History of Bratislava
Encyclopedia
This page gives an overview of the history of Bratislava
– the capital of Slovakia
and the country's largest city.
In the area where present-day Bratislava lies, three skeletons of the (Epi)Pliopithecus
vindobonensis were found in the borough Devínska Nová Ves
in 1957, dating 25–15 million years ago. Teeth of the Griphopithecus suessi (formerly known as Sivapithecus darwiny or Dryopithecus darwiny), dating 14–10 million years ago, were also found in Devínska Nová Ves, this time in 1902. From the Paleolithic
period, hand-axes and other stone tools of Homo heidelbergensis
(from the periods about 0.45 million years and about 0.3 million years ago) and of Neanderthal man were found. The first known permanent settlements on the town's territory (Linear Ceramics Culture) was in Neolithic
. The first known fortified settlement on the area of later medieval castle of Bratislava appeared in Eneolithic. In the Bronze Age
there were settlements from both older and younger (Urnfield cultures) part of the period. On the area of later Devín
caste one finds important clues to final period of Bronze Age (Podoli Culture), when a fortified settlement arose on the strategic place: rock-cliff over river Morava joining river Danube
.
brought a shift of the settlement centre again to the area of today's historical centre and castle of Bratislava. Many finds support the theory that both castle-hill and area of the town (on an important river-crossing) formed an important seat of local Hallstatt Culture Prince, while richly furnished mounds (barrows) were excavated on eastern suburbs of the city.
period is defined as from 450 BCE to 50 BCE. Celts (more exactly the tribe of Boii
) formed between 125–50 BC an important Celtic oppidum
(fortified town) with a mint on area of castle hill and historical centre. There is an acropolis on the castle hill and some settlements below (crafts) and around it (farming). Bratislava is a genuine town for the first time in history (it will become a de facto town again in the 9th century AD and then again in the 11th century). Most famous finds are represented by silver coins, bearing inscriptions (biatec
s in most cases). Biatec could be name of the local prince who organized the minting or the name of the place itself. After the bloody defeat from Dacian forces under the leadership of king Burebista (shortly after the middle of 1st century BC) rest of the Celts retreated to the site of Devín
, creating a smaller, more easily protectable hill-fort settlement. The arrival or Germans from West forced the rest of Celts to seek protection under the Romans on the other (right) side of Danube.
(Limes Romanus) ran along river Danube
. The northern side belonged to the Free Barbaricum (German tribes - Marcomanni
) and southern side belonged to Rome. Under the suburb of Rusovce
, the remains of the Roman border town Gerulata
have been excavated, as well as cemeteries and farming background of the town (Villa Rustica
s). Despite belonging officially to Barbaricum, several sites of Roman presence are to be found on the area of the city: Devín Castle
hill with Roman military garrison, Stupava with its trading (?) station, Dúbravka
with remains of Roman baths (attempt to built Villa Rustica
?). The Slavs arrived to the area between the 5th and 6th centuries during the Migration Period
.
In 568 the Eurasian Avars
arrived in the area. After a successful insurrection of the Slavs (probably at Bratislava-Devín) against Avarian rule in this region, Samo
is made King of the Slavs in 623, establishing first known Slavic political entity, the Samo's Empire, which lasted until 658. From the 8th century until 907 the Bratislava Castle
as well as the Devín Castle
are important centres of the Principality of Nitra
and (since 833) of Great Moravia
. The Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus
will write in the 16th century that in 805 the Bratislava Castle was repaired during the reign of its lord, Prince Vratislav, on the place of the ruins of an old Roman settlement allegedly called Pisonium, and was named Wratisslaburgium; if this is true, Prince Vratislav is, after Samo
, only the second Slavic historical figure known from the Middle Danube region.
In 864 the first written reference to the Devín Castle (Dowina) appears in the Fuldish Annals. Around 900 it was probably owned by the (originally) Lower Pannonian prince Braslav (Bräslav, Brazlaw) - or by a magnate of the same name - who was a vassal of Bavaria
(Germany). Earlier, it was thought that Bräslav was the person who gave the town Pressburg its German name Brezalauspurc (see 907), later Pressburg, and maybe also its new Slovak name Bratislava; nowadays, it is assumed that Pressburg/Brezalauspurc is a distortion of Predeslausburg, a name derived from Predslav, who was (according to some historians) the ruler of Bratislava around 900 and the 3rd son of the Great Moravian king Svätopluk
; the modern Slovak name Bratislava, however, is assumed to be derived (by mistake) from the name of the Czech ruler Bretislav I. The first written reference to Bratislava (as Brezalauspurc) appears in 907, in connection with the battle(s) of Bratislava (in the Salzburg Annals): The Bavaria
ns are totally defeated by the Magyars; as a result, the Frankish East March ceases and is occupied by the Magyars (907–955). Traditionally, this is considered the end of the state Great Moravia
. The town is now part of emerging medieval Hungary.
and became a key economic and administrative centre at the kingdom's frontier. The Castle became the one with the best fortification in Hungary because of its position, it became a site of frequent attacks and battles, along with the city, and a place of frequent stay of Hungarian kings (who mainly hold tournaments and parties), so it receives a more luxurious equipment. Around 1000 the Pozsony county (comitatus
), one of the first counties in Hungary, is founded probably by Grand Prince Stephen I. Coins with the inscriptions "PHANUS REX" and "RESLAVVA CIV" were found in Sweden; some scholars claim that the coins were minted in
"(p)RESLAVVA CIV(itas)" or "(b)RESLAVVA CIV(itas)" (i.e., in the town of Bratislava), but other authors point out that no coins of this type have been found on the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary, their weight and diameter differ from King Stephen's other coins and their inscriptions are confused which suggest that they are conterfeit coins minted abroad on the sample of other coins that had been minted following the patterns of King Stephen's coins with the inscriptions "STEPHANUS REX" and "REGIA CIVITAS".
In 1030 the Czech duke Břetislav I, participating in a campaign of the German emperor Konrad II against Hungary, devastates present-day western Slovakia and undertakes an attack against the Bratislava castle but is defeated by the Hungarian king. 12 years later Břetislav I and the troops of the German king Henry III
temporarily conquer Bratislava. Henry undertakes a new invasion in 1043.
In 1052 German king Henry III besieges Pressburg for 2 months without success, but causes considerable damage to the castle. The following year, Pope Leo IX
personally visits the town to achieve a peace between Henry and the Hungarian king. In 1073 and 1074 Hungarian king Solomon
, who was based at Bratislava castle during his fighting against Géza
and Duke Ladislaus, had the castle reconstructed. Hungarians settle in the market settlement below the castle in several waves in the 12 and 13th centuries, joining the previously predominantly Slovak
inhabitants there. In 1108 German king Henry V
along with the Czech duke Svatopluk
fails to conquer Pressburg castle. In 1109 a new attack of the Czechs (undertaken as a revenge for a Hungarian attack of Moravia
) fails. Boris, who claimed for the throne against King Géza I of Hungary
, although his mother had been repelled by her husband, King Coloman of Hungary because of adultery, besieged and conquered the Bratislava castle in 1146. The Hungarian king has to buy it back. The Hungarian king Stephen III
is living in Bratislava castle in the 1160s and has its fortification improved. Participants of the Third Crusade
to the Holy Land, led by the German king Frederick I Barbarossa, gather at Bratislava castle in 1189.
In 1241 and 1242 the Mongols
fail to conquer the fortified castle and the town below it, but temporarily devastate the surrounding settlements. The castle is adapted after these attacks. After 1242 German
colonists come to the town and gradually their number will increase, so that till the late 19th century they will represent by far the largest ethnic group in the town. In 1271 and 1273–1276 the town is captured by the King of Bohemia, Ottakar II in connection with fighting between Hungary and Bohemia because of Styria. In this connection, the (1st) Peace of Pressburg
is signed in 1271.
The city is captured by the Hungarian noble and palatine
Nicolaus von Güssing
in 1285–1286, who (temporarily) burns down the castle in 1286, but his revolt against the king is defeated. In 1287–1291 the city is captured by the Austrian duke Albert of Habsburg. Albert is defeated by the Hungarian noble Matthew Csák of Trenčín, who was the leader of Pressburg and Trenčín
counties at that time and Bratislava belongs to Hungary again.
The town (part below the castle) is conferred its (first known) town privileges
by the Hungarian king Andrew III in 1291. Earlier town privileges are not known, but probable, because Bratislava has been called a "town" as early as around 1250. After 1291, the town received many privileges from Hungarian kings, especially from the emperor Sigismund in the 15th century. After the death of the Hungarian king Andrew III, Pressburg was annexed by Austria in 1301, because Andrew's widow gave the town to the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs return it to Hungary in 1322, but occupy it again. It is only in 1338 that the town finally becomes part of Hungary again. In 1405 the town was declared a "free royal town" by King Sigismund of Luxemburg. Not only Bratislava but all towns in Hungary got this status (meaning that they received "collective nobility", i.e. the status of a feudal lord with all its privileges) because Sigismund wanted to restrain the increasing power of (true) feudal lords in Hungary. The Hussites first appeared in 1428, when they burned down the suburbs of Pressburg Negotiations held year later in Bratislava between Sigismund of Luxemburg and the Hussites (in April and in June) fail. Between 1432 and 1434 Hussites tried to conquer the city but their attacks fail. The first bridge over the Danube in Bratislava was built in 1434, but it was destroyed by floods next year. In 1434 and 1435 the amount of payments by Hungary, against which the Hussites will leave Slovakia, is being officially negotiated. In 1436 Sigismund of Luxemburg awards Bratislava the right to use its own coat of arms
and orders to improve the fortification of the castle (because of the last Hussite invasion during that year). From 1439 to 1486 another bridge over the Danube existed in Bratislava, being washed away by flood in 1486.
Between 1440 and 1443 there was a fighting between the castle of Bratislava
, supporting king Ladislaus III of Poland, and the actual town of Bratislava below the castle hill, supporting (and owned by) queen Elisabeth. In 1442 Ladislaus settles at the castle and temporarily conquers the town, but is defeated by the Austrian emperor Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
supporting Elisabeth. Finally, in 1443 Elisabeth gets the town back, but the castle remains in Ladislaus' hands till his death in 1444.
From 1465 until 1490 Bratislava was the seat of the first university in present-day Slovakia, the Universitas Istropolitana (often wrongly called Academia Istropolitana). From 1490 to 1526 Bratislava is a place of diplomatic negotiations under the Jagiellonian kings. In 1490 Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
drives the Hungarians from Austria (summer 1490) and even occupies Hungarian frontier territories, but he is compelled by want of money to retreat and signs the Treaty of Pressburg (also called the (2nd) Peace of Pressburg
) with the Hungarian King Ladislaus II on 7 November 1491. Under this treaty it is agreed that Hungary renounces to Lower Austria and Maximilian should succeed to the crown in case Ladislaus left no legitimate male issue.
After the Battle of Mohács
in 1526, where the Kingdom of Hungary was defeated by the expanding Ottoman Empire
, the Turks besiege Bratislava in 1529, but fail to conquer it. Two years later churches and hospitals outside the town wall are deliberately destroyed so that the Turks are not able to see from there to the town behind the town wall. In the beginning of 1532 thousands of soldiers are sent to Bratislava as a protection against the Turks planning to attack Vienna
. Bratislava is temporarily turned to a military camp. The Turks, seeing the military force in Bratislava, decide to attack Vienna from the south.
, the city was designated as the capital of Royal Hungary
in 1536. The Kingdom of Hungary was part of the Habsburg (i. e. Austrian) Monarchy from 1526 to 1918. It was also made a meeting place of the Hungarian Diet from 1542 to 1848 (with interruptions) and the coronation town for Hungarian kings and queens from 1536 to 1830 (in the St. Martin's Cathedral). The first coronation is that of King Maximilian of Habsburg
, the last one the coronation of Ferdinand V
. Altogether, 11 kings and 8 queens were crowned in the town. However, in the 17th century, the town is touched by anti-Habsburg uprisings. In addition, there are fighting with the Turks, floods, plagues and other disasters. The Evangelic Lutheran Lyceum (Evanjelické lýceum), a kind of Protestant grammar school and in the 19th century also a kind of university, is founded in 1607 (see 1803).
Uprising) Bocskay troops occupy the surroundings of Bratislava. Bethlen conquers Bratislava in 1619, as a part of the Gabriel Bethlen
uprising. He is defeated by imperial troops in 1621 and then besieges the town from 1621 to 1622. The (3rd) Peace of Pressburg
between Gabriel Bethlen and the emperor Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
is signed in 1626, which puts an end to the Bethlen anti-Habsburg uprising. From 1671 to 1677 Bratislava is seat of extraordinary courts against the Protestants and participants of anti-Habsburg uprisings; e.g. a trial against the participants of the Wesselényi conspiracy takes place in 1671. Within the Imre Thököly
Uprising from 1682 to 1683 Bratislava is the only town in present day Slovakia that refuses to capitulate to Thököly's troops. Finally, the town, but not the castle capitulates in July 1683 and is only reconquered by imperial troops after the Turks have been defeated near Vienna (which happened in September 1683). The last of these uprisings that touched the town was in 1704 (within the Rákóczi Uprising), when Prince Eugene of Savoy
manages to protect Bratislava from Rákóczi's troops, but the surroundings of the town are totally destroyed.
