer)  Kukučínova 15, Modra Å +421 (0)33 647-2765 www.snm.sk; aTue-Fri 8:30-15:30 (Apr-Oct also Sat 9:00-14:30) €1.5 In addition to exhibition the museum also offers a course in ceramics production. For the course, booking by e-mail (mls@ snm.sk) is necessary two weeks before the visit at the least. €60 (all group) Ceramics courses are offered also by Hotel Majolika (www. hotelmajolika.sk). R21 Pezinok  21 km (32 min) v 30 min Keramika Renáta Hermysová (Pottery Renáta Hermysová)  Vinice 3, Pezinok Å +421 (0)908 308-191 www.majolika-r.sk a booking one working day before a visit necessary €20 (groups up to 20 people) Part of the tour is a short interactive workshop of ceramics production. R1 Veľké Leváre  45 km (39 min) v 45 min Habánske múzeum (Haban Museum)  Veľké Leváre Å +421 (0)34 779-4493 www.levare.sk a Tue and Thu, bookings necessary €0.66 A fujara-player made from majolica

bratislava: outside the city 95 R15 Bernolákovo  18 km (23 min) v 25 min Paintball Bernolákovo  Playground is located near golf resort between Ivanka pri Dunaji and Bernolákovo. Å +421 (0)910 909-088 www.toppaintball.sk a booking necessary €7 R13 Kráľová pri Senci  37 km (33 min) v 50 min Tourist flights  The aeroplane hangar is located at the end of the village towards Hrubá Borša. Å +421 (0)908 770-702 www.pilotclub.sk a booking is necessary from €50 Parachuting-Vertical Jump  airport Kráľová pri Senci 37 km (31 min) Å +421 (0)905 519-268 www.verticaljump.sk a booking necessary€150 R3 Lozorno  25 km (23 min) v 45 min Shooting range  Lozorno (shooting range located close to the highway in the village Lozorno) Å +421 (0)917 767-213 www.strelnica-lozorno.sk a Mon-Fri 9:00-19:00 Sat-Sun 10:00-19:00 (Booking by e-mail one day before the visit is recommended (shooting.ba@ gmail.com)) from €8 R25 Modra  Modra-Piesok, Zochova Chata Pumptrack is a 114-metre-long bike track where you don‘t actu- ally need to pump yours pedals: the alternating rise and fall of the track‘s „waves“ allow children and adults to glide across the track on bikes, scooters or skates. Å +421 (0)948 288-887 a May-Oct 8:00-20:00, Nov-Apr 8:00-sunset www.bezpecna-jazda.sk free Karts,flights and guns If you like the sound of rumbling motors, wind in your hair, watching the ground from way up above or shooting pellets of colour at your friends, then you are in the right place. The Bratislava region can provide all manner of ’adrenaline experiences’ only limited by the time you have, the money in your wallet and people you want to take with you. The forests of Bernolákovo provide a perfect spot for paintball. A small river forms a natural border on one side and a rising hill on the other. Between them are trees, trenches, barricades, moats and built up towers, patrolled by battalions of men clasping guns, wearing helmets, protective vests and camouflage clothes. “Paintball is not about shooting as much as you can,” said Michal Velčík, a paintball event manager. “That’s Rambo style. The winning team will be the one that communicates better and is more coherent.” There are several different game styles to try. The most common is the team death-match, where the aim is simple: shoot your enemies. But strategy changes in games where the objective is to capture a flag, or in which participants have only 10 pellets in the magazine, forcing them to think wisely when to shoot and when to hold fire. Games require at least eight players (smaller groups should call in advance), and cost €11.7 per person, including equipment hire and an initial 100 pellets. Not bad for something that lasts upwards of three hours. Although tourist flights in Kráľová pri Senci are not officially considered part of the adrenalin sport family, flying about 200 metres above the ground in a light aeroplane constructed for two people will likely get many people’s blood pumping. “Flying is for lunatics who want to see places from above,” said Peter Chromek, a pilot with about 7,000 flight hours, as he gently teased a small airplane out of its hangar. But up in the air, after a quick look at someone like Chromek, who pilots the two-seater plane, any fear is replaced by the exhilaration of flight. The passenger is the boss and can instruct the pilot to fly practically anywhere around the Bratislava region. The only limitation is the fuel in the tank and, again, the money in your pocket. For those who like real guns, the shooting range in Lozorno is an option. The building is in operation all year round with eight shooting boxes for its visitors. “We are offering shooting also for foreigners without a firearms licence,” said Igor Beháň, the owner of the site. “However those visitors are shooting supervised by instructor,” Beháň added. - Peter Nagy - The shooting range in Lozorno Photo: Courtesy of Strelnica Lozorno

Cycling routes www.letsbike.eu Danubian cycling route 1 (27.2 km) Most SNP - Prístavný most - Zimný prístav - Ham- uliakovo Danubian cycling route 2 (19.1 km) Berg - Čunovo   Malokarpatská cycling route (45.9 km) Vysoká pri Morave - Zohor - Lozorno - Jablonové - Pernek - Kuchyňa - Rohožník - Sološnica - Plavecké Podhradie - Plavecký Mikuláš Moravian cycling route (68.1 km) Most Lafranconi - Devín - Devínska Nová Ves - Vysoká pri Morave - Záhorska Ves - Suchohrad - Gajary - Malé Leváre - Závod Záhorská route (55.9 km) Devín - Zohor - Láb - Malacky - Gajary - Malé Leváre, Veľké Leváre - Závod Ružinovská radial (13.6 km) Štrkovec lake (Ružinov) - Vrakuňa - Prístavný most - Štrkovec lake (Ružinov) SvätýJur-VysokápriMorave (32.7 km) Svätý Jur - Košarisko - Borinka - Stupava - Vysoká pri Morave Dúbravská radial (7.2 km) Most SNP - Botanická záhrada - Líščie údolie - Dúbravka Hamuliakovo - Senec route (37.6 km) Hamuliakovo - Kalinkovo - Dunajská Lužná - Most pri Bratislave - Malinovo - Ivanka pri Dunaji - Bernolákovo - Veľký Biel - Malý Biel - Senec Green Bike Tour (71.9 km) Železná studienka, Rotunda buffet - Malý Slavín - Biely kríž - Pezinská Baba - Limbach - Biely kríž - U Slivu - Kamzík - Železná studienka, Rotunda buffet 96 bratislava: CYCLING Two wheels good: Cycling in and around Bratislava Bratislava is a relatively small city, whose charms can mostly be explored on foot. But this is also one of the most rewarding regions in central Europe in which to hop on two wheels and exercise some pedal power, either on the very fringes of the city centre or slightly further into the surrounding countryside. One popular cycling route along the Danube offers all the luxury one can imagine: an excellent smooth surface divided for both cyclists and roller bladers; numerous refreshment stands dotted along the way. Plus, of course, the appeal of the largest river in Slovakia. It attracts thousands of cyclists every weekend. On the other hand, there are also plenty of routes offering a more peaceful journey, where your only company will be deer and birds. This is the more tranquil reality of cycling outside of Bratislava, which has much to offer for both recreational and more experienced cyclists. There are more than 100 kilometres of cycling routes in Bratislava, and another 800 kilometres of paths and roads to navigate across the Bratislava region. It’s not bad for an area slightly more than 2,000 km2. Popular routes Of course, it is not easy to choose any one route over another, but three of the best include: “Cycling trip along the Danube”, which leads from Bratislava to Danube Čunovo dam, 20 kilometres from the centre of Bratislava; the 37km- long “Along the Morava River” route, starting in the village of Devínska Nová Ves and ending at Vysoká pri Morave; and “To Marianka and Stupava” which also starts at Devínska Nová Ves and describes a 28km-long circle passing through Stupava, Marianka and Záhorská Bystrica. Cycling routes in the Bratislava region and the surrounding areas can be found at www.letsbike.eu website. While the previous three routes are all suitable for recreational cyclists, a fourth, known as the “Green Bike Tour”, has been laid out to appeal to more experienced riders and offers a more physically demanding option. It leads from Železná Studienka recreation area, through the rugged terrain of the Small Carpathians, and then to Kamzík hill, a total 71.9km trip. In the recent past, many Slovak cyclists have done much of their riding in eastern Austria, which is close to Bratislava and offers a more advanced cycling infrastructure and, largely, better road surfaces. It can often be the opposite in Slovakia, where many of the paths are undermined by a low quality surface, particularly in Bratislava city, and routes that often do not connect with one another. However, cyclists point out that the Bratislava region offers a greater variety of both terrain and distance from civilisation than eastern Austria, in particular in the hills to the north of Bratislava. The Danube embankment offers plenty of cycling opportunities Cycling routes are dotted with refreshment spots Photo: SITA

bratislava: CYCLING 97 Cycling trip along the Danube The route starts at the SNP Bridge (Most SNP) and first leads along the Danube to Rusovce, whose neo-gothic mansion and park is regrettably closed to the public. Af- ter passing the village of Čunovo, one finds the Čunovo Water Sports Centre at Čunovo dam, which offers a wide range of sports activities. For those who wish to combine sports and arts there is also the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum here. There are a couple of options for routes back to the city. It is possible just to turn around and retrace your steps, but if you press on to Vojka nad Dunajom, there is an hourly ferry connecting the village with Kyselica, on the other side of the river. It is then possible to return to Bratislava along the other bank of the Danube. Bicycle rental Bike Bratislava  Panenská 30 Å +421 (0)948 884-997 www.bikebratislava.sk from €8 Bike Tours & Rental  in the car park under the UFO restaurant Å +421 (0)907 683-112 www.bratislavasightseeing.com from €6 Turistická Informačná Kancelá- ria Devínska Nová Ves  Istrijská 49 Å +421 (0)2 6477-0260 www.tikdnv.sk from €2 “I think around Bratislava it doesn’t matter whether you ride a road or touring bike, whether you are professional or just a person on Saturday ride, everyone will find something that suits them,” said Andrej Daňo, a medical student from Bratislava. “There are hills and there are plains.” Alongthe rivers ortothe hills Back on the most popular route along the Danube, it is not uncommon to experience literal traffic jams of cyclists, especially during spring or summer weekends. But it is easy to see why: the route, which usually takes two and half hours for an average cyclist to navigate, also takes in the castle in Rusovce and the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, as well as wonderful views of the river itself. The many refreshment possibilities are also a bonus. “You can just take one bottle of water which you can refill all the time, or buy a drink somewhere,” Daňo said. “You do not have to take five litres [of liquid] with you.” However, problems may occur when the path is overcrowded, according to Ľuboš Jakubek, a student from Bratislava, who is a regular on the route. “I have seen ambulances there many times,” Jakubek said, referring particularly to the part of the path close to Slovnaft, Bratislava’s oil refinery, where roller-bladers do not have their own lane. Plenty of other routes exist for anyone with a more adventurous spirit. Emília Šišková, a cycling instructor, suggests using the routes in the Carpathians, which are well sign-posted despite being in the rural regions away from the city. Daňo prefers heading along the Danube to the Morava River, especially when he is in the mood to substitute some nature and wild animals for other cyclists. “There are wetlands there, which attract various birds,” he said. “When those fields are flooded it is simply pure romance.” Plans Of course, cycling can have its dangers and Bratislava’s riders are often frustrated that routes do not connect with one another, particularly out of the city, forcing them onto the busy and poorly-surfaced roads, where they can be vulnerable to the whims of ignorant drivers. After every winter, the roads in Bratislava are left in not a good shape, and the number of pot-holes made headlines in the local news. “The first day [I took a ride outside] I got a puncture because of stupid hole and destroyed a new tire-tube,” said Šišková. The cycling lobby in Bratislava will continue to campaign for improvements. Several bike rental spots as well as guided bike tours have been introduced for tourists. In September 2012, the BSK opened a new bridge between Devínska Nová Ves and Schloss Hof for pedestrians and cyclists aimed to improve the connection between Slovak and Austrian cycling routes, and opened a public vote to decide its name. Thanks largely to an online campaign, the public decided that it should be called the “Chuck Norris Bridge”, after the American martial artist and internet hero. Slovak regional officials rejected the results of the poll and called it “Freedom Cycling Bridge”. Bratislava mayor Ivo Nesrovnal said the name was not suitable, explaining, “You can not cross Chuck Norris.” - Roman Cuprik - Devín Castle is a popular destination for cycling tourists

