The Primate's Palace in Bratislava: Peace of Pressburg and tapestries
The Primate's Palace (Primaciálny palác) is a neoclassical palace on Primate's Square in the Old Town of Bratislava. It was built in 1778 to 1781 for Archbishop József Batthyány, Primate of Hungary. Its Hall of Mirrors witnessed the Peace of Pressburg in 1805, and today the building houses the mayor's office and part of the City Gallery.
In a Bratislava palace, a mirrored hall saw the end of a European war in 1805, and in 1903 builders found six forgotten English tapestries hidden behind a wall.
The history of the Primate's Palace
The site was part of the heart of medieval Bratislava, called Pressburg or Pozsony at the time. An episcopal house of the Archbishops of Esztergom stood here, with a chapel dedicated to St Ladislaus, and the house is mentioned in documents in the 14th century. After the Battle of Mohács in 1526 and the Ottoman occupation of much of the kingdom, Pressburg became the coronation city and the seat of the Diet, and the Primate of Hungary settled here. The residence was rebuilt in Renaissance style in those years, and later archbishops, from Péter Pázmány onwards, kept improving it. In 1691 Archbishop György Széchényi added a floor, and in the 1720s Archbishop Imre Esterházy gave it a Baroque appearance.
The palace as it stands today is the work of Archbishop József Batthyány, Primate of Hungary, who decided in the 1770s to build a residence worthy of his rank. He commissioned the Viennese court architect Melchior Hefele in 1774. The old archbishop's house was demolished, the design was approved in 1778 and the new palace, with an inner courtyard and a grand facade facing the square, was completed in 1781. The statues on the attic represent virtues, a cardinal's hat weighing about 150 kilograms crowns the pediment, and the Latin motto of the archbishop is carried by two putti above the central window.
The most famous moment in its history came on 26 December 1805, when the Peace of Pressburg was signed in the Hall of Mirrors by Johann I Josef of Liechtenstein, Ignácz Gyulay and Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand after the Battle of Austerlitz. The treaty ended the War of the Third Coalition, and its consequences led to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 19th century the palace also served the Hungarian Diet: here István Széchenyi offered a year's income to found the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and in April 1848 Ferdinand V signed the April Laws creating the first responsible Hungarian government.
The archbishops returned to Esztergom, the first in 1820, and the empty palace was rented out and housed, among others, a teachers' institute and officers' and industrial schools. In 1903 the city of Bratislava bought the palace. During the reconstruction that followed, workers found six unknown tapestries behind a wall, telling the story of Hero and Leander. Woven in the 1630s at the Mortlake works near London, they became the palace's greatest treasure. Between the wars the Hall of Mirrors hosted literary evenings, and Thomas Mann was among the speakers. The palace was a temporary seat of the President of Slovakia until 1996 and now houses the mayor of Bratislava and exhibition rooms of the City Gallery.
Curiosities about the Primate's Palace
- Six tapestries telling the tragic love story of Hero and Leander were discovered behind a wall during the reconstruction of 1903. They had been woven in the 1630s at the Mortlake Tapestry Works near London.
- The cardinal's hat on top of the pediment weighs about 150 kilograms.
- A memorial plaque on the palace recalls the brief visit of the scholar Paracelsus to Bratislava in 1537.
- A horizontal line on the wall marks the level of the flooded Danube on 5 February 1850.
- The courtyard fountain of St George and the Dragon came from the ornamental garden of Archbishop Ferenc Forgách, and the Baroque statue group is read as a symbol of the Catholic Church's struggle against the Reformation.
- In the 20th century the palace also saw dark chapters of history: on 3 August 1968 a declaration by six communist parties was signed here, and invasion of Czechoslovakia followed 18 days later.
Tours near Primate's Palace
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Primate's Palace
- The palace stands on Primate's Square in the heart of the Old Town, close to the Old Town Hall, and is easy to combine with a walk through the historic centre.
- The highlight is the Hall of Mirrors, now used for meetings of the city council, with mirrors on its walls. A grand staircase leads up from a three-bay entrance hall.
- The exhibitions of the City Gallery include the English tapestries of the Hero and Leander cycle, paintings, furniture and objects from the 18th and 19th centuries.
- The inner courtyard contains the fountain of St George and the Dragon, and on the right-hand side is the chapel of St Ladislaus. Check the current opening hours before you go, as parts of the building are used by the city administration.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Primate's Palace is
Photos of Primate's Palace
Questions
Where is the Primate's Palace in Bratislava?
The Primate's Palace stands on Primate's Square in the centre of the Old Town of Bratislava, next to the Old Town Hall. It is easy to reach on foot from other sights of the historic centre.
What happened in the Hall of Mirrors in 1805?
On 26 December 1805 the fourth Peace of Pressburg was signed here after the Battle of Austerlitz. It ended the War of the Third Coalition between Napoleon's France and Austria.
Who built the Primate's Palace?
It was built in 1778 to 1781 for Archbishop József Batthyány, Primate of Hungary, to the design of the architect Melchior Hefele.
What are the tapestries in the Primate's Palace?
They are six English tapestries from the 1630s telling the story of Hero and Leander, woven at the Mortlake works. They were found behind a wall during the 1903 reconstruction.
What is the palace used for today?
The palace is the seat of the mayor of Bratislava, and parts of it serve as exhibition rooms of the City Gallery. The Hall of Mirrors is used for meetings of the city council.
Why is it called the Primate's Palace?
It was built as the residence of the Archbishop of Esztergom, who held the title of Primate of Hungary. The archbishops lived in Pressburg for centuries after the Ottoman conquests.
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