• 5000 BC
  Archaeologically proven colonisation of Bratislava in the late Stone Age - in Neolith
• 1st century BC
  Celts built fortified settlements at Dev­n and Bratislava, in addition to which they established a Celtic mint, where silver coins were minted known as "biatecs"
• 1st - 4th centuries AD
  The country south of the river Danube under domination of the Roman Empire
• 5th - 6th centuries
  Arrival of Slavic tribes
• 623 - 658
  Population in the period of the Samo's Empire, the first state structure of Slavonic people
• 7th - 8th centuries
  The territory of Bratislava becomes an important centre of Avarian-Slavic Empire
• 9th century
  Establishment of the Greater Moravian Empire, Castle of Bratislava - military, administration and church centre;
• 864
  The first written reference to the Dev­n castle as a strong boundary fortress of the Greater Moravian Empire in the Fulda annals
• 907
  The first written reference to Bratislava (as Brezalauspurc) in annals of Salzburg in association with a battle between Bavarians and Old Hungarians
• 10th - 11th centuries
  The castle of Bratislava becomes an important boundary of Hungary, a seat of the head of province administration and chapter
• 1000 - 1038
  Establishment of the commitat (province) of Bratislava by the Hungarian King Stephen I
• 12th century
  Settlement on the eastern side of the castle hill
• 1221
  Romanesque church of St. Salvator moved from the castle to the settlement round the castle, to the place of the present St. Martin Dome built in the 14th and 15th centuries
• 1291
  Hungarian King Andrew III granted Bratislava extensive municipal privileges, thus confirming its incorporation to a system of free royal towns and simultaneously laying foundations for development of trade and crafts
• 14th - 15th centuries
  Period of development of crafts, viticulture and international trade
• 1430
  The town was granted minting right by the King Sigismund of Luxembourg
• 1436
  Sigismund of Luxembourg granted the town the right to use its coat of arms
• 1464
  Hungarian King Mathias Corvinus confirmed all old privileges of Bratislava by the Golden bull
• 1465
  King Mathias founded the first university in the territory of present Slovakia - Academia Istropolitana
• 1468
  The right of the sword was granted to the city by the King Mathias Corvinus
• 1526
  In the battle at Moh¡¨, the King Louis died, while Ferdinand I of Hapsburg was elected the King in the Franciscan cloister
• 1536
  Bratislava became capital city of Hungary, assembly town and a seat of central offices and coronation town of Hungarian kings
• 1543
  Bratislava became seat of archbishop
• 1563 - 1830
  During three centuries, there were crowned 11 Hungarian kings and 8 royal wives
• 17th century
  A century of uprisings against the Hapsburgs
• 1711
  Big plague epidemic during which 3,860 people died
• 1741
  Coronation of Maria-Theresa
• 1775
  Queen Maria-Theresa ordered city walls to be pulled down, which meant construction development of the town
• 1776
  Establishment of the Theatre of estates with a permanent company of actors
• 1780
  Establishment of the first manufacture
• 1783
  Joseph II ordered central offices to be moved to Buda and coronation Jules to Vienna
• 1805
  After battle of 3 emperors at Austerlitz, the so-called Peace of Pressburg (nowadays Bratislava) between Napoleonic French and Austria was signed in the Mirror hall of the Primacial palace
• 1809
  The town besieged by Napoleonic troops
• 1811
  May 28 - the castle of Bratislava burnt down
• 1818
  The first steamboat on the Danube-river
• 1840
  Horse-drawn railway started running between Bratislava and Sv¤tí Jur
• 1843
  Codification of Slovak language by ?udov­t ?têr and his followers
• 1848
  King Ferdinand V signed the so-called Laws of March on abolition of serfdom in the Mirror hall of the Primacial palace
• 1886
  The building of the present Slovak National Theatre was built in place of the Theatre of estates
• 1891
  Opening of the first bridge over the Danube - Old bridge
• 1895
  The first tram in Bratislava
• 1912
  First trolleybuses in the streets of Bratislava
• 1913
  79 houses in the settlement beneath the castle destroyed by destructive fire
• 1918, October 10
  Establishment of the Slovak National Council with powers for Bratislava and its vicinity
• 1919, January 1
  Occupation of the town by Czechoslovak legions and its annex to the Czechoslovak Republic
• 1939, March 14
  Bratislava became capital city of the nazi Slovak State
• 1945, April 4
  The town was liberated by troops of the Soviet Army
• 1946
  Inception of the so-called Greater Bratislava by annexing the villages of Dev­n, Dêbravka, Lama¨, Petr?alka, Prievoz, Ra¨a a Vajnory
• 1948, February 25
  Political coup of communists, all executive power in the town and country was assumed by communists
• 1969, October 30
  Agreement on the Czechoslovak Federation signed at the castle of Bratislava, Bratislava becoming capital city of the Slovak Socialist Republic
• 1971
  Villages of ˆunovo, Dev­nska Nov¡ Ves, Jarovce, Podunajsk© Biskupice, Rusovce, Vrakuâa and Z¡horsk¡ Bystrica were annexed to Bratislava
• 1989, November 27
  General strike of citizens of the town, supporting requirements of the movements "Public against Violence", "Civic Forum" as well as those of students
• 1993
  Bratislava became capital of the independent Slovak Republic.
  

