official site for visitors to Bratislava  

Bratislava is one of the wealthiest capital cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Bratislava GDP per capita ranks second highest in the CEE region and better than many Western European cities, such as e.g. Bologna or Bonn. Service sector generates 69 per cent of the Bratislava’s GDP bulk.

In conjunction with the conversion of the ice hockey stadium, the mixed sports area in the traditional locality of Tehelné Pole will also be regenerated, neighbouring with the ice hockey arena, public swimming baths, and national tennis centre.

The conversion of the Ondrej Nepela ice rink stadium is one of the most anticipated and ambitious public infrastructure projects planned for Bratislava at the moment. The old ice rink, which was put into operation over 60 years ago in the well-known Bratislava sports area Tehelné pole, is about to be converted into a modern mixed-use sports arena with a 10,000 seating capacity.

The aim of the Zlaté Piesky recreation area in the north-east section of Bratislava is to create a mixed use area for the city, with the main focus on water sports. Furthermore, there will be possibilities to create natural ice-skating areas that can be used safely in the winter, and a cycling path is proposed around the recreation area, with a jogging path and other activities that can be used all-year round. The area will also be equipped for cultural and artistic events (concerts, theatre), shops, restaurants, gaming, and aqua world (aquarium).

The City of Bratislava is operating in 2010 with a balanced budget of € 277 million). Almost € 80.0 million of this (28 %) is earmarked for investments. More than a tenth of the budget is used for social services, cultural, recreational and leisure projects. A large part of Bratislava’s budget is spent on environmental protection including waste management. In terms of current expenses it is 20 percent.

The Bratislava region accounts for about a quarter of the GDP in Slovakia, even though it is the smallest of all eight official Slovak regions. The regional gross domestic product per capita in the Bratislava region exceeded € 37,700 according to 2009 data. Compared with the rest of Slovakia, the economy of the Bratislava region is almost twice as productive.

Historically, Bratislava has always had a strong density of quality educational institutions. They guarantee the further advancement of top level science and research and also provide the region with a pool of various experts.

Transport in Bratislava is made up of a complex system of all means of transport – by rail, road, air and water. The Slovak capital is a key international transport node in terms of public, freight and passenger transport. The network of thoroughfares has long been founded on a radial-circular system. This arrangement is becoming increasingly important due to the sharp rise in the number of vehicles on the roads. Today Bratislava can without doubt be referred to as a city of automobiles. There are approximately 200,000 cars registered in the city alone, which translates as one car per two Bratislava inhabitants.

The concept for expanding Bratislava city centre to the east, west and south is linked to exploring the development potential of the Danube waterfront for the creation of a new wharf.

The CEPIT science and technology park in the north-east of Bratislava is founded on the idea of linking up education, research and development, and economics. The park area, covering more than 60 hectares, will provide a wide range of functions, complemented by office space, a business incubator, services, accommodation and leisure facilities.

The railway hub of Bratislava is an important hub in the network of Slovak railways. There are 13 railway stations in the city’s boundaries, together with almost 90 km of track, 66 percent of which is electrified.

One of the key goals of the city urban planners in the very near future is to convert the city “by the river” into a city “on the river”. This is why certain amendments have been introduced or proposed in the New Land Use Plan (2007) with respect to urban development and planning.

The Podhradie zone in the central district of Bratislava is part of a city heritage reservation. Thanks to its position, terrain layout and good orientation, the Podhradie is one of the most interesting development localities in Bratislava.

The conversion of this former industrial zone of the city will extend the range of amenities on offer and eradicate the many years of pollution to land and underground waters by oil products, which accumulated here after the bombing of the Apollo refinery in World War II.

Transformation of the estate of the former brewery will concentrate on the establishment of a new urban unit as part of the stabilised structure of the greater city centre.

This zone will see the estate of the former textile factory transformed into a top quality mixed-use and residential area, with the adaptation of some of the original industrial buildings to fulfil entirely new functions. The zone provides excellent access to the city centre, new shopping centres and the business district.

The Slovak capital Bratislava is taking part once more in MIPIM, the international trade fair for property and investment opportunities, from 16 to 19 March 2010 in the French Riviera town of Cannes.

BRATISLAVA has another five-star hotel. On February 24, Sheraton Hotel opened its doors to guests as the first building operating within the new Eurovea centre on the north embankment of the Danube River.

LOCAL preservationists claim that protected land of a pheasantry in Jarovce near Bratislava has been illegally transferred to private hands, said Viera Kimerlingová, a Petržalka local council member at a press conference held by the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH).

Bratislava SHOW:
THE SLOVAK National Theatre in Bratislava will feature a retrospective of world-renowned Slovak mime, tutor, lecturer, director and author Milan Sládek on March 14 in its historical building. The show will offer a ‘best of’ overview of Sládek’s 50 years of professional work from his first attempts at this genre, Slnečnica (Sunflower), through classical French pantomime (Pierot’s Loves) and parody (Chocho San), to biblical stories (Kain a Ábel, Herodes, and others).

March 26th – March 28th 2010 in BRATISLAVA