The Bratislava Castle, overlooking Bratislava, has been a prominent landmark of the city since the 9th Century AD. Long before that, however, the hill was occupied by people stretching as far back as the Stone and Bronze Age. It marked a key crossroad location of the ancient world.
When we wrapped up our visit to Vienna, it was time to begin our journey down the Danube. Our transportation was waiting for us, the brand new riverboat, Amadeus. The boat looked great, but we had to walk through the mud left behind from the previous week’s flood to get to it. Our first destination was Bratislava, the Capital of the Slovak Republic, a mere 35 miles down the river.
Sunset on the Danube River near the city of BratislavaHere’s the Amadeus docked in Bratislava. We had a rear cabin on the opposite side of the boat. Large picture windows that could be opened or closed at the push of a button, provided great views of the river, passing towns, and scenery along the way. The round building on top of bridge is known as the UFO restaurant. You can see why.While time didn’t allow us to visit the castle, its prominent location provided ample opportunity to view it from both the city and the river.Bratislava Castle as seen from the Danube River.Michael’s Gate is another prominent city landmark. It dates back to medieval times and is one of the oldest buildings in the city.Its copper green roof adds to its elegance.The Archangel St. Michael slays a dragon on top of the tower. It’s hard to visit a medieval town without finding at least one depiction of a dragon slaying event. Saving virgins, children, and even sheep were some of the reasons. St. Michael, according to Revelations, even fought with the Devil, who had apparently taken the shape of a dragon. Whether they existed was apparently not an issue. While dangerous, it was a great way to earn Sainthood— much better than being tortured and having your head chopped off. And besides, how dangerous can a fantasy beast be?Another example was found in the Primatial Palace in Bratislava. Here, St. George slays a three headed dragon. He came on a town where people were being chosen by lot, tied up, and sacrificed to the dragon. The latest was the king’s daughter. So what’s a guy to do? George rode off to do battle. The story is well known but the Bratislava dragon had a couple of extra heads.Here is a closeup of the ferocious beast in its role as a fountain. The tip of St. George’s spear can be seen at the top. The dragon was one of many interesting/weird stone creatures Peggy and I found in the city.Another stone dragon. Biting its tail.Worn by time, this dragon displays its clawed feet and wings.Stone carved alligator, crocodile, or dragon?A scary bat?A long eared something. Probably a rabbit given its ears and hind feet. The wire is to prevent unwanted visits from birds.A bear climbing a tree?And finally a sleeping dog. I’m assuming these carvings are from medieval times given the wear on them. They represent both fantasy beasts like the dragon and bat as well as common animals of the time.Plus a horned fellow with pointed ears and a face to scare even the stout hearted. I’m thinking either the devil or a demon. This coat of arms featured rearing horses with a wild-looking tails.This coat of arms also featured interesting animals: Lions with two tails and their tongues sticking out. Note the fish as well.Lions also make great fountains.As do demons. That’s it for today. Next post: More on Bratislava including the manhole man…
Wandering through Time and Place 