Собор Святого Мартина St. Martin's Cathedral

Rating 8110

Dominant of the whole Old Town of Bratislava is once the parish, then the university, and later the coronation cathedral of St. Martin. It is located on the modest Rudnaya Square, but is considered one of the main attractions of the city. The spire of its tower, which rises 85 meters, is crowned by a 300-kilogram gilded model of the crown of the Austrian emperors. It was with the original crown of St. Stephen that 18 monarchs were crowned king under the vaults of this Bratislava Cathedral. Coronations took place between 1563 and 1830. From the Dome Cathedral begins the famous royal road, which can be traced even now. All you have to do is follow the prompts in the form of stones with a crown in them.

Prior to the appearance of this church, all Catholic services for the townspeople were held in the church of Bratislava Castle.
This was dangerous for the inhabitants of the castle, so in 1311 the construction of a spacious temple began on a suitable site. The construction of the cathedral took more than a century. It was consecrated only in 1452. Over the following centuries, the temple was rebuilt several times. Now we see it as it stood before the townspeople after the reconstruction of 1877. Adjacent to the Gothic church is a small building in the Baroque style. This is the prayer room of St. John the Merciful, built by the famous architect of Austrian origin Georg Raphael Donner. It preserves the relics of this saint. At the corner of the cathedral is a small narrow building, topped by a sharp dome. This is a medieval toilet built for parishioners in the XV century.

The interior design of the cathedral is magnificent, worthy of kings.
On the main altar is a statue of 1735, created by the same Donner, depicting St. Martin, the patron saint of the cathedral, who shares with the poor part of his cloak. The altar of the Virgin Mary of the XVII century is decorated with statues of saints. The local authority worth 1 million euros was completed in 2010.