98 bratislava: HIKING City hiking N page: 86 80 Sandberg N page: 37 81 Devín Castle (ruins) N page: 37 84 Železná studienka (Iron Spring, park)N page: 37 R4 Stupava (Biofarm) N page: 92-93 R5 Pajštún Castle (ruins)  24 km (30 min) u Borinka v 45 min a non-stop free R6 Marianka N page: 62-63 R9 Villa Rustica  the remnants of an ancient Roman building are located on the Veľká lúka meadow between Devínska Nová Ves and Dúbravka u Technické sklo v 20 R18 Svätý Jur N page: 90-91 R23 Pezinská Baba  22.3 km (30 min) R26 Červený Kameň Castle N page: 89 R30 Plavecký hrad (castle ruins) 58.4 km (45 min) uPlavecké Podhradie v 80 min a non-stop free R32 Smolenice Castle  Zámocká 18, Smolenice  80.1 km (59 min) v 90 min Å +421 (0)33 596-3232 €2 (€3 tour in English) www.kcsmolenice.sav.sk a Jul-Aug 10:00-18:00 (entry every hour), Jun and Sep: Sun 13:00-17:00 (entry every hour) R33 Ostrý Kameň Castle (ruins)  72.7 km (58 min) u Buková v 110 min a non-stop free Big adventure on offer in the Small Carpathians The bigger the better? Absolutely not. In the case of the countryside surrounding Bratislava, “small” is not only beautiful, it is positively great. The seemingly flat silhouette of the Small Carpathian mountains can easily be overlooked: there are no monumental hills, no deep valleys, no obvious ready-made attractions; just a strip of green somewhere on the horizon. But then you actually take a closer look and the featureless strip suddenly comes alive with the most vivid colours and incredible diversity. Just pick a map and you will discover big treasures hidden in a small package. Names can sometimes be misleading. With their length of approximately 100 km, width of up to 15 km and a maximum altitude of 768 m, the Small Carpathians are definitely not among the biggest mountain ranges. But what makes them so appealing is the rich diversity of attractions they offer. In this relatively small area there are abundant unique flowers and spectacular panoramas. There are serene forests and popular dams; cosy valleys and rocky hills. You can visit ancient ruins and remote outlook towers, or ride a cable-car. All of this is usually in comfortable walking distance from each other, and connected by a network of well-marked hiking trails. With a map, a few words of advice, or even just a slightly adventurous soul you have endless possibilities at hand. And all right on Bratislava’s doorstep. Hikingtrails Only a few steps from a Bratislava city bus stop, you can completely forget about civilisation. After visiting Devín Castle, follow the yellow trail that will lead you through the forests and meadows. After 4 km you will reach Sandberg, which, several thousand years ago, was a seabed and has subsequently yielded some rich paleontological finds. Although most eyes will naturally be drawn to the views over Austria – occasionally the Alps are visible on the horizon – do not forget to look around your feet. In spring in particular, the meadows change colour to yellow and violet thanks to several rare plant species, such as pheasant’s eye (Adonis vernalis) and prairie crocus (Pulsatilla). For those in a more meditative mood, you can also reach Marianka (30 min by bus from the Main Bus Station in Bratislava), the oldest Slovak pilgrimage site from where you can delve into deep beech and oak woods. A two-hour stroll will bring you to Biely kríž, an important crossroad of hiking and biking trails, where you’ll find a remarkable bar offering a small range of drinks and snacks, usually a spectacular soup and always an unforgettable atmosphere. The Small Carpathians are small only by name A wooden cross and birch trees commemorate an air crash from 1966

bratislava: hiking 99 Sakrakopec N page: 64-66 Tourist map see www.turistickamapa.sk From Biely kríž make a short and sombre detour to Sakrakopec, where there is a plantation of 82 birch trees, each of which represents one life lost in what remains the worst air crash in the history of the former Czechoslovakia. You can end your trip in Rača, with numerous public transport possibilities (direct links to the city centre), or descend to Železná studnička. Once best known for its spa, this romantic valley is now a very popular trip destination with comfortable paths and lots of places for barbeques. It is ideal for a leisurely stroll, and there is also a picturesque cable-car from Železná studnička to Kamzík area. During holidays and weekends, a bus service number 43 goes deeper into the forest to Kačín, a clearing with a gamekeeper’s lodge and a cosy pub, Lesanka. You’ll often find tramps playing folk and country songs here. The Small Carpathians offer many more places where you can seemingly enter a totally different world. You can sample fresh sheep cheese, for instance, at the bio-farm Príroda, near Stupava, after a pleasant walk among their domestic animals. Alternatively, you can drink hot chocolate in the intimate atmosphere of the mountain chalet Korenný vrch at Pezinská Baba, a mountain pass especially popular with hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and cross-country skiers. Castles inthe hills If you want to submerge yourself in history, visit one of the numerous castles or castle ruins. Pajštún, Plavecký hrad or Ostrý Kameň castles all demand a slightly steeper ascent, but you will be rewarded with spectacular views. Alternatively Biely Kameň or Dračí hrádok require most work from your imagination to picture the original appearance of these ruins. You’ll get a clearer idea of how the places used to look by visiting Červený Kameň and Smolenický zámok, both of which are excellently preserved and can make a perfect interruption to a hiking trip. Meanwhile, if the 13th century isn’t quite ancient enough for you, then don’t miss Neštich, the site of a former fortified settlement above the village of Svätý Jur, which dates from the 9th century, or Villa Rustica, the remnants of an ancient Roman building on the Veľká lúka meadow between Devínska Nová Ves and Dúbravka. It dates from the 1st century AD. Of course, the oldest treasure here is nature - even if it is often strangely overlooked. “Yes, there is no mountain pine here, nor mountain goats and the mountain height does not exceed a three-digit number, but it does not mean that there is nothing interesting here,” says Vladimír Lukačovič, who treats the Small Carpathians as a second home. “I definitely recommend visiting Klokoč in June, when the showy mullein (Verbascum speciosum) is in bloom.” It is possible to spend as much time as you like exploring the region, and for a good full-day hike, follow the blue markers from Plavecké Podhradie to the ruins of Plavecký hrad, then continue through to Báborská hill. From there, head to Klokoč hill, noting the unique flowers, and up to Sedlo Uhliská. From there a red trail will lead you to Vápenná, a rocky hill with a small outlook tower. After approximately six hours walking, a yellow trail will guide you back to Plavecké Podhradie. The Small Carpathians are small from the outside but big from within. Do not hesitate to wake up the adventurous spirit, take a map and go. “The whole Small Carpathians are surrounded by villages, therefore it is not a big problem if you get lost,” says Lukačovič. “Within an hour or two you can get from the ridge to the closest village. So nothing stands in the way of exploring unknown regions.” - Jitka Parobeková - Ostrý Kameň Castle is one of the popular castle ruins near Bratislava

100 bratislava: beyond the region Out of the region: Day trips Brno (129 km) City, castle, villa: www.brno.cz from CZK300/€11.5 (Tugendhat Villa) P D2 129 km (78 min) v www.cp.sk (90 min) Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic and the traditional capital city of Moravia, also known as a wine-producing region. The most important main sights of Brno are the royal castle Špilberk, the cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul and the Old Town Hall. Another important monument is the functionalist Tugendhat Villa designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lednice (91 km) Mansion: www.zamek-lednice.com from CZK320/€12 P D2/E65 91 km (61 min) v www.cp.sk (80 min) Lednice, together with its twin manor of Valtice, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as “an exceptional example of the designed landscape that evolved in the Enlightenment”. Lednice contains a neo-gothic palace, a historical greenhouse and the English garden park with a solitary 60-metre minaret, reputedly the tallest outside the Muslim world at the time of its construction. Valtice and its impressive baroque residence host the annual Valtice Wine Market, the largest and most prestigious exhibition of wine in the Czech Republic. The city of Mikulov, with several attractions, is also nearby. Schloss Hof (29 km) Palace: www.schlosshof.at €13 P 61, B9 and B49 29 km (33 min) Just across the Slovak-Austrian border is a magnificent baroque estate, Schloss Hof, consisting of a lordly palace, a terraced garden and an idyllic farm. The estate has been undergoing an extensive authentic renovation to restore the look that it had when it was owned by Empress Maria Theresa. Visitors to Schloss Hof will have insight to everyday life of the imperial family in the 18th century. A new bridge between Devínska Nová Ves and Schloss Hof serving pedestrians and cyclists was opened in September 2012. Carnuntum (24 km) Roman settlement: www.carnuntum.co.at €11 P 61 and B9  24 km (28 mins) You don’t need to travel far to see ancient Roman history. The Carnuntum Archaeological Park in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg offers a fabulous journey back to Roman times in its Open Air Museum Petronell. Special attractions include numerous reconstructed Roman buildings. About 700 metres from the museum visitors can see one of two ancient amphitheatres. Visitors can also easily reach large public baths situated about 500 metres from the museum. Vienna (79 km) City, mansions: www.vienna.info P D4, A6 and A4 79 km (57 min) v www.cp.sk (60 min) The capital of Austria is a great destination for one-day trips for visitors interested in history, music and arts or up-scale shopping. The historic city centre with St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hofburg complex, and the Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vienna is also home to many museums, galleries and opera houses. Architecture lovers can view its phases of architectural development with prominent examples of gothic, baroque and art nouveau styles. Those looking for an adrenaline buzz can go to Prater, an amusement park. NeusiedlLake(64km) Lake: www.neusiedler-see.at P D4, A6, A4/E60 64 km (53 min) Lake Neusiedl is the second largest steppe lake in central Europe, shared by Austria and Hungary. The lake is 315 square kilometres but on average is not more than 1.8 metres deep, a factor that made it an escape route from the iron-barbed Soviet satellite. The National Park Neusiedler See - Seewinkel was founded in 1993. The lake is a popular holiday resort favoured by ornithologists, water sports enthusiasts and nature lovers, offering ample opportunities for sailing, windsurfing, fishing, bird watching and cycling. Podersdorf Photo: ČTK Photo: Courtesy of Schloss Hof Photo: Reuters Photo: Courtesy of Carnuntum

