Eastern & Central Europe Travel Guide

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
eastern and
central europe
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
EASTERN AND
CENTRAL EUROPE
Managing Editor Aruna Ghose
Senior Editorial Manager Savitha Kumar
Senior Design Manager Priyanka Thakur
Project Editor Arundhti Bhanot
Project Designer Mathew Kurien
Editors Jyoti Kumari, Parvati M. Krishnan, Jayashree Menon, Beverly Smart
Designers Kaberi Hazarika, Rajnish Kashyap, Saroj Patel, Neha Sethi
Senior Cartographic Manager Uma Bhattacharya
Senior Cartographer and Assistant Manager Suresh Kumar Forested hills, Western Tatras, Slovakia
Cartographer Mohammad Hassan
DTP Designers Rakesh Pal, Azeem Siddiqui
Senior Picture Research Coordinator Taiyaba Khatoon Contents
Main Contributors
Jonathan Bousfield, Matthew Willis How to Use This Guide 6
Main Photographer
Jonathan Smith
Visiting Eastern
Illustrators
Chinglemba Chingtham, Surat Kumar Mantoo, Arun Pottirayil, T. Gautam Trivedi
and Central
Europe
Printed and bound in China
First American Edition, 2010 Putting Eastern and
15 16 17 18 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Central Europe on
Published in the United States by Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc.,
the Map 14
345 Hudson Street, New York 10014
Reprinted with revisions 2012, 2015 Practical & Travel

Copyright © 2010, 2015 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London Information 16
A Penguin Random House Company
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright Eastern and
reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form,
Central Europe
or by any means (electronic, mechancial, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright
at a Glance
owner and the above publisher of this book.
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Landscapes 26
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISSN 1542-1554
Great Capitals 28
ISBN 978-1-46542-704-5
Historic Cities 30
The information in this

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at
the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers,
opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are
liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences
arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third party websites, and
cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source of
travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly.
Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley,
80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL, or email: [email protected].
Stained-glass window at the State
Front cover main image: View of Kotor along the St Giovanni trail, Montenegro Jewish Museum, Vilnius
Classic red-tiled rooftops in the Old Town, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Central Eastern
Europe
Poland 170
Czech Republic
222
Embroidered hood of Bishop Trzebicki’s
Slovakia 286 cope, Cathedral Museum, Krakow
Hungary 320 Serbia 520

Vienna 380 Romania 542
Castles and Fortresses 32
South Eastern Bulgaria 574
Jewish Culture 34 Europe
General Index
The History of Slovenia 396 612
Eastern and Central
Europe 36 Croatia 430 Acknowledgments
638
Bosnia and Herzegovina
North Eastern 484 Rail Map of Eastern and
Europe Central Europe
Montenegro 502 Inside Back Cover
Lithuania 46
Latvia 74
Estonia 98
Moscow and
St Petersburg 122
View of Drava riverfront, Maribor, Slovenia
Trakai Island Castle,

Lithuania (see pp60–61)
Russian coat of arms,

Peter and Paul Fortress,
St Petersburg
6 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This travel guide helps you to get the most five and seven countries each. Chapters
from your visit to Eastern and Central start with a historical portrait and a map of
Europe, providing detailed practical the region. The main sightseeing section
information and expert recommendations. then follows, with maps of the main cities.
Eastern and Central Europe at a Glance For each country there are sections on
gives an overview of some of the main practical and travel information, shopping
attractions and a brief history. There are and entertainment, followed by listings of
three sightseeing chapters, covering four, recommended hotels and restaurants.
A locator map shows where the region lies in

Eastern and Central relation to the countries around it.
Europe Map
394 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE INTRODUCING SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE 395
The coloured map on the inside front South Eastern Europe at a Glance Peleş Castle (see pp558–9) is
nestled in the Transylvanian Alps.
cover indicates the 14 country and

Its fairy tale spires and turrets
One of the most diverse areas of the European continent, reflect the romantic tastes of its
South Eastern Europe is where the cultural traditions of high-living first resident, German-
Central Europe, the Mediterranean and the Balkans come born King Carol I of Romania.
together. So it is not uncommon to see Catholic churches,
3 city chapters in this guide. Orthodox monasteries and Muslim holy sites in the same
region. The region’s island-scattered Adriatic coast and the
golden-hued sands of Romania and Bulgaria offer ample
SOUTH
EASTERN
EUROPE
opportunities to relax on the beach. Inland, rugged

mountain regions, rich in wildflowers and woodland,
provide the perfect backdrop for exhilarating hikes. 0 km 100
0 miles 100
Mount Triglav (see pp418–19),
the highest peak in Slovenia, stands at
the heart of a national park filled with
jagged summits, evergreen woodland
and glacier-carved lakes. Suceava
Satu Mare
1 At a Glance
Iaşi
Oradea
Târgu
Maribor Cluj-Napoca Mureş
The map here highlights Ljubljana

SLOVENIA
(see pp396–429)
Zagreb
Virovitica
Arad
Deva
ROMANIA
(see pp542–573)
Braşov
Bârlad
Galaţi
the most interesting cities,

Rijeka Karlovac Osijek
Novi Sad Buzău
Târgu Jiu
BOSNIA AND Belgrade Piteşti
CROATIA HERZEGOVINA
towns and sights in the countries Zagreb (see pp466–73), capital of Croatia
(see pp430–483)
Zadar
(see pp484–501)
Jajce
Sarajevo
Zvornik
Požarevac
SERBIA
(see pp520–541)
Craiova
Bucharest
Constanţa
covered by each of the guide’s and an important regional cultural centre, Calafat Ruse
Užice Paraćin
boasts a fine collection of museums and Split Jablanica
Pleven
galleries and a year-round supply of Niš Montana Sofia (see pp578–85), capital of
Varna
top-quality music and theatre. MONTENEGRO Bulgaria, is rich in Roman
Veliko Tûrnovo
three sections, such as South Jajce (see pp494–5), the Dubrovnik

(see pp502–519) Grdelica
Sofia
BULGARIA
(see pp574–611) Burgas
remains, medieval treasures
and Orthodox churches. The
cavernous Neo-Byzantine
Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial
medieval Bosnian capital, is a Podgorica
Eastern Europe. picturesque hilltop town famous

for its thundering waterfall and
water-powered mills.
Kyustendil Plovdiv Haskovo
Church serves as the city’s
graceful centrepiece.
Belgrade (see pp524–31),

the Serbian capital,
centres on the sprawling
Kalemegdan Fortress,
overlooking the Danube
river. With its crumbling
bastions built by former
conquerors, it is now a
tranquil park laced with
flowerbeds and tree-
CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE 287
Ostrog Monastery (see pp512–13), one of shaded promenades.
the highlights of Montenegro, is a popular
pilgrimage site. Its painted rock churches
SLOVAKIA are among the most beautiful religious

buildings in the Balkans.
Aerial view of the popular town, Cavtat, near Dubrovnik, Croatia
A province of the kingdom of Hungary for nine centuries and part of
Czechoslovakia for 70 years, Slovakia has had a tumultuous past. It gained
independence in 1993 and is now one of Europe’s youngest countries. With
diverse topography, beautifully preserved architecture and rich folk culture,
the country holds a great appeal for visitors.
Landlocked at the heart of Central at the head of an alliance of Franks

Europe, Slovakia combines a dynamic
economy with a wealth of natural
assets – mountains, lakes, unspoilt
and Moravians. This cleared the way
for the establishment of two Slavic
principalities, out of which grew
Each country chapter has
valleys and spectacular ice caves.
Beautiful churches ranging from
the Romanesque to Art Nouveau,
the Great Moravian Empire. By 885,
this incorporated parts of present-day
Slovakia, Germany and Poland, as
colour-coded thumb tabs.
are a feature of its towns and cities, well as Bohemia and Moravia. The
while numerous castles and ruined Moravian Empire was destroyed
fortresses stand testimony to the in the 9th century by the invading
region’s turbulent history. Slovakia, Magyars, who took control of the
nevertheless, remains a relatively
little-known country, with few visitors.
History
During the 5th and 6th centuries the
Slavs arrived in the Danube Lowlands,
but they were later conquered by the
Danube Lowlands, including much
of modern-day Slovakia. From this
period the Czechs and Slovaks were
exposed to different cultural and
political influences. In 1025, the Slovak
Lands became part of the kingdom
of Hungary. The turning point in
2 Country Introduction
This section gives the reader an
insight into the country’s history,
nomadic Avars. In 795 the Avars were Slovakia’s history came with the Battle
beaten by Charlemagne (r. 742–814), of Mohács (1526), when the invading
geography and culture. A chart lists
the key dates and events in the
country’s history.
486 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 487
that triggered World War I. Bosnia

A vintage tourist bus in Bratislava’s Old Town
and Herzegovina joined the newly
Exploring Bosnia
The romantic turreted Bojnice Castle, one of Slovakia’s greatest attractions
formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Herzegovina
and Slovenes in 1918. During World Bosnia and Herzegovina has a wealth of fascinating
War II, the Nazis established a puppet towns to explore as well as stunning natural beauty. The
state in Croatia which grew to include capital, Sarajevo, is one of Europe’s most lively cities, yet
Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the retains an old-world charm. To the south lies Mostar,
war, the country was reintegrated into with its atmospheric medieval centre, while to the
Yugoslavia, and enjoyed a peaceful and northwest Jajce enjoys a picturesque location above
prosperous period. As the Yugoslav two waterfalls. The country’s rail network is poorly con-
nected, but its roads are in reasonably good condition.
regime slowly collapsed throughout
Although most towns are served by buses, car hire
1990–91, Bosnia and Herzegovina voted
provides greater flexibility.
for independence, but despite interna-
Sights at a Glance tional recognition it soon fell prey
to inter-ethnic violence. The republic’s
Sights at a Glance
1 Sarajevo pp488–93 4 Bihać The well-preserved medieval fortress
lists the numbered Depiction of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand

and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, at Sarajevo
largest ethnic group, the Bosnian
Muslims, were challenged by ethnic
2 Travnik
3 Jajce
5 Mostar pp496–7
6 Međugorje
dominating the town of Travnik
Serbs and later Croats who did not

sights in the chapter. as loyal Habsburg subjects. However,
this attempt at homogeneity was
want to become part of an independent
Bosnian state. The Bosnian Croats Bosanska
Dubica
Bosanska
Gradiška
Bosanski
Brod
CROATIA
a
Šturlić Orašje
n
as
Bos
16
resisted by nationalists seeking claimed an area of the country for 4 Derventa

Vrb
Prijedor 17
a
Modriča
independence from Austria, and led themselves, while the Bosnian Serbs
Un
Omarska Brčko
Laktaši
Bihać Kotorsko
Bijeljina
the radical Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip created Republika Srpska (the Serb 5 Sanski Most
Banja Luka
15 Gračanica Srebrenik
to assassinate the Austro-Hungarian Republic) within the borders of Bosnia Kulen Bosanski Kotor Varoš
Spr
eč 4 Janja
Sa
Vakuf Petrovac 5 Lukavac

n
heir Franz Ferdinand and his wife in and Herzegovina. The army of the
16
a
a
Vr
17
Un Bočac b
ac Ključ Tuzla
an
14-2
Sarajevo in 1914. It was this event Republika Srpska, and, to a lesser 4

ja
Žepče Živinice
Mrkonjić
extent, the Croatian army, carried Drvar Grad Jajce Zvornik
18
a Travnik
v
KEY DATES IN THE BOSNIA AND

Pli
out ethnic cleansing in the form of Bosansko

Babanovac Kladanj Bratunac
HERZEGOVINA HISTORY Grahovo Zenica
mass exterminations and deportations.
15
Donji Vakuf Vlasenica

Vitez
Vrb
In 1995, the Dayton Agreement

19
AD 445 The region is conquered by Ostrogoths Glamoč

as
Kupres
16
brought an end to the conflict by

A1
1189 Signing of the Kulin Ban Charter Vogošća

-2
6-
Podromanlja SERBIA
1
Gornji Vakuf
trade agreement between Bosnia SARAJEVO
creating a single Bosnian state made
16
Key Livno Prozor Pale Rogatica

and Dubrovnik
17
up of two entities, a Muslim-Croat Tomislavgrad Hrasnica Višegrad
3
Motorway
Country Map 1377 Bosnia becomes a kingdom under

federation holding 51 per cent Buško Jablanica
18
20 Goražde
King Tvrtko I Major road Jezero Konjic a
17
Foča rin
of the country and a Serb republic Ne
D
1463 The Ottomans conquer Bosnia Railway Posušje

ret
and Herzegovina holding the remaining 49 per cent.

va
Tjentište
For easy reference, sights in

Tara
International border
1908 Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia Despite sharing a common Mostar
Međugorje 6-1
and Herzegovina
government, Bosnia’s ethnic
17
1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated, Gacko

groups still cooperate poorly. Stolac
each country are numbered sparking World War I

Caplijina MONTENEGRO
20
1918 Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes part of the Neum

kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Language and Culture Tre Bileća
8 biš
nji
There are three official languages ca
and plotted on a map. The

1945 Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes part of a new
federal Yugoslavia spoken in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Trebinje
1990 Collapse of Yugoslav regime Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. Adriatic
1992 Bosnia and Herzegovina is recognized as an With a multi-ethnic composition, Sea
black bullet numbers indicate independent country

1995 Dayton peace accord signed by Croatia, Serbia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
the country’s cultural heritage is
diverse. Orthodox Christianity and 0 kilometres 50
the order in which the sights 2006 Constitutional amendment for EU integration
rejected in Parliament
Islam have combined with Austro-
Hungarian and Catholic traditions
to create a unique culture. Church of St James in the central square at Međugorje
0 miles 50
are covered in the chapter. For keys to symbols see back flap
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE 7
4 Street-by-Street Map
This gives a bird’s-eye
view of interesting and
402 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE
Street-by-Street: Ljubljana
Old Town
Located between the medieval castle and the leafy
A funicular railway from Krekov
Square transports visitors to the
wooded Castle Hill.
LJUBLJANA 403
banks of the Ljubljanica river, Ljubljana’s Old Town
important parts of each contains one of the best-preserved ensembles of

Baroque buildings in South Eastern Europe. Arcaded
18th-century houses, domed churches and fountain-
sightseeing area. studded piazzas add to its elegant character. Narrow

cobbled alleys such as Stari trg and Mestni trg, lined
these days with swanky cafés and upmarket shops,
3 . Market
Ljubljana’s lively outdoor market is known
for its fresh herbs and dried mushrooms
provide a vibrant introduction to the Slovene capital. alongside every kind of local produce.
1 . Ljubljana Castle
Perched high above the Old Town, the castle’s
clock tower provides a great view of the city
with the Karavanke Mountains in the distance.
VO
The Town Hall, a Renaissance
D
Statue of
N
building dating from 1719, has
IK
Valentin an attractive courtyard.
O
A suggested route takes in some
V
Vodnik
SQ
U
A
R
E
A
of the area’s most fascinating and
D
A
M
IČ
L
U
attractive streets. N
D
R
O
V
O
N
A
B
2 St Nicholas’s Cathedral
R MESTN
E I TRG
Ž
The cathedral’s bronze doors, JE
decorated with scenes from The Market
the history of Christianity in Colonnade, an
Slovenia, were created in 1996 elongated pavilion
to commemorate the visit of built by architect
Pope John Paul II to Ljubljana. Jože Plečnik in 1939,
houses food shops JE
and a fish market. EŽ
BR
A
N Fountain of the Three Rivers
The Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) was VO of Carniola
JE
Key designed for pedestrians by Jože AR Completed in 1751, Francesco Robba’s
NK
Plečnik in 1932 as part of the reno- CA Fountain of the Three Rivers symbolizes
Suggested route vation of the riverbank area. the three main rivers of Slovenia.
552 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE BUCHAREST 553 G

R
RNOV T
9 Royal Palace medieval religious objects
ŠE
E
and National collected during the PR
couple’s travels. Franciscan Church of
Art Museum
ČOPOVA
the Annunciation
Palatul Regal şi Muzeul Ljubljana’s most attractive
Naţional de Arta w Museum of the Baroque church, with a
0 metres
Calea Victoriei 49–53. Map D3. Romanian Peasant single nave and two rows 50
Tel (021) 313 3030. @ 178. Open Muzeul Ţăranului Roman of lateral chapels, con- 0 yards 50
ULIC
May–Sep: 11am–7pm Wed–Sun; Oct– tains a splendid 18th-
Apr: 10am–6pm Wed–Sun. & 8 = Str Şoseaua Kiseleff 3. Map C1. century altar by Italian The Prešeren Statue,
∑ mnar.arts.ro Tel (021) 317 9661. @ 300. sculptor Francesco one of Ljubljana’s best-known
A
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & Robba, richly adorned landmarks, honours Romantic . Ljubljanica Riverbank
An imperial residence since ∑ muzeultaranuluiroman.ro with spiral columns poet and national icon The east bank of the river is lined with willow trees, orange- and red-
the mid-19th century, the and figurines. France Prešeren. roofed townhouses and fabulous terrace cafés and restaurants.
Royal Palace has undergone Housed in a red-brick edifice
several renovations during built in 1906, the Museum of the For hotels and restaurants see p428 and p429
its lifetime. King Carol I (see Romanian Peasant was intended
p558) was responsible for as a celebration of the country’s Replica of a typical Romanian house at the Village Museum, Herãstrãu Park
much of the current layout, traditions at a time when
redesigned in 1906. Further industrialization was beginning worth a visit. Also of interest the notice of invading tribes.
reconstruction took place to alter the rural face of Romania. are the handmade wooden However, the highlights of
after a catastrophic fire in Transylvanian biblical icons on stained glass, Museum of Art Collections With around 100,000 exhibits, chairs collected from villages the museum are the oak
1926 and heavy bombing in the collection covers the regions around the country, displayed houses from Maramureş
5 Detailed Information
World War II. Its location next 0 Museum of Art 19th-century French furniture of Romania. It includes mock- on the first floor. county, which have beautifully
to Revolution Square led to Collections and tapestries. ups of craftsmen’s workshops, a carved hunting and animal
further damage from gunfire Muzeul Colecţiilor de Arta 19th-century classroom and scenes on their gateways.
in December 1989. numerous colourful traditional e Herăstrău Park The museum shop stocks an
Housed in the north wing
of the palace, the National Art
Museum was opened in 1950
Calea Victoriei 111. Map D3. Tel (021)
212 9641. @ Open May–Sep:
11am–7pm Wed–Sun; Oct–Apr:
10am–6pm Wed–Sun. &
q Storck Museum
Muzeul de Arta Frederic Storck şi
Cecilia Cutescu-Storck
costumes. The highlight, how-
ever, is an enormous wooden
18th-century windmill, which
and Lake
Parcul Herăstrău
Str Kiseleff 32. Map F1. @ Village
excellent range of souvenirs.
Cities, towns and other sights
to house the royal family’s art has been reconstructed on the r Museum of Old
collection. It closed in 1989
following the revolution when
as many as 1,000 artworks were
Housed in a Neo-Classical
mansion with a surprisingly
unassuming interior, the
Str V Alecsandri 16. Map D2. @
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
Built in 1913 by sculptor

ground floor alongside a mas-
sive spiked dărstă (carding
comb), which was used to
Museum: Tel (021) 317 9110.
Open 9am–7pm (till 5pm Mon).
& ∑ muzeul-satului.ro
West Art
Muzeul de Arta Veche Apuseana are described individually.
Str Dr Minovici 3. Map F1.
damaged, but reopened after
complete renovation. The
Gallery of Romanian Art includes
sculptures by world-renowned
Museum of Art Collections
has an intriguing variety of
exhibits, of which the dazzling
17th-century gilt icon of Jesus
and architect Frederick
Storck, this museum contains
numerous works of art created
or collected by Storck and his
prepare wool for spinning.
A room at the back con-
tains a replica of an
Orthodox church, hung
Bucharest’s largest park
was created in the 1930s
under King Carol II after
several marshes in the
Tel (021) 665 7334. @
Closed for renovations. &
This charming red-brick Tudor-

Entries appear in the same
sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi
and paintings by artist Nicolae
Grigorescu. The European Art
Gallery, spread over 15 rooms,
Christ is the undisputed high-
light. An impressive
range of Romanian
artwork by masters
wife Cecilia. Delightful murals
with floral and
feminine motifs
cover the walls of
with icons dating back to
the 17th century.
The Communism
Exhibition, which has
area were drained.
Located to the north of
today with walkers,

style house was built in the
1930s for Dumitru Minovici,
the city, the park is popular who made his for tune in the
oil industry and became an
order as the numbering on
boasts works by masters such as
Rubens, Rembrandt, El Greco,
Tintoretto and Monet.
such as Nicolae
Grigorescu, Ştefan
Luchian and Nicolae
Tonitza occupies the
the central rooms,
which took Cecilia
four years to paint.
Other pictures by
paintings and
memorabilia relating
to Romania’s former
Communist leaders, is
Costume display,
Museum of the
Romanian Peasant
cyclists, roller-bladers
and joggers. Regular
boat trips traverse
the lake and smaller
avid art collector. The house
contains a collection of
European art dating back to
the 16th century and is fur-
the country map.
ground floor. On the Cecilia include boats are available for nished with antiques and
first floor, a display of Carpet, Museum of Art seascapes painted individual hire. Swiss stained-glass windows.
traditional glass Collections at the family villa Herãstrãu is also home
Transylvanian icons,
remark able for their bright
colours and simplicity, can be
in Balchik (now in
Bulgaria), portraits and still
lifes. Particularly impressive
to one of Europe’s oldest
museum parks, the Village
Museum. Inaugurated in 1936,
A Visitors’ Checklist gives all the
seen alongside the Oriental
collection, comprising
15th-century Chinese porce-
among Storck’s sculptures,
which are exhibited next to
his wife’s work, are the bronze
it comprises a wonderful
collection of reconstructed
rural dwellings and work-
practical information needed to
lain, 19th-century Japanese pieces inspired by Rodin. shops. The buildings represent
crockery, statues and a pretty
wooden cupboard inlaid with
Several rooms are furnished
with lovely ceramic stoves
architectural styles from all
over the country and range
plan one’s visit.
mother-of-pearl, as well as decorated with floral and bird from 19th-century wood-tiled
Iranian ceramics and Turkish motifs painted by Karl Storck, houses to wooden windmills
rugs. The same floor has a Frederick’s father, who was and thatched Transylvanian
selection of antique European the first Romanian teacher cottages with beautifully
treasures which includes of sculpture in the Fine Arts painted window frames.
Visitors at the Royal Palace and Austrian silver ware, colourful Academy of Bucharest. There The grand building of the Museum of the There is even a half-buried Passenger boat cruising on the calm waters
National Art Museum Bohemian crystal and is also a small exhibition of Romanian Peasant house, designed to escape of Herăstrău Lake
For hotels and restaurants see p572 and p573 556 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE ROMANIA 557
. Gothic Room
3 Bran Castle Distinctly Gothic in style, this vaulted
VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Castelul Bran room is furnished with sculptures and Practical Information
furniture dating back to the 14th
Numbers correspond to each sight’s Perched on a rocky bluff, Bran Castle was built in the 13th
century and first used as a defence against the Ottomans.
century. Among these is the 16th-
century wooden sculpture of St Anne.
195 km (121 miles) NW
of Bucharest.
Tel (0268) 237 700.
Although the ruler of Wallachia, Vlad Ţepeş, better known Open Check website for
position on the country map and its as Dracula, never lived here, it is believed that he was briefly
imprisoned here by the Hungarians. In more recent times,
timings. & 8 =
∑ bran-castle.com
Transport
place in the chapter. the castle was the favourite summer residence of Queen
Marie (granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England), who
refurbished the entire building and had electricity installed.
@ from Braşov.
Known today as Dracula’s Castle, it is now a museum

dedicated to the history of the Romanian Royal Family.
6 Major Sights
Historic buildings are dissected
to reveal their interiors, while Queen Marie’s Music Saloon and Library
Dark wooden floors and rustic furniture create an inviting
. Queen Marie’s
Bedroom
Decorated in Art Nouveau
style, the queen’s bedroom
contains several pieces
of furniture she commis-
sioned herself, including
a rosewood Italian
Baroque bed and an
armchair adorned with
museums have colour-coded

atmosphere in this attic room. The largest room in the castle, carved vultures.
it became Queen Marie’s music room and housed her
German harmonium.
floorplans to help one find the

most important exhibits. Secret Passages
Some of the
castle’s 60 rooms
are connected by
a network of under-
ground passages,
which were used
The Inner Yard Well either for hasty
Converted into an elevator in 1921, this evacuations or to
Stars indicate the features that no 60-m (197-ft) deep well led to a passage
that opened out into a park in the valley.
bring in food supplies
in times of siege.
visitor should miss. Râşnov Fortress

Situated halfway between the towns of Braşov and Bran, Râşnov Fortress overlooks the
KEY small town of Râşnov from a hilltop. Founded in the 13th century by Teutonic knights,
the fortress served as a refuge for the people
1 The castle’s highest tower was . Chapel of of Râşnov during times of seige. The central
built in the early 20th century as a Prince Mircea courtyard contains a 143-m (469-ft) deep
decorative feature. This chapel is dedicated well, dug to supply drinking water to the
2 The dining hall was used to Queen Marie’s first child,
inhabitants. A museum within the complex
by Queen Marie to entertain royal who died of typhus in 1916
at the age of three. The displays armour and various finds uncovered
guests. The massive wooden dining
table is ornately carved with centrepiece is a dazzling gilt during excavations, among them a skeleton
116 NORTH EASTERN EUROPE mythical images. ESTONIA 117 iconostasis brought from
Mount Athos in Greece.
Râşnov Fortress sitting on a hilltop now encased beneath a glass floor.
For hotels and restaurants see p572 and p573

Health and Security
Practical & Travel Information Estonian haigla (hospitals) are
approximately 15 airlines
including major carriers such
ferries and even a hydrofoil
making the crossing at regular
(bussijaam). From there, it is a
short taxi ride into the city centre,
Estonia has a well-developed network of visitor information generally in excellent condition as Finnair, airBaltic, Lufthansa intervals. The Passenger Port or one can catch tram number
centres, even in small towns. There is an abundance of useful and offer emergency treatment and SAS. is within walking distance of 2 or 4, or bus number 17, 17a
literature to help visitors get the best out of their trip. Several free of charge to everyone. It is Founded in 1991, Estonian Tallinn’s Old Town and a taxi or 23. Passengers travelling to
safe for visitors to drink tap water. Air is the country’s national ride should cost between €4-5. Tallinn by bus from Rīga or
major international carriers from many European cities provide Using common sense is the carrier. Based in Tallinn, it offers a Tallinn also features on an Vilnius can get off at the more
links to Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. The country is also well served
7
best way to ensure personal good standard of service in both increasing number of Baltic central Viru väljak bus stop.
by both domestic and international ferries, with regular services
to Tallinn and the popular island of Saaremaa.
safety. Visitors should never
accept drinks from strangers
and avoid disreputable-looking
business and economy class. The
airline has direct links with several
major European destinations as
Sea cruise itineraries, although
these normally only allow
for a day’s stopover.
There are also limited interna-
tional coach connections to
Pärnu and Tartu. The coach
Practical Information
When to Visit
The best time to visit Estonia is
from May to September when
adhere to EU guidelines. All
visitors should check for any
customs duty or special permis-
nightclubs. It is wise not to
carry any luxury items.
well as many Estonian cities and
islands. Visitors from outside
Europe need to catch a connect-
ing flight from cities such as
Rail Travel
Tallinn’s main railway station,
network is efficiently run and
cheap, and services are clearly
posted in bus stations. Timetables
and fares for international
This section covers topics
Facilities for the Disabled
it is pleasantly warm. July and
August are the warmest months.
Winter, between October and
March, is cold, dark and damp
sion required to export a cultural
object, before buying it. For
detailed information on all these
guidelines, entrance regulations
Although there has been a
significant improvement in
recent years, Estonia is not
London, Copenhagen, Helsinki
or Stockholm.
As a consequence of the EU
“open-skies” policy, which was
Balti Jaam, is a short walk away
from the Old Town. The only
international link is a nightly
train to Moscow. There is no
routes are available on the
carriers’ websites. such as visas, security, travel,
but very atmospheric when
forests are laden with snow.
January, the coldest month,
and visa charges, it is advisable
to visit the official website of the
European Commission.
very well equipped in providing
facilities for the disabled.
In Tallinn, there are several
implemented in 2004, several
economical carriers, such as
easyJet, now provide daily
longer a service to St Petersburg.
Tickets should be pre-booked,
since Russian visa specifications
Travelling by Car
Since 2007, when the Baltic
States agreed to the Schengen
shopping and entertainment.
is best avoided, as is the rainy steep winding cobblestoned flights to Tallinn from London. insist on dates of entry and Agreement (under which sys-
month of April, when the
snow melts and turns sludgy. Visitor Information
The network of information
streets. Trolleybuses, trams
and trains do not provide
wheelchair access and only Arriving by Sea
exit. In 2012, a direct train link
from Tartu to Riga was laid,
avoiding the need to change
tematic border controls were
abolished between Schengen
countries), there are no border
The larger countries are
centres in the country is sup- a few buses do. Estonia is very well served by trains in Valga. restrictions for Schengen visa
Documentation
Citizens of EU member-states,
the US, Canada, Australia and
ported by an equally advanced
structure of tourism websites.
Most towns have a tourist Banking and Currency
ferry, with Tallinn’s Passenger
Port (reisisadam) handling
about 7 million passengers a Travelling by Coach
holders. Crossing the border
from Latvia is easy, especially for
EU passport holders. The border
covered in greater detail.
New Zealand can enter Estonia information office located in or In Estonia, banks are usually year. The main line Tallink has International coach routes crossing with Russia is slower
for a period of up to 90 days in a close to the town square. There open from Monday to Friday routes to Helsinki (Finland), Rostock to Estonia are provided by and border guards are likely
half-year period on presentation are no tourist offices at the land between 9am and 6pm. Major (Germany) and Stockholm Eurolines and Ecolines, which to scrutinize all documents.
of a valid passport. Those borders or at Tallinn airport but banks stay open on Saturdays (Sweden), while other carriers operate connections between Visitors bringing their own car
wishing to stay beyond 90 days there is one at the Tallinn harbour. from 9am to 2pm. Exchange such as Viking Line and Eckerö Tallinn and Berlin, Munich, into Estonia are required to
will need to apply for a national Offices are generally open from bureaus are widespread and Line are accessible from Helsinki Kaliningrad, Warsaw and show the Vehicle Registration
long-term visa or a residence 9am to 6pm on weekdays and for have better exchange rates and Stockholm. Travellers from St Petersburg, among others. document, an international
permit. Visitors from other
countries should enquire at their
local Estonian embassy or consu-
shorter hours on Saturdays; many
are also open on Sundays. The
staff are friendly and speak
than hotels. ATMs are found
everywhere, including petrol
stations. In 2011 Estonia
Helsinki are spoilt for choice,
with a range of catamarans,
International coaches arrive
at the Tallinn Bus Station
driving permit and a valid
Green Card insurance policy. Directory boxes give contact
late to check visa requirements English. Free brochures listing introduced the euro, and the DIRECTORY
before travelling. The official
website of the Estonian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs offers informa-
local sights and events are
available at these offices, which
also sell maps and guidebooks.
former currency, the kroon,
was withdrawn. Documentation Emergency
Numbers
Lennart Meri Tallinn Tallink
∑ tallink.ee
information for the services and
∑ vm.ee Airport
tion on visa regulations. EU
citizens are not subject to customs
regulations, provided they
Estonia’s official tourism website
has a list of all the tourist
information offices in the country.
Communications
Estonia’s communications
∑ ec.europa.eu
Visitor
Ambulance
Tel 112.
Tel 605 8888.
∑ tallinn-airport.ee
Viking Line
∑ vikingline.fi venues mentioned in the text.
infrastructure is very efficient. Information Fire Lufthansa Rail Travel
All phone lines are digital, Tel 112.
The Climate of Estonia ∑ visitestonia.com ∑ lufthansa.com Balti Jaam
TALLINN ensuring high-quality connec- Police
tions. Mobile phone usage is Toompuiestee 37, Tallinn.
From May to September Embassies Tel 112. SAS
20/75 particularly high. The post offices Tel 3721 447.
there is little risk of cold ∑ flysas.com
° C/F Canada ∑ baltijaam.ee
weather, but winters are offer a range of express delivery Arriving by Air
12/63 Toomkooli 13, Tallinn. Tel
freezing, with temperatures 10/61 options. Free Wi-Fi is available
7/61 627 3311. ∑ canada.ee airBaltic Arriving by Sea Arriving by Coach
dipping to -12° C (10° F). 4/48 4/39 in most places.
0/46 United Kingdom ∑ airbaltic.com
Rain comes in brief, sharp 0°C
32°F -10/14 Eckerö Line Ecolines
outburst throughout the year. Wismari 6, Tallinn. Tel 667 easyjet ∑ ecolines.ee
Days are short in December 10
Arriving by Air 4700. ∑ ukinestonia. ∑ easyjet.com
∑ eckeroline.fi
and January, with 18 hours

of darkness, but between
March and October, the long
6 hrs
31
hrs
68
2 hrs 1 hrs
68 39
The sleek-looking Lennart Meri
Tallinn Airport is the main
Estonian airport with regular
fco.gov.uk
United States
Estonian Air
∑ estonian-air.ee
Passenger Port
Sadama 25, Tallinn.
Eurolines
∑ eurolines.ee
Tallinn Bus Station

Climate charts are provided
mm mm mm mm Kentmanni 20, Tallinn.
12-hour days are excellent
for outdoor activities.
month Apr Jul Oct Jan scheduled flights. In recent
years the airport has become
a regional hub, serviced by
Tel 668 8100. ∑ estonia.
usembassy.gov
Finnair
∑ finnair.com
Tel 631 8550.
∑ portoftallinn.com
Lastekodu 46, Tallinn.
Tel 3721 2550. for each country.
VISITING
EASTERN AND
CENTRAL
EUROPE
Discovering Eastern and

Central Europe 10–13
Putting Eastern and Central
Europe on the Map 14–15
Practical Information 16–19
Travel Information 20–23
10 VISITING EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE
DISCOVERING EASTERN AND

CENTRAL EUROPE
Discovering the great cities of Eastern combining the must-visit sights with a
and Central Europe offers an insight into wealth of local colour and charm. The
their countries. In each destination, the ten cities described here only represent
visitor will get a real flavour of the history, a small selection of the exciting urban
culture, character and cuisine of the nation. destinations that Eastern and Central Europe
Each of the following 10 itineraries offers has to offer; the capital cities, not covered in
a one-day exploration of some of Central the itineraries below, make equally enticing
and Eastern Europe’s most beguiling cities, targets for travel.
St Petersburg Vienna
Tallinn
R U SSI A N
E S T ONIA FE D E R AT I ON •
Take a stroll around the
streets of Old Vienna.
Rīga
L AT V IA •
Watch the elegant horses of
Baltic the Spanish Riding School.
Sea L IT HUANIA
RUS.
FED
•
Enjoy the panorama from
Vienna’s famous Ferris wheel.
BELARU S
POLAND
0 kilometres 500
Prague
0 miles 500 Morning
CZECH
Krakow Start at the landmark
RE P UBLIC Stephansdom (p386) cathedral
UKRAIN E
SLOVAKIA then wander around the
Vienna
Budapest pedestrianized streets of Old
AUSTRIA M OLD OVA
HUNGARY Vienna. Take a stroll along
S LO VENIA
ROMAN I A
Kärntnerstrasse, the city’s main
CROATIA shopping street, and check for
Belgrade
BO S NIA AND Bucharest tickets for a performance at the
Adriatic HERZEGOV I NA
SERBIA
Sea Spanish Riding School (p384),
MONT E - Black held most days at 11am. Finish
NE GR O BULGA R I A Sea
Dubrovnik K OS OV O
AL B ANI A
the morning at The Hofburg
M AC E DONIA TURKEY Complex (pp382–4), the imperial
GREECE
palace of the Habsburgs. Opt
for a tour of the opulent State
Kinský Palace (p242) features Apartments, before stopping for
Prague ancient art in the shadow of the lunch in one of the many typical
spire-topped Church of Our Lady Viennese cafés nearby.
•
Tour Prague Castle, Before Týn (p246). Head north
a Gothic gem. into Josefov, Prague’s former
•
Watch the Town Hall Clock Jewish quarter, and take an
evocative stroll through the
strike the hour on Old
Old Jewish Cemetery (p250).
Town Square.
•
Cross the statue-studded Afternoon
Charles Bridge. Cross Charles Bridge (pp240–41),
lined with statues of saints, to the
Malá Strana quarter. Make your
Morning way up Nerudova Ulice (p236)
Begin the day by admiring the to Hradčany Hill, taking a tour of
medieval and Baroque buildings the Gothic architectural wonder
lining the Old Town Square (p244). St Vitus’s Cathedral (pp232–3)
Be at Town Hall Clock (p245) on and the Old Royal Palace (p230).
the hour, when its chimes are Be sure to visit the quaint Golden
accompanied by a parade of Lane (p231), or Zlatá Ulička. Spectacular interiors of the
mechanical figures. The pretty Spend the evening in Malá Strana. Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna
Outdoor cafés line a street in downtown Braşov, Romania
DISCOVERING EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE 11
Afternoon
Walk a city block from the Hofburg
Dubrovnik
to the MuseumsQuartier Wein
(p385), a superb cultural •
Walk the full circuit of
complex that contains the Dubrovnik’s perfectly
Leopold Museum, home to an preserved medieval walls.
unmissable collection of Klimts •
Stroll down Stradun, the
and Schieles, Next door is the
pedestrianized main street.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
(p385), boasting hall after hall of •
Ascend by cable car to
old masters. Finally, ride Vienna’s Mt Srđ to enjoy a stunning
swift and efficient metro to take panorama of the city.
some fresh early-evening air in
Prater park, and take a spin on
the famous giant Ferris wheel. Morning
Start with a tour of the city walls
(p434), a popular destination The imposing Kalemegdan Fortress
Krakow that can get crowded later in in Belgrade
the day. Follow this with a stroll
•
Admire the Gothic spires, along the Stradun (p435), the
murals and altars of Old Town’s main street and the
Belgrade
St Mary’s Church. site of many of its cafés. At the
•
Gaze upon the graves of eastern end of Stradun, St •
Retrace Belgrade’s turbulent
Poland’s medieval kings Blaise’s Church (p438) honours history from the ramparts
at Wawel Cathedral. the city’s patron saint. Visit the of Kalemegdan Fortress.
nearby Dominican Monastery Admire the Ottoman-
•
Soak up Krakow’s •
(p440) for quiet cloisters and

multicultural history in influenced furnishings of the
Renaissance paintings.
the Kazimierz quarter. Palace of Princess Ljubica.
Afternoon •
Wine and dine along
The former Rector’s Palace Skadarlija Street, long-
Morning (p438) houses an intriguing time haunt of artists.
Start with a circuit of the Main museum filled with artworks.
Market Square (pp186–7) before Also, nearby is the Cathedral
exploring the covered stalls of (pp438–9), its treasury packed Morning
the Renaissance Cloth Hall (p187). full of intriguing relics. Behind Start at Terazije, the traffic
Climb the City Hall Tower (p187) the cathedral, lie some of the intersection at the heart of
for great views, before joining Old Town’s most atmospheric Belgrade, before taking a
the crowds milling around the alleyways, perfect for leisurely stroll along Knez Mihailova,
foot of the Mickiewicz Statue. strolling. Early evening is a a pedestrianized street lined
Head next for the sumptuously- good time to ride the cable car with historic buildings. Detour
decorated Church of St Mary to Mt Srđ, the mountainous west to admire the icon-filled
(pp188–9): arrive at 11:50am to ridge that overlooks Dubrovnik Orthodox Cathedral (p529)
observe the ritual unveiling of to the north. before enjoying the oriental-
Veit Stoss’s altar (p189). The cafés style interiors of the Palace of
and restaurants surrounding the Princess Ljubica (p529). Spend
square ensure that you’re spoilt for the rest of the morning exploring
choice when it comes to lunch. the vast, park-like Kalemegdan
Fortress (pp526–7), filled with
Afternoon bastions and towers.
Walk south along Grodzka street
to The Wawel (pp190–91), site of Afternoon
Krakow Cathedral (pp192–3) Leave Kalemegdan via the
and the Wawel Royal Castle Ethnographic Museum (p528),
(p193). Take a tour of the state a great place to learn about
apartments or chose between Serbian folk culture. Visit the Vuk
several history museums in the and Dositej Museum (p528), a
castle complex. Reserve the well-preserved Ottoman-style
afternoon for exploring house, before proceeding to the
Kazimierz District (pp194–5) lively café-lined Trg Republike.
the former Jewish quarter and Spend the evening in Skadarlija
now a bohemian hotspot, its (p529), the cobbled street where
atmospheric squares and piazzas Loggia in the Rector’s Palace in Belgrade’s bohemian scene
filled with bars and restaurants. Dubrovnik, Croatia once held sway.
city centre. From here stroll

Rīga along Skārņu iela, one of the Old
Town’s best-preserved medieval
•
Explore the tragic side streets, before taking lunch in one
of Latvian history at the of the nearby restaurants.
Museum of the Occupation.
•
Enjoy stunning views from Afternoon
the towering belfry of Follow Šķūņu iela to Cathedral
Square, dominated by the
St Peter’s Church.
impressively capacious Dome
•
Gaze in awe at the Dome Cathedral (p80). Continue along
Cathedral, an outstanding Pils iela to Rīga Castle (pp80–
example of red-brick Baltic 81), home to the Latvian History
Gothic architecture. Museum, a well-presented
Opulent interior of the Palace of guide to national culture. Take
Parliament, Bucharest time to wander the maze of
Morning alleys around Maza Pils iela, lined
At the heart of Rīga’s Old Town with medieval merchants’ houses,
Bucharest is Town Hall Square (pp82–3), before emerging at the Swedish
overlooked by the fancy Gothic Gate (p81). Wind up with a walk
•
Learn about Romania’s rich brickwork of the House of the through the belt of parkland
cultural heritage at the Blackheads (p84). The nearby east of the Old Town.
National History Museum. Museum of the Occupation (p84)
Be amazed by the vast, will tell you everything you
•
need to know about Latvia’s

Tallinn
Neo-Baroque Palace of
suffering under both Nazis and
Parliament. Join the milling crowds in
Communists. Next, take the lift •
•
Tour the shops and cafés up the belfry of St Peter’s Church Town Hall Square, one of
of Strada Lipscani in the (p84) for a birds-eye view of the Europe’s best-preserved
historical centre. medieval marketplaces.
•
Admire Gothic art in the
medieval Niguliste Church.
Morning
Begin the day at Piaţa Revoluţiei, •
Enjoy lakes, meadows and
the set-piece square where tree-shaded avenues in the
crowds famously heckled the grounds of Kadriorg Palace.
communist dictator, Nicolae
Ceauşescu in December 1989.
Head down Calea Victoriei, Morning
Bucharest’s main shopping The obvious place to start
street to the National History exploring Tallinn’s charming
Museum (p550), rich in ancient Old Town is Town Hall Square
and medieval treasures. (pp104–5), a delightful cobbled
Cross the Dimboviţa river and space surrounded by medieval
reach the colossal Palace of merchants’ houses. Climb the
Parliament (pp548–9), the Relaxing in the Town Hall Square in the Town Hall Tower (p106) to
famously megalomaniac project Old Town, Rīga enjoy sweeping views of the
begun by Ceauşescu. Next,
visit the National Museum
of Contemporary Art (p548)
in the palace’s northern wing.
Afternoon
Cross the river again and dive
into Bucharest’s historical centre,
explore Strada Lipscani, a pedes-
trianized warren of streets dating
back to medieval times and today
filled with fashionable shops. The
richly ornamented Old Court
Church (p550), and mural-filled
Stavropoleos Church (p550) are
surviving monuments. Spend
the evening in Strada Lipscani. Colourful buildings line the Town Hall Square in Tallinn
DISCOVERING EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE 13
Old Town and its surroundings.

Next, head for the venerable
Niguliste Church (p107),
home to a unique collection
of Gothic altar paintings. From
here ascend the steep, winding
Luhike Jalg to Toompea or
Castle Hill, where the multi-
domed Alexander Nevsky
Cathedral (p109) presides
over a knot of quiet,
walkable streets.
Afternoon
Descend from Toompea for a
spot of lunch in one of the Old
Town’s many restaurants before The magnificent golden dome of St Issac’s Cathedral visible from the Moyka river
heading northeast along Pikk,
one of the Old Town’s most National Gallery (p328)
representative streets. Peek inside contains a stunning collection
St Petersburg
the Holy Spirit Church (p106) of artworks from medieval
before admiring the Renaissance times to modern. •
Admire the opulent interiors
portals of the House of the and art collections of the
Blackheads (p107). Exit the Afternoon Hermitage Museum.
Old Town at Fat Margaret Descend from Buda and cross •
Get your photograph
Tower (p108), and take a tram to the Pest side of the river via taken next to the Bronze
to Kadriorg Palace (p109) and the Chain Bridge. Walk along
Horseman, famous statue
its extensive park. Consider a the Danube riverbank to café-
of Peter the Great.
visit to Kadriorg’s Kumu Art filled Vigadó Square (p339)
Museum (p109), a spectacularly before taking a leisurely stroll •
Take a boat ride across the
modern building showcasing along Váci Utca (p339), central River Neva to the Peter and
the best of Estonian art. Pest’s most famous shopping Paul Fortress.
and promenading street. Walk
along Múzeum Körút to get
Budapest a flavour of 19th-century Morning
Pest, visiting the Hungarian Head to Palace Square (p147),
•
Explore the romantic National Museum (p340) a huge space surrounded by
backstreets of old Buda. for a thorough run-down Baroque and Rococo facades.
•
Survey the century- of Hungarian culture. Finish Next, visit The Winter Palace
spanning art collections up at the Art Nouveau-styled (pp154–5), home to The
of the Hungarian Museum of Applied Arts Hermitage (pp148–9) – with its
(p340) before exploring the stunning state rooms and an art
National Gallery.
restaurants of Ráday utca. collection ranging from Leonardo
•
Window-shop your da Vinci to Matisse. Walk along
way along Váci utca, the Neva riverbank past the
Budapest’s most animated Admiralty (p146) building to
downtown area. reach the Bronze Horseman
(p146), the landmark equestrian
statue of Peter the Great.
Morning
Take the Sikló funicular to Afternoon
the hilltop settlement of Buda, Follow Malaya Morskaya Ulitsa
packed with historic buildings (p147) then the banks of the
and evocative Baroque-era streets. Moyka river to reach the Pushkin
Admire the richly decorated House Museum (p157), filled
interior of the Mátyás Church with the poet’s personal effects.
(pp330–31) before checking Next, take a ferry across the River
out the sweeping views of Pest Neva to the Peter and Paul
from the nearby bastions. From Fortress (pp144–5). You’ll need
here it’s a short stroll to the the rest of the afternoon to
former Royal Palace (pp326–7) explore this walled naval fort with
with its ornamental gateways, its glittering Baroque cathedral,
courtyards and gardens. Inside The striking Gothic exterior of the Mátyás well-preserved ramparts and
the palace, the Hungarian Church in Budapest, Hungary numerous museum collections.
Gävle
Torsby
Putting Eastern and Central

Europe on the Map Örebro
Stockholm
The continent of Europe covers a total surface area of SWEDEN
Norrköping
10.4 million square km (4 million square miles) and stretches Jönköping
east as far as the Ural Mountains in the Russian Federation.
This guide covers 14 countries, 10 of which belong to the Värnamo
European Union (EU), as well as the cities of Vienna, Moscow
Ljungby
and St Petersburg. The featured countries are shown on this
map in bright green. The principal international airports and Kalmar
major road links are also shown here, while the European rail
network is shown on the inside back cover. Baltic
Malmö
Sea
Gdynia
Koszalin
Gdańsk
Hamburg
NETHERLANDS
Szczecin
Oldenburg
Amsterdam Bydgoszcz
Toruń
Braunschweig
Dortmund Berlin Włocławek
Antwerpen
Brussels Poznań
BELGIUM Köln
Zielona Góra Kalisz Łódź
G E R MA N Y
Leipzig
POLAND
Frankfurt Legnica Wrocław
LUX.
Mainz Karlovy Vary Opole
Luxembourg
Prague
Paris Plzeň
Metz Krakow
Karlsruhe CZECH Ostrava
Strasbourg
Nürnberg REPUBLIC Olomouc
České Budějovice Brno

FR A NC E Mulhouse
Dijon Munich Da
n ub SLOVAKIA
e
Beaune Zürich Vienna Bratislava
Bern Innsbruck Esztergom
AUSTRIA Győr
Geneva
SWITZ. Chur
Graz Veszprém Budapest
Keszthely Kecskemét
Lyon ITA LY Maribor
Ljubljana HUNGARY
Milan Varaždin
SLOVENIA Pécs
Venice Zagreb
Genoa Rijeka Osijek
Pula Banja
Bologna Luka Novi Sad
Nice
CROATIA BOSNIA AND
Florence
Pisa Zadar HERZEGOVINA
Mediterranean Sarajevo
Sea Trogir
Split
Bastia
Corsica Mostar
Civitavecchia
Adriatic
MONTENEGRO
Pescara Sea
Dubrovnik
Bonifacio
Rome Podgorica
Porto Torres
Olbia Foggia
Sardinia ALBANIA
Bari
For keys to symbols see back flap Naples
PUTTING EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE ON THE MAP 15
Turku
St Petersburg Vologda
Helsinki Cherepovets
Chagoda
Tallinn
Hiiumaa
Island ESTONIA Veliky
La k e Novgorod Yaroslavl
Peipsi
Saaremaa
Island
Pärnu
Tartu RUSSIAN
FEDERATION
G u lf o f
Ventspils R īg a
Tver
Rīga LATVIA
Liepāja Jūrmala Rzhev
Velikiye Luki Moscow
Šiauliai Daugavpils
Vyazma
Klaipėda LITHUANIA Vitebsk
Smolensk
RUSSIAN Kaunas
Vilnius
FEDERATION Europe
N O R WAY F I N LA N D
Olsztyn SWEDEN RUSSIAN

North FEDERATION
Sea
Białystok
UNITED BELARUS
BEL A R U S KINGDOM
GERMANY
EASTERN
Warsaw AND U KRA IN E
Kobryn CENTRAL
FRANCE EUROPE
Atlantic
Radom Ocean
Lublin I T A LY Bl a ck
S ea
Kielce
SPAIN
TURKEY
Lutsk
Rzeszów
Lviv
Košice Uman’ Kirovohrad
Chernivtsi UKRAINE
Miskolc
Satu Mare MOLDOVA Melitopol’
Debrecen Mykolaiv
Oradea Cluj-Napoca Chisinau

Odessa
Bacău
ROMANIA Kerch
Arad Sighişoara
Timișoara Braşov Galaţi

Sibiu
Sevastopol
Ploiești Key
Belgrade
Piteşti
Motorway
Bucharest Constanţa
SERBIA Craiova Major road
D a nub Ruse
e International border
Dobrich
Niš Pleven 0 kilometres 250
BULGARIA Veliko Varna
0 miles 250
Tûrnovo
Sofia Black
KOSOVO Burgas
Stara Zagora
Sea
Plovdiv TURKEY
MACEDONIA GREECE Istanbul
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The countries in Eastern and Central Europe throughout the region. Accommodation
have undergone a great transformation and public transport are well organized
since the collapse of Communism in 1990. and reliable in North Eastern Europe. In the
Some states have adapted quickly to the southeast, on the other hand, travel may
change and are now active members of be slower and standards less predictable.
the European Union (EU), while others However, with an impressive diversity of
continue to wrestle with serious economic history, culture and folklore to discover,
and political problems. As a result, the Eastern and Central Europe makes for a
quality of tourist facilities varies greatly rich and enjoyable travel experience.
When to Go Time Zones identity documents do not

