Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

302 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp328–9 and pp330–31

STAR SIGHTS

. Franciscan Church
. Primate’s Palace

Street-by-Street: Old Town

The centre of Bratislava’s historic Old Town
(Staré Město) consists of two inter linked
squares: Hlavné námestie and Františkánské
námestie. The first has the distinctive Old
Town Hall. This square also lay along the
coronation route of the Hungarian kings,
now marked by golden crowns embedded
in the pave ment. The pride of Františkánské
námestie, apart from its lovely trees, is the
Marian Column, erected in 1657. With attractive
cafés, both squares are popu lar meeting places.

Mirbach Palace
One of Bratislava’s finest architectural
relics, this Rococo palace now houses the
City Gallery 4

Statue of Napoleon’s Soldier
This is one of several life-sized
figures in the Old Town. Others
include a photo -
grapher and a
worker poking
his head out
of a manhole.

Hlavné Námestie

At the centre of the

main square is the

1572 Maximilian

Fountain, designed

by Andreas

Luttringer, from

where Roland, a

medieval French

knight adopted as

patron by the locals,

surveys the square.

Michael’s Gate

This is the

only gate that

remains from

the medieval

fortifications. In

the 18th century

it was topped

with a statue of

the Archangel

Michael 5

Marian

Column

ZAMOČNÍCKA

HLAVNÉ

NÁMESTIE

RYBÁRSKA

BIELA

SEDLÁRSKA

ZELENÁ

F

R

A

N

T

IŠ

K

Á

N

SK

A

FRANTIŠ-

KÁNSKE

NÁMESTIE