bratislava: beyond the region 101 is the biggest and the most popular tourist town within the region known as Seewinkel. Mosonmagyaróvár (41 km) Spa: www.thermal-movar.hu from €7 (salt cave), from €5 (massage), from €10.5 (spa) P E-75/E65  41 km (34 min) Mosonmagyaróvár could be easily called the town of dentists since it has approximately 150 dental offices and 350 practicing dentists – perhaps one of the highest densities of dentists anywhere. Dental tourism has been flourishing here due to very affordable prices. But what draws many tourists to Moson and Magyaróvár, the two parts of this town, is the spa, whose thermal waters are considered one of five best in Europe. There are limited attractions for children. Orechová Potôň (41 km) Race track: www.slovakiaring.sk from €30 P 572  41 km (46 min) Slovakia Ring, which claims to be one of the longest motor racing tracks in Europe, offers a visitor an authentic experience of car racing while improving one’s driving skills. After undergoing a brief safety course visitors can drive their own cars on the track if they are in good technical condition or they can rent a car from the track. The ring offers 12 racing alternatives. Nitra (95 km) City, castle: www.eng.nitra.sk P D1 and R1 95 km (63 min) v www.cp.sk (60-100 min) Nitra, one of the oldest cities in Slovakia, is a perfect day-trip destination: it’s not a big city but it offers many different types of activities. In a single day, you can visit the historic city castle with its cathedral, a surrounding upper town with its churches, seminaries and cobblestone streets and then enjoy the more modern lower town with its shops, bars and cafés. As well there are quick but rewarding hikes in nature and fabulous local wines. Nitra often compares itself to Rome because of the seven hills that surround the city. Komárno (104 km) Fortress: www.komarno.sk €2 P 63 104 km (105 min) v www.cp.sk (120 min) The fortress in Komárno is a stark and magnificent example of military might – a structure of prodigious scale that has been strengthened and enlarged many times during its history. The fortress continued to be used almost to the present day but it is now abandoned. Visitors can walk in and around what feels like a sprawling ghost city. Even the very knowledgeable guides say that some areas remain unexplored. Tunnels with entrances within the fortress may lead all the way under Komárno; no one has yet found out. Reservation for a visit outside regular opening hours is required. Budapest (200 km) City, castles, sites: www.budapest.com P D2, M1 200 km (120 min) vwww.cp.sk (165 min) With its numerous historical sites and easy access from Bratislava, the capital of Hungary, often dubbed as ‘the Paris of the East’, can make an interesting side trip for visitors to the Bratislava region. Along with the famous Chain Bridge, the natural thermal baths, the Royal Palace, the Fisherman’s Bastion and the St Matthias’ Church, Budapest offers a number of museums and galleries, as well as shopping districts and a zoo. Wien (79km) Komárno (104km) Neusiedler See (64km) Sloßhof (29km) Nitra (95km) Mosonmagyaróvár (41km) BRATISLAVA Lednice (91km) Carmuntum CZECH RE P. SLOVAKIA HUNGARY AUSTRIA Brno (129km) Budapest (200km) Photo: Courtesy of Slovakia Ring Photo: Courtesy of HNTO

102 bratislava: TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS slovakia GENERAL INFORMATION Population: 5,397,036 (Slovak Statistics Office, as of 2011); 48.7% men, 51.3% women Nationalities: Slovak: 80.7%, Hungarian: 8.5%, Roma: 2% (10% - estimated), other: 1.8% (Czech, German, Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Polish), 7% (not specified) Religion: Roman Catholic (62%), Evangelical (5.9%), Greek Catholic (3.8%), Reformed (1.8%), Orthodox (0.9%), other (1.6%), not specified (10.6 %), no religion (13.4%) Capital: Bratislava (pop. 420,000) Currency: euro € Language: Slovak (Slovak phrases - see inside front cover) Business hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, bigger shopping centres daily 10:00-21:00 Time zone: GMT/UTC +1 hour GEOGRAPHY Area: 49,035 km2 Borders with neighbouring states: Hungary (679 km), Poland (598 km), the Czech Republic (265 km), Austria (127 km) and Ukraine (98 km) Land use: forest: 41%, arable land: 29%, meadows and pastures: 18%, urban areas: 5%, water: 2%, other agricultural land: 2%, other: 3% (statistics from the Environment Ministry, as of 2012) Highest point: Gerlachovský štít (2,655 m) Longest river: Váh River (403 km) Towns: 136 (settlements with more than 5,000 inhabitants) Major cities: Bratislava (population 411,228), Košice (240,433), Banská Bystrica (80,003). Villages: 2,717 (settlements with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants) Caves: 6,700 (discovered) National parks: 9 - High Tatras, Low Tatras, Pieniny, Slovenský raj, Slovenský kras, Malá Fatra, Veľká Fatra, Muránska planina, Poloniny. Castles and castle ruins: 300 SItes ONTHE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST Cultural - The historic town of Banská Štiavnica and the technical monuments in its vicinity - Bardejov town centre - Spiš Castle and its associated cultural monuments, Levoča - Vlkolínec - Wooden churches Natural - Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst - Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians TELECOMMU- NICATIONS It is easy to arrange a SIM card with a Slovak phone number. The biggest mobile operators in Slovakia are: Orange Slovensko, Slovak Telekom, 4ka and O2, each with many branches around the country. To place an international call, A DOZEN THINGS TO REMEMBER IN SLOVAKIA 1. Call for a taxi (many taxi firms have English-speaking staff) or use HOPIN / UBER applications; getting a taxi from a rank can be significantly more expensive. Either way, check if the meter is running and get out if it isn’t. 2. Always punch your ticket on public transport in cities (and make sure you have a ticket before boarding). Fares aren’t high but fines are, and inspectors are merciless. Drivers on municipal buses and trams usually do not sell tickets, but there are plenty of machines and kiosks that do. 3. Please remember that most of museums and galleries are closed on Mondays. Take opening hours with a grain of salt. Major attractions publish their opening hours. Pay particular attention to information on the last admission on the day you want to visit, which might be as much as one hour before the attraction officially closes. 4. Don’t leave your shopping until late. Even in Bratislava, many shops close at Saturday lunchtime and don’t open again untill Monday morning. Exceptions are shopping malls and kiosks near rail/bus stations. Several Tesco hypermarkets are open 24 hours. 5. Don‘t be discouraged if a waiter/shop assistant/post office clerk scowls at you. They are not singling you out as a fore- igner: everyone gets the same treatment. 6. Don’t smoke or drink alcohol in public places. Smoking is prohibited in restaurants, bus stops and shopping malls and can result in a significant fine. 7. Don’t leave your belongings on your car seats. Slovakia is generally a safe country but your belongings may ‘inspire’ an opportunist to break the window of your car and take them. 8. Always have your passport with you. In Slovakia, you must normally produce a passport or ID when checking into a hotel. 9. When visiting someone in their home, take a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers. If flowers, make sure you take an odd number! An even number of flowers is only ever taken to funerals or cemeteries. Slovaks frequently bring flowers to weddings and birthday parties. Everyone wants to shake hands and kiss the person who is celebrating, so be prepared for hand-shaking and kissing lines. 10. Be prepared to say ’No’ several times if you really don’t want extra helpings of food or another shot of slivovica. Slovaks are very hospitable and retain the notion that carrying a few extra pounds is healthier than being on the thin side. 11. Bratislava is a state within a state. Most tourists don’t leave the city, which is a shame because the rest of the region is dramatically different. 12. If you have to use the toilet (záchod), make sure you have pocket change. Some restaurants and pubs charge a small fee, usually 20-50 cents, to use it. Men may have to pay extra for toilet paper as well. Belgrade Prague P E IRL GB F CH B NL L D AND N S FIN DK A CZ H IS PL SK EST LT BY RUS UA RO MD BG AL BIH SLO TR CY MK GR SRB M I Copenhagen Moscow Kyiv Warsaw Brussels Lisbon Rome Athens Chisinau Bucharest So a Tirana Vienna Vilnius

bratislava: TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS 103 Average temp.: 9.8°C / 49.6°F Maximum recorded temp.: 38.2°C / 100.8°F (20.7.2007) Minimum recorded temp.: -24.6°C / -12.3°F (7.1.1985) Warmest month (average temp.): July (21.4°C / 70.5°F) Coldest month (average temp.): Jan (-0.3°C / 31.5°F) Temp. below 0°C / 32°F : 88 days (per year) Temp. above 25°C / 77°F: 69 days (per year) Days of snowfall (per year): 38 days Annual precipitation total: 576 mm / 22.7 in dial 00, the country code, city code, and number. Example: to call San Francisco, dial 00 + 01 (country) + 415 (city) + number. General phone numbers: Information 1181; General emergency 112; Police 158; Ambulance 155; Fire 150; Emergency Road Service 18124; Emergency Highway Service 0800 100-007 TRANSPORT For more details about airports, trains, buses and taxis in Bratislava please see the pull out map. the post office At a Slovak Post Office (Slovenská pošta), you can make phone calls and buy phone cards, pay your utility bills, get film developed, buy lottery tickets, and, of course, send mail. Often, the simplest thing to do with outgoing mail (odosielanie listov) is hand it to the person behind the counter; they will stamp it and send it off for you. The main post office in Bratislava at Námestie SNP (close to the historical centre) is open Mon-Fri 7:00-20:00, Sat 7:00-18:00. MONEY Slovakia’s basic currency unit is the euro (€). When changing money, look for signs saying zmenáreň, or “change”, and steer clear of strangers offering to exchange money on the street. You can get cash from international accounts at an automatic teller machine (ATM), usually marked Bankomat. Travellers’ cheques can be cashed at most banks and some exchange offices. Credit cards are accepted. SHOPPING Most stores in Slovakia are open from 8:00 to 18:00 Mon-Fri and 8:00-12:00 on Saturday. Shopping centres typically have opening hours for all shops from 9:00–21:00 during the entire week. Several Tesco hypermarkets are open non-stop. PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Jan 1 - New Year’s Eve and Independence Day; Jan 6 - Epiphany; Mar/Apr - Good Friday and Easter Monday; May 1 - Labour Day; May 8 - Victory over Fascism; Jul 5 - Cyril and Methodius Day; Aug 29 - SNP Day; Sep 1 - Constitution Day, Sep 15 - Our Lady of Seven Sorrows; Nov 1 - All Saints’ Day; Nov 17 - Day of Struggle for Democracy; Dec 24-26 - Christmas. DRINKING WATER It is safe to drink water from all taps unless there is a warning otherwise. RELIGIOUS SERVICES Jewish service Synagogue on Heydukova Street – Friday evening (before twilight), Saturday morning (usually at 9:00), and during feasts. Services held in Hebrew. Sunday services in foreign languages Roman Catholic Church Church of St John of Matha - 9:00 (Latin) N page 20 St Martin’s Cathedral - 7:45 (German), 9:00 (Latin) N page 24 Church of St Ladislavus - 11:00 (ENG) N page 32 Church of the Merciful Brothers 11:30 (Italian) N page 18 Small Evangelical Church 10:00 (ENG), 11:30 (German), Panenská Street (entrance from Lýcejná Street), map C 2; www. bratislavainternationalchurch.org Citylight Church - 10:00 (ENG), Námestie 1.mája 1; map C 2 www.citylightbratislava.com Bratislava International Fellowship - Trnavské mýto 1 (Istropolis); www.bif.sk; 10:00 (ENG) International Baptist Church 10:00 (ENG), Súľovská 2 www.ibcb.baptist.sk 25 20 15 10 5 0 -3 77 68 59 50 41 32 26.6 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2.4 2 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 0 °C °F Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average monthly temperature Average monthly rainfall inches mm Climate in Bratislava Source: Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

