Sightseeing in Bratislava - what to see. Complete travel guide

Bratislava is a magnificent and ancient city that always amazes visitors by the atmosphere of coziness and silence that is contrasting to fast and stressful life of modern urbanites. You will need to spend many days in order to view all places of interest and historical sites. We recommend starting your acquaintance with this city from its historical core represented by Bratislavsky Hrad.

This majestic castle was built yet in the 10th century. Its towers have several observation areas where you can enjoy the panoramic views of the city. If the weather is clear, you can even see Hungarian lands. The Gates of Saint Michael is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The gates were built in 1300. Later, in 1758, they were fully renovated and this changed their look. Today these gates are known as a masterpiece of the baroque style. One more old building is Main Palace, which is created in the neoclassic style. Its building was finished in the end of the 18th century and it was created by order of the archbishop Josef Batthyàny. Also don’t forget to visit another famous building – Devin Castle. This palace was built in the place where Danube meets Morava. This location was traditionally well-known as one of the most important trading routes, so first settlements in the region of the confluence of these two rivers started appearing yet in the late Stone Age.

Among new architectural buildings we should definitely pay our attention to the new bridge across Danube. The bridge has only one pier and is considered the longest pendant bridge in the world. Theatre connoisseurs should definitely visit the Slovak National Theatre, the building of which was finished in 1886. Other places of interest that are traditionally popular among visitors include the St Martin Cathedral, Old Town Hall, the Franciscan church, and the Church of St. Helen. All mentioned sights feature just a small part of routes available for tourists in Bratislava. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The permanent symbol of the city is the Old Town Hall, which was built in the 13th century. For a long history this building was rebuilt more than once and was supplemented with new elements, so today in its appearance unique manifestations of different architectural styles are combined in a unique way. Today the City Museum is situated in the historical building, in its walls collected a rich collection of exhibits illustrating the most interesting periods in the history of the city.

The most interesting architectural monument is the Grassalkovich Palace, which, from the time of its construction in the middle of the 18th century, bears the name of a famous Count's family. Count A. Grassalkovich arranged solemn receptions and balls in this palace, in the 18th century his palace was considered the most chic in Slovakia. A lot of interesting historical facts are associated with the beautiful palace, in 1772 an outstanding composer J. Haydn performed in its walls, and later it was used for important political events.

Travelers, who are not indifferent to the traditions of the past, should definitely visit the Palace of Primas. Built in the 18th century, it is a vivid example of the neoclassical style, with a beautiful palace connected with many interesting puzzles. During the recent reconstruction, unique tapestries of the 17th century were discovered in it, which means that the palace was built much earlier than the officially designated time. According to one version, the very first building in its place was erected as early as the 15th century, and later it was transformed into a palace.

The most important historical object is the Slovak National Theater, it will be interesting to visit not only fans of theatrical art. The opening of the theater took place in the late 19th century, today its building is considered one of the most beautiful in the city. Its facade is decorated with interesting sculptural compositions, and the main decoration of the interior is the ancient frescoes.

The obligatory object for visiting is the Bratislava zoo, its opening took place more than 50 years ago. This zoo has become home to many rare animals, for them the most comfortable conditions have been created in the reserve, therefore many animals successfully reproduce during their lifetime. Visitors to the zoo will be able to see the panthers, white tigers, exotic monkeys and lynxes. On the territory of this zoo there are many interesting recreation areas and attractions for children.