History of Bratislava

Bratislava ranks among the youngest capital cities of Europe and, at the same time, among the towns with rich history dating back to the times of more than two thousand years ago. Position of the town at the very heart of Europe on banks of the river Danube predestined Bratislava to become crossroads and target of trade roads, centre of many cultures. First traces of permanent settlement are related to the later Stone Age. However, real door to history are opened only by the Celtic tribe of Boyds in the 2nd century BC, who established a significant power centre in the territory of the town with defence function, which earned fame also thanks to minting coins of which staters are best known with the sign Biatec. So, Bratislava similarly to Vienna, Budapest, Paris or other European meptropoles, is standing on foundations of Celtic settlement.

Bratislava and Romans

At the time when Christ was born, Romans discovered strategic significance of the area of present Bratislava. They did not occupy this territory for good. They just built here military quarters being strategic from perspective of trade, too. One of the quarters was Gerulata in the territory of present village of Rusovce, which was integral part of the defence system Limes Romanus separating the world of Romans from that of barbarian tribes.

Bratislava thanks to Romans also for its fame of a town of vintners and wine-growers. During offensives, Roman legions were extending, upon command by sovereign, growing of vine and production of wine in all occupied territories. This way wine-growing got to France, Spain, Germany as well as to the territory of Bratislava and its surroundings.

Greater Moravian Empire

During migration of nations, Slavs settled in the territory of present-day Bratislava. Under leadership of Frankish merchant Samo; the Samo's Empire was established - the first known tribal union of Slavs. It was preceded by raids of fighting tribes of nomadic Avarians and necessity of defence against them. After Samo's death, Samo's Empire disintegrated into principalities. By subsequent joining the principalities, a state formation of Greater Moravia was founded. Fame of the empire reached its peak in the reign of the most significant sovereign Sv¤topluk. The beginning of its gradual cessation is associated to the first written reference to the castle of Bratislava in annals of Salzburg of 907, when a battle took place near the castle between Hungarian suites and Bavarian army. Old Hungarians won it, subsequently occupying eastern part of Greater Moravia.

Medieval Bratislava

In the end of the 10th century, the Hungarian state was established, while the territory of present-day Bratislava was annexed to it in the reign of Stephen I (1001-1038). Bratislava became an important economic and administration centre of Hungarian borderland. Besides advantages following from this position, significance of the castle of Bratislava and its vicinity was also bringing negatives in the form of frequent military attacks. As early as in 1042, German King Henry I destroyed Bratislava. Further unrests hit it between 1074 - 1077 in relation to a dispute regarding Hungarian throne.

