Bratislava Castle

Bratislava Castle
Bratislavský hrad
Bratislava Old Town
Slovakia
Bratislava castle
TypeCastle
Site information
Controlled byGreat Moravia, Kingdom of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia
Open to
the public
outdoor areas nonstop, opening hours apply to the museum
Site history
Built9th century – 18th century
Rebuilt in 1956 – 1964
EventsNotable events in the castle's life:
  • On 28 May 1811, a fire begun accidentally by garrisoned soldiers gutted the structure
  • In the 1930s, plans were put forward to either rebuild the castle ruins into a new structure or to destroy it altogether
Aerial view of the complex of Bratislava Castle
Southeast view of Bratislava Castle
Main entrance to the palace
Palace courtyard
Baroque gardens of Bratislava Castle
View on the left corner of Bratislava Castle

Bratislava Castle (Slovak: Bratislavský hrad, IPA: [ˈbracislawskiː ˈɦrat] ; German: Pressburger Burg; Hungarian: Pozsonyi vár) is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on an isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians, directly above the Danube river, in the middle of Bratislava. Because of its size and location, it has been a dominant feature of the city for centuries.

The location provides excellent views of Bratislava, Austria and, in clear weather, parts of Hungary. Many legends are connected with the history of the castle.