Bratislava, together with Wien, are the two closest national capitals (in terms of proximity) in the world at just 57km apart. For this very reason we hopped on a train from Wien and came over for a quick (& bargain. The return ticket on cost €14 each and included all public transport in Bratislava!) day trip. It became the capital of the Slovak Republic after it divorced from the Czech Republic (together they made the former Czechoslovakia). On the exterior, Bratislava looks like a poor cousin of the cultural power houses of Praha & Wien. This is true to the extent that a large part of the city is reasonably run-down or undergoing extensive refurbishment, but who knows what would happen with the introduction of the Euro in 2009.
Here are the points for Bratislava:
1 point goes to the Bratislava Hlavná stanica (Main Railway Station). This is a very run-down main railway station with only a handful (literally) of platforms. Signage is also not very clear, with the tourist information centre (see 4 points) well hidden to the side of the building. To get to the main tourist attractions, you need to catch tram #18 all the way down to the Dunaj (see 3 points).
2 points go to the Redoutengebäude (Reduta). This neo-baroque building from the early 20th century continue to host balls and concerts. It also serves as the home of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Sadly the exterior is not what it is cracked up to be in the guide books…
3 points go to the Dunaj (Danube). Ah, the blue Danube. Blue it was, that is true. But whether it was just that section of the river or if it was where we were standing (just outside of the hrad), the river stank of sewerage. The view on the other/southern side of the river was also not very attractive.
4 points go to the tourist information centre at Hlavná stanica. It is a little bit well hidden. First of all, signage was not great at the station. This was compounded by the fact that the tourist information centre was a small window-office to the side of the left corridor. But the attendant there was very helpful and she gave us a bunch of useful maps & brochures. You can find the same maps & brochures on this website.
5 points go to the Novy most (New Bridge). Listed as one of the main attractions of the city, this new bridge, completed in 1972, is just a simple suspension bridge with a dish-like observation deck. You’d probably get a better view of Staré Mésto from the hrad, however.
6 points go to the Bratislavský hrad (Bratislava Castle). Still undergoing refurbishment, only a small part of the hrad has been re-opened for public access. While we were there, it was playing host to a contemporary art exhibition. The main hrad building itself was covered by large piece of cloth, with side banners reminding the introduction of the Euro to the Slovak Republic in January 2009. This main building has 3 gates (Sigimund in the SE, Vienna in the SW and Nicolas in the NE) & 1 bastion (Lugiland, near Nicholas’ Gate). There should also be a Treasure Chamber displaying the Venus of Moravany, a small statue made of mammoth ivory from 22,800 BC but we couldn’t find the Chamber.
7 points go to the Kostol svätej Alžbety (Church of St. Elisabeth). Also known as Modrý kostolík (the Blue Church) because of its blue, art nouveau exterior, this church sits east of the main city centre of Bratislava. It is only a very small church and you can’t go beyond the main entrance unless you are worshippers. Its look, however, is vastly different to anything in this city (or most other parts of Europe too) so it is worth that little bit of exercise eastwards.
8 points go to Dom U dobrého pastiera (the House of “The Good Shepherd”). This tiny yellow house sits right next to the busy street of Staromestská and you would pass by it as you make your way up to the hrad from the Old Town. Built in the Rococo style, it is now the Museum of Clocks, exhibiting clocks mostly by local clockmakers from the 17th to late 19th century.
9 points go to Michaliská Brána (Michael’s Gate). The only medieval fortification left in the entire city, the tall white tower of this gate is highly visible from most part of the Staré Mésto. There is the Museum of Weapons and observation deck within (for a small $$ of course). The most interesting thing about this gate was situated smack bang in the middle of it – a brass ring with directions & distances to other major cities of the world. Who knew home/Sydney was only a ‘short’ km away? Bratislava’s narrowest house, at just 1.8m wide, is also right next to this Gate.
10 points go to Hlavné námestie (Main Square). Some very interesting buildings surround this main square in the middle of Old Town, including Stará radnica (Old TownHall), various embassies, as well as Rolandova fontána (the Roland Fountain). Guidebook that you get from the tourist information centre would tell you the interesting things that are left on the exterior of the Stará radnica like the measuring stick & picture of the ghost. You can also find a couple of Bratislava’s famous street art/statues in this square (see 12 points).
And finally, 12 points go to the street arts the Bratislava. For a small city, there are loads of street art dotted throughout for tourists and locals alike to enjoy and have fun with. The more notable ones are the peeper/rubberneck, the Frenchman/Napolean’s soldier, the photographer, and the taunter. There are also loads of others inserted into the ground as part of the pavement surrounding the Rococo Mirbach Palast (Mirbach Palace). You can find a full list of these street arts and their locations by getting a guide from the tourist information centre (see 4 points) or download beforehand from this website.
