Bratislava is a beautiful city with many opportunities and charming spots. Thanks to its unique location at the intersection of several states, the Slovak capital provides ideal transport and cross-border connections to our Austrian, Czech and Hungarian neighbours. In addition, immediate access to the natural environment makes it a really pleasant place to live.
Bratislava is flanked by the river Danube on one side and by the mountain range of Little Carpathians on the other. Directly inside the metropolitan area, there are several protected nature reserves, Danube floodplains, alluvial forests and river branches that are part of protected reserves and habitats of European importance. The region also has a long-standing viticultural tradition.
Bratislava is a relatively young capital city. It is the seat of top Slovak institutions such as the office of the president, the parliament and the government, a number of scientific and cultural institutions, and of the only EU agency in Slovakia – the European Labour Agency (ELA) – which is being gradually established in the city.
The history of the city dates back two thousand years when its territory was settled by ancient Celts known for building protective, military camps and minting Biatec coins. Also found in the area were the remnants of the Roman frontier, Limes Romanus, and of the Gerulata military camp. Bratislava was also the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary (1536-1783) and became the coronation city of Hungarian rulers of the Habsburg family (1563-1830).
It saw its greatest expansion during the reign of Maria Theresa, who was crowned in St. Martin’s Cathedral in 1741. The coronation tradition is kept alive every year by the Coronation Days with a live procession and attractions; symbolic tiles in the streets of the city centre mark the route followed by the procession in the past.
Following the division of Czechoslovakia, Bratislava became the capital of the independent Slovak Republic in 1993. It belongs today to the family of 27 European capital cities and, together with its neighbours, constitutes a metropolitan Euroregion with outstanding prospects for becoming one of the most dynamic areas of European cooperation and development.
Bratislava has always been a multicultural and multilingual city. The city is making constant efforts to upgrade its services and public spaces to create good living conditions for its residents and an enjoyable travel experience for its visitors.
