1.
Vehicle registration plates of Slovakia
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There are three design varieties that are in valid use. Between 1 April 1997 and 30 April 2004, the contained the Coat of Arms of Slovakia in the top left corner. The two district identifiers were separated from the serials by a dash, on 1 May 2004, Slovakia joined the European Union. In order to harmonise the visual look of the plates with the rest of the EU, the Slovak Coat of Arms was replaced by the so-called euroband, the country code SK was inserted into the euroband. The number 0 and letter O have been differentiated as well, the Slovak Coat of Arms has returned to the plates replacing the dash while keeping the EU part intact. Regular plates are the most commonly used of all the types and they contain seven characters starting with the district code followed by a series of 3 numbers and 2 letters. The number series used are between 001 and 999, the letter series are between AA-XZ and ZA-ZZ. 999AZ is followed by 001BA through 999BB etc, only Bratislava has reached 999ZZ as of February 2011. Where limited space warrants it, two-line plates can be used on a vehicle, a block of combinations is set aside from the regular plate range as required. Trailer plates follow the format of the regular plates XX-NNNLL except in case the first serial letter is always Y. The registrations would thus start 001YA, continuing through 999YA and 001YB to 999YZ, any build of trailer whether a mobile home or cargo trailer can use these plates. As of February 2011, Bratislava is nearing the end of its YZ series, two-line plates also exist with a block of combinations set aside for them in each district. Motorcycle plates follow the same coding and use the series as the regular plates. For example, DS-125AC can be both a regular plate and a motorcycle plate, the only difference is their size. Motorcycles use two different sizes both of which are smaller than the regular size, personalized plates are optional in Slovakia for an extra fee. The format must include the two letter code and 5 other characters in either XX-LLLLL, XX-LLLLN or LLLNN format. Unlike in any type of plates, the use of Q and W is possible. Plates are not allowed to any political, religious or offensive message
2.
Bratislava
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Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, and with a population of about 450,000, the countrys largest city. The greater metropolitan area is home to more than 650,000 people, Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia, occupying both banks of the River Danube and the left bank of the River Morava. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the national capital that borders two sovereign states. The history of the city has strongly influenced by people of different nations and religions, namely by Austrians, Croats, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Jews, Serbs. The city served as the site and legislative center of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1536 to 1783. Bratislava is the political, cultural and economic centre of Slovakia and it is the seat of the Slovak president, the parliament and the Slovak Executive. It is home to several universities, museums, theatres, galleries, many of Slovakias large businesses and financial institutions also have headquarters there. The capital of Slovakia is the eighth best city for freelancers to live in, mostly because of fast internet, in 2017, Bratislava was ranked as the third richest region of the European Union by GDP per capita. GDP at purchasing power parity is about three times higher than in other Slovak regions, the city received its contemporary name in 1919. Beforehand it was known in English by its German name, Pressburg, as it was long dominated by Austrians. This is the term which the German, the pre-1919 Slovak, the citys Hungarian name, Pozsony, was given after the castles first castellan, Poson. The origin of the name is unclear, it come from the Czech Pos or the German Poscho. Hungarian speakers still use the Hungarian name, Pozsony, the medieval settlement Brezalauspurc is sometimes attributed to Bratislava, however the actual location of Brezalauspurc is under scholarly debate. The citys modern name is credited to Pavel Jozef Šafáriks misinterpretation of Braslav as Bratislav when analyzing medieval sources, thus coming up with the term Břetislaw, during the revolution of 1918–1919, the name Wilsonov or Wilsonstadt was proposed by American Slovaks, as he supported national self-determination. The name Bratislava, which was used only by some Slovak patriots. The name Pressburg was also used in English-language publications until 1919, in older documents, confusion can be caused by the Latin forms Bratislavia, Wratislavia etc. which refer to Wrocław, Poland – not to Bratislava. The first known permanent settlement of the area began with the Linear Pottery Culture, about 200 BC, the Celtic Boii tribe founded the first significant settlement, a fortified town known as an oppidum. They also established a mint, producing silver coins known as biatecs, the area fell under Roman influence from the 1st to the 4th century AD and was made part of the Danubian Limes, a border defence system
3.