Next, we head back to Austria and across to the west of the country where the hills are alive in Salzburg!
Here are the points for Bratislava:
1 point goes to the Bratislava Hlavná stanica (Main Railway Station). This is a very run-down main railway station with only a handful (literally) of platforms. Signage is also not very clear, with the tourist information centre (see 4 points) well hidden to the side of the building. To get to the main tourist attractions, you need to catch tram #18 all the way down to the Dunaj (see 3 points).
2 points go to the Redoutengebäude (Reduta). This neo-baroque building from the early 20th century continue to host balls and concerts. It also serves as the home of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Sadly the exterior is not what it is cracked up to be in the guide books…
3 points go to the Dunaj (Danube). Ah, the blue Danube. Blue it was, that is true. But whether it was just that section of the river or if it was where we were standing (just outside of the hrad), the river stank of sewerage. The view on the other/southern side of the river was also not very attractive.
4 points go to the tourist information centre at Hlavná stanica. It is a little bit well hidden. First of all, signage was not great at the station. This was compounded by the fact that the tourist information centre was a small window-office to the side of the left corridor. But the attendant there was very helpful and she gave us a bunch of useful maps & brochures. You can find the same maps & brochures on this website.
5 points go to the Novy most (New Bridge). Listed as one of the main attractions of the city, this new bridge, completed in 1972, is just a simple suspension bridge with a dish-like observation deck. You’d probably get a better view of Staré Mésto from the hrad, however.
6 points go to the Bratislavský hrad (Bratislava Castle). Still undergoing refurbishment, only a small part of the hrad has been re-opened for public access. While we were there, it was playing host to a contemporary art exhibition. The main hrad building itself was covered by large piece of cloth, with side banners reminding the introduction of the Euro to the Slovak Republic in January 2009. This main building has 3 gates (Sigimund in the SE, Vienna in the SW and Nicolas in the NE) & 1 bastion (Lugiland, near Nicholas’ Gate). There should also be a Treasure Chamber displaying the Venus of Moravany, a small statue made of mammoth ivory from 22,800 BC but we couldn’t find the Chamber.
7 points go to the Kostol svätej Alžbety (Church of St. Elisabeth). Also known as Modrý kostolík (the Blue Church) because of its blue, art nouveau exterior, this church sits east of the main city centre of Bratislava. It is only a very small church and you can’t go beyond the main entrance unless you are worshippers. Its look, however, is vastly different to anything in this city (or most other parts of Europe too) so it is worth that little bit of exercise eastwards.
8 points go to Dom U dobrého pastiera (the House of “The Good Shepherd”). This tiny yellow house sits right next to the busy street of Staromestská and you would pass by it as you make your way up to the hrad from the Old Town. Built in the Rococo style, it is now the Museum of Clocks, exhibiting clocks mostly by local clockmakers from the 17th to late 19th century.
9 points go to Michaliská Brána (Michael’s Gate). The only medieval fortification left in the entire city, the tall white tower of this gate is highly visible from most part of the Staré Mésto. There is the Museum of Weapons and observation deck within (for a small $$ of course). The most interesting thing about this gate was situated smack bang in the middle of it – a brass ring with directions & distances to other major cities of the world. Who knew home/Sydney was only a ‘short’ km away? Bratislava’s narrowest house, at just 1.8m wide, is also right next to this Gate.
10 points go to Hlavné námestie (Main Square). Some very interesting buildings surround this main square in the middle of Old Town, including Stará radnica (Old TownHall), various embassies, as well as Rolandova fontána (the Roland Fountain). Guidebook that you get from the tourist information centre would tell you the interesting things that are left on the exterior of the Stará radnica like the measuring stick & picture of the ghost. You can also find a couple of Bratislava’s famous street art/statues in this square (see 12 points).
And finally, 12 points go to the street arts the Bratislava. For a small city, there are loads of street art dotted throughout for tourists and locals alike to enjoy and have fun with. The more notable ones are the peeper/rubberneck, the Frenchman/Napolean’s soldier, the photographer, and the taunter. There are also loads of others inserted into the ground as part of the pavement surrounding the Rococo Mirbach Palast (Mirbach Palace). You can find a full list of these street arts and their locations by getting a guide from the tourist information centre (see 4 points) or download beforehand from this website.
Next, we head back to Austria and across to the west of the country where the hills are alive in Salzburg!
1 comment:
I am guessing that you visited Munich around Good Friday? Reason since other than maintenance work done to the glockenspiel, as it turned 100 years old in 2008, the glockenspiel goes off every day other than Good Friday, when none of the bells sound in the city. As for the 5pm show, that is only between April and October.
Post a Comment