Bratislava

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of some 450,000, the country's largest city; the population of the entire metropolitan area is around 600,000. Bratislava is located in the south west of Slovakia, lies on both banks of the Danube, and it is the only national capital in the world that borders two other countries - Austria and Hungary.

Bratislava is the political, cultural and economic centre of Slovakia. It is the seat of the Slovak presidency, the parliament and government, as well as home to several universities, museums, theatres, galleries and other important economic, cultural and educational institutions. Many of Slovakia's large businesses and financial institutions are headquartered in Bratislava.

The city's history has been strongly influenced by various peoples, including Slovaks, Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Austrians and Jews.The city, then called Pressburg, was a key economic and administrative centre of the Habsburg (Austrian) monarchy. Bratislava was home to the Slovak national movement in the 19th century and many other Slovak historical figures, including Milan Rastislav Štefánik and Alexander Dubček.

History

Early history

Even though Bratislava is one of the youngest capital cities in Europe (since 1993), the territory has a rich history connected to many tribes and nations. The first known permanent settlement began with the Linear Pottery Culture 5000 BC in the Neolithic era. About 200 BC, the Celtic Boii tribe founded the first important settlement, a fortified town called an oppidum. The Celts also established a mint, which produced silver coins known as biatecs. The area fell under Roman influence from the 1st century AD until the 4th century AD and formed a part of the Limes Romanus, a border defence system. The Romans introduced wine growing and began a tradition of winemaking, which survives to the present. After the Roman military abandoned the borders at the end of the 4th century, various tribes (e.g. Heruli and Goths) settled there temporarily in the 5th century.
 
Middle ages

The Slavic people arrived between the 5th and 6th century during the Migration Period (Migration of Nations). As a response to onslaughts by Avars, the local Slavic tribes rebelled and established Samo's Empire (623-658), the first known Slavic political entity. In the 9th century, the castles in the Bratislava and Devín areas were important centres for the Principality of Nitra and later Great Moravia. The first written reference to Bratislava (as Brezalauspurc) dates to 907.

Around 1000, the territory of Bratislava was annexed into the Kingdom of Hungary and became a key economic and administrative centre at the kingdom's frontier. This also destined the city to be a site of frequent attacks and battles. Today's Bratislava was granted its first known town privileges in 1291 by Andrew III (Ondrej III.).The name Pressburg first appeared in the 15th century. In 1405, Pressburg was declared a free royal town by King Sigismund of Luxemburg, who also entitled the town to use its own coat of arms in 1436.

After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, where forces of the Kingdom of Hungary were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks besieged Pressburg and damaged it, but failed to conquer the city. Therefore, in 1536, Pressburg became the new capital of Hungary, which became part of the Habsburg (Austrian) monarchy, marking the beginning of a new era. Pressburg became a coronation town and seat of kings, archbishops (1543), the nobility and all major organizations and offices. Between 1536 and 1830, 11 kings and queens were crowned at St. Martin's Cathedral.
 
Eighteenth and nineteenth century

In the 18th century, during the reign of Maria Theresa of Austria, Pressburg flourished and became the largest and most important town in the territory of present day Slovakia and Hungary. The population tripled; many new mansions, palaces, monasteries, and streets were built, and Pressburg was the centre of social and cultural life. However, in 1783, under the reign of Joseph II, the crown jewels were taken to Vienna and many central offices moved to Buda, with a large segment of the nobility following along. The Treaty of Pressburg was signed in 1805. The Devín Castle was brought to ruin by Napoleon's troops in 1809 and the Bratislava Castle was destroyed by fire in 1811.

Also in 1783, the first newspaper in Slovak, Presspurske Nowiny (Pressburg Newspaper), and the first Slovak novel were published.Pressburg became the centre of the Slovak national movement. Anton Bernolák, codifier of the first Slovak language standard, was a student at the General Seminary in Pressburg. The Czech-Slovak Society (Spoločnosť česko-slovenská) was founded in 1829 at the Evangelic Lutheran Lyceum. Ľudovít Štúr, one of the lyceum's students, and his companions decided to codify the present-day Slovak language standard in Pressburg on February 2, 1843. Slovenskje národňje novini (Slovak National Newspaper) was published between 1845 and 1848. As a reaction to the 1848 Revolution, Ferdinand V signed the so-called March laws, which included the abolition of serfdom.

Economy and industry grew rapidly in the 19th century. The first (horse) railway in the territory of present day Slovakia and Hungary, from Pressburg to Svätý Jur, was built in 1840.A new line to Vienna using steam locomotives was opened in 1848. Many new factories (e.g. Stollwerck, Apollo (predecessor of today's Slovnaft), Siemens-Schuckert, and Matador), financial (first bank in Slovakia in 1842) and other institutions were founded. The infrastructure was improved: electricity distribution, the sewer system, the water supply network, and other public services were established. The first permanent bridge over the Danube, Starý most (Old Bridge), was built in 1891.
 
Twentieth century

After World War I and the formation of Czechoslovakia on October 28, 1918, Pressburg was incorporated into the new nation despite its representatives' reluctance. Therefore, the Czechoslovak Legions arrived on January 1, 1919, and the city was annexed to Czechoslovakia. On March 27, 1919, the name Bratislava was officially adopted for the first time. On March 14, 1939, Bratislava became the capital city of the first Slovak Republic. It became the seat of the president, the parliament and the government. However, the boroughs of Petržalka and Devín were annexed by Nazi Germany. At the end of WWII, many citizens fled Bratislava to participate in the Slovak National Uprising. Bratislava was occupied by German troops, bombarded by the Allies and eventually liberated by the Soviet Red Army on April 4, 1945. Subsequently, many citizens of German and Hungarian origin were removed from Bratislava (see the Beneš decrees). After the Communist Party seized power in Czechoslovakia in February 1948, the city became part of the Eastern Bloc. During the communist repression of the 1950s, hundreds of citizens were expelled from the city. The population rose significantly as new areas were annexed by the city, and large residential areas consisting of high-rise prefabricated panel buildings, such as Petržalka, were built. The following boroughs were (re)attached to Bratislava during the 20th century: Karlova Ves in 1944; Rača, Vajnory, Dúbravka, Lamač, Devín, and Petržalka in 1946; Čunovo, Jarovce, Rusovce, Devínska Nová Ves, Podunajské Biskupice, Vrakuňa, and Záhorská Bystrica in 1972. Bratislava had 284,000 inhabitants in 1970 and the population rose to about 444,000 in 1990 In 1993, Bratislava was declared the capital city of the newly formed Slovak Republic following the Velvet Divorce.