Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava

Bratislava ( BRAT-iss-LAH-və, US also BRAHT-, Slovak: [ˈbracislaʋa] (listen); Hungarian: Pozsony [ˈpoʒoɲ] (listen)), historically known as Pressburg, is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000—approximately 140% of the official figures. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia at the foot of the Little Carpathians, occupying both banks of the River Danube and the left bank of the River Morava. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital to border two sovereign states.The city's history has been influenced by people of many nations and religions, including Austrians, Bulgarians, Croats, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Jews, Romani and Slovaks. It was the coronation site and legislative center and capital of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1563 to 1783; eleven Hungarian kings and eight queens were crowned in St Martin's Cathedral. Most Hungarian parliament assemblies were held here from the 17th century until the Hungarian Reform Era, and the city has been home to many Hungarian, German and Slovak historical figures. Today Bratislava is the political, cultural and economic centre of Slovakia. It is the seat of the Slovak president, the parliament and the Slovak Executive. It has several universities, and many museums, theatres, galleries and other cultural and educational institutions. Many of Slovakia's large businesses and financial institutions have headquarters there. GDP at purchasing power parity is about three times higher than in other Slovak regions. Bratislava receives around one million tourists every year, mostly from the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria.

The Bratislava Region (Slovak: Bratislavský kraj, pronounced [ˈbracislawskiː ˈkraj]; German: Pressburger/Bratislavaer Landschaftsverband (until 1919); Hungarian: Pozsonyi kerület) is one of the administrative regions of Slovakia. Its capital is Bratislava. The region was first established in 1923 and its present borders exist from 1996. It is the smallest of the eight regions of Slovakia as well as the most urbanized, most developed and most productive by GDP per capita.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Bratislava, Slovakia.

The Primate's Palace (Slovak: Primaciálny palác) is a neoclassical palace in the Old Town of Bratislava the capital of Slovakia. It was built from 1778 to 1781 for Archbishop József Batthyány, after the design of architect Melchior Hefele. In 1805, the Palace's Hall of Mirrors saw the signing of the fourth Peace of Pressburg, ending the War of the Third Coalition. Today, it serves as the seat of Mayor of Bratislava.

Apponyi Palace is a prominent monument in Bratislava, adjacent to the Old Town Hall. Its address is Radničná 577/1.

The Holy Saviour Church (Slovak: Kostol Najsvätejšieho Spasiteľa, Jezuitský kostol) also called the Jesuit Church, is an originally protestant church from the 17th century on the Franciscan Square in the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia. Today, the church belongs to the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuit Order.

Laurinc Gate (Slovak: Laurinská brána) was a medieval town gate in the historical Old Town of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It was built in the 14th century and demolished by the order of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria in the 18th century together with most of the city walls, because the inner walls were limiting the town's growth. It was named after Saint Lawrence. Unlike the Michael's Gate, the only medieval city gate still standing in Bratislava, Laurinc Gate did not contain a tall tower. Instead, it was a massive square-shaped structure with a long tunnel at the ground floor. There was a water moat in front of it and unlike the sometimes dry moat near Michael's Gate, this one always contained water due to its proximity to the Danube and the presence of the mouth of a stream coming down from the Little Carpathians mountains. Today, a portcullis hanging over Laurinská Street symbolizes the place of the former Laurinc Gate.

Hlavné námestie (literally "Main Square") is one of the most well known squares in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is located in the Old Town and it is often considered to be the center of the city. Some of the main landmarks found in the square are the Old Town Hall and Roland Fountain.

The Roland Fountain (sometimes referred to as Maximilian Fountain; Slovak: Rolandova fontána or Maximiliánova fontána) is the most famous fountain in Bratislava, Slovakia, as well as one of the city's important landmarks. It is located in the Old Town, in the Main Square. Its construction was ordered by Maximilian II, the king of Royal Hungary, in 1572 to provide a public water supply. The fountain is topped by a statue of Maximilian portrayed as a knight in full armour sculpted by master A. Lutringer. Its current appearance is probably far from its original look, since it has been modified and rebuilt several times. However its popularity remains unaltered, still being one of the downtown's favorite meeting points. Many legends are centred on this fountain, mostly featuring Maximilian as the town's protector.

Miestodržiteľský palác (Vice Governor's palace in Bratislava) is an old and historically important building, located in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, in the Main Square, Old Town. It was owned by the city of Bratislava until it was bought by the state in the 18th century for the purpose of housing The Vice Governor's Council. After World War II, the building was used by many institutions, until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Currently, it is owned by The Slovak Republic Government office and serves as one of many buildings used to host special events.

The Slovak National Theater (Slovak: Slovenské národné divadlo, abbr. SND) is the oldest professional theatre in Slovakia, consisting of three ensembles: opera, ballet, and drama. Its history begins shortly after the establishment of the first Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. It is located in the capital, Bratislava. The theatre is currently based in two separate buildings: the historic Neo-Renaissance building at Gorkého 2 (Hviezdoslavovo námestie) and the new SND building in the Old Town, opened on 14 April 2007, at Pribinova 17. Performances take place on most days of the year. The Slovak National Theatre has represented Slovak culture on its numerous tours abroad.

The Franciscan Church (Slovak: Františkánsky kostol or Kostol Zvestovania Pána) is the oldest existing religious (sacral) building in the Old Town of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The church was consecrated in the year 1297 in the presence of King Andrew III of Hungary. In the past, the church building served for larger gatherings of townspeople or Hungarian nobles. In 1526 Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor was elected here to become the King of Hungary. During coronations, kings used to knight nobles as Knights of the Order of the Golden Spur in this church. The building was damaged several times by fire and earthquake and only a small part of its original form is preserved, most notably the presbytery. The adjacent Chapel of Saint John the Evangelist with a crypt, built in the second half of the 14th century is considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the city.