104 bratislava: TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS / FOOD, accommodation Where to eat Listed in price ranges alphabetically The rating was created based on prices of meals that include a soup and main dish (mostly chicken). Price range: €.........................under €10 €€.........................€10-15 €€€......................€15-20 €€€€.................over €20 Antica Toscana €€€€  Maďarská 27, Bratislava www.anticatoscana.sk Carnevalle €€€€  Hviezdoslavovo námestie 20, Bratislava; www.carnevalle.sk Fou Zoo €€€€  Ševčenkova 34, Bratislava www.fouzoo.sk River Bank Restaurant €€€€  Dvořákovo nábr. 6, Bratislava www.riverbank.sk Hotel Sheraton – Brasserie Anjou €€€€  Eurovea – Pribinova 12, Bratislava www.brasserieanjou.com Hotel Tulip House – Rhapsody €€€€  Štúrova 10, Bratislava www.tuliphousehotel.com Kogo – caffé ristorante €€€€  Hviezdoslavovo námestie 21, Bratislava; www.kogo.sk Liviano €€€€  Biznisuite Technopol, Bratislava www.liviano.sk Savoy Restaurant €€€€  Hviezdoslavovo námestie 3 (Hotel Carlton), Bratislava  +421 (0)2 5939-0400 www.savoyrestaurant.sk UFO watch.taste.groove. €€€€  Most SNP, Bratislava www.redmonkeygroup.com Al Faro €€€ (www.alfaro.sk)  Pribinova 1/B, Bratislava LemonTree & Sky Bar €€€  Hviezdoslavovo nám. 7, Bratislava www.skybar.sk BeerPalace€€ (www.beerpalace.sk)  Gorkého 5, Bratislava Bistro Soho €€ (www.bistrosoho.sk)  Dunajská 20, Bratislava Bistro St. Germain €€  Rajská 7, Bratislava www.stgermain.sk Green Buddha €€  Zelená 4, Bratislava www.greenbuddha.sk Hotel Matyšák – wine restau- rant €€;  Pražská 15, Bratislava www.hotelmatysak.sk Meštiansky pivovar €€  Dunajská ulica 21, Bratislava  Drevená 8, Bratislava www.mestianskypivovar.sk Modrá hviezda €€  Beblavého 14, Bratislava www.modrahviezda.sk Prašná Bašta €€  Zámočnícka 11, Bratislava www.prasnabasta.sk U Kubistu €€ (www.ukubistu.sk)  Grösslingová 26, Bratislava Zelený Rodrigéz €€  Zámocká 36; map B 3  +421 (0)905 218-569 Zyllinder €€  Hviezdoslavovo nám. 19, Bratislava; www.zylinder.sk Ventúrska Klubovňa €€  Ventúrska 1, Bratislava www.nasaklubovna.sk Verne €  Hviezdoslavovo nám. 18, Bratislava BEST BURGERS BeAbout;  Prešernova 4, Bratislava www.beabout.sk €7.99 Minerva  Michalská 3, Bratislava www.restaurant-minerva.eu€3 Regal burger €6  Palackého 4, Bratislava  Eurovea Galleria, Pribinova 8 www.facebook.com/regalburger FAST FOOD McDonald‘s  Námestie SNP 14, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 7:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 7:00-1:00, Sun 9:00-24:00  Obchodná 58, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 7:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 7:00-2:00, Sun 10:00-24:00  Korzo, Gorkého 1, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 7:00-24:00, Fri 7:00- 1:00, Sat 8:00-1:00 Sun 9:00-24:00 Subway  Hodžovo nám. 1/A, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 7:00-22:00, Fri 7:00-3:00, Sat 10:30-3:00, Sun 10:30-22:00  Rajská 1, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 7:00-22:00, Fri 7:00-24:00, Sat 10:00-24:00, Sun 10:00-22:00  Obchodná 27, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 8:00-22:00, Fri 8:00-24:00, Sat 9:00-24:00, Sun 11:00-22:00 Orbis Street Food  Laurinská 7, Bratislava  Tue 11:00-22:00, Wed-Thu 11:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 11:00- 1:00, Sun-Mon 13:00-22:00 I Love Pizza  Rybárska brána 1, Bratislava  Mon-Thu 11:00-22:00, Fri 11:00-01:00, Sat 10:00-1:00, Sun 10:00-22:00 Many fast food restaurants can be found on Obchodná street Accommodation: hotels, pensions Apollo Hotel; Dulovo nám. 1, map F 2; www.apollohotel.sk Arcadia Hotel; Františkánska 3, map C 3 (c 2); www.arcadia-hotel.sk Art Hotel William; Laurinská 17, map D 3; www.art-hotelwilliam.sk Austria Trend Hotel; Vysoká 2A, map C 2; www.austria-trend.at Botel Gracia; Rázusovo nábrežie, map C 4; www.botelgracia.sk Botel Marina; Nábrežie arm. gen. L. Svobodu, map B 4; www.botelmarina.sk Crowne Plaza Bratislava; Hodžovo námestie 2, map C 2; www.crowne-plaza.sk Falkensteiner Hotel Bratislava; Pilárikova 5, map C 3 (c 1); www.falkensteiner.com/en/hotel/ bratislava Film Hotel; Vysoká 27, map D 2; www.filmhotel.sk Grant Hotel Pressburg; Antolská 2, map F 4; www.hotelpressburg.sk Grand Hotel River Park Dvořákovo nábrežie 6, map A 3 Hotel Akademik; Vazovova 1, map D 1; www.stuba.sk Hotel Albrecht; Mudroňova 82, map A 2; www.hotelalbrecht.com Hotel Antares; Šulekova 15/a, map B 2; www.hotelantares.sk Hotel Arcus; Moskovská 5, map E 2; www.hotelarcus.sk Hotel Avance; Medená 9, map C 4; www.hotelavance.sk Hotel Bratislava; Seberíniho 9, map F 4; www.hotelbratislava.sk Hotel Danubia Gate; Dunajská 26, map D 3; www.hoteldanubiagate.sk Hotel Devín; Riečna 4, map C 4; www.hoteldevin.sk Hotel Mama’s; Chorvátska 2, map E 2; www.hotelmamas.sk Hotel Matyšák; Pražská 15, map C 1; www.hotelmatysak.sk Hotel Mercure; Žabotova 2, map C 1; www.mercure.com Hotel No.16; Partizánska 16a, map A 2; www.hotelno16.sk Hotel Old City; Michalská 2, map C 3 (c 3); www.oldcityhotel.sk Hotel Perugia; Zelená 5, map C 3 (c 3); www.hotelperugia.sk Hotel Saffron; Radlinského 27, map D 2; www.hotelsaffron.sk Hotel Tatra; Nám. 1. mája 5, map C 2; www.hoteltatra.sk Hotely Plus; Bulharská 72, map F 4; www.hotelyplus.sk Ibis Bratislava Centrum; Zámocká 38, map B 3; www.ibis.com Lindner Hotel Gallery Central Metodova 4, map F 1; www.lindnerhotels.com Mamaison Residence; Šulekova 20, map B 2; www.mamaison.com Marrol‘s Boutique Hotel; Tobrucká 4, map D 4; www.hotelmarrols.sk Park Inn Danube; Rybné námestie 1, map C 4; www.parkinn.com/hotel-bratislava Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel; Hviezdo- slavovo nám. 3, map C 4; www.radissonblu.com/hotel-bratislava Sheraton Bratislava Hotel; Pribinova 12, map E 4; www.sheratonbratislava.com Skaritz Hotel & Residence; Michalská 4, map C 3 (c 3); www.skaritz.com Tulip House Boutique Hotel; Štúrova 10, map D 3; www.tuliphousehotel.com Villa Park; Poľná 3, map E 2; www.villa-park.snif.sk Pension Castle Club; Zámocká 13, map B 3; www.zamockypivovar.sk Penzión Grémium; Gorkého 11, map C 3 (c 4); www.penziongremium.sk Penzión Portus; Paulínyho 10, map C 4; www.portus.sk Penzión Virgo B&B; Panenská 14, map C 2; www.penzionvirgo.sk Accommodation: hostels City Hostel; Obchodná 38, map C 3 (c 2); www.cityhostel.sk Downtown Backpacker‘s Hostel; Panenská 31, map C 2; www.backpackers.sk Hostel Blues; Špitálska 2, map D 3; www.hostelblues.sk Hostel Possonium; Šancová 20, map D 1; www.possonium.sk Patio Hostel; Špitálska 35, map D 3; www.patiohostel.com TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE 17 Bratislava Culture and Information Centre  Klobučnícka 2; map C 3 (c 4)  0.16 km (2 min) Å +421 (0)2 5443-3715 www.visitbratislava.com a Apr-Oct 9:00-19:00 off season 9:00-18:00é TOURIST GUIDES Bratislava Tourist Guides Association www.asba.sk Slovak Tourist Guides Association www.touristguides.sk

bratislava: TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS 105 accommodation N page: 104 COFFEE SHOPS, ICE CREAM N page: 78-79 DISCOUNTS N page: 53 EVENTS N page: 108-109, 76-77, 80-81, extreme SPORTS N page: 68-69 Galleries N page: 50-52 Museums N page: 50-52 Night life N page: 56-57 Parks and Gardens N page: 72-73 Restaurants N page: 104, 74-75, 76-77, 82-83 Souvenirs N page: 108-109 Wine N page: 80-81, 90 TAXI Taxi Taxi Å+421 (0)904 216-321 AA Taxi Euro Å+421 (0)903 807-022 TAXI (unified ride rate) Easy Taxi Å+421 (0)918 555-555 Green Taxi Å+421 (0)905 660-660 HOSPITAL AND PHARMACY Medissimo Hospital and Polyclinic (a private health-care facility) www.medissimo.sk  Tematínska 5/A (near the lake Veľký Draždiak) Hospital and Polyclinic Ružinov  Ružinovská 6 Å +421 (0)2 4823-4113 Hospital and Polyclinic of Ladislav Dérer (Kramáre hospital) Limbova 5 Å +421 (0)2 5954-1111 Hospital in the Old Town Nemocnica Milosrdní Bratia  Námestie SNP 10; map C 3 (c 1) Å +421 (0)2 5788-7100 Nemocnica sv. Michala  Satinského 1; map D 3 Å +421 (0)2 3261-1111 Hospital and Polyclinic of St Cyril and St Methodius Petržalka  Antolská 11 Å +421 (0)2 6867-1111 Non-Stop Pharmacy: Pharmacy Pokrok; www.lekarenpokrok.sk  Račianske Mýto 1; map E 1 WIFI There are a few free WiFi zones across the city: Primaciálne nám. (square), Medická záhrada (garden), Rázusovo and Fajnorovo nábr. (waterfront). You can also get online in buses displaying a WiFi sign. See also: www.wificafespots.com PUBLIC TOILETS 71 Medical Garden N page: 72-73 Building of the Bratislava City Magistrate  Uršulínska Street (historical centre); map C 3 (c 4) Subway under Hodžovo nám. (square) map C 2 65 Garden of the Presidential Palace (near the exit on Banskobystrická Street) N page: 72-73 Some public toilets are not in good condition – especially those which are free; the bus and train stations all have public toilets as well as shopping malls, gas stations, restaurants and pubs (they are mostly paid) SHOPPING Shopping centres N page: 58-59 Grocery stores tend to open from 9:00 to 21:00, but the Tesco hypermarkets in Petržalka and Zlaté Piesky are open 24 hours. A smaller supermarket Hvi- ezda at Námestie 1. mája (map C 2) is also open 24-hour-a-day. Another option is to order your food online at potravinydomov.itesco.sk Tesco hypermarket Lamač (OC Galéria)  Lamačská cesta 1 Tesco hypermarket Petržalka  Panónska cesta 25 Tesco hypermarket Zlaté Piesky (Shopping Palace)  Cesta na Senec 2 Hviezda  Nám. 1. mája 15; map: C 2 0.95 km (12 min) SPORT & WELLNESS Golf courses close to Bratislava Carpatia Golf Club (www.golf-carpatia.sk) Golf Club Elán (www.gcelan.sk) Golf Club Green Resort (www.golfborsa.sk) Golf Club Pegas (www.golflozorno.sk) Black River in Bernolákovo (www.golf.sk) Golf resort in Dunakiliti (www.prgc.sk) White Eurovalley Golf-Park (www.golf.sk) Golem Health Club www.golemclub.sk; The club has several branches in the city, usually located in shopping centres: Tower 115  Pribinova 25 (near Eurovea), map E 4; fitness, group exercises, massages Aupark Shopping Center  Einsteinova 18; fitness, squash, bedminton, group exercises, massages Avion Shopping Park  Ivanská cesta 16; fitness, group exercises, massages Central Bratislava  Metodova 6; map F 1; fitness, group exercises, sauna, massages, swimming pool Hotel Devín www.hoteldevin.sk;  Riečna 4 (in the city centre), map C 4; squash, fitness, wellness, massages NC - Bowling National Centre www.bnc-sk.sk  Turbínova 1 Fanatix; www.fanatix.sk  Dunajská 23 (in the city centre), map D 3; squash, fitness Ponteo Activity Park Rusovce www.ponteo.sk bowling, fitness, tenis, squash, wellness, beach volleyball, petanque 88 NTC – National Tennis Centre www.ntc.sk  Príkopova 6; map F 4 tennis, badminton, squash, fitness Swimming pool Pasienky www.starz.sk  Junácka 4 swimming pool, sauna, fitness Outdoor swimming pool Tehelné pole ww.starz.sk  Odbojárov 9 é 7 Spa; wellness N page: 82-83 Aquapark Senec wellness N page: 92-93 Darsana www.darsana.sk  Baštová 7; map C 3 (c 1) ayurvedic massage centre Planet Zen www.planetzen.sk  Gorkého 7; map C 3 (c 4) Asian wellness, massages, sauna CINEMAS Cinema City Large cinemas in the city are operated by Cinema City or Cinemax, and they are all located in shopping centres. www.cinemacity.sk; www.cine-max.sk Aupark Shopping Center  Einsteinova 18 Bory Mall  Lamač 6780 Polus City Center  Vajnorská 100 Eurovea Bratislava  Pribinova 8; map E 4 Lumiere www.aic.sk (Slovak only)  Špitálska 4; map D 3 EXHIBITIONS 50 Incheba Expo Bratislava www.incheba.sk  Viedenská cesta 3-7; map B 4 Accessible sites for é 2 Slovak National MuseumN pg 12 3 Slovak National GalleryN pg 12 4 Reduta Slovak Philharmonic N pg 12 8 Slovak National Theatre - Historical buildingN pg 13 14 Old Town Hall (museum); (Tower not accessible) N pg 16 16 Primate’s Palace (gallery) Gallery and chapel N pg 17 18 Nedbalka Gallery N pg 15 24 Ursuline Church and Convent N pg 19 25 Franciscan Church of Lord’s Annunciation N pg 19 28 Red Crayfish Pharmacy (museum) N pg 20 30 Church of St Stephen N pg 21 31 St Catherine’s ChapelN pg 21 33 Zichy Palace Gallery N pg 22 38 St Martin’s CathedralN pg 24 41 Church of the ClarissesN pg 23 42 Bratislava Castle Accessible upon request, excluding Tower and Treasury N pg 26 43 Museum of Jewish Culture N pg 50-52 52 UFO restaurant Accessible upon request; access only to the Restaurant/Bar N page: 30 57 Slovak National Theatre - New building N pg 30 73 Tržnica Market place N page: 60-61 76 Museum of Transport N pg 50-52 78 Lourdes cave N page: 62-63 81 Devín Castle N page: 37 82 Botanical Garden N page: 72-73 83 ZOO N page: 84-85 94 B-S 8 HřbitovN page: 60-61 99 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum N page: 39 GUIDE TO PRICES * AT A SUPERMARKET bread €1 – €1.5 milk (0.1l) €0.8 butter (125g) €1.3 yoghurt €0.5 ham (100g) €0.6 mineral water (1.5l) €0.6 soft drinks (2l) €1 – €1.5 fruit juice (1l) €1.5 ready-made pre-packaged meal (to warm-up in microwave) €2.2 Prices of fruit and vegetables depend on the season. * AT A PUB / CAFÉ coffee €1.5 tea €1.5 mineral water / soft drink (0.3l) €1.5 glass of wine €2 large beer (0.5l) €1.5-2 * IN A RESTAURANT Daily menu – usually includes soup as a starter, a main dish, and sometimes also a soft drink or a dessert. Prices range from €4 to €5, in fancier restaurants up to €10. The cheapest places to eat include fast-food restaurants and Asian-food bistros. A kebab or hamburger in a fast-food stall is around €2.5. A complete dish in an Asian bistro is around €3. PRICES OF SOME MAIN COURSES IN AVERAGE RESTAURANTS: Bryndzové halušky €5 – €7 Goulash with side dish €5.5 Schnitzel with side dish €7 Steak €15 – 25 Pasta €5 – €7 Note: Prices in cafés, pubs and restaurants are slightly higher in the centre of Bratislava than in the rest of the country.

