St. Martin’s Cathedral

Why visit

For almost three centuries St. Martin’s Cathedral was where Hungary crowned its kings and queens, among them Maria Theresa. Bratislava was the coronation city of the Kingdom of Hungary at the time.

The cathedral once formed part of the city walls, below the castle. A gilded replica of the Hungarian crown tops the spire, and the church is still the city’s main parish.

What to see

• Main nave: a spacious three-nave Gothic interior; look for the gilded cushion on a pillar that marks where the monarchs knelt.
• St Martin and the beggar: Georg Raphael Donner’s Baroque statue of the saint on horseback, dressed as a Hungarian hussar.
• Chapels: the Chapel of St. Anne and the Baroque Chapel of St. John the Almsgiver.
• Treasury and choir: the sacristy, Canons’ Chapel, treasury and part of the choir are included in the paid tour route.
• South portal: one of the earliest Renaissance details in Slovakia.

Plan your visit

The main nave and the Chapel of St. Anne are free to enter; the sacristy, treasury, Canons’ Chapel and choir are paid, with free entry for children under 15.

Tourist visits stop during Mass, baptisms, weddings and concerts. Guided groups must use a headset system, which can be borrowed at the cathedral.

Allow 30 to 45 minutes. Bratislava Castle is a five-minute walk uphill, and Kapitulská Street runs right behind the cathedral.