Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

(Ben Green) #1

308 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE


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


Slovak National
Gallery q
Slovenská Národná Galéria

Riečna 1. Map C5. Tel (02) 5443



  1. 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun.


    ¢ 21 & 24 Apr, 1 & 8 May. & -
    http://www.sng.sk




Established in 1948, the Slovak
National Gallery occupies a
building that was created by
combining two structures –
the four-wing 18th-century
Baroque naval bar racks,

Slovak National


Theatre 9


Slovenské Národné Divadlo


Hviezdoslavovo námestie 1. Map C5.
Tel (02) 2047 2298. # 8am–
5:30pm Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm Sat.
http://www.snd.sk


The Neo-Renaissance Slovak
National Theatre, on the east
side of Hviezdoslavovo
námestie, was built between
1884 and 1886 by Viennese
archi tects Ferdinand Fellner
and Hermann Helmer, who
special ized in the atres. The
façade is deco rated with busts
of Goethe and Shakespeare,
among others. At the centre
of the tym pa num is a sculp-
tural group including the
muse of comedy, Thalia.
The theatre stages perfor-
mances of ballet and opera,
and attend ing one of these
is the only way to see the
interior. In front of the theatre
is a fountain made in 1880
by sculp tor V Tilger. It depicts
the Trojan youth Ganymede
flying on the back of Zeus,
who is disguised in the form
of an eagle.


Impressive façade of the Neo-Renaissance Slovak National Theatre


New Bridge w
Nový Most

Staromestská. Map B5.

Also known as the Bridge of
the Slovak National Uprising
(SNP), this steel construct ion
was built between 1967 and


  1. It officially opened on
    26 August 1972, as the sec ond
    bridge over the Danube. This
    feat of engineer ing is sus-
    pended from one pylon on
    the south bank of the
    Danube. The sheer size
    of this single, open suspen-
    sion bridge is impressive; it
    is 431 m (1,414 ft) high
    and weighs 7,537 tonnes
    (8,308 tons). At the top
    of the pylon is a restau rant,
    whose saucer-like shape is
    reminiscent of the Starship
    Enterprise from Star Trek.
    From here there are beau tiful
    sweeping views of the city
    on the north bank, and of


designed by G Martinelli and
F Hildebrandt, and architect
V Dědeček’s house. In 1990,
the gallery’s collec tions were
also placed in the neigh bour-
ing Neo-Renaissance Esterházy
Palace. Designed by I Feigler
Jr and built between 1870 and
1876, Esterházy Palace is
reminis cent of an Italian
Renaissance town palace. On
the ground floor is the leg en d-
ary Berlinka Café, one of the
most popular cafés in the city.
The gallery boasts a number
of works of art. The finest are
the 13th- and 14th-cen tury
Slovak art collec tions, includ-
ing altarpieces and stat ues
from churches in the Spiš
region in eastern Slovakia.
The most compelling works
in the Baroque section are
those by sculptor Franz
Xaver Messerschmidt.
Modern Slovak art is also
well represented, with models
of buildings, photo graphs,
ceram ics, jewellery and post-
ers giving an eclectic overview
of the country’s creative out-
put over the last 100 years.
As well as Slovak artists,
the collection includes works
by a number of acclaimed
foreign artists including
Rubens, Caravaggio, Manet
and Picasso.

Reduta 0


Palackého 2. Map C5. Tel (02) 2047




  1. 1–7pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri;


    8am–2pm Wed. http://www.filharm.sk




Near the Slovak National
Theatre stands the imposing
building of the Reduta. Built
between 1913 and 1918, with
a grand lobby and staircase, it


used to stage social and
artistic events, sym phony
con certs and theatre per for-
man ces. Today the Reduta
is home to the Slovak
Philharmonic, and every
autumn it is the venue for the
Bratislava Music Festival. A
sec tion of the build ing, on the
side of Mostova ulica, houses
a casino and a restaurant.

The Reduta, home to the acclaimed
Slovak Philharmonic
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