The re-enactment of the coronation procession of Maximilian II, June 24, 2018, Bratislava (source: TASR)
The Bratislava Coronation Days, opened in the Slovak capital on June 22 and lasting for one week, commemorate the famous royal past of Bratislava – variously called Pressburg, Pozsony and Prešporok in each of the languages that were spoken here.
The event opened with a concert in the Main Square and a new element to this year's festivities was a children’s coronation procession. The Frankovka wine festival, at which it was possible to taste wines from Bratislavan wine-growers and wine-makers, was also included in the plentiful events of the June 22-24 weekend.
Considered the most important day of the whole week, June 24 was focused on the coronation procession of the Habsburg monarch Maximilian II, a commemoration of the first coronation that took place in Bratislava. The procession led from Bratislava Castle to the Main Square. Later, a Royal Knights Tournament was held on the Tyršovo Embankment and a Coronation Concert took place at Saint Martin’s Cathedral.
More events at the weekend and later
As an accompanying event, a conference entitled Bratislava Coronations in the Context of Europe is being held at the Primate’s Palace on June 25.
The Coronation Festivities, organised by NGO Coronation Bratislava, are taking place in Bratislava between June 21 and 28. Its events are mainly being held on Hviezdoslavovo Square.
The main programme on June 23 included the coronation procession setting out from Bratislava Castle to the Vienna Gate and the coronation ceremony held in the Holy Saviour Church – i.e. the Jesuit Church – on Franciscan Square. A coronation fair took place on Hviezdoslavovo Square throughout the weekend, as well.
Bratislava (then called Pressburg) became the capital of Hungary after Budapest was taken over by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. Eleven Hungarian monarchs were crowned in St. Martin’s Cathedral between 1535-1830, the TASR newswire wrote.
