Must-see attractions in Bratislava

  • BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - MAY 7, 2016: Main Square of Bratislava (Hlavne namestie) is one of the best known squares in Bratislava. The square is located in the Old Town and it is the center of city.; Shutterstock ID 425043109; Your name (First / Last): Gemma Graham; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Cities Guides app image downloads - Bratislava

    Hlavné Námestie

    Bratislava

    The nucleus for Bratislava's history, festivals and chic cafe culture is Hlavné nám (Main Sq). There's architectural finery in almost every direction,…

  • Church of St. Elisabeth, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Blue Church

    Bratislava

    Dedicated to St Elisabeth of Hungary in 1913, the early-20th-century 'Blue Church' is a vision in sapphire and powder-blue. From its undulating arches and…

  • Museum of City History

    Bratislava

    Rove through Bratislava's past in the former town hall. First, scale the tower for a lookout over Bratislava. Then tour the exhibition rooms; loveliest of…

  • Bratislava Castle illuminated at night

    Bratislava Castle

    Bratislava

    Magnificently rebuilt in Renaissance style, Bratislava Castle looks as though it has been transplanted from a children's picture book. Inside is a history…

  • St Martin's Cathedral, Coronation Church, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, Europe

    St Martin's Cathedral

    Bratislava

    The coronations of 19 royals have taken place within three-nave St Martin's Cathedral, alluded to by the 300kg replica crown atop its spire. The interior…

  • Bratislava, Slovakia, March 2017: view of Novy Most Bridge with famous ufo tower in Bratislava, Slovakia; Shutterstock ID 598119902; Your name (First / Last): Gemma Graham; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Cities Guides app image downloads - Bratislava

    Most SNP

    Bratislava

    The sci-fi silhouette of Bratislava's 'UFO bridge' came at a heavy cost. Period mansions and an old synagogue were sacrificed for the construction of the…

  • Roland's Fountain

    Bratislava

    Planted in the heart of Bratislava's most storied square, Roland's Fountain is said to have been erected in 1572 to serve as a public water supply. It's…

  • Hviezdoslavovo Námestie

    Bratislava

    At least once during your visit to Bratislava, you'll stroll along this tree-lined plaza, bypassing embassies, tourist-magnet bars and some of the city's…

  • Period Rooms Museum

    Bratislava

    Housed in a 1762 building are beautifully restored rooms, dressed in aristocratic styles from the 18th and 19th century. As interesting as the trompe l…

  • Museum of Jewish Culture

    Bratislava

    This enriching museum unveils the stories of Bratislava's once-thriving Jewish community through photographs and objects from daily life, with a focus on…

  • Watcher

    Bratislava

    Crowds amass around the ground-level Watcher statue, who peeps out from an imaginary manhole on Panská. Originally installed as a joke in 1997, the statue…

  • Bratislava Forest Park

    Bratislava

    Spreading north of the city and marked by the Kamzík TV mast (439m), complete with vista-endowed restaurant, Bratislava Forest Park is vast, hilly and…

  • Slavín War Memorial

    Bratislava

    Honouring 6845 Soviet soldiers who died when Bratislava was freed in April 1945, this lofty monument yields great views over the city. The soldier on top…

  • Slovak National Gallery

    Bratislava

    This engaging art space hosts changing exhibitions of contemporary art, from photography to sculpture. It's well worth scouting what's on, or simply…

  • Petržalka

    Bratislava

    Bratislava's largest borough is interesting to drive through, especially if you're a fan of brutalist architecture; otherwise it's not worthy of a special…

  • Michael's Gate & Weapons Museum

    Bratislava

    Of Bratislava's original 13th-century walls, Michael's is the last gate standing. Capped with an onion dome, the gate's tower was rebuilt in baroque style…

  • Transport Museum

    Bratislava

    This transport museum is housed in a 19th-century steam-train station. There is not much explanation in English – or in general – but it's good for kids …

  • Námestie Slobody

    Bratislava

    Bratislava's underused 'Freedom Square' was one of the country's first to be renamed after the Velvet Revolution. Sadly, the centrepiece of this Soviet…

  • Slovak Radio Building

    Bratislava

    Shaped like an upside-down pyramid, this memorable building is either an eyesore or a marvel of brutalist design, depending on who you ask. The 80m-tall…

  • Monument of the Slovak National Uprising

    Bratislava

    The central feature of broad Nám SNP is a bronze monument honouring the antifascist revolt for which the square is named. In November 1989 huge crowds…

  • Slovak National Museum

    Bratislava

    The history of music, from ornate carved violins to the art of Slovak tango, is covered in detail on the 1st floor of this branch of the national museum…

  • Museum of Clocks

    Bratislava

    All burning questions about 17th- to 19th-century clockmaking will be answered within this narrow, rococo-style building, known as the 'House of the Good…

  • Schöner Náci

    Bratislava

    The only silvery statue in Bratislava's bevy of bronzes, this sculpture commemorates a mid-20th-century local character. Ignác Lamár is remembered for his…

  • BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - JANUARY 23, 2014: Main square in evening dusk with the town hall and Jesuits church.; Shutterstock ID 173572751; Your name (First / Last): Gemma Graham; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editiorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: POI image

    Jesuit Church

    Bratislava

    The Jesuit Church of the Holy Saviour, just off Hlavné nám, was built in the 17th century. It's worth peeping inside to see the baroque altar.

  • Museum of Pharmacy

    Bratislava

    In an original burgher house, a tiny museum gives a glimpse of the unguents and ghoulish cures that would have been offered by the pharmacy that stood…

  • Napoleon's Soldier

    Bratislava

    Napoleon's army besieged Bratislava in 1809. According to local lore, one of his soldiers fell in love with a local girl and stayed in Bratislava. He's…

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