On Saturday, July 25, from 3:00 PM to about 4:10 PM, traffic in the center of Bratislava will be partly limited for public transport. The reason is a happy one: Bratislavské korunovačné dni (Bratislava Coronation Days), a three-day festival with a historical coronation procession, which this year recreates the coronation of Maria Theresa. But if you planned to drive past the Castle at this time, you should reconsider your route.
What Exactly Will Change
According to IDS BK (Integrated Transport System of the Bratislava Region), the restrictions will affect the areas around Bratislava Castle and Kapucínska Street, reports the portal Doprava.org.
- Lines 44 and 47. From about 3:00 PM, traffic will be interrupted for about 10 minutes on the section between the Hrad and Zámocká stops in the direction of Hodžovo námestie.
- Line 9. From about 3:40 PM, it will detour for half an hour, bypassing Kapucínska Street. On the section Poštová – Kráľovské údolie, the tram will run in both directions via Námestie SNP, Jesenského/Šafárikovo námestie, and the embankment. The Kapucínska stop will not be served during this time.
For all questions about traffic, you can call the IDS BK info center at +421 948 102 102 or write to info@idsbk.sk.
Why the Center is Being Closed
The coronation procession starts at 3:30 PM from Bratislava Castle and will follow a historical route to Hlavné námestie. This is the highlight of the festival, which runs from July 24 to 26 and this year is dedicated to Maria Theresa: she was crowned in Bratislava on June 25, 1741.
The tradition itself is much older. After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, when the Turks occupied the traditional coronation cities of Hungary, Bratislava (then Prešporok) became the new coronation city of the kingdom. From 1563 to 1830, 11 kings and 8 royal consorts were crowned in St. Martin's Cathedral here.
In addition to the procession, the festival program includes a knight's tournament on the Tyršovo nábrežie embankment on Friday, performances by falconers, fencers, and musicians, craft workshops, and themed tours. Entrance to most events is free; details of the program can be found on the Visit Bratislava website. The event is organized by the Bratislava Tourist Board together with the BKIS center.
So, if you haven't seen the coronation procession yet, this is a good reason to walk through the old town on Saturday. Just it's better to get to the center on foot, not by tram number nine.
