Bratislava

Bratislava is the capital and largest city in Slovakia. It has a population of almost 450,000 and is the administrative, cultural and economic center of the country.

Bratislava (before 1919 known as Prešporok in Slovak, Pressburg in German and English and Pozsony in Hungarian) has a very pleasant medieval inner city with tiny, narrow winding streets, surrounded by the biggest concrete block house complex (called "panelak", with blocks of flats; see Prague chapter for information about panelaks) in Central Europe called Petržalka that stretches on endlessly. So far, this looks no different from Prague. But Bratislava is an exception. It's so close to Vienna, it could practically be a suburb. Move further east and there are plenty of rural places. Farms, vineyards, agricultural land and tiny villages are situated just about 50 kilometers to the east of Bratislava, just like in the case of Vienna or Prague.

Bratislava Old City Hall



Bratislava



Bratislava Hrad



Bratislavsky Hrad



Michalska Brana