SLOVAKIA |
In this article, you will read about Bratislava. |
Once was part of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia has become independent in 1993 during the so-called Velvet Divorce. Afterwards Prague succeeded to be the capital city of the Czech Republic, whereas Bratislava has become the brand new capital city of Slovakia. The country of Slovakia is enclosed by its neighbors, such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, and Austria in the Central and Eastern Europe.
My experience with Slovakia was restricted to a day-trip. On July 16, 2017, one of my friend from the internship and I took an early bus from Prague to Bratislava. Our journey lasted for about 4 hours. But during the journey, I had only one thing on my mind: Just a few hours ago before midnight on July 15, there has been a coup attempt in my hometown, Turkey which happened to be failed afterwards. I was not worried for myself, but for my brother who had an early flight on July 16 morning. Ultimately, though it was delayed, my brother was able to take his flight to Germany.
What was really shocking about my Slovakia experience was the weather! Though it was July, the weather was below seasonal temperatures. It was at most 19°C during the day and extremely windy and rainy! Besides, my umbrella was broken and I had to buy a new one from a souvenir shop near Bratislava castle 😊
Bratislava is a very small city, and to be honest, there are not much to see in the city. But if you want to experience a new place, and see the beautiful Bratislava Castle and narrow alleyways of Bratislava, you can make day-trips from Prague, Budapest, or Vienna.
So, let’s start to explore the city of Bratislava!
My experience with Slovakia was restricted to a day-trip. On July 16, 2017, one of my friend from the internship and I took an early bus from Prague to Bratislava. Our journey lasted for about 4 hours. But during the journey, I had only one thing on my mind: Just a few hours ago before midnight on July 15, there has been a coup attempt in my hometown, Turkey which happened to be failed afterwards. I was not worried for myself, but for my brother who had an early flight on July 16 morning. Ultimately, though it was delayed, my brother was able to take his flight to Germany.
What was really shocking about my Slovakia experience was the weather! Though it was July, the weather was below seasonal temperatures. It was at most 19°C during the day and extremely windy and rainy! Besides, my umbrella was broken and I had to buy a new one from a souvenir shop near Bratislava castle 😊
Bratislava is a very small city, and to be honest, there are not much to see in the city. But if you want to experience a new place, and see the beautiful Bratislava Castle and narrow alleyways of Bratislava, you can make day-trips from Prague, Budapest, or Vienna.
So, let’s start to explore the city of Bratislava!
Bratislava
Mini Info about the City
Being the capital and largest city of Slovakia, Bratislava has a pleasant medieval downtown with narrow streets, a hilltop castle by the banks of the River Danube, and a vast amount of historic churches which offers an unforgettable experience.
Being the capital and largest city of Slovakia, Bratislava has a pleasant medieval downtown with narrow streets, a hilltop castle by the banks of the River Danube, and a vast amount of historic churches which offers an unforgettable experience.
In the old town, there are two squares: Hlavne Namestie (Main Square) and Hviezdoslavovo Namestie (Hviezdoslav Square).
Due to its proximity to Vienna and other capital cities around Slovakia, the airport of Bratislava does not offer a lot of connections. The vast majority of the flights in Bratislava Airport are operated by the low fare airline Ryanair from and to several destinations including the UK, Italy, Croatia, and Israel. If you arrive by flight, you can take bus 61 which goes directly to the Central Railway Station (Hlavna Stanica). There you can walk or take another connection to the city center. Traveling by bus from/to Bratislava is very common. There are several coach companies including Student Agency, and Eurolines. If you arrive by bus, you can just take a walk to the old city, or take a public bus departing in front of the bus station. |
Must-See Places
- Bratislava Castle, which is situated on a rocky hill in Bratislava and above the Danube River, is the main castle of the city. This huge rectangular building has four corner towers. Since 2010, equestrian statue of King Svatopluk I is located at the Honorary Courtyard of the castle. The castle was built in various times, in the 9th and 18th centuries, and rebuilt in 1960s. It is totally worth going up to the hill to observe the city of Bratislava: there is a stunning panorama!
- St. Martin’s Cathedral is a Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral of which the construction was completed in the 15th century. Located below Bratislava Castle, it is the largest and among the oldest churches in Bratislava. With its long tower, the height of the cathedral is 85 meters.
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- Church of St. Elisabeth is a Catholic church located in the eastern part of the Old Town. Also known as ‘Blue Church’ due to the color of its façade, roof and mosaics, the church was built in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style between the years of 1909 and 1913.
- Slovak National Theatre is a Neo-Renaissance theater building in the Old Town which used to host opera and ballet performances. The building was designed by two Viennese architects, and built between 1885 and 1886 during the era of Austro-Hungarian Empire.
- Old Town Hall is a historic building situated on the Hlavne Namestie (Main Square). It is open to public as a museum (Bratislava City Museum). Built in the 14th century, it is one of the oldest stone buildings in Bratislava.
- Michael's Gate is a historic gate with a tower located in the Old Town. Built in the 14th century, the gate is among the most renowned and oldest buildings in Bratislava. Noteworthy that it is the only city gate that is preserved out of the medieval fortifications of Bratislava.