Since the 18th century the city is important centre of the Slovak national and cultural movement (Slovak National Revival). The Great Plague
Epidemic kills 3800 people in years 1710 and 1711. Later Holy Trinity column
is erected in thanksgiving to God for its ending. In the 18th century, many new baroque
buildings are erected, the economy flourishes (1st manufacture in 1728), first parks arise (today's Hviezdoslavovo námestie
), the town wall is demolished in 1775 to enable further expansion, and the first city theatre was opened in 1776 and Bratislava becomes the largest and most important town on the territory of present day Slovakia and Hungary.
The first journal in Hungary, Mercurius Veridicus ex Hungaria, is published here in 1705 and the first regular newspaper in Hungary (written in Latin), Nova Posoniensia, is issued in 1721–1722.
Pragmatic Sanction
law was acknowledged in 1713 which decided the Habsburg monarch's unity and the woman can inhereit the Hungarian throne. Maria Theresa of Austria
is crowned Queen Regnant of Hungary at St. Martin's Cathedral on 25 June 1741. The 6-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
gives a concert in the Palffy palace in 1762. In 1764 the first German newspaper in Hungary, the Pressburger Zeitung, begins publication and remains until 1929 and in 1944, the first newspaper in Hungarian, Magyar hírmondó, is published here.
In 1782: The number of inhabitants reaches 33,000 (out of which 29,223 are in the part of the town below the castle that has the free royal town status) thus making Bratislava the biggest town in Hungary. The number of inhabitants has increased by 200% between 1720 and 1780. In 1783, the first newspaper in Slovak
, Presspurske Nowiny (which remains in circulation until 1787) is published and the first novel in Slovak, Rene mladenca prihody a skusenosti" (The adventures and experiences of the youth Rene) by Jozef Ignác Bajza
, is published. However, in 1783, under the reign of Joseph II
, the crown jewels are taken to Vienna
and many central offices moved to Buda, which are followed by a big part of nobility. The number of inhabitants decreases and the economic situation of the town deteriorates until 1811. From now on Bratislava is only the coronation town and the seat of the Hungarian diet. In 1775 the crowning hill was built by Maria Theresa
from soil of Hungary's 64 counties. The new monarch had to ride to the crowning hill and swish their blade towards the four cardinal points.
. One of the notable students is Anton Bernolák
, who would publish in 1787 the first Slovak language
standard. Another educating institution was the Royal Academy, moved also in 1787 to the city from Trnava
. In 1803, a separate "Department of Czechoslovak Speech and Literature" is created (from the Institute of Czechoslovak Speech and Literature founded in 1801) at the Lutheran Lyceum.
Bratislava was also playing a role in the early 19th century. In 1805 the fourth and best-known Treaty of Pressburg is signed by Austria and France after Napoleon I
's victory in the Battle of Austerlitz
. Four years later Napoleon's army besieges and bombards the city and Napoleon I visits the city. The Dévény Castle
is turned into a ruin by the French troops in 1809 and the Pressburg Castle
is inadvertently destroyed by fire in 1811 (and will remain in ruins until the 1950s).
In 1820 the 9-year-old Franz Liszt
plays in De Pauli's Palace. Five years later, István Széchenyi
offers his yearly income to establish the Hungarian National Learned Society
(now Hungarian Academy of Sciences) in Bratislava. In 1829 the "Czech-Slav Society" (also called the Society for the Czechoslovak language and literature) is created by students of the Lutheran Lyceum, which will become an important entity in the Slovak national movement. Ľudovít Štúr
also started to study at the Lyceum and will spend 20 years at the lyceum together. In 1843 he codified the present-day Slovak language standard. The industrialisation
of the town begins with regular steamship transport on the Danube in 1830. Ten years later the first (horse-)railway line in Hungary and present-day Slovakia is built from Bratislava to the town of Svätý Jur
, north of Bratislava. Later, it will extend to Trnava
and Sereď
(1846).
Hungarian-German physicist - came from Pressburg - winner of the Nobel Prize
for Physics for his research on cathode rays and the discovery of many of their properties, and also in this year Ján Bahýľ
, a Slovak inventor, flew his petrol-engine helicopter in Pressburg reaching a height of 4 metres for more than 1500 m. Czecho-Slovakia
has been declared on October 28 in 1918 in Prague, the leaders of Pressburg (where the majority of the population are Germans or Hungarians, see below) want to prevent Pozsony
from becoming part of Czecho-Slovakia and declare the town a free town and rename it Wilsonovo mesto (Wilson City) after US-president Woodrow Wilson
. However, the city became part of Czechoslovakia
after it was taken by the Czechoslovak Legions
on January 1, 1919 (only the left river bank; the right river bank, not belonging to Bratislava yet, was occupied only on August 14 while Budapest
just was occupied by the Romania
n army). It has been chosen as seat of Slovak political organs over Martin
and Nitra
. Earlier the (Hungarian) Elisabeth University worked here- it had been a predecessor of the Slovak Comenius University after the Czechoslovakian state requistioned it on 6 January. The whole teaching staff were arrested on 28 January, because they rejected the invitation in the new Czechoslovakian government's joining up celebration. The (Slovakian) Comenius University (Univerzita Komenského) is founded then. The government moved to the city on 4–5 February. On 12 February German and Hungarian people demonstrated against of the Czechoslovak occupation on the Vásár square (now SNP Square). The shooting by the Czechoslovak troops left 9 people dead and 23 wounded. On March 27, the town's official new name becomes "Bratislava" - instead of "Prešporok" (Slovak
) / "Pressburg" (German
) / "Pozsony" (Hungarian
).
On 4 May Milan Rastislav Štefánik
, French–Slovak general died in an airplane crash near Bratislava. On 26–27 October in 1921 the statue of Maria Theresa was destroyed by Slovakian nationalists and the members of the Sokol Movement
.
Between 1928-1930 Hotel Carlton was built instead of hotel Zöldfa at the Séta square
(now Hviezdoslavovo square). Before Lajos Kossuth
Franz Joseph I. Alfred Nobel
Albert Einstein
stayed at the hotel Zöldfa too. In the time of census in 1930 the Hungarian residents' rate decreased to under 20% and as a result of it the Hungarian name-plates were removed. Between 1938 (October) - 1939 (March): Seat of the government of the autonomous Slovakia within Czecho-Slovakia (see e.g. Jozef Tiso
). Between 1938 (November) - 1945, the future Petržalka
borough was occupied by Nazi Germany
, and from October 1938 to April 1945, the future Devín
borough was part of the Lower Austria area of the German Third Reich. After the break-up of Czechoslovakia
, Bratislava became the capital of the First Slovak Republic in 1939. Until 1945, most of the approximately city's 15,000 Jews were expelled and sent into concentration camps. The Bratislava
oil district included the Apollo oil refinery and was bombed on 9 September 1944
during the German occupation. The Soviet Red Army
took Bratislava
on 4 April 1945.
s living in Bratislava. Packaging was allowed in a half past hour. 90% of Hungarian
population was transferred to Petržalka
having about 20,000 people in detention camps between inhuman circumstances.
90 teenage soldiers -came from Csík
county- who did not take part in military actions were murdered by Czechoslovakian soldiers with shot in the backs of the neck on the way home in the weeks after World War II in Petržalka
.
In 1946, the city incorporated the neighbouring villages of Devín
, Dúbravka
, Lamač
, Petržalka
, Prievoz (now part of Ružinov
), Rača
, and Vajnory
(Karlova Ves
had been annexed in 1944). The so-called Bratislava bridgehead
on the right bank of the Danube was enlarged in 1947 with the hitherto Hungarian villages of Jarovce
, Rusovce
and Čunovo
according to the Paris Peace Conference
, which transferred these villages to Czechoslovakia, on the grounds that "Bratislava needs space for enlargement". After the Communists
seized power in February 1948, the city became part of the Eastern Bloc
. Several present-day cultural institutions were established (first films made in the town in 1948; Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
founded in 1949; Slovak National Gallery
in 1951, Slovak Academy of Sciences
in 1953, Bratislava Gallery in 1959, Slovak Television in 1956), several factories and landmarks were built, sometimes at the expense of the historical cityscape. (Slavín
in 1960, Kamzík TV Tower
in the 1970s, reconstruction of the Bratislava Castle
in 1953–62 and Nový Most
, the second bridge over the Danube, in 1972; from factories Bratislavské automobilové závody and Slovnaft
). The city was also affected by the unsuccessful Czechoslovak attempt
to liberalize the Communist regime in 1968. Shortly after that, the city became capital of the Slovak Socialist Republic
, a part of federalized Czechoslovakia, after the signing of the Law of Federation
at the Bratislava Castle in 1968. Since 1960s, construction of the huge prefab
panel buildings
had been ongoing. The city also expanded once more in 1972, annexing villages of Jarovce, Rusovce, Čunovo, Devínska Nová Ves
, Záhorská Bystrica
, Vrakuňa
and Podunajské Biskupice
. The third bridge over the Danube, called Prístavný most
(Harbour Bridge) was built in 1985. The fall of the Communism was anticipated by the candle demonstration
in 1988, which had been violently scattered by the police.
; Alexander Dubček
held his first speech in the city since 1970 and one day before the demonstrations in Prague, Slovak students rally against the Communist regime on 16 November 1989; further demonstrations would follow. The first non-Communist political party, "Public Against Violence
" (Verejnosť proti násiliu, VPN) is created on November 21.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bratislava was plagued by rise in criminality
. From October 6, 1990 to July 16, 1991 Bratislava had two active serial killers - Ondrej Rigo
and Jozef Slovák
.
In 1991 the factory of the automaker Volkswagen
was founded in Bratislava (until 1994 as a joint venture with the Bratislavské automobilové závody); the fourth bridge over the Danube, Most Lafranconi
, was built. On 17 July 1992 the Declaration of Independence of the Slovak Nation is adopted by the Slovak National Council
(called National Council of the Slovak Republic
since 1994). Six days later the prime ministers of the two constituent republics of Czechoslovakia agree to split the country into two independent states; the Constitution of Slovakia
is adopted September 1 and signed at the Bratislava Castle September 3. After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
in 1992 the city is declared the capital of independent Slovakia.
, fought outside the walls of Bratislava Castle
in 907. The castle was probably named after Predslav, third son of King Svätopluk I
; however, Brezalauspurc literally means "Braslav's Castle" and therefore the town was probably named after Braslav
, the last military commander of Pannonia
, a province in East Francia. This ancient name reappears under the variant Braslava or Preslava on coins minted by King Stephen I of Hungary and dated around 1000, but the "RESLAVVA CIV" inscription of the obviously conterfeit coins (found only in Sweden) cannot prove the existence of such a name of the town. Later in the Middle Ages, it found its final form in the German name Pressburg and the Slovak name Prešporok derived from it. Pressburg was used to refer to the city by most English-speaking writers until 1919, and it is occasionally so used even today. The Hungarians used Pozsony (spelled Posony before the 19th century) and it is still in use in Hungarian. The Latin name Posonium is derived from the Hungarian. Its Hungarian and Latin denominations might have come from the Hungarian name Poson. In addition to these names, Renaissance
documents called the city Ιστρόπολις Istropolis, meaning "Danube
City
" in Ancient Greek
(for example, see Universitas Istropolitana).
The current name, Bratislava, has its beginnings in 1837, when Slavist scholar Pavel Jozef Šafárik
invented a variant of it (Břetislaw) from old names, believing that they were derived from that of Bohemia
n ruler Bretislav I
. The name was used for the first time by members of the Slovak movement in 1844 as Bratislav. After World War I, it was proposed to rename the city in Czech Wilsonovo mesto Wilson City after American president Woodrow Wilson
in late 1918/early 1919. The proposal was rejected, and the official name of the city was changed
to Bratislava in March 1919, after the city became part of Czechoslovakia.
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
– the capital of Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and the country's largest city.
