Erdődy Palace

Built on the western border of the Kingdom of Hungary, Bratislava, with a long history, was inhabited in the Middle Ages by mostly German and to a lesser extent Hungarian citizens. The previously not particularly prominent city gained national importance when the Turks occupied the former center of the country in the mid-16th century. At that time, the main government organs were moved to Bratislava, which was safer and closer to Vienna, the real seat of the Hungarian kings of the Habsburg dynasty, where the parliament functioned and the kings were crowned. This made the city one of the country's important economic, cultural, religious and educational centers. In the walled old town, especially with the advent of peace, in the 18th century, numerous pro-Habsburg Hungarian nobles and church dignitaries had spectacular, multi-story, Baroque or Classicist palaces built as status symbols - the richest even had several. ; One of these is the beautiful Erdődy Palace, located on a corner plot at the beginning of Ventur Street, which was built in 1770 by Judge György Erdődy in Baroque style, based on the plans of Mathias Walch. The palace, built on the plot of three earlier medieval houses, has a three-story floor plan adapted to the irregular corner plot. Two additional floors were added to its high Baroque mansard roof during its construction in the 20th century. The symmetrically constructed, 11-axis, representative main facade facing Ventur Street is divided by giant composite-chapter pilasters connecting the 2nd and 3rd floors. The house also has three stone-framed gates facing Ventúr Street, through which we can enter the driveway and then the courtyard. ; The palace underwent a major renovation in 2003. Nowadays, a bar and café await guests, where original Andy Warhol paintings adorn the walls. Here is also the largest wine shop in Slovakia, with about 400 varieties of wine specialties. On the ground floor there is a disco, as well as a transformer station, which provides electricity to the Old Town. Also here is the largest bar in Slovakia, which is a 15 m long concrete casting.