The vicinity of Austrian, Czech and Hungarian borders has placed Bratislava at a crossroads between the three different cultures and right in the middle of the many political upheavals that took place over Europe's history. Today, the influences of the many cultures converging here can be detected in the city's varied architecture and diverse cooking and wine-making traditions.
Bratislava's population is about 600,000 residents. The city is divided into two parts by the River Danube, just like Vienna and Budapest. The area north of the river tends to be more attractive for tourists, since most places of interest are concentrated here. This Old Town district has lots of narrow cobblestone streets and historic buildings.
The city's role in the distant past as a defense outpost and trading center was determined by its location at the foot of the Lesser Carpathian Mountains. The town gained renown due to its exceptional vineyards. Bratislava (Pozsony) was the capital of Hungary from 1536, after the invasion by the Ottomans, to 1783. Coronations of Hungarian kings took place here.
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guide to Bratislava with maps, photos and weather conditions.
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