Bratislava Scenes, 1

We didn't start out counting countries we'd visited, but at some point the question arose, and since then we've been more attentive to the matter and more willing to go just a little out of the way to add another notch to our walking sticks. Thus, Slovakia. But in the case of Slovakia, there's more since, at one time I (ignorantly) thought we'd been there, and made representations accordingly on the website, and a friendly Slovakian reader called me on it. Since then we have been sure to get to Slovakia at the next opportunity. Bratislava, the capital, is only 30-some miles from Vienna, so this was our chance.

Slovakia? you ask. Isn't that part of Czechoslovakia? Long story short is that Czechoslovakia came into being only after WWI, somehow survived Hitler and the Russians, emerging in the Velvet Revolution of 1989. In 1993, there was the Velvet Divorce, when the Czech Republic and Slovakia, for a variety of reasons, ethnic and economic, amicably parted ways. Thus Slovakia. And its capital Bratislava, which also served as Hungary's capital when the Ottoman Turks were occupying most of the rest of Hungary, centuries ago, including the regular capital, Budapest. It's even more complicated than that, but the bottom line is: we had to go there. And did.

Our visit to Bratislava was a day trip from Vienna, taking the Flixbus both ways and letting Rickie Stevie be our guide. The old part of Bratislava--a city of half a million--is really only a few blocks, plus the castle and some other outliers. Pressburg, the Hapsburgs called it. Most of contemporary Bratislava consists of the huge sprawling apartment blocks favored by communist regimes throughout eastern Europe. Fortunately, they're off in the distance across the river. The commies had no use for the Old Town and let it go to seed. Enough Bratislavans now see it as a heritage site and an economic opportunity and have done much to bring it back.

Anyhow, I'll do posts on Old Town scenes, the cathedral, the castle, the Blue Church, and the usual out-takes. It was a very busy and productive day.

I love leaving the driving to them

Major Bratislava landmark, the restaurant on the major tower of
the bridge over the Danube; communist-era innovation, now pretty much
despised, we read

Excellent signage

Part of New Bratislava we did not visit

The cathedral (later post) and an extensive exhibit
on the synagogue that once stood here: removed not
by bombs or artillery or fire but by the need to build
an off-ramp from the bridge; in 1969

Street scene; note British embassy on left; there are embassies
and consulates all over the old town

Older building of interest

Most of the old town streets have been pedestrianized

Dragons are big here

So are caryatids, atlantines, etc.

St. Michael's Gate and Tower, under renovation
to take it back to its Baroque splendor

Busker good enough to merit a few of Vicki's coins;
I only give to oboists

Marker at St. Michael's Gate, ground zero Slovakia...

Napoleon besieged Bratislava (Pressburg) in 1809 and left a number
of cannonballs, a few of which are still stuck where they landed; 
this above a cafe where we had some of the best hot chocolate ever...

Pavement in much of old town; the commies had no use for the
old town and sold much of its old cobblestone paving to (West)
Germany, which was trying to rebuild its ancient towns and cities
after the war

Historic resto renovated to its 18th century glory

We prefer fin de siecle or 20th century glory

Alas, its three Atlantines are identical! Shame!

Statue and fountain in main square...certain
details will appear in the out-takes

Another cannonball; BTW, Napoleon won the
siege

And another embassy

Statue of the "Schoener"--a resident who
for years would accost young ladies he 
fancied with the word "Schoen" (pretty);
imagine getting a statue just for being a 
dirty old man

Fuhrgassl-Huber Heuriger

Our acquaintance with Fuhrgassl-Huber began in 2010, driving into a street fair in Neustift am Walde en route to Camping Wien. We found the campground, eventually, and a few nights later found ourselves back in Neustift am Walde, enjoying the street fair this time, and looking for a heuriger experience. An heuriger is a vineyard that sells its wine direct, with simple, hearty dishes, mostly outside. A couple centuries ago the emperor decreed there'd be no taxes on new wine, and that's how the heurigens came to be. It's been a Viennese tradition since then. At the street fair, Fuhrgassl-Huber seemed the most inviting of the several options, although the whole town was rollicking crowded that night. We shared a table with four lasses from Poland, as I recall. It took us a while to figure out the food had to be gotten directly from the buffet, that nobody was going to come for our order. The wine was a little easier to obtain. It came in pitchers and mugs. We took Rebecca, Jeremy, and Penelope to Fuhrgassl-Huber again in 2012. It's 2022, and the place is completely unchanged, except now there's a streamlined menu you can order off, in addition to the buffet. Our 2010 visit is recounted here.

Open for business

Proclamation about new wine and taxes; I think

Buffet area; not self serve; "100 grams of potato salad, please"
"100 Gramm Kartoffelsalat, bitte"

View from upper dining area (picnic tables)

Autumn in the vineyard

Best schnitzel ever for me, and more than I could eat; even the salad
was memorable with its garlic vinaigrette; the Sturm--very new wine,
just after fermentation--was memorable for its cloudy appearance and
residue; I think I'll go with something a bit more, um, mature, or at
least filtered, next time

Vicki's steak in brown sauce with onions and frites; I think she'll
go with the schnitzel next time

Exiting toward the U-shaped building, which houses the kitchens,
etc., with covered seating for inclement weather; F-H is said to
be Vienna's largest heuriger, seating for 1000+; we'll be back...

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Not one of our favorites and perhaps not even in Europe's top 100 (ask Sir Simon), but an obligatory stop if you're visiting Vienna. It's a late entry as a Gothic, never completely finished before Gothic went out of style, and also on the smallish side. No galleries, triforia, nor clerestory. Much of it was built as a parish church before Vienna became the capital of both state and empire. Still, you have to go.

Drone view; its most famous feature is its
tile roof; the interesting part of said roof covers
the chancel, behind the south tower, and, due
to the hemmed-in nature of the building and the
steep pitch of the roof, it is seldom seen

Nave view; Gothic architecture, Baroque interior

The organ is from 1906, but is broken and apparently can't be
fixed; it may be holding up that end of the church and so can't
be moved

North aisle

South

Carving throughout the church

One of the relics, the Maria Potsch, of Hungarian provenance,
safeguarded to Vienna from the advancing Ottoman hordes...said
to have cried real tears...

Ever popular St. Sebastian, patron saint of archery

Anton Pilgram, Czech sculptor who maybe did the impressive pulpit;
yes, but why would a sculptor be holding a T-square? A Cubist
sculptor? No, this guy, whoever he was, was an architect...

Crowning of Mary triptych, the Neustadter Altar

Looking astern to the defunct organ

Leading to the pulpit

Featuring four of the church doctors, in various moody poses,
Jerome, Gregory, Augustine, and Ambrose

Helpful model outside

The great south tower; the north one was never
finished; Gothic went out of style

South-side of the nave tile roofing; the pitch is so steep that rain
cleans it thoroughly and snow won't stick to it

Historical displays outside; the church was pretty
much unscathed until the Red Army was entering
the city in 1945; then looters caused fires in nearby
shops, which spread to the church; the roof came
tumbling down; but much was saved, and the whole
thing functional again by the early 50s

Many interesting gargoyles

But no funny faces

Outside pulpit for really big crowds; note the skewered
Turk...

On the north side of the church is the parking and washing 
stand for the city's touring carriages; holy horse shit, Batman!

Advertising helps support the mission of the church

The west end and its two towers are the oldest parts...Romanesque

Including bits and pieces from the Roman temple that presumably
once stood on the site

"Don't try, Wilbur...it's bigger than both of us!"