Thu
08.Aug.2013
Bratislava, Slovakia
Once again, words and pictures from the geographical center of Europe. It is
true - Slovakia is as literally central European as it gets.
Slovakia is also my home away from home for a mere week and a half more, for
this season at least. Personally, I hope the hot Summer holds out that long.
I get the impression that most of my local aquaintances would love to see
the highs drop below 30°C. I'll find a way to be happy for them if it goes
that way.
Dúbravka
It says right here:
Thorin.
Boss.
The village of Dúbravka was annexed in 1946, and became a borough
of Bratislava.
I don't know what years these vast apartment blocks went up, but they
dominate the scene now. Miles of them.
This district must have been oppressively ugly when it was bare concrete.
Thank goodness for pastel paint!
Devín
A more historic outer borough, that has been left as a village, with the
ruins of its castle that once commanded the confluence of the Morava
and Danube rivers.
There is some trivial entrance fee to the castle grounds. Two or three euro,
something like that. I paid it with no regrets, and strolled on in.
I don't know what this tiny patch of woods is for but it made for a
picturesque walk from an outer wall above the Danube to the main keep on
the hill top.
Across the Danube lies Austria. Across the Morava too, for that matter. The
Iron Curtain was rather visibly defined at this point.
I chose this photo for it's extreme ordinariness. This could be almost any
village in Europe. I almost never show this sort of scene, and it is so
representative I felt it only right. For the record, this is Devín
village as seen from its castle.
Strictly speaking, the whole village, castle and all, is within the
Bratislava city limits now, but the most visible sign of that to a visitor
is the city bus line into town, and another out to the Volkswagen plant in
another outer borough.
OK, back in the ruined castle. Picturesque place, isn't it?
Saints Methodius and Cyril spent many years at this castle during their
mission to teach the gospel to the slavs. There are some details in an
exhibit in one of the castle rooms. I don't remember them, but if you
google "methodius devín" you will find at least enough to satisfy your
curiosity.
An actual memorial to the Iron Curtain, or to the 400 people shot dead
trying to cross it. Their names are inscribed on the inside of this ugly
cubist arch, at the foot of the castle hill, by the mouth of the Morava
river where it flows into the Danube.
At this point, the Morava is the border with Austria. Upstream, it becomes
the border with Czech Republic. One busy regional river.
You recognized it! This last picture is Bratislava Castle. we are back in
the city proper.