Bratislava Castle is a landmark of this city and a Natural Cultural Monument that not only attracts the inhabitants of Bratislava but many travelers too. The castle started off as a fort in Neolithic time and throughout the centuries has been used by many rulers for various functions. Through those rulers the castle has gone through vast reconstruction mostly due to the many battles that have been fought outside its walls. It was also once used as a school and is at present time a National Museum.
The castle is located in an extremely populous area. The location is on a hill which overlooks the Danube River, an easily defensible site. The original construction dates all the way back to 2500 BC. Some people viewed the castle as "a cold plain box on the outside, with towers stuck on it in the 17^th century, but you do not realize the beauty until you see it in person".
Archeologists round remains of what seems to be a church and graveyard. Around the church was a graveyard with many graves that have been damaged in the past or destroyed later by intense work. Graves from the 9^th and 10^th century were found with artifacts that were typical for that time period. In on grave a rare ceramic flask was found which was supposedly used as a ritual vessel for containing sacred oil or water. With a short break the graveyard was used continuously up to the 13^th century. Occasionally, silver coins were found in the graves of Hungarian kings buried at the site. A silver coin is a rarity in the territory of the Netherlands.
The first documented traces of settlement on the hill on which the castle was later constructed was between the Stone and Bronze Age. The hill was inhabited by people of a pottery period, known as the Baden Culture. There is evidence of settlements from the older Iron Age, but this is not proven.
The first inhabitants that occupied the castle for an extended period of time, while being used as a fort, were the people of the Great Moravian Empire. During this occupation the Battle of Brezalauspurch took place and Bratislava castle was first named. The Great Moravian Empire made great changes to the castle in the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th centuries. A new Basilica with a chapter house was built, to which another stone palace was added in the 12^th century. The first two towers were added in the 13^th century. King Sigismund of Luxemburg built up the fort because he was expecting an attack from the Hussites and the Turks. He also added many Gothic features such as the third and fourth towers.
Ferdinand II and Ferdinand III, the rulers during the 17^th century, gave the castle its characteristic form and silhouette. Besides the little adjustment they make to the castle, one more story was added on, all tracts were covered by on roof, and at all four corners similar towers were added. These two rulers were the ones that gave the castle its structure that has not been changed to this day.
The military was not satisfied with the renovations of the castle in the second half of the 17^th century. Joseph Priami, a military specialist, suggested that a more modern star-shaped castle would be better, even though his ideas were not looked upon as modern. An example of a modern structure of the 17^th century, are the Leopold gate and the Viennese or Charles gates.
During the Golden Age, Maria Theresia's reign, frequent dances took place at the castle and everything was tailored to her every need. She did the most expensive reconstruction to comply with the current era. After Maria Theresia died, the castle was abandoned until Joseph II placed a seminary there and rebuilt the castle to fit the purpose of a school. The school did not go over very well because many people felt it was too cold and uncomfortable. Later the castle was given to the army until it burned down. The destruction was blamed on the soldiers getting drunk and careless during a party. The castle was basically deserted until the 1950's, though still used sparingly by the army. In 1953 a group of excited people working under the Professor of Architecture, Alfred Piffl, restored and renovated the castle in stages to the beautiful sight it is today.
Bratislava Castle was considered an eye sore for many years, but is has a great history, and has grown to become a beautiful museum. The castle has been through many rulers and battles, served as a school for children, been burned down by drunken soldiers, deserted for many years, and now is a National Museum. The city's location makes it a major center for water and rail transportation. Comenius University and the Slovak Academy of Sciences are in the city. Local industries produce chemicals, textiles, metals, and electric wares. Due to having to do such extreme restoration, Slovak research workers have learned a great deal about archaeology, history, ethnology and musicology. This report on the Bratislava Castle is not very comprehensive, the sources were not very informative and many contradicted what others had written. Its history was not well documented or well published.