Bratislava Castle
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Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava. Because of its size and location, it has been a dominant feature of the city for centuries, the location provides excellent views of Bratislava, Austria and, in clear weather, parts of Hungary. Many legends are connected with the history of the castle, the castle site includes the following, The castle building includes four towers and a courtyard with a 80 m deep water well. The largest and tallest tower is the Crown Tower on the southwest corner, the 47 m tower dates from the 13th century and for approximately 200 years beginning in the mid-1500s housed the crown jewels of Hungary. The exterior walls and inside corridors contain fragments of old Gothic, the walled-up entrance gate from the 16th century is still visible to the east of the main entrance. Behind the entrance, is a corridor leading to a large Baroque staircase which, in turn. The third floor houses the exhibition on the History of Slovakia, the first floor in the south wing of the building houses the rooms of Slovak parliament — the National Council of the Slovak Republic - including furnishings from the 16th century. The northern wing of the building- the former Baroque chapel, houses the Music Hall in which concerts are held, the courtyard includes the entrance to the Knights Hall. The Yard of Honor is the space directly before the entrance dates from the late 18th century. Inside the Sigismund Gate and below the Court of Honor, is the Leopold Yard with bastions, to the east of the castle building the constellation of the Great Moravian basilica, the Church of St Savior and other Early medieval objects is indicated on the ground. The true archaeological findings are directly below this indicated constellation, adjacent to the Nicholas Gate, a Gothic gateway from the 15th century in the northeast quadrant, is the Lugiland Bastion. This is a long three-floor building from the 17th century which houses the National Council of the Slovak Republic. An English park is located to the south of the stable, the northern border of the site is formed by a long Baroque building from the 18th century, which today houses the Slovak National Museum and the castle administration. The people of the Boleráz culture were the first known culture to have constructed settlements on the castle hill and their castle was a fortified settlement and a kind of acropolis for settlements in todays Old Town of Bratislava. Further major findings from the hill are from the Hallstatt Period. At that time the people of the Kalenderberg Culture constructed a building plunged into the rock of the castle hill, again, the castle served as an acropolis for settlements found in the western part of the Old Town. During the La Tène Period, the hill became a very important center of the Celts
4.
President of Slovakia
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The President of the Slovak Republic is the head of state of Slovakia and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The president is elected by the people for five years. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the president does exercise certain limited powers with absolute discretion, the presidents official residence is the Grassalkovich Palace in Bratislava. The office was established by the constitution of Slovakia on 1 January 1993 when Slovakia permanently split from Czechoslovakia, the office was vacant until 2 March 1993 when the first president Michal Kováč was elected by the National Council of Slovak Republic. However, in 1998, the National Council was unable to elect a successor to Kováč, the result was that for half a year after Kováčs term ended in March 1998, the position was vacant. The duties and powers of the office were devolved upon the prime minister and speaker of the National Council. In order to come to a solution, the constitution was changed to transfer election of the president to the people, presidential elections have been held in 1999,2004,2009 and 2014. The current president is Andrej Kiska, who took office on 15 June 2014, the President of Slovakia has a limited role in policy-making, as the office is largely ceremonial. According to the constitution, the president is the representative of the state both in Slovakia and abroad. Among his constitutional powers are nominating and appointing the Prime Minister, the president can also veto any bill from the National Council. His veto can be if the National Council passes the same bill again with majority of all members of the Council. The president also acts as the commander-in-chief of the Slovak armed forces, the president can grant a parole on the recommendation of the minister of justice. Parties HZDS SOP HZD Independent There are two living former Slovak Presidents, List of Presidents of Czechoslovakia List of Prime Ministers of Slovakia List of leaders of Slovak parliaments
5.
