My hometown 12

...Leaving the Roland's  statue in the Old Town and just up the street is another statue Čumil (gawk), the man sticking his head out of a manhole.



"And a couple years ago, the Wall Street Journal did a story on Bratislava in which the writer said that he'd been told that Čumil was the leader of an underground movement and that he hid in the sewers while the city was bombed during World War II. When the war ended, Čumil came out of hiding, which explains his satisfied smile.



"But the story may not be exactly true. In fact, guides tell sightseers: "Čumil is just a normal guy who likes to look up the skirts of young ladies in Bratislava"...¦

 

Čumil is probably the most photographed sight in Bratislava.

Beautiful dawn - lights up the shore for me.
There is nothing else in the world,
I'd rather wake up and see (with you).

*
Beautiful dawn - I'm just chasing time again.
Thought I would die a lonely man, in endless night.
But now I'm high; running wild among all the stars above.

*
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.
Beautiful dawn - melt with the stars again.

*
Do you remember the day when my journey began?
Will you remember the end (of time)?

*
Beautiful dawn - You're just blowing my mind again.
Thought I was born to endless night, until you shine.
High; running wild among all the stars above.

*
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me.
Will you be my shoulder when I'm grey and older?
Promise me tomorrow starts with you,
Getting high; running wild among all the stars above.

*
Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me

My hometown 10

The Old Town Square is truly the centre of town. It used to be called Market Square because of the markets that would take place here and even today you'll see a number of vendors selling their wares mostly to the tourists passing through. The tower goes back to the 14th century, but was rebuilt in the 18th century in the Baroque style. The Maximilian Fountain is the point of interest in the centre of the square. Emperor Maximilian II had the Renaissance Roland fountain built, when a big fire broke out in the town after his coronation in 1563. Its author is a stonemason Ondrej Luttringer from Deutsch Altenburg, who completed it in 1572.

 

The statue of a knight in suit of armour, who represents the knight Roland, a legendary defender of city rights. Others consider it to be a portrait of

Maximilian II.

 

"This fountain also has some interesting stories behind it. "According to one of the local legends, the statue of Sir Roland rotates a top the fountain once a year - at midnight on New Year's Eve - when he turns and salutes to all four directions. But only female virgins can see him when he moves..."

My home town 8

This burgher rococo house of the 2nd half of the 18th century was built for a merchant of Bratislava. After reconstruction in 1975, the Municipal Museum opened a unique exhibition of historical clocks here. Good Shepherd's House is located by the New Bridge and is one of the houses that fortunately were not demolished during 1960's when a new bridge was build.

On the way down to the city centre you can stop off and have lunch at an entirely authentic restaurant. The inside looks like an 18th century tavern and the food is traditional local Slovak dishes - nothing sophisticated- but just downright authentic

 

My hometown 7

The first class Radisson SAS Carlton Hotel is located in the heart of old city of Bratislava next to the Danube river.

For the last three centuries the Carlton hotel has played a central part in the history and social life of our city.

Originally constructed in 1760 as the Inn at the Three Green Trees, the Carlton Hotel has always been one of the most prestigious buildings in the Slovak capital. Today, under the management of Radisson SAS, this luxurious hotel once again commands the centre stage of the city.

The history 

The history reaches back to the 13-th century when on the site of today's hotel stood a much smaller one called "The Swan". In 1760 alongside of the hotel was an old inn called "At the Three Green Trees". It was the biggest establishment in Bratislava at that time and beside the best service, it offered its respectable guests an advantageous location by the Danube river

The second building of the Carlton-Savoy complex was a competitive hotel "National" (later known as "Savoy") situated on Mostova street. This was founded by family Speneder in 1860 when a one floor corner house was rebuilt by architect Ignatz Feigler to a pompous building with a 19-axes facade to Mostová street and 9-axes facade to Hviezdoslav Square, including "Café Savoy" on the ground floor.

The new owner Jan Lôwe rebuilt the in "At the Three Trees" within 1844 - 1846 and he renamed it to "At the Green Tree". Chosen constructor architect Ignatz Feigler extended the original one floor house to a three floor building with two yard wings and created facade with classic architecture.

Henrich Prüger bought hotel "National" in 1908 and had it rebuilt completely. In 1911 he purchased the Gervaysch house" and the pub "At the Green Tree" in 1912. The result of complete reconstruction of all three buildings together in 1912 - 1913 was a new hotel complex which was named "Carlton - Savoy" with a hall café and a big restaurant.

In the years 1925 - 1929 on the basis of the project of a great Slovak architect M.M. Harminc the hotel underwent through one of the most extensive reconstruction. All three buildings were unified, a four-floor extension was build, uniting the facade under a single roof.

The year 2001 became the year of the rebirth of one of Bratislava's sadly forgotten legends -  Hotel Carlton. Once again it had become a living monument of capital city of Slovakia.

Carlton bulding is not special only for its architectonic features, historical construction and technical value, but it represents first great example of a modern hotel complex.

My hometown 6

 

A Visit

Not far from the Slovak National Theatre built in 1884 - 86, where opera and ballet performances take place, there is a seat of Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, where fans of serious music may come into their own.

Bratislava has many attributes, anyway, more than appropriate is the attribute of "town of music". In the course of centuries, it was visited by several giants of music, while music has been resounding from windows of palaces, whether in the streets and squares till the present day.

If you will find a tablet on the palace of Leopold de Pauli, from which you will learn that Franz Liszt gave a concert here as 9-year old in 1820. Just several metres further, a tablet on the Palffy palace, which is a seat of the Austrian Embassy today, lets us know that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gave a concert here as 6-year old boy in 1762. Ludwig van Beethoven visited Bratislava in the fall 1796, at the time of session of assembly, to give concerts in several palaces, e.g. in Keglevich palace in Panska street. And maybe he also liked daughter of the Keglevichs -  Babeta whom he was teaching to play the piano. In Kutschersfeld palace -  there was living the pianist A. G. Rubinstein who played on 3 concerts and he also composed several compositions here.

My hometown 5

A Visit

Bratislava's opera house is located in a Habsburg-era building right in the centre of the city , opposite the hotel Carlton-Savoy. Lavishly bestowed with elaborate sculptured plasterwork and lashings of gold trimming, it is even prettier inside than out, and it's so small that no seat is far from the stage and it's certainly the cosiest opera house you'll ever find yourself in. The opera in Bratislava is a dressy affair - so pack something special for it- the audience includes the local Slovaks and a good dose of Austrians...

My hometown 3

 

 

A Visit

When you look straight up the street you'll see St Michaels's Tower, which rises over an arch and is the only one of four towers, which remains from the cities original 13th century fortifications.

My hometown 2

 

 

A Visit

The most important reason for visiting Bratislava is that the city is beautiful. By the city I mean the centre of the town from which you'll have neither the time nor the need to wander if you're only there for a weekend.

Behind many of the facades are picturesque courtyards, which you can venture into to discover small restaurants, bars or boutiques.

My hometown 1

 

 

A Brief History

On the banks of the Danube River, the city was always well situated for commerce. Its roots go back to 907 and over the next few centuries as trade increased the population burgeoned. In 1536 Bratislava became the capital of Hungary after the Turks drove the Hungarians from Buda. It remained the seat of Hungarian kings from 1563 to 1830, which explains the beautiful Baroque houses and palaces in the old town. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire crumbles in 1918, Bratislava became part of the new Republic of Czechoslovakia. After World War II, Czechoslovakia was absorbed into the East Bloc, but in 1993, Czechoslovakia split in to two countries, and Bratislava became the capital of the Republic of Slovakia