Discover Bratislava’s most important religious landmark and the coronation site of 18 members of the Habsburg dynasty as kings and queens of Hungary. During the tour, you will learn how the coronations took place and discover the stories behind some of the cathedral’s most important works of art, from the statue of St Martin on the main altar and the Pietà to works by Georg Raphael Donner. You will also visit the crypt and treasury and climb up to the choir loft, which houses a historic organ.
How to Book a Guided Tour
To book a guided tour, email us at guides@visitbratislava.com.
For over 250 years, Bratislava served as the coronation city of the Kingdom of Hungary. During the tour, you will discover locations that were an integral part of the coronation procession, learn how the coronation of a Hungarian monarch took place, and understand what these grand festivities meant for Bratislava and its inhabitants.
How to Book a Guided Tour
To book a guided tour, email us at guides@visitbratislava.com.
What to expect
A guided walking tour with Bratislava Guide along the coronation route. For almost three centuries, Bratislava – then Pressburg or Pozsony – was the coronation city of the Kingdom of Hungary, and its kings and queens were crowned in St. Martin’s Cathedral.
The tour follows the processions from the castle down into the Old Town and explains why the city once played such a big role in Central Europe.
Route & highlights
- Bratislava Castle, where the coronation story begins
- the coronation route through the Old Town
- St. Martin’s Cathedral, the coronation church, with a gilded replica of the Hungarian royal crown on top of its tower
- the Franciscan Church
- the Danube riverside, where the newly crowned monarch swore the oath to the land
Before you go
The tour goes downhill from the castle on cobbled streets, so wear comfortable shoes. Look down as you walk: small brass crown markers in the pavement show the coronation route, so you can follow it again on your own. The meeting point, date and any specific access needs are arranged with the organiser.