Bratislava is the capital and largest city of Slovakia.
Welcome to slovakia this is world travel guide and today we will take you to one of the most beautiful cities in europe bratislava bratislava is the capital and largest city of slovakia the city is located in the southwestern part of the country at the foot of the little carpathians
Occupying both banks of the river danube and the left bank of the river morava it is the only european capital city which borders with two other countries it has a population of approximately 420 000 inhabitants but it is estimated that over 500 000 people live in the city
Bratislava is the political cultural and economic center of slovakia it has several universities and many museums theaters galleries and other cultural and educational institutions many of slovakia’s large businesses and financial institutions have headquarters there bratislava receives around 1 million tourists every year until 1919 bratislava was known as
Pressberg and up to that point it had been part of hungary in some form for more than one thousand years owing to ottoman advances into hungarian territory the city was designated the new capital of hungary in 1536 after becoming part of the habsburg monarchy from the 16th century the hungarian
Crown jewels were kept at the castle and 11 kings and queens of hungary were crowned in the city’s cathedral pressburg flourished during the 18th century reign of queen marie teresa becoming the largest and most important town in hungary the population tripled many new palaces monasteries mansions
And streets were built and the city was the center of social and cultural life of the region after world war one the dominant hungarian and german population tried to prevent annexation of the city to czechoslovakia and declared it a free city however the czechoslovak legions occupy
The city on january 1st 1919 and made it part of czechoslovakia against the wish of the local population after the communist party seized power in czechoslovakia in february 1948 the city became part of the eastern bloc the city annexed new land and the population rose significantly becoming 90 slovak
In 1968 after the unsuccessful czechoslovak attempt to liberalize the communist regime the city was occupied by warsaw pact troops shortly thereafter it became capital of the slovak socialist republic in 1993 the city became the capital of the newly formed slovak republic following a velvet divorce [Applause] even by european standards bratislava is a small capital city at just under half a million residents but don’t let that fool you the city’s ideal location on the banks of the danube has had a big impact on its historical and economic development today bratislava is a city of fairy tale
Palaces and stunning architecture and a great destination for those wanting an affordable holiday while most visitors who stop in the city are just passing by and on their way to the country’s incredible mountains and national parks the city has much to offer and it’s worth exploring whether you’re looking for castles
Unique buildings or quirky art bratislava won’t disappoint Danube europe’s second longest river crosses right through bratislava and served as inspiration for the famous walls by jahan strauss who composed part of it right in the city in 1852 brand new hotels floating restaurants and shopping complexes stand along the river which also offers a great riverbank walkway a number of bridges
And plenty of shady spaces to stop along the way in summer you can board a riverboat here to reach either vienna or budapest both less than two hours away [Applause] The snp bridge affectionately known as the ufo bridge because of its flying saucer-shaped observation area crosses over the danube and is one of bratislava’s most famous structures the 303 meter long bridge has two levels one for four lanes of traffic and one for boxing pedestrians The massive four tower bratislava castle is hard to miss anywhere you are in bratislava as it sits in the middle of town atop a rocky hill not only do you get a great view of bratislava from the towers but on a clear day you can see
All the way into austria and parts of hungary the oldest of the towers the 47 meter tall crown tower dates back to the 13th century and once housed the crown jewels Michael’s gate is the only remaining city gate from the fortified walls and towers built in the 1300s at the time the only way in and out of bratislava was through one of the secured four city gates the gate went through several reconstructions through the years including a baroque inspired one in 1758 The art nouveau church of saint elizabeth is best known to everybody locally as the blue church because of its colorful exterior built in 1909 is a hungarian secessionist catholic church the tiny one nate church was initially meant to be just a school chapel it was originally painted in just pastel colors
As the blue paint tiles and mosaics were added the little building became a popular site and its doors were open to the public So At the summit of the highest hill there’s a cemetery and war memorial to the soviet troops killed while liberating bratislava in 1945. the monument is in an up market quarter of the city above mansions and embassies and was unveiled in 1960. The central point in old town bratislava the main square has been the hub of the town for centuries it is surrounded by landmarks including couture philadelph palace pavira house and the maximilian fountain additionally tons of restaurants cafes and bars in the area keep it bustling Ah A rococo baroque building with an exquisite formal french garden the grasakovich palace is the official residence of slovakia’s president since 1996 the building dates back to the 1700s and was originally used for aristocratic society events and musical performances the gardens of the palace are open to the public and visitors can walk around
From dawn to dusk to discover the many old trees The 196 meter tall kumsi tv tower sits at the top of kamsich hill and within the borders of the bratislava forest park the park which offers great views of the city covers an area of 27 square kilometers it’s possible to catch a cable car here to make your way down
Into the valley the tower’s best feature is the observation deck which offers stunning views of austria the czech republic and hungary in the distance a rotating restaurant is also part of the tower The devin castle is located in the suburbs of bratislava near the border with austria the ruins of this 9th century castle sit on top of a 212 meter tall cliff at the point where the danube and morava river meet although the castle went through many expansions and reconstructions between the mid-800s and
The 15th century the major changes were introduced in the 1600s 200 years later the castle was bombed during the napoleonic wars and left in ruins the best time to visit bratislava is between spring and early autumn winter is less attractive due to cold weather gray skies and a lack of outdoor events
Summer is the best and the most popular time to visit but it’s also the hottest time of the year two days is about the ideal time needed to spend in bratislava you’ll have a date to explore the city and the next day you can visit devon
Castle or take a day trip to attractions nearby did you ever visit slovakia let us know in the comments if you love this video hit the like button and subscribe to our channel to go on a journey around the world on a regular basis you
