Medieval Harvest Festival (Dožinky) at the Bratislava Castle
Medieval markets full of crafts, games, fragrance and flavours at Bratislava Castle, which will bring you closer to the harvest festival – an ancient celebration associated with the end of the harvest and thanksgiving for the harvest!
On the courtyard of Bratislava Castle on Saturday and Sunday, 13–15 September, from 10:00 to 18:00.
Do you know what “Dožinky” are?
Dožinky, or harvest festivals, were celebrated at the end of summer. They were joyful occasions of gratitude for the harvested crops, combined with wishes and prayers for an abundant harvest in the following year. Traditionally, these festivities included entertainment, food, drink, and music. The main symbols of Dožinky were the harvest wreath or a straw figure made from the last sheaf. At this event, you can learn more about these traditions!
Visitors can look forward to a lively craft yard, where the traditional skills and artistry of our ancestors come to life. You will meet a winemaker, beekeeper, blacksmith, tinsmith, leatherworker, potter, woodturner, coin minter, tailor, and manuscript illuminator.
The atmosphere will be enriched by falconry and archery shows, sweet treats prepared by a traditional wafer-maker, as well as attractions for families with children – including a historical carousel.
The whole day will be filled with scents, tastes, and experiences that will take you back in time, showing you what life, work, and celebration looked like when harvest and crafts were at the heart of everyday culture.
Admission is free!
Don’t miss the exhibitions and displays of the Slovak National Museum – Historical Museum inside Bratislava Castle, open from 10:00 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:00).