In the 13th century, royal privileges were granted to Bratislava. Significant period in life of the town at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries was that of reign of Sigismund of Luxembourg. Sigismund confirmed earlier donations and privileges to the town granted by the ruling families of Arpads and Anjouos and, granting new privileges, he accentuated Bratislava as a prominent political and economic town of Hungary. Based on his decree of 1405, Bratislava ranked among the most significant towns that had been called royal towns since then. In 1434, he granted the town a heraldic deed with the right to use a coat of arms with three towers above an open gate in city walls.

Bratislava - Coronation city of Hungarian kings

Unexpected turn in the history of the town was brought by the 16th century. In a tragic battle with Turks at Moh¡¨ in 1526, the Hungarian King Louis II perished. Ferdinand of Hapsburg was elected new king at a session in the Franciscan church in Bratislava, despite his rival candidate J¡n Z¡po?skí and despite resistance of part of Hungarian nobility. Turks were advancing very fast into the country. Hungarian nobility protected themselves by flight to the present territory of Slovakia, where state offices were moving, too. In 1530, Turks jeopardised also Bratislava, partially damaging it by shellfire.

Disaster that afflicted Hungary after the battle at Moh¡¨ was paradoxically positive for Bratislava. After the capital city Buda was occupied, Hungarian nobility, secular as well as church dignitaries were looking for their refuge north of the Danube and as close as possible to where the King Ferdinand was residing. Convenient position and relative safety of Bratislava decided that it became capital city of Hungary. It was decided by the Hungarian assembly at its session in 1536. The town of merchants, craftsmen and wine-growers became residential town of the country, seat of nobility and church. Bratislava became an assembly town of the Kingdom and a coronation town of Hungarian kings, residence of king, archbishop as well as that of the most significant institutions of the country. Within 1536 - 1830, there were crowned 11 kings and queens in the Dome of St. Martin.

Bratislava - town of Maria-Theresa

In the 18th century, Bratislava became not only the largest and the most significant town of Slovakia but that of entire Hungary. In that century, many pretentious palaces of Hungarian aristocracy had been built, there had been constructed churches, monasteries and other church buildings, the castle was reconstructed and extended, there were growing new streets, while the number of population tripled. Sessions of the assembly of estates took place there as well as coronations of kings and queens, while the town was vibrant with nimble cultural and social life.

The period of highest upswing of the town is represented by the time of reign of Maria-Theresa (1740 - 1780). Since her accession to the throne, construction office of the Hungarian Royal Chamber started directing construction development in the town, controlling especially construction of public buildings (palace of Hungarian Royal Chamber, Water barracks and others). Large construction arrangements were also made in the castle that became a representative royal seat (not that of its Hungarian vice-regent) and a centre of social and political life of top level.

The reign of Joseph II meant for Bratislava a fall from glory. Bratislava ceased to be capital city of Hungary. Upon Joseph's order, the Vice-regent Council and other central offices were moved to Buda in 1783 and, on May 13, the royal crown guarded at the castle of Bratislava till then. Moving central offices called up mass departure of nobility from the town. Bratislava changed from capital of the country back to a provincial town.

Bratislava - between campaigns of Napoleonic troops and abolition of serfdom

The beginning of the 19th century was borne in the sign of Napoleonic wars. After the battle at Austerlitz in 1805, the so-called Peace of Pressburg was concluded between France and Austria in the Mirror hall of the Primacial palace. Nevertheless, the peace did not last for long and, as soon as in 1809, the Napoleon's army damaged the town by shellfire from the right bank of the Danube.

Since 1830-ies, rapid upswing of industry began in the town, supported by introduction of state-of-the-art transportation. To a great extent, fast transport was enabled on the Danube by steamboats capable of sailing also upstreams. Steam trains started running since 1848.

The last big political event in the town of Hungarian times was a session of the Hungarian assembly of estates within 1847-1848. In March 1848, the assembly voted for abolition of serfdom. Emperor Ferdinand V subsequently visited Bratislava, signing and declaring the so-called Acts of March in the Mirror hall of the Primacial palace on 11 April 1848. After dissolution of the last Hungarian assembly and moving political seat of Hungary to Pest, Bratislava definitely becomes politically less significant.

