Bratislava | Location, Map, History, Culture, & Facts (2024)

national capital, Slovakia

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

External Websites

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

  • Bratislava - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • Bratislava - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Print

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

  • Bratislava - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • Bratislava - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Also known as: Pozsony, Pressburg

Written and fact-checked by

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

German:
Pressburg
Hungarian:
Pozsony

See all related content →

Bratislava, city, capital of Slovakia. It lies in the extreme southwestern part of the country, along the Danube where that river has cut a gorge in the Little Carpathian Mountains near the meeting point of the frontiers of Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary. Vienna is 35 miles (56 km) west.

Archaeological evidence suggests prehistoric habitation of the site, which was later fortified and settled by the Celts and Romans and finally in the 8th century was inhabited by the Slavs. The community developed as a trade centre and was granted the rights of a free royal town in 1291. The first university in what was then Hungary, the Istropolitana Academy, was founded there in 1465. Bratislava served as the Hungarian capital from 1526 until 1784, when most of the middle Danube basin was in the hands of the Turks, and the Hungarian parliament continued to meet there until 1848. The Habsburg rulers were crowned kings of Hungary in the city’s Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin.

Britannica QuizCountries and Capitals Quiz

The city is dominated by its enormous castle, which stands on a plateau 300 feet (100 metres) above the Danube. The castle was the residence of the Austrian royal family until it was destroyed by fire in 1811; it has since been largely restored. In 1741 Empress Maria Theresa of Austria fled to Bratislava when Vienna was threatened by French and Bavarian troops. The so-called Peace of Pressburg (1805) was signed by Napoleon and the Austrian emperor Francis II, after the Battle of Austerlitz, in the city’s Baroque Archbishop’s Palace. Following World War I, Bratislava was made the capital of Slovakia in the first Czechoslovakian Republic, and it remained the capital when Slovakia emerged as an independent nation in 1993.

The modern city of Bratislava is a cultural centre and the seat of Comenius University (1919; successor to the medieval Istropolitana Academy), the Slovak Academy of Sciences (1953), several specialized schools and technical institutes, the Slovak National Theatre, and the Slovak National Gallery and Museum. An important road and rail junction and river port, Bratislava has diversified industries producing textiles, chemicals, and metal and electrical goods. Pop. (2001) 428,672; (2011) 411,228; (2018 est.) 432,864.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.

Bratislava | Location, Map, History, Culture, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

What are some historical facts about Bratislava? ›

Bratislava served as the Hungarian capital from 1526 until 1784, when most of the middle Danube basin was in the hands of the Turks, and the Hungarian parliament continued to meet there until 1848. The Habsburg rulers were crowned kings of Hungary in the city's Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin.

What is the old name of Bratislava? ›

The city received its contemporary name on 16 March 1919. Until then, it was mostly known in English as "Pressburg" (from its German name, Preßburg), since after 1526, it was dominated mostly by the Habsburg monarchy and the city had a relevant ethnic German population.

What was Slovakia originally called? ›

Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, sometimes referred to as the Velvet Divorce. Slovakia is a developed country with an advanced high-income economy.

How old is Bratislava Slovakia? ›

Bratislava (Hungarian: Pozsony, German: Preßburg/Pressburg), currently the capital of Slovakia and the country's largest city, has existed for about a thousand years.

Why is Bratislava famous? ›

Bratislava has a beautiful historic Old Town

Marvel at the architecture and visit Bratislava's iconic landmarks, such as the main square, Bratislava castle, Old Town Hall, Michael's gate and Primate's Palace. Inside Town Hall, you'll find a museum exhibition with unique artefacts displaying the history of the city.

What are 3 historical facts about Slovakia? ›

Slovakia became the independent and sovereign state on 1 January and entered the UNO on 19 January. On 1 May Slovakia became a member of the European Union. In December, Slovakia became a part of the Schengen Area – the system of free movement of persons within 25 European countries.

Is Slovakia a rich or poor country? ›

With a gross national income per capita of $32,450 PPP in 2021, Slovakia belongs to the group of high-income economies.

What is Slovakia famous for food? ›

Potato dumplings, goulash, sauerkraut soup, sheep cheese... Slovak cuisine delivers robust flavors and extreme comfort in spades. The cuisine of Slovakia blends deeply rooted customs and seasonal produce with Hungarian, Austrian and Czech traditions.

Was Slovakia once part of Russia? ›

No, Russia never annexed any parts of Czechia or Slovakia. However, in 1968, there was the so-called “Prague Spring.” Then, the Russian Tanks came to Prague and crushed the resistance. Besides, there was a hockey competition between the USSR and Czechoslovakia.

What does Bratislava mean in English? ›

(ˌbrætɪˈslɑːvə ) noun. the capital of Slovakia since 1918, a port on the River Danube; capital of Hungary (1541–1784) and seat of the Hungarian parliament until 1848.

What religion are Slovakians? ›

According to the 2021 census, Christianity was the religion of 68.8% of the population of Slovakia, of whom 59.8% were Catholics (55.8% adherents of the Roman Catholics and 4% of the Slovak Greek Catholic Church), 5.3% were adherents of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia, 1.6% of the Reformed ...

Is Slovakia Slavic or Germanic? ›

The Slovaks (Slovak: Slováci, singular: Slovák, feminine: Slovenka, plural: Slovenky) are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry, culture, history and speak the Slovak language. In Slovakia, c. 4.4 million are ethnic Slovaks of 5.4 million total population.

How old is the castle in Bratislava? ›

Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle Bratislavský hrad
Controlled byGreat Moravia, Kingdom of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia
Open to the publicoutdoor areas nonstop, opening hours apply to the museum
Site history
Built9th century – 18th century Rebuilt in 1956 – 1964
5 more rows

Was Bratislava destroyed in ww2? ›

After an artillery preparation, the liberating armies made the final push as of 3rd April and by 4th April majority of Bratislava was free. Due to relatively low damages normal live returned to the city within few days and that is how the events of Bratislava in World War 2 ended.

Why is the Bratislava Castle important? ›

The castle, which written history begins in 907, can be seen from many places in Bratislava. It housed Celtic rulers, Great Moravian magnates and Hungarian kings, experienced periods of boom and bust, was restored into its most famous shape and exposed a golden treasure.

What language do they speak in Bratislava? ›

Slovak is the official language of the Slovak Republic and belongs to the West Slavic subgroup of the Indo-European language family, and uses the Roman script. The majority of the population of the Slovak Republic (78.6%) speaks Slovak as their mother tongue.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 5785

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.