Bratislava is the capital of the Slovak republic. It is the seat of the president, government, parliament and the political economical and cultural centre of the country.
It spreads on both banks of the river Danube, near the Austrian and Hungarian borders, having almost half a million inhabitants.
The history of Bratislava can be traced back to the Neolithic age. Bratislava was situated at the crossroads of important trade and military routes.
At the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries the Slavs and the Avars settled in its territory. In the 9th century Bratislava became an important town of the Great Moravian Princedom. The town had all the privileges of a free royal town since 1291. In 1465 the first Slovak university, Academia Istropolitana, was established.
After the Turkish occupation Bratislava became the capital and the coronation town. The Hungarian kings and queens were coronated in the Gothic Minster of St. Martin. The Hungarian assembly used to hold its meetings in a palace in the Michal Street, which now serves as University Library.
There are around 300 unique historical palaces and buildings in the old premises of Bratislava which were turned into museums and galleries and are now open for public.

The Castle of Bratislava, towering on a rock hill over the river Danube, is the dominant building of the city. There are the greatest treasures of the country’s ancient history exhibited, such as the Paleolithic Venus made of mammoth tusk, which is the oldest piece of art found on the Slovak territory, golden Paleolithic jewellery, Celtic coins, silver Roman dish and jewellery.
The centre of Bratislava was once encircled by a line of fortifications formed by a wall and 4 entrance gateways. Michal’s Tower with its Michal’s Gate is the only one to be preserved. The exposition installed in the Michal Tower informs about the fights which took place in Bratislava. Arms and a military kit of the time are displayed here.
The Old Town Hall is the oldest town hall in the territory of Slovakia. Its wo halls have been transformed into a representative room for the Mayor of Bratislava. Then there is a magnificent Court Room decorated with wall paintings on the theme of justice dominated by the central fresco of the Last Judgment. The town’s privileges are also displayed there.
The largest and the most representative palace is Primaciálny Palace which was erected in the 18th century. It‘s entrance is decorated with pillars and a balcony, the roof is lined with vases and sculptures. The Palace serves primarily as a picture gallery, but there is also an exquisite collection of 6 tapestries inspired by the ancient Greek mythology. The tapestries were found hidden behind the wallpaper during the repairs at the beginning of the 20th century. They were probably saved this way during the Napoleon wars. The Mirror Hall is one of the most beautiful rooms of the Primaciálny Palace in which The Pressburg Peace Treaty was signed on the 26th December 1805.
The Slovak National Gallery is situated close to the river Danube in the former water barracks, which were built in the 18th century. The reconstruction works, which took more than 7 years, included the building of a much discussed modern annex to the historical building. In the front park the visitors can admire sculptures. Inside the building there are precious expositions of the Slovak art from the 12th century up to the present days.
One of the most beautiful palaces, the Mirbach’s Palace, was donated to the town by his last owner, Count Mirbach. It displays both permanent and short-time expositions of paintings and sculptures.
Pálfy´s Palace is built in an elegant style. The visitors can admire beautiful stucco ceilings and rococo staircase of the palace. The exhibitions include paintings of the Central Europe and Slovak paintings of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Apponyi´s Palace is situated in the centre of the Old Town. It is more than 200 years old. In the rooms on the ground floor and the cellars, there is an attractive exposition documenting the history of viticulture in the surroundings of Bratislava.

An evidence of the old tradition of clockmaking in Bratislava can be found in the museum of historical clocks situated in the House of the Good Shepherd . Wonderful clocks and finely decorated pocket watches made in the 18th and the 19th centuries are the results of the delicate craft-work of the famous Bratislava clock-masters.
Not far from the clock museum stands the Blue House displaying the results of the craftsmen’s skills. A view of the things of luxury and also of the things of everyday use – jewellery, glass, china, ceramics, tapestries, embroidery, engravings, furniture, cutlery and toys – gives pleasure to the visitors.
A highly developed tradition of pharmacy can be examined at an old historical pharmacy museum, called At the Red Cancer. The expositions show the history of therapy from the primaeval age up to the beginnings of alchemy. There is also a display of plants used in healing various diseases since old times.
Bratislava is not only a historical city. It is also an important road, rail, air and river transport junction.
Bratislava houses the most important university of Slovakia, the Comenius University, and a number of other universities, art schools and secondary and primary schools. With the Slovak National Theatre and the number of theaters of different kinds, concert and exhibition halls, cinemas, and various clubs it is the centre of the country’s cultural life.