The best time to visit Eastern The countries covered in this usually need to be shown when
and Central Europe depends guide sit across three time zones. crossing a common frontier.
on the visitor’s itinerary. Poland, the Czech Republic, However, visitors should always
However, most people prefer Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, keep their identity documents
spring and summer, from April Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and handy just in case random
to September. Stretching from Herzegovina, Montenegro and checks are made.
the Baltic Sea in the north to Serbia are all on Central European In the rest of Eastern Europe,
the Mediterranean Sea in the Time (CET), which is one hour entry requirements differ from
south, the region has a wide ahead of Greenwich Mean Time country to country. Visitors from
variety of climates. Summers (GMT) and 6 hours ahead of New the EU, US, Canada, Australia
in North Eastern Europe can York. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and New Zealand can enter
be cool and rainy, while in Romania and Bulgaria are on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia
South Eastern Europe they East European Time (EET), and Montenegro on the
can be unbearably hot, which is 2 hours ahead of GMT production of a valid passport.
especially in big cities. The and 7 hours ahead of New York. Citizens of other countries,
Adriatic coast, with its hot, The Russian cities of Moscow however, should check current
dry summers and relatively and St Petersburg are on regulations before they travel.
mild winters, has the balmiest Moscow Standard Time (MST), Russia requires almost all
climate, but crowds can be a which is 3 hours ahead of GMT foreign visitors to purchase a
drawback in the peak season and 8 hours ahead of New York. visa before travel, which usually
of July and August, making In Europe, the clocks go involves applying in person or
May, June and September forward by one hour in late through a travel agent to the local
better times to visit. March and go back by one Russian embassy or consulate
Elsewhere in South Eastern hour in late October. several weeks before the trip.
Europe, long, hot summers and For visitors who want to include
long, cold winters are the usual Moscow and St Petersburg in
trends. The mountains of Documentation their itinerary, it is advisable to
Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania Of the 16 countries included in plan this part of the trip well
and Bulgaria provide ideal this guide, 12 (Lithuania, Latvia, in advance.
conditions for skiing, with a Estonia, Poland, the Czech
season that runs from mid- Republic, Slovakia, Hungary,
December to late March. Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Student Cards
Winters in the north of the Romania and Bulgaria) are Various bus and rail tickets offer
region, near the Baltic coast, members of the European Union discounts on European travel
can be long, cold and dark. (EU). EU citizens can visit all of (see pp22–3), but, in addition to
During the depths of winter these countries with a valid these, students with a recognized
the sun sets at 3–4pm, and identity card. Citizens of the student card may be eligible for
daytime temperatures rarely rise United States, Canada, Japan, a wider range of discounts. The
above 0° C (32° F). Summertime, New Zealand, Norway and best card is the International
on the other hand, offers the Switzerland can also enter these Student Identity Card (ISIC), which
prospect of long daylight countries with a valid passport. gives discounts on all kinds of
hours in St Petersburg and All of the EU members listed goods and transport as well as
the northern Baltic States. above, except Romania and cheaper admission to many
Visitors should bear in mind Bulgaria, are signatories of the museums, galleries and other
that August is a busy month in Schengen Agreement. Borders sights. Most students can obtain
all parts of Eastern and Central between Schengen zone this card from their educational
Europe, when most Europeans countries are open, and once establishment at home, but it
take their vacations. inside the Schengen zone, can also be obtained abroad
P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M AT I O N 17
from an ISIC issuing office or from Personal Security adapted for wheelchair users,
branches of STA travel (see p21). Although Eastern and Central while elsewhere much of this
For US students, this card also Europe is a relatively safe region work still remains to be done. In
includes some medical cover. in which to travel, visitors should general terms, the cities of South
always take certain precautions. Eastern Europe lag behind those
Pickpocketing and petty theft of Central and North Eastern
Customs and Duty-Free are by far the biggest threats to Europe in serving disabled
Duty-free allowances are not visitors, although these are more travellers. Not all destinations
available to visitors travelling common in some countries than provide adapted accommodation
from one EU country to another. in others – specific information for those with special needs;
However, duty-free goods can is given in the practical and travel wheelchair users should plan
be purchased on entry or exit information section of each their itinerary carefully and
from the EU as a whole. The country chapter. much in advance.
allowances are as follows: tobacco The safest way of carrying
(200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 money is in the form of traveller’s
g/ 9 oz of loose tobacco); alcohol cheques. Visitors should have Recommended Hotels
(1 litre/2 pints of strong spirits, their belongings adequately and Restaurants
2 litres/4 pints of alcohol under insured before leaving home The hotel and restaurant options
22 per cent proof, and 2 litres/4 and not leave them unattended. in this guide have been selected
pints of wine); coffee (500 g/18 In the event of a robbery, it across a wide range of prices and
oz) and perfume (60 ml/0.1 pint). should be reported immediately locations. The hotel listings have
When returning to their home to the local police and a copy of been chosen for their excellent
country, visitors may be asked the report acquired. Visitors are facilities and good value, and vary
to declare any items purchased advised to keep their valuables from luxury retreats to boutique
abroad and pay duty on any well concealed, especially in hotels, humble B&Bs and historic
amount that exceeds their home crowded areas or on public lodgings. Similarly the selected
country’s allowance; the scope transport. If driving, it is safer restaurants adhere to a criterion
of these allowances will vary to leave the car in a car park of great food and atmosphere.
from one country to another. rather than on the street. These include restaurants
specialising in regional cuisine.
For the best of each country, look
Value Added Tax Insurance and out for entries designated as DK
In both EU member-states Medical Treatment Choices. Each of these has one or
and most other countries in Travel insurance is essential more exceptional features, such
Eastern and Central Europe, all to cover any loss or damage to as stunning location, a compelling
goods and services (except possessions and for unexpected history or a special ambience.
certain items such as food medical and dental treatment.
and children’s clothing) are Many major credit cards offer
subject to Value Added Tax some insurance if travellers Conversion Chart
(VAT), which is included in purchase their flight tickets or The metric system is used
most prices. Visitors may claim holiday package through them, throughout Eastern and
a refund on this tax if they so it is advisable to check before Central Europe.
are neither citizens of the EU buying a separate policy. If
nor of the particular country possible, it is better to buy a Imperial to Metric
they are visiting, but it can policy that pays for medical 1 inch = 2.54 centimetres
be a lengthy process. treatment on the spot, rather 1 foot = 30 centimetres
The easiest way to do this is than one that reimburses later. 1 mile = 1.6 kilometres
to shop at places displaying the Most general insurance policies 1 ounce = 28 grams
“Euro Free Tax” sign, although do not cover potentially hazardous 1 pound = 454 grams
the stores that offer this service outdoor activities such as 1 US pint = 0.47 litre
may be expensive or sell only climbing, skiing and scuba diving, 1 UK pint = 0.55 litre
luxury goods. Visitors need to although these can be included 1 US gallon = 3.8 litres
show their passport to the shop at an extra cost. 1 UK gallon = 4.6 litres
assistant and complete a form,
after which VAT will be deducted Metric to Imperial
from the bill. In certain countries, Facilities for the Disabled
1 millimetre = 0.04 inch
visitors need to keep their Conditions for disabled travellers 1 centimetre = 0.4 inch
receipts and VAT forms and are improving rapidly throughout 1 metre = 3 feet 3 inches
present them at a tax refund desk Eastern and Central Europe, how- 1 kilometre = 0.6 mile
with their unopened purchases ever facilities can vary drastically 1 gram = 0.035 ounce
when they leave the country. from one country to the next. In 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
These forms will be processed some cities, pavements, tourist 1 litre = 2.1 US pints
and a refund is eventually sent attractions such as museums 1 litre = 1.76 UK pints
to their home address. and public transport have been
Communications and Money customers. In addition, many

hotels and hostels now offer
Communications in Eastern and Central Europe have improved wireless or cable Internet access
vastly over the last two decades, and all countries in the to their guests. Many have a
region now have reliable postal services and extensive mobile computer in the lobby which
guests can use.
phone networks. There is also a growing number of hotels
and cafés which offer Internet services. Of the currencies in
use in Eastern and Central Europe, some, such as the euro, Changing Money
can be purchased from banks in any country, while others The majority of countries in
are difficult to obtain until arrival. Credit cards are widely Eastern and Central Europe
have their own currency and,
accepted throughout the region and ATM cash machines
in most cases, visitors will need
are not hard to find. to change money every time
they cross a border.
Money can usually be
Telephones across the region, however, and changed at banks, post offices,
Mobile (cell) phone coverage in some areas such as Serbia, exchange bureaus (bureaux de
extends across the region. Not Bulgaria and Russia, they may change) and hotel reception
all mobile phones, however, be slower. If the visitor’s itinerary desks. Banks and post offices are
work everywhere. Visitors should involves moving through often open only from Monday
check with their service provider countries rather than staying to Friday (sometimes with the
before travelling to ensure that long-term at a particular addition of a few hours on
their mobile phone works abroad. address, they can still receive Saturday morning). Exchange
Also, most US mobile phones mail by using the poste restante bureaus are more likely to stay
do not work in Europe and vice system. This can be set up at open at evenings and weekends.
versa, but visitors can buy phones main post offices in large towns. Those located at airports, railway
that work in both continents. Travellers should ask for any stations and border crossings
Public telephone booths are mail to be sent “care of” poste generally offer poor rates, so it
becoming less common in restante at the main post office is usually best to change only
Eastern and Central Europe, in the town in question. They a small amount here and then
although they can still be found will need to show their identity proceed elsewhere to change
in the centre of towns and cities. cards or passports to collect the bulk of your spending
Some public telephones are their mail. Mail from overseas is money at a better rate. Many
coin-operated, although most usually kept for one month. bureaus only offer advantageous
now accept phone cards, which rates on larger sums of money
can be bought from newspaper and apply a different rate of
kiosks and post offices. Internet Cafés exchange to smaller transactions.
Most towns and cities in Eastern Reception desks at hotels usually
and Central Europe will have a offer the worst rates of exchange
Mail Services handful of Internet cafés offering and should only be used if other
Mail services are generally computer access, scanning, options are unavailable.
efficient, with letters and cards printing and, frequently, cheap ATM cash machines are
typically taking 5 days to reach international telephone calls as distributed widely throughout
Western Europe and 7 days to well. An increasing number of Eastern and Central Europe.
reach North America or city-centre cafés offer free Those visitors with a card
Australasia. Services do vary wireless Internet to their belonging to a global network
(Plus, Visa, Maestro, Cirrus or
MasterCard) can withdraw
International Dialling Codes cash anywhere, but a small fee
The list below gives the international dialling codes for the countries will be charged for each ATM
covered in this guide. When calling from the US and Canada, prefix all transaction carried out abroad.
numbers by “011” ; from Australia by “0011’’ ; from New Zealand by “00’’. It is always a good idea to
When calling from within Europe, use the “00’’ prefix. If unsure, call carry more than one card when
international directory enquiries. travelling, in case one of them is
• Austria 43 • Lithuania 70
refused or retained by an ATM
• Bosnia and Herzegovina 387 • Montenegro 82 due to a banking error. Although
• Bulgaria 359 • Poland 48 traveller’s cheques remain the
• Croatia 381 • Romania 40 safest way to carry money, they
• Czech Republic 420 • Russia 7 are increasingly uncommon;
• Estonia 372 • Serbia 81 trying to cash them in a bank
• Hungary 36 • Slovakia 21 can be a tedious and time-
• Latvia 371 • Slovenia 86 consuming process since cashiers
are often unfamiliar with them.
P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M AT I O N 19
The Euro other countries in the region it is always better to carry local
The euro (the common are planning to adopt the euro currency in case it is not. The price
European Union currency) has so in the future, although this may of accommodation and transport
far been adopted by five of the take several years. is frequently quoted in euros in
countries in this guide: Austria, In countries outside the euro order to make it easier for visitors
Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia and, zone, the euro is sometimes to calculate their expenditure, but
despite not yet being an EU accepted by hotels, restaurants actual payment is usually made in
member, Montenegro. Several and shops in big resorts, but the local currency.
Bank Notes
Euro banknotes have seven
denominations. The €5 note (grey in
colour) is the smallest, followed by the
€10 note (pink), €20 note (blue), €50
note (orange), €100 note (green), €200
note (yellow) and €500 note (purple).
All notes feature the stars of the 5 euros
European Union.
10 euros
20 euros
50 euros
100 euros
200 euros
500 euros
2 euros 1 euro 50 cents 20 cents 10 cents

Coins
The euro has eight coin denominations: 1 euro
and 2 euros; 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents,
2 cents and 1 cent. The 2- and 1-euro coins are
both silver and gold in colour. The 50-, 20- and
10-cent coins are gold. The 5-, 2- and 1-cent
coins are bronze. 5 cents 2 cents 1 cent
Eastern and Central Europe busy. Many of the cheapest

fares from North America or
by Air Australasia involve flights with
more than one stop en route
With a good network of international flights, the whole of and long stopovers. While this
Eastern and Central Europe is easily accessible by air. Most may be an economical way to
European nations have well-respected national carriers travel, it can also be tiring; it is
operating flights to Western Europe as well as North America. best to check timings carefully
before booking.
With the recent addition of budget airlines offering “no frills”
Whichever season visitors
flights in the area, several new destinations have opened travel, there are several ways of
up, resulting in an increase in the number of flights within saving money on air fares. A
countries in the region. Competition between various airlines good way of finding out about
ensures that air fares are relatively low, especially for travellers cheap fares is to contact a travel
who book ahead over the Internet. Package tours and travel agency that specializes in
budget travel, such as STA Travel
agencies help keep costs down as well and ensure great trips. or Trailfinders in the US and the
UK respectively. Youngsters
(under 25), students and senior
Flying to Eastern and in the region. Capitals such citizens will usually find that they
Central Europe as Warsaw, Prague, Budapest are eligible for reduced fares.
Visitors travelling from a major and Rīga are well covered, Generally speaking, the cheapest
international airport will find along with a host of regional are return (round-trip) tickets,
that a significant number of cities in Poland, the Adriatic which have fixed dates rather
cities in Eastern and Central resorts of Croatia, and a handful than an “open” return.
Europe are served by direct of destinations in Slovakia, Depending on the distance,
flights. National carriers offering Romania and Bulgaria. Travellers round-the-world (RTW) tickets
direct flights from North America should bear in mind that flights can sometimes work out
include Austrian Airlines to with budget airlines do not cheaper than a standard long-
Vienna, CSA Czech Airlines provide passengers with haul return. These enable
to Prague, LOT Polish Airlines much legroom and do not travellers to fly around the world
to Warsaw and Krakow and offer any complimentary on specified routes, providing
Aeroflot to Moscow. Malév food and drink. they do not backtrack. The
Hungarian Airlines also flies number of Eastern and Central
from major cities in Europe European cities that feature in
and the US. Flight Times RTW packages is relatively small,
Most of the major North As a rough guide, flights from but it is always worth enquiring
American airlines such as New York to Eastern and Central with established travel agents
Delta, Air Canada, American Europe take between 8 and 9 to see what is available.
and Continental offer one- hours. Flights from Sydney will Standby tickets are also
stop flights to the region in involve at least one change and economical, but visitors need
conjunction with their European are likely to take 23 to 25 hours. to be flexible about the date
partner airlines, usually involving From London, flights to Austria, and time of departure. Travelling
a change of flight in a city the Czech Republic, Slovenia this way may involve a wait of
in Western Europe. From and Croatia take around 2 several days until a cancellation
Australasia, Qantas and Air hours and 30 minutes; flights to comes up.
New Zealand offer one- or Poland and the Baltic States take
two-stop flights to the region in around 3 hours and 30 minutes;
partnership with other airlines. and flights to Romania and Package Deals
The biggest choice of flights is Bulgaria take around 4 hours. One of the easiest ways to
offered by airports in the UK and arrange a visit to Eastern and
Ireland, and travellers from North Central Europe is to opt for a
America and Australasia may Budget Travel Agencies package holiday. They normally
find it convenient to break their As a rule, European air fares include flights, transfers,
journey there before proceeding are at their cheapest between accommodation and some-
to Eastern and Central Europe. November and March, with times, side trips and meals.
National carriers connect the exception of Christmas and Package trips often work out
London directly with most of Easter weeks. The high season cheaper than if travellers were
the capital cities in the region. is from June to mid-September. to book these deals separately.
In addition, budget airlines A “shoulder season” of moderate The downside is that such trips
such as easyJet, Ryanair and prices exists between these usually involve travelling in a
Wizzair fly direct from London periods. It is always advisable to group with a fixed itinerary,
and other regional UK and Irish travel mid-week, when tickets thereby cutting down on the
airports to several destinations are cheaper and airports less independence of the visitor.
T R AV E L I N F O R M AT I O N 21
Several North American considering, as they offer airports are included in the
travel companies, including flexibility and save the effort of FlightPass scheme, but it is still
Adventures Abroad, Gate 1 arranging for the two separately. a useful way of getting around
and Tradesco, offer week-long the vast European continent.
or 21-day holidays to the region,
either focusing on one country Internet Booking
or combining several in a The Internet has become a Flights Within Eastern
busy itinerary. popular way of booking tickets. and Central Europe
Similar packages are offered Many scheduled and budget Travelling from one end of
by Abercrombie & Kent, which airlines now offer their cheapest the region to the other can
specializes in upmarket accom- rates on the Internet, and these be time consuming for those
modation and is therefore fares frequently undercut who attempt to do it by road
slightly more expensive than anything offered by the or rail. Fortunately, there is an
the other operators. Those who high-street travel agencies. extensive network of flights
specialize in Eastern and Central As well as checking individual between the major capitals.
European destinations and airline websites, travellers National carriers such as CSA
provide the services of local should also browse the Czech Airlines and LOT Polish
guides include Regent Holidays websites of Internet-based Airlines offer the biggest
in the UK, and Gateway Travel travel agents such as Opodo, choice of regional flights, with
and Contal Travel in Australia. Expedia and Travelocity. They Prague, Budapest and Warsaw
Travellers who want to are particularly useful for finding serving as the main hubs for
experience the great outdoors out the best deals on one-stop their respective networks.
should consider adventure- or two-stop flights to Eastern Several budget airlines also
holiday companies such as and Central Europe, which may operate regional flights,
Exodus and Explore, which involve more than one airline. especially in the summer,
offer hiking and activity holidays These agents also offer book- when travellers from North
with itineraries to suit all levels ings in select hotels, allowing Eastern Europe head for the
of fitness. visitors to sort out their flights Mediterranean and Black
and accommodation in one go. Sea beaches. The Latvian
The US company Europebyair company AirBaltic has services
Fly-Drive offers a FlightPass for non- linking the capitals of North
Many airlines and travel European citizens, operating Eastern Europe. In addition,
companies offer fly-drive one-way flights between the budget airline Wizzair
packages, which combine selected European cities for offers summer flights from
flights and car rental. These a reasonable price. Only a Poland and Hungary to the
deals are often worth handful of East European Bulgarian coast.
DIRECTORY
Flying to Eastern Qantas Contal Travel Tradesco
and Central ∑ qantas.com.au Tel 02 9212 5077 (Aus). Tel 800 448 4321 (US).
Europe Ryanair ∑ contaltours.com.au ∑ tradescotours.com
Aeroflot ∑ ryanair.com
Exodus Internet Booking
∑ aeroflot.ru Wizzair Tel 020 8675 5550 (UK).
∑ wizzair.com ∑ exodus.co.uk
Europebyair
Air Canada ∑ europebyair.com
∑ aircanada.com
Budget Travel Explore
Expedia
American Agencies Tel 0845 013 1537 (UK). ∑ expedia.com
∑ aa.com ∑ exploreworld wide.
STA Travel Opodo
Austrian Airlines ∑ statravel.com
com
∑ opodo.com
∑ austrian.com
Trailfinders Gate 1
Travelocity
Continental ∑ trailfinders.com Tel 800 682 3333 (US).
∑ travelocity.com
∑ continental.com ∑ gate1travel.com
CSA Czech Airlines
Package Deals Flying Within
Gateway Travel
∑ czechairlines.com Abercrombie & Kent Tel 02 9745 3333 (Aus).
Eastern and
Tel 800 554 7016 (US). Central Europe
Delta ∑ russian-gateway.
∑ delta.com ∑ abercrombie kent.com
com.au AirBaltic
Adventures Abroad ∑ airbaltic.com
easyJet Regent Holidays
Tel 800 665 3998 (US),
∑ easyjet.com Tel 0845 277 3317 (UK).
0114 247 3400 (UK).
LOT Polish Airlines ∑ adventures-abroad. ∑ regent-holidays.
∑ lot.com com co.uk
Eastern and Central Europe by The best source of information

on international services is
Train, Road and Ferry German Railways (Deutsche
Bahn), whose website provides
Eastern and Central Europe is covered by an extensive and a timetable for most des-
comprehensive rail network, but services vary in speed and tinations in Eastern and Central
comfort from one part of the region to another. Buses are a Europe. Excellent advice on
popular means of transport throughout, covering towns and trans-European travel can also
be found on The Man in Seat
villages that are not served by trains. Good-quality modern
61, a website run by dedicated
motorways connect the major cities but, away from the main rail enthusiasts. In addition,
routes, road surfaces can be poor. Boat trips are a great way to Thomas Cook publishes a
view the region’s beautiful scenery, but can be expensive. European Railway Timetable
which covers all the main routes
in Europe. This can be bought
Trains and Tickets the Czech Republic, Slovakia, from branches of Thomas Cook
The rail network in Eastern and Poland, Hungary, Slovenia in the UK, or purchased online.
Central Europe features every and northern Croatia is very
kind of train, at every speed. convenient and problem-free.
Among the fastest and most However, in South Eastern Rail Passes for
comfortable are the InterCity Europe, services between the Non-Europeans
(IC) services, which link major main cities in Bosnia and For non-Europeans, the cheapest
centres and make few stops. Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania way to explore the region by rail
Faster still are the Euro City (EC) and Bulgaria are relatively slow, is to buy one of the many passes
international trains which and visitors might consider available from Eurail. For those
connect big cities and may run travelling by bus instead. In North travelling from North America or
through several countries en Eastern Europe, the capital cities Australasia, it is cheaper to buy
route. Most IC and EC routes of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia one before travelling. The official
are equipped with modern, are only connected by bus. representative for Eurail in North
air-conditioned carriages Several railway journeys are America is Railpass. Eurail passes
offering both first- and second- worth making for the fantastic cover Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech
class seating. scenery along the route. The Republic, Croatia, Hungary,
Slightly slower are the regional express train from Belgrade, in Romania and Slovenia, but
express trains, which operate Serbia, to Bar, in Montenegro, do not extend to Bosnia and
under different names in various passes through dramatic Herzegovina, Estonia, Latvia,
countries. Slower still, regional mountain terrain. Much slower, Lithuania, Montenegro, Serbia,
passenger trains serve the local but equally delightful, is the Poland, Slovakia or Russia.
community and stop at all stations Bulgarian narrow-gauge line Several kinds of Eurail passes
en route. These passenger trains from Bansko to Septemvri, are available. Eurail Select covers
only offer second-class seating which goes through a unlimited first-class travel in a
and the carriages are frequently bewitching highland landscape. cluster of three to five countries
old and basic. The rail routes connecting of the visitor’s choice, with
Tickets should be bought at central Romanian towns such passes valid for periods ranging
the ticket counter in the station as Braşov, Sibiu and Sighişoara from five days to two months.
before boarding the train. Some pass through some of Europe’s The Eurail Global pass covers
stations have separate counters loveliest rural countryside, first-class travel in the seven
for domestic and international while travelling from Vienna in countries in Eastern and Central
trains; it is best to confirm before Austria to the Slovenian capital Europe mentioned above
queuing up. Many IC and EC Ljubljana or the Croatian capital as well as in 14 countries in
trains offer seat reservations Zagreb features some gorgeous Western Europe, for periods
for a small extra cost. It is also subalpine terrain. ranging from 15 days to three
advisable to check whether months. The Eurail Youthpass is
regional and international a cheaper, second-class version
express services have buffet Information and of the Global pass, available to
cars; many do not. Timetables those aged under 26.
Most of the national rail
companies in the region
Train Routes have websites with relevant Rail Passes for Europeans
The best IC and EC services timetable details. However, For Europeans, the best option
are in Central Europe, where information is not always is the Inter-Rail pass, which can
all major capitals and regional available in English, and be purchased from Rail Europe
cities are served by fast, international rail routes across or from the main train operators
punctual trains. Using the the whole continent are in individual countries. This pass
rail network to tour Austria, not consistently covered. covers 30 countries across
T R AV E L I N F O R M AT I O N 23
Europe, including most of the available everywhere in most catch a ferry from Italy to Croatia.
countries covered in this guide; destinations. Driving at night Jadrolinija and SNAV are the
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and can be dangerous in rural areas, two biggest operators. Most
Russia are the exceptions. where roads might be narrow ferries depart from the Italian
The pass comes in two and winding. port of Ancona, although there
versions – one for adults, and a are services from Bari as well.
less expensive one for travellers
under the age of 26. It covers Car Rental
DIRECTORY
periods ranging from five days to Car rental is a competitive
one month. It is not valid for the business in the region, so prices Information and
country in which it is purchased, are generally affordable. The Timetables
where full-price individual rail biggest car rental companies German Railways
tickets must be bought. are Avis, Budget, Europcar, (Deutsche Bahn)
Hertz and Sixt, all of which ∑ bahn.de
offer excellent services.
Driving Permits The Man in Seat 61
∑ seat61.com
Visitors planning to drive in
Eastern and Central Europe Travelling by Bus Thomas Cook
are advised to acquire an Domestic bus services offer an ∑ thomascookpublishing.
International Driving Permit alternative to trains throughout com
(IDP) before they travel. Eastern and Central Europe, and
The IDP is not compulsory provide the only means of Rail Passes for
everywhere in the region, but getting to those places that are Non-Europeans
regulations differ from one not served by the rail network. Eurail
country to the next, and Buses running between major ∑ eurail.com
many of the region’s car-hire cities are often fast and comfort-
companies require an IDP in able, and may also have air Railpass
Tel 1 877 724 5727 (US).
addition to a national driving conditioning. However, rural
∑ railpass.com
permit issued in the visitor’s services frequently make
home country. The IDP is valid use of slow, ageing vehicles. Rail Passes for
for one year and can be Most towns and cities have Europeans
obtained from the national a central bus station where
motoring organization in a visitors can check information Rail Europe
traveller’s home country. and purchase tickets. Advance Tel 08448 485 848 (UK).
reser vations are advisable when ∑ raileurope.co.uk
travelling on major intercity
Driving in Eastern and routes at weekends or during
Car Rental
Central Europe the summer holiday period. Avis
In Eastern and Central Europe, There is a wide network of ∑ avis.com
people drive on the right-hand international buses, especially
Budget
side of the road and overtaking in the Baltic States and in
∑ budget.com
is from the left. Visitors should South Eastern Europe, where
note that they are not allowed international trains are slow or Europcar
to overtake more than one infrequent. International bus ∑ europcar.com
car at a time. Distances are services are run by several Hertz
measured in kilometres. Speed local companies, but the ∑ hertz.com
limits are usually 120–130 kmph international operator Eurolines
Sixt
(75–80 mph) on motorways, runs an extensive network of
∑ sixt.com
80–100 kmph (50–60 mph) on routes across the continent.
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EASTERN AND
CENTRAL
EUROPE AT A
GLANCE
Landscapes 26–27
Great Capitals 28–29
Historic Cities 30–31
Castles and Fortresses 32–33
Jewish Culture 34–35
The History of Eastern and
Central Europe 36–41
26 E A S T E R N A N D C E N T R A L E U R O P E AT A G L A N C E
Landscapes
A range of climatic and geological conditions has forged
an impressive variety of landscapes in Eastern and
Central Europe. Despite the impact of human activity,
there are many areas of wilderness that remain intact.
From the bogs of North Eastern Europe and the
wetlands of the Danube delta to striking mountain
ranges such as the Carpathians, stretching from the
Czech Republic to Romania, the region’s diverse land-
scapes offer endless opportunities for exploration. Slovakia
Running along Slovakia’s border
with Poland, the Tatra Mountains
(see pp306–7) feature towering
peaks and deep blue lakes. At
2,655 m (8,711 ft), Gerlachovský
Štít is the range’s highest point.
Bal ti c
Sea
Slovenia
Much of western Slovenia is made up of karst – dry
limestone plateau dotted with caves. Caverns at
Postojna (see pp408–9) and Škocjan (see p410) contain POLAND
a spectacular array of stalagmites and stalactites.
CZECH
REPUBLIC
S LO VA K I A
Vienna
AUSTRIA
H U N G A RY
SLOVENIA
CROATIA
BOSNIA AND
Croatia HERZEGOVINA
Croatia’s heavily indented Adriatic coast boasts SERBIA
stunning maritime scenery, with stark mountains
overlooking turquoise seas. Charming stone-built
villages and Mediterranean flora characterize the MONTENEGRO
string of islands along its length.
Montenegro
The granite massif of Mount Durmitor
offers some of the wildest landscapes in the
western Balkans. The most dramatic feature
is the Tara Gorge, hemmed in by jagged cliffs.
Detail of biblical scenes painted on a monastery church wall in Bucovina, Romania
LANDSCAPES 27
Latvia
Eastern Latvia’s Gauja National Park
(see pp90–91) is dotted with green hills,
sandstone cliffs and riverside castles.
Highlights include the wildlife reserve
at Līgatne and the Iron-Age Latvian
village at Lake Āraiši.
St Petersburg
E S T O NIA
RUSSIAN
F E D E R AT ION
L ATV I A Moscow
LIT H U A NIA
Lithuania
Running parallel to the Baltic
coast, the Curonian Spit
(see pp66–7) is a thin sliver of
land formed by wind-blown
sand. Quaint fishing villages,
such as Nida, are bordered by
striking golden dunes.
0 kilometres 250
0 miles 250
Romania
With its heavy concen-
tration of marshes, lakes
and floodplains, the
reedy Danube delta
is a paradise for flocks
of migrating birds,
while attracting a
small population of
fishermen and farmers.
R OM A NIA
Black
Sea
B U LGA R IA
Bulgaria
Some of Eastern Europe’s most
exhilarating hiking terrain is found
in the Rila Mountains, where bare grey
summits loom over shimmering glacial
lakes. At 2,925 m (9,596 ft), Mt Musala
is Eastern Europe’s highest peak.
Great Capitals
Until the 20th century, Eastern and Central Europe were
characterized by powerful empires rather than indepen-
dent nation states. These royal dynasties built magnificent
cathedrals, palaces and castles to symbolize their greatness
and assert their supremacy, giving rise to some of Europe’s
most impressive capital cities. Several imperial cities,
including Vienna and Budapest, were repositories of a
fascinating mix of cultures, reflecting the rich ethnic 0 km 250
diversity of the local population. 0 miles 250
Prague
This remarkable city on the
Vltava river has long been
considered one of Europe’s
most magical capitals, boasting
cobbled medieval alleys, soaring Bal ti c
Gothic spires and lively squares. Sea
POLAND
CZECH
REPUBLIC
S LO VA K I A
Vienna
Vienna
In terms of imperial
grandeur, few cities A U STRIA
can match Vienna,
once capital of the SLOVENIA HUNGARY
Habsburg Empire and
still the epitome of CROATIA
Central European style.
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
Budapest
Straddling the Danube river,
the Hungarian capital enjoyed
something of an architectural
golden age in the 19th century,
endowing the city with an
array of fine buildings.
G R E AT C A P I TA L S 29
Vilnius
The capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which
stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea in its
15th-century heyday, Vilnius is packed with
grand architecture befitting its wide-ranging
historical heritage.
St Petersburg
E STON I A
RUSS I AN
FEDE RATI O N
Moscow
LATV IA
L I T HUA NIA
Moscow
Capital of Russia since
1480, Moscow rose
to become the nerve
centre of the Tsarist
Empire. Though displaced
by St Petersburg
from 1712–1918, this
fascinating city remained
the heartland of Russian
Orthodox culture as
R O MA NIA is evident from the
fine churches lining
its central squares.
Black
Sea
B U LGARIA
Warsaw
Elegant Neo-Classical Warsaw was almost
completely destroyed by the Germans in
1944. Painstakingly reconstructed after
World War II, today it is an enduring
symbol of Polish national survival.
Historic Cities
Since time immemorial, Eastern Europe has been crossed by major
trade routes to Russia, Central Asia and the Near East. Market towns
grew rich from this commerce, and their streets and squares were
lined with fine architecture. Some trading towns, such as Krakow
in Poland, became, for a time, the seat of royal dynasties and the
centre of political power before being sidelined by history. Others,
notably the prominent Baltic ports of Rīga and Tallinn, spent
centuries on the fringes of large empires before finally emerging
as the capitals of independent states.
Krakow
The capital of Poland’s medieval
kings and the site of the biggest
market square in Europe, Krakow
is packed with buildings from the
medieval and Renaissance periods.
Bal ti c
Sea
Ljubljana
The Slovenian capital is rich in Baroque POLAND
churches and red-tiled mansions. The
tree-lined banks of the Ljubljanica river
provide the perfect setting for a stroll.
CZECH
REPUBLIC
Vienna S LO VA K I A
AUSTRIA
H U N G A RY
SLOVENIA
C R O AT I A
Sarajevo
BOSNIA AND
An important trading centre in the Ottoman Empire, HERZEGOVINA
Sarajevo has, over the centuries, been home to
Muslim, Orthodox, Catholic and Jewish communities, SERBIA
all of whom have left their striking architectural
imprint on the city.
MONTENEGRO
Dubrovnik
The Adriatic port of
Dubrovnik, in Croatia, was
an independent city-state
that thrived on trade with
the Ottoman Empire.
The Baroque Old Town,
surrounded by stout
defensive walls, has
been well preserved.
HISTORIC CITIES 31
Tallinn
The Estonian capital is one of the
best-preserved medieval cities in
Europe. Its cobbled streets are lined
with churches and guild halls built
by Baltic merchants of the past.
St Petersburg
E S TON I A
RUSSIA N
FEDE RATI O N
Moscow
L ATV IA
L I T H U AN I A
Rīga
Rīga has been a major
Baltic port since the
12th century. It still enjoys
the reputation of a city
driven by commerce
and business, while
wonderfully restored
Gothic buildings add
character to the
city centre.
R OMA NIA
0 km 250
0 miles 250
Black
Sea
B ULG AR IA
Plovdiv
Providing a useful lesson in Balkan
history, Plovdiv boasts an impressive
Roman amphitheatre and Ottoman
mosques, as well as 19th-century
mansions built by Bulgarian merchants.
Castles and Fortresses

The history of Eastern and Central Europe is one of shifting
borders and military conquests. It is no surprise, therefore,
that castles and fortresses are a ubiquitous feature of the
landscape. Many of the castles became aristocratic residences
once their military role was over and were often furnished
lavishly by their owners. In modern times, a large number of
the fortresses have been restored by governments eager to
0 km 250
showcase their country’s rich past. They now house some of
0 miles 250
the region’s most prestigious museums, offering a good
opportunity to understand the local history and culture.
Bal ti c
Sea
Malbork
A religious and political centre,
Malbork Castle (see p209) was
built to serve as the capital POLAND
of the Teutonic knights,
the Germanic crusaders
who carved out an empire
in North Eastern Europe.
The castle contains an
imposing medieval church. CZECH
REPUBLIC
SLOVAKIA
Vienna
AUSTRIA
H U N G A RY
SLOVENIA
C R O AT I A
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
MONTENEGRO
Karlštejn
Residence of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, Karlštejn
Castle (see pp256–7) symbolizes the power and influence
enjoyed by medieval Czech rulers. Paintings in the castle’s
chapel represent a high point of Gothic art.
Tvrđa
Built by the Austrians to serve as their military
command centre in South Eastern Europe, the
fort of Tvrđa (see p476) in Osijek is a virtual city-
within-a-city. Complete with squares, mansions
and churches, it is one of the best-preserved
Baroque ensembles in the continent.
CASTLES AND FORTRESSES 33
Trakai
Romantically situated on an island in the
middle of a lake, Trakai Castle (see pp60–61) was
the one-time residence of Grand Duke Vytautas
the Great, who extended Lithuanian power as
far as the Black Sea.
St Petersburg
ESTONIA
Moscow
LAT VIA RU S S I AN
FE DERATI O N
L I T HU AN IA
Bran
The captivating hilltop
stronghold of Bran (see
pp556–7) was built in the
14th century to defend
Europe from the Turks. It
was subsequently used as
a holiday home by the
Romanian royal family.
R OM ANIA
B l ack
Sea
SERBIA
B ULGARIA Tsarevets
A fortress that also served as Bulgaria’s capital
city, Tsarevets (see pp600–601) was home to the
Bulgarian tsars from 1185 to 1393. It now plays
host to a spectacular son-et-lumiere show on
summer evenings.
Kalemegdan
Affording access to the Danube river, this
medieval fortress (see pp526–7) was used by
Serbian, Ottoman and Austrian rulers. It now
serves as Belgrade’s most popular park, offering
sweeping views from its battlements.
Jewish Culture
One of the key heartlands of Jewish culture, Eastern and
Central Europe was home to two main groups of Jewish
communities. The first to arrive were the Ashkenazi, who
emigrated from the Rhine valley from the 12th century
onwards. They were followed by the Sephardic Jews, who,
after being expelled from Spain in 1492, resettled in South
Eastern Europe. Although over 90 per cent of the region’s
Jewish population perished during World War II, traces of
their heritage can still be seen in the carefully preserved A 19th-century line engraving
historic quarters of many European cities. depicting the expulsion of Jews
from Spain on the orders of King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
The old historic quarter of Třebíč (see p274), in

the Czech Republic, is a beautifully preserved
example of one of the small towns once
dominated by Jewish trading families.
Jewish Heritage
Eastern and Central Europe’s rich Jewish
heritage is evident in the large number of
synagogues found across the region. Dating
from the 1850s, Budapest’s Great Synagogue
(see p341) is a testament to the size and
prestige of Hungary’s Jewish community.
Built in the Moorish Revival style, the interior
features both Byzantine and Gothic elements.
Sofia Synagogue (see p580),

built in 1909 to serve the
city’s growing Jewish
community, is an impressive
combination of Oriental and
Art Nouveau styles.
Tallinn’s Beit Bella Synagogue, Vilnius’s Choral Synagogue was the

inaugurated in 2007, is the first only one in the Lithuanian capital to
synagogue to open in Estonia survive World War II unscathed. It was
since the destruction of the completed in 1903 for a congregation
earlier one during World War I. It that introduced choral singing into
hosts many concerts and events. their religious services.
J E W I S H C U LT U R E 35
Language and Culture

The everyday language of North Eastern European Jewry was Yiddish. By
the early 19th century, Vilnius had emerged as a centre of Jewish learning.
The religious customs of the Litvaks, as Lithuanian Jews are known in
Yiddish, were marked by a rigid analysis of the Talmud, the Jewish laws
and traditions. However, any proliferation of Yiddish literature was cut
short by the devastation of Jewish communities in World War II.
The Jewish Museum in

Prague is spread between
four historic synagogues. The Sarajevo Haggadah,
The museum’s collections illustrating the Jewish
provide a fascinating Passover, is a beautifully
insight into all aspects illuminated manuscript
of Jewish culture. produced by Sephardic
Jews in 1350.
Vilnius was regarded

as the European
Jewry’s most vibrant
cultural centre. It was
famous as a centre of
study as well as of art
and literature.
The Jewish Culture

Festival in Krakow,
held in June each year,
features films, theatre,
choral performances
and traditional klezmer
music, and is one of
the biggest festivals
of Jewish culture in
the world.
Mark Rothko
Eminent Jews
(1903–70), a pioneer
Banned from taking up most of brooding, medi-
professions until the late 19th tative abstract art,
century, Jews lived largely as was born in the
traders. However, over time Latvian city of
many gained recognition in Daugavpils. He later
the fields of art and literature. moved to New York.
Sigmund Freud (1856–

1939), the father of modern
Franz Kafka (1883–1924), renowned for psychoanalysis, spent
his surreal stories written in German, much of his life in Vienna
was part of a German-Jewish literary until Hitler’s invasion
circle in Prague, where he spent most of Austria drove him
of his life. to London.
The History of Eastern and Central Europe

In this timeline of the history of Eastern and Central Europe,
important political and social events appear on the upper
half of the page, while the lower half charts contemporary
developments in art and architecture. This lower section
focuses on buildings and works of art that illustrate major
historical trends and can still be seen today. They are described
AD 101 Roman Emperor Trajan
in more detail in the main sightseeing sections of the book. completes the conquest of Dacia
(modern-day Romania)
From Prehistory to the Early AD 45 Rome takes over Thrace

Middle Ages (modern-day Bulgaria)
Civilization in Europe started in the southeast,

with metalworking and clay-firing techniques AD 276 Goths
developing in the Balkans before spreading to the overrun Roman
rest of the continent. Much of Central and South territories in
Eastern Europe came under Roman rule, while the the Balkans
northeast remained isolated. The collapse of Rome
and the period of great migrations changed the
ethnic map of Europe and hastened the emergence 168 BC Romans conquer Illyria
of nation states such as Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, (modern-day Croatia, Bosnia,
Hungary and Poland. Serbia and Montenegro)
700 BC Greeks establish

4500 BC Start of the
colonies in the Adriatic
Copper Age in South
Sea and the Black Sea
Eastern Europe
Prehistory Roman Empire

4500 BC 3000 BC 1500 BC AD 1 AD 200
Neolithic Hellenistic and Roman
4200 BC Gold and

copper jewellery is
made near Varna,
Bulgaria (see p602)
2500 BC Sophisticated
earthenware is produced
in the Danube valley, most 300 BC Thracian goldsmiths
notably the Vučedol Dove produce jewellery, ceremonial
(see p473) in present goblets and funeral
-day Croatia masks (see p580)
Art and Architecture

South Eastern Europe enjoyed long contact with Greek,
Roman and Byzantine civilizations, which greatly enriched
its art and culture over the centuries. The Romans were
great admirers of the Greeks and the growth of the Roman AD 81 Construction of the Roman
Empire spread Greek aesthetics throughout Eastern Europe. Amphitheatre at Pula, Croatia
North Eastern Europe, however, largely missed out on completed (see p463)
these cultural links until the region’s gradual conversion
to Christianity, when Western art and architecture made
an impact.
THE HISTORY OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE 37
AD 681 The Bulgars, under Khan 896 Magyars invade

Asparuh, migrate into the territory Central Europe,
of modern-day Bulgaria creating the state
subsequently known
as Hungary
AD 880 A Czech 1091 The Croatian 1201 German crusaders

state emerges royal line dies out, found the city of Rīga,
under the leading to union introducing several
Přemyslid with Hungary centuries of Teutonic
Dynasty with rule in the Baltic States
Prague at
its centre 966 Mieszko I
AD 441 Huns
creates the first
invade the
unified Polish
Balkans and
AD 862 Byzantine
state, adopting
Central Europe
monks Cyril and Christianity at
1219 Danish King
Methodius set out the same time
AD 500–600 Slavs Valdemar II founds
migrate in large to convert Central- Tallinn, the future
numbers from European Slavs capital of Estonia
1001
their homeland to Christianity
Hungary
on the Polish- accepts
Ukrainian border, Christianity
settling across 1228 Serbia emerges
under
much of Central as a kingdom under
Stephen, the
and South Stefan Prvovenčani
country’s
Eastern Europe first king
After the Fall of Rome Early Middle Ages

AD 400 AD 600 AD 800 1000 1200
Byzantine Byzantine and Romanesque
1270
Construction
of the
AD 550 Poreč’s Basilica of Euphrasius perfectly
(see pp464–5) decorated with proportioned
captivating mosaics Gothic
Old-New
850 The Rotunda of St Donat
Synagogue
in Zadar (see p458) exemplifies
(see pp248–9),
the Romanesque style
Prague
1261 Teutonic
knights build
Bishop’s Castle
(see p111)
1240 Master
Radovan carves the
Romanesque portal
of the Cathedral
AD 305 Roman Emperor Diocletian builds of St Lawrence
the palace that still forms the centrepiece 1180 Studenica Monastery (see (see p456), Trogir
of the Croatian city of Split (see pp446–9) p534) founded by Serbian
ruler Stefan Nemanja
The Age of Empires

The arrival of the Ottoman Turks had a lasting impact on Europe,
wiping out the nation states of the Balkans and replacing them
with a multinational empire. The main challenge to the Ottomans
came from the Austrian Habsburg Dynasty, which won control of
Czech and Hungarian territories before expanding south and east.
For centuries, the dominant force in North Eastern Europe was the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but this was ultimately
toppled by Russia, the rising power in the East.
1533 Ivan IV the
1410 Polish and Terrible becomes
Lithuanian armies 1526 Ottoman Turks Grand Prince of
1349 Charles IV of Bohemia defeat the Teutonic defeat the Hungarians Muscovy
becomes Holy Roman knights at Grünwald at the Battle of Mohács;
Emperor, turning his the Hungarian crown
capital Prague into a hub falls to the Austrian
of politics, art and culture Habsburg Dynasty
1415 Czech reformist theologian Jan Hus

is burnt at the stake as a heretic, but his
1282 The Habsburg ideas inspire the development of 1569 Union of
Dynasty establishes 1331–55 Under Stefan
Protestantism a century later Lublin creates
its first feudal Dušan, Serbia becomes Polish-Lithuanian
holdings in 1431 Birth of Vlad II the Impaler, who
the leading power in Commonwealth
Slovene lands leads Wallachian resistance against
the Balkans Ottoman expansion
1340 Ottoman 1353–91 Bosnia 1458-90 Reign of Mátyás
Turks invade becomes a regional Corvinus in Hungary
Thrace, gaining power under King
a foothold Tvrtko, then falls to 1463 The Ottomans
in Europe the Ottoman Turks conquer Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Late Middle Ages Reformation
1350 1400 1450 1500 1550
Gothic Renaissance
1477 Veit Stoss begins

1380 Teutonic knights work on the altarpiece
reconstruct Malbork Castle of the Church of
(see p209), creating one of St Mary, Krakow
the great Gothic fortresses (see pp188–9)
of North Eastern Europe
1490s Bernt Notke creates the
Dance Macabre for the Niguliste
Church (see p107)
1499 John of Kastav fills St Trinity
Church (see p512) with vivid
late-Gothic frescoes
1420s Frescoes at the

Manasija Monastery
(see p534) mark the
high point of Serbian
religious art
1344 Work begins on St Vitus’s Cathedral

1531 Construction of
(see pp232–3), Prague’s distinctive landmark Gazi Husrev Bey’s
Mosque (see
p491), Sarajevo
1552 Moscow’s St Basil’s Cathedral
In Central and North Eastern Europe, imperial courts and (see pp134–5) built to celebrate
mercantile cities imported the very latest in Gothic, the victories of Ivan the Terrible
Renaissance and Baroque styles. In parts of the Balkan
1561 Construction of Stari most, the
peninsula subject to Ottoman rule, however, artistic Old Bridge (see p496) in Mostar.
influences came from the East, and the region was almost Destroyed in 1993, it is
totally excluded from the European art world. reconstructed in 2004
1878 Austria-Hungary annexes

1600 Prince Bosnia and Herzegovina
Michael the Brave
briefly unites 1877–8 Russia defeats Ottoman
Wallachia, Moldavia armies in Bulgaria; establishment of
and Transylvania independent principality of Bulgaria
to form a state
corresponding to
modern Romania 1867 The Habsburg
Empire is divided into
Austrian and Hungarian
halves, and becomes the
Austro-Hungarian Empire
1721 Sweden surrenders

Estonia and Latvia to Peter
the Great of Russia
1683 Ottoman Turks lay siege 1829 Serbia

to Vienna but are beaten back is formally
by the combined armies of recognized
Austria and Poland as an
1812 Napoleon Bonaparte invades independent
Russia but is defeated by the principality
elements, losing most of his troops
in a disastrous winter retreat
1629 Estonia passes
into Swedish hands 1804 First Serbian Uprising
begins the process of freeing
Serbia from Ottoman control
Age of Enlightenment Industrial Revolution

1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850
Baroque Rococo Neo-Classical Realism and Impressionism
1850–70 Bulgarian architecture

blossoms with styles imported
from both East and West
1680s Austrian military
architects begin
construction of Tvrđa 1885 Neo-Gothic style reaches new heights
1716 Vienna’s
Fortress (see p32) in Osijek in the form of the Hungarian Parliament
sublime
Karlskirche building (see pp336–7)
(see p387) built
by Fischer
von Elach
1703 Peter the
Great founds
St Petersburg
1754 Francesco
Bartolomeo Rastrelli
begins construction of
St Petersburg’s Winter 1897 Gustav Klimt and others
Palace (see pp154–5) form the Vienna Secession in a
direct challenge to the
established art world
The 20th Century to the Present

War and revolution destroyed the multinational empires of the
19th century, and after 1918, independent nation states were
re-established throughout Eastern Europe. With the onset of
World War II, however, the region was first conquered by
Germany, then by Soviet Russia, which imposed Communist
regimes on the seized territories. Communist rule collapsed in
1989 but the transition to democracy was not smooth every-
where; Yugoslavia, in particular, was riven by conflict before the
emergence of new, internationally recognized states.
1956 An anti-
1918–19 The end of World War I Communist uprising
brings independence for Estonia, breaks out in Hungary
1941 Germany mounts a
Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, but is crushed by
surprise attack on the
Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia Soviet tanks
Soviet Union
1939 Germany and the Soviet Union

secretly agree to divide Poland between
them, triggering World War II 1953 The death of
Stalin eases
1938 The Munich Agreement allows political terror
Germany to take hold of large parts of
Czechoslovakia
1917 Revolution in 1945 Collapse
Russia brings Lenin’s 1937–8 Stalin unleashes the of Germany
Bolsheviks to power Great Purge, killing an estimated leaves the
2 million citizens Soviet Union
in control of
1914 Gavrilo Princip
Central and
assassinates Austrian 1924 Soviet leader Eastern Europe
Archduke Franz Lenin dies; Stalin
Ferdinand in Sarajevo, emerges as his
sparking World War I successor
Age of Imperialism
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960
Art Nouveau Art Deco and Modernism
1915 Kazimir Malevich 1935–8 The Moscow Metro opens,

paints his most iconic featuring palatial stations, such as
work, The Black Square Arbatskaya and Komsomolskaya, full
of mosaics and frescoes
1911 Completion of Municipal House
(see p252) in Prague, a high point in Art
Nouveau architecture
1961 Soviet
1907–11 Lithuanian painter Mikalojus cosmonaut
Konstantinis Čiurlionis develops the quasi- Yuri Gagarin
mystical, Symbolist style becomes the
first man
1903–6 Mikhail in space
Eisenstein
designs Art
Nouveau
apartment 1931 Alfons Mucha designs sumptuous
blocks in Rīga stained-glass windows for St Vitus’s
(see pp78–9) Cathedral (see pp232–3) in Prague
1900–10 Rihard Jakopič, Ivan Grohar and 1929 Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
Matej Šternen spearhead the Slovene redesigns the riverside quarter in
Impressionist Movement (see p405) Ljubljana (see pp402–403)

Eastern European art was at the forefront of 1952 Work begins on Warsaw’s
Palace of Culture and Science (see
the Modernist movement in the early 20th p183), Eastern Europe’s best example
century, before the combined effects of war and of Stalinist Baroque
authoritarian rule disrupted its development. After
the political changes of 1989, however, Eastern
and Central Europe is gradually re-establishing its
position at the heart of European culture.
1991 Slovenia and Croatia declare

independence from Yugoslavia; fighting
1989–90 Following the
erupts between Croats and Serbs
fall of the Berlin Wall,
Communist regimes 1992 Bosnian Serb
throughout Eastern forces begin the siege
Europe are replaced by of Sarajevo
democratic governments
1995 The Dayton

Agreement brings
1985 Mikhail to an end the
Gorbachev wars in Croatia
becomes and Bosnia
Soviet leader,
launching a
wave of
reforms
1999 Tension between Serbs and

Albanians in Kosovo leads to the NATO
1968 A period of bombing of Serbia
liberalization in
Czechoslovakia known as 2004 Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
the “Prague Spring” ends Poland, Hungary, the Czech
with Soviet invasion Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia
join the European Union (EU)
1980 Strikes in
Poland lead to the
formation of the 2007 Romania and
Solidarity Bulgaria join the
Movement European Union
The European Union

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Post-Modernism
1977 Invented
by a local
mathematician, 1984 In Belgrade, work
the world’s first commences on St Sava (see 2014 Croatia joins the EU,
Rubik’s Cube p531), the world’s largest Russia annexes the Crimea.
goes on sale Orthodox church
in Budapest 2010 Polish president Lech
Kaczyński and 95 others die
in a plane crash
1983 Romanian President Ceaušescu orders the construction of

the House of the People, now known as the Palace of Parliament
(see pp548–9) in Bucharest
2006 Opening of Kumu Art

Museum (see p108), Tallinn’s ultra-
modern art museum, designed by
Finnish architect Pekka Vapaavuori
NORTH
EASTERN
EUROPE
North Eastern Europe

at a Glance 44–45
Lithuania 46–73
Latvia 74–97
Estonia 98–121
Moscow and St Petersburg 122–165
44 NORTH EASTERN EUROPE
North Eastern Europe at a Glance

Long fought over by Baltic, Teutonic, Scandinavian and Slavic NORTH
warlords, North Eastern Europe presents a rich palette of EASTERN
EUROPE
ancient castles, imperial cities and stately churches. Cities
such as St Petersburg in Russia and Vilnius in Lithuania once
ruled over extensive multinational empires, while the Latvian
and Estonian capitals, Rīga and Tallinn, stood at the heart of
north-European trade routes. Today the region’s cities are
among the fastest developing on the European continent,
blending thriving urban culture with stunning landscapes
and an extraordinary wealth of historic architecture.
Saaremaa Island (see

pp110–11), the largest Tallinn
island in Estonia, offers Paldiski
a haunting mixture of
reed-rimmed shores
and juniper-covered Haapsalu
heath, in addition to
the majestic windmills
that are its trademark.
Pärnu
Kuressaare
Ba lt ic
Sea
Gulf of
Rīga
Ventspils
Rīga
Tukums
Pāvilosta
Jelgava
Liepāja
Telšiai Šiauliai
Palanga
LITHUANIA
Rundāle Palace (see pp88–9), regarded as Klaipėda (see pp46–73)
Latvia’s most impressive surviving stately home,
Raseiniai
was designed by Italian architect Francesco Šilutė
Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700–71). It features ornate
rooms decorated in the Rococo style of the Jurbarkas
second half of the 18th century. Kaunas
0 kilometres 100
0 miles 100
Parnidis Dune towers over the fishing village of Nida,

on the Curonian Spit (see pp66–7). Spectacular views
from the summit take in the Baltic Sea and the Curonian
Lagoon, and stretch southwards to Kaliningrad.
View of the impressive façade of the Great Kremlin Palace, Moscow
INTRODUCING NORTH EASTERN EUROPE 45
Moscow and St Petersburg

