The view from the roof of the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava. (source: Courtesy of SNG/Martin Deko)
The Slovak National Gallery (SNG) is preparing to reopen its refurbished main site in Bratislava. After taking over the newly expanded premises from the builder, Hornex-Strabag, on October 27, it launched the reopening approval process with the construction office.
“Minor adjustments, which do not prevent the approval and use of the building, will be completed during the fall,” the SNG wrote in a statement, adding that it has decided not to wait for the interior to be fully equipped and furnished with exhibitions, but instead plans to open individual parts of the premises gradually, thus allowing visitors to have a look around.
After opening the gallery to the public on December 11, permanent exhibitions, a cinema hall, a modern library, a café and a gallery bookstore will gradually be opened over the course of the next year.
The successful completion of the reconstruction, a demanding project with a price tag exceeding €70 million, does not mean only the restoration of the national gallery. Construction work started in early 2016 and has lasted almost seven years.
“It is a historic moment for Slovak culture, the art scene, but also for the capital city itself, in which a completely new public space and a lively place for spending free time on the banks of the Danube will be created,” the SNG wrote in its press release.
