Bratislava opens to all
When the city celebrates...
photo: SME - Pavol Funtál
THE BRATISLAVA For Everyone Days will take place throughout the city from April 21 to 23. Organized by the City Council to promote openness and accessibility, residents and tourists alike will be able to shake hands with city officials, including Mayor Andrej Ďurkovský, and enjoy a wide range of activities.
The city's botanical garden and race tracks will get in on the action, as will the Bratislava Zoo, which recently opened a new predator pavillion. The reconstructed Main Square will be the epicenter, though, with the opening of a new water fountain and a handicrafts fair on the courtyard of the Old Town Hall, at which traditional wood, metal, wire, ceramic, glass, and embroideried products will be on sale.
One can choose to learn more about the city's history by going to the grand Primate's Palace, the former seat of the Archbishop of the Hungarian Empire, by touring the Old Town on foot (tours start every hour), or by sightseeing in a historical tram (runs every 90 minutes). Museums and galleries will provide free entry and places usually closed to the public will be open, such as the underground section of St Jacob's Chapel in front of the Old Market on SNP Square on Saturday evening.
The former Pharmacy of Red Cancer, which should re-open as the new Pharmacy Museum soon, will open the entrance room of the 18th-century burgher house on Michalská street with its magnificent late-baroque ceiling painting during the weekend. Antique films playing in the Old Town Hall will take you back to Bratislava as it once was.
Historical sites far from the city centre will also join in the fun. On Saturday, Devín castle will open a new exhibition entitled Found A Long Time Ago and run a programme featuring historical fencing by the Argyll group, a fire show, renaissance folk music band Gailard and an evening concert by baritone Martin Babjak.
Antique Gerulata, the remains of the ancient Roman military camp in Rusovce, on the other side of the Danube, will re-open after the winter season.
Hungarian-Slovak care for monuments
Rákóczi's manor house in Borša was one of the venues of the March 26 centenary celebration of transfering the earl's remains from Turkey to Košice.
photo: SITA
SLOVAK Deputy Culture Minister Ágnes Bíró and her Hungarian counterpart, Lajos Vass, met in Košice on April 3 to clarify the 2003 agreement that shares their countries' responsibility for maintaining cultural and historical sites of common interest.
The agreement's objectives from 2003 included the protection, reconstruction and revitalization of national cultural sites in Slovakia that preserve both nations' identity, Bíró said. This year's objectives call for, among other projects, the restoration of the Reformed Churches in Čečejovce and Veľká Tŕňa, Rákóczi manor house in Borša and the stronghold in Komárno.
Job tender for SND director halted
CULTURE Minister Rudolf Chmel has halted a job tender for the post of director of the Slovak National Theatre (SND) launched by his predecessor, František Tóth.
He made the move after development plans for the SND that had been submitted by the tender participants leaked to the public before a planned hearing before the tender commission.
The minister will announce a new tender by the end of this week, the SITA news agency wrote.
Chmel also promised to do his best to prevent discrimination against applicants who submitted projects in the aborted tender.
The minister is also to change the makeup of the commission to include more opera, drama, and ballet artists as well as public sector managers, decreasing the influence of SND Council members.
Prepared by Jana Liptáková
and Spectator staff
from press reports