(see pp122–65) The Hermitage (see pp148–55) houses the
St Petersburg state rooms of the tsar’s Winter Palace and
has nearly three million exhibits ranging
ESTONIA from fine arts to archaeological finds.
RUSSIAN
FEDERATION
LATVIA Moscow
St Basil’s Cathedral (see pp134–5) was built

LITHUANIA in 1555–61 for Ivan the Terrible. Pointed roofs,
BELARUS colourful domes and tiers of arched gables
typify its stunning architectural diversity.
Jõhvi
Rakvere
Paide
Lake
Peipsi
ESTONIA
(see pp98–121)
Tartu
Viljandi
Võru
Valga
Alūksne
Smiltene
Gauja National Park (see pp90–91) is one of the most attractive

Ērgli
national parks in Latvia. Besides a compelling mix of natural
Ogre LATVIA landscapes and historic sites, it also offers an extensive range
(see pp74–97) of outdoor activities, from canoeing to bobsledding.
Rēzekne
Jēkabpils
Krāslava
Daugavpils
Panevėžys
Utena
Ukmergė
Jonava
Vilnius
Druskininkai
Vilnius Cathedral (see pp52–3), is a striking Neo-Classical edifice, with

huge statues of saints Casimir, Stanislaus and Helena topping the pediment.
Inside, a chapel dedicated to St Casimir (1458–84), patron saint of Lithuania,
is filled with stunning Baroque stuccowork and statuary.
NORTH EASTERN EUROPE 47
LITHUANIA
The largest of the three Baltic States and one of the hidden jewels of Europe,
Lithuania takes pride in its relatively undiscovered landscape of clean lakes,
ancient forests and coastal dunes. The capital Vilnius, which has a UNESCO-
protected Old Town, combines the romance of breathtaking Baroque
architecture with the modern trappings of 21st-century Europe.
Lithuania is blessed with an unblemished of Christianity enraged the Samogitians,

natural landscape of rolling hills, lakes and who murdered him and reverted to
rivers. The eastern half of the country is paganism. In the 14th century, the Teutonic
known as the “highlands” and the west as knights (German warrior-monks) returning
the “lowlands”, even though the terrain is from the Middle East joined the fight
almost universally flat. against the pagan Grand Duchy of
Following a tumultuous history, the Lithuania. In 1410, they were defeated
country is forging a positive political and at the Battle of Grünwald (Žalgiris) by
cultural role for itself in the expanded the armies of Lithuania and Poland,
European Union. Many of its fine historic which had forged an alliance by marriage
buildings have sur vived, and folk culture in 1386. Fear of Russia led to closer ties
colours every corner of the country. between Lithuania and Poland and the
creation of the Commonwealth of the
History Two Nations, cemented at the Union of
At the beginning of the 13th century, Lublin in 1569. When King Sigismund
Lithuanian tribes, such as the Samogitians Augustus died without an heir, the
(Žemaičiai) and Aukštaičiai, began to unite combined position of grand duke of
in the face of incursions by Germanic Lithuania and king of Poland became
crusaders. In 1253, Duke Mindaugas an elected one. The aristocracy adopted
(r. 1235–63) crowned himself king of the the Polish language, and Lithuanian
united tribes. However, his acceptance culture was marginalized.
Children playing in the sand dunes near Nida, Curonian Spit National Park
Yachts moored near the enchanting red-brick Trakai Island Castle, Trakai
Detail from Jan Matejko’s depiction of Battle of Grünwald (1878)
The 17th century was a disastrous period traditional Lithuania. Resistance

for Lithuania, characterized by misrule, simmered under the surface, and as World
plague and a calamitous invasion by the War I and the 1917 Russian Revolution
Russians. During the 18th century the destroyed the Tsarist Empire, a national
Commonwealth gradually became a council in Vilnius declared Lithuania
puppet state of tsarist Russia. In a series independent on 16 February 1918. Between
of partitions, its vast lands were divided 1926 and 1940, under authoritarian
between Russia, Prussia and Austria. By Antanas Smetona, Lithuania enjoyed a
1795, Poland and Lithuania had ceased period of growing prosperity. However,
to exist. Over 120 years of occupation it was then occupied by the Red Army,
followed, during which Russification ushering in a reign of terror defined by
led to the eradication of all traces of mass deportations and massacres that
continued under the Nazis. The return
KEY DATES IN LITHUANIAN HISTORY of the Red Army in 1944 saw between
AD 1236 Samogitian victory over German crusaders 120,000 and 300,000 people deported
1240 Duke Mindaugas unites Lithuania to the Siberian gulags.
1253 Duke Mindaugas crowned king In 1988, a group of intellectuals
1386 Royal marriage unites Lithuania and Poland founded the Sąjūdis Movement to rally
1410 Battle of Grünwald destroys the Teutonic knights popular support for demonstrations and,
1569 Union of Lublin creates Polish-Lithuanian on 11 March 1990, Lithuania declared
Commonwealth its independence, prompting a fierce
1655 Russian Army sacks Vilnius response by Soviet troops. Freedom was
1795 Final partition of the Commonwealth finally declared in August 1991. Several
1831 Rebellion against tsarist rule years of economic hardship followed,
1863 Lithuanian rebels persecuted by Russia but membership of the EU and NATO
1918 Lithuania declares independence has since brought far greater prosperity.
1923 Lithuania reclaims Klaipėda
1926 President Smetona seizes power Language and Culture
1944 Soviets reoccupy Lithuania Lithuanian belongs to the Baltic family
1955 Partisan war against Soviet occupation dies away of languages. While English is commonly
1988 Sąjūdis Movement founded used as a second language, German,
1990 Declaration of independence Russian and Polish are also widely spoken.
2004 Lithuania joins NATO and becomes a member Lithuanians celebrate a host of festivals.
of the EU
Most of the year’s events take place in
2015 Lithuania adopts the Euro as the official currency
and becomes the 19th member of the Eurozone summer when the country comes alive
with music, dance and food festivals.
LITHUANIA 49
Exploring Lithuania
With its rich history and wealth of scenic beauty, Lithuania
offers many attractions. Its capital Vilnius possesses one of
Europe’s finest Old Towns. While Vilnius and Kaunas are the
most vibrant cities, the less-visited towns and villages, with
their beautiful churches and farmsteads, and the coast, with
its fascinating sandy dunes and beaches, also draw visitors.
Trains are cheap, but not frequent, and there are few routes.
The country’s flat landscape makes it ideal for cycling.
Sights at a Glance
1 Vilnius pp50–59
2 Trakai Castle pp60–61
3 Kaunas pp62–3
View of Upper Castle across the Neris
4 Klaipėda pp64–5
river, Vilnius
5 Curonian Spit National Park
pp66–7
L ATVIA
Biržai
A10
Joniškis
Mažeikiai
A12
Seda Pasvalys Rokiškis

Baltic A11
Telšiai Šiauliai
Sea
Zarasai
A9
Panevėžys
Palanga A6
Plungė
Karlshamn,
Kiel
Utena
A1
2
Klaipėda Gargždai
A1
A14
A13
A8
Ukmergė Molėtai
Curonian Spit Šilalė Raseiniai
National Park
Šilutė A6
A2
N
A1
em
nia
14 Tauragė Jonava
un
Nida 1 Ne
Vil
as
ris
Jurbarkas Kaišiadorys BEL ARUS

Kaunas
VILNIUS
RUSSIAN A1
A3
FE DE RATION Trakai Castle Trakai
A5
Vilkaviškis
A16
A15
Marijampolė
Alytus
Ne m u n a s
A4
Lazdijai Varėna
0 kilometres 50 POLAND
Druskininkai
0 miles 50
Key
Motorway
Major road
Railway
Vast sand dunes, Curonian Spit National Park
For keys to symbols see back flap
1 Vilnius
Whether viewed from one of the hills that overlook the
Old Town or one of the many pavement cafés with tall spires
rising all around, Vilnius is unmistakably a city of great beauty.
The city, now home to 600,000 people, sustained a series
of wars, invasions and fires between the early
17th and mid-18th centuries. Efforts
to rebuild the city resulted in the rich
offshoot of the Baroque style that is
typical of Vilnius today. The Old Town,
S
G AT 1 6 -O S IO
on the UNESCO World Heritage list
VĖ
G AT K Ų
VĖ
A R IO
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AU
since 1994, blends Gothic and Neo– DI
MI
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Classical styles. The best places to begin PR
OS
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a tour of the Old Town are Vilnius Cathedral M
ĖN
A
SM
AS
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in the north and the Gates of Dawn in A O
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the south. Vilnius University and its surrounding
G AT V Ė
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churches and courtyards are one of the
T
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city’s finest architectural ensembles.
JO
VILNIAU
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Sights at a Glance IS
LA
GATVĖ
N
1 Vilnius Cathedral pp52–3 D
IJ
O
S
2 Cathedral Square
3 Ducal Palace
G ATVĖ
KLOS
4 Upper Castle K K A L I N A U S K O G AT V Ė LIEJY
5 Applied Arts Museum

6 Vilnius University Church of
P Y L I M O G AT
St Catherine
7 St John’s Church KLA IPĖ DO
S GATV Ė
8 Town Hall Square
VI
9 Church of St Casimir
LN
IA
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0 Gates of Dawn
VĖ
q State Jewish Museum

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Outdoor cafés along a cobblestoned street, Old Town

VILNIUS 51
Getting Around
Vilnius is a compact city that can easily be explored on
foot. Walking is the best way to explore the Old Town.
Cycling is another popular way of getting around the
town centre, and the tourist office in the Old Town
offers bicycles to rent. Outlying sites can be reached by
bus, but others, located further away from the city
centre, are more easily reached by car or taxi.
Neris
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Detail on Vilnius University door
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UNIVERSITETO
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S
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St Anne
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Benardine
Church
ŠV
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OT
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Dominican JO
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Church ŠV VĖ
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Holy Mother of
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St Paraskeva God Church

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Church of the 0 yards 200

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Holy Spirit
G AT
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Church of
St Theresa Ė
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TV Ė MD
Key
Bus Station Railway Station
660 m (720 yards) 550 m (600 yards)
Street-by-Street area: see pp56–7
Vilnius International Airport
6 km (4 miles)
Major sight / Place of interest
Pedestrian street

1 Vilnius Cathedral
Vilniaus arkikatedra bazilika
Having taken various guises since it was first built as a
Christian church on the site of a pagan temple in 1251,
Vilnius Cathedral today largely dates from the late 18th
century. The young architect, Laurynas Stuoka-Gucevičius,
brought the fashionable French Classicist style to Baroque
Vilnius; his idea for the cathedral exterior and interior being
a visual re-creation of a Greek temple. Vilnius Cathedral was
closed by the Soviets in 1950 and initially mooted for use
Valavičius Chapel
as a garage for truck repairs. In 1956, however, it opened Members of the Valavičius family
as a picture gallery. It was eventually were governors and bishops of
returned to the Catholic Church in Vilnius. Their lavish chapel was
built in the early 17th century.
1988 and reconsecrated in 1989, a year
before independence was declared.
Statue of
St Helena
Stucco Sculpture
This sculpture
depicting a bird
sacrifice can be seen
on the tympanum
of the façade.
Main entrance
Wall Painting of
the Crucifixion
The oldest surviving fresco
in Lithuania, dating from
the 14th century, can
be found in the crypt.
It was discovered in 1985.
Statue of Luke, the Evangelist

Of the statues of the Four Evangelists
on the southern façade, the one of
Luke’s appears with a bull, a symbol
of service and sacrifice.
VILNIUS 53
High Altar
The marvellously
intricate tabernacle door
on the High Altar, which
Katedros aikštė. Map D2.
was created in the 1620s,
Tel (5) 261 0731. Open 7am–7pm
is fashioned from gold
daily. 8 mandatory to visit the
and silver. Two biblical
crypt. Enquire at the souvenir
scenes, the Last Supper
shop at the north entrance for
and Christ Washing the
timings and fees. 5 8am,
Disciples’ Feet, are
5:30pm, 6:30pm daily, also 9am,
beautifully depicted
10am, 11:15am, 12:30pm Sun. =
on the panel.
. St Casimir’s Chapel
Italian masters created this
superb chapel, one of the
major Baroque jewels of Vilnius,
from 1623 to 1636. Its main
highlights are the marble
columns, magnificent stucco
figures and colourful frescoes.
St Casimir (1458–84)
Casimir was the second son
of King Casimir IV of Poland,
whose siblings became
kings and queens of
European states through
lineage and marriage.
Pious Casimir shunned
the luxuries of court life
and would often go to
the cathedral to pray.
When he died of tuber-
culosis at the age of 25,
it was rumoured that his
coffin could cure the disease.
A fresco in St Casimir’s
. Crypt Chapel shows how a sick
A sombre mausoleum holds the remains of orphan, who prayed
two grand dukes and two wives of Sigismund beneath the coffin, was Richly decorated altar of
Augustus (r. 1548–72), Gediminas’ last miraculously cured. St Casimir’s Chapel
descendant (r. 1316–41).
Arsenal, the Royal Palace viewing platform at the top

where the grand dukes provides a panorama of the spires
of Lithuania resided and and rooftops of the Old Town to
other buildings that the south. A funicular from the
stood at the foot of courtyard of the Applied Arts
Castle Hill and survived Museum offers a ride to the
the sieges of the 14th Upper Castle.
century are known as The stone buildings of the
the Ducal Palace. In the western tower were built in
1520s, the palace was 1419, and restored in the 1950s.
renovated in Renaissance According to legend, Grand
style by Italian architects Duke Gediminas dreamed of
invited by Sigismund an iron wolf howling from the
the Old (r. 1506–48). hills in the park. This, his pagan
Destroyed by Russians priest said, was a sign that a
in 1802, the Ducal Palace fortress should be built there.
has been rebuilt to As a result, wooden upper and
provide Vilnius with a lower castles and another one
symbol of past glories. on the adjacent hill were built.
Vilnius Cathedral Belfry, Cathedral Square The building holds a
museum devoted to the
2 Cathedral Square courtly culture of Lithuania’s 5Applied Arts
Katedros aikštė grand dukes. Museum
Map D2 & D3. @ 10, 11, 33. Taikomosios dailės muziejus
The paving stones around 4 Upper Castle Arsenalo gatvė 3a. Map E2.
Tel (5) 262 8080. Open 11am–6pm
Cathedral Square show the Aukštutinė pilis Tue–Sat, 11am–4pm Sun. &
outline of the wall around
the Lower Castle, a defence that Arsenalo 5. Map E2. Tel (5) 261 7453. The 16th-century Old Arsenal
@ 10, 11, 33. Open May–Sep: 10am–
made Vilnius a 14th-century houses the Applied Arts
7pm daily; Oct–Apr: 10am–5pm
bastion against the crusades. daily. &
Museum, which hosts major
At the square’s western end state-sponsored exhibitions on
is the Vilnius Cathedral Belfry, The oldest part of the Vilnius Castle topics relating mainly to the
which was originally part of complex is the Upper Castle, history of Lithuania, the Grand
the fortifications. There was also also known as Gedimino pilies Duchy and sacred art.
a western gate where Vilnius bokštas, built atop Gediminas One of the permanent
Cathedral stands today. The Hill. The western tower, the only exhibitions in the museum
square’s eastern end is dominated remaining part of this complex, displays Lithuanian folk
by a statue of the city’s founder, which once included defensive art from the 17th to the
Grand Duke Gediminas. Unveiled structures, is today the symbol 19th centuries, illustrating
in 1996, it conveys his predilec- of independent Lithuania. The the heavy impact that Christian
tion for diplomacy over force.
In the square’s centre is a tile
marked stebuklas (miracle),
reputed to be the point from
where the Baltic Way, the human
chain linking Vilnius, Rīga and
Tallinn in 1989, started. Locals
believe that turning around
on the tile three times makes
wishes come true.
3 Ducal Palace
Valdovų Rũmai
Katedros 4. Map E2. Tel (5) 212 7476.
@ 10, 11, 33. Open call in advance
for timings. 8 ∑ valdovurumai.lt
Situated on the left bank of

Neris river, the Vilnius Castle
Complex consists of the Ducal
Palace and the Upper Castle.
Vilnius Cathedral, the New Western tower, the Upper Castle’s lone surviving structure
VILNIUS 55
Colourful interior of Littera, with its collection of books and study material, Vilnius University
themes had on traditional dedications to professors. 7 St John’s Church

mediums such as sculpture. Accessed via a passage from Šv Jono bažnyčia
The collection includes way- the western side of the Great
side wooden crosses, shrines, Courtyard, the Observatory Universiteto 3/Šv Jono 12. Map D3.
saints and rūpintojėlis Courtyard by contrast is a serene Tel (5) 611 795. Open 10am–5pm
Mon–Sat. 5 6pm Mon–Sat, 11am Sun.
(Lithuanian local represen- enclosed garden from which
tations of a weary Christ hold- the observatory and its zodiac At the southern edge of
ing his head in his right hand). symbols can be seen. the Vilnius University campus, the
Particularly illuminating is Sarbievius Courtyard, the impressive façade of the Church
the work of Vincas Svirskis oldest part of the campus, is of St John the Baptist and
(1835–1916), a prolific located north of the Great St John the Evangelist and the
craftsman who carved many Courtyard and at its far end, nearby bell tower dominate
shrines for farmsteads and is the bookshop Littera. the Great Courtyard. The original
villages in the Kėdainiai and Frescoes caricaturing profes- Gothic church, built here in
Kaunas regions. sors and students decorate 1426, was reconstructed in 1749
its interior. These were painted in flamboyant Baroque by Jan
in 1978 by Lithuanian artist Krzysztof Glaubitz (1700–67).
6 Vilnius University Antanas Kmieliauskas. He was the most influential of
Vilniaus universitetas Vilnius’s late-Baroque architects
and one of the creators of the
Universiteto 3. Map D3. Tel (5) 268 distinct school known as
7001. Open 10am–5:30pm Mon–Sat. Vilnius Baroque.
8 for prior booking call (5) 268 7298.
The magnificent structure
= ∑ vu.lt
boasts an overwhelming
The oldest university in Eastern four-tier façade made up
Europe, Vilnius University was of clusters of columns. The
founded as a Jesuit College in church has ten imposing
1568 before becoming a school altars that are interconnected.
of higher education in 1579. The These faux marble altars with
current campus, constructed Corinthian columns illuminate
between the 16th and 18th the otherwise austere interior.
centuries, is a combination of Initially, there were 22 col-
different architectural styles. umns, most of which were
Lithuania’s largest university, it removed during further
has 13 courtyards and multiple rebuilding in the 19th century.
buildings. The most impressive At 68 m (223 ft), the bell
of its courtyards, the Great tower, which was given two
Courtyard has open galleries additional tiers by Glaubitz,
dating from the 17th century, Façade of St John’s Church and adjoining is considered the tallest
which were later lined with bell tower structure in the Old Town.
Street-by-Street: Town Hall

Square to the Gates of Dawn
Lithuania’s distinctive Baroque architecture, known as Vilnius
Baroque, can be admired in the outstanding monuments
clustered around the Church of St Casimir and the Gates of
Dawn. The enchanting collection of towers and sculptures
was built during the 17th and 18th centuries by Italian and
Polish architects and their Polish-Lithuanian noble patrons.
The buildings are elegantly designed, with symmetrical
9 . Church of St Casimir
façades reflecting an unmistakable Italian influence. This church was the city’s
Nonetheless, the regal atmosphere, so unique to Vilnius, museum of atheism from
distinguishes this place from similar architectural areas of 1963–91. The crown atop
the central dome symbolizes
other European cities. St Casimir’s royal lineage.
Vilnius Cathedral
D
ID
ŽI
OJ
I
GA
T V
Ė
8 Town Hall Square

This busy square has the impressive
Town Hall as its focal point. The hall’s
bold Classical portico was designed by
the renowned Lithuanian architect,
Laurynas Stuoka-Gucevičius.
A
R
K
L
IŲ
VĖ
AT
Ų G
RŪDN
E Č I
VOKI
INK Ų
GA
V
T
Key
Suggested route
Contemporary Art
Vokiečių Gatvė Centre, a Soviet-era
One of the city’s building, is now a venue
oldest streets, Vokiečių for groundbreaking art.
resembles a park during
the summer, with its
outdoor cafés and a
pleasant central tree-
lined walkway.
VILNIUS 57
Šv Kazimiero Gatvė
Named after
St Casimir, this
narrow street snakes
around the back of
the church towards
Užupis, a district
filled with cafés
and art galleries.
. Church of St Theresa
Scenes from the life of St Theresa, revered for her
Church of the mystical writings, adorn the vaulted nave of the
Holy Spirit church. The frescoes were painted in the late 18th
century following a fire in the 17th-century church.
0 metres 100
0 yards 100
M AUŠROS GAT VĖ
Ė
AUŠROS VAR TŲ GAT V
B A ZI
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G
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T V
Ė
Basilian Gate
0 . Gates of Dawn
Basilian Monastery A pilgrimage site, this gateway to the
The now dilapidated monastery complex was used as a Old Town protects a silver-covered
prison to hold anti-Russian activists, including the poet painting of the Virgin Mary, said to
Adam Mickiewicz, in the 1820s. have miraculous powers.
0 Gates of Dawn
Aušros Vartai
Aušros vartų 12. Map D5.
Tel (5) 212 3513. 5 9am, 6:30pm
Mon–Fri. Chapel: 6am–9pm.
The Classical chapel of Gates
of Dawn follows the centuries-
old custom of having a chapel
or a religious image in every
gateway to safeguard a city
from outside enemies and
protect departing travellers.
This is the only gateway from
Vilnius’ original defensive
walls to have survived a series
of attacks.
Nave and altar in the Church of St Casimir The focus of this chapel is
The Madonna of Mercy, an image
8 Town Hall Square was destroyed in 1812, reputed to have miracle-working
Rotušės Aikštė when Napoleon’s Army used powers. It was painted on oak in
the church as a granary. It the 1620s and encased in silver 150
Didžioji 31. Map D4. Town Hall: became a Russian Orthodox years later. The miracles attributed
Tel (5) 261 8007. n (5) 262 6470.
church during the 19th cen- to it were faithfully recorded
Open 9am–6pm daily. _ Kaziuko
Crafts Fair (Mar). ∑ vilnius.lt
tury, when onion domes by nuns at the neighbouring
were added to it. Carmelite convent. Hundreds
Fully repaved in 2006, Town It served as a Lutheran church of hearts of different sizes stand
Hall Square was for centuries for the German Army during World out on plates of silver around
a marketplace and the centre War I, and was then returned the painting.
of public life. It still bustles to the Jesuits and restored in The image was originally
with activity, especially the 1920s. The central dome placed on the gate, in a recess,
during the annual Kaziuko was rebuilt in 1942 and a crown with shutters to protect it from
Crafts Fair, a festival of traditional was added. The Soviets used the the elements, but was shifted to
arts and crafts marking St church as a museum of atheism a wooden chapel in the 17th
Casimir’s Day, when stalls line from 1963. It was reconsecrated century. The chapel that houses
the square. The main building in 1991 after heavy renovation. the image today dates from
of the square, the Town Hall,
was earlier the site of a court;
prisoners were marched from
its cells to the square to be
beheaded. The building was
constructed at the end of the
18th century. Today, the Town
Hall hosts cultural and social
events through the year.
9 Church of
St Casimir
Šv Kazimiero Bažnyčia
Didžioji 34. Map D4. Tel (5) 212
1715. 5 5:30pm Mon–Fri, 10:30am
& noon Sun.
The first Baroque church of the
city, St Casimir was destroyed
by fire three times after being
built by the Jesuits between
1604 and 1635, prompting
extensive reconstruction led by
the architect, mathematician
and astronomer Tomas
Žebrauskas (1714–58) in the
1750s. Much of the interior The Madonna of Mercy, seen through the window of the Gates of Dawn
VILNIUS 59
wHolocaust
Museum
Holokausto Ekspozicija
Pamėnkalnio 12. Map B2 and C2.
Tel (5) 261 6253. Open 9am–5pm
Mon–Thu, 9am–4pm Fri, 10am–4pm
Sun. & 8 ∑ jmuseum.lt
Also known as the Green
House, this department of the
State Jewish Museum reveals
some of the horrors that befell
the Jews of Lithuania during
World War II. A display on
Jewish life before the terror
unfolded is followed by maps
and photographs of how and
where the Holocaust was
executed. There are also des- Holocaust Museum, annexe of the State
criptions of the harsh life Jewish Museum
Stained-glass window at the State in the ghettos and eyewitness
Jewish Museum accounts of the mass killings deportations to Siberia and
of 100,000 people in the forests the futile efforts of the Forest
1829, when it was rebuilt to of Paneriai, outside Vilnius. Brothers, who fought a guerrilla-
replace an earlier Baroque style campaign against the Soviet
version. A site of pilgrimage, regime with strong support from
it was one of the first stops e The Museum of the locals. Underground, the cells
made by Pope John Paul II Genocide Victims that were in use right up until the
when he visited Lithuania Genocido Aukų Muziejus late 1980s are even more over-
in 1993. whelming. They include the
Aukų 2a. Map B2. Tel (5) 249 8156.
Open 10am–6pm Wed–Sat,
smaller cells used in winter with
10am–5pm Sun. & 8 = no glass in their windows and
qState Jewish ∑ genocid.lt the floors covered with water, as
Museum well as an execution chamber
Valstybinis Vilniaus Gaono Also known as the KGB Museum, displaying, under glass, the
Žydų Muziejus the Museum of Genocide Victims recently exhumed remains
was opened in 1992, on the first of victims of the era.
Naugarduko 10/2. Map C3. Tel (5) 231
floor of the former KGB building. In 1997, the museum was
2357. Open 9am–5pm Mon–Thu, till
3:30pm Fri. & 8 excursions of the
In the effectively designed display taken over by the Genocide
museum & Vilnius Old Town offered. area, personal stories are used to and Resistance Research Centre
∑ jmuseum.lt reveal the regime of terror under of Lithuania, a state institution
the Soviet occupations of 1940– dedicated to investigating
The hub of the city’s now tiny 41 and 1944–91. The exhibits atrocities that occurred in the
Jewish community, this small here chronicle Soviet repression country during the Nazi and
museum displays copies of in Lithuania, the cattle-car Soviet occupations.
ghetto diaries and handwritten
notes on the backs of cigarette
packets about life in the ghetto,
as well as items that remained
from the museum that existed
before World War II. Several
objects that miraculously survived
from the Great Synagogue,
demolished by the Soviets,
include a Ten Commandments
bas-relief.
The building plays host to a
newspaper in Lithuanian, English,
Yiddish and Russian, Jerusalem of
Lithuania. It is also the venue where
groups, such as the Union of
Former Ghetto and Concentration
Camp Prisoners and the Union
of Jewish War Veterans, meet. Exhibition of Lithuanian partisans at the Museum of Genocide Victims
2 Trakai Castle
Trakų pilis
Located on one of the 21 islands in Lake Galvė in the
peninsula town of Trakai, the castle was built as a seat of
power during the reign of Vytautas the Great in the 13th
century. Building was completed just before the Grand
Duchy’s crushing victory over the Teutonic knights at the
Battle of Grünwald. As Vilnius grew in importance, Trakai
lost its significance and was destroyed by the Cossacks
during the 1655 Russian invasion. In the late 19th century,
the elegiac island ruins captured the imagination of poets Dry moat, separating the main castle from
and painters during the National Revival. Oddly, it was the outer courtyard
the Soviet authorities who, in the 1950s, sanctioned the
reconstruction of this monument to Lithuania’s glorious
past. It was completed in 1987.
. Lakeside Walk
One way to appreciate
Trakai’s idyllic lake-filled
landscape and the scale
of the castle’s construction
is to take the pretty walk
that follows the shore of
the island.
Yachts
Between May and
October, yachts from
the nearby Žalgiris
Yacht Club are moored
next to the castle.
The boats can be
hired by the hour,
but charges vary.
LITHUANIA 61
Lake Galvė
This lake serves as
a moat around the
castle. Rowing boats
30 km (19 miles) W of Vilnius.
and paddle boats
n Vytauto gatvė 69, (528) 51 934.
can be hired along
Žalgiris Yacht Club: Žemaitės
the quayside on the
gatvė 3. Tel (528) 52 824. History
Lithuanian mainland
Museum: Kęstučio gatvė 4. Tel (528)
for a spectacular view
53 946. Open May–Sep: 10am–
of the castle.
7pm daily; Oct–Apr: 10am–5pm
Tue–Sun (to 6pm Mar, Apr & Oct).
& ∑ trakaimuziejus.lt
Transport
@ from Vilnius. £ from Vilnius.
KEY
1 A wooden footbridge links

Trakai to the castle.
2 The circular defence towers
have 4-m (13-ft) thick bases.
3 The Ducal Palace’s keep, which
is 30 m (100 ft) high, served as the
residence of the grand duke.
4 Dry moat
. History Museum
This museum showcases a wide array of
weaponry as well as items found during
excavations, including 16th-century
tankards, tiles and coins.
The Karaim of Trakai

A community of Turkic settlers practising a particular kind of Judaism, the
Karaim, lend a distinctly exotic flavour to Trakai. Their ancestors were taken
prisoners by Vytautas the Great when on a military venture to the Crimea
in 1397, and they subsequently served as royal guards. The Karaim have
maintained their customs and traditions. Their characteristic wooden
houses, each typically with gable ends and three windows facing the
street, their synagogue, or Kenesa, and the Karaim Museum are all on
Graves in the Karaim Cemetery, partially Karaimų gatvė, at Trakai’s northern end. Their cemetery lies beside Lake
hidden by long grass Totoriskiai close to Lake Galvė.
3 Kaunas R Church of St George

Papilio gatvė 7. Tel (37) 224 659.
Lithuania’s second largest city, Kaunas stands at the confluence 5 6pm Mon–Fri, 10:30am Sun.
of the Nemunas and Neris, the country’s biggest rivers. A series This 15th-century Gothic
of disasters hindered the city’s development, including invasions church (Šv Jurgio bažnyčia)
was destroyed twice by fire, by
by the Russians (1655), Swedes (1701) and Napolean (1812). Rapid the Russians in the 17th century
growth in the 19th century culminated in Kaunas becoming and in 1812 by Napoleon’s
the temporary capital of newly independent Lithuania in 1919. soldiers. It was finally returned
Later, the city suffered under Nazi and Soviet occupations. to the Bernardines in 1993.
Today, Kaunas is a modern city with a boulevard and a host
T Kaunas Castle
of museums. The main historic sights are located in its well-
Pilies 17. Tel (37) 300 672.
preserved Old Town. Open 10:30am–1pm Mon–Fri.
8 mandatory.
The ruins of Kaunas Castle
(Kauno pilis) are a reminder of
its strategic location, between
the rivers Neris and Nemunas.
Built in the 13th century, it
was damaged by the Teutonic
knights in 1362. Soon after its
reconstruction, the knights were
defeated by Lithuanians in the
Battle of Grünwald in 1410.
Thereafter the castle lost its
significance as a military base
and was used for administrative
purposes. It functioned as a
View of the bridge over the Nemunas river leading to the Old Town prison in the 18th century, but
was restored in the 1920s.
P Old Town Hall marketplace and is still the hub
Rotušės aikštė. of the Old Town. R Cathedral of Sts Peter
Known locally as the “White and Paul
Swan” and resembling a church R Church of the Holy Trinity Vilniaus 1. Tel (37) 324 093. 5 7am,
with its single, tiered tower, the A. Jakšto gatvė 1. Tel (37) 323 734. 8am, 6pm, 9am daily; 8am, 9am,
Old Town Hall (Kauno Rotušė) 5 10am Sun. 10:30am Sat & Sun, also noon Sun.
has been a marriage registry Built for a Bernardine convent Several reconstructions have
office since the 1970s. It continues in the late 1620s, this church culminated in the Gothic
to be a photogenic backdrop (Šventos Trejybės bažnyčia), with and Renaissance exterior of
for newlyweds. Built in the mid- its blend of Renaissance and this 15th-century cathedral
16th century, it has housed Gothic styles and its pastel colours (Šv apaštalų Petro ir Pauliaus
magistrates and the mayor, and brightens up the northwestern arkikatedra bazilika). The late-
has been used as an ammunition corner of the Town Hall Square. Baroque interior, however,
store, clubhouse, fire station, The interior was redesigned
theatre and a subterranean just before the outbreak of KLAIPĖDA
JU
Ė
prison. Town Hall Square, where World War II. RB

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0 metres 500
The elegant Old Town Hall 0 yards 500

LITHUANIA 63
remains largely unchanged VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

since 1800. The oldest painting
in the cathedral, the Suffering Practical Information
Mother of God, is reputed to 100 km (62 miles) W of Vilnius.
have miraculous powers. * 304,012. n Laisvės alėja 36,
(37) 323 436. _ International
P Perkūnas House Jazz Festival (Apr). ∑ kaunas.lt
Aleksoto 6. Tel (37) 641 44614. Transport
Open 2–5pm Fri, call to arrange a k£@
visit Mon–Thu. 8
The red-brick Gothic building The red-brick Vytautas Church, built by
(Perkūno namai) was named after Vytautas the Great Army church during World
Perkūnas, the god of thunder. War I, and, soon after, became
Dating from the early 1500s, it congregation. After Lithuania’s a Lithuanian Army church.
was initially a meeting house first independence in 1918, a
for members of the Hanseatic reconstruction took place. In E Mykolas Žilinskas
League. Bought by the Jesuits, 1930, a medallion was placed Art Gallery
the house was converted into in the church wall to comme- Nepriklausomybės 12.
a chapel before becoming a morate the 500th anniversary Tel (37) 322 788. Open 11am–5pm
theatre and then a school. Later, of Vytautas’s death. Tue–Sun. & 8
during the Soviet period, it was Named after the famous art
used as a warehouse. It is now P Laisvės Aleja connoisseur Mykolas Žilinskas,
back with the Jesuits. This pedestrianized street, set in this gallery (Mykolo Žilinsko
the heart of modern Kaunas, is dailės galerija) houses the valu-
R Vytautas Church also called Freedom Avenue. A able art collection he donated
Aleksoto 3. Tel (37) 203 854. monument outside the Music to Kaunas in the 1970s. Besides
5 6pm Tue–Fri, 10am & 6pm Theatre at Laisvės 4 marks where paintings and porcelain from
Sat–Sun, noon Sun. Romas Kalanta, a local student, the 16th to the 20th centuries,
This church (Vytauto bažnyčia) set fire to himself on 14 May including The Crucifixion by
was built by Vytautas the Great 1972. His suicide sparked student Rubens, the gallery also includes
after the Holy Roman Emperor protests, which were suppressed. pre-war paintings and sculptures
decided in 1413 that the land The silver-blue onion domes by Baltic artists.
on Nemunas river’s right bank of the Church of St Michael
belonged to Lithuania’s Grand dominate the street’s eastern E M K Čiurlionis Art
Duchy. Used as an army store- end. Built in the early 1890s, it Museum
house by Napoleon, it was later was originally Russian Orthodox, V Putvinskio 55. Tel (37) 229 475.
converted to serve a Russian but later served as a German Open 11am–5pm Tue–Sun. & 8
Housing the paintings of the
Kaunas Town Centre Lithuanian artist Čiurlionis, this
6 Perkūnas House museum (M K Čiurlionio dailės
1 Old Town Hall 7 Vytautas Church muziejus) also offers an insight
2 Church of the Holy Trinity 8 Laisvės Aleja into the development of art
3 Church of St George 9 Mykolas Žilinskas Art Gallery in Lithuania. It is the country’s
4 Kaunas Castle 0 M K Čiurlionis Art Museum biggest art gallery, with 335,000
5 Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul q Devil’s Museum exhibits. Artifacts from other
Airport
cultures include pieces from
10 km (6 miles)
VILNIUS ancient Egypt.
OS
ŠR
TV
Ė AU E Devil’s Museum
Ė
TV GA
Ž
GA S Church of the
E
S A
AU
M
ČI KT Resurrection V Putvinskio 64. Tel (37) 221 587.

PE
A
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E Devil’s
A CK RO Open Oct–May: 11am–5pm Tue–Sun;
P
IU
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A
V PUTVINSKIO Jun–Sep: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun.
G
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İŲ
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M K Čiurlionis V
T
Ė
V AN Art Museum
SA
Ė S
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This museum’s (Velnių muziejus)
I EN GAT VĖ
E SK Philharmonic collection of representations
EŠ Hall
OŽ
G AT V Ė
G AT V Ė
E. Church of of devils, demons and witches

St Michael
LAISVĖS ALĖJA from Lithuania and around the
G AT V Ė City
world, was brought together
DAUKANTO
Garden NEPRIKLAUSOMYBĖS
IAUS
Music
Theatre by avid collector Antanas
KĘSTUČIO G
MICKEVIČ
AT V Ė
Žmuidzinavičius. A sculpture
TV TO
Mykolas Žilinskas
Ė
G AA N
Art Gallery
of Hitler and Stalin fighting
I K
MI NDA U G O PROSPEKT Bus Station

AS
450 m (500 yards) over Lithuania in a pit of bones
A
Railway Station
800 m (885 yards) is grim, but most of the devils
are shown with humour.
4 Klaipėda E History Museum of

Lithuania Minor
Founded in 1252 by the Livonian Order who built the city’s Didžioji vandens 6. Tel (46) 410 524.
first fortress, Klaipėda was the main trading port until 1629. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat. &
The order named the city Memel after a river of the same name Located inside one of the
Old Town’s loveliest buildings,
(Nemunas in Lithuanian). Briefly the capital of Prussia after this museum (Mažosios
the Napoleonic wars, Klaipėda remained an important port Lietuvos istorijos muziejus)
under Prussian control until World War I. However, in 1923, paints an illuminating picture
the Lithuanian Army claimed the city, renaming it Klaipėda. of the earliest inhabitants of
Despite serious damage during World War II and its status as a the eastern region of Lithuania
Minor. Coins, maps, clothes,
military-industrial centre during the Soviet years, this thriving
old photographs and models
city is Lithuania’s third largest city and a major port today. give a glimpse of the lives of the
local German- and Lithuanian-
speaking communities before
World War II. The highlight is a
collection of photographs taken
during Hitler’s visit in 1939.
E Blacksmiths’ Museum
Šaltkalvių 2a. Tel (46) 410 526.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat. & 8
Black metal crosses, fences
and cemetery gates are exhib-
ited in a garden beside an
old working smithy originally
owned by Gustav Katzke, a
metalwork artist of the early
20th century. Some of the
crosses were rescued from
Cafés lining a pedestrian street in the Old Town destruction when the Sculpture
Park replaced the city’s main
Ännchen of Tharau behind its original location. In cemetery in the 1970s.
Taravos anikė. 1989, a replica of the original Lithuania’s cross-crafting
In front of the theatre in the statue was placed in the tradition, in metal and in
Theatre Square, which is the middle of the fountain. wood, was recognized by
heart of Klaipėda’s Old Town, UNESCO in 2001.
stands the statue Ännchen of E Castle Museum
Tharau. The statue is the focal Pilies 4. Tel (46) 313 323.
point of the fountain dedicated Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat.
to Simon Dach (1605–59), one &
of the city’s eminent personali- Housed in a 17th-century castle,
ties. Born in Klaipėda, then this museum (Pilies muziejus)
known as Memel, Dach was is one of modern Klaipėda’s most
a leading Prussian poet from recognized symbols. The castle
the late 1630s until his was built on the foundations
death. He is well known of the city’s first fortress
throughout Germany for dating back to 1252. In 2002,
his songs, hymns and an exhibition opened inside
dialect poems. The one of the ramparts, illus-
statue was inspired by trating the development
his poem Ännchen of of the fortress and the city
Tharau, written in 1637. from the 13th to the 17th
The original statue, centuries. The exhibits Old wooden clock inside the Clock Museum
created in 1912, include weapons, house-
mysteriously vanished hold articles, wooden tools E Clock Museum
on the eve of World and re-created models Liepų 12. Tel (46) 410 413.
War II to make way for of the castle and the city Open noon–5:30pm Tue–Sat,
a statue of Adolf Hitler. in the 17th century. noon–4:30pm Sun. & 8
On 23 March 1939, A Renaissance-era From sundials to atomic clocks,
Hitler made a gold ring encrusted this unique museum offers a
speech from the Ännchen of Tharau in with diamonds is fascinating insight into man’s
theatre balcony Theatre Square the highlight here. attempts to measure time. The
LITHUANIA 65
Clock Museum (Laikrodžių in South Africa in 1949. VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

muziejus) was opened in Heavily influenced by the
1984 inside a villa built in 1820 Norwegian Symbolist painter Practical Information
by John Simpson, an English Edvard Munch, Domšaitis won 315 km (195 miles) W of Vilnius.
merchant. Reconstructions recognition for his art in inter- * 158,541. n Turgaus 7, (46)
of ancient calendars, sun, fire, war Germany and later in South 412 186. _ Klaipėda Jazz Festival
water and sand clocks from Africa. The gallery exhibits 20th- (Jun), Sea Festival (late Jul).
around the world, and time- century Lithuanian art as well Transport
pieces showing the changes as a permanent exhibition of k 35 km (22 miles) NW of
in the faces and mechanisms works by Domšaitis. centre. £ Priestočio gatvė 1.
of clocks dating back to the Situated behind the gallery, @ Priestočio gatvė. g Old
Renaissance, form the bulk the Sculpture Park (Skulptūrų Castle Port, Žvejų 8, (46) 314 257;
of the exhibits. parkas) is dedicated to New Port, Nemuno 7, (46) 345
The pleasant courtyard, Martynas Mažvydas (1510–63), 780. Jun–Aug: 6:30pm–2:15am
featuring a large sundial, is a the author of the first Lithu- daily; Sep–May: at least hourly
popular venue for music, dance anian book. Until the 1970s, the 6:30pm–2am.
and poetry evenings. The house site was reserved for the city’s
next door was built by another cemetery. Spread over nearly intriguing sculptures by various
English merchant, Mae Lean. In 10 ha (25 acres), the park is artists, and new works are
1905, it was reconstructed in Art scattered with abstract and added to it each year.
Nouveau style. The Neo-Gothic
post office located close by is
another striking building in
the neighbourhood.
E Picture Gallery and

Sculpture Park
Liepų 33. Tel (46) 41 05 27.
Open noon–6pm Tue–Sat,
noon–5pm Sun. &
The city’s main state-run art
gallery (Paveikslų galerija) is
named after Pranas Domšaitis
(1880–1965), a Lithuanian
artist who was born near
Königsberg and who settled Unique creations laid out in the Sculpture Park
Klaipėda Town Railway and

Centre Bus Stations
1 km (0.6 mile)
Picture
1 Ännchen of Tharau
LA
Gallery and
IV
2 Castle Museum Sculpture Park

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SK
Airport
3 History Museum of
G
35 km (22 miles)
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5 Clock Museum O Museum

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6 Picture Gallery and YT
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Sculpture Park DO
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Ännchen of
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History Museum of
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Lithuania Minor
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Ferry Port
1 km (0.6 mile)

5 Curonian Spit National Park •

Klaipėda
Kuršių Nerijos Nacionalinis parkas L ITH U A N IA

•
Juodkrantė
BALTIC
A narrow 98-km (61-mile) strip of land on the Baltic coast, SEA Area of the
map illustrated
the Curonian Spit was formed 5,000 years ago. Its landscape
consists largely of pine forests, dunes and sandy beaches. The Nida •
Curonian
park’s forests are rich in wildlife such as roe deer, elk, foxes Lagoon
and wild boars. The dunes that tower over the village of Nida
Key
fall like cliffs into the Curonian Lagoon. Entire villages have
Curonian Spit National Park
been buried beneath the shifting sands. The Curonian Spit
National Park, covering most of the spit, was created in 1991
to preserve the dunes, lagoons and surrounding area, and
has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
. Nida
The highly characteristic red-and-blue
fishermen’s cottages in Nida have remained
unchanged for centuries. Some old weather-
beaten fishing boats lie in the gardens
outside the cottages.
Baltic Beach
a
The entire length of the spit on

Se
the side of the Baltic Sea is one

long sandy beach. Areas adjacent
ic
to the villages are popular in

lt
summer, but other parts are

Ba
little visited. Throughout the

spit, parking is allowed only
at designated parking areas.
Preila
Vecekrug Dune,
. Parnidis Dune at 67 m (220 ft),
Looming 52 m (171 ft) above Nida, Parnidis Dune Nida is the highest
offers great views and is one of the highest points wooded dune and
on the spit. A sundial erected here in 1995 collapsed can be seen from
during a storm in 1999. Only a part of it has the forest trail.
been reconstructed.
LITHUANIA 67
. Hill of Witches VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Comically demonic
wooden statues Practical Information
lurk alongside 350 km (217 miles) W of Vilnius.
Juodkrantė a path through Operators offer cruises in vessels,
the pine forest as well as in replicas of kurėnas
behind Juodkrantė. (traditional fishing boats). Visitors
The statues were can explore the Dead Dunes on
set up by a group the sightseeing trail of the Nagliai
of local sculptors Natural Reserve. n Taikos 4,
in the 1980s. Nida, (469) 52 345. Bike rentals
offered. & ∑ visitneringa.com
Transport
@ Naglių 18e, Nida, (469) 52 859.
g Naglių 14, Nida, (469) 51 101.
e
erv
Dead Dunes
Res
These once-shifting
dunes are now held in
al
place with vegetation

tur
and offer a sanctuary to

birds, animals and plants.
Na
Apart from a scenic trail

to the Naglių Dune,
ai
the area is out of

gli
bounds to visitors.
Na
Naglių
Dune
Forest Trails
It is possible to walk or cycle the
entire length of the spit. The path
takes visitors past isolated stretches
of sandy beach and is lined
with rich local flora.
Pervalka
Key
Main road
Trail
Ferry route
Shifting dunes
In the 17th century, when the Curonian Spit forests were cut down
to fuel industry and constant military campaigns, the mountainous
dunes were released. Carried by
the Baltic winds, the sand started
to shift up to 20 m (66 ft) a year
0 km 2 in places, burying entire villages.
It was only in the 19th century,
0 miles 2
when a vast number of trees were
Parnidis Dune seen from the harbour planted to reforest the area, that
at Nida the moving dunes were stopped.