106 slovak cuisine ABRIEF GUIDETOTHE COUNTRY’S CUISINE Slovakia, unlike France or Italy, may not be on the list of top destinations for those who take pleasure in gastrotourism. Nevertheless, Slovak cuisine, in which sheep-breeding traditions combine with tastes typical of Hungary or Austria, has a surprising amount to offer – particularly if you enjoy meat. MORE THAN JUST DUMPLINGS When asked what the most typical Slovak food is, every Slovak would first answer bryndzové halušky. The gnocchi- like dumplings made of potato dough served with bryndza, a traditional, strong-tasting Slovak sheep’s cheese, originate in the mountainous regions of northern and central Slovakia. It is served in practically every restaurant that offers local cuisine, usually seasoned with fried bacon or fried onions. An alternative, which is better known in several varieties as a Polish traditional dish, is bryndzové pirohy, ravioli-like pasta with a filling made of bryndza and potatoes. Western Slovakia, however, has its own regional speciality: roasted goose accompanied with red cabbbage and lokše, a kind of dry potato pancake (resembling tortillas), smeared with goose fat. Lokše can also be served as a main dish, filled with goose pate, or sweet, filled with poppyseed and jam. Goose as a regional specialty is a tradition shared with Slovakia’s southern neighbour, Hungary, as is that of eating goulash, or guláš in Slovak. Typically eaten with knedľa, a kind of sliced, boiled and steamed dumpling, guláš takes several forms: traditional, spicy maďarský (Hungarian, with beef); segedínsky (creamy, with sour cabbage and pork); or poľovnícky (with venison). Apart from these, there is also kotlíkový guláš, which is more like goulash soup, served with bread. Soups – polievky – generally cannot be absent from a Slovak table. The most frequently served soups are chicken bouillon (slepačí vývar), tomato (paradaj- ková), vegetable (zeleninová) and various cream soups. Faithful to the Austrian tradition, Slovaks are very keen on fried Wiener-schnitzel (vyprážaný rezeň), which is a regular Sunday or festive lunch for many. It usually comes with either mayonnaise potato salad, or with boiled potatoes and pickles. Grilled pork knuckle, or grilované koleno, served with bread, pickled hot pepper known as baraní roh in Slovak, horseradish and mustard, has recently become a very popular food in Slovak restaurants and grill bars too. Vegetarians might find it rather harder to enjoy Slovak cuisine. The most likely dish on offer is vyprážaný syr, or fried cheese, a typical central Europe- an dish served with French fries and tartar sauce. Another specialty which is hard to find elsewhere in the world is treska, a mayonnaise- -fish salad, available in salad bars or supermarkets. BEER OR KOFOLA? The tradition of wine drinking is not new to Slovaks, especially in the southern part of the country where vineyards constitute a significant part of the cultivated land. And although the tradition of wine tasting has become more popular only recently, there are places, especially along the Small Carpathian and Tokaj Wine Route, where it is possible to sip the local vintages. The most popular drink in pubs, however, is beer, or pivo. The most popular Slovak brands include Zlatý Bažant, Corgoň, and Šariš. Czech beer can be found among the selection at pubs. Other locations offer local beers from small breweries for example in Kláštorný pivovar, Zámocký pivovar or Patrónsky pivovar. You can order a small beer (0.3l) or a big one (0.5l). The majority of Slovak pubs offer not only draught beer, but also draught Kofola, a cola-style soft drink, which was developed as an alternative to western competitors in the 1960s. Slovaks and Czechs like to call it the best product of the Preparation of bryndzové halušky, a dish consisting of sheep’s cheese and potato dumplings, has become an archetype of traditional Slovak food

slovak cuisine 107 Cold War. Another such soft drink is Vinea, made from grape juice and available in white, red and pink varieties. Pubs in Slovakia usually offer an interesting selection of small snacks that go well with beer (and encourage further consumption thereof). An evening in a pub offers a chance to taste traditional Slovak cheese too, such as traditional korbáčiky, which are little whips made of spaghetti-shaped cheese, courtesy of the Orava region. Korbáčiky can be found in two versions – natural and smoked. Slovak pubs have also adopted the traditional Czech beer snack, a pickled camembert- style cheese called nakladaný hermelín. If you are not much of a cheese lover, you can go for pagáč, a salty pastry made with pork fat and crackling. SWEET TOOTH? NO PROBLEM Central European countries take pride in their tradition of sweet dishes, which are often served not only as desserts but also as main dishes. That is the case with slivkové gule, dumplings filled with plums seasoned with poppyseed or minced walnuts, but also crepes, or palacinky. Apart from that, Slovaks and Czechs share the tradition of buchty (buns), both baked and steamed, and závin (turnover). Poppyseed is a typical seasoning or filling for these. The traditional desserts include Austrian strudel (štrúdľa), but in Bratislava there is also the regional specialty bratislavské rožky, a fine, crescent-shaped pastry with a poppyseed or walnut filling and a glossy surface, which already received recognition under the EU’s protected geographical status scheme. Central European cities, from Vienna through Bratislava to Warsaw, are the places to go for those who like creamy cakes and cookies, served to accompany afternoon coffee. PROTECTED TRADITIONAL SLOVAK FOOD PRODUCTS The European Union seeks to protect the reputation of regional foods through its Protected Geographical Status (PGS) framework. Slovakia now has a total of 18 products with a final ‘registered’ status. Registered traditional Slovak products: Bakery products: Skalický trdelník (a bakery product of a hollow, cylindrical shape); Bratislavské rožky (crescent-shaped pastry with poppy-seed or walnut filling). Cheeses: Slovenská parenica (a steamed, lightly-smoked cheese wound into two rolls connec- ted in an ‘S’ shape); Slovenská bryndza (a natural, white, mature, spreadable sheep’s cheese in granular form, manufactured by milling a lump of matured sheep’s cheese or by milling a mixture of cheese and lump cow’s cheese); Slovenský oštiepok (a half-fat, semi-hard cheese characterised by its special shape, that of a large egg, pine cone or ellipsoid with decoration); Ovčí salašnícky údený syr (cheese produced from fresh sheep’s milk, processed and smoked in shepherd’s huts); Ovčí hrudkový syr-salašnícky (produced from fresh sheep’s milk and derives its characteristic taste as a result of the traditional technology used during its fermentation and also from being shaped by hand into a lump); Tekov- ský salámový syr (natural semi-hard, ripened full-fat cheese, in the shape of a cylinder); Oravský korbáčik and Zázrivský korbáčik (a steamed cheese product in the shape of a little whip/korbáčik in Slovak); Zázrivské vojky (steamed cheese product, smoked or unsmoked, in the form of strings); Kleno- vecký syrec (a semi-hard, ripened cheese, smoked or unsmoked, in the form of a wheel). Meat: Liptovská saláma / Liptovský salám and Lovecký salám / Lovecká saláma (a long-life fermented meat products); Spišské párky (a wurst-like product); Špekáčky / Špekačky (wurst-like, heat-processed meat product). Vegetables: Paprika Žitava / Žitavská paprika (a sweet paprika made by grinding the dried fruits of the Capsicum chilli pepper). Stupava sauerkraut/Stupavské Zelé (fermented white cabbage grown within a defined geographical area). - Michaela Terenzani, Jana Liptáková - Bratislavský rožok, a fine, crescent-shaped pastry filled with poppyseed or walnuts

