Bratislava
Castle (2016)
The fortress castle overlooking
the Danube has a history that spanned 2 centuries It was the main castle of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1531 - 1783 In 1740 Maria Theresa became Queen and established this as a royal residence |
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When we first visited in 2008,
there wasn't much to see beyond the the outer structure. Years of neglect during the Communist years left it in a state of disrepair. Intensive renovation began that same year |
Each time we returned to Bratislava
the progress of the renovation was evident This year we spent several hours here with our classmates |
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Today restored
buildings and gardens remind us
of the splendor of the earlier Imperial Age |
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The view from the castle
hasn't changed. From here you can see Austria and Hungary
as well
as a residential area of Bratislava |
A model of the castle in the museum |
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The interior of the castle
is now open to visitors from the heights |
down to the depths |
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The museum has paintings
depicting the castle during the height of its importance to the
empire |
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Artifacts include traditional designs |
and carved chests for storing and transporting
valuables |
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Mirrors reflect the gilded trim of the hallways
and stairways  |
This was our first visit to the
restored music room |
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This bronze statue of Svatopluk
was erected in 2010 the choice was not without controversy. The unveiling was accompanied by protests |
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