Prehistory
Pliopithecus
Pliopithecus is a genus of extinct primates of the Miocene and Pliocene. It was discovered in 1837 by Édouard Lartet in France, with fossils subsequently discovered in Switzerland and Spain....
vindobonensis were found in the borough Devínska Nová Ves
Devínska Nová Ves
Devínska Nová Ves ) is a borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Its western borders are formed by the Morava River, which also represents the national border between Slovakia and Austria....
in 1957, dating 25–15 million years ago. Teeth of the Griphopithecus suessi (formerly known as Sivapithecus darwiny or Dryopithecus darwiny), dating 14–10 million years ago, were also found in Devínska Nová Ves, this time in 1902. From the Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
period, hand-axes and other stone tools of Homo heidelbergensis
Homo heidelbergensis
Homo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
(from the periods about 0.45 million years and about 0.3 million years ago) and of Neanderthal man were found. The first known permanent settlements on the town's territory (Linear Ceramics Culture) was in Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. The first known fortified settlement on the area of later medieval castle of Bratislava appeared in Eneolithic. In the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
there were settlements from both older and younger (Urnfield cultures) part of the period. On the area of later Devín
Devín
Devín originally a separate town at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, is now a suburb of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is an important archaeological site, famous for the ruins of Devín Castle...
caste one finds important clues to final period of Bronze Age (Podoli Culture), when a fortified settlement arose on the strategic place: rock-cliff over river Morava joining river Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
.
Early Iron Age
Early Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
brought a shift of the settlement centre again to the area of today's historical centre and castle of Bratislava. Many finds support the theory that both castle-hill and area of the town (on an important river-crossing) formed an important seat of local Hallstatt Culture Prince, while richly furnished mounds (barrows) were excavated on eastern suburbs of the city.
Late Iron Age
La TèneLa Tène culture
The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where a rich cache of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857....
period is defined as from 450 BCE to 50 BCE. Celts (more exactly the tribe of Boii
Boii
The Boii were one of the most prominent ancient Celtic tribes of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul , Pannonia , in and around Bohemia, and Transalpine Gaul...
) formed between 125–50 BC an important Celtic oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
(fortified town) with a mint on area of castle hill and historical centre. There is an acropolis on the castle hill and some settlements below (crafts) and around it (farming). Bratislava is a genuine town for the first time in history (it will become a de facto town again in the 9th century AD and then again in the 11th century). Most famous finds are represented by silver coins, bearing inscriptions (biatec
Biatec
Biatec was the name of a person, presumably a king, who appeared on the Celtic coins minted by the Boii in Bratislava in the 1st century BC. The word Biatec is also used as the name of those coins. In the literature, they are also sometimes referred to as "hexadrachms of the Bratislava type"...
s in most cases). Biatec could be name of the local prince who organized the minting or the name of the place itself. After the bloody defeat from Dacian forces under the leadership of king Burebista (shortly after the middle of 1st century BC) rest of the Celts retreated to the site of Devín
Devín
Devín originally a separate town at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, is now a suburb of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is an important archaeological site, famous for the ruins of Devín Castle...
, creating a smaller, more easily protectable hill-fort settlement. The arrival or Germans from West forced the rest of Celts to seek protection under the Romans on the other (right) side of Danube.
1st century–10th century
From the 1st century until 4th century the border of the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
(Limes Romanus) ran along river Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. The northern side belonged to the Free Barbaricum (German tribes - Marcomanni
Marcomanni
The Marcomanni were a Germanic tribe, probably related to the Buri, Suebi or Suevi.-Origin:Scholars believe their name derives possibly from Proto-Germanic forms of "march" and "men"....
) and southern side belonged to Rome. Under the suburb of Rusovce
Rusovce
Rusovce castle")) is a borough in southern Bratislava on the right bank of the Danube river, close to the Hungarian border.- History :In the 1st century, there was a Roman settlement named Gerulata in today's Rusovce area. The first preserved written reference to the settlement is from 1208. It...
, the remains of the Roman border town Gerulata
Gerulata
Gerulata was a Roman military camp located near today's Rusovce, a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia. It was part of the Roman province Pannonia and built in the 2nd century as a part of the Limes Romanus system...
have been excavated, as well as cemeteries and farming background of the town (Villa Rustica
Villa rustica
Villa rustica was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a villa set in the open countryside, often as the hub of a large agricultural estate . The adjective rusticum was used to distinguish it from an urban or resort villa...
s). Despite belonging officially to Barbaricum, several sites of Roman presence are to be found on the area of the city: Devín Castle
Devín Castle
Devín Castle is a castle in Devín, which is a borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia....
hill with Roman military garrison, Stupava with its trading (?) station, Dúbravka
Dúbravka, Bratislava
Dúbravka is a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia. It lies in the western part of the city on the eastern slope of Devínska Kobyla hill, covers 862 ha and is home to some 35,000 inhabitants.- History :...
with remains of Roman baths (attempt to built Villa Rustica
Villa rustica
Villa rustica was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a villa set in the open countryside, often as the hub of a large agricultural estate . The adjective rusticum was used to distinguish it from an urban or resort villa...
?). The Slavs arrived to the area between the 5th and 6th centuries during the Migration Period
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
.
In 568 the Eurasian Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
arrived in the area. After a successful insurrection of the Slavs (probably at Bratislava-Devín) against Avarian rule in this region, Samo
Samo
Samo was a Frankish merchant from the "Senonian country" , probably modern Soignies, Belgium or Sens, France. He was the first ruler of the Slavs whose name is known, and established one of the earliest Slav states, a supra-tribal union usually called Samo's empire, realm, kingdom, or tribal...
is made King of the Slavs in 623, establishing first known Slavic political entity, the Samo's Empire, which lasted until 658. From the 8th century until 907 the Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
as well as the Devín Castle
Devín Castle
Devín Castle is a castle in Devín, which is a borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia....
are important centres of the Principality of Nitra
Principality of Nitra
The Principality of Nitra also Nitrian Principality or Slovak Principality is the name for a polity of Nitra Sloviens, centered on large agglomeration, a multi-tribal centre around Nitra, Slovakia. The initially independent Principality of Nitra came into existence in the early 9th century...
and (since 833) of Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
. The Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus
Johannes Aventinus
Johannes Aventinus was a Bavarian historian and philologist. He wrote Annals of Bavaria, a valuable record of the early history of Germany...
will write in the 16th century that in 805 the Bratislava Castle was repaired during the reign of its lord, Prince Vratislav, on the place of the ruins of an old Roman settlement allegedly called Pisonium, and was named Wratisslaburgium; if this is true, Prince Vratislav is, after Samo
Samo
Samo was a Frankish merchant from the "Senonian country" , probably modern Soignies, Belgium or Sens, France. He was the first ruler of the Slavs whose name is known, and established one of the earliest Slav states, a supra-tribal union usually called Samo's empire, realm, kingdom, or tribal...
, only the second Slavic historical figure known from the Middle Danube region.
In 864 the first written reference to the Devín Castle (Dowina) appears in the Fuldish Annals. Around 900 it was probably owned by the (originally) Lower Pannonian prince Braslav (Bräslav, Brazlaw) - or by a magnate of the same name - who was a vassal of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
(Germany). Earlier, it was thought that Bräslav was the person who gave the town Pressburg its German name Brezalauspurc (see 907), later Pressburg, and maybe also its new Slovak name Bratislava; nowadays, it is assumed that Pressburg/Brezalauspurc is a distortion of Predeslausburg, a name derived from Predslav, who was (according to some historians) the ruler of Bratislava around 900 and the 3rd son of the Great Moravian king Svätopluk
Svatopluk I
Svatopluk I or Zwentibald I was the greatest ruler of Moravia that attained its maximum territorial expansion in his reign . His career had already started in the 860s, when he governed a principality, the location of which is still a matter of debate among historians, within Moravia under the...
; the modern Slovak name Bratislava, however, is assumed to be derived (by mistake) from the name of the Czech ruler Bretislav I. The first written reference to Bratislava (as Brezalauspurc) appears in 907, in connection with the battle(s) of Bratislava (in the Salzburg Annals): The Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
ns are totally defeated by the Magyars; as a result, the Frankish East March ceases and is occupied by the Magyars (907–955). Traditionally, this is considered the end of the state Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
. The town is now part of emerging medieval Hungary.
1000–1241
From 1000 to the early 13th century a market settlement (the future town centre) grows below the Bratislava Castle (first written reference in 1151) and becomes an important centre in early 13th century. Further settlements in the surroundings follow. At the same time, the territory around Bratislava is annexed into the Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and became a key economic and administrative centre at the kingdom's frontier. The Castle became the one with the best fortification in Hungary because of its position, it became a site of frequent attacks and battles, along with the city, and a place of frequent stay of Hungarian kings (who mainly hold tournaments and parties), so it receives a more luxurious equipment. Around 1000 the Pozsony county (comitatus
Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary)
A county is the name of a type of administrative units in the Kingdom of Hungary and in Hungary from the 10th century until the present day....
), one of the first counties in Hungary, is founded probably by Grand Prince Stephen I. Coins with the inscriptions "PHANUS REX" and "RESLAVVA CIV" were found in Sweden; some scholars claim that the coins were minted in
"(p)RESLAVVA CIV(itas)" or "(b)RESLAVVA CIV(itas)" (i.e., in the town of Bratislava), but other authors point out that no coins of this type have been found on the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary, their weight and diameter differ from King Stephen's other coins and their inscriptions are confused which suggest that they are conterfeit coins minted abroad on the sample of other coins that had been minted following the patterns of King Stephen's coins with the inscriptions "STEPHANUS REX" and "REGIA CIVITAS".
In 1030 the Czech duke Břetislav I, participating in a campaign of the German emperor Konrad II against Hungary, devastates present-day western Slovakia and undertakes an attack against the Bratislava castle but is defeated by the Hungarian king. 12 years later Břetislav I and the troops of the German king Henry III
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
temporarily conquer Bratislava. Henry undertakes a new invasion in 1043.
In 1052 German king Henry III besieges Pressburg for 2 months without success, but causes considerable damage to the castle. The following year, Pope Leo IX
Pope Leo IX
Pope Saint Leo IX , born Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg, was Pope from February 12, 1049 to his death. He was a German aristocrat and as well as being Pope was a powerful secular ruler of central Italy. He is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, with the feast day of April 19...
personally visits the town to achieve a peace between Henry and the Hungarian king. In 1073 and 1074 Hungarian king Solomon
Solomon of Hungary
Solomon , King of Hungary . He was crowned as a child during his father's lifetime in order to ensure his succession, but his uncle Béla managed to dethrone his father and ascend to the throne...
, who was based at Bratislava castle during his fighting against Géza
Géza I of Hungary
Géza I was King of Hungary from 1074 until his death. During King Solomon's rule he governed, as Duke, one third of the Kingdom of Hungary. Afterwards, Géza rebelled against his cousin's reign and his followers proclaimed him king...
and Duke Ladislaus, had the castle reconstructed. Hungarians settle in the market settlement below the castle in several waves in the 12 and 13th centuries, joining the previously predominantly Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
inhabitants there. In 1108 German king Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
along with the Czech duke Svatopluk
Svatopluk of Bohemia
Svatopluk the Lion was the duke of Bohemia from 1107 to his assassination. He was a son of Otto I of Olomouc and Euphemia of Hungary and grandson of Bretislaus I of Bohemia....
fails to conquer Pressburg castle. In 1109 a new attack of the Czechs (undertaken as a revenge for a Hungarian attack of Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
) fails. Boris, who claimed for the throne against King Géza I of Hungary
Géza I of Hungary
Géza I was King of Hungary from 1074 until his death. During King Solomon's rule he governed, as Duke, one third of the Kingdom of Hungary. Afterwards, Géza rebelled against his cousin's reign and his followers proclaimed him king...
, although his mother had been repelled by her husband, King Coloman of Hungary because of adultery, besieged and conquered the Bratislava castle in 1146. The Hungarian king has to buy it back. The Hungarian king Stephen III
Stephen III of Hungary
Stephen III , King of Hungary King of Croatia and Dalmatia . He ascended the throne as a child and he had to stand up against his uncles who usurped the crown supported by the Byzantine Empire...
is living in Bratislava castle in the 1160s and has its fortification improved. Participants of the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
to the Holy Land, led by the German king Frederick I Barbarossa, gather at Bratislava castle in 1189.
1241–1536
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
fail to conquer the fortified castle and the town below it, but temporarily devastate the surrounding settlements. The castle is adapted after these attacks. After 1242 German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
colonists come to the town and gradually their number will increase, so that till the late 19th century they will represent by far the largest ethnic group in the town. In 1271 and 1273–1276 the town is captured by the King of Bohemia, Ottakar II in connection with fighting between Hungary and Bohemia because of Styria. In this connection, the (1st) Peace of Pressburg
Peace of Pressburg
The Peace of Pressburg refers to four peace treaties concluded in Pressburg . The fourth Peace of Pressburg of 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars is the best-known.-First:...
is signed in 1271.