Practical & Travel Information offices. Lithuania also has

tourist offices in London,
After many years of being excluded from the tourist map Finland, Sweden and Russia.
of Europe, Lithuania is now drawing a large number of eager
visitors. Tour operators are increasing in number and offer Health and Security
a great variety of packages to the region. Most airlines fly to
Lithuania is generally a safe
Vilnius, which has direct connections with many European cities. country to visit with instances of
Lithuania is not, however, covered by Eurail or InterRail, making theft and mugging relatively rare.
travelling by train from Western Europe relatively expensive. However, visitors should remain
vigilant in Vilnius, particularly in
and around the Old Town.
When to Visit Foreign Affairs offers information After years of underfunding
The best time to visit the country on visa regulations. For detailed ligoninė (Lithuanian hospitals)
is from May to October, when the information on entry regulations were in rather poor condition,
weather is generally pleasant and visa costs, visitors are advised although those in Kaunas and
and rarely cold. Nearly all the best to check the official website of Vilnius have improved. Emergency
festivals take place in summer, the European Commission. EU treatment is free, but visitors
and some small museums and citizens are not subject to customs should note that they will need
historic sights are only open regulations, provided they adhere to pay for medication and any
between May and September. to EU guidelines. All visitors should subsequent medical treatment.
This is also the ideal time to check for any customs duty or
explore the region’s natural special permission required to
attractions, by visiting one of the export a cultural object before Facilities for the Disabled
many national parks or walking buying one. Although there has been great
in the countryside. Autumn improvement in recent years,
is often splendid in the Baltic Lithuania as a whole is not very
States, but the weather can Visitor Information well equipped in providing
turn chilly as early as October. All cities and most major facilities for the disabled. The
towns in Lithuania have a situation is best in Vilnius,
tourist information office, where a large number of new
Documentation which is usually located in buses and trolleybuses provide
Citizens of EU member-states, the town centre. The country’s access for disabled people.
the US, Canada, Australia and official tourism website lists all
New Zealand can enter Lithuania the tourist information centres
for up to 90 days in a half-year across Lithuania. In the case Banking and Currency
period on presentation of a valid of very small towns, the office Banking hours in Lithuania
passport. Those wishing to stay may be situated in a museum vary, with branches operating
beyond 90 days will need to or historic building. Tourist from 8am to 5pm on weekdays.
apply for a national long-term offices are usually open from Banks in big trade centres are
visa or a residence permit. 9am to 6pm on weekdays, open on Saturdays from 8am
Visitors from other countries but opening hours are more to 3pm or 10am to 5pm. The
should enquire about visa erratic in remote places and national currency of Lithuania
requirements at the relevant it is advisable to check in is the litas, which is usually
embassy or consulate before advance. Free brochures abbreviated to Lt. One litas
travelling. The official website covering local and national consists of 100 centai. However,
of the Lithuanian Ministry of sights are available at these from 1 Jan 2015, Lithuania is
scheduled to adopt the Euro
as the official currency. Foreign
The Climate of Lithuania currency can be easily exchanged
VILNIUS
Lithuania has a temperate in banks or exchange bureaus.
22/72
climate. The country usually There is a wide network of ATMs
°C/F
gets its first snowfall in across the country, most of which
11/52 12/54 10/50 accept all major international
November. Winters are
long, with temperatures credit and debit cards.
2/36 3/38
dipping to -5º C (23º F). 0°C
32°F -4/25
Summers generally last -9/16
from mid-May to late August 6 10 2 1
Communications
when temperatures average hrs hrs hrs hrs Lithuania has a highly
18º C (64º F) in the capital 36 78 73 48 developed communications
city of Vilnius. Summer mm mm mm mm network. Mobile phone usage is
evenings are pleasant, with month Apr Jul Oct Jan high and broadband Internet
some short spells of rain. access is widespread. Public
payphones only accept
LITHUANIA 69
taksofono kortelė (prepaid cards), Arriving by Sea numerous crossing points,

which are available at newspaper Lithuania’s only commercial making it fairly simple to
kiosks and post offices. Mobile maritime harbour, Klaipėda travel by bus to or from Estonia
phone users can avoid roaming State Sea Port, is linked by and Latvia. There are express
costs by using local SIM cards ferry to ports in Germany, passenger coaches from Vilnius
which are available at newspaper Sweden and Denmark. There to Rīga and Tallinn, as well as to
kiosks. Paštas (post offices) can are connections to Kiel and other cities including Warsaw,
be found almost everywhere Mukran in Germany, Copenhagen- Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Kaliningrad
in the country. Fredericia and Aabenraa- and Moscow. On the other hand,
Aarhus in Denmark and the journey from countries
Karlshamn in Sweden. further west, such as Germany
Arriving by Air or the UK, is very long and the
Lithuania is well connected to inconvenience is best avoided.
the rest of Europe and, via major Rail Travel
European transport hubs such The national rail network is
as London, Copenhagen and run by Lietuvos Geležinkeliai Travelling by Car
Amsterdam, to the rest of the (Lithuanian Railways). The main Roads in Lithuania are
world. Opened in 1944, Vilnius routes run from Vilnius to Šiauliai excellent by post-Soviet-era
Airport is the arrival point for most and Klaipėda; Vilnius to Visaginas, standards and present no
flights. Services at the airport which passes Ignalina and special problems to drivers.
include car rental offices, currency Aukštaitija National Park; Šiauliai There are no toll roads except
exchange, cafés and newspaper to Panevėžys and Rokiškis; and through the Curonian Spit
kiosks, which also sell bus tickets. the speedy and regular Vilnius National Park.
Lithuania does not have a to Kaunas route. All train tickets Lithuanian regulations state
national carrier, although Latvia’s must be purchased at the ticket that every car must carry a small
airBaltic uses Vilnius airport as a desks in railway stations. At fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit,
hub. The airport is also used by the larger railway stations it is a reflective warning triangle
about 15 other airlines, including possible to leave your baggage and reflective safety vest. It is
Lufthansa, Finnair, Czech at the left luggage room for a mandatory for passengers to
Airlines and Austrian Airlines. small fee, or deposit the luggage wear seat belts and motorists
There are connections to almost in a self-service locker. Although must use headlights at all times,
all the capitals of Western Europe the stations at Vilnius and Kaunas both during the day and the
as well as many cities in former have been modernized, there is night. The traffic police may not
Soviet republics. little emphasis on cleanliness and be able to speak fluent English
Kaunas Airport has a hygiene in other train stations. but it can collect fines on
small number of scheduled the spot.
international flights, and is Driving while one is
served by low-cost operator Travelling by Bus intoxicated is a punishable
Ryanair from the UK and Ireland. Lithuania has an extensive offence and local authorities
Auracom has information on network of roads connecting sometimes use roadblocks
airport bus services throughout the country to neighbouring and breath analyzer tests
the country. countries and there are as enforcement tools.
DIRECTORY
Documentation United Kingdom Arriving by Air Lufthansa
Antakalnio 2, Vilnius. ∑ lufthansa.com
European Commission airBaltic
∑ britain.lt RyanAir
∑ ec.europa.eu ∑ airbaltic.com
United States ∑ ryanair.com
Visitor Auracom
Akmenų 6, Vilnius. Vilnius Airport
∑ airport-bus.lt
Information ∑ usembassy.lt Raudūnios Kelias, Vilnius.
Austrian Airlines Tel (5) 273 9305.
∑ tourism.lt
Emergency ∑ vilnius-airport.lt
∑ austrian.lt
Embassies Numbers Arriving by Sea
Czech Airlines
Australia Ambulance ∑ czechairlines.com Klaipėda State
Vilnius 23. Tel 03, 112. Sea Port
Finnair
∑ portofklaipeda.lt
Tel (5) 212 3369. Fire ∑ finnair.com
Canada Tel 01, 112.
Kaunas Airport
Rail Travel
Jogailos 4, Vilnius. Police Karmėlava, Kaunas. Lietuvos Geležinkeliai
∑ canada.lt Tel 02, 112. ∑ kaunas-airport.lt ∑ litrail.lt
Shopping & Entertainment Food and Drink

Traditional foods of all kinds
Souvenirs and gifts in Lithuania usually consist of traditional are sold in Lithuanian shops,
arts and handicrafts made from locally available materials including blynai (a thin potato
such as amber, ceramic and wood. The shops and stalls pancake with both sweet
and savoury fillings), spurgos
of the Old Towns in the country’s larger cities, as well as in (doughnuts), smoked and
the various resorts, are flooded with offerings of this kind. steamed cheeses and a range
A variety of entertainment is on offer in Lithuania, although, of milk products. Smoked meats
outside Vilnius the options tend to be limited. Baroque and are usually sold as long, thick
chamber music concerts are regularly performed in churches sausages or bound into balls.
throughout the country. Forest berries and mushrooms
can make unusual gifts, but
visitors need customs clearance
Opening Hours of Lithuania’s heritage and one to carry them home. Some
Most shops in city centres open to which its artisans apply great supermarkets have cafés
at 10am and stay open until imagination. They fashion it into offering a traditional Lithuanian
7pm. Outside the city centre, a wide range of objects, such meal of cepelinai (potato
shops remain open until 9pm as jewellery, lampshades and dumplings) as well as kugelis
or even 10pm. Food shops and writing materials. (baked potato pudding) and
supermarkets that are part of Black ceramics in the form vėdarai (potato sausage).
larger chains often open at 8am of pots, jugs, cups and figures Local favourites, such as
and close late in the evening. are among the specialities of starka (aged vodka), or trejos
On Saturdays, many shops open the southern region of Lithuania, devynerios (herbal panacea),
until 4pm, and some in tourist and are available throughout should not be missed. The best
areas and larger towns and cities the country. of the many varieties of degtinė
are open on Sundays as well. In Vilnius, traditional arts and (vodka) include Lithuania’s
crafts are most easily found excellent gold-topped vodkas,
along Pilies, Aušros Vartų and while the company Alita
Markets Didžioji streets. Linen & Amber makes a popular brand of
The most extraordinary market Studio, a chain of gift shops, brandy. Švyturys Baltijos and
in Lithuania is Gariūnai, located is one of the best places to find the Švyturys Ekstra Draught are
next to Vilnius’s towering water- handicrafts made of flax and both very fine bottled beers.
heating facility. It sells everything amber. For those interested
from inexpensive clothes, shoes, in local textiles, a good desti-
toys, toiletries and cosmetics to nation is Aukso Avis. Sauluva Nightlife
food, gadgets and even cars. At stocks a reliable assortment Though a little quieter
the southern edge of the Old of Lithuanian handicraft items than other European capitals,
Town, near the bus and train made of wood, ceramic, amber Vilnius has an abundance
stations, is Halės Market, which and dried flowers. of bars and clubs featuring a
mostly stocks fresh fruit and variety of music genres and
vegetables, cheese, meat both local and international
and cakes. Fine Art and Antiques DJs. The uproarious Bix is
Vilnius offers an astonishing for heavy metal fans. A little
range of imaginative gift more central are Paparazzi,
Traditional Crafts items in small art galleries popular for its friendly atmo-
Lithuanian craftsmen make such as Rūtos Galerija. Here sphere and wide range of
all manner of objects out of quirky paintings, colourful cocktails, and Pabo Latino,
wood; from handcarved spatulas plates designed with old specializing in Latin beats.
and spoons to grotesque masks photographs, vases with intricate Aula hosts a number of
of devils and witches. A popular patterns and decorative curios live bands.
religious memento is the crucifix, cover the gallery space. The Club life is not limited
which is commonly made out Artists’ Union Exhibition Hall to the capital. Klaipėda
of wood. For the musically has original artwork, hand- has an increasingly lively
inclined, handcarved musical decorated cards and a fine nightlife, with crowds flocking
instruments, such as the alluring range of Lithuanian and inter- to the popular Pabo Latino.
Lithuanian kanklės, or zither, national art books, as well Some of the new bars in the
make ideal gifts. as works of the country’s Old Town even have casinos
The most original items of foremost sculptors, on display. and restaurants. Kaunas has
clothing on offer are made of The bohemian district of Užupis a mix of classy bars such as
flax. Shirts and blouses, dresses has a surfeit of art galleries, Skliautai in the Old Town
and hand-crocheted hats are among which Užupio Galerija, and the hip and swinging
all widely available. The crafting selling metal and enamel club Siena, frequented by
of amber is an indisputable part pieces, is the most interesting. the young.
LITHUANIA 71
Theatre Klaipėda is best known for its is popular with locals and visitors
Lithuanians are passionate about jazz and blues concerts. alike. The famous National Opera
theatre. Productions by Oskaras Several outstanding Lithuanian & Ballet Theatre is often packed
Koršunovas and Eimuntas Nekrošius rock and pop performers play to capacity. Theatres in Klaipėda
are highly recommended. The regularly at atmospheric venues and Kaunas organize regular
Lithuanian National Drama such as Tamsta Club, Brodvėjus classical music concerts and
Theatre and the more avant-garde and the Forum Palace in Vilnius. opera performances.
State Small Theatre of Vilnius International artistes tend to play
provide pre-recorded English at the modern Siemens Arena
translations for some performances. or the Pramogų Arena. Music Festivals
The Klaipėda State Drama Theatre, Folk festivals are often Several music festivals have grown
which dates from 1819, is the most organized in the premises in popularity over the years. The
famous theatre outside Vilnius. of Vilnius University. magnificent Baroque Pažaislis
Monastery complex, near Kaunas,
forms the backdrop to the annual
Live Music Classical Music, Opera Pažaislis Music Festival. The
With a small but fanatical and Ballet Edvard Grieg and M K Čiurlionis
following, jazz forms an inex- Vilnius has a good classical Festival, hosted in Kaunas each
tricable part of the Lithuanian music scene. Both the National spring, features classical music
lifestyle. The Holiday Inn Vilnius Philharmonic and the Congress concerts. The Muzikinis Pajūris
hosts excellent jazz performances Palace hold superb concerts. The (Musical Seaside) festival of opera
and both Vilnius and Kaunas have innovative choreography of the and symphony takes place
brilliant jazz festivals. Kurpiai in Anželika Cholina Dance Theatre every summer in Klaipėda.
DIRECTORY
Markets Užupio Galerija Lithuanian National Tamsta Club
Užupio 3–l, Vilnius. Drama Theatre Subačiaus 11, Vilnius.
Gariūnai Gedimino 4, Vilnius. Tel (5) 212 4498.
Tel (5) 231 2318.
Vilnius–Kaunas Highway. Tel (5) 262 1593. ∑ tamstaclub.lt
Halės Market Nightlife ∑ teatras.lt
Classical Music,
Pylimo and Bazilijonų State Small Theatre Opera and Ballet
Aula
street corner, Vilnius. of Vilnius
Pilies 11, Vilnius. Anželika Cholina
Gedimino 22, Vilnius.
Traditional Crafts Tel (5) 268 7173. Dance Theatre
Tel (5) 249 9869.
Bix ∑ vmt.lt
Šimulionio 4–103, Vilnius.
Aukso Avis Tel (5) 6883 4181.
Pilies 38, Vilnius. Etmonų 6, Vilnius.
Tel (5) 262 7791. Live Music Congress Palace
Tel (5) 261 0421.
Vilnius 6–14, Vilnius.
Linen & Amber Pabo Latino Brodvėjus Tel (5) 261 8828.7.
Trakų 3, Vilnius. Vokiečių 4, Vilnius.
Studio National Opera &
Tel (5) 262 1045. Tel (8) 652 57790.
Didžioji 5, Vilnius. Ballet Theatre
Žvejų 4, Klaipėda. ∑ brodvejus.lt
Tel (5) 262 4986. Vienuolio 1, Vilnius.
∑ lgstudija.lt Tel (46) 403 040. Forum Palace Tel (5) 262 0727.
(One of several branches). Konstitucijos 26, Vilnius.
Paparazzi National
Tel (5) 263 6666.
Sauluva Totorių 1, Vilnius. Philharmonic
∑ forumpalace.lt
Literatų 3, Vilnius. Tel (5) 212 0135. Aušros Vartų 5, Vilnius.
Tel (8) 686 43906. Holiday Inn Vilnius Tel (5) 266 5216.
Siena ∑ filharmonija.lt
∑ sauluva.lt Šeimyniškių 1, Vilnius.
Laisvės 93, Kaunas. Tel (5) 210 3000.
Fine Art and Tel (37) 424 424. ∑ holidayInnvilnius.lt Music Festivals
Antiques Skliautai Kurpiai Edvard Grieg and M K
Aušros Vartų 11, Kaunas. Kurpių 1a, Klaipėda. Čiurlionis Festival
Artists’ Union
Tel (37) 411 955. Tel (46) 410 555. ∑ kaunofilharmonija.lt
Exhibition Hall
Vokiečių 4/2, Vilnius. Pramogų Arena Muzikinis Pajūris
Tel (5) 261 9516.
Theatre ∑ muzikinis-teatras.lt
Ąžuolyno 9, Vilnius.
∑ galerija-lds.lt Klaipėda State Tel (5) 242 4444. Pažaislis Music
Drama Theatre Festival
Rūtos Galerija Siemens Arena
∑ pazaislis.lt
Pranciškonų gatvė 8, Manto 45, Klaipėda. Ozo 14, Vilnius.
Vilnius. Tel (46) 314 453. Tel (5) 247 7576.
Tel (8) 685 80080. ∑ kldteatras.lt ∑ siemens-arena.lt
72 W H E R E TO S TAY
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Vilnius Prices are based on one night’s stay in
high season for a standard double room,
inclusive of service charges and taxes.
Grybų Namai 
B&B Map D5  under 250 Lt
Aušros Vartų 3a, 01129  250–500 Lt
 over 500 Lt
Tel (5) 261 9695
∑ grybashouse.com
Located near the Gates of Dawn, this B&B, located close to
this is a family-run B&B in a lovely the lagoon shore, is a fisherman’s
old house with vintage design cottage with a traditional
touches. Fully equipped rooms thatched roof.
with free Wi-Fi.
KAUNAS: Best Western
Litinterp  Santakos 
B&B Map E3 Historic
Bernardinų 7, 01124 Gruodžio 21, 44293
Tel (5) 212 3850 Visitors relax on the porch of Stikliai Tel (37) 302 702
∑ litinterp.com in Vilnius ∑ santakahotel.eu
An excellent bargain with Set in an elegant, red-brick
small but comfortable rooms Historic Old Town building building in the Old Town,
in a typical Old Town alley with contemporary touches added this hotel has plush rooms,
setting. Breakfast delivered to its original Gothic features. a good restaurant, indoor
to the door. Elegantly furnished rooms. pool and excellent service.
Radisson Blu Astoria  KAUNAS: Daugirdas 

DK Choice Luxury Map D4 Luxury
Apia  Didžioji 35/2, 01128 Daugirdo 4, 44279
B&B Map D3 Tel (5) 212 0110 Tel (37) 301 561
Šv. Ignoto 12, 01144 ∑ radissonblu.com ∑ daugirdas.lt
Tel (5) 212 3426 Housed in an Old Town A mix of modern and original
∑ apia.lt building that was once a red-brick Gothic architecture,
A charming B&B in a prime bank, plush Astoria with this business hotel tastefully
Old Town location, Apia has 11 its Art-Deco features, offers blends atmosphere and style.
individually decorated rooms some of the finest accommo-
done-up in warm and soothing dation in the city. KLAIPĖDA: Old Mill Hotel 
colours, plenty of natural wood Design
surfaces and a subtle mixture of Stikliai  Žvejų 22, 91241
rustic, vintage and contemporary Luxury Map D4 Tel (46) 219 215
furnishings. Top-floor rooms are Gaono 7, 01131 ∑ oldmillhotel.lt
atmospheric with sharply sloping Tel (5) 264 9595 Combining glass surfaces with
attic ceilings. ∑ stikliaihotel.lt traditional brick and timber, this
This opulent five-star hotel on hotel, located next to the swing
a characterful Old Town street, bridge in the Old Port area, offers
Domus Maria  boasts beautifully furnished smart, modern rooms.
B&B Map D5 rooms and attentive service.
Aušros vartų 12, 01129 KLAIPĖDA: Radisson
Tel (5) 264 4880 Blu 
∑ domusmaria.lt Luxury
A complex of church buildings, Rest of Lithuania Šiaulių 28, 92231
beautifully converted into fully Tel (46) 490 800
equipped suites with high CURONIAN SPIT: Ąžuolynas  ∑ radissonblu.com/hotel-klaipeda
ceilings. Centrally located Resort With rooms decorated in
in the Old Town. L Rėzos 54, Juodkrantė, 93101 maritime style, the hotel
Tel (469) 53 310 offers a vast range of facilities
Dvaras  ∑ hotelazuolynas.lt including a fitness and wellness
Luxury Map D2 This lagoon-facing resort centre. Excellent service.
Tilto 3/1, 01101 hotel with neat en suites,
Tel (5) 210 7370 also has tennis courts, a TRAKAI: Akmeninė
∑ dvaras.lt swimming pool, waterslide Rezidencija 
Located close to the Cathedral, and fitness centre. Resort
this classy guesthouse with Bražuolės village, 21100
country-styled interiors features CURONIAN SPIT: Vila Tel 698 30 544
wooden floors and rustic textiles. Banga  ∑ akmeninerezidencija.lt
B&B Rustic-style getaway comprising
Narutis  Pamario 2, Nida, 93124 five hotels and five apartments
Historic Map E3 Tel (469) 51 139 in cottages built in traditional
Pilies 24, 01123 ∑ nidosbanga.lt style and set around a small
Tel (5) 212 2894 Rooms that blend rustic lake. Saunas and restaurant
∑ narutis.com ambience with modern facilities: also on site.
For map references see pp50–51
W H E R E TO E AT A N D D R I N K 73
Where to Eat and Drink

This elegant spot in the Astoria Price Guide
Vilnius Hotel offers classic European Prices are based on a three-course meal
and French cuisine with seafood for one, half a bottle of wine, including
cover charge, service and tax.
Marceliukės Klėtis  well represented. The glass-
Lithuanian enclosed terrace is great for  under 50 Lt
Tuskulėnų 35 people-watching.  50 to 100 Lt
 over 100 Lt
Tel (5) 272 5087
Good place to try real Lithuanian Medininkai 
fare such as cepelinai (meat- International Map D5 CURONIAN SPIT: Vela
stuffed potato dumplings) and Aušros Vartų 8, 01013 Bianca 
other staples. The menu gives Tel 600 86 491 Italian
dishes humourous titles. The evocative brick-cellar-look Rėzos 10, Juodkrantė
and attractive courtyard provide Tel 690 06 544
the perfect ambience to enjoy Excellent Italian cuisine,
DK Choice the classic European cuisine including delicious desserts
Vieta  served here with panache. and an outstanding wine list,
Vegetarian Map D3 Good wine list. served in a glass-walled pavilion
Šv Ignoto 12 situated on the harbour front.
Tel 607 13 990 Closed Sun Sue's Indian Raja 
An informal, vegetarian Indian Map D3 KAUNAS: Bernelių Užeiga 
restaurant, ‘The Place’, offers Odminių 3, 01122 Lithuanian
creative cooking in a homely café Tel (5) 266 1888 Valančiaus 9
environment. Its great value- Long-standing Vilnius Tel (37) 200 913
for-money menus are chalked institution serving classy Enjoy generous helpings of local
up daily based on fresh and Indian food in elegant Lithuanian fare served in this 18th-
seasonal availability. The only surroundings. The extensive century building. Household
danger is of portions running menu covers pretty much knick-knacks used as decor to
out before the end of the everything in the genre, recreate the atmosphere of a
evening. Fresh-juice cocktails including seafood and traditional village tavern.
and soya milk shakes are vegetarian dishes.
particularly good and there is a KAUNAS: Skliautas 
full choice of alcoholic drinks. Central European
Rotušės 26
Rest of Lithuania Tel (37) 206 843
In Vino  In an alley just off the main square
International Map D5 CURONIAN SPIT: Kuršis  this cult café with a natty clientele,
Aušros Vartų 7, 01013 Lithuanian serves a full menu of Lithuanian-
Tel (5) 212 1210 Naglių 29, Nida Central European dishes, with
Popular wine bar with courtyard Tel 612 18 868 plentiful soups and salads.
seating and Mediterranean Unpretentious place that serves
tapas and soups of the day; consistently reliable Lithuanian KLAIPĖDA: Ararat 
many of these make for a perfect food, including locally caught Armenian
vegetarian lunch option too. smoked fish, roast pike-perch, Liepų 48a
šaltibarščiai (cold beetroot soup) Tel (46) 410 001
Sonnets  and potato pancakes. The classy Armenian cuisine
International Map E3 served in elegant dining rooms
Bernardinų 8/8 includes succulent grilled meats
Tel (5) 266 5885 and delectable desserts. Do
Fine dining option in the snug sample the Armenian wines
bar-restaurant of the Shakespeare and cognac
Hotel. Creative selection of
French, Russian and Mediterranean KLAIPĖDA: Stora Antis 
cuisine. Impressive wine list. Central European
Tiltų 6
Balzac  Tel (46) 493 910
French Map D4 Enjoy Lithuanian dumplings,
Savičiaus 7, 01127 Central European meat and fish
Tel 614 89 223 dishes and famously delicious
Unpretentious but classy French soups in this barrel-vault cellar,
bistro offering a good balance of filled with household bric-a-brac.
meat and seafood. Menu spans
from highly affordable soups TRAKAI: Senoji Kibininė 
to deservedly expensive duck Lithuanian
and game. Karaimų 65
Tel (528) 55 865
Brasserie de Verres This wooden house is famous
en Vers  for its two Trakai specialities:
French Map D4 kibinai (pasties stuffed with
Didžioji 35/2 Warm and inviting interiors of meat, usually lamb) and čenakai
Tel (5) 236 0840 Stora Antis, Klaipėda (stewed cabbage hotpot).
LATVIA
Lying between Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia is characterized by delightful
forests and lakes, fascinating historical towns and dynamic cities, which are,
by and large, under-explored. By contrast, the country’s exciting capital, Rīga,
draws hordes of Western Europeans all year round. The largest city in the Baltic
region, Rīga revels in its cultural treasures and hedonistic nightlife.
Latvia’s strategic geographical position and converts in a pagan land, these

prompted its more powerful neighbours German warrior-monks conquered
to gain control over the region and largely Latvia and founded Rīga, which grew
decided the course of its history. A short into an important centre for trade
period of self-determination in the early 20th between the Baltic region and Western
century ended with occupation first by Nazi Europe. The beneficiaries of this growth
Germany and then twice by Soviet Russia. were the Germans, while the Latvians
Independence was not restored until 1991. were dispossessed and forced to
Nonetheless, a distinctive Latvian culture become serfs.
survived, assimilating foreign influences and The early 16th century saw Protestantism
still retaining a strong connection with declared as the state religion. However,
nature. While still coming to terms with the in 1561, Catholicism was established
legacies of the 20th century, today the when Poland conquered Latvia during
country has a new confidence. Its historic the Livonian Wars. The clash between the
cities have been restored, while rural areas Protestant Swedes and Catholic Poles
are being developed for ecotourism. resulted in Swedish rule in northern Latvia
for much of the 17th century. In 1710,
History during the Great Northern War, the
Latvia’s history is traditionally considered Swedes surrendered Rīga to Peter the
to begin with the advent of the Teutonic Great of Russia, ushering in 200 years
knights in 1201. Looking for conquests of stability.
Bank of the Gauja river below Eagle Cliff, Gauja National Park
Dutch Renaissance façade of the House of Blackheads, Rīga’s Old Town
Independence Day celebrations, Rīga, 1933
When World War I broke out in 1914, Latvia to a halt with the Soviet invasion on 17 June
became the main battleground between 1940, which saw Latvians of influence either
Germany and Russia. The Allied victory in executed or deported to Siberia. The
1918 forced the German troops to withdraw Germans invaded a year later, with brutal
and Latvia was declared an independent consequences for the Jewish community.
nation. Despite the constantly changing The Soviets returned to eastern Latvia and
governments that ruled until 1934, much Rīga as “liberators” in the autumn of 1944.
was achieved during this period of Further deportations were carried out, and
independence. However, progress came Russian numbers swelled, posing a serious
threat to Latvian culture.
KEY DATES IN LATVIAN HISTORY In 1988, new political groups began to
AD 1201 Rīga founded by Albrecht of Buxhoeveden emerge. The most forceful of these, the
1282 Rīga joins a trading confederation of German Popular Front of Latvia (PLF), demanded full
port cities and merchants’ associations independence and won the elections in
1372 German replaces Latin as official language 1990, provoking clashes with Soviet forces.
1561 Latvia occupied by Poland Moscow’s conservative Communists staged
1629 Sweden colonizes Latvia a coup against President Mikhail Gorbachev
1710 Rīga conquered by Peter the Great of Russia in August 1991, but it collapsed and Latvia
1822 First Latvian newspaper printed finally found itself free. Since then governments
1850s National Awakening Movement formed have come and gone, but the beginning of
1905 Socialist revolution demands independence the 21st century saw the effective integration
1915 German troops enter Latvia of Latvia into Western Europe, particularly
1918 Formal declaration of Latvian independence with its entry into the EU and NATO in 2004.
1920 The Soviet Union recognizes Latvia’s
independence Language and Culture
1940 First Soviet occupation of Latvia
Latvian is the official language of the people,
1941 Occupation by Nazi Germany
although a sizeable Russian-speaking
1944–91 Second Soviet occupation of Latvia
minority also exists.
1988 Pro-independence Popular Front is formed
Echoes of Latvia’s pagan past remain to
1989 Baltic Way demonstratation occured
this day, most obviously in the celebration
1991 Latvian independence re-established
of Midsummer. The Latvian calendar is
2004 Latvia joins NATO and the EU
2007 Valdis Zatlers sworn in as president
punctuated by festivities which mark the
2014 Rīga is the European capital of culture
passing of seasons; many folk rituals are
incorporated into Christian celebrations.
L AT V I A 77
Exploring Latvia
Latvia is extremely visitor friendly. At its heart lies Rīga,
the largest and most cosmopolitan city in the Baltic States.
Strategically positioned on the Gulf of Rīga, it has a long
history as a thriving mercantile centre. Beyond the capital,
western Latvia enchants with its contrasts – dense forests
and fertile plains, lively cities such as Liepāja and sleepy
rural towns. Eastern Latvia, meanwhile, boasts some of
the country’s most popular attractions, such as the Gauja
National Park. Most places of interest are connected by
regular trains and buses, although public transport is less
reliable for getting off the beaten track. Renting a vehicle
is a good way to get around the country on a short trip.
Boats moored at a sailing club, Jūrmala

Key
Motorway
Major road
Railway
E S T O NIA
em e
idz
V Valmiera A3
Alūksne
Stockholm A2
Nynashamn,
A1
Travemunde Smiltene P35

Gulf of Rīga Cēsis
Gauja Gulbene
Ventspils National Park Balvi
7
P3
Talsi aja
A1 Gu Sigulda
Ērgli
P36
0
Baltic Jūrmala RĪGA A2
Sea Madona
A4
Sabile Ludza
Latgale
Ogre
Kuldīga Tukums 2
Da A1
Venta
Pāvilosta Zem ug
ga l e
Ku r zeme A9 Jelgava
ava A6
Rēzekne A1
2
3
A1
A8
A7
Travemunde Aizpute Jēkabpils

Saldus Dobele
A9 Rundāle Bauska Preiļi
Palace
Liepāja Priekule
A6
P6
2
L I T HUANI A Krāslava
A11
A6
Daugavpils
B E LA R U S
0 km 50
0 miles 50
Sights at a Glance
1 Rīga pp78–85
2 Jūrmala
3 Kuldīga
4 Liepāja
5 Rundāle Palace pp88–9
6 Sigulda
7 Gauja National Park pp90–91
The Marble Hall in Rundāle Palace 8 Cēsis

1 Rīga
For many centuries Rīga was largely contained within the city
walls on the bank of the Daugava river. Now known as the Old
Town, this area contains most of the city’s sites of interest. The
main route through the tangle of picturesque streets and
squares is Kaļķu iela, leading from the Stone Bridge (Akmens
tilts) to Brīvības bulvāris and the Freedom Monument. When the A
ĀŅ
city walls were removed in the mid-19th century, the space was I ŠJ
KR
developed into a ring of boulevards and parks. The main train
and bus stations lie on the southeastern edge of this ring. To the
north is the late 19th- and 20th-century extension of the city
known as the Centre (Centrs), which includes some of Rīga’s R
A
IŅ
most impressive Art Nouveau architecture. Today the city is A
home to about 700,000 residents.
M
Pi BASTEJKALNS
EI
ls
ēta
ER
s Ka
V nāls
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JĒKABA
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Ferry Port A
1 km (0.6 mile) LAUKUMS BU
LV Ā R
IS
JĒKA
T OR Ņ A
S IE L A
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VA NŠU PILS
BA
TORŅA IE
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LAUKUMS
ALDAR U IEL A
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11
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PILS IELA U M SM
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Ļ U St Saviour’s S
BR
PO A
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M E I S TA
Church A U
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LA U LA
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RŅ
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LA
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Statue of L A Church
KU
Roland
NG
U
TOWN HALL
SQUARE
11
Da
IE
N
IELA
LA
O
V
U
ug
STRĒLNIEKU Photography
IEK
EM
CIN
LAUKUMS Museum
B
Ē
GR
R
a
A
v
LA
ŪD
R
a
IE
A
LA
EN
ST
U
LD
IE
SV
M
PE
TS
AD
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IL ĻU
LA
T
A
TA
S RS
EN M
Ā
KM S IE
LA
A E JA
TER
S
Rīga International
IN
Airport
M
13 km (8 miles)
Sculpture outside the entrance to

St Peter’s Church
Getting Around
The best way to get around the Old Town is on foot: parking is
expensive and there is no public transport available. The main Art
Nouveau district is within walking distance of the Old Town, while
a network of trams, trolleybuses and buses provides access to far-
flung attractions. Taxis are also abundant on Town Hall Square
(Rātslaukums). The main tourist information office here can offer
advice on guided tours.

RĪGA 79
Greater Riga
A1
P1 A2
Kišecers
D
Z
LA IR Lake
IE N Jugla
A Priedaįne
V Rīga
LA
A U Ūlupji
ĀR
IE
IE P4
A10
S
M
LA
DE
A5
EL LA
O
L Ulbroka
SK
VA IZ
A7
LA
A
B Rīga International
IE
ET Airport
S
A
ES
IC
ZN
Da
0 km 5
BA
ug
ESPLANĀDE
A8
A7
IE E S A6
av
TV A
LA
a
5
A ĪB
0 miles
G ĪV
Baloži
BR
KA Key
LP
A Orthodox
S
KA Area of the main map

RI
Cathedral
Ā
DZ
BU
LV
LV
BU
IR
Ā
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AB
TĒ R B ATA
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IS
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VĒRMANES
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PARK
Freedom
LA
ĶE
Monument
ĻA
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Ā S
LV Ī B A
LA
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RA
RI
BU ĪV
IŅ
BR
LA
A
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BU
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IS
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KA
VA
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JU
IE
ĻŅU
LA
IE
LA
LA
IE Rīga Central
IEL
U Railway Station
AUDĒ J
A
100 m (110 yards)
Autoosta
LA (Main Bus Station)
IE 300 m (330 yards)
Ē JU A
K AL
I EL
RA
VĀ
N
JA
13 Sights at a Glance
1 Dome Cathedral
2 Museum of Rīga’s History
and Navigation
Key
3 Rīga Castle
Street-by-Street area: see pp82–3 4 St James’s Cathedral
Major sight / Place of interest 5 Swedish Gate
6 Powder Tower
Pedestrian street
7 Museum of the Occupation
Major Road of Latvia
Railway 8 House of Blackheads
9 St Peter’s Church
0 Museum of Decorative Arts
0 metres 200 and Design
0 yards 200 q Museum of Jews in Latvia
w Latvian Ethnographic
Open-Air Museum

Highlights from the Middle

Ages include the Madonna on a
Crescent Moon, a sculpture of
the patroness of the Great Guild
(a union of Rīga merchants),
which was taken to Germany
during World War II and Big
Kristaps, a large 16th-century
statue of St Christopher.
3 Rīga Castle
Rīgas pils
Pils laukums 3. Map B3. Museum of
Foreign Art: Tel 6722 6467. Open 11am–
Impressive cross-vaulted gallery of the Dome Cathedral
5pm Tue–Sun. & 8 ∑ vmm.lv
History Museum of Latvia: Tel 6722 1357.
1 Dome Cathedral plain, except for the tombs of Open 11am–5pm Wed–Sun. & 8
Doma baznīca merchants and the 19th-century
stained glass. The woodwork of The city’s original Livonian
Doma laukums 1. Map B3. Tel 6722
7573. Open May–Sep: 9am–6pm Sat–
the 17th-century pulpit is ornate, Order castle was destroyed
Tue, Thu, 9am–5pm Wed & Fri; Oct–Apr: however, as is the organ case, by Rīga’s citizens during a war
10am–5pm daily. Closed for special which is Mannerist with Baroque against the Order lasting from
events. & 5 10am Sun. ∑ doms.lv and Rococo additions. The organ 1297 to 1330. After losing, the
was built in Germany in 1884. townspeople were forced to
Founded as St Mary’s by Bishop In the summer it is possible to build a new castle on the
Albert von Buxhoeveden in 1211, visit the cross-vaulted gallery of present site just outside the
the cathedral became one of the Dome, the Romanesque city. Continuing quarrels
the city’s three seats of power cloister and courtyard. resulted in the Master of the
along with the Town Hall and Order leaving the capital, but
Rīga Castle. It gained its current Rīga Castle was destroyed by
name from the German word 2 Museum of the citizens once more in
dom (cathedral) during the Rīga’s History 1484. They were defeated
Reformation. The cathedral looks again and the next castle the
as if it has sunk, but in fact the and Navigation townspeople were compelled
land around it has been raised Rīga’s vēstures un to build forms the core of the
to keep out flood-water from kuğniecības muzejs current structure and was the
the Daugava river. Palasta iela 4. Map B3. Tel 6721 1358. headquarters of the Livonian
One of the largest places Open May–Sep: 10am–5pm daily; Order until 1561. As well as
of worship in the region, the Oct–Apr: 11am–5pm Wed–Sun. & being the official residence of
cathedral has been altered over 8 ∑ rigamuz.lv Latvia’s president, the building
the years and its bulky structure also earlier housed the History
exhibits a variety of styles. The Founded in 1773, this museum is Museum of Latvia (Latvijas
altar alcove and the east wing the oldest in Rīga. Housed in an
crossing are Romanesque, with a impressive building with tiled
cross-vaulted ceiling and stoves and stained-glass win-
rows of semi-circular windows. dows, it is also one of the city’s
Simpler Neo-Gothic additions most interesting museums. The
are characterized by pointed exhibition on navigation covers
arches, large windows the maritime history of the
and lierne vaulting, city up until World War I,
while the eastern and includes several
pediment and the large models of ships
steeple are in and material on
18th-century Krišjānis
Baroque style. The Valdemārs
portal was added (1825–91), a key
in the 19th century, figure of the Latvian
followed by an Art Model ship at the Museum of National Awakening.
Nouveau vestibule Rīga’s History and Navigation Other rooms cover
in the 20th century. everything from
Most of the interior’s decor prehistory to independence,
was destroyed during the with an emphasis on the mid- Changing of the guard outside Rīga Castle
Reformation, and it is now very 19th to mid-20th centuries. in the Old Town
RĪGA 81
vēstures muzejs), which featured 5 Swedish Gate

religious sculpture, traditional Zviedru vārti
regional costumes and consumer
Between Torņa iela & Aldaru iela.
goods from the first period of Map C2.
independence in 1920. The
Museum of Foreign Art (Ārzemju The sole remnant of eight city
mākslas muzejs), which displays gates, the Swedish Gate was
copies of Egyptian and Greek built in 1698 during a period
statues and has a collection of of Swedish rule in Rīga. It runs
paintings was also part of the through the ground floor of
castle. However, an accidental the house at Torņa 11, and
fire in June 2013 destroyed legend has it that the gate was
the roof of the castle and it created illegally by a wealthy
has been closed for renovation. merchant to give him direct
Due to the ongoing reconstruc- access to his warehouse. More
tion, the History Museum of likely, it was built for the use of Swedish Gate, built through the ground
Latvia has moved to Brivibas soldiers stationed at St James’s floor of an old house
boulevard 32 while the Museum Barracks. Today, the gate
of Foreign Art has shifted to the provides access between the later. From 1957, the tower
Art Museum Rīga Bourse. popular strip of shops and bars housed the Museum of the
on Torņa iela and the quieter, Revolution in the Soviet
but pleasant, Aldaru iela. Republic of Latvia.
Newly-married couples include The tower and the annexe
the gate on their tour of the are now home to the Latvian
city, as passing through it is War Museum (Latvijas Kara
said to bring good luck. muzejs). While the oldest
exhibit – part of a cannon
discovered during the 1930s –
6 Powder Tower dates from the 15th century,
Pulvertornis the museum concentrates on
20th-century war fare. World
Smilšu iela 20. Map C3. Tel 6722 8147.
War I is covered with displays
Open May–Sep: 10am–6pm Wed–
of weapons, uniforms and
Sun; Oct–Apr: 10am–5pm Wed–Sun.
& donations. 8 ∑ karamuzejs.lv propaganda posters.
Other rooms examine the
The cylindrical Powder Tower role of Latvians in the Russian
Entrance to the 13th-century is all that remains from a total Revolution, the Latvian War
St James’s Cathedral of 18 towers that were once of Independence, World War II
part of the city’s defences. Its and the Soviet occupation.
4 St James’s 14th-century foundations are Recent additions include a
Cathedral among the oldest in the city, collection of 360 models of
Šv Jēkaba katedrāle but the rest of the structure military machinery.
dates from 1650, when it was
Jekaba iela 9. Map B3. Tel 6732 6419. rebuilt after being destroyed
Open Nov–Apr: 7am–6pm; May–Oct:
by the Swedish Army in 1621.
7am–7pm. 5 daily.
The 2.5-m- (8-ft-) thick walls
Sited outside the old city were intended to protect the
walls, St James’s was built in gunpowder stored inside, after
1225 to serve the surrounding which the tower was named.
villages. The church was Nine Russian cannonballs
renowned for having its bell remain embedded in the
hanging from a cupola, which walls as proof of its strength.
is still visible on the southern The tower was bought by a
side, although the bell has German student fraternity at
gone. It was rung to signal the end of the 19th century,
that an execution was taking and in 1919, it housed a military
place in the city, although museum reflecting on the
another story insists that it then-recent fight for indepen-
was heard when unfaithful dence as well as on World
women passed by the church. War I. The annexe building was
The structure has been constructed from 1937 to 1940,
renovated several times and, but the Soviet occupation
today it is the seat of Rīga’s meant that it did not fulfil its The Powder Tower, home to the Latvian
Catholic archbishop. function until several decades War Museum, Rīga
Street-by-Street: Around Town Hall Square

Until a local government reform in 1877, the Town
Hall Square (Rātslaukums) was Rīga’s administrative
centre. Built in 1334, the Town Hall was one of three
pillars of power alongside Dome Cathedral and Rīga
Castle, representing the interests of the city’s residents.
The square functioned as a marketplace and a site
where festivals were held and executions carried out.
The impressive step-gabled House of Blackheads has
been completely rebuilt, while the Town Hall is a modern
building behind a Neo-Classical façade. At the square’s
edge is a Soviet-era building housing the Museum A roadside café in summer in the courtyard
of the Occupation of Latvia. of St John’s Church
Key
Suggested route
A
L
IE
U
Ķ
Town Hall A
Ļ
K
Town Hall Square

Many of the square’s elaborate buildings, destroyed
A
by the Russians after World War II, have benefited

L
IE
from a restoration project tied to the city’s 800th

U
anniversary in 2001.
Ķ
Ļ
A
K
LA
IE
U
EK
I NI
Statue of Roland ĒC
GR
A legendary medieval figure and
one of Charlemagne’s knights,
Roland became a symbol of the
independence of cities from
the local nobility.
Museum of the
Occupation of Latvia
8 . House of
Blackheads
Damaged by bombing in
1941, the ornate building
was restored to its former
glory during the 1990s.
RĪGA 83
7 . Museum of the Occupation of Latvia

This incongruous slab of concrete houses a chilling and detailed
testament to the suffering of Latvians during the Soviet and Nazi
occupations in the 20th century.
0 metres 100
0 yards 100 Konventa Sēta

The Convent Courtyard has
been renovated and is now
home to shops, galleries
and a porcelain museum.
St John’s
Church
S
K
Ā
R
Ņ
U
IE
L
A
K
U
N
G
U
LA
IE
LA
IE
ĻU
A
9 . St Peter’s Church
ST
This striking building has been destroyed

R
Ā
and rebuilt several times over since its

M
original 13th-century incarnation.
Photography
Museum traces
the development
of photography
from 1839 to 1941
through photo-
graphs and camera
equipment.
Mentzendorff House
Constructed in 1695 to
Dannenstern House house an apothecary, this
was the largest dwelling building is now a museum
in 17th-century Rīga. devoted to the life of Rīga’s
merchant class in the 17th
and 18th centuries.
0 Museum of
Decorative Arts
and Design
Dekoratīvās mākslas un
dizaina muzejs
Skārņu iela 10/20. Map C3.
Tel 6722 7833. Open 11am–5pm
Tue–Sun. & 8 = ∑ dlmm.lv
This museum is housed in the

former St George’s Church,
Rīga’s oldest surviving stone
building. It was constructed as
Textile artwork on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design the chapel for Rīga’s original
Livonian Order castle in 1208,
7 Museum of dates from 1999. Rooms that and became a separate church
the Occupation are open to the public include after the castle was destroyed
the Grand Hall and a concert hall. in 1297. After the Reformation
of Latvia it was used as a warehouse.
Latvijas okupācijas muzejs The museum gives an
Strēlnieku laukums 1. Map C4. 9 St Peter’s Church overview of decorative arts
Tel 6721 2715. Open May–Sep: Pēterbaznīca from the 1890s to the present
11am–6pm daily; Oct–Apr: day. The ground floor hosts
Skārņu iela 19. Map C4. Tel 6722 9426.
11am–5pm Tue–Sun. & donations. temporary exhibitions, while
8 = ∑ occupationmuseum.lv Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & tower
only. 7 except tower. the first floor, covering the
1890s to the 1960s, is the most
This Soviet-era structure was First mentioned in 1209, interesting part of the main
built to house a museum in St Peter’s Church was largely collection. Highlights include
honour of the Latvian Riflemen, built by the Livs, Finnic people a vast selection of painted
but since 1993 it has provided who settled along the Gulf of ceramics and carpet designs
an account of the suffering of Rīga some 5,000 years ago. Sadly, by local graphic artist Jūlijs
Latvians at the hands of Nazi none of the original wooden Madernieks (1870–1955).
Germany in World War II and church remains, although parts
under the Soviets. The collection of the walls date from the 13th
includes eyewitness accounts century. The church, which had q Museum of
and photographs of deportations become Lutheran in 1523, was Jews in Latvia
and political represssion. damaged by fire in 1721, when Muzejs Ebreji Latvijā
Temporary exhibitions are Peter the Great is said to have
Skolas iela 6. Map D1. Tel 6728 3484.
showcased at Raiņa bulvāris 7. headed the failed efforts to rescue Open noon–5pm Mon–Thu, Sun.
it. The church’s steeple has been & donations.
rebuilt many times. Reaching
8 House of a height of 123 m (403 ft), it Housed inside a Jewish
Blackheads provides excellent views across cultural centre, this museum
Melngalvju nams the city. is based around the collections
of two Holocaust sur vivors,
Rātslaukums 6. Map C4. Tel 6704 4300.
n Schwab House. Open 11am–5pm Zalman Elelson and Marğers
Tue–Sun. & 8 - = Vestermanis, which tell the
story of the Jewish community
The House of Blackheads was in Latvia. Beginning with the
originally built in 1334 for the first records of Jews in the
city’s guilds, after the Livonian 16th century, it progresses to
Order seized the existing guild photographs of early 20th-
buildings. Over time, a guild of century family life. The focus,
unmarried foreign merchants, however, is on the horrific
the Blackheads, became the sole years of Nazi occupation. The
occupants. Their name derives museum has images of the
from their patron, St Maurice, Holocaust, including footage
and they were known for their of the massacre of Jews on
riotous parties. The building was Liepāja Beach. A guidebook to
devastated by bombing in 1941 Rīga’s Jewish sites is available
and the Soviet authorities which lists the places from
demolished the remnants seven Stone figure outside the entrance of where the once-vibrant
years later; the current structure St Peter’s Church community was erased.
RĪGA 85
wLatvian Ethnographic VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Open-Air Museum Practical Information

220 km (137 miles) SW of Rīga.
Latvijas etnogrāfiskais brīvdabas muzejs * 87,000. Map F1. Tel 6799
Occupying 86 ha (213 acres) of woodland on the 4106. Open 10am–5pm daily.
& 8 5 Sun (Usma Church).
shores of Lake Jugla on the city’s eastern edge, this site includes ∑ brivdabasmuzejs.lv.
over 118 homesteads, churches, windmills and other structures
Transport
from across Latvia. Founded in 1924, the site is organized @ 1, 19, 28.
according to Latvia’s administrative regions – Vidzeme, Kurzeme,
Zemgale and Latgale – drawing attention to variations in
building design and living arrangements in different parts of the
country. With craftspeople working on site during the summer,
and many buildings containing everyday artifacts, the museum
offers an insight into 19th-century rural life.
Vidzeme Spinning
Wheel-Maker’s Homestead Dutch Windmill
Built in 1890, this windmill,
from Latgale, has a movable
“cap” including sails, a shaft
and a gear wheel.
. Kurzeme Peasants’
Homestead
This wooden building with a
reed-thatched roof is typical of
19th-century rural architecture
in southwest Kurzeme.
Zemgale Peasants’
Homestead
includes a dwelling-
house, a bathhouse
and a granary.
Handicrafts
Handicraft displays
include traditional
wickerwork.
0 metres 100
0 yards 100
Kurzeme
Fishermen’s
Village
Entrance
. Usma Church Old Believers’ House
Most wooden churches were Located in a Latgale village,
replaced by stone buildings the house exhibits a loom
in the 19th century, making for weaving and a samovar
this a rare example. used to boil water for tea.
2 Jūrmala
20 km (12 miles) W of Rīga. * 56,000.
£ from Rīga. n Lienes iela 5 Majori,
6714 7900. ∑ jurmala.lv
Literally meaning “seaside” in

Latvian, Jūrmala is an attractive
stretch of beaches, small towns
and pine forests alongside the
Gulf of Rīga. During the 19th
century, the area became famous
for its medicinal mud and sulphur-
rich spring water. Jūrmala soon
grew into a popular resort
and it became fashionable to
own a summerhouse here.
These wooden houses are still
scattered across the area, One of Jūrmala’s many popular beaches
standing alongside upmarket
spas and modern guesthouses. name “Aspazija”. She was the fine churches: St Catherine’s
Strict building regulations have wife of Jānis Rainis, considered (Šv Katrīnas baznīca) and the
helped preserve these 19th- Latvia’s national poet by many. Holy Trinity (Šv Trīsvienības
century wooden summerhouses Now a branch of the Jūrmala Katoļu baznīca). A short walk
and restrict further building Town Museum, the house has from Kuldīga is the Venta
work in the area. an interesting collection of Waterfall (Ventas rumba), the
Forming the heart of manuscripts and photographs widest in Europe. Close by
Jūrmala is the pedestrianized related to the couple. is a 164-m- (538-ft-) long brick
strip of Jomas iela in the town bridge, one of Europe’s longest.
of Majori. Lining the street are E Exhibition of Antique Overlooking the Venta river
several outdoor cafés, shops, Machinery is Kuldīga District Museum
restaurants and hotels, includ- Turaidas iela 11, Dzintari. Tel 2926 (Kuldīgas novada muzejs),
ing the Historicist-style Hotel 3329. Open 10am–5pm daily. best known for its collection
Majori, built in 1925. E Aspazija House of playing cards.
To the east of Majori, in Meierovica prosp 20, Dubulti.
Dzintari town, is the Exhibition Tel 6776 9445. Open 11am–5pm Environs
of Antique Machinery, which Tue–Sat. & The Riežupe Sand Caves
displays a popular collection of (Riežupes smilšu alas), 4 km
old cars and radio sets. (2 miles) north of Kuldīga, form
Located west of Majori, in 3 Kuldīga the longest cave system in
Dubulti town, Aspazija House Latvia. A quarter of the 2-km
150 km (93 miles) W of Rīga.
is the last home of one of * 14,000. @ n Baznīcas iela 5,
(1-mile) site is open to visitors.
Latvia’s most famous poets, 6332 2259. _ Town Festival (mid-Jul).
Elza Rozenberga (1865–1943), E Kuldīga District Museum
∑ kuldiga.lv
who wrote under the pen Pils iela 5. Tel 6332 2364.
With a well-preserved Old Open 11am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
Town and an attractive location
alongside the Venta river,
Kuldīga is one of Latvia’s most
alluring provincial towns. It was
founded in 1242 by the Livonian
Order, who chose the site to
capitalize on the river and land
route linking Prussia with the
lower Daugava valley.
In the 16th century, Kuldīga’s
castle was one of the residences
of Duke Gothard Kettler and
the town traded with Rīga and
Jelgava. The streets near the
attractive Old Town Hall Square,
running alongside the Alekšupīte
river, feature 17th- and 18th-
White-and-blue exterior of Aspazija century timber buildings. The Venta Waterfall, stretching the width
House, Jūrmala Old Town also has a couple of of the Venta river, Kuldīga
L AT V I A 87
4 Liepāja VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Although Liepāja was officially declared a town in 1625, it Practical Information
expanded only in the early 19th century. The deepening of the 220 km (137 miles) SW of Rīga.
* 87,000. n Rožu laukums 5/6,
ice-free port and the building of a railway link were followed, in 6348 0808. ( daily. _ Piano
1890, by the foundation of a Russian naval port at the nearby Star Festival (Mar), Baltic Beach
town of Karosta. Today, Liepāja is Latvia’s third largest city and Party (Jul), International Organ
boasts a vibrant cultural life. It is dotted with many interesting Music Festival (Sep).
∑ liepaja.lv
sights, most of which are located in its historic core. Many of
the city’s older buildings have been extensively restored. Transport
k Cimdenieki, Lidostas iela 8.
£ Rīgas iela. @ Rīgas iela.
E Liepāja Museum E Occupation Museum
Kūrmājas prospekts 16/18. K Ukstiņa iela 7/9. Tel 6342 0274.
Tel 6342 2327. Open 10am–6pm Open 10am–6pm Thu, Sat & Sun, painting depicts the Passion of
Thu, Sat & Sun, 11am–7pm Fri. 11am–7pm Fri. ^ Christ in three panels – with the
∑ liepajasmuzejs.lv The Occupation Museum Crucifixion at the bottom, the
Set in a sculpture garden, the (Okupāciju režīmos) offers wrapping of his body in the centre
Liepāja Museum (Liepājas muzejs) an absorbing account of the and the Ascension at the top.
is housed in an ornate early city’s treatment at the hands of
20th-century building with Nazi Germany and the Soviet House of Craftsmen
an impressive galleried Union, with notes available Bāriņu 33. Tel 6342 3286.
hall. The displays trace in English. Exhibits include Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri. ^ =
local history, with exhibits photographs of people With a wide variety of fine
including the heads deported en masse by handicrafts on sale, the House
of stone cherubs from the Soviets in June 1941, of Craftsmen (Amatnieku
St Anne’s Basilica, a series everyday objects that namiņš) is a place where one
of pewter drinking were left behind and can watch skilled artisans at
vessels topped by human Wooden sculpture, an account of the killing work. The world’s longest amber
figures and the traditional Liepāja Museum of the city’s Jews and necklace, 123-m (404-ft) long
costumes of the southern other “undesirables”. At and weighing 60 kg (132 lb),
region of Kurzeme. The museum the end is a display about the is also on display, along with
also includes a reconstruction events leading up to indepen- photographs documenting
of the workshop of the sculptor dence. The offices of the Popular its creation.
Mikelis Pankoks (1894–1983), Front, which was based in the
who vanished in 1944 and was building, have been left intact. R Holy Trinity Church
presumed dead. He had fled the Rooms upstairs house a unique Baznīcas 1. Tel 2943 8050.
country incognito, and ended his exhibition of antique photo- Open 10am–4pm daily.
days in a Swiss mental hospital. graphic equipment. & donations. Organ recital
(call for timings).
L Liepāja Beach R St Anne’s Basilica The modest exterior of the mid-
The long, sandy Liepāja Beach Veidenbauma iela 1. Tel 6342 3384. 18th-century Holy Trinity Church
(Liepājas pludmale), with its First documented in 1508, the (Svētās Trīsvienības baznīca)
prestigious EU Blue Flag, is current Neo-Gothic structure belies one of the finest church
separated from the Old Town of St Anne’s Basilica (šv Annas interiors in the Baltic region,
by the wooded Seaside Park baznīca) dates from the end of adorned with gilt detailing and
(Jūrmalas parka). The nearby the 19th century. The interior is woodcarvings. The church’s
streets are lined with elegant dominated by a huge Baroque organ, built in 1773, was the
timber buildings in the Art altar, carved in 1697. The altar world’s largest until 1912.
Nouveau style, many of which
have been restored.
R St Joseph’s Cathedral
Rakstvežu iela 13. Tel 6342 9775.
Decorated inside with scenes
from the Bible, St Joseph’s
Cathedral (Šv Jāzepa katedrāle)
attained its current towering
form in the 19th century. The
congregation needed a larger
church but had no land on
which to build, so they expanded
the existing building upwards. Beautifully carved Baroque altar, St Anne’s Basilica, Liepāja
5 Rundāle Palace
Rundāles pils
Designed by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Rundāle Palace
is one of the finest in the region. Work began in 1736 on a
Baroque summer residence for Ernst Johann Biron, but was
left unfinished when he was exiled. After Biron’s return,
the interiors were renovated in Rococo style. Biron’s son
removed most of the embellishments when he left in 1795,
when Courland was annexed by Russia. Damaged in the
20th-century restoration begun in 1972, work is still in
progress. The rooms have served as government offices, Detail, Rose Room
an elementary school and a granary. Rococo touches such as fake
marble, silver detailing and floral
motifs adorn the room.
. Duke’s Bedroom
This room was the focal point of
Biron’s private apartments, which
occupied the central
block of the palace.
KEY
1 Grand Gallery was where the

guests would dine before dancing
in the White Hall. Wall paintings
were uncovered during restoration.
2 The Corner Room, appointed
in the Russian Neo-Classical style,
reflects the taste of Count Zubov,
who lived in the palace after
Courland was absorbed into the
Russian Empire.
3 Rose Room
4 Duke’s Reception Room

5 Marble Hall was used as a school
gym in the 20th century.
6 Old photos of the Palace in
Jelgava are one of the many exhibits
displayed in the palace complex.
7 The exhibition of period
clothes in Room 107 mostly features
items belonging to the duke’s family.
8 The Heraldic Lion, the duke’s . Gold Hall
emblem, is placed on the top The initials of the
of the gateposts. palace’s owner, “EJ”, can
9 The Oval Porcelain be seen amidst the
Cabinet, made by Johann Michael ornate gilt scrolls. The
Graff, was designed to exhibit hall has magnificent
exquisite artifacts. chandeliers and
ceiling decoration.
L AT V I A 89
42 km (26 miles) SW of Rīga.
Tel 6396 2274. Open 10am–6pm
daily. & 8 call in advance for
excursions and events. 0 The
gardens: Open May–Oct: 10am–
6pm daily; Nov–Apr: 10am–5pm
daily. ∑ rundale.net
Transport
@ from Bauska.
Formal French-style gardens, re-created from the original plans
Duchess’s Boudoir
The duchess could rest and receive visitors during the
day in her splendidly decorated boudoir, which has
now been restored. The duchess and other family
members lived in the west wing.
Ernst Johann Biron

