Bratislava, Europe's Hidden Treasure Photo Gallery by Helen Betts at pbase.com

Bratislava, Europe's Hidden Treasure

This is a gallery of images taken in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic, as part of a 2004 vacation that also took us to Prague https://pbase.com/helenpb/prague_gem_of_central_europe , Budapest https://pbase.com/helenpb/spice_of_life_budapest and Vienna https://pbase.com/helenpb/vienna. We have returned to this delightful city several times since 2004, so a few newer images have been added to the end of the gallery.

NOTE: MOST RECENT PICTURES, FROM 2011-2012, ARE AT THE END.

Old town	Old town	Street art	The other side
Five-sided steeple	Evening	Light and church	Door
Market and giant pumpkin	"Window"	House light	Bratislava Castle
House	Apartment building	Church door	Palace on the square
Tower in the square	Tower	Clock tower	Tower
The yellow house	Slovak National Theater	Sunset cathedral	Clock window
Bratislava door	Bratislava door	Bratislava door	The door in the door
Door detail	Palace gate	Your typical tourist picture	Palace Gate to Nowhere
Light details	Light details	Light details	Light details
Old town passage	Sign of the times	Stairway to the castle	Bratislava Castle
Castle area	Castle neighborhood	U.S. Embassy	Modern Bratislava
Whimsy 1	Whimsy 2	Bratislava detail	Bratislava detail
Bratislava detail	Bratislava detail	Bratislava detail	Bratislava detail
Short visit 7 years later	Short visit 7 years later	Short visit 7 years later	Short visit 7 years later
Short visit 7 years later	Short visit 7 years later	Art Nouveau post office (1903)	Short visit 7 years later
:: Bratislava's Blue Church (Art Nouveau) ::	Grammar school, by �d�n Lechner, 1908	Nouveau door	Art Nouveau gem
Stately mansion	Colorful Art Nouveau

Ed Duverger		05-Dec-2019 10:41
Again a gallery I enjoyed much. I was there in february 1966 when there was still the communist regime. My eyes registered a cold and grey but beautiful city.Except for the modern buildings. The students we met gave us a warm wellcome.

caporter		17-Oct-2015 12:16
These photographs capture the warmth and old world beauty of Brataslava.

barbarajoy		21-Sep-2015 14:21
Brilliant gallery Helen. Thinking of this place now! Wonderful images. V

Colin Storey		30-Sep-2012 16:23
Fantastic gallery from your stay in this beautiful city. v

Ali Majdfar		29-Sep-2012 20:32
Very beautiful collection! ~V

Petros Labrakos		29-Sep-2012 18:45
interesting place nice informative shots well presented

joseantonio		08-Feb-2012 21:26
Another place I would like to visit......

Zolt�n Balogh		27-Aug-2011 19:27
Diverse and beautifully taken photographs Helen, great gallery! V

Ann Cleeves		04-Aug-2011 21:23
Great gallery...full of different aspects of this interesting city.

John Barreiro		02-Jun-2011 04:29
I looked through a number of galleries on Bratislava and was not impressed until seeing this one. - V

Michael Tauber		27-Mar-2011 18:32
Wonderful gallery!!!

Guest		16-Jan-2009 17:32
Great work with this photos...keep going, and maby someday, you will take a few shot in romania:)

Helen Betts		11-Feb-2008 20:59
Hello Martin (and all), thank you so much for your comments on my Bratislava gallery. As I have no way of responding directly, I hope you return here to see this. We only spent a few days in Bratislava, but found it quite charming with some very nice people. With the work that's being done in the old city, I could envision it being a "mini-Prague" in five or so years. And yes, it had a delightful sense of whimsey that is lacking in, say, Prague or Vienna (at least to my eye). As our introduction to Bratislava, we got off the train (from Budapest or Vienna, can't remember now) only to be faced with an incredibly long and steep stairway to be managed with luggage. Out of nowhere a Slovak man came and helped us with our suitcases up the stairs, wished us a good stay, and was gone. I was dumbfounded and more than a little grateful! In any case, thanks again for your comments; I will add them to the one I recently received in my guest book that says, "Bratislava LOVE YOU!" :-). Helen

Martin, Abu Dhabi		11-Feb-2008 11:42
As a Slovak national, I'm very impressed by your perceptiveness. You seem to have captured the true essence of the city, which lies not in its size or splendour but rather in the playful, whimsical, often Art-Deco or Art Deco-inspired details. Bratislava doesn't sweep you off your feet the way Vienna or Prague do. Also, many photographers prefer to point their lens at the post-1948 concrete hideousness (of which there's plenty!). But if you keep an open mind and poke underneath the surface a bit - which you did really well, there's lots of unpretentious but fun nooks & crannies to be found, not least around the modernist, early 20th-century structures. Once again, well done!

Milan Vogrin		18-Aug-2007 20:15
Well done!

Mario Sosa		26-Dec-2006 17:24
Thank you for bringing back such good memories. From Monterrey, Mexico.

oleg		18-Apr-2006 19:59
Great photos! Thanks !!!

Ron Horloff		18-Jul-2005 21:20
This reminds me a lot of Prague. Are ther similar? Ron

Doron Avi-Ad		10-Jul-2005 16:07
Great pics!

Selvin Chance		02-Apr-2005 23:48
The picture of the sculpture is a gem. Thanks for the wonderful travelougue.

Argishti Khachik		12-Jan-2005 17:36
Excellent gallery Helen! Very well done. Here is my Bratislava gallery!

Ron Horloff		19-Nov-2004 20:40
Very nice tour of the city; I look forward to more of your travels. Ron

Eldar Kadymov		17-Nov-2004 01:28
Simply amazing the way you see this city, unbelievable !

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