The city is captured by the Hungarian noble and palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
Nicolaus von Güssing
Güssing
Güssing is a town in Burgenland, Austria. It is located at , with a population of 3,811 , and is the administrative center of the Güssing district.The Güssing Castle, built in 1157, is the oldest castle in Burgenland and a regional landmark....
in 1285–1286, who (temporarily) burns down the castle in 1286, but his revolt against the king is defeated. In 1287–1291 the city is captured by the Austrian duke Albert of Habsburg. Albert is defeated by the Hungarian noble Matthew Csák of Trenčín, who was the leader of Pressburg and Trenčín
Trencín
Trenčín is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 56,000, which makes it the ninth largest municipality of the country and is the seat of the Trenčín Region and the Trenčín District...
counties at that time and Bratislava belongs to Hungary again.
The town (part below the castle) is conferred its (first known) town privileges
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
by the Hungarian king Andrew III in 1291. Earlier town privileges are not known, but probable, because Bratislava has been called a "town" as early as around 1250. After 1291, the town received many privileges from Hungarian kings, especially from the emperor Sigismund in the 15th century. After the death of the Hungarian king Andrew III, Pressburg was annexed by Austria in 1301, because Andrew's widow gave the town to the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs return it to Hungary in 1322, but occupy it again. It is only in 1338 that the town finally becomes part of Hungary again. In 1405 the town was declared a "free royal town" by King Sigismund of Luxemburg. Not only Bratislava but all towns in Hungary got this status (meaning that they received "collective nobility", i.e. the status of a feudal lord with all its privileges) because Sigismund wanted to restrain the increasing power of (true) feudal lords in Hungary. The Hussites first appeared in 1428, when they burned down the suburbs of Pressburg Negotiations held year later in Bratislava between Sigismund of Luxemburg and the Hussites (in April and in June) fail. Between 1432 and 1434 Hussites tried to conquer the city but their attacks fail. The first bridge over the Danube in Bratislava was built in 1434, but it was destroyed by floods next year. In 1434 and 1435 the amount of payments by Hungary, against which the Hussites will leave Slovakia, is being officially negotiated. In 1436 Sigismund of Luxemburg awards Bratislava the right to use its own coat of arms
Coat of arms of Bratislava
The coat of arms of Bratislava , has been used since 1436, when Sigismund of Luxembourg granted the town the right to use its own coat of arms. The coat of arms depicts, on a red late Gothic background, a silver, three-tower fortification with a gate in the centre. There are two golden spheres...
and orders to improve the fortification of the castle (because of the last Hussite invasion during that year). From 1439 to 1486 another bridge over the Danube existed in Bratislava, being washed away by flood in 1486.
Between 1440 and 1443 there was a fighting between the castle of Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, supporting king Ladislaus III of Poland, and the actual town of Bratislava below the castle hill, supporting (and owned by) queen Elisabeth. In 1442 Ladislaus settles at the castle and temporarily conquers the town, but is defeated by the Austrian emperor Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
supporting Elisabeth. Finally, in 1443 Elisabeth gets the town back, but the castle remains in Ladislaus' hands till his death in 1444.
From 1465 until 1490 Bratislava was the seat of the first university in present-day Slovakia, the Universitas Istropolitana (often wrongly called Academia Istropolitana). From 1490 to 1526 Bratislava is a place of diplomatic negotiations under the Jagiellonian kings. In 1490 Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
drives the Hungarians from Austria (summer 1490) and even occupies Hungarian frontier territories, but he is compelled by want of money to retreat and signs the Treaty of Pressburg (also called the (2nd) Peace of Pressburg
Peace of Pressburg
The Peace of Pressburg refers to four peace treaties concluded in Pressburg . The fourth Peace of Pressburg of 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars is the best-known.-First:...
) with the Hungarian King Ladislaus II on 7 November 1491. Under this treaty it is agreed that Hungary renounces to Lower Austria and Maximilian should succeed to the crown in case Ladislaus left no legitimate male issue.
After the Battle of Mohács
Battle of Mohács
The Battle of Mohács was fought on August 29, 1526 near Mohács, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent....
in 1526, where the Kingdom of Hungary was defeated by the expanding Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the Turks besiege Bratislava in 1529, but fail to conquer it. Two years later churches and hospitals outside the town wall are deliberately destroyed so that the Turks are not able to see from there to the town behind the town wall. In the beginning of 1532 thousands of soldiers are sent to Bratislava as a protection against the Turks planning to attack Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Bratislava is temporarily turned to a military camp. The Turks, seeing the military force in Bratislava, decide to attack Vienna from the south.
1536–1784
As a consequence of Ottoman advances through Hungarian territory and the capture of BudaBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, the city was designated as the capital of Royal Hungary
Royal Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary between 1538 and 1867 was part of the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy, while outside the Holy Roman Empire.After Battle of Mohács, the country was ruled by two crowned kings . They divided the kingdom in 1538...
in 1536. The Kingdom of Hungary was part of the Habsburg (i. e. Austrian) Monarchy from 1526 to 1918. It was also made a meeting place of the Hungarian Diet from 1542 to 1848 (with interruptions) and the coronation town for Hungarian kings and queens from 1536 to 1830 (in the St. Martin's Cathedral). The first coronation is that of King Maximilian of Habsburg
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
, the last one the coronation of Ferdinand V
Ferdinand I of Austria
Ferdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child...
. Altogether, 11 kings and 8 queens were crowned in the town. However, in the 17th century, the town is touched by anti-Habsburg uprisings. In addition, there are fighting with the Turks, floods, plagues and other disasters. The Evangelic Lutheran Lyceum (Evanjelické lýceum), a kind of Protestant grammar school and in the 19th century also a kind of university, is founded in 1607 (see 1803).
Anti-Habsburg uprisings
In 1606 (within the Stephen BocskayStephen Bocskay
Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai (or Bocskay, (1 January 1557 – 29 December 1606) was a HungarianCalvinist nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1605–06), who defended Hungarian interests when Hungary was divided into Ottoman...
Uprising) Bocskay troops occupy the surroundings of Bratislava. Bethlen conquers Bratislava in 1619, as a part of the Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen was a prince of Transylvania , duke of Opole and leader of an anti-Habsburg insurrection in the Habsburg Royal Hungary. His last armed intervention in 1626 was part of the Thirty Years' War...
uprising. He is defeated by imperial troops in 1621 and then besieges the town from 1621 to 1622. The (3rd) Peace of Pressburg
Peace of Pressburg
The Peace of Pressburg refers to four peace treaties concluded in Pressburg . The fourth Peace of Pressburg of 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars is the best-known.-First:...
between Gabriel Bethlen and the emperor Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
is signed in 1626, which puts an end to the Bethlen anti-Habsburg uprising. From 1671 to 1677 Bratislava is seat of extraordinary courts against the Protestants and participants of anti-Habsburg uprisings; e.g. a trial against the participants of the Wesselényi conspiracy takes place in 1671. Within the Imre Thököly
Imre Thököly
Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk was a Hungarian statesman, leader of an anti-Habsburg uprising, Prince of Transylvania, and vassal king of Upper Hungary.- Early life :Imre Thököly was born at Késmárk, Royal Hungary Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk (Thököly/Tököly/Tökölli Imre in Hungarian, Mirko...
Uprising from 1682 to 1683 Bratislava is the only town in present day Slovakia that refuses to capitulate to Thököly's troops. Finally, the town, but not the castle capitulates in July 1683 and is only reconquered by imperial troops after the Turks have been defeated near Vienna (which happened in September 1683). The last of these uprisings that touched the town was in 1704 (within the Rákóczi Uprising), when Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
manages to protect Bratislava from Rákóczi's troops, but the surroundings of the town are totally destroyed.
Since the 18th century the city is important centre of the Slovak national and cultural movement (Slovak National Revival). The Great Plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
Epidemic kills 3800 people in years 1710 and 1711. Later Holy Trinity column
Marian and Holy Trinity columns
Marian columns are religious monuments built in honour of the Virgin Mary, often in thanksgiving for the ending of a plague or for some other help. The purpose of the Holy Trinity columns was usually simply to celebrate the church and the faith. However, the plague motif could sometimes play its...
is erected in thanksgiving to God for its ending. In the 18th century, many new baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
buildings are erected, the economy flourishes (1st manufacture in 1728), first parks arise (today's Hviezdoslavovo námestie
Hviezdoslavovo námestie (Bratislava)
Hviezdoslavovo námestie is one of the best-known squares in Bratislava. It is located in the Old Town, between the New Bridge and the Slovak National Theatre.The square is named after Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav.-History:...
), the town wall is demolished in 1775 to enable further expansion, and the first city theatre was opened in 1776 and Bratislava becomes the largest and most important town on the territory of present day Slovakia and Hungary.
The first journal in Hungary, Mercurius Veridicus ex Hungaria, is published here in 1705 and the first regular newspaper in Hungary (written in Latin), Nova Posoniensia, is issued in 1721–1722.
Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was an edict issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI to ensure that the throne of the Archduchy of Austria could be inherited by a daughter....
law was acknowledged in 1713 which decided the Habsburg monarch's unity and the woman can inhereit the Hungarian throne. Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
is crowned Queen Regnant of Hungary at St. Martin's Cathedral on 25 June 1741. The 6-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
gives a concert in the Palffy palace in 1762. In 1764 the first German newspaper in Hungary, the Pressburger Zeitung, begins publication and remains until 1929 and in 1944, the first newspaper in Hungarian, Magyar hírmondó, is published here.
In 1782: The number of inhabitants reaches 33,000 (out of which 29,223 are in the part of the town below the castle that has the free royal town status) thus making Bratislava the biggest town in Hungary. The number of inhabitants has increased by 200% between 1720 and 1780. In 1783, the first newspaper in Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
, Presspurske Nowiny (which remains in circulation until 1787) is published and the first novel in Slovak, Rene mladenca prihody a skusenosti" (The adventures and experiences of the youth Rene) by Jozef Ignác Bajza
Jozef Ignác Bajza
Jozef Ignác Bajza was a Slovak writer, satirist and Catholic priest....
, is published. However, in 1783, under the reign of Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, the crown jewels are taken to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and many central offices moved to Buda, which are followed by a big part of nobility. The number of inhabitants decreases and the economic situation of the town deteriorates until 1811. From now on Bratislava is only the coronation town and the seat of the Hungarian diet. In 1775 the crowning hill was built by Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
from soil of Hungary's 64 counties. The new monarch had to ride to the crowning hill and swish their blade towards the four cardinal points.
1784–1900
From 1784 to 1800 the General Seminary (a school for Catholic clergy) works in the Pressburg CastleBratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
. One of the notable students is Anton Bernolák
Anton Bernolák
Anton Bernolák Anton Bernolák Anton Bernolák (1 October 1762 in Slanica (a now inundated village near Námestovo – 15 January 1813 in Nové Zámky) was a Slovak linguist and Catholic priest and the author of the first Slovak language standard.-Life:...
, who would publish in 1787 the first Slovak language
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
standard. Another educating institution was the Royal Academy, moved also in 1787 to the city from Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
. In 1803, a separate "Department of Czechoslovak Speech and Literature" is created (from the Institute of Czechoslovak Speech and Literature founded in 1801) at the Lutheran Lyceum.
Bratislava was also playing a role in the early 19th century. In 1805 the fourth and best-known Treaty of Pressburg is signed by Austria and France after Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's victory in the Battle of Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
. Four years later Napoleon's army besieges and bombards the city and Napoleon I visits the city. The Dévény Castle
Devín Castle
Devín Castle is a castle in Devín, which is a borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia....
is turned into a ruin by the French troops in 1809 and the Pressburg Castle
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
is inadvertently destroyed by fire in 1811 (and will remain in ruins until the 1950s).
In 1820 the 9-year-old Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
plays in De Pauli's Palace. Five years later, István Széchenyi
István Széchenyi
Széchenyi committed suicide by a shot to his head on April 8, 1860. All Hungary mourned his death. The Academy was in official mourning, along with the most prominent persons of the leading political and cultural associations...
offers his yearly income to establish the Hungarian National Learned Society
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is the most important and prestigious learned society of Hungary. Its seat is at the bank of the Danube in Budapest.-History:...
(now Hungarian Academy of Sciences) in Bratislava. In 1829 the "Czech-Slav Society" (also called the Society for the Czechoslovak language and literature) is created by students of the Lutheran Lyceum, which will become an important entity in the Slovak national movement. Ľudovít Štúr
Ludovít Štúr
Ľudovít Štúr , known in his era as Ludevít Velislav Štúr, was the leader of the Slovak national revival in the 19th century, the author of the Slovak language standard eventually leading to the contemporary Slovak literary language...
also started to study at the Lyceum and will spend 20 years at the lyceum together. In 1843 he codified the present-day Slovak language standard. The industrialisation
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
of the town begins with regular steamship transport on the Danube in 1830. Ten years later the first (horse-)railway line in Hungary and present-day Slovakia is built from Bratislava to the town of Svätý Jur
Svätý Jur
Svätý Jur is a small town northeast of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The name means Saint George. Between 1960 and 1990, the Communist government forced the town to use a "non-religious" name Jur pri Bratislave. Svätý Jur has a population of almost 5,000.-Geography:Svätý Jur is situated in...
