Shining Castle on a Hill

Bratislava Castle (Hrad) is by far the most prominent landmark in all of the city, impossible to miss no matter where you are, and the most impressive sight for tourists.

During our Fulbright orientation, we went on a long walking tour of the grounds and buildings. The castle is on the site, high over the city, where evidence of fortifications have been traced back over 1000 years. The current structure is attributed to Maria Teresia of the Hapsburg empire in the 18th century. It burned to the ground in 1811 and lay in ruins for over 150 years, when it was reconstructed.

For a more detailed history, see http://www.slovakheritage.org/Castles/bratislava.htm

It is impossible to get the entire castle into one shot. Here's a sense of its vast scale.

This is just one of the many ornately elegant gates on the grounds.

These beautiful outbuildings are on the west side of the main castle.

These stone foundations are all that remains of 13th century fortifications on the site.

The Castle grounds have incredible views in all directions.

After 1000 years of invasions, royalty, Nazis, and Communists, it seems appropriate that the Parliament building for the current democratic form of government is immediately adjacent to the Castle, on the west side.

NOTE: Click on any image in this blog to see it full-size.

Waiting for the tram

Just another day in the neighborhood...

I took this on Kapucinska waiting for the tram, looking west. The backside of the Bratislava Castle (Hrad) looms high in the back. That hill, towering high over the Danube, has been used for fortresses of various kinds for over 1000 years. Just below that, to the right, the white building is the Ibis Hotel, where I spent my first week. To the left on the street are restored buildings that mark the northern edge of what’s left of the medieval walled city.

Looking to the right from the tram stop, with a glimpse of Capuchin Church, dating from the 18th century, at the far left.

Here’s a better view of the front entrance of Capuchin Church.