Bratislava facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bratislava |
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Capital city | |||
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Nickname: Beauty on the Danube, Little Big City | |||
Country | Slovakia | ||
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Region | Bratislava | ||
Districts | Bratislava I, II, III, IV, V | ||
Landmark | Bratislava Castle | ||
Rivers | Danube, Morava, Little Danube | ||
Elevation | 134 m (440 ft) | ||
Highest point | Devínska Kobyla | ||
- elevation | 514 m (1,686 ft) | ||
Lowest point | Danube River | ||
- elevation | 126 m (413 ft) | ||
Area | 367.584 km² (142 sq mi) | ||
- urban | 853.15 km² (329 sq mi) | ||
- metro | 2,053 km² (793 sq mi) | ||
Population | 429,564 (2017) | ||
- urban | 583,600 | ||
- metro | 659,578 | ||
Density | 1,169 /km² (3,028 /sq mi) | ||
First mentioned | 907 | ||
Government | City council | ||
Mayor | Ivo Nesrovnal | ||
Timezone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
- summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
Postal code | 8XX XX | ||
Phone prefix | 421 2 | ||
Car plate | BA, BL | ||
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.
Contents
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
Images for kids
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An original Biatec and its replica on a former 5-koruna coin
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Bratislava was bombarded by the United States Army Air Forces, during the Nazi Occupation in 1944
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Iron Curtain memorial in Bratislava
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High-rise buildings at Mlynské Nivy, one of Bratislava's business districts
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Coronation of Maria Theresa in 1741
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Main entrance of the Bratislava Castle
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The Rococo-style "House of the Good Shepherd", home to the Museum of Clocks
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CityShuttle train connects Bratislava with Austria's capital Vienna.
See also
In Spanish: Bratislava para niños