, north of Bratislava. Later, it will extend to Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
and Sereď
Sered
Sereď is a town in southern Slovak Republic near Trnava, on the right bank of the Váh River on the Danubian Lowland. It has аpproximately 17,000 inhabitants.It has a hotel, cinema, culture house, many restaurants and confectioner's shops.-Geography:...
(1846).
- 1835:The first champagne was made by Esch and Co in PressburgBratislavaBratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
in Hungary - 1837 First middle-class casino (an elite club), (Mágnás Kör or Casino Pozsonyi) was founded by István SzéchenyiIstván SzéchenyiSzéchenyi committed suicide by a shot to his head on April 8, 1860. All Hungary mourned his death. The Academy was in official mourning, along with the most prominent persons of the leading political and cultural associations...
. - 1843: Sándor PetőfiSándor PetofiSándor Petőfi , was a Hungarian poet and liberal revolutionary. He is considered as Hungary's national poet and he was one of the key figures of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848...
lives in the city. He works as part of the Diet's administrative staff. - 1843-1844:Hungarian language is proclaimed the official language in legislation, public administration and teaching by the Diet.
- 1847-1848: Emperor Ferdinand I of AustriaFerdinand I of AustriaFerdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child...
opens the Diet in the Primate's PalacePrimate's PalaceThe Primate's Palace is a neo-Classical palace in Bratislava's Old Town. It was built from 1778 to 1781 for Archbishop József Batthyány, after the design of architect Melchior Hefele....
's mirror room, addressing the MPs in Hungarian. - 1848 (March 16): Lajos BatthyányLajos BatthyányCount Lajos Batthyány de Németújvár was the first Prime Minister of Hungary. He was born in Pressburg on 10 February 1807, and was executed by firing squad in Pest on 6 October 1849, the same day as the 13 Martyrs of Arad.-Career:His father was Count József Sándor Batthyány , his mother Borbála...
and Lajos KossuthLajos KossuthLajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva was a Hungarian lawyer, journalist, politician and Regent-President of Hungary in 1849. He was widely honored during his lifetime, including in the United Kingdom and the United States, as a freedom fighter and bellwether of democracy in Europe.-Family:Lajos...
propose political reforms to the emperor. Lajos KossuthLajos KossuthLajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva was a Hungarian lawyer, journalist, politician and Regent-President of Hungary in 1849. He was widely honored during his lifetime, including in the United Kingdom and the United States, as a freedom fighter and bellwether of democracy in Europe.-Family:Lajos...
proclaims "Hungary reborn" from the hotel Zöldfa (English: Greenwood)'s balcony next day. Ferdinand I of Austria appoints Lajos Batthyány to form a new Hungarian government. - 1848 (March 18): The Diet declares the new Hungarian constitution and abolishes serfdomSerfdomSerfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
. - 1848: (April 11): Ferdinand I of AustriaFerdinand I of AustriaFerdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child...
signs (in the Primate palacePrimate's PalaceThe Primate's Palace is a neo-Classical palace in Bratislava's Old Town. It was built from 1778 to 1781 for Archbishop József Batthyány, after the design of architect Melchior Hefele....
's mirror room) the so-called March Laws, by which serfdom is partly abolished in Hungary. Than he dissolves the Diet. That is the last Hungarian Diet convened in Bratislava, after its transfer to BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. - 1848–1849: During the 1848 Revolution the Hungarian Nation Guard was arranged by Henrik Justi in the city. This army defeats Jozef Miloslav HurbanJozef Miloslav HurbanJozef Miloslav Hurban , pseudonyms Slavomil F. Kořennatý, Ľudovít Pavlovič, M. z Bohuslavíc, M...
's Slovak volunteers near SenecSenec, SlovakiaSenec is a town in the Bratislava Region of south-western Slovakia. It is a well known summer tourism and recreation center. The town is attractive not only because of the proximity of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, but also because of the healthy environment and summer resort "Slnečné...
. On 7 October 1848 Josip JelačićJosip JelacicCount Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
tries to cross the DanubeDanubeThe Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
after his army lost the Battle of PákozdBattle of PákozdThe Battle of Pákozd was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 29 September 1848. It was one of the important battles of the Revolution...
, but Bratislava's citizens destroy the pontoon bridge. Lajos KossuthLajos KossuthLajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva was a Hungarian lawyer, journalist, politician and Regent-President of Hungary in 1849. He was widely honored during his lifetime, including in the United Kingdom and the United States, as a freedom fighter and bellwether of democracy in Europe.-Family:Lajos...
appoints Artúr GörgeyArtúr Görgey----Artúr Görgey de Görgő et Toporcz was a Hungarian military leader.He was born at Toporz in Upper Hungary of a Hungarian noble family of originally Zipser German descent who immigrated to Upper Hungary during the reign of king Géza II . During the reformation they were converted to Protestantism...
the commander-in-chief of the Hungarian army in Bratislava. But the Hungarian army loses the Battle of SchwechatBattle of SchwechatThe Battle of Schwechat was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 30 October 1848 between the Revolutionary Hungarian Army against the army of the Austrian Empire, in Schwechat, near Vienna. This was the last battle of 1848 in the Trandanubian campaign...
and Prince of Windischgraetz's Austrian army enters the city without fighting on 18 December 1848. After the 1848 Revolution is defeated, the tribunal organized by Field Marshal Julius Jacob von HaynauJulius Jacob von HaynauJulius Jacob von Haynau was an Austrian general.The illegitimate son of the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, William I and Rebecca Richter, a Jewish woman, he entered the Austrian army as an infantry officer in 1801 and saw much service in the Napoleonic wars...
sentences 149 people to prison and 14 people to death. The 13 Martyrs of AradThe 13 Martyrs of AradThe 13 Martyrs of Arad were the thirteen Hungarian rebel honvéd generals who were executed on October 6, 1849 in the city of Arad, Kingdom of Hungary , after the Hungarian Revolution was ended by troops of the Austrian Empire and Imperial Russia, who reestablished Habsburg rule over the area...
's sentences to death are also signed by HaynauJulius Jacob von HaynauJulius Jacob von Haynau was an Austrian general.The illegitimate son of the landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, William I and Rebecca Richter, a Jewish woman, he entered the Austrian army as an infantry officer in 1801 and saw much service in the Napoleonic wars...
there. - 1848: Railway connection to ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. - 1850: Railway connection to BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. - Late 19th century: The city was prosperitied by mayor Henrik Justi and banker Theodor Edl. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848Hungarian Revolution of 1848The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
, they were political opponents. Strong modernisation (sewerage and gas-works 1856, telephone and electrical lighting system 1884, water supply system, 1st permanent bridge over the Danube 1891 (Starý mostStarý most (Bratislava)Starý most is the oldest still-standing bridge over the river Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia. The 460 meter long bridge includes a wooden pathway for pedestrians, a two-lane road and railway track, connecting unspoiled historic Bratislava with Petržalka. The bridge was closed for all traffic since...
, see also 1439), trams 1895, public electricity 1902) and industrialisation (chemical factory known today as Istrochem) 1873, oil refinery known today as SlovnaftSlovnaftSlovnaft is the largest oil refinery in Slovakia. It was established in 1957 in Bratislava. In 2000, Slovnaft became part of the Hungarian MOL Group, which owns 98.4 % of the shares. Slovnaft has two foreign branches nowadays: Slovnaft CZ in the Czech Republic and Slovnaft Polska in Poland...
a.s.) 1895. As a result, during the last decades of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Bratislava is the 2nd most industrialized town of the Kingdom of Hungary. - 1866: The Battle of LamačBattle of LamacThe Battle of Lamacs was the last battle fought in the Austro-Prussian War, on 22 July 1866 , with the Austrians defending against the Prussian army.-Overview:...
becomes the last battle of the Austro-Prussian WarAustro-Prussian WarThe Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
. - 1867: After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, Henrik Justi, the former leader of the 1848 Hungarian Nation Guard in the city, becomes the mayor.
- 1870 (May 4): The crowning hill is rebuilt by the city council's order.
- 1886 (Sept 22): City theater (today's Slovak National TheatreSlovak National TheatreThe Slovak National Theatre denotes:* the oldest Slovak professional theatre consisting of 3 ensembles ,* a Neo-Renaissance theatre building in the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia, which formerly housed two of the theatre's ensembles , and* the theatre's large modern theatre building in...
) was opened. Kálmán TiszaKálmán TiszaKálmán Tisza de Borosjenő was the Hungarian prime minister between 1875 and 1890. He is credited for the formation of a consolidated Magyar government, the foundation of the new Liberal Party and major economic reforms that would both save and eventually lead to a government with popular...
Hungarian Prime Minister and his all government, Mór JókaiMór JókaiMór Jókai , born Móric Jókay de Ásva , outside Hungary also known as Maurus Jokai, was a Hungarian dramatist and novelist.-Early life:...
took part on this ceremony with the opera Bánk bánBánk bánBánk bán is an opera in 3 Acts by composer Ferenc Erkel. The work uses a Hungarian language libretto by Béni Egressy which is based on a stage play of the same name by József Katona. The main storyline is based on the assassination of Queen Gertrúd, wife of Andrew II in 1213...
. Gala performance was conducted by Ferenc Erkel. - 1897 (May 15): Statue of Maria Tereza, made by János FadruszJános FadruszJános Fadrusz was a Hungarian sculptor. He was a celebrated artist of the age with many important public commission.-Early life:...
, is erected on the crowning hill square. Franz Joseph I of AustriaFranz Joseph I of AustriaFranz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
and his family take part on the dedication's ceremony.
20th century
In 1905 Philipp LenardPhilipp Lenard
Philipp Eduard Anton von Lenard , known in Hungarian as Lénárd Fülöp Eduárd Antal, was a Hungarian - German physicist and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1905 for his research on cathode rays and the discovery of many of their properties...
Hungarian-German physicist - came from Pressburg - winner of the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for Physics for his research on cathode rays and the discovery of many of their properties, and also in this year Ján Bahýľ
Ján Bahýl
Ján Bahýľ was a Slovak inventor and constructor. He was working on several problems from the areas of military science, military construction, engineering etc. Among others, he focused on flying machines. In 1895, he was granted a patent on helicopter.-Biography:Ján Bahýľ was born in Zvolenská...
, a Slovak inventor, flew his petrol-engine helicopter in Pressburg reaching a height of 4 metres for more than 1500 m. Czecho-Slovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
has been declared on October 28 in 1918 in Prague, the leaders of Pressburg (where the majority of the population are Germans or Hungarians, see below) want to prevent Pozsony
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
from becoming part of Czecho-Slovakia and declare the town a free town and rename it Wilsonovo mesto (Wilson City) after US-president Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
. However, the city became part of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
after it was taken by the Czechoslovak Legions
Czechoslovak Legions
The Czechoslovak Legions were volunteer armed forces composed predominantly of Czechs and Slovaks fighting together with the Entente powers during World War I...
on January 1, 1919 (only the left river bank; the right river bank, not belonging to Bratislava yet, was occupied only on August 14 while Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
just was occupied by the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n army). It has been chosen as seat of Slovak political organs over Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
and Nitra
Nitra
Nitra is a city in western Slovakia, situated at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra. With a population of about 83,572, it is the fifth largest city in Slovakia. Nitra is also one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and the country's earliest political and cultural center...
. Earlier the (Hungarian) Elisabeth University worked here- it had been a predecessor of the Slovak Comenius University after the Czechoslovakian state requistioned it on 6 January. The whole teaching staff were arrested on 28 January, because they rejected the invitation in the new Czechoslovakian government's joining up celebration. The (Slovakian) Comenius University (Univerzita Komenského) is founded then. The government moved to the city on 4–5 February. On 12 February German and Hungarian people demonstrated against of the Czechoslovak occupation on the Vásár square (now SNP Square). The shooting by the Czechoslovak troops left 9 people dead and 23 wounded. On March 27, the town's official new name becomes "Bratislava" - instead of "Prešporok" (Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
) / "Pressburg" (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
) / "Pozsony" (Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
).
On 4 May Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Milan Rastislav Štefánik , Kingdom of Hungary – May 4, 1919 in Ivanka pri Dunaji, Czechoslovakia) was a Slovak politician, diplomat, and astronomer. During World War I, he was General of the French Army, at the same time the Czechoslovak Minister of War, one of the leading members of the...
, French–Slovak general died in an airplane crash near Bratislava. On 26–27 October in 1921 the statue of Maria Theresa was destroyed by Slovakian nationalists and the members of the Sokol Movement
Sokol
The Sokol movement is a youth sport movement and gymnastics organization first founded in Czech region of Austria-Hungary, Prague, in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner...
