Bratislava

Bratislava is the capital city of Slovakia. About 450,000 people live there. It used to be called Pressburg (German) or Pozsony (Hungarian) and by some other names. Bratislava is the seat of national government, the presidency, and the parliament. It has several museums, galleries and of other educational, cultural and economic institutions.

There is a small Old Town, and a castle called Bratislavský Hrad. The Danube river goes through Bratislava.

Etymology 
Bratislava had many names through its history. Here are some of them:

 German: Preßburg (now spelled Pressburg)
 Slovak: Prešporok, from German name
 Hungarian: Pozsony (still used today by Hungarians)
 Greek (medieval): Istropolis (meaning the Danube City)
 Latin: Posonium
 English: Pressburg(h)/Pressborough

and many others.

Geography 
Bratislava is in the extreme southwest of Slovakia, on the borders with Austria and Hungary, and not far from the Czech Republic border. It is on the Morava and Danube rivers.

History 
People have lived here since the Neolithic age. The Celts inhabited this area from 400 BC-50 BC. The Roman Empire set up border military camps near Bratislava from the 1st century until the 5th century, for example "Gerulata". The Slavs started moving here from the 6th century. Bratislava was part of the Slavic empire called Great Moravia in the 9th century. From the second half of the 10th century until 1918, it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, with some exceptions. It was even capital of the Kingdom between 1524 and 1830/1848. After the World War I ended in 1918, it was part of newly founded Czechoslovakia until 1939, when it became capital of World War II Slovak Republic until 1945. After 1945, it was part of Czechoslovakia again, becoming capital of Slovak Socialist Republic (which was still part of Czechoslovakia) in 1968. After the event called Velvet Divorce, when the Czechoslovakia broke up, Bratislava became capital of Slovakia.

Sightseeing 

List of notable structures:

 Bratislava Castle
 St. Martin's Cathedral
 Primate's Palace
 Bratislava town hall
 Michael's Gate
 Grassalkovich Palace
 Nový Most (New Bridge)
 Kamzík TV Tower
 Devín Castle

Economy 
Economy of Bratislava is prosperous and based on automobile industry, chemical industry and services. The unemployment (people without work) is lowest in Slovakia (around 2%, compared to the national average 7%). Approximately 250,000 people from all over the Slovakia travel to Bratislava for work.

Transport 

Position of Bratislava made it a natural crossroads for international traffic. It is a motorway junction, rail junction, has its own international airport. The international river traffic passes along the Danube through Bratislava, with its own river port.

Bratislava has its own public transport system, with buses, trams and trolleybuses.

Territorial division 

Bratislava is divided into 5 national districts and 17 city parts: 

 District I: Staré mesto (Old Town)
 District II: Ružinov, Vrakuňa, Podunajské Biskupice
 District III: Rača, Nové mesto (New Town), Vajnory
 District IV: Karlova Ves, Dúbravka, Devín, Devínska Nová Ves, Záhorská
 District V: Petržalka, Jarovce, Rusovce, Čunovo''

Further it is divided into 20 cadastral areas, which are identical with the city parts with 2 exceptions:

 Nové mesto = Nové mesto + Vinohrady
 Ružinov = Ružinov + Nivy + Trnávka

Twin towns 
  Yerevan, Armenia
  Vienna, Austria
  Ruse, Bulgaria
  Larnaka, Cyprus
  Prague, Czech Republic
  Alexandria, Egypt
  Turku, Finland
  Bremen, Germany
  Ulm, Germany
  Thessaloniki, Greece
  Székesfehérvár, Hungary
  Perugia, Italy
  Rotterdam, Netherlands
  Kraków, Poland
  Ljubljana, Slovenia
  İzmir, Turkey
  Kiev, Ukraine
  Cleveland, USA

Pictures

Other websites 
 Official site
 Bratislava City Guide prepared by locals