If castles could talk, Bratislava Castle would have a few tales to tell. Our enthusiastic Slavic guide is telling us about the castle’s history. Here’s a condensed version…
Bratislava’s location on the Danube has been prime real estate for thousands of years. The Danube is relatively easy to cross here, and from the vantage point on this hill next to the river, one can see for miles.
Let’s Go Way Back…
Celts and various tribes settled here until the Romans arrived, moved in, and built a city – just like they did in virtually every European city we’ve been to. For better or worse, those Romans were something else, eh?
Slavic people – Slavs – migrated here from the east sometime around the 5th century. Slavic lands became the kingdom of Great Moravia, which is what you’ll see if you look at maps of Europe around the turn of the first century.
If you’ve been following along, you may recall the gigantic Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278. That battle marked the end of Great Moravia – and the beginning of the Habsburg dynasty.
After the Battle on the Marchfeld, this region fell under Habsburg control, and ultimately became part of Austria-Hungary.
Pressburg Castle
In those days, Bratislava was known as Pressburg. It was the largest city in the area on this side of the Danube. Pressburg became the capital of the “Hungary” part of Austria-Hungary. Bratislava Castle was a favorite Habsburg hangout. In fact, the coronation of Queen Maria Theresa, (the one who had sixteen kids), took place here.
There has been a defensive structure on this hill since the 9th century. In the 12th century, the existing structure was upgraded with massive stone walls, towers, and everything you’d expect to see in a fortified 12th century castle.
Pressburg castle, as it was known at the time, was one of the most significant castles in the region. When Mongol hoards overran this part of Europe in 1241 and 1242, Pressburg Castle was one of the few to succeed in keeping ‘em out.
The Knights Templar, known here as the Knights of St. John, were active in the castle at the time. The Knights Templar were well-funded and excelled at castle building. They’re probably behind the upgrade of the castle into the structure we’re standing in now.
Maria Theresa Takes Charge
Time passed, and castle walls ceased to be effective at keeping out bad guys. Instead of being a fortress, the castle became a place for royal residences and ceremonies.
Pressburg was the capital of Hungary at the time. Maria Theresa Habsburg was Queen of Hungary. Just as she had done at Schönbrunn Palace, Maria Theresa’s decided to do a bit of redecorating at Bratislava castle.
Once Maria Theresa started a project, it’d be a bad idea to get in her way. Bratislava Castle was on its way to be another Habsburg showplace. To put the “Maria Theresa” touch on the place, no expense would be spared. The best artisans in the land would have job security for a decade or so.
But after Maria Theresa faded from the scene, so did interest in the castle. No longer a royal residence, it was eventually taken over by the army and used to garrison troops.
Trouble
When Napoleon Bonaparte’s army reached this area in 1809, guess where he aimed his artillery? Bratislava castle was never the same after that.
It took another beating in World War II, when the Russian army routed Nazis out of the area. By the time the dust cleared, there wasn’t much left of Bratislava castle.
In the 1950’s locals started a Bratislava Castle restoration project. They’ve been at it ever since, restoring parts when possible and reproducing what they can. Today, with a little imagination, one can get the idea of what this place might have been like back in the day.
To be continued…
Credit for the photo at the top of this post: TomasSereda/istockphoto