.
Between 1928-1930 Hotel Carlton was built instead of hotel Zöldfa at the Séta square
Hviezdoslavovo námestie (Bratislava)
Hviezdoslavovo námestie is one of the best-known squares in Bratislava. It is located in the Old Town, between the New Bridge and the Slovak National Theatre.The square is named after Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav.-History:...
(now Hviezdoslavovo square). Before Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva was a Hungarian lawyer, journalist, politician and Regent-President of Hungary in 1849. He was widely honored during his lifetime, including in the United Kingdom and the United States, as a freedom fighter and bellwether of democracy in Europe.-Family:Lajos...
Franz Joseph I. Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer. He is the inventor of dynamite. Nobel also owned Bofors, which he had redirected from its previous role as primarily an iron and steel producer to a major manufacturer of cannon and other armaments...
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
stayed at the hotel Zöldfa too. In the time of census in 1930 the Hungarian residents' rate decreased to under 20% and as a result of it the Hungarian name-plates were removed. Between 1938 (October) - 1939 (March): Seat of the government of the autonomous Slovakia within Czecho-Slovakia (see e.g. Jozef Tiso
Jozef Tiso
Jozef Tiso was a Slovak Roman Catholic priest, politician of the Slovak People's Party, and Nazi collaborator. Between 1939 and 1945, Tiso was the head of the Slovak State, a satellite state of Nazi Germany...
). Between 1938 (November) - 1945, the future Petržalka
Petržalka
Petržalka ) is the largest borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Situated on the right bank of the river Danube, it is home to approximately 150,000 people.-History:Historical records of Petržalka exist from 1225...
borough was occupied by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, and from October 1938 to April 1945, the future Devín
Devín
Devín originally a separate town at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, is now a suburb of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is an important archaeological site, famous for the ruins of Devín Castle...
borough was part of the Lower Austria area of the German Third Reich. After the break-up of Czechoslovakia
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
, Bratislava became the capital of the First Slovak Republic in 1939. Until 1945, most of the approximately city's 15,000 Jews were expelled and sent into concentration camps. The Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
oil district included the Apollo oil refinery and was bombed on 9 September 1944
Oil Campaign of World War II
The Allied Oil Campaign of World War II was directed at facilities supplying Nazi Germany with petroleum, oil, and lubrication products...
during the German occupation. The Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
took Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
on 4 April 1945.
Post-World War II
After the war, most of the Germans were expelled (although some Germans had already been evacuated by German authorities). On 5 May In 1945 Slovakian soldiers broke into the flats of HungarianHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
s living in Bratislava. Packaging was allowed in a half past hour. 90% of Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
population was transferred to Petržalka
Petržalka
Petržalka ) is the largest borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Situated on the right bank of the river Danube, it is home to approximately 150,000 people.-History:Historical records of Petržalka exist from 1225...
having about 20,000 people in detention camps between inhuman circumstances.
90 teenage soldiers -came from Csík
Csík
Csík was the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in central Romania...
county- who did not take part in military actions were murdered by Czechoslovakian soldiers with shot in the backs of the neck on the way home in the weeks after World War II in Petržalka
Petržalka
Petržalka ) is the largest borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Situated on the right bank of the river Danube, it is home to approximately 150,000 people.-History:Historical records of Petržalka exist from 1225...
.
In 1946, the city incorporated the neighbouring villages of Devín
Devín
Devín originally a separate town at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, is now a suburb of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is an important archaeological site, famous for the ruins of Devín Castle...
, Dúbravka
Dúbravka, Bratislava
Dúbravka is a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia. It lies in the western part of the city on the eastern slope of Devínska Kobyla hill, covers 862 ha and is home to some 35,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Lamač
Lamac
Lamač is the smallest borough of Bratislava, and part of the Bratislava IV district.The first written record of the German settlement dates to 1240. The German village was destroyed during the first siege of vienna by Turkish troops. Croats fleeing from the Ottomans in the south settled this area...
, Petržalka
Petržalka
Petržalka ) is the largest borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Situated on the right bank of the river Danube, it is home to approximately 150,000 people.-History:Historical records of Petržalka exist from 1225...
, Prievoz (now part of Ružinov
Ružinov
Ružinov is a borough of eastern Bratislava. It is the city's second most populated borough, housing over 70,000 inhabitants.-History:In place of today's Ružinov there were originally meadows, pastures, grasslands and woodland, interspersed with islands and channels of the Danube. The people living...
), Rača
Raca
Raca or RACA can refer to:* Raca, a Biblical term of Aramaic origin used in Matthew 5:22. See Aramaic of Jesus or Expounding of the Law.* Rača, a town and municipality in Serbia* Rača , river in Serbia...
, and Vajnory
Vajnory
Vajnory is a small borough in the northeast of Bratislava, Slovakia.Milan Rastislav Štefánik international airport is located near Vajnory. Another airport - Vajnory Airport, which was the first airport in Slovakia - closed in 2006.-History:...
(Karlova Ves
Karlova Ves
Karlova Ves is a borough in western Bratislava and part of the Bratislava IV district, located near the southern end of the Little Carpathians....
had been annexed in 1944). The so-called Bratislava bridgehead
Bridgehead
A bridgehead is a High Middle Ages military term, which antedating the invention of cannons was in the original meaning expressly a referent term to the military fortification that protects the end of a bridge...
on the right bank of the Danube was enlarged in 1947 with the hitherto Hungarian villages of Jarovce
Jarovce
Jarovce is a small borough of Bratislava, Slovakia.- History :The village was first mentioned in 1208 under the name Ban. During the Ottoman wars, many Croats settled here in the 16th century . They are still a strong minority...
, Rusovce
Rusovce
Rusovce castle")) is a borough in southern Bratislava on the right bank of the Danube river, close to the Hungarian border.- History :In the 1st century, there was a Roman settlement named Gerulata in today's Rusovce area. The first preserved written reference to the settlement is from 1208. It...
and Čunovo
Cunovo
Čunovo is a small part of Bratislava, Slovakia, in the southern area near the Hungarian border. It is located close to the Gabčíkovo - Nagymaros Dams.- History :...
according to the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Treaties, 1947
The Paris Peace Conference resulted in the Paris Peace Treaties signed on February 10, 1947. The victorious wartime Allied powers negotiated the details of treaties with Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland .The...
, which transferred these villages to Czechoslovakia, on the grounds that "Bratislava needs space for enlargement". After the Communists
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
seized power in February 1948, the city became part of the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
. Several present-day cultural institutions were established (first films made in the town in 1948; Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
The Slovenská filharmónia is a symphony orchestra in Bratislava, Slovakia.Founded in 1949, the orchestra has resided since the 1950s in the Baroque era Reduta Bratislava concert hall constructed in 1773...
founded in 1949; Slovak National Gallery
Slovak National Gallery
The Slovak National Gallery is a network of galleries in Slovakia. It has its headquarters in Bratislava.The gallery was established by law on 29 July 1949. In Bratislava, it has its displays situated in Esterházy Palace and the Water Barracks which are adjacent to each other...
in 1951, Slovak Academy of Sciences
Slovak Academy of Sciences
The Slovak Academy of Sciences SAV is the main scientific and research institution in Slovakia fostering basic and strategic basic research...
in 1953, Bratislava Gallery in 1959, Slovak Television in 1956), several factories and landmarks were built, sometimes at the expense of the historical cityscape. (Slavín
Slavín
Slavín in Bratislava, Slovakia , is a memorial monument and cemetery for Soviet Army soldiers who fell during World War II while liberating the city of Bratislava in April 1945 from the occupying German Wehrmacht units and the remaining Slovak troops who supported the Tiso government...
in 1960, Kamzík TV Tower
Kamzík TV Tower
The Kamzík TV Tower is a 200 metre tall television transmission tower in the Koliba area of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It sits 433 m AMSL on the Kamzík hill, part of the Little Carpathians, overlooking much of the city. The tower lies within the territory of the Bratislava Forest Park. It...
in the 1970s, reconstruction of the Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
in 1953–62 and Nový Most
Nový Most
Nový Most is a road bridge over the Danube in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is the 32nd-tallest, and thus shortest, member of the World Federation of Great Towers, and is the only bridge to be a member...
, the second bridge over the Danube, in 1972; from factories Bratislavské automobilové závody and Slovnaft
Slovnaft
Slovnaft is the largest oil refinery in Slovakia. It was established in 1957 in Bratislava. In 2000, Slovnaft became part of the Hungarian MOL Group, which owns 98.4 % of the shares. Slovnaft has two foreign branches nowadays: Slovnaft CZ in the Czech Republic and Slovnaft Polska in Poland...
). The city was also affected by the unsuccessful Czechoslovak attempt
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
to liberalize the Communist regime in 1968. Shortly after that, the city became capital of the Slovak Socialist Republic
Slovak Socialist Republic
From 1969 to 1990, the Slovak Socialist Republic was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia that is Slovakia today. The name was used from 1 January 1969 until March 1990....
, a part of federalized Czechoslovakia, after the signing of the Law of Federation
Constitutional Law of Federation
The Constitutional Law of Federation was a constitutional law in Czechoslovakia adopted on 27 October 1968 and in force from 1969 – 1992, by which the unitary Czechoslovak state was turned into a federation.-Federation:...
at the Bratislava Castle in 1968. Since 1960s, construction of the huge prefab
Prefabrication
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located...
panel buildings
Panelák
is a colloquial term in Czech and Slovak for a panel building constructed of pre-fabricated, pre-stressed concrete, such as those extant in Czech Republic and elsewhere in the former Soviet bloc...
had been ongoing. The city also expanded once more in 1972, annexing villages of Jarovce, Rusovce, Čunovo, Devínska Nová Ves
Devínska Nová Ves
Devínska Nová Ves ) is a borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Its western borders are formed by the Morava River, which also represents the national border between Slovakia and Austria....
, Záhorská Bystrica
Záhorská Bystrica
Záhorská Bystrica is a borough in northern Bratislava. It is a small borough with preserved peasants' houses and more recent modern villas and estates....
, Vrakuňa
Vrakuna
Vrakuňa is a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia. It is divided by into two parts by the Little Danube river.-History:The first written mention of Vrakuňa was in 1279 as a village named Verekne, which was its name until 1948, when it was renamed to the current name. It became an official borough of...
and Podunajské Biskupice
Podunajské Biskupice
Podunajské Biskupice is a borough of Bratislava. It is the largest borough in the terms of area in Bratislava.-History:...
. The third bridge over the Danube, called Prístavný most
Prístavný most
Prístavný most is a double-floor motorway-railroad truss bridge over the Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia, near the Port of Bratislava. It lies on the D1 motorway. It is a 599 m long bridge , and was built between 1977 and 1985...
(Harbour Bridge) was built in 1985. The fall of the Communism was anticipated by the candle demonstration
Candle demonstration in Bratislava
The Candle Demonstration on 25 March 1988 in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, was the first mass demonstration since 1969 against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia....
in 1988, which had been violently scattered by the police.
After the fall of communism
In November 1989 the city became one of the centres of the Velvet RevolutionVelvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
; Alexander Dubček
Alexander Dubcek
Alexander Dubček , also known as Dikita, was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia , famous for his attempt to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring...
held his first speech in the city since 1970 and one day before the demonstrations in Prague, Slovak students rally against the Communist regime on 16 November 1989; further demonstrations would follow. The first non-Communist political party, "Public Against Violence
Public Against Violence
The Public Against Violence was a political movement that was established in Bratislava, Slovakia on 20 November 1989. It was the Slovak counterpart of the Czech Civic Forum ....
" (Verejnosť proti násiliu, VPN) is created on November 21.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bratislava was plagued by rise in criminality
Crime in Slovakia
Slovakia is a Central European country with a history of relatively low crime. While crime became more widespread after the fall of communism in 1989, it remains low when compared to many other post-communist countries....
. From October 6, 1990 to July 16, 1991 Bratislava had two active serial killers - Ondrej Rigo
Ondrej Rigo
Ondrej Rigo , is a Slovak serial killer and necrophile who targeted women in Bratislava, Munich and Amsterdam from 1990 to 1992. Currently serving a life sentence for 9 murders and 1 attempted murder in Leopoldov Prison in Slovakia, Rigo is a dissocial and schizoid psychopath while also being a...
and Jozef Slovák
Jozef Slovák
Jozef Slovák is a Slovak serial killer who murdered at least five women in Slovakia and Czech Republic from 1978 to 1991. He is notable for being of above average intelligence, for example, being the author and holder of several patents in electronics...
.