The son of a minor landlord,
Ernst Johann Biron was
asked to leave the academy
in Königsberg (present-day
Kaliningrad in Russia) for bad
behaviour. Failing to establish
himself in the Russian court,
he returned to Jelgava, a town
in the Zemgale region, and
became close to the Duchess
of Courland, Anna Ivanovna. In
1730, Anna became empress
of Russia, and three years later
Biron was appointed Duke of
Courland. After his patron died
in 1740, Biron was sent into
exile, returning only in 1763.
A year later, Catherine II made
him duke once more but he
abdicated in 1769 in favour
of his son Peter.
. White Hall
This ballroom boasts a
parquet floor and lavish
stuccowork by German
sculptor Johann Michael
Graff. The restrained Duke of Courland, Ernst Johann Biron
colour scheme gives the (1690–1772)
room its name.
6 Sigulda
50 km (31 miles) NE of Rīga.
* 15,000. £ from Rīga. @ from
Rīga. n Valdemāra iela 1a, 6797 1335.
∑ sigulda.lv
A pretty town situated in

the scenic woodland of Gauja
National Park, Sigulda is a centre
for outdoor activities and is often
described as the Switzerland
of the Vidzeme region. After
the Brotherhood of the Sword
subdued the Liv population in Ruins of the castle built by the Brotherhood of the Sword, Sigulda
1207, they gave the right bank of
the Gauja river to the Bishop of it was taken by Russia in the church and an impressive
Rīga and built their own castle on Great Northern War (1700–21). viewpoint called Artists’ Hill
the left bank. The Brotherhood, The castle ruins are tucked away (Gleznotāju kalns). Paths run
renamed the Livonian Order, lost behind the 19th-century New through the woodland to Satzele
the town to the Poles in 1562, Castle (Jaunā pils), which now Castle Mound, once a Liv fortress,
and it passed between the Poles houses city council offices and a and Peter’s Cave on the bank
and Swedes for 150 years, until restaurant. Close by is a Lutheran of the Vējupīte river.
7 Gauja National Park Valmiera •

Gauja nacionālā parka
L AT V I A
Gulf of
Latvia’s first national park was established in 1973, Rīga Cēsis •
stretching for about 100 km (62 miles) along the Gauja uja
Sigulda Ga
•
River valley. Almost half of the park is forested, and it •

Rīga Area of the
map illustrated
is home to about 900 plant, 149 bird and 48 mammal Lake
Ungurs
species. Boating and canoeing are great ways to see
the caves, cliffs and ravines carved out by the river Key
since the glaciers receded 12,000 years ago. In addition Gauja National Park
to its natural attractions, the area has some of Latvia’s
Lielstraupe
most fascinating historic sites, and been attracting
visitors to its trails since the 19th century.
Inčiems
uja
Ga
Turaida Museum Reserve

The reserve comprises the extensively restored Turaida
Castle, which houses historical exhibitions, and the
grounds, with the outbuildings and a sculpture park. Turaida
V
éj
J upīte
KEY Krimulda
Ragana J S I GULDA
1 Sigulda offers a rare chance to
experience the thrill of a world-class
bobsleigh run at a reasonable price.
2 Zvārte Rock, a 35-m (115-ft) high
sandstone outcrop, boasts excellent
views. It is locally believed to be a
Gauja
haunt of witches and demons.
Rīga
43 km (27 miles)
L AT V I A 91
8 Cēsis 13th-century Old Castle. The

pink New Castle, built in 1777,
* 18,000. £ from Rīga. @ from is home to the Museum of Art
Rīga. n Pils laukums 9, 6412 1815. and History (Cēsu vēstures un
∑ cesis.lv. mākslas muzejs). The highlight
is the well-presented “Treasures
One of Latvia’s oldest towns, of Cēsis” exhibition. Cēsis
Cēsis has winding streets lined Exhibition House (Cēsu izstāžu
with attractive wooden and nams), a renovated 18th-
stone buildings. It became a century coach house, stands
member of the Hanseatic on the square in front of the
League in 1383 and grew into New Castle.
an important trading centre. Row of wooden and stone houses in To the north, the Castle Park
The town served as the head- the Old Town, Cēsis is a popular place to relax in
quarters of the Brotherhood of the summer. Other attractions
the Sword, and later the Livonian fighting during the War of include the 19th-century Cēsis
Order, for much of the period Independence (1918–20). The Brewery, although the beer is
between 1237 and 1561. In Cēsis castle complex is the now brewed outside the town.
1577, Ivan the Terrible took Cēsis. town’s major attraction. Visitors
Further damage was inflicted are given builders’ helmets and E Museum of Art and History
during the Great Northern War lanterns for the tour of the 15th- Pils laukums 9. & includes access
and Cēsis also witnessed fierce to 16th-century towers of the to the Old and New Castles.
Cēsis
Once the seat of the German
crusaders, Cēsis is a romantic
town with a lakeside park.
n Gauja National Park Visitors’
Centre, Baznicas iela 7, Sigulda,
CĒ SIS 6797 4006. 8 guided canoe
trips organized by Campo in Rīga
(2922 2339) and Makars in
Sigulda (2924 4948). 
Raiskums Cīrulīši ∑ daba.gov.lv
Transport
£ from Rīga. @
a
uj
Āraiši
Ga
Drabeši
Kārļi
Am
at
a
Gaujasmala
Leriķi
Līgatne
Līga tne
Lake Āraiši
The remains of a rudimentary fortress were found on
Augšligatne the lake bed. A lakeside reconstruction re-creates life
here in the 9th and 10th centuries.
0 kilometres 5
0 miles 5
Key
Līgatne Education and Major road
Recreation Centre Minor road
This centre hosts wildlife,
such as brown bears and Other road
European bison. Its footpaths Railway
and motorable tracks wind past Park boundary
the spacious animal enclosures.
Practical & Travel Information In remote places, opening

hours are more erratic. The
Latvia offers a wealth of historic sights and cultural activities Latvian Tourism Development
as well as stunning natural beauty. In recent years there Agency is the official tourism
has been a rapid increase in the number of European cities agency; its website lists all the
tourist offices in the country.
directly linked to Rīga, due mainly to the arrival of low-cost
Information on tourism offices
carriers which have raised the capital’s profile as a destination that represent this agency
for weekend breaks. For those who wish to avoid air travel, abroad can also be found
there are several sea routes from Scandinavia and Germany, on the website.
besides comfortable trains and coaches. Travelling by car
is also perfectly feasible. Health and Security
Emergency care in Latvia
is provided free of charge
When to Visit Affairs offers information on visa to all foreigners who are treated
The best time to visit Latvia regulations. EU citizens are not in state hospitals. Standards
is from May to October, when subject to customs regulations, are similar to those elsewhere
the weather is pleasantly warm provided they adhere to EU in Europe. Pharmacies through-
and the days are longer. July and guidelines. Visitors should check out Latvia are usually open
August are the warmest months for any customs duty or special from 8am to 7 or 8pm on
and can also be the wettest. permission required to export weekdays and until 3 or 4pm
Winter is cold and dark with a cultural object before buying on Saturdays. Rīga has a few
very few daylight hours, making it. For detailed information on 24-hour pharmacies.
it difficult for outdoor excursions. these guidelines, entrance Latvia is a safe country in
March, when the snow thaws, regulations and visa charges, which to travel, with very rare
and November and December, it is advisable to visit the official instances of theft and mugging.
when it starts to fall, are also website of the European However, it is best to remain
best avoided. Commission. vigilant and to avoid carrying
luxury items.
Documentation Visitor Information
Citizens of EU member-states, Practically every town and city in Facilities for the
the US, Canada, Australia and Latvia has a tourist office staffed Disabled
New Zealand, only need a valid by friendly English-speaking locals. In recent years public
passport for entry into Latvia for These offices provide information awareness about the needs
a period of up to 90 days within a about the major cities and towns, of the disabled has improved
half-year. Those wishing to stay as well as on accommodation, significantly in Latvia. Most
beyond 90 days will need to entertainment venues, restaurants upmarket hotels and restaurants
apply for a national long-term and historic sights. The tourist in the country take such needs
visa or a residence permit. Visitors office in Rīga provides helpful into consideration, although
from other countries should city guides, free maps, brochures public transport in Rīga has
enquire at their local Latvian and regional tourism information. only a limited number of
embassy or consulate for visa Most offices are open from buses which provide wheel-
requirements before travelling. 9am to 6pm on weekdays and chair access.
The official website of the for shorter hours on Saturdays;
Latvian Ministry of Foreign some are also open on Sundays.
Banking and Currency
Latvia replaced its previous
The Climate of Latvia RĪGA currency, the lats, with the Euro
Latvia experiences a short on 1 January, 2014. Although
22/72
summer, with July and August most foreign currency can be
° C/F exchanged at banks, exchange
being the warmest months
12/54
and subject to thunderstorms. 10/50 10/50 bureaus and upmarket hotels,
Between May and September 4/39 euros and dollars are preferred.
temperatures average between 0°C 1/34 Traveller’s cheques are accepted
14º C (57º F) and 22º C (72º F). 32°F -2/28
-8/18 only in upmarket hotels and
Winter, between November 10 major banks.
and March, is extremely cold 6 hrs 2 hrs 1 hrs
hrs There is a wide network of
with temperatures rarely ATMs, mostly in the major towns
36 78 73 48
going above 4º C (39º F) and cities. Banks are generally
mm mm mm mm
and frequently dipping to
month Apr Jul Oct Jan open from 9am to 6pm on
freezing conditions.
weekdays and 10am to 3pm
on Sundays.
L AT V I A 93
Communications Arriving by Sea Travelling by Coach

Latvia’s telephone and postal Travelling by ferry takes One of the best ways to
networks are both reliable and longer than air travel, although travel between the three
efficient. Post offices provide a crossing the Baltic Sea has Baltic capitals is by coach. This
range of services at competitive its own appeal and you may costs less than travelling by
postal rates. Payphone booths decide to include a leisurely air, although the difference is
accept pre-paid phone cards, sea crossing as part of your trip. negligible, except during the
available at kiosks, post offices Ferries operated by Lisco link peak season. International
and supermarkets. Internet the German port of Lübeck carriers such as Ecolines and
facilities are excellent in Rīga to Rīga, while Tallink connects Eurolines run services between
and most cafés and hotels Rīga to Stockholm (Sweden). Rīga and several other European
have Wi-Fi access. The main Ferry Terminal cities. Rīga’s main bus terminal,
can be reached by trams 5, Autoosta, is five minutes
7 or 9 from the main bus south of the Old Town.
Arriving by Air terminal or outside the National
The majority of passengers Opera. Terrabalt connects
arrive at Rīga International Liepāja to Karlshamn (Sweden) Travelling by Car
Airport, which is now con- and Rostock (Germany). Ventspils Since 2007, under the Schengen
nected to most European cities. is served by Scandlines to Agreement, there are no longer
The country’s national carrier, Nynashamn (Sweden), Rostock border controls between the
airBaltic, was established in and Karlshamn. Baltic States. Nevertheless, busy
1995 and offers some very border crossings can take up
affordable flights. Rīga is also to 20 minutes to negotiate. It
served by other major airlines Rail Travel is essential to carry the vehicle’s
including KLM, SAS, Lufthansa The main railway station in registration document, a valid
and Finnair. Several low-cost Rīga is Central Railway Station, third-party insurance policy
carriers, such as easyJet from located southeast of the Old and either a European driving
Berlin and Ryanair from Ireland Town. From here international licence or an International
and the UK, have also started rail routes head east towards Driving Permit. Vehicles must
services to the country. Moscow, Vitebsk, Odessa and be in roadworthy condition
There are few direct flights St Petersburg. The most com- and it is compulsory to have a
to Latvia from the US, New fortable way to travel on most first-aid kit, fire extinguisher and
Zealand, Canada or Australia. routes is by kupeja (four-bunk hazard-warning triangle. From
Visitors from outside Europe compartment). However, there December to March, winter
usually need to change flights are more luxurious two-bunk tyres must be used, and drivers
in London, Stockholm, Helsinki compartments on the trains should fit spiked tyres between
or Copenhagen. serving Moscow. September and April.
DIRECTORY
Documentation United Kingdom Finnair Tallink
J Alunana iela 5, Rīga. ∑ finnair.com ∑ tallink.com
∑ am.gov.lv
∑ ec.europa.eu Tel 6777 4700. KLM Terrabalt
United States ∑ klm.com ∑ terrabalt.lv
Visitor Raiņa bulvāris 7, Rīga. Lufthansa
Information Tel 6703 6200. ∑ lufthansa.com
Rail Travel
∑ latviatourism.lv Central Railway
Emergency Ryanair
∑ liveriga.com/ Station
Numbers ∑ ryanair.com
en/3613 ∑ ldz.lv
Rīga International
Ambulance Airport Travelling
Embassies and Tel 03.
Consulates ∑ riga-airport.com by Coach
Fire. SAS Autoosta
Australia Tel 01. ∑ flysas.com ∑ autoosta.lv
Lienes iela 28, Rīga. Police
Tel 6722 4251. Arriving by Sea Ecolines
Tel 02. ∑ ecolines.ee
Canada Ferry Terminal Eurolines
Baznīcas iela 20/22, Rīga.
Arriving by Air ∑ freeportofriga.lv ∑ eurolines.com
Tel 6781 3945. airBaltic Lisco
France ∑ airbaltic.com. ∑ lisco.lt
Raina bulvāris 9, Rīga. easyJet Scandlines
Tel 6703 6600. ∑ easyjet.com ∑ scandlines.lt
Shopping & Entertainment items. However, buyers should

be aware that not all amber on
Numerous shopping centres have opened throughout Latvia sale is genuine. Visitors spending
since 1991, although Rīga undoubtedly has the largest range a large sum of money on amber
of shopping options. This is particularly true when it comes to objects should ask for a certificate
of authenticity.
items likely to be of interest to visitors, although outside the
capital it is usually possible to find typical handicrafts such
as amber jewellery and embroidered knitwear. Latvia’s major Food and Drink
cultural events are also concentrated in Rīga, although the Laima chocolate is among the
dynamic festival calendar provides plenty of reasons to explore country’s most popular buys, and
other parts of the country. The city is also renowned for its the brand has a dedicated store
in Rīga. Its upmarket rival, Emihls
energetic nightlife; clubs range from small and hip to huge Gustavs Chocolate, has stores
and mainstream, and stay open throughout the night. all over the city.
Another common gift is Rīga
Black Balsam, a herbal liqueur
Opening Hours toys. More authentic and taken neat or in cocktails. Latvijas
Most shops in Latvia open around unusual gifts can be found in Balzams is among the best
10am. Small shops close around Grieži, which also holds craft places to buy it. Beer also makes
6 or 7pm, while bigger malls demonstrations. Tine boasts a a good gift. There are many
and shopping centres usually stay wide range of souvenirs, while varieties of traditional honey
open until 10pm. Many small Sāmsalas Kalēji specializes in available in the Latvijas Bite
shops remain closed on Sundays. metalwork. Some shops also shops, owned by the Latvian
sell Russian goods such as Association of Beekeepers.
matryoshka – wooden dolls of
Markets various sizes which are placed
Most Latvian towns have regular one inside another. Outside Rīga, Nightlife
or even daily markets, although a good place to find handicrafts is With a wide range of bars
they are rarely aimed at visitors the branch of Tornis in the tower and clubs, Rīga has a swinging
and are most useful for everyday of Turaida Castle in Gauja National nightlife. Skyline Bar in the Reval
food shopping. Housed in five Park (see pp90–91). Hotel Latvija is a favourite, while
huge zeppelin hangars, Rīga’s Rīgas Balzāms is a popular place
Central Market has most of its to try the eponymous drink in
indoor space dedicated to food, Art and Antiques various cocktails. I Love You
while the stalls and kiosks outside Antique shops in Latvia are well attracts a youthful local crowd,
sell CDs, clothes and electrical worth exploring. A licence, which while Sapņu Fabrika offers rock
goods. Also of interest is the is available at most shops, is to world music. The best-known
covered outdoor antiques and usually required before genuine nightclub, Pulkvedim Neviens
organic food market on the antiques can be exported. Rīga Neraksta, draws a young and
second and fourth Sunday of has a fine selection, including the stylish clientele. Larger venues,
each month at Berga Bazārs. upmarket Doma Antikvariāts, such as La Rocca and the
Beyond the capital, markets the busy Retro A and Volmar. submarine-themed Nautilus,
such as the covered market hall The best places to buy art are feature DJs at the weekend.
in Liepāja, a throwback to the commercial art galleries. There Casinos with gaming tables
Soviet era, are very atmospheric. are many galleries in Rīga and include the Tobago Casino Club
In the summer months, markets in the tourist information office can and Casino Aladins.
Jūrmala sell souvenirs as well as provide an up-to-date list. Māksla Outside the capital city,
fresh produce. XO is one of the most highly Latvia’s 1st Rock Café and
regarded, while Art Nouveau Fontaine Palace, both in
Rīga, a leading souvenir shop, Liepāja, are worth visiting.
Handicrafts offers attractive reproductions.
Traditional Latvian handicrafts
include handmade linen, amber Music, Theatre and Dance
jewellery, woodwork and knitwear Amber Rīga has a thriving live-music
embroidered with popular Latvian Amber is a popular Latvian scene. Major international artists
folk symbols. Motifs from nature, souvenir, readily available perform at the Arēna Rīga. Local
such as the sun, stars or trees, in tourist areas and in some bands play at a host of smaller
are commonly used among the museum shops. Rīga has dozens venues – Kaļķu Vārti, noted for
repertoire of geometric designs of specialist shops such as booking some of the country’s
found on many handcrafted goods. Amber Line, Dzintara Muzejs top artists; Depo, which features
There are numerous souvenir and Dzintara Galerija. There alternative music; Sapņu Fabrika,
shops in Rīga’s Old Town stocking are also several general souvenir which offers a range of genres;
items such as linen and wooden shops selling more affordable and Četri Balti Krekli, with
L AT V I A 95
Latvian music. The best blues Festival in Rīga are also important expansive theatrical works. Rīga’s
venues in Rīga are the Bites events. Ave Sol also hosts small most important theatre festival,
Blūza Klubs, Hamlets and Carpe classical concerts. Homo Novus, concentrates on
Diem restaurant. The summer The Latvian National Opera experimental theatre and dance.
sees performances on Liepāja’s is the venue for world-class per- The Latvian Music Information
open-air stage Pūt Vējiņi. formances of opera and ballet. Centre provides details of perfor-
Some of the best classical The Latvian National Theatre, mances across the country.
music concerts take place at the Dailes Theatre, the New Bookings can be made at the
annual events such as the Rīga Theatre and the Russian venue or through ticket agencies
International Early Music Festival Drama Theatre are some of the such as Biļešu Paradīze. Tickets
in Rundāle Palace (see pp88–9). best places to see theatre in can also be booked online on
Saulkrasti Jazz Festival and Latvian or Russian. The Liepāja the Latvian Culture Vortal, which
the International Music Theatre in Liepāja produces has a nationwide calendar.
DIRECTORY
Markets Food and Drink Pulkvedim Neviens Hamlets
Neraksta Jāņa sēta 5, Rīga.
Central Market Emihls Gustavs Peldu iela 26–28, Rīga. Tel 6722 9938
Negu St 7, Rīga. Chocolate Tel 6721 3886.
Tel 6722 9985. Homo Novus
Aspazijas bulvāris 24, Rīga. ∑ pulkvedis.lv
∑ theatre.lv
Handicrafts ∑ sokolade.lv Rīgas Balzāms
International Music
Torņa iela 4, Rīga.
Grieži Laima Festival
Tel 6721 4494.
Mazā miesnieku iela1. Ģertrūdes iela 6, Rīga. ∑ rigasritmi.lv
Rīga. Tel 6750 7236. ∑ laima.lv
Sapņu Fabrika
Kaļķu Vārti
Lāčplēša 101, Rīga.
Sāmsalas Kalēji Kaļķu iela 11a, Rīga.
Latvijas Balzams Tel 6722 9045.
Laipu iela 6, Rīga. ∑ kalkuvarti.lv
Audēju iela 8, Rīga. ∑ sapnufabrika.lv
Tel 6722 4496. Latvian Culture
Tel 6722 8814. Skyline Bar
Tine Vortal
Reval Hotel Latvija,
Vaļņu iela2, Rīga. Latvijas Bite ∑ kultura.lv/en
Elizabetes iela 55, Rīga.
Tel 6721 6728. Ģertrūdes iela 13, Rīga. Tel 6777 2222. Latvian Music
Tel 6727 9495. Information Centre
Art and Antiques Tobago Casino Club ∑ lmic.lv
Aspāzijas bulvāris 22, Rīga.
Art Nouveau Rīga Nightlife Latvian National
Tel 6722 5411.
Strēlnieku 9, Laipu 8, Rīga. Opera
Casino Aladins
Tel 2836 7112. Music, Theatre Aspāzijas bulvāris 3, Rīga.
Dzirnavu iela 57, Rīga.
and Dance ∑ opera.lv
Doma Antikvariāts Tel 2929 6060.
Doma laukums 1a, Rīga. Arēna Rīga Latvian National
Tel 6781 4401. Fontaine Palace Skanstes iela 21, Rīga. Theatre
∑ antikvariats.lv Dzirnavu iela 4, Liepāja. ∑ arenariga.com Kronvalda bulvāris 2, Rīga.
Tel 6348 8510. ∑ teatris.lv
Māksla XO Ave Sol
Skārņu 8, Rīga. ∑ fontainepalace.lv Valdemāra Iela 5, Rīga. Liepāja Theatre
Tel 2948 2098. Tel 6704 3631 Teatra iela 4, Liepāja.
I Love You
Retro A Tel 6340 7811.
Aldaru iela 9, Rīga. Biļešu Paradīze ∑ liepajasteatris.lv
Tallinas 54, Rīga. ∑ bilesuparadize.lv
Tel 6722 5304.
Tel 6731 5306. New Rīga Theatre
∑ iloveyou.lv Bites Blūza Klubs
Volmar Lāčplēša iela 25, Rīga.
La Rocca Dzirnavu iela 34a, Rīga. ∑ jrt.lv
Šķūņu 6, Rīga.
∑ bluesclub.lv
Tel 6721 4278. Brivibas iela 96, Rīga. Pūt Vējiņi
Tel 6750 6030. Carpe Diem Peldu iela 57, Liepāja.
Amber ∑ larocca.lv Meistaru iela 10–12, Rīga. Tel 6342 4479.
∑ carpediem.lv
Amber Line Latvia’s 1st Rock Café Russian Drama
Torna 4, Rīga. Četri Balti Krekli Theatre
Stendera 18/20, Liepāja. Vecpilsētas iela 12, Rīga.
Tel 6732 5058. Kaļķu iela 16, Rīga.
Tel 6348 1555. ∑ trd.lv
Dzintara Galerija Dailes Theatre
∑ pablo.lv
Torņa iela 4, Rīga. Brīvības iela 75, Rīga. Saulkrasti Jazz
Tel 6732 5157. Nautilus ∑ dailesteatris.lv Festival
Kungu iela 8, Rīga. ∑ saulkrastijazz.lv
Dzintara Muzejs Depo
Kalēju iela 9/11, Rīga. Tel 6781 4455. Vaļņu iela 32, Rīga.
Tel 6708 7545. ∑ nautilus.lv ∑ klubsdepo.lv
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Rīga Prices are based on one night’s stay in
B&B Rīga €
B&B Map F2 € under €75
Ģertrūdes iela 43, LV-1011 €€ €75 to €150
€€€ over €150
Tel 6727 8505
∑ bb-riga.lv
This family-run B&B, located in KULDĪGA: Metropole €
the 19th-century part of town, Historic
has tasteful en suites equipped Baznicas iela 11, LV-3301
with TV and fridge. Tel 6335 0588
∑ hotel-metropole.lv
Cinnamon Sally € Skillfully restored, 19th-century
Hostel Map E3 building in the centre of the
Merķeļa iela 1, 3rd Floor, LV-1001 historic little town. Tidy en suites
Tel 2204 2280 and a friendly ambience.
∑ cinnamonsally.com Guests relax in the bright, colourful lounge
On the 3rd floor of an apartment of Cinnamon Sally, Rīga LIEPĀJA: Libava €€
block, this hostel has a homely Luxury
atmosphere and good social but comfortable rooms, friendly Vecā ostmala 29, LV-3401
areas. Choice of dorms and service and decent breakfast. Tel 6342 5318
private doubles. ∑ libava.lv
Grand Palace €€€ Canalside hotel providing an
Homestay € Luxury Map B3 affordable slice of luxury with
B&B Map D3 Pils iela 12, LV-1050 smart en suite rooms, a
Stockholmas iela 1, LV-1014 Tel 6704 4000 basement spa centre and a
Tel 6755 3016 ∑ grandpalaceriga.com sofa-filled conservatory.
∑ homestay.lv Elegant, upmarket hotel with
Family-run B&B in the leafy plush, superbly equipped rooms LIEPĀJA: Promenade €€€
suburb of Mežaparks. Cosy rooms and a range of facilities that Luxury
in a modern timber house. Just a includes a gym, sauna and two Vecā ostmala 40, LV-3401
20-minute tram ride away from haute cuisine restaurants. Tel 6348 8288
the Centre. ∑ promenadehotel.lv
Hotel Bergs €€€ Superbly renovated red-brick
Albert Hotel €€ Design Map E2 warehouse on a canalside
Business Map D1 Elizabetes iela 83/85, LV-1050 location. Offers luxurious rooms
Dzirnavu iela 33, LV-1010 Tel 6777 0900 with all mod cons and a classy
Tel 6733 1717 ∑ hotelbergs.lv café-restaurant.
∑ alberthotel.lv The tasteful luxury suites at this
Just round the corner from the design-conscious hotel boast RUNDĀLE: Baltā Māja €
celebrated Art Nouveau district, chic contemporary fittings, sleek B&B
this contemporary hotel offers bathrooms and fully equipped Pilsrundāle, LV-3921
neat, comfortable en suites. Great kitchenettes. Tel 6396 2140
views from top-floor café too. Located in what were previously
servants' quarters just outside
Rundāle Palace, this 8-room B&B
DK Choice Rest of Latvia offers simple accommodation
Hotel Centra €€ with a rustic touch.
Boutique Map C4 CĒSIS: Hotel Kolonna €€
Audēju iela 1, LV-1050 Historic SIGULA: Hotel Sigulda €€
Tel 6722 6441 Vienibas laukums 1, LV-4101 Historic
∑ hotelcentra.lv Tel 6412 0122 Pils iela 6, LV-2150
A well-run boutique hotel, ∑ hotelkolonna.com Tel 6797 2263
the quiet and calm Centra is Dating from the 1930s, this ∑ hotelsigulda.lv
located in the heart of Rīga's refurbished hotel in the centre of This historic building in the
nightlife district. Set in a town, offers plush rooms with leafy centre of town provides
handsomely restored 19th- spacious bathrooms. smart, cosy rooms and an
century building the hotel indoor pool in its interesting
offers spacious rooms that JŪRMALA: Jūrmala Spa €€€ modern annexe.
favour a clean, minimalist style. Spa
Jomas iela 47/49, LV-2015 SIGULDA: Spa Hotel Ezeri €€
Tel 6778 4415 Spa
Radi un Draugi €€ ∑ hoteljurmala.com Sigulda, LV-2150
B&B Map C4 Modern spa resort and Tel 6797 3009
Mārstaļu iela 1/3, LV-1050 conference centre with swanky ∑ hotelezeri.lv
Tel 6782 0200 rooms, offering a full range of spa Out in the countryside with
∑ hotelradiundraugi.lv and beauty treatments. Located well laid out Scandinavian-style
Centrally located hotel that offers on the main pedestrianized strip rooms, a spa centre, pools and a
excellent value with its simple near the golden beaches. pleasant restaurant.

Restaurant Gutenbergs €€€ Price Guide
Rīga International Map B3 Prices are based on a three-course meal
Doma Laukums 1, LV-1050 for one, half a bottle of wine, including
Lido Atpūtas Centrs € Tel 6781 4090
Latvian Elegant restaurant in the € under €20
Krasta iela 76, LV-1019 Gutenbergs Hotel serving €€ €20 to €40
€€€ over €40
Tel 6750 4420 impeccable European
Theme-park-cum-restaurant cuisine in a sophisticated
with a wooden barn, windmill atmosphere. overlooks a stream, this is a good
and children's playground, serving place for freshwater fish and
tasty, order-at-the-counter Vincent's €€€ traditional Latvain pork staples.
Latvian staples. French Map E2
Elizabetes iela 19, LV-1000 LIEPĀJA: Pastnieka Māja €€
Pelmeņi XL € Tel 6733 2634 International
Russian Map C3 Adventurous international Brīvzemnieka iela 53, LV-3401
Kaļķu iela 7, LV-1050 dishes with a classic French Tel 6340 7521
Tel 6722 2728 core is what the menu offers at A combination of traditional
Enjoy pelmeņi (Russian pastry this elegant, upscale restaurant, Latvian fare and mainstream
parcels) stuffed with minced just a short walk from the Art European cuisine in a building
meat, cabbage or cottage Nouveau district. that mixes traditional timber
cheese at this popular order- features with modern minimalist
at-the-counter café that also design. Pleasant summer garden.
serves soups and salads.
Rest of Latvia LIEPĀJA: Vēcais Kapteinis €€
Latvian
DK Choice CĒSIS: Café Popular € Dubelsteina iela 14, LV-3401
Ķiploku Krogs €€ Latvian Tel 6342 5522
International Map C3 Vienibas laukums 1, LV-4101 Set in an old half-timbered
Jēkaba iela 3/5, LV-1050 Tel 6412 0122 house with a nautical theme,
Tel 6721 1451 In the basement of the Kolonna the lovely ‘Old Captain’ serves
Just as its name suggests ‘Garlic Hotel, an atmospheric café meat and fish dishes of a
Tavern’ features garlic in almost serving salads, pancakes and high standard.
every dish, including the ice inexpensive main meals to a
cream. The menu labels the devoted local following. SIGULDA: Kaķu Māja €
dishes that do not contain any. Latvian
The results are less gimmicky JŪRMALA: Villa Joma €€€ Pils iela 8, LV-2150
than might be expected and International Tel 2905 0104
there are some very exciting Jomas iela 90, LV-2015 Great example of a Latvian
choices. Tel 6777 1999 self-service café, with home-
Located in the heart of Jūrmala style meat, fish and poultry
on the main promenade near the staples served up in big,
Pie Kristapa Kunga €€ beach, Joma offers a classy inexpensive portions. Try
Latvian Mediterranean–Middle Eastern the fresh cakes.
Baznīcas iela 27/29, LV-1010 menu that includes plenty of
Tel 6729 4898 exquisitely prepared seafood. SIGULDA: Aparjods €€
With wooden tables, medieval International
fittings and old Rīga atmosphere, KULDĪGA: Pagrabiņs € Ventas iela 1a, LV-2150
Kristapa Kunga is spread over many Latvian Tel 6797 4414
floors. Expect hearty meat and fish Baznīcas iela 5, LV-3301 Right in the centre of town,
dishes and great Latvian beers. Tel 6332 0034 this restaurant with a farmhouse
With traditional wood and stone theme, serves traditional Latvian
Čarlstons €€€ interiors and a small terrace that and classic European cuisine.
International
Blaumaņa iela 38, LV-1011
Tel 6777 0572
High-end cuisine in informal
surroundings, with grilled steaks
forming the centrepiece of a menu
that also covers Mediterranean
seafood and superb desserts.
Neiburgs €€€
International Map C3
Jauniela 25, LV-1050
Tel 6711 5522
Quality Latvian–European fare
in a beautifully light and airy
Art Nouveau building. Choose
between pastas, salads, roast
meat and fish dishes. Attractive dining area at Neiburgs, Rīga
ESTONIA
Presenting a heady mix of medieval heritage and technological advancement,
Estonia has rebuilt itself in the post-Soviet era, adapting to the demands of the
modern world while preserving a distinct cultural identity. With its rich historic
architecture, natural landscapes and dynamic culture, the country makes a
significant impression on the ever-growing number of visitors that it attracts.
Estonia’s tumultuous history has History

resulted from its geographical position Historical references to Estonia date from
as a crossroads between Eastern and the early 13th century, when the Teutonic
Western Europe. With Russia dominating knights arrived, introducing a new social
its eastern border, Scandinavia surroun- order in which the Germans dominated for
ding it to the north and west and the several centuries. A bitter struggle ensued
other two Baltic States to its south, that saw the destruction of Estonia’s pagan
Estonia was considered a prize strategic culture and its replacement by a harsh
asset among the regional powers feudal system. The Danes were also involved,
through the centuries. taking control of northern Estonia before
After regaining independence from being pushed out by the Teutonic knights.
the Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia was The 16th century saw Estonia as the major
left severely dilapidated. But persistent battleground between Russia and Sweden
reforms by successive governments have in the Livonian Wars (1558–82). By 1629, the
helped to stabilize the economy. Although country was in Swedish hands. The Swedes
the rural areas still lag behind the cities in achieved much over the next 50 years,
raising living standards, Estonia has grown including the introduction of schools and
into a major travel destination. Its pristine the establishment of Tartu University. Later,
islands and traditional villages are as however, the Swedish kings seized German-
alluring as its capital Tallinn, a pulsating owned estates, incurring the wrath of the
city with a medieval Old Town. Germans, who turned to Russia’s Peter the
A group of Estonian folk dancers performing in traditional costume during a local festival
Tourists exploring the Old Town in Tallinn
Depiction of the Siege of Narva, Livonian Wars
Great for help. In 1709, Peter defeated and 1933. In 1934, a prominent
the Swedish King Charles XII, which nationalist politician, Konstantin
consigned the country to tsarist rule for Päts, staged a coup.
the next 200 years. He continued to rule until the Soviet
During World War I (1914–18), the invasion on 16 June 1940, which brought
prospect of Estonian independence a brutal end to independent Estonia.
seemed bleak. However, the 1917 The German invasion, which came a year
Revolution that ended the tsarist regime later, was seen by many in Estonia as a
in Russia encouraged Estonia to declare liberation. In September 1944, the Red
independence in February 1918, in Army returned to Estonia, forcing the Nazis
Pärnu. Political stability proved difficult to surrender, and subjecting the country to
to establish, however; there were 20 almost five decades of Soviet rule.
coalition governments between 1919 From the 1960s, Estonia’s link with
the non-Soviet world began to grow.
KEY DATES IN ESTONIAN HISTORY At the time of the collapse of the USSR
1219 Danes seize Tallinn in 1991, Estonians were better prepared
1227 Germans conquer all of Estonia for a capitalist economy than any of the
1558–83 Northern Estonia comes under Swedish other Soviet republics. Thirteen years
rule, southern Estonia under Polish rule after independence, entry into the EU
1629 Estonia passes into Swedish hands in 2004 and NATO has further
1709 Great Northern War between Charles XII strengthened the economy.
of Sweden and Peter the Great results in
Russian victory Language and Culture
1885 Russification of the Baltics begins
In general, Estonians are more strongly
1918 Declaration of Estonian independence signed;
Germany loses World War I
influenced by Scandinavian culture than
1920 Treaty of Tartu confirms Estonia’s independence
by that of their Baltic neighbours. Finns
1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact puts Estonia under
and Estonians also share close linguistic
the influence of the USSR links through the Finno-Ugric language
1940 Soviet occupation begins family. The most important aspects of
1941 German occupation begins Estonian culture are distinctly pagan in
1944 Return of Soviet forces; Stalinist era begins origin, such as the Midsummer festival
1953 Stalin dies Jaanipaev (John’s Day), characterized by
1989 Baltic Way demonstratation occured drinking, dancing and revelry. Folk culture
1991 Estonia declares independence is central to national identity, and the All
2004 Estonia joins NATO and the EU Estonian Song Festival, held every five
2011 Introduction of the euro years since 1869, remains an iconic
occasion for the nation.
ESTONIA 101
Exploring Estonia
Estonia offers an irresistible blend of cultural heritage
and natural beauty. Walking is an ideal way to explore the
country’s historic towns. Highlights include the capital
Tallinn, with its lovely Old Town dotted with church spires
and fascinating museums, picturesque Pärnu, with its
elegant 19th-century villas and long sandy beach, and the
charming university town of Tartu. The best way of getting
around the country is by road, as most sights are within a
few hours’ drive of each other. A well-developed bus system
links all the major towns and cities. Estonia’s largest island,
Saaremaa, is well connected to the mainland by ferry.
View towards the Baltic Sea from St Olav’s
Sights at a Glance Church, Tallinn
1 Tallinn pp102–109
2 Saaremaa Island pp110–11
3 Pärnu pp112–13 Helsinki,
Stockholm, St Petersburg Gulf of Finland
4 Tartu pp114–15 Mariehamn
St Petersburg
Sillamäe •
•
Narva
1 •
1 Jõhvi
Kapellskar •
• Kiviõli
TALLINN Rakvere
Tapa
3
•
Paldiski •
Baltic
2
4
•
Sea Ääsmäe
Vormsi Lake
Island Paide Peipsi
9
•
Kärdla Märjamaa
•
•
RUSSIAN
a la
•
FEDERATION
3
Haapsalu Põltsamaa
ig
Hiiumaa V •
Island 5
4
gi
Muhu • 10
jo
Lihula a
Island Em
• 92 Tartu
Trigi r nu Viljandi • Lake
Pärnu Pä
Vortsjärv
92
Saaremaa 3
Island
6
6 Viluste •
Kuressaare Kihnu
• • 2
Island Otepää Võru
4
Sõrve Gulf of Rīga • Valga

Vastselina •
Peninsula •Mõntu L AT V I A 7
Ruhnu
Island
0 km 50
0 miles 50
Key
Motorway
Major road
Railway
Elizabeth’s Church, graced by an elegant spire, Pärnu
1 Tallinn
Founded by the Danes at the beginning of the 13th century,
Tallinn was for ages known by its Teutonic name, Reval. The
city flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries, when it was
one of the leading members of the powerful Hanseatic League.
The brilliantly restored Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
since 1997, is a living monument to this golden period of Tallinn’s
history. The vast majority of sights in the city are concentrated
in and around Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) and Toompea, in
the medieval Old Town. Its winding cobbled streets are dotted
with elegant back alleys, courtyards and spired churches, as
well as fascinating museums that present the city’s historic and
cultural traditions. An architectural wonder, Tallinn has grown
into a dynamic, chic and exciting city over the years, with a MI
IU
population of about 400,000 people.
AAS
TORNIDE Church of the
GUMN
VÄLJAK Transfiguration
of Our Lord
S U U R - K LO O S T R
I
Sights at a Glance Central Railway Station
150 m (170 yards)
1 Town Hall N
U
2 Holy Spirit Church N N
E
3 Great Guild Hall
4 Dominican Monastery
5 Niguliste Church
TU
6 House of Blackheads O
H
NUNNE
K IR
K
7 Estonian Museum of Applied H
U
IK U PÕ IK
RA
Art and Design TL

I
ÜÜ VO
OR
-R
U
8 St Olav’s Church OM
IM
HT
EH
TO
KO
E
LG
9 Fat Margaret Tower

PIIS
KO KIRIKU
PIA
JA
ED
U
0 Toompea Castle Cathedral of

KK
EV
St Mary the Virgin RI

PI
NK
q Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
A
DU
SK
w Kadriorg Palace KIRIKU PLATS

TA
TOOM-KOOLI
RA
TOOMPEA
LG
RUTU NIGULISTE
LG
JA
JA
K
PIK
KE
HI
LÜ
RÜÜTLI
LO S S I
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P L AT S
TA A N I
H A R
LO S S I
KUNINGA
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P L AT S
F A L G I T E E
KO
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ND
AN
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TE
E
0 metres 200
0 yards 200
HARJUMÄGI VABADUSE
VÄLJAK
TOOM
PEA
TEE
IES
PU
L I
AR
KA
Key
Pedestrian street

TA L L I N N 103
Greater Tallinn
Ferry Terminal
500 m (550 yards)
Baltic Sea
Kalamaja
T EE Tallinn
Ferry Terminal
ÄE LA
I
M
NA Central Railway
R AN Station
K
PIK
Tallinn
I
M
U
TO LLI
RI
2
Kompassi Raua Kadriorg
O
TO
RA
8
BO
I
L A
LA
Torupilli
Sibulaküla 2
Tõnismäe Sikupilli
OL
I
M EV 4
SU
U
RI IST
U U S
O E
U
TO
R
PA
T
RA Juhkentali
Ü
BO
GA 1
K
LA RI
I
4
Veerenni
Tallinn Lennart
Meri Airport
KK
A V
ID A
IM
I
G
2
PI
A U
Ä
Lake
IM
0 metres 800 Ülemiste

V
LE
V E N E
0 yards 800
O
I
L A
Key
Tallin City
Area of the main map
Museum
HA
VAI
MU Getting Around
PÜ
U U S
Most of the main sights in Tallinn are

KK within comfortable walking distance of
PI Town Hall
each other. However, motorized transport
MÜ
Pharmacy
E
N
ND
is required to see some major sights, such

E
APTEE
I
GI
V
K AT
as Kadriorg Palace, east of the Old Town,
MÜÜRIVAHE
A R II
RAEKOJA NA
K Ä IK
P L AT S and other sights of interest situated further
away. Tallinn’s transport options are very
RA
EKO
JA
good, made up of an integrated network
Museum of
Estonian
VIRU
of trolleybuses, buses and trams. Driving
Photography
around Tallinn may be a little disorienting
INGA
KUN
for visitors. There are several confusing one-
A
way systems and traffic jams are common

N
U
SA
during rush hour. Nearly all buses and

L L
V
SUUR-KAJRA
Ä
V A
IK
E-
KA
trolleybuses leave from Vabaduse Square
or the Viru Keskus Terminal, while most
R
JA
V
A
NA tram lines pass by the Old Town.
-P
OS
TI
HE
ÜR IVA
MÜ
E
E
T
N
A
A
USE VÄ
LJAK M
VA BAD
U
N
R
PÄ
St John’s
Church
Tallinn Lennart
Meri Airport
4 km (2.5 miles)
The Neo-Byzantine Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Old Town, Tallinn

Street-by-Street: Around
Town Hall Square
In the heart of Tallinn’s Old Town, the magnificent Town
Hall Square has for centuries served as a marketplace.
Gently sloping, the cobblestoned square is surrounded by
a ring of elegantly designed medieval buildings. The early
14th-century Town Hall is northern Europe’s only surviving
late-Gothic town hall. A meeting point for locals and visitors,
the square captures the essence of the Old Town. In summer,
it is filled with open-air cafés and restaurant tables. Busy market in Town Hall Square, seen from
the Town Hall tower
6 House of
Blackheads
was the
meeting
place for the
Brotherhood
of Blackheads.
Tallinn City Museum

Housed in a medieval
merchants’ house, this
museum presents Tallinn’s
history through a variety
of fascinating exhibits
and artifacts.
PI
KK
IMU
PÜHAVA
PLA OJA
TS
K
RAE
. Town Hall Pharmacy HE

Worth a visit just for its impressive interior, this long-running IME
O OR
pharmacy also has a charming little museum displaying V
old curiosities.
I
DUN KR
Key
Suggested route
2 Holy Spirit Church

Regarded as one of
0 metres 100 Tallinn’s most attractive
0 yards 100 churches, this splendidly
preserved structure is a
treasure trove of medieval
and Renaissance features.

TA L L I N N 105
4 Dominican Monastery
Among Tallinn’s oldest buildings, the monastery complex also
includes an atmospheric museum which has some beautiful
stone carvings.
Viru Street
One of the most famous in the Old Town,
this busy street is packed with a variety
of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops.
M
Ü
Ü
RI
VA
H
E
V
E
N
E
SA
IR
UN
V
1 . Town Hall
Occupying pride of place in Town Hall
Square, this imposing Gothic building
A Museum of has been the focus of civic life since
RJ
 KA Estonian the Middle Ages.
E
VāIK Photography
SUUR K A has an extensive
RJA
collection housed
A
in two buildings.
NG
NI
KU
H I
ST
PO
A
NA
R
TE
JU
VA
IS
UL
IG
N
5 Niguliste Church
This remarkable Gothic church is now a
Tallinn landmark boasting an excellent
R museum of religious art. The church
Ü
Ü holds organ recitals every weekend.
TL
I
3 Great Guild Hall

Suurgildi hoone
Pikk jalg 17. Map D3. Tel 641 1630.
@ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4. Open 11am–
6pm Thu–Tue. & = Estonian History
Museum: Open Check website for
timings. ∑ ajaloomuuseum.ee
One of the most important

buildings in medieval Tallinn,
the Great Guild Hall was
constructed in 1417. It was
owned by a power ful union
of wealthy merchants and was
mainly used as a gathering
place for the members of the
Great Guild. The starting as
Outdoor tables of the cafés around Town Hall Square well as the end point of most
festive processions of Tallinn,
1 Town Hall exterior includes the oldest it was sometimes also rented
Tallinna raekoda public clock in Tallinn, with out for wedding parties and
carvings dating from 1684. court sessions.
Raekoja plats 1. Map D3. Tel 645 7900.
@ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4. Open Jul–Aug: The stepped gable is topped The late-Gothic building has
10am–4pm Mon–Sat; Sep–Jun: by by a striking Baroque tower. The retained its original appearance
appointment. & 8 - spire was nearly destroyed by through the centuries, although
∑ tallinn.ee/raekoda fire in 2002, but was restored the windows were remodelled
within a year. Inside, in the 1890s. The
One of the most revered symbols the church is a Great Guild Hall’s
of Tallinn, the Town Hall dates treasure trove of majestic interior
back to 1404. Its steeply pitched religious artifacts provides the perfect
roof is supported by two tall and architecture, setting for a branch
gables and a late-Renaissance from the magnificently of the Estonian
spire crowns the slender intricate Baroque History Museum.
octagonal tower. The windows pews to the The museum’s
and crenellated parapet Renaissance-era Clock at Holy collection of
complete the building’s impres- pulpit. The sublime Spirit Church historical artifacts
sive appearance. Inside the altar triptych, The covers Estonian
building, it is possible to see the Descent of the Holy Ghost history from the Stone Age
Citizens’ Hall and the Council (1483), by Berndt Notke, is the to the mid-19th century in
Hall, although most visitors head main highlight. The church fine detail. The exhibits,
straight for the tower and the has a special place in Estonian which include everything
115-step ascent to the top. history, as the first sermons from jewellery to weaponry,
Facing the Town Hall is the Town in Estonian were delivered are accompanied by explana-
Hall Square (see pp104–105), with here in 1535 following tory texts in Estonian, Russian
a vaulted arcade running along the Reformation. and English.
its north façade. Small cafés put
out tables here in summer.
2Holy Spirit
Church
Pühavaimu kirik
Pühavaimu 2. Map D3. Tel 646 4430.
@ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4. Open May–Sep:
9am–5pm Mon–Sat; Oct–Apr: 10am–
3pm Mon–Sat. & 5 3pm (in English).
∑ eelk.ee/tallinna.puhavaimu
Considered one of the most

beautiful churches in Tallinn, the
Gothic building of the Holy Spirit
Church served as the Town Hall
chapel before being converted
into a church. Its whitewashed Altar of the Holy Spirit Church, Old Town
TA L L I N N 107
5 Niguliste Church
Niguliste kirik
Niguliste 3. Map C4. Tel 631 4330.
@ 5, 40. Open 10am–5pm Wed–Sun.
& tickets available until 4:30pm (call
644 9903 for bookings). 8 book in
advance; extra charges for guided
tours (up to 35 persons) in a foreign
language. ∑ nigulistemuuseum.ee
Dedicated to St Nicholas,
Niguliste Church was built in
the 13th century, although
nearly all that remains today is
from the 15th century. Most of
A passageway in the medieval Tallinn’s medieval artworks were
Dominican Monastery destroyed in the Reformation
riots of 1524. However, according Ornate front door of the Renaissance House
4Dominican to legend, Niguliste Church of Blackheads
Monastery escaped being ransacked due
Dominiiklaste klooster to the laudable efforts of the of the magnificent 30-m (98-ft)
church warden, who sealed original remains. Organ and
Vene 16/18. Map D3. Tel 515 5489. the door with melted lead. The choral concerts are regularly
@ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4. Open May– church was restored during Soviet held here at weekends.
Sep: 10am–6pm daily. Private tours times after being damaged by
are available year round. & 8 tour
Soviet air raids in World War II
offered to the monastery’s inner
and since then has served as 6 House of
chambers through the cloister.
= Dominican Monastery Museum:
a museum. Blackheads
Open mid-May–mid-Sep: 10am–6pm Today, the building houses Mustpeade maja
daily; winter: by appointment. Tallinn’s most impressive
Pikk 26. Map D3. Tel 631 3199.
& ∑ kloostri.ee collection of medieval religious @ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4. Open only
artworks. These include the for chamber music concerts (call for
Founded by Dominican detailed altarpiece, painted in timings & fill entry permit application
monks in 1246, this monastery 1482 by Herman Rode of Lübeck, on website) or by appointment.
was a renowned centre of showing scenes from the life ∑ mustpeademaja.ee
learning and thrived until the of St Nicholas, as well as the
Reformation riots broke out in beheading of St George, and This 15th-century Renaissance
1524. The Lutherans destroyed Dance Macabre, a 15th-century building was the meeting
the monastery and forced the frieze by the German painter and place of the Brotherhood of
monks into exile. In 1531, a fire sculptor Bernt Notke, considered Blackheads, an association
damaged most of the desecrated the church’s finest object. of unmarried merchants and
St Catherine’s Church, the Unfortunately only a fragment shipowners, who could join the
monastery’s south wing. more powerful Great Guild upon
After suffering neglect for marriage. The unusual name was
four centuries, the ruined inspired by the North African
monastery was renovated in St Maurice, the organization’s
1954. Today a serene cloister, patron saint, whose image can
its atmospheric passageways be seen on the ornate front
and a pretty inner garden door of the building.
draw visitors. Unlike their counterparts
The star attraction, however, in Rīga, the Tallinn Blackheads
is the excellent Dominican were obliged to defend the city
Monastery Museum, with in times of strife and proved
Estonia’s largest collection themselves especially formidable
of medieval and Renaissance adversaries during the Livonian
stone carvings created by Wars (see p99). However, in
local stonemasons. One of the general, it seems that the wealthy
prominent works, a decorative Blackheads lived somewhat
relief of an angel on a triangular leisurely and hedonistic lives.
slab, is attributed to Hans von The association survived until
Aken, the popular 16th-century the Soviet invasion in 1940.
German Mannerist painter. The Today, the House of Blackheads
collection also includes carved Exterior of Niguliste Church, one of Tallinn’s regularly hosts chamber music
14th-century tombstones. medieval treasures concerts in its elegant main hall.
7 Estonian
Museum of Applied
Art and Design
Eesti tarbekunsti ja
disainimuuseum
Lai 17. Map D2. Tel 627 4600. @ 3.
v 1, 2. Open 11am–6pm Wed–Sun.
& = ∑ etdm.ee
Housed in a converted 17th-

century granary, the Estonian
Museum of Applied Art and
Design features the best in
Estonian design from the early
20th century to the present day.
The vast selection of exhibits is a
splendid example of the nation’s The soaring spire of St Olav’s Church looking out over the Baltic Sea
pride in applied arts. Many of the
exhibits meld Scandinavian-style was fixing the cross they 9 Fat Margaret
refinement with subtle Baltic irony called out “Olev” and he lost Tower
to excellent effect. The furniture his balance and fell. In fact,
is especially eye-catching and a the name of the church was Paks Margareeta
delight for art collectors. There a homage to King Olav II of Pikk 70. Map E1. Tel 641 1408.
are also some fine pieces Norway. The 159-m- (522-ft-) @ 3. v 1, 2. Open 10am–6pm
of porcelain, dating tall spire made the Wed–Sun. & 8 call in advance.
from the 1930s to the church the tallest = Estonian Maritime Museum:
1960s by Adamson-Eric, building in the world Open 10am–6pm Wed–Sun. &
one of the key figures in 1500 until a light- ∑ meremuuseum.ee
of 20th-century ning strike burned
Estonian art. it down in 1625. The This 16th-century tower’s
Since the museum church was struck evocative name derives
opened in 1980 it has by lightning six more from the fact that it was
done a formidable job times and burned the largest part of the city’s
of promoting Estonian Detail of stone down twice between fortifications, with 4-m- (13-ft-)
design at home and carving on the rear of 1625 and 1820. The thick walls. It was originally
abroad. Be sure to pick St Olav’s Church original 16th-century built to defend the harbour
up a copy of the map, structure of the as well as to impress visitors
which highlights some notable church was renovated in the arriving by sea. From the top
examples of Estonian design 19th century. St Olav’s has an of the tower, there are good
around Tallinn. impressive vaulted ceiling and views of the Old Town and
the church tower has a platform Tallinn’s harbour and bay.
that offers breathtaking vistas Later, the tower was modified
8 St Olav’s Church of the city. The exterior rear wall into a prison and was the
Oleviste kirik features an elaborately carved scene of an outbreak of
15th-century tombstone. violence during the 1917
Lai 50. Map D2. Tel 641 2241. @ 3. Revolution, when the prison
v 1, 2. Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm
guards were murdered by
Tue–Sun. & 5 ∑ oleviste.ee
a mob of workers, soldiers
The 124-m (407-ft) spire of and sailors.
St Olav’s Church is a major Fat Margaret Tower
Tallinn landmark and the church houses the Estonian Maritime
holds a proud place in local Museum, a curious collection
history. Legend says that of nautical paraphernalia spread
Tallinners wanted to build the out over four storeys. The
tallest spire in the world to exhibits include a fascinating
attract merchant ships and a insight into ship-building
complete stranger promised to and historical accounts of
help them. In return he wanted the country’s harbours. There
the people of the city to guess is also a scale model of the
his name. When the church was Estonia, the car and passenger
nearing completion, the city ferry that sank between Tallinn
fathers sent a spy to his home Metal ship replica on the entrance wall, and Stockholm in 1994, killing
and found out his name. As he Estonian Maritime Museum 852 people on board.
TA L L I N N 109
0 Toompea Castle
Toompea loss
Lossi plats 1a. Map B4. Tel 631 6357.
v 3, 4. Open 10am–4pm Mon–Fri.
8 call in advance. 7 ^
∑ riigikogu.ee
The unassuming pink façade

of Toompea Castle belies the
history behind this vital seat
of power. The castle now
houses the Riigikogu (Estonia’s
Parliament), but for some 700
years it belonged to various
occupying foreign powers.
In the 9th century, a wooden
fortress stood on the site, which The manicured ornamental garden of Kadriorg Palace
was conquered by the Danes
in 1219, who then constructed As intended, the Neo- w Kadriorg Palace
the stone fortifications around the Byzantine edifice dominates Kadrioru loss
hill, much of which still survives. Castle Square (Lossi Plats) with
The architecturally diverse castle its towering onion domes and Weizenbergi 37. Map F1. Tel 606 6400.
Open May–Sep: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun;
complex features the 50-m (164-ft) golden crosses. A number of
Oct–Apr: 10am–5pm Wed–Sun. &
Pikk Hermann Tower, above icons, mosaics and the bell for 87-=
which flies the Estonian flag. The the tower were carried all the
unique-looking Riigikogu, which way from St Petersburg. Built in 1718 under orders
was built in 1922, is situated in Legend has it that the from the Russian Tsar Peter
the castle courtyard. Toompea cathedral was built on the grave the Great, this palace was
was a town in its own right of the Estonian folk hero Kalev. meant to serve as a summer
enjoying its own entitlements However, it is named after the residence for the imperial
and privileges until 1878, when sainted Russian Duke Alexander family. The palace was named
it was merged with the rest Nevsky (1219–63), who defeated Kadriorg – which means
of Tallinn below. the Livonian knights on the Catherine’s Valley in Estonian –
banks of Lake Peipsi in 1242 and to honour his wife, Empress
conquered a great part of Estonia. Catherine. Designed by the
qAlexander Disliked by many Estonians as famous Italian master architect
Nevsky Cathedral a symbol of the Russification Nicola Michetti, it was built in
Aleksander Nevski katedraal policies of Alexander III, it was Baroque style and made to
due to be demolished in 1924, look like an Italian villa. The
Lossi plats 10. Map B4. Tel 644 3484. but the controversial plan was main attraction of the palace,
v 3, 4. Open 8am–7pm daily.
never carried out. however, is the astonishingly
^ = ∑ orthodox.ee
The extravagant altar is ornate Great Hall, which ranks
The imposing Alexander made up of a dazzling display among the finest examples of
Nevsky Cathedral was built of icons, while the sheer scale of Baroque exuberance in North
between 1894 and 1900, under the cathedral’s interior is Eastern Europe.
orders from Tsar Alexander III. equally impressive. Kadriorg Palace today houses
the Museum of Foreign Art
which has an excellent collection
of European paintings and
sculpture. The palace is also
used as a venue for lectures
and theatre performances.
Just behind the palace, in the
kitchen building, is the Mikkel
Museum which has some 600
works of foreign art, including a
selection of European, Chinese
and Russian paintings, donated
by Johannes Mikkel (1907–
2006). Also worth a visit is the
magnificently designed Kumu
Art Museum near the palace,
which shows the diversity of
The austere façade of Toompea Castle Estonian painting and sculpture.
2 Saaremaa Island
The largest island in Estonia, Saaremaa is the jewel of its
archipelago. The capital, Kuressaare, is strikingly picturesque,
and its relatively tranquil atmosphere makes it an ideal base
from which to explore the island. Sareema has a lot to offer
in terms of things to see and do, but its extraordinary natural
beauty is the real attraction and the reason why so many
people feel compelled to return here. The breathtaking
landscape of Vilsandi National Park and the abundance of
old churches and fascinating historical relics that dot the
island are just some of the highlights.
Art Nouveau lion statues outside the

information centre, Kuressaare
Võhma
isa
mõ
a nsula
i
Pe g
Ta
n
Mustjala
Vilsandi National Park Vilsandi

