Chatam Sofer Memorial

Why visit

Rabbi Moshe Schreiber, known as Chatam Sofer, led the Pressburg Yeshiva in the first half of the 19th century and became one of the leading authorities of Orthodox Judaism. Pilgrims still come from around the world to his grave.

The memorial is the only surviving part of an old Jewish cemetery below Castle Hill, most of which was destroyed in the 20th century. The graves were preserved underground, and in a redevelopment completed in the early 2000s architect Martin Kvasnica turned them into a shrine designed in line with Jewish law.

It is a burial shrine, not a museum: a quiet place for respect and reflection.

What to see

• Tomb of Chatam Sofer: the grave of the rabbi at the centre of the compound.
• Graves of the community: 23 graves around his tomb, including those of other rabbis and scholars of Pressburg.
• Restored gravestones: stones with Hebrew inscriptions, restored during the redevelopment.
• Architecture: a contemporary underground space that protects the graves and meets the requirements of halakhah.

Plan your visit

Visits are by appointment only, so contact the Jewish Community of Bratislava a few days ahead. Admission is paid.

Dress modestly: no shorts, men keep their heads covered and women ideally wear a long skirt or trousers with long sleeves. The memorial does not open on the Sabbath or Jewish holidays.

The Danube promenade is right outside and the Old Town is a few minutes’ walk away under the SNP Bridge.