In 1991 the factory of the automaker Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
was founded in Bratislava (until 1994 as a joint venture with the Bratislavské automobilové závody); the fourth bridge over the Danube, Most Lafranconi
Lafranconi Bridge
Lafranconi Bridge is a concrete motorway bridge in Bratislava, Slovakia, located on the D2 motorway. It was built in 1985-1991, with its right half opened in 1990 and the rest in 1992. It is 766 m long , and has a 30 m wide four-lane motorway. There are lanes for cyclists and pedestrians as well. ...
, was built. On 17 July 1992 the Declaration of Independence of the Slovak Nation is adopted by the Slovak National Council
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
(called National Council of the Slovak Republic
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
since 1994). Six days later the prime ministers of the two constituent republics of Czechoslovakia agree to split the country into two independent states; the Constitution of Slovakia
Constitution of Slovakia
The Constitution of Slovakia, officially Constitution of the Slovak Republic is the current constitution of Slovakia. It was passed by the Slovak National Council on 1 September 1992 and signed on 3 September 1992 in the Knights Hall of the Bratislava Castle...
is adopted September 1 and signed at the Bratislava Castle September 3. After the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
in 1992 the city is declared the capital of independent Slovakia.
21st century
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | The millionth car is produced at Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is... Bratislava. The factory produces the models Touareg Volkswagen Touareg The Volkswagen Touareg is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2002. The vehicle was named after the Tuareg people, a Berber-speaking group in North Africa... , Polo Volkswagen Polo The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, coupé and estate variants.... , SEAT Ibiza SEAT Ibiza The SEAT Ibiza is a car in the European supermini class, constructed by the Spanish car maker SEAT S.A., is SEAT's best-selling car and perhaps the most popular model in the Spanish firm's range.... , Golf Volkswagen Golf The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The... , Bora Volkswagen Jetta Although the Golf had reached considerable success, in the North American markets, Volkswagen observed that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration... 4Motion and their sub-models in 2003. |
| 2003 | Construction starts on the fifth bridge over the Danube Danube The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway.... , the Apollo bridge (Most Apollo Most Apollo Apollo Bridge in Bratislava is a road bridge over the Danube in the capital of Slovakia.The bridge was opened to the public on September 5, 2005. It is named for the "Apollo" oil refinery which was situated on the left river bank in this area before World War II... ): the bridge was opened for traffic on September 3, 2005. |
| 2005 | George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... and Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when... meet at Slovakia Summit 2005 Slovakia Summit 2005 The Slovakia Summit 2005 was a summit between George W. Bush, the president of the United States of America, and Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, in Bratislava, Slovakia between 23 and 25 February 2005. This marked the first occasion when a sitting President of the United States visited... . |
Demographic evolution
The ethnic makeup of the town's population during the last 2 centuries has been as follows:- 1850
- GermansEthnic GermanEthnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
(75%), SlovaksSlovaksThe Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
(18%), Hungarians (7.5%) – Note: all population data before 1869 are not exact -- 1880
- Germans (68%), Slovaks (8%), Hungarians (8%)
- 1910
- Germans (41.92%), Slovaks (14.92%), Hungarians (40.53%), of total population of 78,223 http://www.talmamedia.com/php/district/district.php?county=Pozsony Note: the period after 1848 was a period of strong magyarisation in the Kingdom of Hungary; immigration of Hungarians and magyarisation in Bratislava. Also note that in the same time, the municipal area around the city had a population composed of 63.29% Slovaks, 17.39% Germans, and 13.59% Hungarians, of 36,190 inhabitants total http://www.talmamedia.com/php/district/district.php?county=Pozsony The whole county to which the city belonged had a population of 389,750, including 166,017 Slovaks, 163,367 Hungarians, and 53,822 Germans. http://www.talmamedia.com/php/district/district.php?county=Pozsony
- 1919 (August)
- Germans (36%), Slovaks (33%), Hungarians (29%), other (1.7%)
- 1930
- Slovaks (33%), Germans (25%), Czechs (23%), Hungarians (16%), Jews (3.83%) Note: emigration of Hungarians and opportunist registering as Czechs or Slovaks; immigration of Czech civil servants and teachers; the Germans remained the biggest group in the part of the city known as Old Town; religious Jews made up 12%, so that most national Jews might have registered themselves as Slovaks or Germans
- 1940
- Slovaks (49%), Germans (20%), Hungarians (9.53%), Jews (8.78%)
- 1961
- Slovaks (95.15%), Czechs (4.61%), Hungarians (3.44%), Germans (0.52%), Jews (0%) Note: Germans were evacuated when the Red ArmyRed ArmyThe Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
was approaching the town in 1945, Jews were eliminated during World War II or they moved thereafter- 1970
- Slovaks (92%), Czechs (4.6%), Hungarians (3.4%), Germans (0.5%)
- 1991
- Slovaks (93.39%), Czechs (2.47%), Hungarians (4.6%), Germans (0.29%)
- 2001
- Slovaks (91.39%), Czechs and Moravians (2%), Hungarians (3.84%), Germans (0.28%)
City name history
| Name | Language | Cognate language | Annotation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preßburg | German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... |
||
| Pressburg | |||
| Prešporok | Slovak Slovak language Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people... |
derived from German | |
| Pressporek | 1773 Slovak Slovak language Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people... |
||
| Prešpurek | Czech Czech language Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century... |
||
| Prešpurk | German | ||
| Presspurek | |||
| Presspurk | |||
| Břetislav | attributed to Pavel Jozef Šafárik Pavel Jozef Šafárik Pavol Jozef Šafárik Pavol Jozef Šafárik (Safáry / Schaffáry/ Schafary/ Saf(f)arik / Šafarík/ Szafarzik, Czech Pavel Josef Šafařík, German Paul Joseph Schaffarik, Serbian Павле Јосиф Шафарик, Latin Paulus Josephus Schaffarik, Hungarian Pál József Saf(f)arik) Pavol Jozef Šafárik (Safáry /... , 1837. |
||
| Bratislav | Slovak | attributed to Ľudovít Štúr Ludovít Štúr Ľudovít Štúr , known in his era as Ludevít Velislav Štúr, was the leader of the Slovak national revival in the 19th century, the author of the Slovak language standard eventually leading to the contemporary Slovak literary language... . |
|
| Pressburg | English | German | Pressburg Street in southwestern London |
| Pressburgh | |||
| Pressborough | |||
| Presburgo | Spanish | ||
| Portuguese Portuguese language Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095... |
|||
| Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia... |
|||
| Pressbourg later Presbourg | French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... |
German | rue de Presbourg in Paris |
| Presburg | Dutch Dutch language Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second... |
||
| Pozsony | Hungarian Hungarian language Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe.... |
still in use by Hungarians today | |
| Posony | 1773 Hungarian | ||
| Posonium | Latin Latin Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and... |
||
| Požun | Croatian Croatian language Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries... , Serbian Serbian language Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries.... , Bosnian Bosnian language Bosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina.... |
||
| Pozhoma | Romani Romani language Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own.... |
||
| Istropolis | Greek Greek language Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;... |
meaning the Danube City |
Etymology
The first written reference (as Brezalauspurc, another variant is Preslavaspurc) comes from the Salzburg Annals, in relation to the battles between the Bavarians and the HungariansBattle of Brezalauspurc
Battle of Pressburg, or Battle of Bratislava or Battle of Pozsony refers to a battle fought on July 4, 907, during which the Bavarian army was defeated by the Hungarians.-The battle:...
, fought outside the walls of Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
in 907. The castle was probably named after Predslav, third son of King Svätopluk I
Svatopluk I
Svatopluk I or Zwentibald I was the greatest ruler of Moravia that attained its maximum territorial expansion in his reign . His career had already started in the 860s, when he governed a principality, the location of which is still a matter of debate among historians, within Moravia under the...
; however, Brezalauspurc literally means "Braslav's Castle" and therefore the town was probably named after Braslav
Braslav of Pannonia
Braslav or Bräslav was the last duke or prince of Pannonian Croatia in 880-898/900 vassalaged to the Kingdom of East Francia...
, the last military commander of Pannonia
Pannonia
Pannonia was an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
, a province in East Francia. This ancient name reappears under the variant Braslava or Preslava on coins minted by King Stephen I of Hungary and dated around 1000, but the "RESLAVVA CIV" inscription of the obviously conterfeit coins (found only in Sweden) cannot prove the existence of such a name of the town. Later in the Middle Ages, it found its final form in the German name Pressburg and the Slovak name Prešporok derived from it. Pressburg was used to refer to the city by most English-speaking writers until 1919, and it is occasionally so used even today. The Hungarians used Pozsony (spelled Posony before the 19th century) and it is still in use in Hungarian. The Latin name Posonium is derived from the Hungarian. Its Hungarian and Latin denominations might have come from the Hungarian name Poson. In addition to these names, Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
documents called the city Ιστρόπολις Istropolis, meaning "Danube
Hister
Hister is the Latin name for the Danube River , or for the people living along its banks....
City
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
" in Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
(for example, see Universitas Istropolitana).
The current name, Bratislava, has its beginnings in 1837, when Slavist scholar Pavel Jozef Šafárik
Pavel Jozef Šafárik
Pavol Jozef Šafárik Pavol Jozef Šafárik (Safáry / Schaffáry/ Schafary/ Saf(f)arik / Šafarík/ Szafarzik, Czech Pavel Josef Šafařík, German Paul Joseph Schaffarik, Serbian Павле Јосиф Шафарик, Latin Paulus Josephus Schaffarik, Hungarian Pál József Saf(f)arik) Pavol Jozef Šafárik (Safáry /...
invented a variant of it (Břetislaw) from old names, believing that they were derived from that of Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n ruler Bretislav I
Bretislaus I of Bohemia
Bretislaus I , known as Bohemian Achilles, of the house of the Přemyslids, was the duke of Bohemia from 1035 till death.-Youth:...
. The name was used for the first time by members of the Slovak movement in 1844 as Bratislav. After World War I, it was proposed to rename the city in Czech Wilsonovo mesto Wilson City after American president Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
in late 1918/early 1919. The proposal was rejected, and the official name of the city was changed
Geographical renaming
Geographical renaming is the changing of the name of a geographical feature or area. This can range from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change to the name of a country. Some names are changed locally but the new names are not recognised by other countries,...
to Bratislava in March 1919, after the city became part of Czechoslovakia.
Older city name forms
- 805 or 807 (recorded only in the 16th century): Wratisslaburgium (LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Pisonium or Posonium) - late 9th century: Braslava (?)(assumed medieval Slavic form, probably after a Slav prince Braslav)
- around 850: Istropolis (GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, stems from the christianisation period, has been later used by king Matthias Corvinus) - 907: Brezalauspurc(h) – the first recorded name by nearly contemporary source and found in the Salzburg Annals; this name literally means "Braslav's Castle", probably after Braslav of PannoniaBraslav of PannoniaBraslav or Bräslav was the last duke or prince of Pannonian Croatia in 880-898/900 vassalaged to the Kingdom of East Francia...
who was a count appointed by King ArnulfArnulf of CarinthiaArnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:...
of East Francia; according to some sources the name originated from the name Braslava mentioned above, while newer sources claim that it derived from the name Predslav, the alleged third son of SvätoplukSvatopluk ISvatopluk I or Zwentibald I was the greatest ruler of Moravia that attained its maximum territorial expansion in his reign . His career had already started in the 860s, when he governed a principality, the location of which is still a matter of debate among historians, within Moravia under the... - after 1001 (debated): (p)RESLAVVA CIV(itas)" or "(b)RESLAVVA CIV(itas)" on conterfeit coins with confused inscriptions found only in Sweden
- 1002: Poson
- 1042: Brezesburg
- 1045: Bosenburg
- 1048: Brecesburg
- 1052: Poson, Brezisburg, Bresburc, Preslawaspurch
- 1098: Prespurch
- 1107: Bosan
- 1108: Preburch, Bosania, Prespurch, Bresbruch, Prespuerch, Brespurg, Posonia, Possen
- 1109: Bosan, Presburch
- 1142: Poson
- 1143: Bosonium
- 1146: Bosan
- 1147: Prespurch
- 1151 and 1163/1164: Posonium (Latin, origin like Poson above)
- 1172 and 1194: Poson
- 1189: Bosonium, Brezburc, Bosonium quod Prespurc teutonice nuncupatur, Brisburc, Posonium
- 1197: Posony (HungarianHungarian languageHungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
form) - 1217: Posonia
Notable historical figures
This is a comprehensive list of historical figures who were born and/or lived in or visited Bratislava.- Andrew III (see above 1291)
- Ján BahýľJán BahýlJán Bahýľ was a Slovak inventor and constructor. He was working on several problems from the areas of military science, military construction, engineering etc. Among others, he focused on flying machines. In 1895, he was granted a patent on helicopter.-Biography:Ján Bahýľ was born in Zvolenská...