Known for its awe-inspiring landscapes, Island
unspoilt islets and bird sanctuaries, this park
was established in 1993 to preserve the Kihelkonna
ecology of Estonia’s coastal areas.
Karla
Lümanda
0 kilometres 10
0 miles 10
Saime
G ul f o f
Rī g a
Sõrve
Peninsula
Mõntu
Sääre
Key
Mihkli Farm Museum Major road
This museum has one of the most authentic Minor road
displays of rural architecture and traditional
lifestyles in Estonia. Many of the buildings Ferry route
here were built between 1827 and 1856. Park boundary

ESTONIA 111
Angla Windmills
Standing along the main
road from Kuressaare to Leisi,
the five remaining wooden
220 km (137 miles) SW of Tallinn.
windmills at Angla are an
n Tallinna 2, Kuressaare, 453
iconic symbol of Saaremaa
3120. Open May–Sep: 9am–7pm
Island. In the mid-19th century
Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat, Sun;
there were 800 functional
Oct–Apr: 9am–5pm Mon–Fri,
windmills on the island.
10am–4pm Sat, Sun. 8
∑ saaremaa.ee
Transport
k Kuressaare. @ from Tallinn,
Tartu & Pärnu to Kuressaare.
g from Virtsu to Kuivastu, Hiiumaa
Island to Triigi & Roomassaare to
Ruhnu, (372) 14204.
Hiiumaa Island
18km (11 miles)
Muhu
Island
Leisi
Triigi
Liiva
Angla Orissaare
Kuivastu
Karja Virtsu
Tagavere
8 km (5 miles)
Tallinn
145 km (90 miles)
Laimjala
Kaali
Koljala
Upa
Kuressaare
Karja Church
The medieval church is best known for its
Ruhnu elaborate stone carvings, which include
Island a relief of the Crucifixion above the side
Abruka 75 km
(45 miles)
door and some remarkable figures inside
depicting saints.
KEY
1 Sõrve Peninsula can be

explored on a bicycle or by car, and
has spectacular scenery unparalled
by any other area on the island.
2 Kihelkonna Church, a splendid
13th-century place of worship, has
Bishop’s Castle an impressive steeple that was
The most important landmark in Kuressaare, the added in 1897.
castle has a powerful defence tower and a slender 3 Kaarma Church, which dates
watchtower, both unique features of the architecture from the 13th century, has a striking
of the Teutonic Order. Inside is the Saaremaa 15th-century pulpit.
Regional Museum.
3 Pärnu influence on Orthodox churches

throughout the region.
Often referred to as Estonia’s summer capital, Pärnu
has historic buildings, pastel-coloured wooden houses P Pärnu Concert Hall
Aida 4. Tel 445 5800. Open
and elegant late-19th-century villas set along leafy
11am–8pm daily (box office).
streets. With an ultra-modern concert hall and theatre, & 7 = ∑ concert.ee/parnu
the town also has a noteworthy cultural scene. All Completed in 2002, the Pärnu
the main sights are within walking distance from the Concert Hall (kontserdimaja) is
town centre and the Old Town is centred around the a source of great pride for the
pedestrianized Rüütli Street. However, Pärnu’s main local people. Designed by three
architects – K Koov, K Nõmm and
draw is its beautiful beach where Estonians flock
H Grossschmidt – the curvaceous
throughout the summer, transforming the town glass and steel building is a
into a thriving holiday spot. strong example of modern
Estonian architecture. Its seashell-
P Town Hall like shape was intended to
Uus 4/Nikolai 3. n symbolize Pärnu’s status as a
The elegant Neo–Classical coastal town. The multifunctional
building that is now the Town building mostly hosts theatre
Hall (raekoja) was erected in performances and concerts,
1797 as a wealthy merchant’s although it also houses an art
residence. In 1819, the structure gallery and a music school.
was altered to serve as the house
for the town’s governor and, in P Tallinn Gate
1839, it took on its current Mere puiestee.
function as Pärnu’s Town Hall. The only trace of the
What makes it worth visiting is 17th-century ramparts that
the magnificent Art Nouveau protected Pärnu at one time,
extension built in 1911. Its Tallinn Gate (Tallinna värav) still
brooding dark exterior is in total offers a fascinating glimpse of
contrast to the bright yellow Green domes and yellow walls of the once impressive fortifications.
façade of the original structure St Catherine’s Church Until 1710, when Swedish rule
and provides a fascinating came to an end, it was known
juxtaposition of two radically R St Catherine’s Church as Gustav’s Gate, named after
different architectural styles. Vee 16. Tel 444 3198. King Gustav II Adolph of Sweden.
Open 9am–5pm daily. 5 Today, the gate’s only function
R St Elizabeth’s Church Built in 1768 for the Pärnu is to provide an elegant portal
Nikolai 22. Tel 443 1381. Open Jun– garrison during the reign of between the Old Town and
Aug: noon–6pm daily; Sep–May: Catherine the Great, St Catherine’s the area leading to the sea.
10am–4pm Mon–Fri. 5 (Ekateriina kirik) is arguably the The cobblestoned passageway
An excellent example of finest example of a Baroque- offers a relaxed walk.
local Baroque architecture, style church in Estonia. With
this church (Eliisabeti kirik) bottle-green domes and P Ammende Villa
has an elegant ochre exterior lemon-yellow walls, the church Mere puiestee 7. Tel 447 3888.
and a maroon spire towering boasts an elegant exterior and 0 noon–11pm daily.
above the surrounding narrow opulent interior. Intended as ∑ ammende.ee
side streets. It was founded an architectural showpiece, Built in 1905 by a wealthy local
specifically as a Lutheran church St Catherine’s had a significant merchant for the wedding party
in 1747 by the Russian Empress
Elizabeth (1709–61). Today, it
serves as the largest Protestant
place of worship in Pärnu.
The wood-panelled interior
is refined and understated, but
all the more impressive for it.
The church’s spire was built
by Johann Heinrich Wülbern,
who also constructed Rīga’s
St Peter’s Church (see p84).
St Elizabeth’s Church is also
renowned for its organ, one
of the best in Estonia, built
in 1929 by H Kolbe of Rīga. Tallinn Gate, sole remainder of Pärnu’s 17th-century ramparts
ESTONIA 113
Koidula Museum provides a VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

moving testimony to one
of Estonia’s most revered Practical Information
poets. The museum, which 128 km (80 miles) S of Tallinn.
was established in 1945, is * 44,000. n Uus 4/Nikolai 3,
situated in the building where 447 3000. _ Pärnu Film Festival
her father, Johann Valdemar (Jul), Oistrakh Festival (Jul).
Jannsen, ran a primary school Transport
from 1857 to 1863. k 5 km (3 miles) N of centre.
The highlight of the museum £ Riia mnt 116. @ Pikk tänav. g
is a reconstruction of the
bedroom where the 43-year
old Koidula died of cancer in available in English,
1886 in the Russian naval base the museum offers an
Art Nouveau carving on the façade of of Kronstadt. Although very insight into 19th- century
Ammende Villa little of Lydia Koidula’s work is Estonian literature.
of his beloved daughter,

Ammende Villa is one of the Lydia Koidula (1843–86)
most impressive examples of Lydia Emilia Florentine Jannsen was
Art Nouveau architecture in a highly influential figure in Estonian
Estonia. Over the years, it has history. Although convention forced
served as a casino, a health her to write anonymously under the
establishment and a library, pseudonym Koidula, meaning “of
before two Estonian businessmen the dawn”, her poetry was ecstatically
renovated it and converted it received. Her My Country is My Love
into a luxury hotel. The villa is became the unofficial national anthem
during Soviet times. Some critics
located a short walk from the
believe that Koidula’s finest writing
sea and the Old Town. was her passionate correspondence
with the writer Friedrich Reinhold
E Lydia Koidula Museum
Kreutzwald, although his wife
J V Jannseni 37. Tel 443 3313. eventually put an end to it. Koidula
Open Jun–Aug: 10am–6pm, Sep– married a Latvian doctor whose work
May: 10am–5pm.. & 8 call in took them to Kronstadt in the Gulf of
advance. ∑ parnumuuseum.ee Finland, where she later died, pining Lydia Koidula, Estonia’s beloved
Situated a short walk across for her country to the very end. writer and poet
the Pärnu river, the Lydia
Pärnu Town Centre

1 Town Hall Pärnu Airport Lydia Koidula
Pärnu
5 km (3 miles) Museum
2 St Elizabeth’s Church Ferry Port
2 km (1 mile)
RIIA MAANTEE
3 St Catherine’s Church
Pärnu
HOMMIKU
4 Pärnu Concert Hall KA

Concert Hall
LDA
5 Tallinn Gate AIDA
AKADEEMIA
TU
VE E
6 Ammende Villa
ÕH
Railway Station
5 km (3 miles)
PÕHJA
PIKK
K E SKVÄL JA K Bus
MALMÖ Station
P Ü H AVA I
HOM
HOSPIDALI
St Catherine’s Town
Church Hall
MIK
UUS
M UNG A
ÕHTU
ÕHTU P
MU
0 metres 200
VEE
VN -TAL L I N N A
RÜ ÜT L I
0 yards 200
RÜ Ü TLI
NIKOLA
KUNINGA
I
KUNINGA St. Elizabeth's

Tallinn
Gate Church
EE
LÕ U N A
ST
RIN Koidula
IE
PÜ H AV
GI
NA
PU
Park
LÕ U
E
ER
M
ESPLA
VEE
AIMU
U
UR
EE
M RI
ST
N RINGI
NA
GI
IE
NIKOLAI
A
PU
I
D
RE
E
M ES
PL
Ammende AN ADI
AA
DI ESPLANA
Villa

4 Tartu P Tartu University

Main Building
Home to the venerable Tartu University, the town is frequently Ülikooli 18. Tel 737 5100.
referred to as the intellectual capital of Estonia. The university Open 11am–5pm Mon–Fri.
& 8 7 ∑ ut.ee
was founded in 1632 by King Gustav II Adolph of Sweden
Completed in 1809, Tartu
and has played a major role in Estonian history ever since. University Main Building (Tartu
With the second largest population in Estonia, Tartu has a ülikooli peahoone), with its
thriving cultural scene and exciting nightlife, and makes impressive Art Museum, is one
a convenient base from which to explore the southeast of of Estonia’s finest Neo-Classical
the country. buildings. The first students
registered in this university in
1632 making this only the second
in the province of Swedish Livonia.
The original graffiti by the
students on the walls makes
for amusing reading.
R St John’s Church
Jaani 5. Tel 744 2229. Open Jun–Aug:
10am–7pm Mon–Sat; Sep–May:
10am–7pm Tue–Sat. & 5
∑ eelk.ee/tartu.jaani
Dating from 1330, this church
(Jaani kirik) was severely
damaged by bombing during
World War II. Despite extensive
Town Hall Square, with the Kissing Students Fountain in the centre renovations and the addition of
a new spire in 1999, the church
P Town Hall Square erected in 1998. Most of the remains one of Northern Europe’s
Tartu’s historic centre is set square’s original medieval best examples of brick Gothic
around this square (Raekoja architecture burned down architecture. Hundreds of elabor-
plats), with the Emajõgi river in the Great Fire of 1775, ate terracotta figures, dating from
to the east and Toomemägi and today, the gently sloping the Middle Ages, adorn its
hill just behind. Overlooking it cobblestoned square is interior and exterior. Originally
from the top is the Town Hall, distinctly Neo–Classical, a there were more than 1,000
in front of which stands the look that is in harmony with figures but some have been
Kissing Students Fountain the rest of the city centre. destroyed over time.
Tartu Town Centre

1 Town Hall Square
MA GA SIN
2 Tartu University Main

RÜ
St John’s A
ÜTL
NG
Building Church MU
JA
U
I
VA B
TS
I
AN
LU
3 St John’s Church
I
I
AD
GILD
4 Tartu Art Museum
USE
KOM
JA I
K A GILD
MA
NG
Emajõg
O
5 Father and Son Statue U
PA
GI
PUI
ÜLIKO
M
B
LAI
ST
I
NI
EST
RI
I
Tartu University I
ÜTR
OLI
i
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Statue of Karl Main Building KÜ Tartu Art

RÜÜ
Ernst von Baer Museum

TS
PLA
TLI
TOOMEMÄGI RA
EK
OJA
River Boat Pier
Cathedral 100 m
Town Hall TOWN (110 yards)
HALL SQUARE
I
SS
LO E
P OBus Station
KÜ
LO Angel’s 320 m (350 yards)

ÜN
SS Bridge
I
Ü
I
LI
KO
Father and
Son Statue
O
LI
Railway Station Devil’s Bridge

1.5 km (1 mile)
Estonian
National Museum
Tartu Airport
3.5 km (2 miles)
0 metres 150 KGB Cells
AV I
LL IKRA Museum
0 yards 150 VA
For hotels and restaurants see p120 and p121 For keys to symbols see back flap
ESTONIA 115
E KGB Cells Museum VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Riia 15b. Tel 746 1717.
Open 11am–4pm Tue–Sat. & 8 Practical Information
∑ linnamuuseum.tartu.ee 180 km (110 miles) SE of Tallinn.
Formerly situated in the * 100,000. n Town Hall,
basement of the regional Raekoja plats, 744 2111. _ Tartu
headquarters of the KGB/NKVD, City Day (29 Jun), Student Days
(around 1 May). ∑ tartu.ee
the KGB Cells Museum (KGB
kongid) is a grim testimony Transport
to the nightmare of the Soviet k 3.5 km (2 miles) SE of centre.
occupation. Some of the £ A3, Vaksali 6. @ C2, Soola 2.
former cells have been turned 4 Narva mnt 2.
into exhibition spaces, while
others have been restored
to their original condition to E Estonian National Museum
provide a picture of what Kuperjanovi 9. Tel 742 1311.
Leaning building in which the Tartu Art so many Estonians suffered Open 11am–6pm Tue–Sun. & free
Museum is housed under the Soviet regime. Much on Fri. 8 call in advance. 7 - =
attention is paid to the mass ∑ erm.ee
E Tartu Art Museum deportations that took place Estonia’s most important
Raekoja plats 108. Tel 744 1080. between 1940 and 1949, ethnological centre, the Estonian
Open noon–6pm Wed–Sun, till 9pm including the official plans National Museum (Eesti rahva
Thu. & free last Fri of month. to carry them out. There are muuseum) boasts over one
8 call in advance. - gut-wrenching artifacts from million artifacts collected over
∑ tartmus.ee the Gulags, the notorious the last 100 years. Dedicated
Housing one of the finest correction camps where to the great Estonian folklorist
collections in the country, thousands of Estonians died. and linguist Jakob Hurt (1839–
Tartu Art Museum (Tartu 1907), the museum highlights
kunstimuuseum) features the Estonian and other Finno-
works of prominent Estonian Ugric cultures, and its collection
artists such as Elmar Kits (1913– covers every imaginable aspect
72), Ülo Sooster (1924–70) and of life in this country. From chairs
Marko Mäetamm (b. 1965). made of gnarled birch wood to
A thorough and captivating warped wooden beer tankards,
overview of Estonian painting, the displayed objects eloquently
sculpture and drawing, which attest to a way of life that seems
spans the 19th century through quaintly anachronistic in
to the present, is also provided. modern times.
The museum’s building conspic- In addition, there are vast
uously leans to one side and photographic and documental
belonged to the famous Russian archives and a collection of
Field Marshal Barclay de Tolly, costumes, including a punk
who successfully led the jacket (c.1982–85). The museum
Russian Army against Napoleon occasionally holds temporary
in 1812. exhibitions that encompass
A desk in the KGB Cells Museum, with themes from furniture
Father and Son Statue Stalin’s portrait on the wall to photography.
Küüni (close to Poe).
Originally planned for Tallinn, Karl Ernst von Baer (1792–1876)
this delightful little statue by
Ülo Õun (1940–88) was con- A Baltic-German biologist, Karl Ernst von
ceived in 1977. It was cast in Baer was one of the founders of embryology.
bronze in 1987, purchased by His pioneering work in this area was recognized
the Tartu town government by Darwin, although Baer himself was
in 2001 and finally unveiled extremely critical of the Theory of Evolution.
Baer studied at Tartu University and later
on Children’s Day (1 June) in 2004.
taught at Königsberg and the St Petersburg
The father figure is modelled
Academy of Sciences, before living out his last
after the sculptor, and the years in Tartu. A statue of him sitting pensively
child after his son Kristjan, when atop a large plinth has pride of place on
he was around one-and-a-half Toomemägi. A rather endearing tradition
years old. Interestingly, both takes place every year on the eve of
father and son are the same size St Philip’s Day (1 May), when Tartu University Statue of Karl Ernst von
in this highly unusual and students wash Baer’s bronze hair. Baer on Toomemägi
extremely poignant monument.
Health and Security

Practical & Travel Information Estonian haigla (hospitals) are
Estonia has a well-developed network of visitor information generally in excellent condition
centres, even in small towns. There is an abundance of useful and offer emergency treatment
literature to help visitors get the best out of their trip. Several free of charge to everyone. It is
safe for visitors to drink tap water.
major international carriers from many European cities provide Using common sense is the
links to Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. The country is also well served best way to ensure personal
by both domestic and international ferries, with regular services safety. Visitors should never
to Tallinn and the popular island of Saaremaa. accept drinks from strangers
and avoid disreputable-looking
nightclubs. It is wise not to
When to Visit adhere to EU guidelines. All carry any luxury items.
The best time to visit Estonia is visitors should check for any
from May to September when customs duty or special permis-
it is pleasantly warm. July and sion required to export a cultural Facilities for the Disabled
August are the warmest months. object, before buying it. For Although there has been a
Winter, between October and detailed information on all these significant improvement in
March, is cold, dark and damp guidelines, entrance regulations recent years, Estonia is not
but very atmospheric when and visa charges, it is advisable very well equipped in providing
forests are laden with snow. to visit the official website of the facilities for the disabled.
January, the coldest month, European Commission. In Tallinn, there are several
is best avoided, as is the rainy steep winding cobblestoned
month of April, when the streets. Trolleybuses, trams
snow melts and turns sludgy. Visitor Information and trains do not provide
The network of information wheelchair access and only
centres in the country is sup- a few buses do.
Documentation ported by an equally advanced
Citizens of EU member-states, structure of tourism websites.
the US, Canada, Australia and Most towns have a tourist Banking and Currency
New Zealand can enter Estonia information office located in or In Estonia, banks are usually
for a period of up to 90 days in a close to the town square. There open from Monday to Friday
half-year period on presentation are no tourist offices at the land between 9am and 6pm. Major
of a valid passport. Those borders or at Tallinn airport but banks stay open on Saturdays
wishing to stay beyond 90 days there is one at the Tallinn harbour. from 9am to 2pm. Exchange
will need to apply for a national Offices are generally open from bureaus are widespread and
long-term visa or a residence 9am to 6pm on weekdays and for have better exchange rates
permit. Visitors from other shorter hours on Saturdays; many than hotels. ATMs are found
countries should enquire at their are also open on Sundays. The everywhere, including petrol
local Estonian embassy or consu- staff are friendly and speak stations. In 2011 Estonia
late to check visa requirements English. Free brochures listing introduced the euro, and the
before travelling. The official local sights and events are former currency, the kroon,
website of the Estonian Ministry available at these offices, which was withdrawn.
of Foreign Affairs offers informa- also sell maps and guidebooks.
tion on visa regulations. EU Estonia’s official tourism website
citizens are not subject to customs has a list of all the tourist Communications
regulations, provided they information offices in the country. Estonia’s communications
infrastructure is very efficient.
All phone lines are digital,
The Climate of Estonia TALLINN ensuring high-quality connec-
From May to September tions. Mobile phone usage is
there is little risk of cold 20/75 particularly high. The post offices
° C/F offer a range of express delivery
weather, but winters are 12/63
freezing, with temperatures 10/61 options. Free Wi-Fi is available
7/61
dipping to -12° C (10° F). 4/48 4/39 in most places.
Rain comes in brief, sharp 0°C 0/46
32°F -10/14
outburst throughout the year.
Days are short in December 10
Arriving by Air
6 hrs 2 hrs 1 hrs
and January, with 18 hours hrs The sleek-looking Lennart Meri
of darkness, but between 31 68 68 39 Tallinn Airport is the main
March and October, the long mm mm mm mm Estonian airport with regular
12-hour days are excellent month Apr Jul Oct Jan scheduled flights. In recent
for outdoor activities. years the airport has become
a regional hub, serviced by
ESTONIA 117
approximately 15 airlines ferries and even a hydrofoil (bussijaam). From there, it is a

including major carriers such making the crossing at regular short taxi ride into the city centre,
as Finnair, airBaltic, Lufthansa intervals. The Passenger Port or one can catch tram number
and SAS. is within walking distance of 2 or 4, or bus number 17, 17a
Founded in 1991, Estonian Tallinn’s Old Town and a taxi or 23. Passengers travelling to
Air is the country’s national ride should cost between €4-5. Tallinn by bus from Rīga or
carrier. Based in Tallinn, it offers a Tallinn also features on an Vilnius can get off at the more
good standard of service in both increasing number of Baltic central Viru väljak bus stop.
business and economy class. The Sea cruise itineraries, although There are also limited interna-
airline has direct links with several these normally only allow tional coach connections to
major European destinations as for a day’s stopover. Pärnu and Tartu. The coach
well as many Estonian cities and network is efficiently run and
islands. Visitors from outside cheap, and services are clearly
Europe need to catch a connect- Rail Travel posted in bus stations. Timetables
ing flight from cities such as Tallinn’s main railway station, and fares for international
London, Copenhagen, Helsinki Balti Jaam, is a short walk away routes are available on the
or Stockholm. from the Old Town. The only carriers’ websites.
As a consequence of the EU international link is a nightly
“open-skies” policy, which was train to Moscow. There is no
implemented in 2004, several longer a service to St Petersburg. Travelling by Car
economical carriers, such as Tickets should be pre-booked, Since 2007, when the Baltic
easyJet, now provide daily since Russian visa specifications States agreed to the Schengen
flights to Tallinn from London. insist on dates of entry and Agreement (under which sys-
exit. In 2012, a direct train link tematic border controls were
from Tartu to Riga was laid, abolished between Schengen
Arriving by Sea avoiding the need to change countries), there are no border
Estonia is very well served by trains in Valga. restrictions for Schengen visa
ferry, with Tallinn’s Passenger holders. Crossing the border
Port (reisisadam) handling from Latvia is easy, especially for
about 7 million passengers a Travelling by Coach EU passport holders. The border
year. The main line Tallink has International coach routes crossing with Russia is slower
routes to Helsinki (Finland), Rostock to Estonia are provided by and border guards are likely
(Germany) and Stockholm Eurolines and Ecolines, which to scrutinize all documents.
(Sweden), while other carriers operate connections between Visitors bringing their own car
such as Viking Line and Eckerö Tallinn and Berlin, Munich, into Estonia are required to
Line are accessible from Helsinki Kaliningrad, Warsaw and show the Vehicle Registration
and Stockholm. Travellers from St Petersburg, among others. document, an international
Helsinki are spoilt for choice, International coaches arrive driving permit and a valid
with a range of catamarans, at the Tallinn Bus Station Green Card insurance policy.
DIRECTORY
Documentation Emergency Lennart Meri Tallinn Tallink
Numbers Airport ∑ tallink.ee
∑ vm.ee
∑ ec.europa.eu Ambulance Tel 605 8888. Viking Line
Tel 112. ∑ tallinn-airport.ee ∑ vikingline.fi
Visitor
Information Fire Lufthansa Rail Travel
Tel 112.
∑ visitestonia.com ∑ lufthansa.com Balti Jaam
Police
Toompuiestee 37, Tallinn.
Embassies Tel 112. SAS
Tel 3721 447.
∑ flysas.com ∑ baltijaam.ee
Canada Arriving by Air
Toomkooli 13, Tallinn. Tel
627 3311. ∑ canada.ee airBaltic Arriving by Sea Arriving by Coach
United Kingdom ∑ airbaltic.com
Eckerö Line Ecolines
Wismari 6, Tallinn. Tel 667 easyjet ∑ ecolines.ee
4700. ∑ ukinestonia. ∑ eckeroline.fi
∑ easyjet.com
fco.gov.uk Eurolines
Estonian Air Passenger Port ∑ eurolines.ee
United States
∑ estonian-air.ee Sadama 25, Tallinn.
Kentmanni 20, Tallinn. Tallinn Bus Station
Tel 668 8100. ∑ estonia. Finnair Tel 631 8550. Lastekodu 46, Tallinn.
usembassy.gov ∑ finnair.com ∑ portoftallinn.com Tel 3721 2550.
Shopping & Entertainment department stores, for a variety.

Chocolate- lovers should try
Traditional handicrafts and souvenirs can be found all over the brand Kalev, Estonia’s oldest
Estonia. There are plenty of stores and market stalls that specialize confectionary producer and, in
in art, antiques, jewellery and knick-knacks, and Tallinn’s Old Tallinn, the handmade delicacies
at Anneli Viik. There are also
Town is one of the best places in the capital for gift shopping numerous bakeries selling
and souvenir hunting. The country also has an eclectic delicious pastries and cakes.
entertainment scene. The larger towns and cities such as Estonia’s national drink is
Tartu and Pärnu have a crowded cultural calendar as well a sweet brown liqueur called
as splendid nightlife. Tallinn’s many classical music and Vana Tallinn, but in terms of
consumption, beer is the most
opera performances are a major draw.
popular tipple. Saku Original,
Tartu Alexander and A Le Coq are
Opening Hours Pärnu (see pp112–13 is known all popular brands. Locally made
Most shops are open from for its handwoven linen. as well as quality imported vodka
10am to 6 or 7pm on week- Tallinn abounds with a variety is cheaper here than in other
days, from 10am to 4pm on of handicrafts. Wooden toys European countries. Saare Dzinn,
Saturdays, and are closed and utensils are common, as are a gin flavoured with berries from
on Sundays. Shopping centres traditionally woven rugs with the Estonian islands, is good too.
usually open from 10am to 8 beautiful and elaborate patterns Liviko, one of Estonia’s leading
or 9pm daily. In small towns and a wide range of ceramics. alcohol producers, has stores all
and villages, opening hours are Bogapott, an exclusive ceramics over Tallinn.
more erratic at weekends, with studio, and Galerii Kaks, with
many shops staying closed or its wide range of textiles, are
only opening for half a day. worthy of a visit. Nukupood Nightlife
Grocery stores normally keep stocks handmade toys as well as Tallinn’s Old Town is packed
longer hours. However, there dolls in traditional folk costumes. with bars and pubs of every
are several 24-hour convenience In Katariina Gild, craftsmen size and description. There
stores in Tallinn. can be seen at work on handi- are several popular Irish and
crafts, jewellery and ceramics. English-style pubs, including
A-Galerii has a great selection Molly Malone’s and Scotland
Markets of local handmade jewellery. Yard, as well as stylish lounge
Just about every Estonian town bars such as Déjà Vu and the
has a turg (market), although they extravagant Lounge 24. There
often sell only fruit, vegetables, Art and Antiques are also a number of quieter,
household goods and everyday Tallinn’s contemporary art scene cosier pubs scattered around
items. Tallinn’s main market, the offers plenty of galleries and small the Old Town. Hell Hunt,
open-air Central Market, offers a shops that stock a variety of contrary to its name, is a relaxing
glimpse into the everyday life of attractive oil paintings, graphic spot for a chat and a drink. Most
the city’s inhabitants. The market art, sculpture, textiles and off-beat of the good clubs are situated
selling knitwear at the corner of ceramics. Navitrolla Galerii sells in or within walking distance
Viru and Müürivahe Streets covers both originals and prints. The city of the Old Town. Many, such as
a stretch of the Old Town wall also has many antique stores, Bonnie and Clyde, are equally
and is a great place to find a gift. selling everything from Soviet-era popular with locals and visitors.
Uus Käsitööturg, a popular stall paraphernalia to exorbitantly Club Privé and BonBon are the
in this market, has a good selec- priced Russian icons. Special most exclusive hangouts, while
tion of traditional handicrafts permission is needed to take some serious clubbers can try the
and souvenirs. The Christmas objects out of the country, so port-side Oscar.
Market in Town Hall Square (see check with the shop’s manager Elsewhere, Tartu has an
pp104–105), which runs through before buying. With stunning impressive range of lively places.
December, features everything bronze items, silver ware and One of the best-known nightclubs
from knitwear to marzipan. crystalware, Reval Antiik and is Atlantis, while the most exclusive
Shifara Art & Antiques, are among is Illusion. Another favourite is the
Tallinn’s best antique stores. Maailm. Occasional live perfor-
Handicrafts mances take place at the
Towns and villages are good Genialistide Klubi.
places to find local specialities, Food and Drink Pärnu also has an active
including textiles, ceramics and Estonian food products can be nightlife. Lime Lounge is a stylish
ornaments. Marble is used to bought in any supermarket. Rye place for a drink, while Postipoiss
make carved ashtrays, and pestles bread is a local staple, as are is a restaurant-cum-pub with
and mortars. The use of dolomite, sprats, smoked fish and cheese. frequent live music. Among the
a translucent mineral, is unique Try Kaubamaja and Stockmann, clubs, Mirage is often packed,
to Saaremaa Island (see pp110–11). two of the country’s largest while Bravo is the slickest.
ESTONIA 119
Music, Theatre and Dance of contemporary Estonian and cultural events can be made at
Lovers of live music are spoilt international dance. the venue or through ticketing
for choice in Tallinn. Café Amigo The best place for serious agencies such as Piletilevi.
attracts the biggest local rock, theatre lovers is the Von Krahl
pop and blues bands. Von Krahl Theatre (though English trans-
Baar is one of the best places in lations are rare) and the Tallinn Folk Festivals
the city to experience the local Linnateater, which specializes in A major part of Estonia’s cultural
alternative scene, while Rock contemporary works. life revolves around folk festivals.
Café offers everything from blues In Tartu, the main concert Among the most important, the
to funk. No99 hosts jazz concerts venue, Vanemuine, stages Folkloorifestival in Võru is one
on Fridays and Saturdays. theatre, classical music, ballet and of the biggest, while the Hiiu
Estonia has an outstanding other shows while in Pärnu, the Folk Festival in Hiiumaa has a
tradition of classical music. town’s Concert Hall hosts a wide particularly authentic ambience
Tallinn’s National Symphony range of concerts and events. created by its rustic setting. The
Orchestra regularly puts on sell- Eesti Muusikafestivalid has a splendid Narva Historic Festival
out performances. Concerts also list of nationwide music festivals involves a re-enactment of the
take place in churches and in the and The Baltic Times and In Your Great Northern War, while
Estonian Music Academy. Kanuti Pocket offer information on arts Obinitsa hosts several festivals
Gildi Saal usually hosts the best and entertainment. Bookings for celebrating Setu culture.
DIRECTORY
Handicrafts Liviko Lounge 24 National Symphony
Mere pst 6, Tallinn. Radisson Blu Hotel Tallinn, Orchestra
A-Galerii Tel 683 7745. Rävala pst 3. ∑ erso.ee
Hobusepea 2, Tallinn. Tel 682 3424.
Tel 646 4101.
Stockmann No99
Liivalaia 53, Tallinn. Maailm Sakala 3, Tallinn.
Bogapott Tel 633 9539. Rüütli 12, Tartu. Tel 668 8798.
Pikk jalg 9, Tallinn. Tel 742 9099.
Tel 631 3181. Nightlife Piletilevi
Mirage ∑ piletilevi.ee
Galerii Kaks Atlantis Rüütli 40, Pärnu.
Lühike jalg 1, Tallinn. Narva mnt 2, Tartu. Tel 447 2404. Rock Café
Tel 738 5485. Tartu mnt. 80d, Tallinn.
Tel 641 8308. Molly Malone’s Tel 681 0878.
Katariina Gild BonBon Mündi 2, Tallinn. ∑ rockcafe.ee
Vene 12, Tallinn. Mere pst 6e, Tallinn. Tel 631 3016.
Tel 661 6080. Tallinn Linnateater
Tel 644 5365. Oscar Lai 23, Tallinn.
Nukupood Bonnie and Clyde Sadama 6, Tallinn.
Tel 665 0800.
Olümpia Hotel, Liivalaia Tel 661 4721.
Raekoja plats 18, Tallinn. ∑ linnateater.ee
33, Tallinn. Tel 682 3000.
Tel 644 3058. Postipoiss
Vanemuine
Bravo Vee 12, Pärnu. Tel 446 4864.
Vanemuise 6, Tartu.
Art and Antiques Hommiku 3, Pärnu.
Tel 444 1847. Scotland Yard Tel 744 0165.
Navitrolla Galerii Mere pst 6e, Tallinn. ∑ vanemuine.ee
Pikk tanav 36, Tallinn. Club Privé Tel 653 5190.
Harju 6, Tallinn. Von Krahl Baar
Tel 631 3716. Rataskaevu 10/12, Tallinn.
Tel 631 0545. Music, Theatre
Reval Antiik and Dance Tel 626 9090.
Déjà Vu ∑ vonkrahl.ee
Harju 13, Tallinn.
Sauna 1, Tallinn. Café Amigo
Tel 644 0747. Tel 645 0044. Von Krahl Theatre
Hotel Viru, Viru väljak 4,
Shifara Art & Rataskaevu 10, Tallinn.
Genialistide Klubi Tallinn. Tel 680 9380.
Antiques ∑ amigo.ee
Tel 626 9090.
Lai 37, Tartu.
Vana-posti 7, Tallinn. ∑ vonkrahl.ee
Tel 5348 5530. Eesti Muusikafestivalid
Tel 644 3536.
Hell Hunt ∑ festivals.ee Folk Festivals
Food and Drink Pikk 39, Tallinn. Estonian Music
Tel 681 8333. Folkloorifestival
Academy ∑ werro.ee
Anneli Viik Illusion Rävala 16, Tallinn.
Pikk 30, Tallinn. Raatuse 97, Tartu. Tel 667 5700. Hiiu Folk Festival
Tel 644 4530. Tel 742 4341. ∑ ema.edu.ee ∑ hiiufolk.ee
Kaubamaja Lime Lounge Kanuti Gildi Saal Narva Historic
Gonsiori 2, Tallinn. Hommiku 17, Pärnu. Pikk 20, Tallinn. Festival
Tel 667 3100. Tel 449 2190. Tel 646 4704. ∑ saal.ee ∑ narvamuseum.ee
Where to Stay
perfectly complement the Price Guide
Tallinn lavishly furnished rooms. Its Prices are based on one night’s stay in
restaurant is outstanding. high season for a standard double room,
Hotel G9 €
B&B Map F1 € under €75
Gonsiori 9, 10117 DK Choice €€ €75 to €150
€€€ over €150
Tel 626 7130 Three Sisters €€€
∑ hotelg9.ee Historic Map E1
Strikingly decorated, decent Pikk 71, 10133 PÄRNU: Ammende Villa €€€
rooms located on the third floor Tel 630 6300 Historic
of an office building that is a ten- ∑ threesistershotel.com Mere puiestee 7, 80010
minute walk from the Old Town The three tall, narrow, 14th- Tel 447 3888
and conveniently close to several century merchants’ houses at ∑ ammende.ee
restaurants, theatres, bars the corner of Pikk and Tolli have In a glorious Art Nouveau house
and casinos. long been a Tallinn landmark. built in the early 1900s, this
Renovated to form a luxury luxurious hotel has features
The Monk’s Bunk € hotel, The Three Sisters offers 23 rooms in authentic period style.
Hostel Map C5 individually furnished rooms
Tatari 1, 10116 and suites. Original features, from SAAREMAA: Linnahotell €€
Tel 636 3924 timber beams to wall frescoes Spa
∑ themonksbunk.com that have been left intact, add Lasteala, Kuressaare, 93819
Located just 5 minutes outside considerable charm. Tel 453 1888
the Old Town, this smart hostel ∑ linnahotell.com
with a friendly buzz has a bar Despite its rather minimalist
and plenty of social areas Von Stackelberg €€€ exterior, Linnhotell offers neat
including some that are used Luxury Map F1 and comfortable rooms. Just off
to project films. Toompuiestee 23, 10137 the town's historic centre.
Tel 660 0700
Old House Guesthouse ∑ vonstackelberghotel.com SAAREMAA: Georg Ots
and Hostel € Once the residence of a Baltic Spa Hotel €€€
B&B Map E2 baron; has warm and stylish Spa
Uus 26, 10111 rooms that are equipped with Tori 2, Kuressaare, 93810
Tel 641 1281 state-of-the-art facilities. Tel 455 0000
∑ olhouse.ee ∑ gospa.ee
Excellent-value accommodation Warm and intimate hotel known
located in the Old Town with nice for its excellent swimming pool
rooms and a communal kitchen. Rest of Estonia and spa.
Dorm-style accommodation for
backpackers is also available, PÄRNU: Rannahotell €€ TARTU: Villa Margaretha €
just a few doors away on the Resort B&B
same street. Ranna puiestee 5, 80010 Tähe 11/13, 50108
Tel 443 2918 Tel 731 1820
Merchant’s House Hotel €€ ∑ rannahotell.ee ∑ margaretha.ee
Design Map C3 A modernist masterpiece Gorgeous Art Nouveau villa
Dunkri 4/6, 10123 dating from 1937, the hotel offers with atmospheric rooms, many
Tel 697 7500 stylish rooms with balconys in a with original Art Nouveau-style
∑ merchantshousehotel.com beachside building that looks like decoration. A contemporary
A chic, medieval-meets-modern an ocean liner. annexe has split-level suites.
hotel in a tastefully adapted
14th-century building, just off TARTU: Pallas €€
the Town Hall Square. Design
Riia 4, 51004
Pirita Cloister Guesthouse €€ Tel 730 1200
B&B Map F1 ∑ pallas.ee
Merivälja tee 18, 11911 Rooms with big windows and
Tel 605 5000 great city views, each decorated
∑ piritaklooster.ee in the style of an artist who
Close to Pirita’s long, sandy beach passed through Tartu's famous
and next to the ruins of medieval Pallas Art School.
Pirita Abbey, this is an award-
winning modern guesthouse. TARTU: London €€€
Luxury
Schlössle €€€ Rüütli 9, 51007
Luxury Map D3 Tel 730 5555
Pühavaimu 13/15, 10123 ∑ londonhotel.ee
Tel 699 7700 With classically decorated
∑ schloesslehotel.com rooms and attentive staff right
The splendid medieval-style in the centre of town, this is
interiors of this elegant hotel Flags adorn the entrance of the among Tartu’s best business-
in the heart of the Old Town, Schlössle in Tallinn class hotels.

Price Guide
Tallinn Prices are based on a three-course meal
for one, half a bottle of wine, including
African Kitchen €
African Map E2 € under €25
Uus 34, 10111 €€ €25 to €50
€€€ over €50
Tel 644 2555
The vibrant, lively interior
matches the excellent food An imposing windmill in the
served here. Great selection centre of Kuressaare is the setting
of spicy, but delicious African for this pub-restaurant that
recipes. Also, offers plenty of serves traditional Estonian pork-
vegetarian choices. and-sauerkraut dishes, local
seafood and game.
Olde Hansa €€
Estonian Map D4 SAAREMAA: Rose
Vana turg 1, 10140 Restaurant €€€
Tel 627 9020 International
Go on a journey through Tallinn’s Art Deco interior at Gloria, one of Tallinn’s Tallinna 15, Kuressaare, 93811
golden age at this immensely most popular restaurants Tel 666 7000
enjoyable restaurant that has a Elegant restaurant in the Grand
medieval twist to its meaty fare Gloria €€€ Rose Spa Hotel, serves Estonian–
served on large tables in a French Map C4 European fare with local fish and
candlelit hall, by staff dressed in Müürivahe 2, 10146 game the specialities. Excellent
period costumes. Tel 640 6804 selection of wines.
An Art Deco interior and a menu
Vanaema Juures €€ of fine French preparations marks TARTU: Genialistide Klubi €
Estonian Map C3 Gloria as one of Tallinn’s classic Vegetarian
Rataskaevu 10, 10123 dining venues. Magasini 5, 51007
Tel 626 9080 Tel 5657 1545
There are few better places Kohvik Moon €€€ Alternative club with a bohemian
than ‘At Grandma’s’, for splendidly Estonian atmosphere and excellent daytime
presented, rustic Estonian meat, Võrgu 3, 10415 café serving tasty, healthy and
game and fish dishes. Located in Tel 631 4575 Closed Sun inexpensive fare.
an intimate little cellar. In up-scale, well-designed
interiors north of the Old TARTU: Ülikooli Kohvik €
Von Krahli Aed €€ Town, Kohvik Moon serves Estonian
Estonian Map C3 traditional Estonian fare with Ülikooli 20, 51007
Rataskaevu 8, 10123 a contemporary twist. Tel 737 5405
Tel 626 9088 Spread over two floors of a historic
Contemporary Estonian cuisine – house, this relaxing café offers
local ingredients prepared with a order-at-the-counter Estonian food.
Mediterranean touch, served in Rest of Estonia
an urban-meets-rustic setting. TARTU: Dolce Vita €€
PÄRNU: Postipoiss € Italian
Bocca €€€ Russian Kompanii 10, 51007
Italian Map D2 Vee 12, 80011 Tel 740 7545
Olevimägi 9, 10123 Tel 446 4864 Pizzas, pastas and much more
Tel 611 7290 At an old postal inn, this besides, in this quality Italian
Favoured by Tallinn’s trendy Russian-themed restaurant restaurant that is decorated with
crowd for quality seafood, has a vast menu that features posters advertising Fellini films.
exciting pasta-and-sauce blini (pancakes), pelmeni
combinations and classic meats (dumplings) and solianka
with a Mediterranean influence. (meat and vegetable soup).
PÄRNU: Steffani €
DK Choice Italian
Bordoo €€€ Nikolai 24, 80011
French Map E1 Tel 443 1170
Pikk 71, 10133 Eternally popular pizzeria on
Tel 630 6300 the route from Old Town to the
Located in the luxurious Three beach, serving a big choice
Sisters Hotel, Bordoo oozes of thin-crust pies alongside
class. The seasonally-changing, pastas, salads and a few Mexican-
primarily French menu, includes inspired dishes. Gets busy.
classic meat and seafood mains
in addition to the multi-course SAAREMAA: Veski €€
tasting menus. Dine in the Estonian
charming summer courtyard. Pärna 19, Kuressaare, 93814 Diners enjoying a hearty meal in
Tel 453 3776 Olde Hansa, Tallinn
MOSCOW AND
ST PETERSBURG
From her 12th-century origins as an obscure defensive outpost, Moscow has
come to govern one sixth of the globe. The story of her rise is laced with glory
and setbacks, including the two centuries when St Petersburg was the capital
of Russia and Moscow lived as a dignified dowager. Today, both cities symbolize
the “New Russia”.
The Russian Federation, or Russia as History

it is commonly known, stretches from First mentioned in the Ipatievskaya
the Baltic to the Pacific and is the world’s Chronicles of 1147, when Kiev was the
largest country. Moscow, the capital, capital of Russia, Moscow has endured
lies at the heart of European Russia, wars, revolutions and drastic social
while St Petersburg is situated at its changes. Over four centuries it was
northwest corner. Till the end of 1991, transformed from an isolated kremlin
Russia was part of the Soviet Union, (fortress), built in 1156, into a thriving
but Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of capital. Ironically, Moscow’s pre-eminence
glasnost (openness) and perestroika in Russia came about as a result of the
(restruc turing) led to changes that saw 250-year domination by the Mongols,
the end of the USSR. There have been who invaded in 1137. In the 14th
social problems over the years, however century they chose Moscow’s grand
the standard of living is improving. prince, Ivan I, to collect tribute from
Today, Russia is a member of the CIS, subjugated principalities. However,
a commonwealth of former this sealed their fate and they were
Soviet republics. defeated in the Battle of Kulikovo
The ornate interior of the Church on Spilled Blood, St Petersburg

The pretty central passageway of the Summer Garden, flanked by statues
transformed medieval Russia into a

modern European state. He built the
city of St Petersburg and declared it the
capital in 1712. For most of the 18th
century Russia was ruled by women, of
whom the most significant was Catherine II.
Napoleon’s unsuccessful invasion of
Moscow in 1812 and his defeat turned
Russia into a major European power.
Towards the end of the century, however,
the country was on the verge of break-
down. Economic unrest and the urgent
Painting of Lenin leading the Russian Revolution, 1917 need for social reform led to the 1905
Revolution. The outbreak of World War I
(1380), and the Russian nation was reborn. brought about a surge of patriotism,
During the long reign of Ivan III the but war time losses provoked a series
Great (r. 1462–1505), Moscow’s prestige of strikes, the tsar’s abdication and the
increased and continued under his establishment of a provisional government.
grandson Ivan the Terrible (r. 1533–84), This was the signal for exiled revolutionaries,
the first to be called “Tsar of All the such as Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, to organize
Russias”. Yet, his reign ended in disaster, an uprising in October 1917, heralding
leading to the so-called Time of Troubles. more than 70 years of Soviet rule. In
To end this strife, in 1613, Moscow’s 1918, Moscow was reinstated as
citizens chose Mikhail Romanov to be the capital of the country.
tsar, thus initiating the 300-year Romanov The Germans invaded the Soviet Union
rule. His grandson, Peter the Great, in 1941, subjecting St Petersburg (then
Leningrad) to a 900-day siege, but Moscow
KEY DATES IN RUSSIAN HISTORY was never taken; Hitler had underestimated
863 Missionaries Cyril and Methodius create the both the harshness of the Russian winter
Cyrillic alphabet and the willingness of the people to fight.
1147 Moscow is founded The USSR ceased to exist in 1991.
1380 Mongols defeated at the Battle of Kulikovo Since then, Russia has tried to reinvent
1613 Mikhail Romanov becomes first tsar of the itself as a modern democratic nation.
Romanov Dynasty
Vladimir Putin succeeded Boris Yeltsin
1682 Peter the Great ascends the throne
as president in 2000. In 2008, after
1703 St Petersburg is founded
two terms as president, Putin became
1712 Seat of government moves to St Petersburg
prime minister.
1762 Catherine II seizes the throne
In March 2012, Putin became the
1812 Napoleon invades Moscow but has to retreat
president of Russia for the third time.
1861 Emancipation of serfs
1906 Inauguration of the Duma (parliament) Language and Culture
1917 The Russian Revolution
Russian is the official language of the
1918 Civil War starts. Capital moves to Moscow
people of Moscow and St Petersburg
1953 Death of Stalin
and Cyrillic is the alphabet used.
1991 Dissolution of the USSR
Classical music is the central theme of
1955 Warsaw Pact is established
a large number of festivals attracting
2000 Putin becomes president of Russia
performers from all over the world.
2008 Medvedev elected president of Russia
Christmas masquerades and the Spas
2012 Former president Medvedev becomes Prime
Minister. Putin elected President of Russia. Yablochni Medovy harvest celebration
are popular folk festivals.
MOSCOW AND ST PETERSBURG 125
Exploring Moscow and St Petersburg

The city of Moscow offers a wide variety of sights, ranging
from the historic and architectural treasures enclosed within
the walls of the Kremlin, to galleries housing spectacular
collections of Russian and Western art. Public transport in
Moscow is abundant and efficient and an ideal way to explore
the city. St Petersburg’s short history is reflected in many of
its museums such as the Hermitage, which displays Catherine
the Great’s fine art collection. The most enjoyable way to
get around St Petersburg is on foot.
Engraved doors in St Isaac’s Cathedral,
Sights at a Glance St Petersburg
1 Moscow pp126–41 Petrozavodsk
Lake
2 St Petersburg pp142–59 Onega
Onega
M18
Helsinki, Lubeck, Lake

Stockholm, Tallinn Ladoga
St Petersburg
Volkhov Belozersk
Kolpino
M11 Gatchina
Cherepovets
Vologda
M20
Novgorod
M1
0 Yaroslavl
lga
0 km 100
Vo
Tver
0 miles 100
8
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Motorway Zelenograd Vladimir
M7
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Railway
M1
M5
M2
Great Kremlin Palace viewed from the Kremlin embankment, Moscow

1 Moscow
With a population of over ten million, the Russian
capital is now a place where past and present combine
to captivate and charm. Most of Moscow’s sights are
situated in the city centre, within the area bounded by
the Garden Ring (Sadovoye Koltso) and the Boulevard
Ring (Bulvarnoye Koltso). From the gleaming onion
domes of its churches to the graves of Soviet heroes, Sixteenth-century frescoes in the Cathedral
reminders of the city’s past appear in almost every of the Assumption
corner. At the heart of the city lies the Kremlin – a source
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Getting Around
Moscow’s centre is quite spread out and not
easily covered on foot. However, the area
within the Boulevard Ring contains many
sights and is good for walking. The city’s vast
metro network is the most reliable way of
getting around, and trolleybuses are a good
option in the city centre. Taxis are the most
flexible, but the most expensive way of
Ivan the Great Bell Tower, with the Tsar Bell in getting around. River cruises are pleasant
the foreground and pass several major sites of interest.

