EVERYONE now knows that Villa Rustica lies four kilometres from the confluence of the Danube and Morava Rivers on the Veľká Lúka in Bratislava’s Dúbravka district, near the Slovenské Technické Sklo glass company. The archaeological site which boasts remnants of a Roman spa finally received its own signboard in early September – 18 years after it was declared a national cultural monument, the Pravda daily wrote.
“So far, this monument has escaped the notice of the local government but, thanks to dedicated Bratislavans, we will seek financial resources to take care of it,” said Lucia Balajová, the district’s spokesperson.
Dúbravka Mayor Ján Sandtner officially unveiled the signboard entitled Archaeological Excavation Veľká Lúka, but it owes its existence to a pair of nature lovers, Andrej Popovič and Dagmar Pavolovičová. Popovič, who comes from the Bratislava district of Petržalka, has been guiding locals through the undiscovered corners of western Slovakia for years. A year ago, he told Pravda: “One doesn’t have to travel far to see natural beauty. We have it right under our nose, but we often do not know about it.”
Villa Rustica, dating back to the third century A.D., is definitely “under our nose”. Encircled by the forests of Devínska Kobyla, it is just a ten-minute walk from the nearby public transport stop, yet it is not visited by many tourists. Until now, a rusty, almost illegible sign gave directions only to the Saratov department store in the centre of Dúbravka, which can be reached within 40 minutes via a back road. Dúbravka has three national cultural monuments altogether. As well as Villa Rustica, there is the Chapel of Virgin Mary of Rosary on Brižidská Street, and the Church of St. Cosmo and Damian on Strmé sady Street.
The next concern is whether this unique site will be threatened by the extensive construction of apartments that is planned in the vicinity. The slogan for the construction is: “Villa Rustica – living in the heart of nature.”