First Czechoslovak Republic

Important milestone in the history of the town was the World War I. Bratislava was not hit by fights directly, but population was bearing consequences on everyday basis. Supplies were failing, prices were highest in the whole monarchy. The end of the World War I in November 1918 brought about changes on the map of Europe. Austro-Hungary disintegrated, while the Czechoslovak Republic was established. Fate of Bratislava was decided at Paris peace negotiations. When it was already obvious by the end of 1918 that Bratislava would be included to the Czechoslovak Republic, representatives of the town decided to rename it to Wilsonov or Wilsonovo city after the US President T.W. Wilson. Representatives of the town required powers of the treaty to acknowledge it as open - free town. However, this proposal was turned down and the town called Pressburg, Pozsony, Pre?pork was affiliated to the Czechoslovak Republic in January 1919. A new designation was approved on 27 March 1919. Bratislava appeared on the map of Europe.

In the interwar period, Bratislava was developing in a relatively harmonious way. At that time, the town recorded urban, architectural, industrial and production upswing. There were living several ethnic and cultural communities - Slovak, German, Hungarian, Jewish, Czech, Croat - in exemplary tolerance as long as till the time of the World War II.

Wartime Bratislava

Growing influence of Hitler in Central Europe reached its peak in March 1939 by disintegration of Czechoslovakia. Protectorate under Nazi administration was established in the Czech territory. Slovak politicians were called on by Hitler to decide on further fate of Slovakia. Out of two alternatives- division of Slovakia among Poland, Hungary and Protectorate of Czechia and Moravia or establishment of an independent state, the then political leadership made up their minds for the second alternative. Thus the independent Slovak State was established, whose 6-year existence remains a controversial chapter of the history unresolved till the present day.

During existence of the Slovak State, Bratislava became capital for the first time. The town was a seat of President, Parliament, Government and all offices of state administration. However, it lost part of its territory - Petr?alka and Dev­n were annexed to Germany. By the end of the war, Bratislava, as a capital city of an allied country of Hitlerian Germany, was bombed by the US Air Force. On 4 April 1945, Bratislava was liberated by the Stalin's army.

Post-war Bratislava

After the World War II, the situation in Bratislava was fundamentally changed. Most of its Jewish population had not returned from concentration camps, while a majority of German and Hungarian ethnicities were also removed from the town after liberation. This way Bratislava lost its unique multi-cultural atmosphere.

Communist coup in February 1948 meant a break in post-war development of Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia became constituent part of the socialist camp and a buffer zone between the West and East. Europe was divided by iron curtain. For Bratislava, which was after the war still connected with Vienna by tram, it meant building closed borders with the West. As well parts of the town got to the boundary zone separated with barbed wire. Its citizens had to be ousted. The end of 1940-ies and the beginning of 1950-ies were borne in the sign of reconstruction and repeated construction of city parts destroyed by the war, especially of industrial plants that were nationalised after 1948. Communist retaliation intervened into lives of citizens in 1950-ies. Many people were arrested, while thousands of citizens accused in trumped-up trials were forcibly ousted from the town.

More than 40-year period of persistence of the communist regime was interrupted by events of 1968 - 1969. Their symbol became Alexander Dub¨ek. Democratic changes commenced were suppressed only by occupation by the armies of the Warszaw Pact. Subsequent "temporary stay" of the Soviet troops lasted for more than 20 years. Together with extensive political persecutions, it should be a safeguard against possible attempts for reforms, for possible change of social order in Czechoslovakia.

Bratislava - capital for the second time

Events of November of 1989 in Prague launched dismantling of communist regime. At the same time, for long time unresolved question of real federalisation of Czechoslovakia was raised along with first political changes. Inability of political elites of that time to find a compromise resulted in disintegration of Czechoslovakia. At the stroke of midnight from 31 December 1992 to 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia ceased to exist for the second time. Bratislava became again capital city of independent Slovakia.

Status of capital meant radical changes in nature of the town. In the beginning of 1990-ies, visitors of Bratislava were expressing themselves as a town where war just ended up. Nowadays, it is considered one of the most dynamically developing and the most prospective regions of Europe.

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