MOSCOW 127
Greater Moscow
Leningradskiy
Kazanskiy
Belorusskiy EVA
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Kievskiy
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Vnukovo International Airport 0 metres

28 km (17 miles) 500
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Key
The atmospheric ulitsa Arbat, the heart of Old Arbat Pedestrian street

Street-by-Street: The Kremlin

The Kremlin is home to the Russian president and the seat of his
administration. As a result less than half of it is accessible to the Ticket
public, but highlights including the State Armoury, the Patriarch’s office
Palace and the churches in Cathedral Square (Ivanovskaya ploshchad)
are open to visitors. Christians have worshipped on this site for
more than eight centuries, but their early stone churches were
demolished in the 1470s to make way for the present magnificent
ensemble of cathedrals. In imperial times, these were the setting
for great state occasions such as coronations, baptisms
and burials.
1 Trinity Tower was the gate
Napoleon used to enter the
Kremlin after his triumph in
1812. He left after his defeat
a month later.
Great Kremlin Palace

The palace contains several
vast ceremonial halls. The
splendid stuccowork of
St George’s Hall provides
a magnificent backdrop
for state receptions. Its
marble walls are inscribed
with the names
of military heroes.
0 metres 50
0 yards 50
Key
Suggested route
Terem
Palace has a
6 . State Armoury chequered roof and
The State Armoury was designed to complement the 11 golden cupolas
Great Kremlin Palace. Constructed in the 19th century, it topped by crosses – the
is now a museum. It houses the imperial collections of only visible part of this
decorative and applied art and the State Diamond Fund. hidden building.
MOSCOW 129
Patriarch’s Palace
An imposing palace, VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
rebuilt for Patriarch Nikon
between 1652 and 1666,
Map D2 & D3. Tel 679 0349.
now houses the Museum
Open 10am–5pm Fri–Wed. &
of 17th-century Life and
tickets sold at the Kremlin
Applied Art.
entrance and separately at some
sights. 8 English (book in
advance on 697 4115). 7
complex, but not buildings. =
∑ kreml.ru
Transport
q Biblioteka imeni Lenina,
Borovitskaya. @ 6, К.
v 1, 2, 12, 33.
The Tsar Cannon, cast in

1586, weighs a massive
40 tonnes (44 tons).
2 Ivan the Great Bell Tower became

the tallest building in Russia after a third
storey was added to this beautiful
octagonal structure in 1600.
3 . Cathedral of the Assumption

This 12th-century painting of
St George the Warrior is one of the
oldest surviving Russian icons. It
forms part of the iconostasis in the
Cathedral Square cathedral’s richly decorated interior.
4 Cathedral of the Archangel

Faceted Palace has many elaborate tombs including
was constructed that of Tsarevich Dmitry, son of
by two Italian Ivan the Terrible, who died as a
architects, Marco child in 1591.
Ruffo and Pietro
Solario, between
1485 and 1491.
5 Cathedral of the Annunciation
Frescoes cover the walls and ceiling
of this cathedral. In the dome above
the iconostasis is a painting of Christ
Pantocrator, above tiers of pictures
of angels, prophets and patriarchs.
2 Ivan the Great

Bell Towey
Колокоyьня Aвана Великогy
KolokolnyA Ivana Velikovo
The Kremlin. Map D3. &
Built to a design by Marco Bon
Friazin, the 16th-century bell
tower takes its name from the
Church of St Ivan Climacus,
which stood on the site in the
14th century. The “Great” in its
name is derived from the
height of the tower. In 1600 it
became the tallest building in Frescoes on the entrance to the Cathedral
Moscow when Tsar Boris of the Assumption
Godunov added a third storey,
extending it to 81m (266 ft). The 3 Cathedral of
16th-century four-storey the Assumption
Assumption Belfry was built Успенсyий собор
beside the bell tower by Petrok UspenskAy sobor
Maliy. It holds 21 bells, the
The striking red-brick Trinity Tower, with its largest of which is the 64-tonne The Kremlin. Map D3.
contrasting conical spire (71-tons) Assumption Bell. From the early 14th century,
A museum on the first floor the Cathedral of the
displays the story of the Assumption was Moscow’s
1 Trinity Tower Kremlin. The annexe next to most important church, where
Трoиyкая Aашня the belfry was commissioned princes were crowned and
TroitsAaya bashnya in 1642 by Patriarch Filaret. the metropolitans and
Outside the bell tower is the patriarchs of the Orthodox
Tsar Bell. The largest in the church buried. In the 1470s,
This tower takes its name world, it weighs over 200 Ivan the Great decided to build
from the Trinity Monastery of tonnes (221 tons). When it fell a more imposing cathedral
St Sergius, which once ran a from the tower and shattered and summoned Italian architect
mission nearby. The tower’s in a fire in 1701, the fragments Aristotele Fioravanti to Moscow.
Trinity Gate used to be the were used in a bell ordered by Inspired by the spirit of the
entrance for patriarchs and the Tsarina Anna. This bell was Renaissance, the cathedral
tsars’ wives and daughters. It is still in its casting pit when the is a spacious masterpiece. It
one of the only two towers – Kremlin caught fire in 1737. As a houses superb iconostasis and
the other being Borovitskaya result, a large piece broke off as frescoes, including Scenes from
Tower, to the southwest – of the water was poured over the bell. the Life of Metropolitan Peter by
Kremlin walls’ 19 towers that
admit visitors into the complex.
At 76 m (249 ft), the seven-
storey Trinity Tower is the
Kremlin’s tallest. It was built
between 1495 and 1499
and in 1516 it was linked by
a bridge over the Neglinnaya
river to the Kutafya Tower.
The river now runs under-
ground and the Kutafya
Tower is the sole survivor
of the circle of towers that
were originally built to defend
the Kremlin walls.
In September 1812, Napoleon
triumphantly marched his army
into the Kremlin through the
Trinity Gate. They left just a month
later when Muscovites set fire
to their city and fled, leaving the
French Army without shelter
or provisions. The Tsar Bell, with the hole left by the section that broke off
MOSCOW 131
the famous 15th-century artist,

Dionysius, painted on the
southern wall of the cathedral.
4 Cathedral of
the Archangel
Архангельский собор
ArkhanAelskiy sobor
This was the last of the

great cathedrals to be built
in the Kremlin. Commissioned
by Ivan III and designed by
Aleviz Novy in 1505, it is a
combination of early-Russian Tiers of frescoes on the central cupola of the Cathedral of the Archangel
and Renaissance architecture.
This site was the burial place The cathedral, built by architects Three of the greatest
for Moscow’s princes and tsars from Pskov, had three domes masters of icon painting in
from 1340. The tombs of the and open galleries on all sides Russia contributed to the
tsars, white stone sarcophagi but, after a fire in 1547, the iconostasis. Theophanes the
with bronze covers inscribed corner chapels were added and Greek painted the images
in Old Slavonic, are in the nave. the galleries enclosed. On the of Christ, the Virgin and the
The tsars, with the exception south façade is the Groznenskiy Archangel Gabriel in the
of Peter II, who died in 1730, Porch, added by Ivan the Terrible Deesis Tier, while the Icon
were no longer buried here (see p124) when he contravened of the Archangel Michael on
after the capital was moved church law by marrying for the this tier is attributed to Andrey
to St Petersburg in 1712. The fourth time in 1572. Barred from Rublev. Several of the icons in
walls, pillars and domes of attending religious services, he the Festival Tier were also painted
the cathedral are covered with could only watch through a by Rublev. Most of the other
spectacular frescoes painted grille in the porch. icons in this tier are the work
by a team of artists led by The interior of the cathedral of Prokhor Gorodetskiy.
Semen Ushakov, the head is painted with frescoes. The
of the icon workshop in the artwork around the iconostasis
State Armoury. was painted in 1508 by the 6 State Armoury
There are more than 60 monk Feodosius, son of the icon Oружейнаy палата
full-length portraits of Russian painter Dionysius. The warm OruzheinayA palata
rulers and a few striking images colours of the frescoes create
of the Archangel Michael, the an atmosphere of intimacy and
protector of the rulers of early the vertical thrust of the pillars The collection of the State
Moscow. The cathedral’s four- draws the eye upwards to the Armoury represents the
tiered iconostasis was constructed cupola and its awe-inspiring wealth accumulated by
between 1680 and 1681, but the painting of Christ Pantocrator. Russian princes and tsars
Icon of the Archangel Michael over many centuries. The first
on the lowest tier dates from written mention of a state
the 14th century. armoury occurs in 1508, but
there were forges in the
Kremlin as early as the 13th
5 Cathedral of century. Later, gold- and silver-
the Annunciation smiths, workshops producing
Благовещенский собор icons and embroidery, and
Blagoveshchenskiy sobor the Office of the Royal Stables
all moved into the Kremlin.
The original armoury was
Unlike the other cathedrals in demolished in 1960 to make
the Kremlin, which were created way for the State Kremlin
by Italian architects, the Cathedral Palace. The current State
of the Annunciation is a wholly Armoury was built as a
Russian affair. Commissioned by museum by Tsar Nicholas I
Ivan III in 1484 as a royal chapel, (r. 1825–55). It was designed
it stands beside the Faceted by Konstantin Ton in 1844 and
Palace, which is all that remains The Cathedral of the Annunciation, completed in 1851. It is home
of a large palace built for Ivan III. crowned by golden onion domes to the State Diamond Fund.
7 Resurrection Gate
Воскресенские ворота
Voskresenskie vorota
Krasnaya ploshchad. Map D2.
q Okhotnyy Ryad, Ploshchad
Revolyutsii.
Rebuilt in 1995, this gateway,

with its red twin towers topped
by green tent spires, is an exact
copy of the original completed
on this site in 1680. The first
gateway was demolished in 1931
on Stalin’s orders. There are
mosaic icons on the gate, one of
which depicts Moscow’s patron The vast expanse of Red Square, with the Historical Museum at the far end
saint, St George, slaying a dragon.
Within the gateway is the but the wooden stalls burnt Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.
equally colourful Chapel of the down so often that the area Religious processions were
Iverian Virgin, originally built in later became popularly known abolished in the Communist
the late 18th century to house as Fire Square. The current name era. Military parades took their
an icon. Whenever the tsar dates from the 17th century place and were staged each
came to Moscow, he would and is derived from the Russian year on May Day and on the
visit this shrine before entering word krasnyy, which originally anniversary of the Revolution.
the Kremlin (see pp128–9). meant “beautiful” but later came Rows of grim-faced Soviet
Visitors should try to see the to denote “red”. The association leaders observed them from
gate at night, when it is between the colour red and outside the Lenin Mausoleum.
impressively lit up. Communism is coincidental. They, in turn, would be keenly
Red Square, which is almost studied by professional
500 m (1,600 ft) in length, kremlinologists in the West
was also the setting for public trying to work out the current
announcements and executions. pecking order.
At its southern end, in front of Today, the square is used for
St Basil’s Cathedral (see pp134– a variety of concerts, firework
5), there is a small circular dais. displays and cultural events. The
Called Lobnoe Mesto, this is red-brick building facing St Basil’s
the platform from which the Cathedral was constructed by
tsars and patriarchs would Vladimir Sherwood in 1883 in
address the people. In 1606 the Russian-Revival style. It
the first “False Dmitry”, a usurper houses the Historical Museum,
of the throne, was killed by a which boasts over four million
hostile crowd. His body was exhibits covering the rise and
finally left at Lobnoe Mesto. expansion of the Russian state.
Six years later, a second In front of the museum on
pretender to the throne, who Manezhnaya ploshchad is
Resurrection Gate, housing the Chapel of like the first “False Dmitry”
the Iverian Virgin was backed by Poland, took
power. He was expelled from
the Kremlin by an army led
8 Red Square by the Russian heroes Dmitriy
Красная площадь Pozharskiy and Kuzma Minin,
Krasnaya ploshchad who proclaimed Russia’s
Map E2. q Ploshchad Revolyutsii,
deliverance at Lobnoe Mesto.
Okhotnyy Ryad. Historical Museum: In 1818, a statue was erected
Tel 692 4019. Open 10am–6pm Mon, in their honour which now
Wed & Fri–Sun, 11am–8pm Thu. & stands in front of St Basil’s.
8 7 - ∑ shm.ru Red Square has also long
been a stage for pageants
Towards the end of the 15th and processions. Before the
century, Ivan III gave orders for 1917 Revolution, the patriarch
houses in front of the Kremlin to would ride a horse dressed
be cleared to make way for this like a donkey through Saviour’s
square. It originally served as a Gate to St Basil’s each Palm Lobnoe Mesto, the platform from which
market, locally called the torg, Sunday to commemorate the tsars would speak
MOSCOW 133
a statue of Marshal Georgiy from here to the Moskva

Zhukov, one of the heroes of river. GUM has three separate
World War II. This statue, sculpted arcades, which are still called
by Vyacheslav Klykov (1939– “lines”. The store’s name,
2006), was unveiled in 1995 to Gosudarstvennyy Universalnyy
mark the 50th anniversary of Magazin, dates from its
the end of World War II. nationalization in 1921.
The glass-roofed structure
is considered the largest
9 Lenin Mausoleum department store in Russia.
Мавзолей В.И. Ленина The building was designed
Mavzoley V.I. Lenina by Aleksandr Pomerantsev
Lenin Mausoleum, just outside the walls between 1889 and 1893 in the
Krasnaya ploshchad. Map E2.
Tel 623 5527. q Ploshchad of the Kremlin fashionable Russian-Revival
Revolyutsii, Okhotnyy Ryad. style. Its archways, wrought-iron
Open 10am–1pm Tue–Thu, 0 St Basil’s railings and stuccoed galleries
Sat–Sun. ^ Cathedral inside are especially impressive
Собор Bасилия Блаженного when sunlight streams through
Following Lenin’s death in 1924, Sobor Vasiliya Blazhennovo the glass roof.
and against his wishes, it was There were once more
decided to preserve the former See pp134–5. than 1,000 shops located in
Soviet leader’s body for posterity. GUM, selling goods ranging
The body was embalmed and from furs and silks to items of
placed in a temporary wooden q GUM everyday use such as candles.
mausoleum in Red Square. Once ГУМ GUM For a period, however, during
it became clear that the embalm- the rule of Stalin starting from
Krasnaya ploshchad 3. Map E2.
ing process had worked, Soviet Tel 788 4343. q Ploshchad
1924 and ending only with his
architect Aleksey Shchusev Revolyutsii, Okhotnyy Ryad. Open death in 1953, GUM’s shops
designed the current mausoleum 10am–10pm daily. 7 ∑ gum.ru were requisitioned as offices.
as a pyramid of cubes cut from Nowadays, Western brands such
red granite and black Before the 1917 Revolution, as Benetton, Estée Lauder and
labradorite. this building was known as Christian Dior dominate the
Paying one’s respects to the Upper Trading Rows after prestigious ground floor along
Lenin’s remains was once akin the covered market that used to with a variety of Western-style
to a religious experience, and stand on the site. In fact, lines of cafés and restaurants, and even
queues used to trail all over stalls used to run all the way the branch of a bank.
Red Square. In 1993, however,
the goose-stepping guard of
honour was replaced by a
lone militiaman and now the
mausoleum attracts mostly
tourists. There are rumours
that Lenin’s body will soon be
moved elsewhere or buried.
Behind the mausoleum, at
the foot of the Kremlin Wall,
are the graves of other famous
Communists. They include
Lenin’s successors, Joseph
Stalin, who at one time
was laid beside Lenin in the
mausoleum, Leonid Brezhnev
and Yuriy Andropov. Lenin’s
wife and sister are also buried
here, as are the first man in
space, Yuriy Gagarin, writer
Maxim Gorky and American
journalist John Reed. The latter
was honoured as the author of
Ten Days that Shook the World,
published in 1919, an account
of the October Revolution,
when Bolshevik forces took
control of St Petersburg. The glass-roofed interior of Russia’s largest department store, GUM
0 St Basil’s Cathedral
Собор Bасилия Блаженного
Sobor Vasiliya Blazhennovo
Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to mark the capture of the
Mongol stronghold of Kazan in 1552 and completed in 1561, this
cathedral is reputed to have been designed by Postnik Yakovlev.
According to legend, Ivan had him blinded so he could never design
anything as exquisite again. Officially, it was called the Cathedral of
the Intercession since the final siege of Kazan began on the Feast of
the Intercession of the Virgin. However, it gets its popular name from
the “holy fool” Basil the Blessed whose remains are interred here. Its
design was inspired by Russian timber architecture and is a riot of
gables, roofs and domes.
. Domes
Destroyed by fire in 1583,
these multi-faceted onion
domes replaced the original
helmet-shaped cupolas. The
domes have been colourfully
painted since 1670, but at
one time St Basil’s was white
with golden domes.
Chapel of St Cyprian
This is one of eight main
chapels commemorating
the campaigns of Ivan
the Terrible against the
town of Kazan, east of
Moscow. It is dedicated
to St Cyprian.
Minin and Pozharskiy

This statue by Ivan Martos depicts two
heroes from the Time of Troubles (1598–
1613), Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitriy
Pozharskiy who raised a force to
defeat the invading Poles
in 1612. The statue was
erected in 1818 and
originally placed in
the centre of the
Red Square facing
the Kremlin. It was Entrance to the
moved in front cathedral
of St Basil’s during
the Soviet era.
Monument to Minin and

Prince Pozharskiy

MOSCOW 135
Central Chapel of the

Intercession
Light floods in through
the windows of the 61-m
Krasnaya ploshchad 2.
(200-ft) high tent-roofed
Map E2. Tel 698 3304.
central church.
5 religious hols. Open May–
Nov: 11am–6pm Wed–Mon;
Dec–Apr: 11am–5pm daily.
& 8 English. ∑ saintbasil.ru
Transport
q Okhotnyy Ryad, Ploschad
Revolyutsii. @ 25. v 8.
. Main Iconostasis
The Baroque-style iconostasis
in the Central Chapel
of the Intercession dates
from the 19th century.
However, some of the
icons inside were painted
much earlier.
KEY
1 The Chapel of St Basil

2 Chapel of the Three Patriarchs
3 Chapel of the Trinity
4 Bell Tower
5 Chapel of St Nicholas
6 Chapel of St Varlaam
of Khutynskiy
7 Tiered gables
8 The Chapel of the Entry of
Christ into Jerusalem was used
as a ceremonial entrance during
. Gallery
the annual Palm Sunday procession.
Running around the outside of the
On this day the patriarch rode from
Central Chapel, the gallery connects
the Kremlin to St Basil’s Cathedral
it to the other eight chapels. It was
on a horse dressed up to look like
roofed over at the end of the 17th
a donkey.
century and the walls and ceilings
were decorated with floral tiles in 9 Chapel of Bishop Gregory
the late 18th century.
136 NORTHERN EASTERN EUROPE
Street-by-Street: Old Arbat

In the 19th century, Old Arbat was the haunt of artists, musicians,
poets, writers and intellectuals. Some of their homes have been Spaso House is a
grand Neo-Classical
preserved and opened as museums, and are among the district’s mansion. It has been
many houses of that era that have been restored and painted in the residence of the US
pastel shades of blue, green and ochre. At the heart of Old Arbat ambassador since 1933.
is the pedestrianized ulitsa Arbat. It is lined with antique shops,
boutiques, souvenir stalls, pavement cafés and a variety of restaur-
ants – from pizzerias and hamburger joints to traditional Russian
pubs. Today, pavement artists, buskers and street poets give it a
renewed bohemian atmosphere.
This small garden

contains a statue of
Alexander Pushkin.
Y
Novyy Arbat D
BO
O
SP
SL
Y
ASPE
O
N
EN
O PR E
M
KA
E SU L O
K
LO
KO K
U K
e . Pushkin House-Museum RE LO
VS
PE U
The poet Alexander Pushkin lived RE
KI
here just after his marriage in 1831. PE
IY
Y
The interior of the house has been SK
carefully renovated. IT
AN
RM
KA
Ulitsa Arbat
DE ER
P
This 19th-century street was pedestrianized

NEEU
in 1985. Its lively shops, restaurants and cafés

ZHLO
are now popular with Muscovites and visitors

to the city alike.
N YK
Y
Bely House-Museum
Influential polymath Andrei
Bely (1880–1934), best
known for a novel, Petersburg,
and his memoirs, lived in this
flat for the first 26 years of his life. Now a The Foreign Ministry
museum, its exhibits include this photo is one of the seven
of Bely with his wife and his fascinating Stalinist-Gothic sky-
Symbolist illustration, Line of Life. scrapers in Moscow.
MOSCOW 137
Spasopeskovskiy
Pereulok
On one side of this lane
is the 18th-century Church
of the Saviour on the Sands.
It overlooks a secluded
square and garden, a
reminder that the Arbat
was at that time a
genteel suburb.
BO
LS
HO
Y
. Skryabin House-Museum
NI REU
PE
K O LO
This apartment has been preserved

as it was between 1912 and 1915
LO K
when experimental composer

PE
Aleksandr Skryabin (1872–1915)

SK
Arbat Square lived here. The furniture in the

OV
rooms is Style Moderne and the

SK
lighting is dim, since Skryabin

IY
disliked direct light.
AT
RB
A The Vakhtangov Theatre was
A
KA
TS established here in 1921 by Yevgeniy

LI Vakhtangov, one of Moscow’s leading
U
LO
theatre directors. The current theatre

SH
building dates from 1947.

IN
PE
RE
Pre-Revolution apartments,
designed for wealthy
UL
Muscovites, are decorated

OK
with fanciful turrets and

PLO
sculptures of knights.
TN
IKO
Pushkin
Museum of
V P
0 metres 100
Fine Arts
ER
0 yards 100
EUL
OK
Herzen House-Museum
was the home of the
radical writer Aleksandr
Herzen from 1843 w Melnikov House
to 1846. Built in the 1920s by Constructivist
architect Konstantin Melnikov, who
lived here until his death in 1974,
this unusual cylindrical house is
Key now dwarfed by the apartments
Suggested route on ulitsa Arbat
w Melnikov House Natalya Goncharova. They were

Дом Мельyикова married in the Church of the
Dom MelniAova Great Ascension on Bolshaya
Nikitskaya ulitsa in February 1831.
Krivoarbatskiy pereulok 10. Map B3.
q Smolenskaya. However, by May 1831 Pushkin
had tired of Moscow, and the
This unique house was designed couple moved to St Petersburg,
by Konstantin Melnikov (1890– where a tragic fate awaited
1974), one of Russia’s greatest him. Gossip began to claim
Constructivist architects, in 1927. that Pushkin’s brother-in-law, a
Made from brick overlaid with French officer called d’Anthès,
white stucco, the house consists was making advances to Natalya.
of two interlocking cylinders. Upon receiving letters calling
These are studded with rows him “Grand Master to the Order
of hexagonal windows, creating of Cuckolds”, Pushkin challenged
a curious honeycomb effect. A d’Anthès to a duel, dying of his A portrait of Pushkin’s wife,
spiral staircase rises through wounds two days later. Natalya Goncharova
the space where the cylinders The ground floor exhibition
overlap, linking the light, airy gives an idea of what the city 220 paintings by French artists,
living spaces. would have been like when including Cézanne, and had
Melnikov’s house was built Pushkin was growing up, before also champi-oned Matisse
for his family, but it was also the Great Fire of 1812. Among and Picasso when they were
to have been a prototype for the artworks there are some relatively unknown. Morozov
future housing developments. unusual wax figures of a serf also collected these two
However, his career was blighted orchestra that belonged to the painters along with pictures
when Stalin encouraged architects Goncharova family. by Renoir, van Gogh and
towards a new monumental Pushkin and Natalya lived Gauguin. Highlights include
style. In spite of this, Melnikov on the first floor. There are very Nude by Renoir, The Great
was one of the very few allowed few personal possessions here, Buddha by Gauguin and
to live in a privately built dwelling although the poet’s writing Goldfish by Matisse.
in central Moscow. His son, bureau and some family portraits Following the collapse of
Viktor, had a studio in the are displayed. The atmosphere the Soviet Union, the curators
house until his death in 2006. resembles a shrine more than admitted that they had count-
a museum, an indication of the less works of art hidden away
special place Pushkin has in for ideological reasons. Some
the hearts of Russians. of these are now on display,
including paintings by Russian-
born artists Vasily Kandinsky
r Pushkin Museum and Marc Chagall. There is an
of Fine Arts enviable collection of Old
Музей изобразительных Masters and art from ancient
искусств имени civilizations, such as the Treasure
А.С. Пушкинy of Troy display, with gold
Muzey izoArazitelnykh iskusstv artifacts excavated from the
imeni A.S. Pushkina famous city in the 1870s.
Viktor Melnikov’s light-filled art studio in
Ulitsa Volkhonka 12. Map C3.
the Melnikov House
Tel 697 9578. q Kropotkinskaya. t Cathedral of
 1, 2, 16, 33. Open 10am–7pm
Tue–Sun. & 8 9 = English. Christ the Redeemer
ePushkin ∑ museum.ru/gmii Храм Христа Сyасителя
House-Museum Khram Khrista SpasAtelya
Mузей-квартира А.С. Founded in 1898, the Pushkin
Ulitsa Volkhonka 15. Map C4.
Пушкинy Museum of Fine Arts houses q Kropotkinskaya.
Muzey-kvArtira A.S. Pushkina several excellent French
Impressionist and Post- Rebuilding this cathedral,
Ulitsa Arbat 53. Map B3. Tel 241 9295.
q Smolenskaya. Open 10am–6pm
Impressionist paintings. These blown up on Stalin’s orders in
Wed–Fri & Sun; also noon–9pm Thu. reflect the tastes of many 1931, was the most ambitious
Closed last Fri of month. & ^ 8 private collectors, whose hold- construction project by the
English (book in advance). ings were nationalized by the enterprising mayor of Moscow,
Soviet government. The most Yuriy Luzhkov. The basic struc-
Alexander Pushkin rented this important of these belong to ture of the new cathedral was
elegant, blue and white Empire- two outstanding connoisseurs, built between 1994 and 1997.
style flat for the first three months Sergey Shchukin and Ivan Before this, the site was used
of his marriage to society beauty Morozov. Shchukin had over as a swimming pool. The
MOSCOW 139
miles. With a floor area of

9,000 sq m (97,000 sq ft), it
could accommodate more
than 10,000 worshippers.
yTretyakov
Gallery
Третьяковскyя yалерея
TretyakovskayA GAlereya
See pp140–41.
u Gorky Park
Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer, rebuilt in Парк культуры и отдыха
the 1990s at huge cost имени М. Горyкоrо
Park Kultury i otAykha imeni
rebuilding project was contro- M. Gorkovo Five-tier iconostasis in the cathedral of
versial from the start, on the Novodevichiy Convent
Krymskiy val 9. Map F1. Tel 237 0707.
grounds of taste and cost. In q Park Kultury, Oktyabrskaya.
1995 a presidential decree Open 10am–10pm daily (pleasure park include fairground rides,
declared that no public money open May–Oct). & 7 - woodland walks, boating lakes,
should be spent on it. Funds a 10,000-seat outdoor theatre
were to come via donations Moscow’s most famous park and, in winter, an ice rink.
from the public, the Russian is named in honour of the
Church and foreign donors. writer Maxim Gorky (1868–
Much of the US$200 million 1936) and extends for more i Novodevichiy
spent, however, came from the than 120 ha (297 acres) along Convent
state budget, at a time when the Moskva river. Opened in Новодевичий мyнастырь
Muscovites were suffering 1928 as the Park of Culture Novodevichiy monAstyr
extreme poverty. and Rest, it incorporates the
Novodevichiy proezd 1. Map E1.
The original cathedral was Golitsyn Gardens, laid out by Tel 246 8526. q Sportivnaya. @ 64,
built to commemorate the Matvey Kazakov (1738–1812) 132.  5, 15. Open 10am–5:30pm
deliverance of Moscow from in the late 18th century, and a Wed–Mon. & 8 book in advance.
Napoleon’s Grande Armée in 19th-century pleasure park. 7 grounds only. 5 =
1812. Begun in 1839, but not The park was immortalized in
completed until 1883, it was the opening scenes of Michael Considered one of the most
designed by Konstantin Ton, Apted’s film Gorky Park. However, beautiful of the semi-circle of
who also designed the State due to the tense political climate fortified religious institutions
Armoury. The cathedral was of 1983, the film was shot in to the south of Moscow,
Moscow’s tallest building then, Finland. During the Soviet era, Novodevichiy Convent was
the gilded dome rising to a loudspeakers across the park founded by Basil III in 1524
height of 103 m (338 ft) and delivered speeches by Communist to commemorate the capture
dominating the skyline for leaders. Today, the highlights of Smolensk from the
Lithuanians. The Cathedral
of the Virgin of Smolensk was
built at this time though the
five-tier iconostasis, frescoes
and onion domes were added
in the 17th century. Most of
the other buildings were also
added in the late 17th century
by Peter the Great’s half-sister,
the Regent Sophia. In 1812,
Napoleon’s troops tried to
blow up the convent but,
according to one story, it was
saved by the nuns. The ceme-
tery here is the final resting
place of several famous
Russians, such as the writer Nikolai
Gogol and the composer
Outdoor ice-skating in Gorky Park, a popular activity in the winter months Dmitry Shostakovich.
y Tretyakov Gallery
Третьяковская галерея
Tretyakovskaya galereya
The gallery was founded in 1856 by Pavel Tretyakov, a wealthy Stairs down to
merchant, who presented it to the city in 1892. It continued to expand ground floor
after the Revolution as numerous private collections were nationali-
zed. Today it has the largest collection of Russian art in the world –
with more than 100,000 works on display. The building has a striking
façade, with a bas-relief of St George and the dragon at its centre. A
new wing was added in 1930. Many of the early 20th-century works
are now in the New Tretyakov Gallery, an annexe to the main building.
Portraits by Ivan Kramskoy
First floor
34
The Appearance of
33
Christ to the People is
by the 19th-century 18
Romantic artist,
32
Aleksandr Ivanov.
17
31
21
19
16
22
20
30
24
15
12
25
14
23
10
13
The Rooks Have Come (1871)

This bleak winter scene by 26
11
9
Aleksey Savrasov contains a

message of hope – rooks are
1
taken by Russians as a sign

8
of the coming spring.

44
7
45
6
46
47
Stairs from
basement Portraits by Ilya Repin
(1844–1930)
Portrait of Arseny Tropinin,

the Artist’s Son (c. 1818)
This portrait is by Vasiliy
Tropinin, who was a serf for
47 years before gaining his
freedom and finding success
as a painter.
. Demon Seated (1890)
This is one of several innovative paintings by Mikhail Vrubel, who
adopted a new, strikingly modern style. They are inspired by Mikhail
Lermontov’s Symbolist poem, The Demon (1839), with which Vrubel
became obsessed.
MOSCOW 141
Lavrushinskiy Pereulok 10.
Map E4.
Tel 951 1362.
Open 10am–6:30pm Tue–Sun.
& 8 Eng. 9 Eng. 7
0 - = ∑ tretyakov
gallery.ru
Transport
q Tretyakovskaya. @ 6, K, 25.
v 1, 4, 8, 33, 62.
Religious Procession in Kursk Province (1880–83)
Ilya Repin, a socially committed artist, painted this to contrast
the religious devotion of the peasants with the cold hypocrisy
of the rich.
The Morning of
the Execution
Ground of the Streltsy is
floor by Vasiliy Surikov.
29
28
39
. The Trinity (1420s)

38
41
This beautiful icon was

27
painted by Andrey Rublev

36
for the Trinity Monastery of

37
42
St Sergius, where he had

61
40
been a novice monk.

35
60
He dedicated it to the
43
monastery’s founder,
54
62
St Sergius of Radonezh.
53
55
59
56
52
51
57
50
58
Gallery Guide
49
There are 62 rooms on two

main floors. Visitors first go to
the basement ticket office, then
head to the first floor. Paintings
48
Exit are hung in rooms 1–54: visitors

come down to the ground floor
after viewing room 34. Rooms
Main entrance 56–62 contain ancient Russian
art; room 55 features collections
of jewellery, precious stones
and icons.
Russian
jewellery Key
18th and early 19th centuries
Main Façade Second half of the 19th century
The gallery’s façade was Late 19th and early 20th centuries
designed in 1902 by Viktor
Vasnetsov. An example of Drawings and watercolours of the
18th–20th centuries
the Russian-Revival style, it
has a frieze inspired by Icons and jewellery
medieval manuscripts. Non-exhibition space
KA
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St Petersburg
OO
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Once Russia’s capital and known as its “Window on
SKA
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the West”, St Petersburg was built on the marshy lands
KI
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POTK
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TSA OSK
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where the Neva river joins the Gulf of Finland. With UL V
SA
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a population of just under five million, it is Russia’s
ULIT
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second largest city. The southern bank of the Neva, AR O
SP Gorkovskaya
U
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Palace Embankment, is lined with glorious palaces.
CH UL LIZ
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To the east is Gostinyy Dvor, the commercial hub of the KIN Y
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STORONA
KI
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city, with bars and restaurants lining Nevskiy Prospekt.
ER
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To the southwest lies Sennaya Ploshchad, combining P A RK
NA
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tree-lined canals with decrepit reminders of the
P
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19th-century life decribed in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s E
MYTNI
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novels. Vasilevskiy Ostrov, the city’s largest island,
R
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celebrates St Petersburg’s naval heritage with its PROSPEKT
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Getting Around OED
MOSK OVSKIY PR
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VOZNESENSKIY
U
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along its waterways. Metro lines, tram, PR
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bus and trolleybus routes radiate out from
PER BOYTS O
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The metro is used mainly to get to and
from the outer districts of the city.

ST PETERSBURG 143
Sights at a Glance
1 Peter and Paul Fortress 9 The Hermitage pp148–55
pp140–41 0 Summer Palace
2 Menshikov Palace q Summer Garden
P E TR O G R
SA SAMPSONIEVSKIY
3 The Bronze Horseman w Pushkin House-Museum
LIT
P O SA
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4 The Admiralty e Church on Spilled Blood
5 St Isaac’s Cathedral r Russian Museum
AD
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0 metres 500
0 yards 500
View of the city and the gilded spire of the Admiralty

1 Peter and Paul Fortress

Петропавловская крепость
Petropavlovskaya krepost
The building of the Peter and Paul Fortress, ordered on 27 May 1703
by Peter the Great, is considered to mark the founding of
St Petersburg. First built in wood it was later replaced
in stone by Domenico Trezzini between 1706 Artillery Museum
and 1740. Its history is gruesome, since
hundreds of forced labourers died while
building the fortress and its bastions
were later used to guard
and torture many
political prisoners. The
prison cells are open to
the public, along with
a couple of museums
and the magnificent
cathedral, which
houses the tombs
of the Romanovs.
KEY
1 Neva Gate is also known as

“Death Gateway”.
2 The Naryshkin Bastion is where
the noon cannon is fired. The tradition
began in 1873, stopped after the
Revolution and was resumed in 1957.
3 Commandant’s House is
an attractive Baroque House which
was the scene of interrogations
and trials of political prisoners for
150 years. It now houses a museum
with a ground-floor exhibition on
medieval settlements in the region.
4 The Mint, founded in 1724, still
produces ceremonial coins, medals
and badges.
5 The Archives of the War
Ministry occupy the site of the
“Secret House”, a prison for political
criminals in during 18th and Trubetskoy Bastion
19th centuries. From 1872 to 1921, the dark,
damp, solitary-confinement
6 The Boat House is now a ticket cells in this bastion served
office and souvenir shop. as a grim prison for enemies
7 Golovkin Bastion of the state.
8 The Grand Ducal burial vault is
the last resting place of several grand
dukes shot by the Bolsheviks in 1919
and of Grand Duke Vladimir who
died in exile. 0 metres 100
9 Ivan Gate, in the outer wall, was 0 yards 100
constructed between 1731 and 1740. The Beach
0 Peter I Bastion
During summer, the beach is full
of sunbathers. In winter, it is the
q Statue of Peter the Great by haunt of “The Walruses”, a group of
Mikhail Chemiakin (1991). people who break through the ice
to dip into the waters beneath.
ST PETERSBURG 145
. Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul

This magnificent cathedral was
designed by Domenico Trezzini
in 1712. Within is the iconostasis,
Petropavlovskaya krepost.
a masterpiece of gilded
Map C2. Tel 230 6431.
woodcarvings, designed by
& 8 English.
Ivan Zarudnyy and executed
Trubetskoy Bastion: Open 10am–
by Moscow craftsmen in
6pm Thu–Mon, 11am–5pm Tue.
the 1720s.
Commandant’s House: Open
10am–6pm Thu–Mon, 11am–
5pm Tue. Cathedral: Open 10am–
Engineer’s House: Open 11am–
∑ spbmuseum.ru
Transport
q Gorkovskaya.
St Peter’s Gate
Completed in 1718, this ornate
Baroque structure features the
Romanov double eagle with
an emblem of St George and
the dragon.
Kamennoostrovskiy Prospekt,
Gorkovskaya Metro and
Trinity Bridge
Engineer’s House
This building, dating from 1748–9,
houses temporary exhibitions of artifacts
used in everyday life in St Petersburg
before the Revolution.
and dominance over Sweden.

Rebuilt in 1806 by architect
Andrey Zakharov, the façade,
adorned with sculptures,
documents the glory of the
Russian fleet. Zakharov retained
some of the original features,
including the spire, which he
recast in the Neo-Classical style.
5 St Isaac’s Cathedral
Ochre-painted southern façade of Prince Menshikov’s 18th-century palace Исаакиевский собор
Isaakievskiy sobor
2 Menshikov Palace was unveiled in Decembrists’
Isaakievskaya ploshchad 4. Map C4.
Меншиковский дворец Square (Ploshchad Dekabristov)
Tel (812) 315 9732. @ 3, 10, 22, 27,
Menshikovskiy dvorets in 1782, as a tribute from K-169, K-190, K-289.  5, 22.
Catherine the Great. The French Open May–Sep: 10am–11pm Thu–
Universitetskaya naberezhnaya 15.
sculptor, Etienne Falconet, Tue; Oct–Apr: 11am–7pm.
Map B3. Tel (812) 323 1112. @ 7,
47, K-47, K-187, K-209, K-298. v 6.
spent over 12 years over-
 1, 11. Open 10:30am-6pm seeing the project. The One of the world’s largest
Tue–Sat, 10:30am–5pm Sun. pedestal weighs 1,625 cathedrals, St Isaac’s, was
& 8 compulsory (English, French, tonnes (1,791 tons) and designed in 1818 by
German available). was hewn from a block architect Auguste de
of granite, which was Montferrand. The
Completed in 1720, this hauled from the Gulf engineering opera-
Baroque palace was one of of Finland. It bears tion needed to erect
the earliest stone buildings in the inscription the cathedral was,
St Petersburg. It was designed “To Peter I from The Bronze Horseman, Tribute at the time, of an
by Giovanni Fontana and Catherine II” in to Peter the Great almost unprece-
Gottfried Schädel for Prince Latin and Russian. A dented scale.
Menshikov, friend and advisor serpent, beneath the horse’s Opened in 1858, it was desig-
to Peter the Great. Menshikov hooves, symbolizes treason. nated a museum of atheism
entertained here, often on during the Soviet era. Officially
behalf of Peter the Great, who still a museum today, the
adopted the palace as a pied- 4 The Admiralty church is filled with hundreds
à-terre. Now a branch of the Адмиралтейство of impressive 19th century
Hermitage (see pp148–55), Admiralteystvo works of art. The gilded dome,
it houses exhibitions on early adorned with angels, offers
Admiralteyskaya naberezhnaya 2.
18th-century Russian culture, views across the city. Inside,
Map C3. @ 7, 10, K-187, K-209.
revealing the extent to which  1, 5, 7, 10, 17, 22.
ringed by gilded stucco moul-
the court was influenced by dings and white marble, the
Western tastes. Peter and Built as a shipyard between ceiling is decorated with a
Menshikov often received 1704 and 1711 by Peter the painting of the Virgin in Majesty
guests in the Walnut Study. Great, the Admiralty’s purpose (1847) by Karl Bryullov. The
The Great Hall decorated in was to gain access to the sea iconostasis has three rows of
gold is where balls and ban- icons that surround the royal
quets were held. Upstairs, doors. Pyotr Klodt’s sculpture,
rooms are decorated with Christ in Majesty (1859), rests
17th- century Dutch engrav- above the doors, while splendid
ings of Leyden, Utrecht malachite and lapis lazuli
and Krakow. columns frame the
pretty iconostasis.
3The Bronze
Horseman 6 St Isaac’s Square
Медный Всадник Исаакиевская площадь
Mednyy Vsadnik Isaakievskaya ploshchad
Ploshchad Dekabristov. Map B3. Map C4. @ 3, 10, 22, 27.  5, 22.
@ 3, 10, 22, 27.  5, 22.
Dominated by St Isaac’s
The statue of Peter the Great, Cathedral, this square was
known as The Bronze Horseman Tower and spire of the Admiralty, built created during the reign of
after Pushkin’s famous poem, between 1806 and 1823 Nicholas I (r. 1825–55), although
ST PETERSBURG 147
troops fired on thousands

of unarmed demonstrators.
Then, on 7 November 1917,
Lenin’s Bolshevik supporters
secured the Revolution by
attacking the Winter Palace
(see pp154–5) from the square.
It still remains a popular
venue for political meetings,
rallies and events such as
rock concerts.
The resplendent square is
the work of the architect Carlo
St Isaac’s Cathedral and the statue of Nicholas I, St Isaac’s Square Rossi, the city’s last great expo-
nent of Neo-Classicism. On the
a few of its earlier buildings on the archetypal Petersburg southern side of the square is
date from the 18th century. bureaucrat. The composer, Rossi’s magnificent General Staff
The monument to Nicholas I Pyotr Tchaikovsky, died in the Building, the headquarters of
at its centre was designed apartment at No. 13 shortly the Russian Army. The two
by Montferrand. Erected in after the completion of his graceful, curving wings – the
1859 and sculpted by Pyotr Pathétique symphony in 1893. eastern one now a branch of
Klodt, it depicts the tsar in It is believed that he committed the Hermitage – are connected
the uniform of one of Russia’s suicide, after an alleged homo- by a double arch leading to
most prestigious regiments, sexual affair. Bolshaya Morskaya ulitsa. The
the Kavalergardskiy guards. Famous novelist Fyodor arch is crowned by the sculpture,
The pedestal is embellished Dostoevsky lived in No. 23. Victory in her Chariot (1829). To
with allegorical sculptures He was arrested here for his the eastern side of this ensemble
of his daughters and wife, participation in the socialist is the Guards Headquarters,
who represent faith, wisdom, Petrashevsky circle. Today, the designed by Aleksandr Bryullov
justice and might. street continues to exude a in the 19th century.
To the west lies the Myatlev 19th-century feel despite the To the west lies The Admiralty.
House, a Neo-Classical mansion many shops and businesses. The Alexander Column in the
dating from the 1760s. French centre of the square is dedicated
encyclopedist, Denis Diderot, to Tsar Alexander I for his role
stayed here between 1773 and 8 Palace Square in the triumph over Napoleon.
1774. In the 1920s it became the Дворцовая площадь On the pedestal are inscribed
premises of the State Institute Dvortsovaya ploshchad the words “To Alexander I, from
of Artistic Culture where some a grateful Russia”. The red granite
Map C3. @ 7, 10, K-47, K-169, K-190,
of Russia’s most influential pillar is balanced by its 600-tonne
K-209.  1, 7, 10.
avant-garde artists including (661-ton) weight, making it the
Kazimir Malevich and Vladimir The Palace Square has played largest free-standing monument
Tatlin worked. The former a unique role in Russian history. in the world. The column,
German embassy, designed It was the setting for military designed by Montferrand, was
by Peter Behrens, lies alongside. parades before the Revolution. erected between 1830 and
The southern end of the square In January 1905, it was the scene 1834. It is topped by a bronze
is dominated by the Mariinskiy of the massacre of “Bloody angel, and together they
Palace which now houses Sunday”, when gathered stand 47-m (154-ft) high.
the city hall.
7Malaya
Morskaya Ulitsa
Малая Морская улица
Malaya morskaya ulitsa
Map C4. @ 3, 10, 22, 27.  5, 22.
From 1902 to 1993 Malaya
Morskaya ulitsa was named
ulitsa Gogolya after the great
writer, Nikolai Gogol, who lived
at No. 17 between 1833 and
1836. It was here that Gogol
wrote The Diary of a Madman
and The Nose, two biting satires The Alexander Column and the General Staff Building, Palace Square
9 The Hermitage
Эрмитаж
Ermitazh
One of the most famous museums in the world, the Hermitage
occupies a grand ensemble of buildings. The most impressive is the
Winter Palace (see pp154–5), to which Catherine the Great added
the more intimate Small Hermitage. In the 18th century, she built the
Large Hermitage to house her collection of art. The Theatre was built
in the 18th century, the New Hermitage between 1839 and 1851. The
New and Large Hermitages were opened by Nicholas I in 1852 as a
museum. From 1918 to 1939 the Winter Palace was incorporated into
the museum. The Neo-Classical General Staff Building was added in
the late 1990s. Mid- and late-19th-century collections are in the
process of being moved there.
Atlantes
Ten 5-m (16-ft) tall granite
Atlantes hold up what used to
be the public entrance to the
Hermitage museum from 1852
until after the Revolution.
KEY
1 Court ministries were located Hermitage. It is the only purpose-

here until the 1880s. built museum within the
whole complex.
2 The Large Hermitage was
designed by Yuriy Velten to house 7 The Small Hermitage, built
Catherine’s paintings. between 1764 and 1775, by Vallin
de la Mothe and Yuriy Velten,
3 The Winter Canal
served as Catherine’s retreat
4 Quarenghi’s Theatre held from the bustle of the court.
regular performances during
8 Palace Square
Catherine’s reign. Today, it hosts
exhibitions and concerts. 9 River Neva adds to the
grandeur of the Hermitage,
5 A gallery spanning the canal
which is situated on its banks.
connects the Theatre to the
Large Hermitage and forms 0 The Winter Palace
. Raphael Loggias
the theatre foyer. was the official residence
Catherine was so impressed
of the imperial family until
6 The New Hermitage was by engravings of Raphael’s
the 1917 Revolution.
designed by Leo von Klenze to frescoes in the Vatican that
form a coherent part of the Large in 1787 she commissioned
copies to be made on canvas.
ST PETERSBURG 149
Hanging Gardens
This unusual, raised garden VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
is decorated with statues
and fountains. During the
Dvortsovaya ploschad 2.
Siege of Leningrad in 1941,
Map C3. Tel (812) 710 9079.
Hermitage curators grew
Open 10:30am–6pm Tue–Sat,
vegetables here.
10:30am–5pm Sun. (last
admission one hour before
closing). & 8 English
(571 8446). 7 - =
Transport
@ 7, 10, 24, K-187, K-209, K-252.
 1, 7, 10.
Main entrance
via courtyard
Winter Palace Façade
Rastrelli embellished the
palace façades with 400
columns and 16 different
window designs.
General
Staff
Building
. Pavilion Hall
Andrey Stakenschneider’s
white marble and gold hall
replaced Catherine’s original
interior. The hall houses . Winter Palace State Rooms
Englishman James Cox’s The tsars spared no expense in
famous Peacock Clock, decorating rooms such as the Hall
which was once owned of St George. These rooms were not
by Catherine’s secret lover, intended for private life, but were
Prince Grigory Potemkin. used for state ceremonies.
The Hermitage Collections

The Knights’ Hall is
Catherine the Great purchased some of Western Europe’s used for displays of armour
best collections between 1764 and 1774, acquiring over 2,500 and weapons from the
former imperial arsenal.
paintings, 10,000 carved gems, 10,000 drawings and a vast amount
of silver and porcelain with which to adorn her palaces. None of Stairs to
her successors matched the quantity of her remarkable purchases. ground floor
After the Revolution, the nationalization of both royal and private
property brought more paintings and works of applied art, making
the Hermitage one of the world’s leading museums.
Skylight rooms
Raphael Loggias (see p148)
First floor
The Gallery of Ancient

Painting is decorated
with scenes from ancient
literature. It houses a
display of 19th-century
European sculpture.
Ground floor
The Litta Madonna (c. 1491)
One of two works by Leonardo da
Vinci here, this was much admired European Gold
by his contemporaries. Collection
Gallery Guide
Individual visitors enter via
Palace Square, then cross the main
courtyard; group tours use other
entrances by arrangement. Visitors
can start with the interiors of the
Winter Palace State Rooms on the first
floor to get an overview of the museum.
For 19th- and 20th-century European Art,
it is best to use either of the staircases on
the Palace Square side of the Winter
Palace. However, some collections
may move.
The Hall of
Twenty Columns
Main
entrance
. Abraham’s
Sacrifice (1635)
In the 1630s Rembrandt
painted religious scenes
Ticket Office
in a High Baroque style,
using dramatic and
striking gestures rather
than detail to convey Entrance for tours and
his message. guided groups
ST PETERSBURG 151
Second Stairs to first floor

floor
The Numismatic
Collection consists
of more than
1,115,000 coins
and medals.
. Ea Haere Ia Oe (1893)
This is one of the first paintings by
Paul Gauguin after he had left France
for Tahiti. His desire to escape
convention and artificiality found
Stairs to expression in his innovative use of
first floor primitive art as inspiration.
Stairs to
Numismatic
Collection
Stairs to
second floor
. La Danse (1910)
Henri Matisse used strong tones of three colours –
blue, green and red – to heighten the drama and
Stairs to second concentration of the figures, totally lost in their dance.
floor, Numismatic
Collection only
Key to Floorplan
Prehistoric: 11–24, 26, 33
Classical: 102, 107–117, 121,
127–131
Numismatic Collection: 398–400
Oriental: 34–47, 55–66, 69, 100,
351–371, 381–397
Russian: 147–153, 155–189, 190–198,
204, 260, 269–271, 282, 304–307
Italian and Spanish: 207–223,
226–242
Flemish, Dutch and German: 243,
Greek and 245–254, 258–259, 261–268
Oriental Gold French and English: 272–281,
Collection Statue of Voltaire (1781) 283–287, 290–302
Catherine the Great corresponded 19th- and 20th-century
The Winter Palace (see with Voltaire for over 15 years. She European: 314–325, 328–350
pp154–5) State Rooms commissioned a marble statue by
Temporary exhibition space
contain magnificent Jean-Antoine Houdon, in which
Russian and European the French writer is dressed as a Non-exhibition space
objets d’art. Greek philosopher. No access
Exploring the Hermitage Collections

