The Human Face – Freedom or Death: paintings and sculptures by 37 Slovak and Czech artists. And one American is running at Bratislava Castle’s third floor exhibition area until April 30, 2022. It‘s also a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Dubček – a politician and key figure in Czechoslovak history. […]
Pavol Orszagh Hviezdoslav was a great Slovak poet and patriot. In 1905, Hviezdoslav reacted to the revolutionary events in Russia. In 1914, he responded to the start of the First World War with the Bloody Sonnets poem cycle. They were written in August and September of that year but unpublished until after the war. The […]
All Saints Day was established by the Eastern Church in the 4th century, and it is still celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV transferred the martyrs‘ bones to the Roman Pantheon. It was originally celebrated on May 13. According to ethnologist Margita Jágerová from the University of […]
Bratislava (previously Pozsony) was the Kingdom of Hungary’s coronation city from 1563 to 1830. The last ruler to complete this solemn ceremony here on 28 September 191 years ago was Ferdinand V – nicknamed Dobrotivý. „At dusk the procession moved from Primate’s Palace to St. Martin’s Cathedral. The emperor and empress sat on thrones to […]
In the 1930s, Bratislava ’s supply of social housing fell short of the growing working class’s needs. And mainly for small 500 flats. In just 13 days, young architect Emil Belluš developed the design and project of some residential buildings. These were then built (and still stand) on Trenčianska Street in 1931. „Architect was working […]
In 1913 a major fire engulfed numerous houses in Bratislava ’s Podhradí (below-castle) area. Starting from thatched roofs in the Jewish quarter, the fire spread to other streets. Firefighters from as far afield as Vienna came to fight the blaze. „Saturday’s peace and quiet was abruptly curtailed just after four in the afternoon with reports […]
Know how Vydrica and Rybne square looked before SNP Bridge was built? Check out the unique Lost Landmarks of the Lost City by Tomáš Stern and the Jewish Religious Community (under the auspices of Bratislava Old Town). The outstanding features were St. Martin’s Cathedral, and a neological synagogue dating to 1893. As the Central Union […]
Bratislava ’s access points used to be inscribed City of Peace. But why? Mainly because three major peace treaties were signed in the city. The first on July 2, 1271 between Hungarian King Stephen V and Czech King Přemysl Otakar II – Czech troops had conquered Bratislava, Nitra, Trnava and part of Považia. So the […]
Did you know about relationship Mary Habsburg to Bratislava? Many Bratislavans feared for the fire-damaged building ’s fate – after the once beautiful historical structure was engulfed in flames during the Christmas market two years ago. While reconstruction of this national cultural monument on the Main Square continues, the damaged facade has already been returned […]
Splendid Café Štefánka – on the corner of Palisády and Štefánikova streets – dates to the beginning of the 20th century. i.e. the Hackenberg dynasty. Located in an 1897 Alexander Feigler building, in 1904 Béla I. Hackenberger became the tenant and operator of the original Mezey Café. He renamed it Café Štefánka (Stephania, Stefánia caféház) – […]