SOUVENIRS/EVENTS IN BRATISLAVA TRADITIONAL SOUVENIRS The usual souvenirs, such as fridge magnets, book markers, postcards and calendars with images of Slovakia’s beautiful sights, can be found in many souvenir shops and tourist information offices across the country. But if you are looking for a somewhat less common souvenir to carry home from Slovakia for your family and friends – or yourself – to provide a lasting memory of your trip to central Europe, several possibilities are at hand. Dolls wearing traditional folk costumes are among many tourists’ favourites, as well as various carved-wood objects, such as musical instruments (perhaps a small shepherds’ pipe or a rattle), decorative objects to hang on the wall or several kinds of household tools for daily use (a honey container, decorated wooden spoons, wooden egg-holders or milk glasses). Embroidered or crocheted table cloths and similar products are traditional for Slovakia as well. Dolls made of maize leaves, usually depicting traditional Slovak crafts related to village life and work in the fields, such as a woman brace-wheeling, people raking straw or a woman singing a lullaby to a baby in a cradle, are common. Traditional Slovak pottery, majolika or keramika in Slovak, can be interesting for tourists as well. Several different kinds of traditional pottery are still hand-made in Slovakia: Modra majolica has various traditional patterns hand-painted onto a white coating, traditionally in greens, blues and yellows (www.majolika.sk) while Trstená keramika brings a combination of a brown glaze with white designs (www. trstenskakeramika.sk). Decorated Easter eggs, called kraslice in Slovak, make a rather fragile but lovely souvenir from Slovakia too. There is no need to worry Events in Bratislava JanuArY jUnE februArY jULY marcH august aprIl september March: Bratislavský maratón (Bratislava Marathon) www.bratislavamarathon.com August: Duodanube, Medzinárodná výstava psov (International Dog Show) www.duodanube.sk January: ITF Slovakiatour www.incheba.sk The most important tourism fair in Slovakia APRIL, September, December: Dobrý trh (Good Market) www.dobrytrh.sk (SK only) Street market (usually on Panenská Stre- et, Jakubovo námestie or in Old Market Hall) offering various goods, farmers’ products, international cuisine, clothing, antiquities and books, as well as various performances and competitions April: Bratislavské mestské dni (Bratislava City Days), www.bkis.sk Various cultural events in the city April: Národný beh Devín – Bratislava (National Run Devín – Bratislava) www.devin-bratislava.eu (SK only) Organised run between Devín Castle and the Old Town April: Hory a Mesto (Mountains and the City) www.horyamesto.sk International festival of outdoor activities, including mountaineering and extreme sports. Features films, discussions with mountaineers and demonstrations. June: Bratislava Coronation Ceremony, www.korunovacie.sk Historical coronation ceremony of the Hungarian kings June–September: Viva Musica Festival www.vivamusica.sk, Open-air concerts of classical music and jazz June: Gurmán Fest Bratislava (Gastronome Fest Bratislava), www.gurmanfestbratislava.sk (SK only) Cooking demonstrations, workshops, competitions and concerts including the chance to taste food prepared by top chefs and sommelier-selected wines June–September: Kultúrne leto (Summer of Culture), www.bkis.sk, Many independent festival projects and many programme cycles featuring artists from Slovakia and around the world at more than 20 sites in Bratislava August/September: Dni majstrov ÚĽUV (Craftsmen Days ÚĽUV), www.uluv.sk/en Festival of traditional crafts and folk production September: Bienále animácie Bratislava (Biennial of Animation Bratislava) www.bib-slovakia.sk International festival of animated films for children JUNE: Musica Sacra, www.choral-music.sk International festival of sacral music

SOUVENIRS/EVENTS IN BRATISLAVA 109 about the longevity of this gift as the eggs are just shells with their contents blown out through small holes on either side of the egg. A wide variety of techniques are used to decorate the eggs, among them hot-wax painting, straw ornaments glued to the eggshells, embroidered eggs, or so-called ‘scratched eggs’. Many kinds of traditional souvenirs can be purchased in shops branded as ÚĽUV – The Centre for Folk Art Production (www.uluv.sk). There are numerous souvenir shops in the historical centre, mostly on Hlavné and Hviezdoslavovo Squares as well as at Obchodná and Michalská Streets. If you prefer bringing back some of the tastes of the country rather than its decorative objects, here’s a list of Slovak-made products that could be slipped into your luggage before your return trip: BEVERAGES The favourite soft drinks available in Slovakia are Vinea (a wine- flavoured, carbonated drink, available in white, pink and red versions) and Kofola (a caffeinated cola- like drink with its own characteristic taste). You can purchase both soft drinks in plastic bottles and Kofola is also available in cans. Slovak-made spirits that will be a hit in your home country could be Demänovka, a herbal liqueur in two flavours – bitter (red label) and sweet (green label) – as well as slivovica (plum brandy) and hruškovica (pear brandy). If beer is your preferred option, traditionally-excellent Slovak beers are Zlatý Bažant, Šariš, and Smädný Mních. For wine lovers, the following wineries offer choice Slovak wines: Víno Mrva & Stanko; J. & J. Ostrožovič; Tokaj & Co; Elesko; Chateau Belá; Víno Masaryk; Víno Matyšák; Martin Pomfy – Mavín, Vinosady; and VPS - Vinohradníctvo Pavelka- Sobolič. mAY oCTOber November december April: Bratislavský Autosalón (Bratislava Motorshow) www.incheba.sk The most important motoring event in Slovakia May: Nová drama (New Drama), www. theatre.sk Festival of contemporary drama, including subtitles for non-native speakers November–December: Christmas Days in Bratislava and Traditional Christmas Market www.bkis.sk December: Partyslava - New Year’s Eve Party, www.bkis.sk April/JUNE: GLOBSEC, www.globsec.org Bratislava Global Security Forum Leading security and foreign policy forum in central Europe May: AsparagusDays Asparagusandseasonal delicaciesmadeofit,ina tentindowntownBratislava May/JuNE: Cirkul’art Festival nového cirkusu (Cirkul’art: The Festival of Contemporary Circus), www.cirkulart.sk Various circus, theatre and street performances, games and competitions May: Bratislavský majáles (Bratislava May Feast), www.bratislavskyma- jales.sk Festival held on the river bank featuring concerts, theatre performances for children and various side events May/jun: Slovak Food Festival, www.slovakfoodfestival.sk (SK only) Known as the Biggest Picnic in the City, the festival offers food tastings, discussions and workshops, and various competitions May: Flóra (Flora), www.incheba.sk Flower exhibition May: Noc múzeí a galérií (Night of Museums and Galleries), www.muzeum.sk Several museums and galleries around Bratislava open into the night October: Medzinárodný festival gregoriánskeho chorálu (International Gregorian Chant Festival) www.choral-music.sk, Biennial event october: Bratislava v pohybe (Bratislava in Movement) www.abp.sk (SK only) International festival of contemporary dance October/November: Bratislavské hudobné slávnosti (Bratislava Music Festival), www.bhsfestival.sk (SK only) Festival of classical music October: Bratislavské jazzové dni (Bratislava Jazz Days), www.bjd.sk Jazz festival with local and international talents November, May: Deň otvorených pivníc (Day of Open Cellars), www.mvc.sk Winemakers in the Small Carpathian region open their doors for a day allowing visitors to taste their wares. Several days are arranged throughout the season. November: Mesiac fotografie (Month of Photography) www.mesiacfotografie.sk, www.sedf.sk/en, Various sites around Bratislava offer photo exhibitions, including winners from the World Press Photo competition November: International Film Festival www.bratislavaiff.sk November/december: Jeden Svet (One World Slovakia), www.jedensvet.sk/en International documentary film festival Photo: TASR Photo: SITA Photo: SITA Photo: TASR

110 bratislava: index Index A4 56-57 Abeland 92-93, 95, 84-85 Academia Istropolitana 22 Airport 38 Andersen, Hans Christian 64-66 Apollo Bridge 30 Aquapark Senec 92-93, 84-85 Archaeological Museum 50-52 Archbishop’s Summer Palace 33 Arthur Fleischmann Museum 50-52 Aspremont Palace 29 Atlantis Science Centre 84-85 Bernolákovo (paintball, golf) 95 Bibiana (children\'s centre) 84-85 Bibiena, A. Galli 64-66 Biely Kameň (ruins of the castle, hiking) 98-99 Biely kríž (hiking) 98-99 Biofarm 92-93, 84-85 Björnstjerne Björnson (Reduta) 64-66 Blue Church 31, 54-55 Botanical Garden 72-73 Bratislava Castle 26-27, 48-49, 53, 54-55, 64-66, 84-85 Bratislava City Gallery 20, 22, 50-52, 64-66 Bratislava City Museum 16, 50-52 B-S 8, B-S 4 (museum) 60-61 Bunker 60-61 Cafés 78-79 Carlton Hotel 12 Chatam Sófer Memorial 29, 62-63, 64-66 Children 84-85 Children’s Museum 84-85 Church of Clerical Congregation of the Reformed Christian Church 18 Church of Our Lady of the Snows 62-63 Church of St Elisabeth 32 Church of St John of Matha 20, 64-66 Church of St Ladislaus 32 Church of St Stephen 21 Church of the Clarisses 23 Church of the Holy Saviour - Jesuit Church 15 Church of the Merciful Brothers 18 Church of Virgin Mary’s Assumption, Notre Dame 13 Červený Kameň (castle, hiking) 91, 53, 84-85 City walls 22 Clubs 56-57 Coffee 78-79 Communism Coronation 44-45 Corporex farm 92-93 Čumil (statue) 14 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum 39, 50-52, 53, 54-55, 70-71 Devín Castle 37, 50-52, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66, 86 Discounts 53 Divoká voda (rafting) 68-69, 70-71 Doľany (wine) 80-81 Dračí hrádok (ruins of the castle, hiking) 98-99 Erdödy Palace 22 Eurovea (river-front district) 30, 53, 54-55, 58-59, 70-71 Events 108-109, 76-77, 80-81 Family 84-85 Franciscan Church of Lord’s Annunciation 19, 44-45 Galleries 50-52 Gerulata (museum) 39, 50-52, 84-85 Grassalkovich, Antun 64-66 Grassalkovich - Presidential Palace 33, 54-55, 64-66, 72-73 Great Evangelical Church 32 Historical Museum 50-52 Hlavné námestie 14, 44-45, 48-49, 108-109 Holy Trinity Church 28 Horský Park (park) 72-73 House of the Good Shepherd (museum) 28 Hrubá Borša (farm) 92-93 Hviezdoslavovo nám. (square) 14, 64-66, 108-109 Incheba (exhibition centre) 105, 108-109 Iron Spring (Železná studienka) 37, 72-73, 86 Jesuit Church 15 Jewish sites 42, 29, 32, 62-63 Jewish Synagogue 32, 64-66 J. Nepomuk Hummel Museum 50-52 Kamenné nám. (square) 31, 43, 60-61 Kamzík (TV tower) 38, 67, 72-73, 86 Kapitulská Street 23 KC Dunaj (Centre of culture) 56-57 Klokoč hill (hiking) 98-99 Kochova záhrada (garden) 74-75 Kostolná pri Dunaji 92-93 Kozia brána (cemetery) 74-75 Kráľová pri Senci (tourist flights) 95 Kuchajda (lake) 72-73, 53 Lacinka-Palacinka 60-61, 53 Lourdes cave (Church of Our Lady of the Snows) 62-63 Lozorno (farm, shooting range) 92-93, 95, 84-85 M. R. Štefánik Airport 39 Main Square (Hlavné nám.) 14 44-45, 48-49, 108-109 Majestic Music Club 56-57 Malacky (Holy Stairs, golf) 62-63, 105 Malé Karpaty (hiking, cycling) 98-99 Malokarpatská vínna cesta 90-91, 80-81 Malý Dunaj (canoe) 70-71 Manderla’s house 18 Maria Theresa 6-9, 44-45, 46-47, 70-71 Marianka (pilgrimage site) 62-63 Mark Twain Club 70-71, 74-75 Market place (tržnica) 60-61 Medická záhrada (Medical Garden) 54-55, 64-66, 72-73 Michael’s Gate (museum) 20, 48-49, 67 Mirbach Palace (gallery) 20, 50-52 Modra (wine, pottery) 90-91, 80-81, 94 Most Apollo (bridge) 30 Most SNP (bridge) 30, 41-43, 60-61, 67, 70-71, 82-83 Museums 50-52 Museum of Carpathian German Culture 50-52, 64-66 Museum of Clocks 50-52 Museum of Historical Interiors 16, 50-52 Museum of Hungarian Culture in Slovakia 50-52, 64-66 Museum of Jewish Culture 50-52, 53, 64-66 Museum of Pharmacy 50-52 Museum of Trade 50-52 Museum of Transport 50-52, Museum of Viticulture 16, 50-52 Museum of Weapons 50-52 Music Museum 50-52 Námestie slobody (Square of Freedom) 33, 60-61 Napoleonic soldier (statue) 15, 64-66 National Bank of Slovakia 34 National Tenis Centre 105 Nedbalka Gallery 15, 50-52 Night life 56-57 Oasis of the Siberian tiger 92-93 Obchodná ul. (Shopping St.) 32, 108-109 Old Bridge 67 Old Market Hall 18 Old Town Hall (museum) 16, 50-52, 53, 67, 80-81 Ondrej Nepela Arena (hockey stadium) 38 Ostrý Kameň (ruins of the castle, hiking) 98-99 Pajštún (ruins of the castle, hiking) 98-99 Pálffy Palace (gallery) 22, 50-52, 64-66 Palisády 74-75 Petőfi Sándor 64-66 Petržalka (estate housing) 38, 60-61, 64-66 Pezinok (wine, pottery) 90-91, 94, 80-81 Pezinská Baba hill (hiking) 98-99 Plavecké Podhradie 98-99 Plavecký hrad (ruins of the castle, hiking) 98-99 Podhradie (settlement below the castle) 28 Port 70-71 Presidential Garden 72-73 Presidential - Grassalchovich Palace 33, 54-55, 64-66, 72-73 Photo: Sue Nagyová

