DESTINATION:
Slovakia
The small landlocked territory of the Slovak Republic is an area of outstanding beauty, peppered with hilltop castles, glacier lakes and the stunning mountains of the High Tatras. Its capital city, Bratislava, sits on the banks of the Danube and offers a juxtaposition of the medieval and gothic to be found in its Old Town, to the vestiges of its communist occupation.
Slovakia can be incorporated with a visit to Prague or to Brno in Moravia but for a more in depth visit, Bratislava can be coupled with the numerous and eclectic castle towns of the east.
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
- OLD TOWN HALL – one of the oldest stone buildings in the region, which now houses a museum chronicling Bratislava’s long and rich history.
- TRINITY CHURCH – adorned with tromp l’oeil.
- ST MARTIN’S CATHEDRAL – an impressive Gothic church dating back to the 15th century, where several Hungarian monarchs were crowned. A gilded replica of the coronation crown is fixed on the top of the cathedral tower as a reminder of this glorious age.
- MICHAEL’S GATE – one of the only surviving gates of the medieval fortifications. The tower houses the Museum of Arms.
- BRATISLAVA CASTLE – the former seat of the rulers, today the symbol of Bratislava and the seat of the Museum of History.
- THE SYNAGOGUE – constructed between 1923 – 1926 in the Cubist style according to the plans of the architect Artur Szalatnai-Slatinský. Upstairs is a permanent museum dedicated to the Jewish Community.
CRUISE ON THE RIVER DANUBE – with a stop at Devin Castle, to the west of Bratislava, which is evocative of Slovakia’s glorious past. Napoleon’s army destroyed the castle at the beginning of the 19th century and all that remains are the ruins of a once magnificent Gothic building, which affords magnificent views of the confluence of the Rivers Danube and Moravia.
FURTHER AFIELD
- TOPOLCIANKY CASTLE – the castle was built in the 16th century and then rebuilt in 1662 in Renaissance style. Neo-classical wings were added in the 20th century and the château became a summer residence of the Czechoslovakian Presidents. The classical wing now houses a museum of castle implements, including furniture, paintings, clocks, porcelain, ceramics, tapestries, and weapons.
- BANSKA STIAVNICA – a small picturesque town, which is the oldest mining town in Slovakia.
- LEVOCA – a former free royal town which remains largely unchanged since the 17th century, when it was a major trading centre. Boasting a magnificent town square and old town walls, visits will include several churches and the Monastery, with its original wood carving by Master Pavol of Levoca.
- KREMNICA – a picturesque historical town whose Gothic patrician homes are the best examples of Gothic architecture in the country.
- BOJNICE CASTLE – one of the most beautiful national monuments and one of Eastern Europe’s oldest fortresses, situated on a travertine hill above the city of Bojnice. The medieval castle was rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style and now houses a museum. The whole area is an area of outstanding natural beauty.
- CICMANY – a charming isolated mountain village famous for its folk architecture. All of the exquisite houses are made from timber and are hand painted and unique to the area.
- MODRA – famous for its pottery and ceramics, particularly ‘Modra Majolica’.
- CERVENY KAMEN – one of Slovakia’s best-preserved castles. Cerveny Kamen has a vast cellar complex, a military exhibition, and an art gallery displaying several East European Old Masters.