Danube
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The Danube is Europes second-longest river, after the Volga River, and also the longest river in the European Union region. It is located in Central and Eastern Europe, the Danube was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire, and today flows through 10 countries, more than any other river in the world. Its drainage basin extends into nine more countries, the Latin name Dānuvius is one of a number of Old European river names derived from a Proto-Indo-European *dānu. Other river names from the root include the Dunajec, Dzvina/Daugava, Don, Donets, Dnieper, Dniestr. In Rigvedic Sanskrit, dānu means fluid, drop, in Avestan, in the Rigveda, Dānu once appears as the mother of Vrtra. Known to the ancient Greeks as the Istros a borrowing from a Daco-Thracian name meaning strong, in Latin, the Danube was variously known as Danubius, Danuvius or as Ister. The Dacian/Thracian name was Donaris for the upper Danube and Istros for the lower Danube, the Thraco-Phrygian name was Matoas, the bringer of luck. The Latin name is masculine, as are all its Slavic names, the German Donau is feminine, as it has been re-interpreted as containing the suffix -ouwe wetland. Classified as a waterway, it originates in the town of Donaueschingen, in the Black Forest of Germany, at the confluence of the rivers Brigach. The Danube then flows southeast for about 2,800 km, passing through four capital cities before emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and its drainage basin extends into nine more. The highest point of the basin is the summit of Piz Bernina at the Italy–Switzerland border. The land drained by the Danube extends into other countries. Many Danubian tributaries are important rivers in their own right, navigable by barges, from its source to its outlet into the Black Sea, its main tributaries are, The Danube flows through many cities, including four national capitals, more than any other river in the world. Danube remains a mountain river until Passau, with average bottom gradient 0. 0012%. Middle Section, From Devín Gate to Iron Gate, at the border of Serbia and Romania, the riverbed widens and the average bottom gradient becomes only 0. 00006%. Lower Section, From Iron Gate to Sulina, with average gradient as little as 0. 00003%, about 60 of its tributaries are also navigable. In 1994 the Danube was declared one of ten Pan-European transport corridors, routes in Central, the amount of goods transported on the Danube increased to about 100 million tons in 1987. In 1999, transport on the river was difficult by the NATO bombing of three bridges in Serbia during the Kosovo War
6.
Karlova Ves
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Karlova Ves is a city borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is located in the part of the city close to the river Danube on the slopes of the Little Carpathians mountains. A small, wine-making village for most of its history it was assimilated into Bratislava in the 1940s and in 1957, the construction of a large socialist panelák suburb started. Today, Karlova Ves has approximately 33,000 inhabitants and university dormitories in Mlynská dolina house an additional 15,000 students at the area of 7874 meters squared. The Karlova Ves proper includes also the largest island in Bratislava, the city part also features the Bratislava Water Museum, the Slávičie údolie cemetery, numerous schools and three Roman-Catholic churches. The St. Francis Square serves as the center of the city borough, Karlova Ves borders Austria and Petržalka to the south, Devín to the west, Dúbravka to the north and Old Town to the east. The southern boundary is the river Danube, the altitude difference is from 134 meters AMSL at the Karloveská bay to 264 m AMSL at the mountain Nad Sitinou, mean altitude in the borough is 165 meters AMSL. In the past, the boundaries of Karlova Ves used to change often, the southern boundary is the Petržalka bank of the Danube, border with Austria and the Karloveské rameno creating island Sihoť. Eastern boundary is the Cesta na Červený most Street, Lamačská cesta Street, Mlynská dolina street until the river Danube, running underneath the Lafranconi bridge. The western boundary runs west of Dlhé diely, through the part of Kuklovská Street, Sološnícka Street, Šaštínska Street, Hrubý vrch, Krčace. Karlova Ves is divided into five parts, Dlhé diely, Mlynská dolina, Kútiky, Rovnice. Cadastrially it is divided into 9 sectors, Karlova Ves, Dlhé diely, Líščie údolie, Krčace, Patrónka, Mlynská dolina, Sitina - ZOO, Karloveská zátoka and Sihoť. In the past, it was a quiet village in the proximity of Bratislava. It includes large, recent high-rise apartment blocks in the Dlhé diely area, in the Mlynská dolina quarter is the headquarters of Slovak Television, and there is Slávičie údolie cemetery nearby. Mlynská dolina, part of Karlova Ves, features numerous universities, františka z Assisi s organizačnými zložkami, ZŠ sv. Františka z Assisi a gymnázium sv, františka z Assisi, Súkromné gymnázium ESPRIT Majerníkova 62, Elementary schools, ZŠ Karloveská61, Spojená škola s organizačnými zloţkami, ZŠ a gymnázium Tilgnerova 14, Spojená škola sv. Františka z Assisi s organizačnými zložkami, ZŠ sv, františka z Assisi a gymnázium sv. There are three multi-functional playgrounds available for free to the public, inside the area of School Alexandra Dubčeka, School Karloveská32, libor Ebringer, Professor of microbiology and Doctor of Sciences Boroughs and localities of Bratislava Geography of Bratislava Karlova Ves website
7.