bratislava: index 111 Prešporáčik (tourist train) 13 Primate’s Palace (museum) 17, 64-66 Randal club 56-57 Red Crayfish Pharmacy 20 Red Rock Castle 91, 53, 84-85 Reduta (Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra) 12, 50-52, 64-66 Restaurants 74-75, 76-77, 82-83 River Park (river-front district) 29, 58-59, 70-71 Rubberneck (statue) 14 Rusovce Manor House 39 Sad Janka Kráľa (park) 72-73 Sandberg (sandstone hill) 37, 74-75 Segner, Johann Andreas 64-66 Senec (aquapark, lake, observatory) 92-93, 84-85 Šenkvice (wine) 80-81 Shopping 58-59 Shopping Street 32, 108-109 Schöner Náci (statue) 14, 46-47 Slavín (memorial and cemetery) 34, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66, 67 Slovak National Gallery 12, 50-52, 53 Slovak National Museum 12, 50-52, 53, 84-85 Slovak National Theatre - Historical building 13, 50-52, 82-83 Slovak National Theatre - New building 30, 50-52 Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra 50-52 Slovak Radio 34, 60-61 Slovenský Grob (goose) 98-99 Slovenský rozhlas (Radio) 34, 60-61 Small Carpathian Wine Route 90-91, 80-81 Small Carpathians 98-99 Smolenice (castle, cave, hiking) 98-99 SNP Bridge 30, 41-43, 60-61, 67, 70-71, 82-83 Souvenirs 108-109 Sport 68-69, 105 Square of Freedom 33, 60-61 St Catherine’s Chapel 21 St Martin’s Cathedral 24-25, 44-45, 62-63, 64-66 Starý most (bridge) 67 Stupava (farm) 92-93, 84-85 Subclub (music club) 56-57, 60-61 Svätý Jur (wine, hiking) 90-91 Synagogue 33, 64-66 Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk 64-66 Tourist Information Centre 53, 105 Tržnica (market place) 60-61 TV Tower 38, 67, 72-73 U OčkA 56-57 UFO restaurant 30, 60-61, 67, 70-71, 82-83 University Library 21 Ursuline Church and Convent 19 Vápenná hill (hiking) 98-99 Veľké Leváre (Haban Museum) 94 Veľký Draždiak (lake) 72-73, 74-75, 53 Villa Rustica 98-99 Volkswagen 37, 68-69 Vydrica 28 Wellness 82-83, 84-85, 105 Wine 80-81 YMCA (multi-cultural hub) 56-57, 74-75 Železná studienka 37, 72-73, 86 Zichy Palace (gallery) 22 Zlaté Piesky (lake) 38, 72-73 ZOO 84-85 Zuckermandel (church and museums) 28, 64-66, 53 Galleries Bratislava City Gallery 20, 22, 50-52, 64-66 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Muse- um 39, 50-52, 53, 54-55, 70-71 Mirbach Palace (gallery) 20, 50-52 Nedbalka Gallery 15, 50-52 Pálffy Palace 22, 50-52, 64-66 Slovak National Gallery 12, 50-52, 53 Zichy Palace 22 Museums Archaeological Museum 50-52 Arthur Fleischmann Museum 50-52 Bratislava Castle 26-27, 48-49, 53, 54-55, 64-66, 84-85 Bratislava City Museum 16, 50-52 B-S 8 Hřbitov 60-61 Bunker 60-61 Devín Castle 37, 50-52, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66, 86 Gerulata 39, 50-52, 84-85 Historical Museum 50-52 House of the Good Shepherd 28 Children’s Museum 84-85 Johann Nepomuk Hummel Museum 50-52 Michael’s Gate 20, 48-49, 67 Museum of Carpathian German Culture 50-52, 64-66 Museum of Clocks 50-52 Museum of Historical Interiors 16, 50-52 Museum of Hungarian Culture in Slovakia 50-52, 64-66 Museum of Jewish Culture 50-52, 53, 64-66 Museum of Pharmacy 50-52 Museum of Trade 50-52 Museum of Transport 50-52 Museum of Viticulture 16, 50-52 Museum of Weapons 50-52 Music Museum 50-52 Old Town Hall 16, 50-52, 53, 67, 80-81 Primate’s Palace 17, 64-66 Red Crayfish Pharmacy 20 Slovak National Museum 12, 50-52, 53, 84-85 Bratislava City Guide The Slovak Spectator www.spectator.sk Publisher: Ján Pallo Editor-in-chief: Michaela Terenzani Cover photo: Jana Liptáková; Editor: Howard Swains Layout: Miroslav Čech, Peter Malatinec, Tatiana Štrauchová Copy editors: Hannah Falchuk, Russel Lunday, Raub Murray, James Thomson, Jeff Whiteaker Part of the content was created in cooperation with the Department of Journalism of Comenius University in Bratislava. Contributors and fact checkers: Beata Balogová, Tímea Becková, Ivan Belko, Lucia Beňová, Ján Beracka, Roman Cuprik, Dušan Dudík, Michaela Džomeková, Hannah Falchuk, Beata Fojtíková, Michaela Gedaiová, Miroslava Germanová, Kristína Hamárová, Jozef Hámorský, Kristína Krupčíková, Katarína Kvanková, Karolína Kučerová, Sanela Kurtek, Filip Lehotský, Jana Liptáková, Karina Miartanová, Radka Minarechová, Peter Nagy, Lukáš Onderčanin, Ján Pallo, Jitka Parobeková, Ján Pestún, Martina Raabová, Lucia Rusnáková, Lenka Sabová, Natália Semianová, Zuzana Sirotná, Howard Swains, Michaela Terenzani, Sandra Tordová, Zuzana Vilikovská, Carmen Virágová, Jeff Whiteaker Photos: Tímea Becková, Ivan Belko, Tomáš Benedikovič, Lucia Beňová, Miroslava Cibulková, Roman Cuprik, ČTK, Milan Dávid, Dušan Dudík, Michaela Džomeková, Hannah Falchuk, Pavol Funtál, Gaspo Photography, Michaela Gedaiová, Miroslava Germanová, František Halás, Kristína Hamárová, HNTO, Jozef Jakubčo, Martin Janata, Viera Kamenická, Bohuslav Kočtúch, Kristína Krupčíková, Karolína Kučerová, Gabriel Kuchta, Sanela Kurtek, Filip Lehotský, Jana Liptáková, Karina Miartanová, Radka Minarechová, Peter Nagy, Sue Nagyová, Lukáš Onderčanin, Tomáš Pallo, Peter Pallo, Ján Pallo, Jitka Parobeková, Christian Prandl, Martina Raabová, Reuters, Lucia Rusnáková, Lenka Sabová, Natália Semianová, SITA, Tibor Somogyi, Stanislava Smadišová, Ján Svrček, Vladimír Šimíček, Miro Švec, TASR, Carmen Virágová, Courtesy of Action Park, Courtesy of Bratislava Region Tourism, Courtesy of Carnuntum, Courtesy of Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Courtesy of Galéria mesta Bratislavy, Courtesy of Hubert, Courtesy of Lanoland, Courtesy of Múzeum mesta Bratislavy, Courtesy of Schloss Hof, Courtesy of Slovakia Ring, Courtesy of Sme daily, Courtesy of SND, Courtesy of SNG, Courtesy of STaRZ, Courtesy of Strelnica Lozorno Drawings of architectural monuments are the work of the following authors: Bratislava Castle, construction and drawing Bouda a Masár architektonická kancelária, s.r.o. St Martin’s Cathedral, Old Town Hall, Primate’s Palace, are done by Matúš Pniak based on photos by CBS Painted maps (CBS Maľované mapy), Fly media and Fabrico. © 2017 The Rock, s.r.o., ISBN 978-80-971719-5-7 Address: The Rock, s.r.o. Lazaretská 12, 811 08 Bratislava.

