The Old Town Hall is located in the heart of the old town on the Main Square and is an integral part of Bratislava's cultural and architectural heritage. The history of the Old Town Hall dates back to the 14th century. Originally, the town hall was a Gothic building consisting of several town houses. The oldest part of the complex is the house that belonged to Mayor Jakub, built in 1370. Over time, the complex grew and other parts were added to the original building, including the Pavlík Tower, the House of the Hungarian Royal Chamber and the Apponyi Palace. Over the centuries, the town hall has been rebuilt and expanded several times, showing various architectural styles including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Gothic. In the 15th century, the city tower was incorporated into the building, which still dominates the silhouette of the town hall.
The Pavlík tower, which is the most prominent part of the town hall, is decorated with Renaissance elements and on its top there is a viewing terrace from which there is a wonderful view of the old town. There is also a plaque on the front of the tower commemorating the great fire of 1733, when the clock on the tower was melted. Today, the premises of the Old Town Hall house the Museum of the City of Bratislava, which is the oldest city museum in Slovakia, founded in 1868. The museum offers exhibits that document the history of Bratislava from prehistoric times to modern times. Visitors can view various artifacts, documents, historical weapons, guild objects and other exhibits related to the history of the city.
One of the most interesting exhibits is a fragment of a Gothic vault and medieval torture instruments, which remind the function of the town hall as a place of administration of justice. The Old Town Hall has served various purposes throughout its history, including the seat of the City Court, the City Council, and a place for market activities. It was also the center of Bratislava's social and political life, where important events took place, including coronation ceremonies and meetings of city officials.
The building is also a popular venue for weddings, mainly due to its historic and romantic character.
OLD TOWN HALL The history of the Old Town Hall goes back to the beginnings of the medieval city in the 13th century.
This former seat of the city administration has been the Museum of Bratislava's City History since 1868. The town hall also commemorates the French siege of the city in 1805-1809. A cannonball from that time was walled in next to the Gothic window on the first floor of the town hall tower. As elsewhere in Europe, the town hall was at the heart of the city and represented its wealth.
However, the main square nearby was too small to build a town hall there. For this reason it was decided in the 14th century. erected house of the "Judge Jakob" to buy for the purposes of a town hall. Its dominant defense tower has become a part of an exceptional complex. In the decades that followed, the city supplemented this with further purchased houses.
The architecturally different houses from several periods of time nevertheless fit together harmoniously and thus offer a showpiece for a deeper study of different architectural styles. Today, the historic cultural monument of the old town hall with its backdrop contributes to the rich cultural events in the old town. The City Museum can be visited every day except Mondays between 10.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays between 11.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. Visitors can find more information on the Internet at muzeum.bratislava.sk.