Little Carpathians
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The Little Carpathians are a low, about 100 km long, mountain range, part of the Carpathian Mountains. The Little Carpathians are bordered by Záhorie Lowland in the west, in 1976, the Little Carpathians were declared a protected area under the name Little Carpathians Protected Landscape Area, covering 646.1 km2. The area is rich in flora and fauna diversity and contains numerous castles, most notably the Bratislava Castle and caves, the three highest mountains are Záruby at 768 m, Vysoká at 754 m and Vápenná at 752 m. Little Carpathians are further divided into four parts, Devín Carpathians, Pezinok Carpathians, Brezová Carpathians, the mountains are densely forested, the southeastern part contains extensive vineyards. Several castles or castle ruins are situated in the Little Carpathians, for example Devín Castle, Čachtice Castle, Červený Kameň Castle, geologically, the mountain range is part of the Tatra-Fatra Belt of core mountains. There are several faults which produced earthquakes in past. Of them most notable is Dobra Voda fault and this particular fault is also closely monitored because of its proximity to NPP Jaslovske Bohunice. The most important karst forms include caves Deravá, Tmavá skala, Driny, Čachtická cave, Driny, a limestone cave, is the only cave open to public. Major streams include Vydrica and Suchý jarok, the Little Carpathians are seismically one of the most active regions in Slovakia and epicentres of earthquakes with approximate magnitude of 2.5 on Richter magnitude scale scale are located here. While being a low range, the Little Carpathians were always considered a mountain barrier due to being surrounded by various lowlands. In the past, various types of ore were mined in the Little Carpathians used for the production of gold, silver, antimony, manganese, during Second World War, Little Carpathians were the birthplace of partisan group Janko Kráľ. Insurgency in the mountains lasted until the occupation by the Soviet Red Army in 1945, the mountain range contains a dense network of trails and the recreational infrastructure is relatively well developed, especially in the south. The Little Carpathians are popular as a place for the inhabitants of Bratislava. Since the Middle Ages, the area is known for its wines, well known centers of local wine-making include Svätý Jur, Modra and Pezinok. Main tourist centers include the Slovak capital Bratislava, Pezinská Baba, geomorphological division of Slovakia Tourism in Slovakia Little Carpathians at Spectacular Slovakia Little Carpathians Wine Route
8.
Chatam Sofer Memorial
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Later, when the tunnel was converted for public transport trams a tram stop was constructed above the site. In 2002 a modern memorial was erected above the site and it was opened to the public. The fenced area of the Chatam Sofer Memorial is roughly equivalent to the area of the former Old Jewish Cemetery of Bratislava and it is approximately 70 meters distant from the river Danube. There is a transport bus stop and a tram stop called Chatam Sofer next to the memorial. In the 17th century, Jews were allowed to settle in the area below Bratislava Castle on the estates of the Counts of the Pálffy family, the Jewish community established a graveyard near the river Danube which served until 1847. Since then, the Jewish community has used the Orthodox and Neolog cemetery located on Žižkova Street nearby, in the 1940s, new structures were erected nearby to serve the International Danube Fair, later to become Park kultúry a oddychu. At the same time, the riverbank was extended and the area filled with roads and tram lines, most of the graves were exhumed and reburied at the Orthodox cemetery in a communal grave behind the beit tahara. Negotiations with the regime enabled the community to preserve this section of the cemetery including the Chasam Sofers grave, enclosed in concrete, until the 2000s, the area was separated from the Danube by a public park. Following the declaration of independence by Slovakia in 1992, new negotiations were undertaken to restore access to the preserved graves. In the mid-1990s, the International Committee for Preservation of Gravesites of Geonai Pressburg was formed to support and oversee relocation of tram tracks, the architect of the new Chatam Sofer Memorial was Slovak Martin Kvasnica and the construction was performed by the company Raft. Construction of the mausoleum was completed after overcoming numerous technical, financial and religious issues, since 2002, the site is accessible to the public with restrictions. All visits must be arranged through the local Jewish Community at least 48 hours in advance, there is an entrance fee of $6 per visitor, with an additional $20 for access outside of normal operating hours. There is also a protocol and dress code to be adhered to including long trousers, hats for men. Although in theory the site is also to the citizens of Bratislava, in reality the Memorial is visited almost exclusively by foreign Jewish visitors. Moses Sofer History of the Jews in Slovakia History of Bratislava Tourism in Slovakia Mauzóleum Chatama Sofera, published by, SNM - Múzeum Židovskej Kultúry, Bratislava,1996. sk
9.