(1866–1916) – Slovak inventor, mainly focusing on flying machines - Jozef Ignác BajzaJozef Ignác BajzaJozef Ignác Bajza was a Slovak writer, satirist and Catholic priest....
(1755–1836) – see above, buried in the St. Martin's Cathedral in Pressburg - Matthias Bel (1674–1749) – Hungarian-Slovak scientist, teacher at the Evangelic Lutheran Lyceum (see above) for 35 years
- Ján Levoslav BellaJán Levoslav BellaJán Levoslav Bella was a Slovak composer, conductor and music teacher, who wrote in the spirit of the Nationalist Romantic movement of the 19th century.- Life :Bella was raised in a Roman Catholic family...
(1843–1936) – author of the first Slovak opera - Anton BernolákAnton BernolákAnton Bernolák Anton Bernolák Anton Bernolák (1 October 1762 in Slanica (a now inundated village near Námestovo – 15 January 1813 in Nové Zámky) was a Slovak linguist and Catholic priest and the author of the first Slovak language standard.-Life:...
(1762–1813) – author of the first Slovak language standard (see above) - Napoleon Bonaparte (see above 1805, 1809, 1811)
- Matthias Corvinus (1443–1490) – king of Hungary, founded the Universitas Istropolitana, conferred many privileges to Pressburg
- Georg Rafael Donner (1693–1741) – European sculptor, spent 11 years in Pressburg, author of the central sculpture in the St. Martin's Cathedral)
- Alexander DubčekAlexander DubcekAlexander Dubček , also known as Dikita, was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia , famous for his attempt to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring...
(1921–1992) – Slovak politician and statesman, who lived in Bratislava - Ernő DohnányiErno DohnányiErnő Dohnányi was a Hungarian conductor, composer, and pianist. He used the German form of his name Ernst von Dohnányi for most of his published compositions....
(1877–1960) – also known as Ernst von Dohnányi, Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and educator born in Pressburg - János FadruszJános FadruszJános Fadrusz was a Hungarian sculptor. He was a celebrated artist of the age with many important public commission.-Early life:...
(1858–1903) – sculptor born in Pressburg; he erected the Maria Theresa statue located on the former Coronation Hill in 1897, which was later destroyed in 1921 - Ferdinand VFerdinand I of AustriaFerdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child...
(see above 1848) - Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
(1732–1809) – gave many performances in Pressburg - Johann Nepomuk HummelJohann Nepomuk HummelJohann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
(1778–1837) – a composer and virtuoso pianist born in Pressburg - Gustáv HusákGustáv HusákGustáv Husák was a Slovak politician, president of Czechoslovakia and a long-term Communist leader of Czechoslovakia and of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia...
(1913–1991) – Slovak politician and the last communist president of Czechoslovakia born in Pressburg - Janko JesenskýJanko JesenskýJanko Jesenský was a Slovak lower nobleman, poet, prose writer, translator, and politician. He was a prominent member of the Slovak national movement.- External links :*...
(1874–1945) – Slovak poet, writer and translator, who lived in Bratislava since 1929 and died there - Karl Jetting (1730–1790) – the "RobinsonRobinson CrusoeRobinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe that was first published in 1719. Epistolary, confessional, and didactic in form, the book is a fictional autobiography of the title character—a castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island near Trinidad, encountering cannibals, captives, and...
of Pressburg", born in Pressburg, was shipwrecked many times and was living on an isolated island - Wolfgang von KempelenWolfgang von KempelenJohann Wolfgang Ritter von Kempelen de Pázmánd was a Hungarian author and inventor with Irish ancestors.-Life:...
(1734–1804) – inventor, born in Pressburg - Eduard Nepomuk Kozics (1829–1874) – important photographer
- Johann Sigismund Kusser (1660–1727) – founder of the HamburgHamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
Opera, composer, born in Pressburg - Vladislaus II of Bohemia and HungaryVladislaus II of Bohemia and HungaryVladislaus II, also known as Ladislaus Jagiellon ; was King of Bohemia from 1471 and King of Hungary from 1490 until his death in 1516...
of Jagiellon (1456–1516) – King of Bohemia and Hungary, spent most of his life in Pressburg - Philipp LenardPhilipp LenardPhilipp Eduard Anton von Lenard , known in Hungarian as Lénárd Fülöp Eduárd Antal, was a Hungarian - German physicist and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1905 for his research on cathode rays and the discovery of many of their properties...
(1862–1949) – physicist and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1905, born and raised in Pressburg - Imi LichtenfeldImi LichtenfeldImre "Imi" Lichtenfeld was an Israeli martial artist who founded the Krav Maga self-defense system. He was also known as Imi Sde-Or, the Hebrew calque of his name.-Early life:...
(1910–1998) – founder of the Israeli martial art Krav MagaKrav MagaKrav Maga is a noncompetitive eclectic self-defense system developed in Europe that involves striking techniques, wrestling and grappling. Krav Maga is known for its focus on real-world situations and extremely efficient, brutal counter-attacks...
, grew up in Pressburg / Bratislava - Franz LisztFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
(1811–1886) – Hungarian composer, who played many concerts in Pressburg and was fond of the town - Sigismund of Luxemburg (1368–1437) – Holy Roman Emperor, gave many important privileges to the town and had the Pressburg castleBratislava CastleBratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
reconstructed - Rodion MalinovskyRodion MalinovskyRodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky was a Soviet military commander in World War II and Defense Minister of the Soviet Union in the late 1950s and 1960s. He contributed to the major defeat of Nazi Germany at the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Budapest...
(1898–1967) – Soviet leader of the troops that liberated Bratislava in April 1945, see above - Franz Anton MaulbertschFranz Anton MaulbertschFranz Anton Maulbertsch was an Austrian painter and engraver, one of the most renowned exponents of roccoco painting in the German region....
(1724–1796) – Austrian painter working in Pressburg - Franz Xaver MesserschmidtFranz Xaver MesserschmidtFranz Xaver Messerschmidt was a German-Austrian sculptor most famous for his "character heads", a collection of busts with faces contorted in extreme facial expressions.-Early years:...
(1736–1783) – sculptor, who lived and died in Pressburg - Samuel MikovinySamuel MikovínySamuel Mikovíny or Mikoviny Sámuel was a renowned Hungarian mathematician, engineer, map maker, and professor. He was a leading representative of science and technology in the 18th century Kingdom of Hungary and Habsburg Monarchy...
(1700–1750) – scientist and technician, founder of scientific cartography in Hungary, spent 10 years in Pressburg - Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
(1756–1791) – gave his only concert in Hungary in Pressburg - Jozef MurgašJozef MurgašJozef Murgaš was a Slovak inventor, architect, botanist, painter, patriot, and Roman Catholic priest...
(1864–1929) – Slovak inventor, architect, botanist, painter, patriot, and one of the founders of radiotelegraphy, studied in Presssburg - Oskar NedbalOskar NedbalOskar Nedbal was a Czech violist, composer, and conductor of classical music.-Life:Nedbal was born in Tábor, in southern Bohemia. He studied the violin at the Prague Conservatory under Antonín Bennewitz...
(1874–1930) – composer and conductor, director of the Slovak National TheatreSlovak National TheatreThe Slovak National Theatre denotes:* the oldest Slovak professional theatre consisting of 3 ensembles ,* a Neo-Renaissance theatre building in the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia, which formerly housed two of the theatre's ensembles , and* the theatre's large modern theatre building in...
; (1923–1930) – conductor of the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra - Adam Friedrich OeserAdam Friedrich OeserAdam Friedrich Oeser was a German etcher, painter and sculptor.- Biography :Oeser worked and studied in Pressburg and Vienna at the Vienna Academy...
(1717–1799) – painter and sculptor, studied in Pressburg - Ottakar II (see above 1271)
- ParacelsusParacelsusParacelsus was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist....
(1493–1541) – chemist, scientist and doctor, visited Pressburg in 1537) - Péter PázmányPéter PázmányPéter Pázmány de Panasz was a Hungarian philosopher, theologian, catholic cardinal, pulpit orator and statesman. He was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation in Royal Hungary. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism in Hungary.His most important legacy was his creation of the...
(1570–1637) – archbishop of EsztergomEsztergomEsztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
, founded the University of NagyszombatUniversity of TrnavaThe University of Trnava is a college of "university type" based in Trnava, Slovakia.-Historical university:The original Jesuit university was founded in 1635 by the Archbishop of Esztergom, Peter Pázmány. It had a faculty of arts, faculty of theology, faculty of law and faculty of medicine...
, built Jesuit colleges and schools in Pressburg - Sándor PetőfiSándor PetofiSándor Petőfi , was a Hungarian poet and liberal revolutionary. He is considered as Hungary's national poet and he was one of the key figures of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848...
(1823–1849) – important Hungarian poet, who often visited Pressburg - Alajos RigeleAlojz RigeleAlojz Rigele was a sculptor. He was the creator of many statues in and on houses in Bratislava .As a winner of Péter Pázmány's epitaph , Rigele got a 2-year study opportunity at Rome....
(1879–1940) – sculptor, born in Presssburg and author of many sculptures in Pressburg - Johann Andreas Segner (1704–1777) – inventor of the (Segner wheel), doctor and professor, who was born and studied in Pressburg
- Franz SchmidtFranz SchmidtFranz Schmidt was an Austrian composer, cellist and pianist of Hungarian descent and origin.- Life :Schmidt was born in Pozsony , in the Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire . His father was half Hungarian and his mother entirely Hungarian...
(1874–1939) – composer and teacher, born in Pressburg - Ľudovít ŠtúrLudovít ŠtúrĽudovít Štúr , known in his era as Ludevít Velislav Štúr, was the leader of the Slovak national revival in the 19th century, the author of the Slovak language standard eventually leading to the contemporary Slovak literary language...
(1815–1856) – one of the most famous figures in modern Slovak history, leader of the Slovak national movement in the 19th century, creator of the present-day Slovak language standard (see above 1843), spent 20 years at the Evangelic Lutheran Lyceum (first as a student, then as a professor), deputy of the Hungarian diet in Pressburg, editor of the Slovak National Newspaper (Slovenskje národnje novini) - Maria Theresa of AustriaMaria Theresa of AustriaMaria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
(1717–1780) – Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, spent much of her time in the Pressburg Castle, had the Castle walls demolished and the Castle restored (see above) - Milan Rastislav ŠtefánikMilan Rastislav ŠtefánikMilan Rastislav Štefánik , Kingdom of Hungary – May 4, 1919 in Ivanka pri Dunaji, Czechoslovakia) was a Slovak politician, diplomat, and astronomer. During World War I, he was General of the French Army, at the same time the Czechoslovak Minister of War, one of the leading members of the...
(1880–1919) – one of the most important figures in modern Slovak history, astronomer, Slovak general of the French army, one of the creators of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, studied and died in Pressburg (Bratislava ), the official name of the Bratislava Airport is "Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport" - Július SatinskýJúlius SatinskýJúlius Satinský was a Slovak actor, comedian, singer, showman and writer. He is mostly remembered in Slovakia as member of the legendary comedian duo Milan Lasica - Július Satinský, however his scope of interest was wide.Asteroid 15946 Satinský is named after him.- Life :He studied drama theory at...
(1941–2002) – famous Slovak and Czechoslovak actor, spent his whole life in Bratislava - Viktor Tilgner (1844–1896) – sculptor and professor in Vienna, born in Bratislava, many of his sculptures are in Pressburg (e.g., the Ganymedes Fountain and the Hummel Monument)
- Jozef TisoJozef TisoJozef Tiso was a Slovak Roman Catholic priest, politician of the Slovak People's Party, and Nazi collaborator. Between 1939 and 1945, Tiso was the head of the Slovak State, a satellite state of Nazi Germany...
(1887–1947) – president of the first Slovak Republic - Rudolf ZahradníkRudolf ZahradníkRudolf Zahradník is a Czech chemist. He has been particularly interested in the relationships between theoretical and experimental characteristics....
(born 1928) – important Czech chemistChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
born in Bratislava - Ludwig SchwarzLudwig SchwarzLudwig Schwarz, S.D.B. is the Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Linz, Austria.-Life:Ludwig Schwarz was the first of nine children and grew up in Most pri Bratislave. After the expulsion of his family from Slovakia in 1945, he arrived in Vienna, where he attended primary school...
(born 1940) – an Austrian bishop born in Bratislava - Herta Däubler-GmelinHerta Däubler-GmelinHerta Däubler-Gmelin is a former German Minister of Justice. Amid controversy, she resigned in 2002 after a remark about George W. Bush.-History:...
(born 1943) – German politician - Paul WittichPaul Wittich (politician)Paul Wittich was a German social democratic politician in Slovakia . He was a prominent labour leader in Pressburg . During a few days around New Years Eve 1919 he led a workers militia that vyed for control of the city...
(1877–1957) - labour leader in Pressburg around the First World War