112 bratislava: STREET FINDER A. Plávku C 1,2 Albertova lávka c 3 Alešova F 3 Alžbetínska D 3,4 Americké nám. D,E 2 Anenská D 1 Azovská F 2 B. Němcovej B 1 Banskobystrická C 2 Bartoňova A,B 3 Bartoškova F 0 Baštová c 1 Bazová F 2 Beblavého B 3 Belehradská E 1 Belopotockého D 1 Benediktiho D 1 Bernolákova E 1 Beskydská D 1 Bezručova D 3,4 Biela c 3 Björnsonova D 1 Blumentálska E 1,2 Bohúňova B 1 Bottova F 3 Bradlianska B 2,3 Bratislavský hrad B 3 Broskyňová A 2 Břeclavská B 1 Búdková cesta A 1 Budovateľská E,F 2 Budyšínska F 0 Bukureštská C 1 Cintorínska D,E 3 Cukrová D 3; E 2 Cyrilova F 1 Čajakova D 1 Čajkovského C 1 Čapkova C 1 Čelakovského B 3 Červeňova B 2 Červený kríž A 2 Česká F 0 Čipkárska F 3 Čulenova E 3,4 Dankovského B 3 Daxnerovo nám. F 2 Dobrovičova D 3,4 Dobrovského D 2 Dobšinského D 1 Dohnalova C 1 Dohnányho F 1 Dolná A 1 Donovalova B 2 Dostojevského rad D 4; E 3,4 Drevená c 2 Drotárska cesta A 1 Družstevná F 1 Dulovo nám. F 2 Dunajská D,E 3 Dvořákovo nábrežie A 4 Fajnorovo nábr. D 4 Fándlyho A 2 Farská c 3 Fazuľová D 2 Ferienčíkova E 3 Fialkové údolie A 3 Filiálne nádražie E,F 1 Flöglova C 2 Floriánske nám. E 2 Fraňa Kráľa C 1,2 Franc. partizánov B 1 Francisciho D,E 3 Františkánska c 2 Františkánske nám. c 3,4 Gajova D 3 Galandova B 2 Gemerská F 2 Godrova B 2 Gondova D 4 Gorkého D 3; c 4 Grösslingová D,E 3 Gunduličova C 2 Gusevova F 3 Hamuliakova F 3 Havlíčkova B 1 Havrania B,C 1 Haydnova A 1 Heydukova D 3 Hlavatého B 2,3 Hlavné nám. c 4 Hlboká cesta B,C 1 Hodžovo nám. C 2 Holekova C 1 Hollého D 3 Hontianska F 3 Holubyho A,B 2 Hradné údolie A 3 Hummelova A 2 Hurbanovo nám. c 1,2 Hviezdoslavovo nám. C 4; c 4 Chalupkova F 3 Chorvátska E 2 Imricha Karvaša D 2 Inovecká A 3 Jakubovo nám. D,E 3 Janáčkova E 2,3 Jánska D 2 Jaskový rad D 1 Javorinská A 2 Jedlíkova c 2 Jégého F 1 Jelačičova F 1 Jelenia D 1 Jesenského D 3; c 4 Jiskrova E 1 Jozefská C,D 2 Justičná E 2 Kalinčiakova F 0,1 Kamenné nám. D 3 Kapitulská c 3 Kapucínska c 1 Karadžičova E 2,3 Karpatská D 1 Klariská c 1,3 Klemensova D 3 Klobučnícka c 2,4 Kmeťovo nám. E 1 Koceľova F 2 Kohútova F 2 Kolárska D 3 Kollárovo nám. D 2 Komenského nám. c 4 Kominárska E 1 Konventná c 1 Koreničova B 3 Košická F 3,4 Kováčska E 1 Kozia B 2,3; C 3, c 1 Krakovská B 3 Krátka B 3 Križkova C 1 Krížna E 1,2; F 1 Krmanova A 2 Krupkova D 4 Kukučínova F 1 Kulíškova F 2 Kupeckého F 1 Kúpeľná C 4 Kutuzovova F 0 Kuzmányho C 2 Kvačalova F 2 Kvetná F 2 Kýčerského D 1 Ľadová D 1 Landererova E,F 4 Laskomerského F 0 Laurinská D 3; c 4 Lazaretská D,E 3 Legionárska E 1 Lehotského D 1 Lermontovova C 2 Leškova C 1 Levická F 1 Lichardova B 2 Lodná C 4 Lomonosovova D 3,4 Lužická E 2 Lýcejná C 2 M. Bela C 2 Majakovského A , B 1 Májkova E 2 Malinová B,C 1 Malý trh E 3 Mariánska D 2,3 Maróthyho B 2 Medená D 3,4 Medzierka A 3 Mestská F 0 Metodova F 1 Mickiewiczova D 2 Michalská c 1 Mikulášska B 3 Miletičova F 1,2 Mišíkova B 2; C 1 Mlynské nivy E,F 3 Mojmírova F 2 Moravská F 0 Moskovská E 2 Most Apollo E 4 Most SNP B,C 4 Mostová C 4 Mošovského A 2 Moyzesova C 2 Mudroňova A 1,2,3; B 3 Murgašova C,D 1 Múzejná D 4 Myjavská A 2 Mýtna D 1,2; E 1 Na Baránku A,B 1 Na brezinách C 2 Na Slavíne B 1,2 Na stráni A 1 Na štyridsiatku B 2 Na vŕšku c 3 Nábrežie M. R. Štefánika D,E 4 Nábrežie arm. gen. L. Svobodu B 4 Nám. 1. mája C,D 2 Nám. A. Dubčeka B 3 Nám. E. Suchoňa C 3,4; c 4 Nám. Ľ. Štúra C 4 Nám. M. Benku E 2 Nám. pri zimnom štadióne F 1 Nám. slobody C,D 2 Nám. SNP c 2 Námestie Franza Liszta C 1 Nedbalova c 2,4 Nekrasovova B 1 Niťová F 2 Nitrianska F 2 Nová F 0 Novohradská F 3 Novosvetská B 1,2 Obchodná C 3; D 2; c 2 Odbojárov F 0 Odborárske nám. E 2 Okánikova C 1 Olejkárska E 4 Oravská F 3 Osadná F 0 Palackého C 4; D 3 Palárikova D 1 Palisády B 2,3; C 2 Panenská C 2 Panská c 3,4 Páričkova F 3 Partizánska B 2,3 Paulínyho C 4 Pavlovova F 2 Pažického B 1 Pilárikova B,C 3; c 1 Plátennícka F 3,4 Poľská E 2 Pod Kalváriou B 1 Podhorského B,C 1 Podchod Suché mýto C 2 Podjavorinskej B 2,3 Podjazd c 3 Podtatranského C 2 Poľná E 2 Porubského B 2 Poštová C 2,3; c 2 Povraznícka D 1 Prepoštská c 3 Prešernova D 4 Pri starej prachárni F 1 Pribinova D,E 4 Priečna F 0 Prievozská F 3 Príkopova F 0 Primaciálne nám. c 4 Prístavná F 4 Puškinova C 1 Račianska E 1 Račianske mýto E 1 Radlinského D 2; E 1,2 Radničná c 4 Rajská D 3 Rastislavova F 2 Rázusovo nábr. C 4 Rešetkova F 0 Revúcka F 2,3 Riečna C 4 Rigeleho C 4 Riznerova A 3 Robotnícka F 0 Rubinsteinova A 1,2 Rudnayovo nám. c 3 Rybárska br. c 4 Rybné nám. C 4 Sadová F 0 Sasinkova E 2 Satinského D 3 Sedlárska c 3 Schillerova B 1 Schody pri starej vodárni B 4 Sienkiewiczova D 3 Skalná B 3 Skladištná E,F 3 Sládkovičova C 2 Slavín B 1 Slepá A 3 Sliezska F 0 Slovanská D 1,2 Smetanova B 3 Smrečianska D 1 Soferove schody B 3 Sokolská C 1 Somolického C 2 Spišská F 3 Spojná C 2 Stará vinárska B 1,2 Staromestská c 1 Staroturský chodník A 3 Starý most D 4 Strakova C 3,4; c 3 Strážnická E 2 Strelecká B 3 Strmá cesta A 3 Súťažná F 2 Suché mýto c 1 Súkennícka F 4 Svätoplukova F 2,3 Svoradova B 3 Šafárikovo nám. D 4 Šagátova E 3 Šancová D,E 1 Šarišská F 3 Škarniclova B 3 Školská D 2 Škovránčia D 1 Škultétyho F 1 Šoltésovej E 2 Špitálska D 2,3 Športová F 0 Štefánikova C 1,2 Štefanovičova C 1; D 1,2 Štetinova C 2 Štúrova D 3,4 Šulekova B 2 Šumavská F 1 Tabaková D 1 Tallerova D 3,4 Tehelná F 0 Tekovská F 3 Timravina B 2 Tobrucká D 4 Tolstého C 2 Továrenská E 3 Trenčianska F 2 Treskoňova D 3; c 2 Trnavská cesta F 1 Trnavské mýto F 1 Turčianska F 3 Tvarožkova B 3 Tyršovo nábr. C 4 Ul. 29. augusta D 2; E 2,3 Ul. J. Kronera D 1 Urbánkova B 1 Uršulínska c 2,4 Úzka c 3 Vajanského nábr. D 4 Vajnorksá F 0,1 Valchárska F 3 Vansovej B 2 Vazovova D,E 1 Velehradská F 2 Ventúrska c 3 Veterná c 1 Viedenská cesta B,C 4 Viktorínova F 2 Vlčkova B 2; C 1,2 Vodný vrch B 3,4 Votrubova F 4 Vrábeľská F 3 Vrátňanská C 1 Vysoká C,D 2 Wilsonova E 1 Záhradnícka E,F 2 Záhrebská D 1 Zámocká B 3 Zámocké schody B 4 Zámočnícka c 1,2 Zelená c 3 Zochova B 3 Zrínskeho B 2 Žabotova C 1 Železničiarska C,D 1 Žellova F 1 Žiarska A 2 Židovská c 3 Žilinská D 1 Živnostenská D 2 Žižkova A 3; B 4 Župné nám. c 1

R1 R11 R21 R30 R2 R12 R22 R32 R3 R13 R23 R33 R4 R14 R24 R5 R15 R16 R8 R28 R9 R19 R29 R10 R20 R31 R26 R27 R25 R18 R17 Dračí hrádok Vápenná Klokoč Ostrý Kameň Malokarpatská vínnacesta Biely kríž Biely kameň Villa rustica R11 Hrubá Borša (farm) pg 92-93 R12 Kostolná pri Dunaji (Siberian tigers) pg 92-93 R13 Kráľová pri Senci (tourist flights) pg 95 R14 Senec (aquapark, lake, observatory) pg 92-93, 84-85 R15 Bernolákovo (paintball, golf) pg 95 R16 Ivanka pri Dunaji R17 Malokarpatská vínna cesta (Small Carpathian Wine Route) pg 90-91, 80-81 R18 Svätý Jur (wine, hiking) pg 90-91 R19 Biely Kameň (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R20 Slovenský Grob (goose feast) pg 98-99 R21 Pezinok (wine, pottery) pg 90-91, 94, 80-81 R22 Šenkvice (wine) pg 80-81 R23 Pezinská Baba hill (hiking) pg 98-99 R24 Malé Karpaty (the Small Carpathians) (hiking, cycling) pg 98-99 R25 Modra (wine, pottery) pg 90-91, 80-81, 94 R26 Červený Kameň (castle, hiking) pg 91, 53, 84-85 R27 Doľany (wine) pg 80-81 R28 Vápenná hill (hiking) pg 98-99 R29 Plavecké podhradie (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R30 Plavecký hrad (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R31 Klokoč hill (hiking) pg 98-99 R32 Smolenice (castle, cave, hiking) pg 98-99 R33 Ostrý Kameň (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R1 Veľké Leváre (Haban Museum) pg 94 R2 Malacky (Holy Stairs, golf) pg 62-63, 105 R3 Lozorno (farm, shooting range) pg 92-93, 95, 84-85 R4 Stupava (farm) pg 92-93, 84-85 R5 Pajštún (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R6 Marianka (pilgrimage site) pg 62-63 R7 Dračí hrádok (castle ruins, hiking) pg 98-99 R8 Biely kríž (hiking) pg 98-99 R9 Villa rustica (remnants of an ancient Roman building) pg 98-99 R10 Malý Dunaj (inland waterway, canoe) pg 70-71 0 3.1 6.2 9.3 12.4 mile = 3.1 mile R6 R7

90 81 91 82 92 83 93 84 94 85 95 86 86 96 87 97 88 98 89 99 78 Lourdes cave (Church of Our Lady of the Snows), pg 62-63 79 Horský Park (park), pg 72-73 80a Sandberg (sandstone hill), pg 37, 74-75 80b Volkswagen (car plant), pg 37, 68-69 81 Devín Castle, pg 37, 50-52, 54-55, 60-61, 64-66 82 Botanical Garden, pg 72-73 83 ZOO, pg 84-85 84 Iron Spring (Železná studienka), pg 37, 72-73 85 Kamzík (TV tower), pg 38, 67, 72-73 86 Atlantis Science Centre, pg 84-85 87 Ondrej Nepela Arena (hockey stadium), pg 38 88 National Tenis Centre, pg 105 89 Kuchajda (lake), pg 72-73, 53 90 Zlaté Piesky (lake), pg 39, 72-73 91 M. R. Štefánik Airport, pg 39 92 Divadlo Aréna (theatre) 93 Petržalka (estate housing), pg 32, 60-61, 64-66 94 B-S 8 Hřbitov (museum), pg 60-61 95 Veľký Draždiak (lake) and Hotel Bonbón, pg 72-73, 74-75, 53 96 Gerulata (museum), pg 38, 50-52, 84-85 97 Rusovce Manor House, pg 38 98 Divoká voda (rafting), pg 68-69, 70-71 99 Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, pg 38, 50-52, 53, 54-55, 70-71 ile = 0.9 mile 0 0.6 1.2 1.9 2.5 3.1 mile 80b 80a

Area: 367.6 km² Total population: 420,000 inhabitants Currency: € Official language: Slovak

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