Old Town Hall (Bratislava)
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Old Town Hall is a complex of buildings from the 14th century in the Old Town of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is the oldest city hall in the country and it is one of the oldest stone buildings still standing in Bratislava, the town hall was created in the 15th century by connecting three townhouses, and then went through several reconstructions in the course of the centuries. It houses the oldest museum in Bratislava, the Bratislava City Museum, founded in 1868, featuring an exhibit of the city history, the outlook from the top of the Old Town Hall tower offers a round view of Bratislava Old Town and its environs. The Old Town Hall is located in the heart of the city center and it is next to the Jesuit Church and near the Greek and Japanese embassies. It is easily recognizable by its tiled roof. Finished in the Gothic style in the 15th century, it resulted from the several buildings, Jacobus house with a tower, Pawers house, Ungers house. The principal building adjacent to the tower and facing the Main Square was built by the town Mayor Jacobus II in the 14th century, while the tower was erected in the late 13th century. Towers made of stone were part of some medieval townhouses in order to provide safety in case of war or protection of wealth in case of fire, although exact date cannot be specified, details of the gothic windows suggest it was built approximately in 1370. The towers ground floor was one lower than todays street level. The Apponyi Palace was built by Count Juraj Apponyi, a Hungarian nobleman and Kings advisor, the architect is unknown but older literature attributes the project to F. A. Hildebrandt. Only two wings survive from this residential representative town residence - western and the short southern, the ground floor was both residential and used for storage. The staircase included baroque stone sculptures of saints until the 1930s, first floor is the representative piano nobile with preserved rococo-classical interior decorations. Second floor was used for the accommodation of the Apponyi family, ceilings are lower here, the attic was used for accommodation from the 18th century until the first half of the 19th century, today, the wooden booths for sleeping were removed. Until the second half of the 19th century the palace used to have two wings around a trapezoid-shaped courtyard, used by the servants. The building was used as a hall from the 15th century through the late 19th century. At times during that period, however, it served other purposes, including housing a prison and mint. It was also used as the citys arsenal depository and municipal archive, today it hosts the Bratislava City Museum, displaying exhibitions of Pressburgs history. Exhibited items include torture instruments, the old dungeons, antique weapons and armour, paintings
10.
St Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava
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The St. Martins Cathedral is a church in Bratislava, Slovakia, and the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bratislava. It is situated at the border of the historical city center below Bratislava Castle. It is the largest and one of the oldest churches in Bratislava, together with the castle on the hill adjacent, and somewhat similar in its striking but fairly stark Gothic lines and colouring, St Martins 85 m spire dominates Old Town’s skyline. The tower virtually formed a part of the fortifications, built as it was into the city’s defensive walls. As with the castle, the surroundings of St Martins are as memorable as the structure itself, in the cathedral’s case, this includes the picturesque remains of outbuildings in a spacious staired courtyard, and a working seminary with robed adepts on a cobblestone side-street. The cathedral contains the remains of Saint John the Merciful who died in the early 7th Century, the nave of the structure consists of three aisles divided by two rows of eight columns. It has a floor area of 69.37 m ×22.85 m with a maximum height of 16.02 m. The tower is 85 m high and at one time was part of the city fortifications. The cathedral is constructed in the traditional crucifix shape, together with the castle on the hill adjacent, and somewhat similar in its striking but fairly stark Gothic lines and colouring, St Martins 85 m spire dominates Old Town’s skyline. As with the castle, the surroundings of St Martins are as memorable as the structure itself, the cathedral sits amid picturesque remains of outbuildings in a spacious staired courtyard, and a working seminary with robed adepts on a cobblestoned side-street. The tower is capped by a replica of the Hungarian Crown resting on a gilded pillow, the altar is dominated by an equestrian statue group depicting St. Martin in a typical Hungarian hussar dress. The saint is dividing his cloak to give part to a beggar as protection from the cold, long before the construction of the cathedral, the site had been the crossroads and contained the former centre of the town, a market and probably also a chapel. Worship services were held at Bratislava Castle, where the chapter, the church was relocated in 1221, and was originally built in Romanesque style and sanctified to the Holy Savior. As the town grew into a city and received privileges in 1291. Construction of a new Gothic cathedral began in 1311 on the site of the earlier church, construction continued until 1452 due to the difficulty of construction and lack of funding. For a period in the fifteenth century, construction halted due to the Hussite Wars. In 1452, the church was completed and consecrated, however. During this period, a new presbytery and the Gothic chapels of Czech Queen Sofia
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