It is not possible to absorb the Hermitage’s encyclopedic
collection in one or even two visits. Whether it be Scythian
gold, antique vases and cameos, or Iranian silver, every
room has something that catches the eye. The furniture,
applied art, portraits and rich clothing of the imperial
family make up the Russian section, which also includes
the superb state rooms. The collection of European
paintings was put together largely according to the
personal taste of the imperial family while most of
the 19th- and 20th-century European art, notably the
Impressionists, Matisse and Picasso, came from
private collections after the Revolution. Eighth-century fresco of a wounded warrior
from Tajikistan
the 6th–4th centuries BC is traditional Persian miniatures

unequalled anywhere in the and carpets are on display,
world, while the tiny terracotta along with some marvellous
figurines from Tanagra, dating 8th-century frescoes from
back to the 4th and 3rd centuries Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
BC, are exquisite. Other stunning Rare Mughal jewelled vessels,
exhibits include the 10,000 carved Iranian weapons and Chinese
gems collected by Catherine gold objects are displayed
the Great, the Gonzaga Cameo, in the Greek and Oriental
presented to Tsar Alexander I, and Gold Collection.
Comb with a naturalistic scene intricate 5th-century gold jewellery
of Scythians in battle made by Athenian craftsmen.
Russian Art
Although major Russian works
Prehistoric Art of art were transferred to the
Prehistoric artifacts found all Russian Museum (see p158) in
over the former Russian Empire 1898, everything else that had
include pots, arrow heads and belonged to the imperial family
sculptures from Palaeolithic sites was nationalized after the
nearly 24,000 years old, as well as Revolution. Later, the depart-
gold items from the time of the ment also began acquiring
Scythian nomads living in the medieval Russian art, including
7th–3rd centuries BC. Peter the icons and church utensils.
Great’s Siberian collection and The tsars from Peter the
the European Gold Collection Great onwards invited foreign
showcase gold objects. Greek Third-century BC Gonzaga Cameo, craftsmen and artists to train
masters worked for the Scythians, made in Alexandria locals. Peter studied with them
and from the Dnepr region comes and his fascination for practical
a late 5th-century decorative things is reflected in his large
comb. Unusually well-preserved Oriental Art collection of sundials, instru-
items from 2,500-year-old burial This selection of artifacts covers ments and wood-turning lathes,
sites, uncovered during excav- a wide range of cultures from which includes the universal
ations in the Altai between 1927 ancient Egypt and Assyria, sundial by Master John Rowley.
and 1949, are also on display. through Byzantium, India, Iran, Russian artists were soon com-
China and Japan, to the marvels bining traditional art forms
of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. with European skills to create
Classical Art The most complete sections intricate marvels. The gunsmiths
The Graeco-Roman marble are where excavations were of Tula, located south of Moscow,
sculptures range from the conducted by the Hermitage, per fected their technique to
famous Tauride Venus of the mainly in China and Mongolia such an extent that they began
3rd century BC to Roman before the Revolution, and producing unique furniture in
portrait busts. The smaller in Central Asia during the steel inlaid with gilded bronze.
objects, however, are the real Soviet period. The state interiors are the pride
pride and joy of the Classical An array of objects, ranging of the Russian department,
department. The collection from Buddhist sculptures, revealing the work of Russian
of red-figured Attic vases from fabrics, paintings, utensils, and foreign craftsmen from
ST PETERSBURG 153
the mid-18th to the early 20th landscapes and portraits. The

century. The discovery of stone Dutch section is rich in
deposits led to rooms filled Rembrandts. Among the many
with malachite and marble. small-genre paintings is Gerard
Terborch’s Glass of Lemonade
from the mid-17th century, in
Italian and Spanish Art which all the usual elements of
The fine display of Italian a genre scene are imbued with
art begins with some early psychological tension and
works revealing the rise of the heavy symbolism.
Renaissance in the 14th and In the German collection, it
15th centuries. The merits is the works of Lucas Cranach
of the later Florentine and the Elder that captivate the Stolen Kiss (1780s), by French artist
Venetian schools can be seen viewer. His Venus and Cupid Jean Honoré
in the masterpieces by da (1509), the stylish Portrait of a
Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Woman in a Hat (1526) and the her most daring purchase
Raphael, while the Baroque tender Virgin and Child Beneath was of works by the still largely
style is represented by the vast an Apple Tree reveal the varied unknown Joseph Wright of
canvases of Luca Giordano and aspects of his talent. Derby. The Iron Forge (1773) is a
other artists. Elegant sculptures masterpiece of artificial lighting,
by Antonio Canova stand in but Firework Display at the Castel
the Gallery of Ancient Painting. French and English Art Sant’Angelo (1774–5) is a truly
The Spanish collection is French art was de rigueur romantic fiery spectacle. She
more modest, but Spain’s greatest for collectors in the 18th provided much work for English
painters can all be seen, from century. Major artists of the cabinet-makers and carvers
El Greco’s The Apostles Peter and 17th century, including Louis of cameos and was one of
Paul, to Ribera, Murillo, and Le Nain and the two brilliant Wedgwood’s most prestigious
Zurbarán with St Lawrence. and contrasting painters Claude clients, ordering the famous
The portrait of a courtier, Count Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin, Green Frog Service.
Olivares, (c. 1640) by Velázquez, are well represented. Antoine
contrasts with a much earlier Watteau’s Embarrassing Proposal
genre scene of a peasant’s (c. 1716), Stolen Kiss (1780s) by 19th- and 20th-Century
breakfast (1617–18). Jean Honoré Fragonard and European Art
François Boucher’s far-from- Although the royal family did
virtuous heroines represent not patronize the new move-
Flemish, Dutch and the more wicked side of 18th- ments in art in the 19th century,
German Art century taste, but Catherine there were far-sighted private
The small collection of early the Great preferred didactic individuals whose collections
paintings from the Netherlands or instructional works. She also were nationalized and entered
includes a Madonna and patronized sculptors and English the Hermitage after the 1917
Child (1430s) by the Master of artists. Catherine purchased Revolution. The Barbizon school
Flemalle. Over 40 works by works by Etienne-Maurice is well represented by works
Rubens cover religious subjects Falconet, Jean-Antoine Houdon, from Camille Corot and French
and scenes from Classical Sir Godfrey Kneller and Sir Romanticism by two richly col-
mythology, as well as Joshua Reynolds. However, oured Moroccan scenes of the
1850s by Delacroix. Nicholas I
acquired works by the German
Romantic painter Caspar David
Friedrich. Collectors Sergey
Shchukin and Ivan Morozov
brought the museum its fine
array of Impressionist and Post-
Impressionist paintings includ-
ing pieces by Monet, Renoir and
Pissarro and several pastels by
Degas. Works by Van Gogh, such
as his Women of Arles (1888),
and those by Gauguin, Cézanne,
Matisse and Picasso show the
changes in colour and technique
introduced over a period of
time. The bold innovation of
Picasso’s Cubist period of 1907–
Women of Arles (1888), painted by Vincent Van Gogh 12 fills a whole room.
The Winter Palace

Зимний дворец
Zimniĭ dvorets
The existing Winter Palace, built between 1754 and 1762, is a great example
of Russian Baroque. Created for Tsarina Elizabeth, this opulent winter residence
was the finest achievement of Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Though the exterior has
changed little, the interiors were largely restored after a fire gutted the palace
in 1837. After the assassination of Alexander II in 1881, the imperial family rarely
lived here. During World War I, a field hospital was set up in the Nicholas Hall
and other state rooms. In July 1917, the provisional government took the
palace as its headquarters, which led to its storming by the Bolsheviks.
. Small Throne Room

Dedicated in 1833 to the memory
of Peter the Great, this room
houses a silver-gilt English
throne, made in 1731.
. Malachite Room
Over 2 tonnes (2 tons)
. Main Staircase of ornamental stone
This vast, sweeping staircase was was used in this room,
Rastrelli’s masterpiece. It was from which is decorated with
here that the imperial family watched malachite columns
the Epiphany ceremony of baptism and vases, gilded doors
in the Neva river, which celebrated and ceiling, and rich
Christ’s baptism in the Jordan. parquet flooring.
ST PETERSBURG 155
Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700–71)

The Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli came
to Russia with his father in 1716 to work for
Peter the Great. His rich Baroque style became
very fashionable and he was appointed Chief
Court Architect in 1738. During Elizabeth’s reign,
Rastrelli designed several buildings, including his Bartolomeo Rastrelli
magnum opus, the Winter Palace, the dazzling
Palace of Tsarskoe Selo and the fine Smolnyy Convent,
all in areas around St Petersburg. Unlike Elizabeth, Catherine
the Great preferred Classical simplicity and Rastrelli retired in
Alexander Hall 1763, after she came to power.
Architect Aleksandr Bryullov
employed a mixture of Gothic
vaulting and Neo-Classical stucco
bas-reliefs of military themes in
this reception room of 1837. Dark Corridor
The tapestries here include
the 17th-century Marriage of
Emperor Constantine, made
to designs by Rubens.
KEY
1 North façade overlooking the 6 The Armorial Hall, with its vast a display of Western European
Neva river gilded columns, covers over 800 sq m carved gems.
(8,600 sq ft). Hospital beds were set
2 The Nicholas Hall, the q West Wing
largest room in the palace, was up in this cavernous room during
World War I. w The Gothic Library and
always used for the first ball other rooms in the northwest part
of the season. 7 The French Rooms, designed by of the palace were adapted to suit
Bryullov in 1839, house a collection
3 The Field Marshals’ Hall Nicholas II’s bourgeois lifestyle. This
was the reception room where of 18th-century French art. wood-panelled library was created
the devastating fire broke out 8 South façade on by Meltzer in 1894.
in 1837. Palace Square
e The Rotunda connected the
4 The Hall of St George has 9 The White Hall was decorated private apartments on the west side
monolithic columns and wall for the wedding of Alexander II with the state apartments on the
facings of Italian Carrara marble. in 1841. north side.
5 The 1812 Gallery has portraits 0 The Gold Drawing Room was
of Russian military heroes of the created in the 1850s. This room was
Napoleonic Wars, most by English decorated in the 1870s with all-over
artist George Dawe. gilding of walls and ceiling. It houses
0 Summer Palace
Летний дворец
Letniy dvorets
Naberezhnaya Kutuzova.
Map D2. Tel 314 0374. @ 46, 49.
Open May–Nov: 10am–6pm Wed–
Mon. Closed last Mon of each month.
&8
Built for Peter the Great, the

modest two-storey Summer
Palace is the oldest stone
building in the city. Designed
in the Dutch style by Domenico
Trezzini, it was completed in
1714. The Prussian sculptor The remarkable stove in the Summer Palace’s tiled kitchen
Andreas Schlüter created the
delightful maritime bas-reliefs The palace boasted the city’s q Summer Garden
as an allegorical commentary first plumbing system with Летний сад
on Russia’s naval triumphs under water piped directly into the Letniy sad
Peter the Great’s stewardship. kitchen. The original black
Letniy Sad. Map D3. @ 46, 49.
Grander than his wooden marble sink can still be seen,
Open 10am–10pm daily.
cabin, located on Petrogradskaya along with the beautifully tiled Closed Apr. 7 -
across the Neva river, Peter’s kitchen stove and an array of
second St Petersburg residence early 18th-century cooking In 1704, Peter the Great
is still by no means comparable utensils. The kitchen opens commissioned this beautiful
to the magnificent palaces built onto the exquisite dining room, garden, which was among
by his successors. imaginatively refurbished to the first in the city. Designed
On the ground floor, the convey an atmosphere of by a Frenchman in the style
reception room has portraits domesticity. It was used only of Versailles, the allées were
of the tsar and his ministers and for small family gatherings since planted with imported elms
contains Peter’s oak Admiralty major banquets were held at and oaks and adorned with
Chair. The tsar’s bedroom has the Menshikov Palace (see p146). fountains, pavilions and some
its original four-poster bed A lavish suite on the first 250 Italian statues dating from
with a coverlet of Chinese silk, floor was used by Peter’s second the 17th and 18th centuries. A
and an 18th-century ceiling wife, Catherine, while the throne flood in 1777 destroyed most
fresco showing the triumph in the aptly named Throne Room of the Summer Garden, and
of Morpheus, the god of sleep. is ornamented with Nereides the English-style garden, which
Next door is the turnery that and other sea deities. The glass exists today, is largely the result
contains some original Russian cupboards in the Green Room of Catherine the Great’s tastes.
lathes as well as a carved once displayed Peter’s lovely A splendid feature is the fine
wooden meteorological instru- collection of curiosa before it filigree iron grille along the
ment, designed in Dresden was moved to the Kunstkammer Neva embankment, created
in 1714. on Vasilevskiy Ostrov. by architects Yuriy Velten
and Pyotr Yegorov.
For a century the Summer
Garden was an exclusive
preserve of the nobility.
When the garden was opened
to the public by Nicholas I,
two Neo-Classical pavilions,
the Tea House and the Coffee
House, were erected overlooking
the Fontanka. These are now
used for temporary art exhibi-
tions by local artists.
Nearby, the bronze statue
of Ivan Krylov, Russia’s most
famous writer of fables, is a
favourite with children. Sculpted
in 1854 by Pyotr Klodt, with
charming bas-reliefs on the
pedestal, it depicts animals
Ivan Krylov’s statue amidst autumn foliage in the Summer Garden from Krylov’s fables.
ST PETERSBURG 157
wPushkin
House-Museum
Музей-квартира А. С.
Пушкина Muzey-kvartira
A.S. Pushkina
Naberezhnaya reki Moyki 12.
Map C3. Tel 571 3531. Open 10:30am–
6pm Wed–Mon. Closed last Fri of
each month. & 8
∑ museumpushkin.ru
Pushkin was born in Moscow in

1799 (see p138), but spent many
years of his life in St Petersburg.
From the autumn of 1836 until
his death in 1837, Pushkin lived Mosaic tympanum at the Church on Spilled Blood
in this fairly opulent apartment
overlooking the Moyka, with his famous work, Eugene Onegin, a They were based on designs
wife Natalya and other family novel in verse written between by artists such as Viktor Vasnetsov
members. It was here that he 1823 and 1830. The apartment’s and Mikhail Nesterov. The
bled to death after his fateful most impressive feature is the 144 mosaic coats of arms on
duel with d’Anthès. poet’s library, which contains the bell tower represent the
Some half a dozen rooms more than 4,500 volumes in a regions, towns and provinces
on the first floor have been staggering 14 European and of the Russian Empire. They
refurbished in the Empire style Oriental languages. Among were intended to reflect the
of the period. The most evocative these are works by Byron, grief shared by all Russians
is Pushkin’s study, which is Shakespeare and Dante. in the wake of Alexander II’s
arranged exactly as it was when assassination. The perimeter
he died. On the writing table is of the lower wall has 20 dark-
an ivory paper knife given to the e Church on red plaques made of Norwegian
poet by his sister, a bronze hand- Spilled Blood granite, which illustrate key
bell and an inkstand. Embellished Храм Спаса-на-Крови events of the 25-year reign
with the figure of an Ethiopian Khram Spasa-na-Krovi of Alexander II.
boy, the inkstand is a reminder Inside, more than 20 types
Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova 2b.
of Pushkin’s great grandfather, of minerals, including jasper,
Map D3. Tel 315 1636. q Gostinyy
Abram Hannibal. Bought as a rhodonite, porphyry and Italian
Dvor, Nevskiy Prospekt. Open May–
slave in Constantinople in 1706, Sep: 10am–11pm Thu–Tue; Oct–Apr: marble, are lavished on the
Hannibal served as a general 11am–7pm Thu–Tue. & ^ mosaics of the iconostasis, icon
under Peter the Great and was ∑ cathedral.ru cases, canopy and floor. The
the inspiration for Pushkin’s interior reopened in 1998 after
unfinished novel The Negro of Also called the Resurrection more than 20 years of
Peter the Great. Church of Our Saviour, this restoration work.
On the wall in front of church was built on the spot
Pushkin’s desk is a Turkish where Tsar Alexander II was
sabre presented to him in assassinated on 1 March 1881.
the Caucasus, where he had In 1883, his successor, Alexander III,
been exiled in 1820. It was launched a competition for
there that he began his most a permanent memorial. The
winning design, favoured by
the tsar himself, was by Alfred
Parland and Ignatiy Malyshev.
The Russian Revival style of the
exterior provides a dramatic
contrast to the Neo-Classical
and Baroque architecture
which dominates the centre of
St Petersburg. The foundation
stone was laid in 1883.
A riot of colour, the overall
effect of the church is created
by the imaginative juxtaposition
of materials. Mosaic panels
Personal effects in Pushkin’s study, Pushkin showing scenes from the New Colourful exterior of the Church on
House-Museum Testament adorn the exterior. Spilled Blood
the St Petersburg Philharmonia,

also called the Shostakovich
Hall. The Philharmonic
Orchestra has been based
here since the 1920s. Among
the works that premiered
here were Beethoven’s
Missa Solemnis in 1824 and
Pathétique by Tchaikovsky
in 1893. On the square’s
western side is the Mikhailovsky
Theatre. In the centre of the
square is a sculpture of one
of Russia’s greatest literary
figures, Alexander Pushkin.
y Nevskiy Prospekt
Невский проспект
Nevskiy prospekt
Map C3. q Nevskiy Prospekt,
Gostinyy Dvor.
Russia’s most famous street,

Russian Museum, in the Neo-Classical Mikhaylovskiy Palace Nevskiy prospekt, is also
St Petersburg’s main thorough-
r Russian Museum garde painting by Kandinsky fare. In the 1830s, the novelist
Русский Музей and Malevich. Highlights of Nikolai Gogol declared with
Russkiy Muzey the exhibition are the works pride: “There is nothing finer
of Russia’s first-known por trait than Nevskiy Avenue in
Inzhenernaya ulitsa 4. Map D3.
painters, Ivan Nikitin and Andrey St Petersburg it is everything
Tel 595 4248. q Nevskiy Prospekt,
Gostinyy Dvor. @ 3, 7, 22, 27, K-169,
Matveev and the brooding is there anything more gay,
K-187, K-289.  1, 5, 7, 10, 22. canvases of 19th- and 20th- more brilliant, more resplen-
Open 10am–6pm Mon, Wed, Fri–Sun, century artist Mikhail Vrubel, dent than this beautiful street
1–9pm Thu (last ticket an hour before who combined Russian themes of our capital?” Not much has
closing). & 8 English. 9 English. with an international outlook. changed as the street’s intrinsic
7 call for details. - = Other leading artists, including “all-powerful” atmosphere
∑ rusmuseum.ru Marc Chagall, El Lissitskiy and still prevails.
Alexander Rodchenko, are Laid out in the early days
Housing one of the greatest also well represented in the of the city, it was first known
collections of Russian art, the museum. Exhibitions are as the Great Perspective Road,
Russian Museum was opened changed regularly. and ran 5 km (3 miles) from
to the public for the first time The museum also has a the Admiralty (see p146) to the
in 1898. When the museum selection of folk art, which Alexander Nevsky Monastery.
was nationalized after the 1917 is wonderfully diverse and In spite of roaming wolves and
Revolution, art was transferred includes painted ceramics uncontrollable flooding from
to it from palaces, churches and and exquisitely embroi- the Neva, which made the
private collections. The museum dered textiles.
is housed in the Mikhaylovskiy
Palace, one of Carlo Rossi’s
finest Neo-Classical creations, t Arts Square
which was built between 1819 Площадь Искусств
and 1825 for Grand Duke Ploshchad Iskusstv
Mikhail Pavlovich.
Map D3. q Nevskiy Prospekt,
The chronologically arranged
Gostinyy Dvor.
exhibition starts on the first
floor. The exhibition continues Several of the city’s leading
on the ground floor of the main cultural institutions are located
building and Rossi Wing, then on this imposing Neo-Classical
the first floor of the Benois Wing, square; hence its name. The
which was added between attractive square was designed
1913 and 1919. The museum’s by Carlo Rossi in the early 19th
exhibits range from 12th–17th century. Opposite the Russian Pushkin’s statue located in the centre of
century Russian icons to avant- Museum is the Great Hall of Arts Square
ST PETERSBURG 159
avenue navigable in 1721,

fine mansions, such as the
Stroganov Palace, soon started
to appear. Shops and bazaars,
catering for the nobility, and
inns for travelling merchants
followed. By the mid-18th
century the avenue had become
the place to meet for gossip,
business and pleasure.
Many of the city’s sights
are close to the stretch
between the Admiralty and
Anichkov Bridge. Some of the
best shops (see pp162–3) can
be found around Gostinyy
dvor and Passazh arcade. One of Russia’s most important cultural institutions, the Mariinskiy Theatre
Nevskiy prospekt also offers
a wealth of cultural interest: u Mariinskiy impression. Its architectural
the Small Philharmonia Theatre decoration of twisted columns,
Concert Hall, the Russian Мариинский театр atlantes, cherubs and cameo
National Library, Beloselskiy- Mariinskiy teatr
medallions has remained
Belozerskiy Palace and a unchanged since the theatre’s
wide variety of museums, Teatralnaya ploshchad 1. Map B5. completion, and the imperial
theatres, churches, including Tel 326 4141. @ 3, 22, 27. eagles have been restored to
the Church of St Catherine,  5, 22. & - = ^ the royal box. The ceiling fresço
∑ mariinsky.ru
shops, cinemas and eateries. of dancing girls and cupids by
Often still known internationally Italian artist Enrico Franchioli
by its Soviet title, the Kirov, this dates from c.1856, while the
theatre was originally named superb stage curtain was
after Tsarina Maria Alexandrovna, added during Russian ballet’s
Alexander II’s wife, and has golden age in 1914. Equally
now reverted to its first name. remark able is the glittering
Erected in 1860 by the archi- foyer, decorated with fluted
tect who designed Moscow’s pilasters, bas-reliefs of Russian
Bolshoy Theatre, Albert Kavos, composers and mirrored doors.
it stands on the site of an earlier One of the country’s leading
theatre that was destroyed by opera houses, this theatre
fire. Between 1883 and 1896, was where most of Russia’s
Viktor Schröter remodelled the great 19th-century operas
Neo-Renaissance façade and premiered. These include
added most of the ornamental Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov
detail. The pale blue and gold (1874), Tchaikovsky’s Queen of
auditorium, where so many Spades (1890) and Shostakovich’s
View along the bustle of Nevskiy prospekt, illustrious dancers have made controversial opera Lady
the hub of St Petersburg their debuts, creates a dazzling Macbeth of Mtsensk (1934).
The Ballets Russes

The legendary touring company that revolutionized ballet between
1909 and 1929 was the brainchild of the impresario and art critic
Sergey Diaghilev (1872–1929). His choreographer Mikhail Fokine
shared his vision of a spectacle that would fuse music, ballet and decor
in a seamless artistic whole. Diaghilev had the pick of the dancers from
Mariinskiy Theatre and, in 1909, he took his Ballets Russes to Paris. His
company had a remarkable impact on the contemporary art world.
The ballets of Fokine, in particular, prepared audiences for greater
innovation and experimentation. Exciting contributions from costume
and set designers Léon Bakst and Alexandre Benois, the composer Igor
Stravinsky and the dancers Vaslaw Nijinsky, Anna Pavlova and Tamara
Karsavina all played a part in expanding artistic frontiers. After Diaghilev’s
An early 20th-century Ballets death in 1929, the Ballets Russes fragmented, but its ethos and traditions
Russes programme have been preserved in many of today’s leading companies.
Health and Security

Practical & Travel Information Most hotels have their own
Moscow is not as difficult for visitors to find their way around doctor, and this should be
as it may seem at first. Although tourist facilities are fairly the first port of call for anyone
basic, there is an excellent metro system, and passers-by and who falls ill. There are several
companies, notably the European
people working in hotels, restaurants and shops will usually Medical Centre and the
be helpful. In St Petersburg, conventional tourist offices do International Clinic MEDSI
not exist and information points are often concentrated in in Moscow, and MEDEM and
hotels and other areas frequented by foreigners. In recent Euromed in St Petersburg, which
times the city has started putting up English signs pointing deal with medical emergencies.
Medical insurance, however,
out major sights and shops. However, it is a good idea for
is essential.
visitors to familiarize themselves with the Cyrillic alphabet Despite media reports
in order to decipher signs. worldwide about the activities
of the mafia, Moscow and
St Petersburg are relatively safe
When to Visit are supposed to register with cities. Petty crime should be
The best time to visit Moscow OVIR, the Visa and Registration the only concern for visitors,
and St Petersburg is during the Department, within three days and even this can be avoided
peak tourist season that lasts of their arrival; hotels do this for with the usual precautions. It
from May to late August. Winters their guests. is advisable to make copies of
in Moscow are bitterly cold and All visitors have to fill out a your passport and visa, and to
best avoided. January is a good customs declaration form on make a note of traveller’s cheque
time to visit St Petersburg, when arrival. Valuables such as jewel- and credit card numbers.
the days are sunny. lery and computers should be
declared on entry, other wise
duty may be payable. Banking and Currency
Documentation The official currency of Moscow
Visitors from almost all countries, and St Petersburg is the rouble.
including the Baltic States, will Visitor Information Roubles cannot be obtained
need a visa to visit Moscow and There are no conventional outside Russia, but there are
St Petersburg. Only citizens of tourist information offices in numerous exchange bureaus
the other CIS member-states are Moscow or St Petersburg, so all over Moscow, including at
exempt. Independent tourist visa hotels are the main source of the airports. Banks are open
applications must be supported guidance for visitors. Upmarket from 9am to 6pm and accept a
with appropriate documentation hotels in Moscow are the most variety of currencies and credit
as well as proof of pre-booked helpful. Smaller hotels have a cards as well as traveller’s cheques.
hotel accommodation or an service bureau offering similar
invitation (visa support) from a tour services, but advice can
company, business or private be indifferent. Communications
individual in Russia. Anyone VisitRussia.com Ltd., DenRus Russia’s phone system has
intending to reside in Russia and the MIR Travel Company rapidly been brought up to date,
for longer than three months in St Petersburg provide tourist with direct dialling worldwide.
is advised to register with their assistance including information Blue Comstar satellite phone
own embassy or consulate in on booking accommodation boxes are installed at airports,
Moscow. Officially, all foreigners and entertainment options. in business centres, most hotel
The Climate of Moscow MOSCOW ST PETERSBURG

and St Petersburg 23/73
21/70
Moscow experiences ° C/F ° C/F
warm summers with 13/55 13/55
10/50 9/48 9/48
temperatures reaching 8/46
23° C (73° F). Winters are 3/37 4/39
1/34 0/32
long and cold with temper- 0°C
32°F -9/16
0°C
32°F -7/19
atures dropping as low as -16/3 -13/9
−16° C (3° F). In St Petersburg, 5 hrs 9 hrs 3 hrs 1 hrs 5 hrs 9 hrs 2 hrs 1 hrs
summers are mild at 20° C
(68° F), while winters are 37 88 45 39 36 72 76 35
less bitter than in Moscow, mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
with temperatures down month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan
to −13° C (9° F).
foyers and some restaurants. Arriving by Sea of the train’s wheels are
These accept credit cards or Arriving by boat can be one changed to fit the wider
phone cards, which are sold in of the most exciting ways to Russian tracks.
most major hotels, restaurants approach St Petersburg. How-
and clubs, but calls are expensive. ever, ferries and cruises operate
Moscow’s Main Post Office irregularly, so it is best to check Travelling by Coach
and St Petersburg’s Westpost with a travel agent for details. It is possible to get to Moscow
and Post International offer Ferries from Scandinavia usually by coach, but it is usually only
ordinary, express, courier and dock at the Maritime Passenger worth it if visitors are travelling
poste restante services. Terminal. Trolleybus No. 10 from a neighbouring country or
and bus No. 7 run from here to are on a tight budget. There are
the centre or, heading in the coach routes to Moscow from
Arriving by Air other direction, to Primorskaya the Czech Republic, Poland,
There is a reasonable choice of metro station. Hungary and Slovakia. Ecolines
flights to Moscow from the UK. Luxury cruise ships from the coaches offer a more affordable
British Airways, Aeroflot and US, London and elsewhere alternative to trains.
Transaero operate direct flights, arrive at St Petersburg’s cargo
while SAS, KLM and Austrian port, 5 km (3 miles) southwest
Airlines run flights via various of the centre. Ships have their Travelling Between
destinations. The international own coaches to carry tourists Moscow and St Petersburg
terminal is Domodedovo. into town and back. The most popular form of
Transaero and Aeroflot operate transport between the two cities is
flights from the US, Australia and the train, of which there are ten or
Canada. Transaero is considered Rail Travel more a day. Prices vary according
a good alternative to Aeroflot. Rail is a relatively inexpensive to the class of the train – the Red
Direct flights from the UK way to travel within Russia. Arrow being the most expensive –
to St Petersburg run daily on Moscow can be reached by and the choice of seat.
British Airways and three days train from Paris, Brussels, Berlin Regular commercial flights
a week on Rossiya, while those and several other European run by Aeroflot, Rossiya and
from Ireland, Canada, South capitals, while St Petersburg is Transaero also connect the two
Africa, Australasia and the US connected to Moscow, Helsinki cities. Prices are modest and
are limited. The modernized and London. Travellers should tickets are available from the
international Pulkovo Airport, be prepared for a lengthy wait airport or the Central Air
meets international standards. at the Russian border while all Communication Agency.
DIRECTORY
Documentation New Zealand International Clinic Domodedovo
∑ nzembassy.com MEDSI Tel (495) 933 6666.
∑ petersburgcity.com
Tel (495) 933 7700. KLM
United Kingdom
OVIR ∑ ukinrussia.fco.gov. Medem ∑ klm.com
Tel (499) 238 6400. ∑ medem.ru Pulkovo Airport
uk/en
∑ pulkovoairport.ru
Visitor United States Communications
Information ∑ usembassy.ru Rossiya
Main Post Office Tel (812) 647 0647.
DenRus ∑ rossiya-airlines.com
Emergency Myasnitskaya ulitsa 26,
∑ denrus.ru
Numbers Moscow. SAS
MIR Travel Company Tel (495) 624 0250. ∑ sas-airlines.com
Tel (812) 325 2595. Ambulance
Tel 03, 112. Post International Transaero
∑ mir-travel.com ∑ transaero.ru
Tel (812) 309 0990.
VisitRussia.com Ltd. Fire
Tel 01, 112. Westpost Arriving by Sea
∑ visitrussia.com
Nevskiy prospekt 86,
Police St Petersburg. Maritime Passenger
Embassies Tel 02, 112. Terminal
Tel (812) 275 0784.
Australia Tel (812) 322 6052.
∑ russia.embassy. Health and Arriving by Air
Security Rail Travel
gov.au Aeroflot
∑ aeroflot.ru ∑ rzd.ru
Canada Euromed
∑ canadainternational. Tel (812) 327 0301. Austrian Airlines Travelling by
gc.ca/russia-russie/ ∑ aua.com Coach
European Medical
Ireland Centre British Airways Ecolines
∑ embassyofireland.ru Tel (495) 933 6655. ∑ britishairways.com ∑ ecolines.ru
Shopping & Entertainment Popular vodkas such as

Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya
It is easy to find interesting and beautiful souvenirs in are available in supermarkets
Moscow and St Petersburg. A wide range of goods is such as Sedmoi Kontinent.
available, from enamelled badges to hand-painted Palekh Gostinyy Dvor and Passazh
are the most central and reliable
boxes and samovars. Traditional crafts were encouraged places for both vodka and caviar
by the state in the former Soviet Union and many items in St Petersburg. For something
are still made by artisans using age-old methods. Moscow sweet, the Krupskaya Fabrika
and St Petersburg also offer an impressive and varied choice chocolate factory has long been
of entertainment, from theatre, opera and ballet to lively famous across the Soviet Union,
while the Chocolate Museum
nightlife venues. St Petersburg has many rock and jazz
sells novelties such as famous
clubs, bars, art cafés, discos, nightclubs and casinos. buildings crafted in chocolate.
Moscow’s street performers are additional attractions.
Nightlife
Opening Hours Farfora sells hand-painted tea Nightlife in Moscow is booming.
Shops in Moscow and sets and Russian crystal and the For mainstream pop and disco,
St Petersburg usually open Salon of the Moscow Cultural there are large clubs in Moscow
from 10am to 8pm. In Moscow, Fund offers samovars, old lamps such as Soho Rooms. Foreign DJs
shops are open all day on and sculptures. often perform at Propaganda
Saturdays, and for shorter hours In St Petersburg, there are and Fabrique. House music is
on Sundays. In St Petersburg, good gifts to be found in the blended with more up-tempo
department stores and other Souvenir Market and Gostinyy Latin beats at Karma Bar, while
large shops remain open on Dvor. Local porcelain is available Kult offers more urban grooves.
Sundays; smaller places may in the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Secret Bar and Dorffman cater
close at weekends in summer. to the “new-rich”, with prices and
cover charges to match.
Art and Antiques St Petersburg’s nightclubs offer
Markets Both Moscow and St Petersburg mostly techno and mainstream
The markets in Moscow and have a host of treasure-filled art pop. Metro plays house, techno
St Petersburg cater more to and antique shops worth exploring. and Russian dance music. Cuba
the daily needs of locals than Ulitsa Arbat, in Moscow, has libre has DJ parties and offers
to visitors. However, there are many of the best antique shops. a wide choice of cocktails,
a number of souvenir and flea Serebryaniy Ryad offers a good while Tribunal is purely main-
markets. Izmaylovo Market selection of icons, silver, jewellery stream. Smaller, more diverse
in Moscow has all the usual and china, while Ivantsarevich clubs, such as the underground
souvenirs on sale, including has a variety of interesting Soviet Griboedov, are still very much
Soviet memorabilia and painted porcelain. The Foreign Book of the alternative culture trend,
Russian matryoshka dolls. Store, though principally a book- playing a variety of the latest
The official souvenir market shop, also sells furniture, china hits from Europe.
in St Petersburg, near the and lamps.
Church on Spilled Blood (see Most shops in St Petersburg are
p157), sells the best and cheap- very expensive, but Tertia is an Music, Theatre and Dance
est selection of matryoshka exception, with readily exportable In Moscow, many famous
dolls. Visitors are also likely items to suit all pockets. The foreign acts, as well as the best
to find handmade chess sets, Antique Centre is a veritable in local talent, play at clubs
watches, fur hats, old cameras treasure trove. It is worth visiting such as ESSE Jazz Club and
and military paraphernalia. Anna Nova or S.P.A.S. to see Sixteen Tons. The Tchaikovsky
the paintings on sale. The Union Concert Hall and the Moscow
of Artists has exhibitions by local Conservatory stand out among
Handicrafts artists, while the Pushkinskaya the classical music venues,
Handmade goods are cheaper 10 artists’ colony stages shows while opera and ballet are
in Moscow and St Petersburg at weekends, some with performed at the Bolshoy
than in the West, and they make works for sale. Theatre. The city’s theatre scene
interesting souvenirs to take is vibrant and the Taganka
home. The best places to shop Theatre and Mossoviet Theatre
in Moscow are Izmaylovo Market Food and Drink are among the city’s best,
and the souvenir shops on ulitsa Russia is the best place in the staging excellent productions
Arbat. Elsewhere in the city, a world to buy vodka and caviar. of Russian classics. The Moscow
good range of arts and crafts is Caviar should not be bought on Arts Theatre, the Lenkom
available at Russkiye Uzory. For the street and it is advisable to Theatre and Malyy Theatre
more unusual souvenirs, Dom buy it in tins rather than in jars. stage musicals and plays by
contemporary Russian writers, punk bands. The Great Hall of performed at the Mikhailovsky
while performances at the the Philharmonia, the Small Theatre. The Mariinskiy Theatre
Gypsy Theatre consist of gypsy Hall of the Philharmonia and the is the epitome of the best in
dancing and singing. Academic Capella are the historic Russian ballet and opera while
In St Petersburg, gig venues venues that are used for classical the Alexandriinskiy Theatre
include Pyatnitsa, which features concerts. Opera and ballet are is the oldest in Russia.
DIRECTORY
Markets Serebryaniy Ryad Karma Bar Great Hall of the
Arbat 18, Moscow. Pushechnaya ul 3, Moscow. Philharmonia
Izmaylovo Market Tel (495) 691 7308. Tel (495) 624 5633. Mikhaylovskaya ul 2,
Izmaylovskoe Shosse, St Petersburg.
Moscow. S.P.A.S. Kult
Tel (812) 710 4290.
Naberezhnaya Reki Moyki Ul Yauzskaya 5, Moscow.
Handicrafts 93, St Petersburg. Tel (495) 917 5706. Gypsy Theatre
Tel (812) 571 4260. Metro Leningradskiy prospekt
Dom Farfora 32/2, Moscow.
Tertia Ligovskiy prospekt 174.
Leninskiy prospekt 36, Tel (495) 251 8522.
Italyanskaya ul 5, Tel (812) 766 0204.
Moscow.
Tel (499) 995 6023. St Petersburg. Propaganda Lenkom Theatre
Tel (812) 710 5568. Bolshoy Zlatoustinskiy Ul Malaya Dmitrovka 6,
Gostinyy Dvor Moscow.
Union of Artists pereulok 7, Moscow.
Nevskiy prospekt 35, Tel (495) 699 0708.
Bolshaya Morskaya ul 38, Tel (495) 624 5732.
St Petersburg.
Tel (812) 710 5408. St Petersburg. Secret Bar Malyy Theatre
Tel (812) 314 3060. Stoleshnikov pereulok Ul Rubinsteyna 18,
Imperial Porcelain St Petersburg.
6/3, Moscow.
Factory Food and Drink Tel (812) 713 2078.
Tel (495) 921 0750.
151 Obukhovskoy Oborony
prospekt, St Petersburg. Chocolate Museum Soho Rooms Mariinskiy Theatre
Tel (812) 560 8544. Nevskiy prospekt 17, Savvinskaya Teatralnaya pl 1,
St Petersburg. naberezhnaya 12/8, St Petersburg.
Russkiye Uzory Tel (812) 326 4141.
Tel (812) 315 1348. Moscow. Tel (495) 988 7474.
Ul Petrovka 16, Moscow.
Tel (495) 923 1883. Krupskaya Fabrika Tribunal Mikhailovsky Theatre
Ul Vosstaniya 15, Karavannaya ulitsa 26, Pl Iskusstv 1, St Petersburg.
Salon of the Moscow Tel (812) 595 4305.
St Petersburg. St Petersburg.
Cultural Fund
Tel (812) 346 5532. Tel (812) 314 2423. Moscow Arts Theatre
Pyatnitskaya ul 16, Moscow.
Tel (495) 951 3302. Passazh Kamergerskiy Pereulok 3,
Music, Theatre Moscow.
Souvenir Market Nevskiy prospekt 48, and Dance
St Petersburg. Tel (495) 629 8760.
Naberezhnaya Kanala
Griboedova, St Petersburg. Tel (812) 571 1426. A2 Moscow Conservatory
Medikov prospekt 3, Bolshaya Nikitskaya Ul 13/6,
Sedmoi Kontinent
Art and Antiques St Petersburg. Moscow.
Bolshaya Gruzinskaya ul
Tel (812) 309 9922. Tel (495) 629 9401.
Anna Nova 63, Moscow.
Tel (495) 721 3862. Academic Capella Mossoviet Theatre
Ul Zhukovskovo 28,
Nab Reki Moyki 20, Bolshaya Sadovaya 16,
St Petersburg.
Tel (812) 275 9762.
Nightlife St Petersburg. Moscow. Tel (495) 699 2035.
Tel (812) 314 1058.
Antique Centre Cuba libre Sixteen Tons
Sadovaya 7-9-11, Alexandriinskiy Presnenskiy Val 6, Moscow.
3-ya Sovetskaya ul 36/5,
St Petersburg. Theatre Tel (495) 253 5300.
St Petersburg.
Tel (812) 983 5526. Ploshchad Ostrovskovo 2,
Tel (812) 327 8271. Small Hall of the
St Petersburg.
The Foreign Dorffman Tel (812) 710 4103. Philharmonia
Book Store Taganskaya pl 12/2, Nevskiy prospekt 30,
Moscow. Bolshoy Theatre St Petersburg.
Malaya Nikitskaya ul
Tel (495) 679 8688. Teatralnaya pl 1,
16/5, Moscow. Tel (812) 312 4585.
Tel (495) 250 7317
Tel (495) 290 4082. Fabrique (Moscow). Nab Reki Taganka Theatre
Ivantsarevich Kosmodamianskaya Fontanki 65, Zemlyanoy Val 76, Moscow.
Ul Arbat 4, Moscow. Naberezhnaya 2. Tel (812) 310 9242 (St Tel (495) 915 1015.
Tel (495) 291 7444. Tel (963) 687 8888. Petersburg).
Tchaikovsky Concert
Pushkinskaya 10 Griboedov ESSE Jazz Club Hall
Ligovskiy prospekt 53, Voronezhskaya ul 2A, Pyatnistkaya ulitsa 27/3a, Triumfalnaya ploshchad
St Petersburg. St Petersburg. Moscow. 4/31, Moscow.
Tel (812) 764 5371. Tel (812) 764 4355. Tel (495) 951 6404. Tel (495) 299 3681.
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Moscow DK Choice Prices are based on one night’s stay in
Hotel Baltschug high season for a standard double room,
Kempinski  inclusive of service charges and taxes.
Business Map E3  under 3,000 rouble
DK Choice Ulitsa Balchug 1  3,000 to 6,500 rouble
 over 6,500 rouble
Hotel Metropol  Tel (495) 287 2000
Luxury Map E2 ∑ kempinski-moscow.com
Teatralnyy proezd 2 Located by the Moskva river, this Kempinski Hotel
Tel (499) 501 7800 elegant hotel offers magnificent Moika 22 
∑ metmos.ru views of the Kremlin and St Basil’s Luxury Map C3
A wonderful example of Cathedral from its rooms on the Naberezhnaya Reki Moyki 22
Style-Moderne, the Metropol riverside. Facilities include a Tel (812) 335 9111
boasts spectacular interiors business centre, spa and beauty ∑ kempinski.com
adorned with mosaics, centre. Taxi services are available Great views of the Hermitage
golden chandeliers and from the hotel’s fleet of luxury cars. from some rooms. The restaurant
stained glass. offers international cuisine.
Indulge in the Turkish bath.
Marco Polo Presnya

DK Choice
Hotel  St Petersburg
Business Map C2 B&B Randhouse 
Spiridonevskiy pereulok 9 Petro Palace Hotel  Guesthouse Map C4
Tel (495) 660 0606 Business Map C4 Pereulok Grivtsova 11, apt 83
∑ presnja.ru Malaya Morskaya ulitsa 14 Tel (812) 310 7005
Quiet and comfortable Tel (812) 571 2880 ∑ randhouse.ru
hotel in a lovely residential ∑ petropalacehotel.com Named after Ayn Rand, this
area, a short walk from Grand interiors and extensive facil- loft-based mini-hotel has open
Red Square. ities, including a gym and Jacuzzi. fireplaces, bare-brick walls and
king-size duvets. Some rooms
Peking Hotel  have private bathrooms, others
Historic DK Choice share facilities. Great location.
Ulitsa Bolshaya Sadovaya 5 Casa Leto 
Tel (495) 650 0900 Historic Map C4
∑ hotelpeking.ru Bolshaya Morskaya ulitsa 34 Hotel Columb 
Towering Empire-style building Tel (812) 600 1096 Guesthouse Map C4
with rooms ranging from basic ∑ casaleto.com Kazanskaya ulitsa 41
to luxurious. Free Wi-Fi. Ultra-chic family-owned Tel (812) 315 7093
boutique hotel – reached by ∑ columbhotel.com
Ararat Park Hyatt a grand stairwell – with light- Quiet, comfortable hotel near the
Moscow  filled rooms and a superb central metro. Free parking and Wi-Fi.
Luxury Map F1 location. Completely non-
Neglinnaya ulitsa 4 complimen-
smoking, with many complimen- Hotel St Petersburg 
Tel (495) 783 1234 tary extras such as fresh fruit Business/chain
∑ moscow.park.hyatt.com and refreshments. Free Wi-Fi. Lermontovskiy prospekt 43/1
Housed in a former Stalinist Tel (812) 740 2640
ministry, this hotel offers superb ∑ azimuthotels.com
views from its terrace. There’s Polikoff  Over 1,000 budget rooms
a health club with lounging Guesthouse Map D4 with stunning views of
areas, a sauna and a big Karavannya ulitsa 11/64, apt 24–26 Fontanka river.
Roman bath. Tel (812) 995 3488
∑ polikoff.ru
Hotel National  Mini-hotel with bright, cosy rooms.
Historic Map D2 Centrally located. Buffet breakfast.
Mokhovaya ulitsa 15/1
Tel (495) 258 7000
∑ national.ru DK Choice
Lenin stayed here before Grand Hotel Europe 
moving into the Kremlin. Historic Map D4
Rooms are well-appointed. Mikhaylovskaya ulitsa 1/7
Free Wi-Fi. Tel (812) 329 6000
∑ grandhoteleurope.com
The Ritz-Carlton  In a superb location beside
Business/chain Map D2 Nevskiy prospekt, the Europe
Tverskaya ulitsa 3 is close to all the main sights.
Tel (495) 225 8888 wonder ful decor,
It boasts a wonderful
∑ ritzcarlton.com especially the Art Nouveau
especially
Indulge in the spa and pool Caviar Bar. Suites are furnished
at this grand hotel opposite with antiques. Sophisticated bedroom at the Grand Hotel
Red Square. Europe, St Petersburg
For map references see pp126–7 (Moscow), pp142–3 (St Petersburg)

Oblomov  Price Guide
Moscow French/Russian Map E4 Prices are based on a three-course meal
1-y Monetchikovskiy pereulok 5 for one, with an alcoholic beverage
including tax, but not service.
Jagannath  Tel (495) 953 6828
Vegetarian While the café on the first  under 1,000 rouble
 1,000 to 2,000 rouble
Ulitsa Kuznetskiy Most 11 floor serves home-roasted
 over 2,000 rouble
Tel (495) 628 3580 coffee, the Eastern Room on
Stylish café serving tasty Indian, the third floor has hookah
Mexican, Thai, Chinese and and live belly dancing.
European vegetarian dishes.
No alcohol is served but the
ginger beer is divine.
St Petersburg
Montalto 
Pizzeria Demyanova Ukha 
Ulitsa Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya 20 Russian/seafood Map C2
Tel (495) 234 3487 Kronverkskiy prospekt 53
Thick-crust pizzas cooked in a Tel (812) 232 8090
wood-fired oven. Toppings come “Demyanova’s Fish Soup”,
with an original twist – try the the city’s oldest specialist fish
pear, goat’s cheese, fennel and restaurant, serves traditional
pistachio or spicy sausage. Russian dishes. Enjoy live
music in the evenings.
Champagne Café 
European Map F1
Bolshaya Nikitskaya ulitsa 12 DK Choice The stylish L’Europe Restaurant in
Tel (495) 629 5913 Salkhino  St Petersburg
On tables laid out in Venetian- Georgian Map C1
style halls, this eatery serves Kronverkskiy prospekt 25 1913 
dishes such as foie gras with Tel (812) 232 7891 Russian Map C4
berry sauce and beef stroganoff. Generous, top-notch Voznesenskiy prospekt 13
home cooking at this Tel (812) 315 5148
Central House eatery run by two Georgian Named after the last year of
of Writers  women. The khachapuri is Russian imperial greatness, 1913
Russian Map F1 the best in town. Gorge serves delicious regional dishes.
Ulitsa Bolshaya Nikitskaya 53 on aubergines stuffed with
Tel (495) 691 1515 walnuts, bite into roast beef Literary Café 
Lovely carved-oak wood or try the delicious fish in Russian Map D4
decor, fireplaces, live music white sauce. Nevskiy prospekt 18
and tasty traditional dishes. Tel (812) 312 6057
Uniquely atmospheric, The former Wolff and Beranger
especially for devotees Austeria  Café serves rather delicious meat
of Russian literature. Russian Map C2 dishes in rich sauces.
Peter and Paul Fortress
Cutty Sark  Tel (812) 716 1373 Caviar Bar and
Seafood Map F1 Impressive Dutch-style Restaurant 
Novinskiy bulvar 12 decor, and a menu of 17th- Russian Map D3
Tel (495) 691 3350 century Russian dishes. Mikhaylovskaya ulitsa 1/7
Designed to resemble the British Choose from a wide range Tel (812) 329 6000
clipper ship, Cutty Sark serves of flavoured vodkas. Dine on elegantly served caviar
fresh seafood from all over the and fish at this bar-restaurant,
world, and has separate oyster with a fountain in the tiny interior.
and sushi bars.
L’Europe 
European/Russian Map D3
DK Choice Mikhaylovskaya ulitsa 1/7
Suliko  Tel (812) 329 6000
Georgian Map D5 Lobster soup and steak tartare
Ulitsa Bolshaya Polyanka 42/1 are served in an Art Nouveau hall
Tel (499) 238 2888 with a stained-glass ceiling at this
With its mini-fountains, figurines restaurant in Grand Hotel Europe.
and fake plants, and evening
entertainment provided by a Russkaya Ryumochnaya
choir, Suliko is a fun place to No.1 
enjoy high-quality Georgian Russian Map B4
cuisine. There are no Georgian Konnogvardeiskiy bulvar 4
wines on the menu, but you Tel (812) 570 6420
can try Georgian chacha An olde-world-style dining room
(grape vodka). Elegantly laid out tables at the Caviar Bar serving modern interpretations
and Restaurant, St Petersburg of classic Russian dishes.
CENTRAL
EASTERN
EUROPEt
Central Eastern Europe

at a Glance 168–169
Poland 170–221
Czech Republic 222–285
Slovakia 286–319
Hungary 320–379
Vienna 380–391
168 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE
Central Eastern Europe at a Glance

At the geographical heart of mainland Europe, Hungary, Poland
and the Czech Republic have witnessed a huge surge in visitor
numbers since the end of Communism in the late 1980s and
CENTRAL
early 1990s. Major cities such as Budapest, Krakow and Prague EASTERN
EUROPE
have been painstakingly restored after the ravages of two world
wars and offer a stunning variety of art, historic architecture and
rich culture. The region is also abundant in natural attractions,
with forest-cloaked mountains in the northern reaches of the
Czech and Slovak republics, the farmstead-dotted flatlands of
the eastern Hungarian plain, and the dramatic Tatra Mountains.
Despite fast-growing tourism, the unique cultural identity of
these once little-known countries remains well preserved.
Koszalin
Szczecin
Piła
Poznań
Zielona
Góra
Wrocław
Hradec
Cheb Králové
Prague
České Švýcarsko (see pp262–3), otherwise known as “Bohemian
Plzeň
Switzerland”, in the Czech Republic, is an area of extraordinary CZECH REPUBLIC
sandstone formations, with weathered pillars of rock towering above (see pp222–285)
dense green forests. The landscape is best characterized by Pravčicka Jihlava
Písek
Brána – the largest natural rock bridge in Central Europe.
Brno
Český
Krumlov
VIENNA
(see pp380-391)
Szombathely
Nagykanizsa
Vienna (see pp380–91), the capital of Austria,

is a beautiful city with a rich architectural
heritage, exquisite art collecions and an
illustrious musical tradition. Its Naturhistorisches
Museum (see p385) has one of the finest
collections of its kind in Europe. The star
attraction is its much-visited dinosaur hall.
View of the Chain Bridge at sunset with Parliament in the background, Budapest, Hungary
INTRODUCING CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE 169
Gdańsk
Krakow (see pp184–99), in southern Poland, has historic
monuments spanning hundreds of years, and has been
declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its most impres-
Olsztyn sive building, the Cloth Hall (see p187), dominates the
Main Market Square. Dating from the 16th century,
Bydgoszcz Białystok
Ostrołęka it is a lively example of Renaissance architecture.
Toruń
POLAND Warsaw Biała

(see pp170–221) Podlaska
Łodź
Radom
Kielce
Opole Zamość
Katowice
Tarnów
Kraków
Przemyśl
Ostrava
Olomouc
Žilina Prešov
Tatra Mountains (see pp306–307), the spectacular
SLOVAKIA Košice mountain range on the border of Poland and
(see pp286–319)
Slovakia, are among the highest in Central Europe,
with several peaks above 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
Miskolc
Bratislava
Győr Debrecen
Budapest
HUNGARY Szolnok
(see pp320–379)
Szekszárd 0 km 100
Szeged
Pécs 0 miles 100
Pécs (see pp362–3), Hungary’s finest town, after

Budapest, is famous for its architectural legacy, ranging
from Roman tombstones and Ottoman mosques to
medieval fortifications and Baroque churches. The
highlight is St Peter’s Cathedral (see p362), an imposing
Neo-Romanesque structure in the heart of the town.
POLAND
Located between Russia and Germany, Poland has always been a fiercely
contested land. Released from the Eastern Bloc in 1989, the country is now
developing rapidly, especially the cities of Warsaw, Krakow, Gdańsk and
Wrocław. Monuments attest to a stormy history, but Poland is famed for its
virtues, especially the generosity of its people and the excellence of its vodka.
Poland has an extremely varied living in the area of Gniezno united

landscape. Alpine scenery predominates under the Piast Dynasty, which ruled
in the Tatra Mountains to the south, Poland until 1370. Mieszko I (c. 922–92)
while the north is dominated by lakes. converted to Christianity in 966, thus
The country’s inhabitants, who number bringing his kingdom into Christian
almost 39 million, all but constitute a Europe, and made Poznań the seat of
single ethnic group, with minor ities Poland’s first bishopric. After this
accounting for less than 4 per cent of dynasty died out, the great Lithuanian
the population. The largest minority Grand Duke Jagiełło took the Polish
groups are Germans, who are concentrated throne and founded a new dynasty.
mainly around the city of Opole in Silesia, The Treaty of Krewo in 1385 initiated a
and Belarusians and Ukrainians, who long process of consolidation between
inhabit the east of the country. The Poland and Lithuania, culminating in
majority of Poles are Catholic, but large 1569 with the signing of the Union
regions of the country, such as Cieszyn of Lublin and the formation of the
in Silesia, have a substantial Protestant Commonwealth of the Two Nations
population. In the east there are also (Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów). In
many Orthodox Christians. 1572, the Jagiełłonian Dynasty ended,
after which the Polish authorities
History introduced elective kings, though
The origins of the Polish nation go back only the nobility had the right to
to the 10th century, when Slav tribes vote. The 17th century was dominated
The imposing Stalinist Neo-Baroque Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

Church of Sts Peter and Paul in the Old Town district of Krakow
and Poland did not regain its

sovereignty until 1918. The arduous
process of rebuilding and uniting the
nation was still incomplete when,
at the outbreak of World War II, a
six-year period of German and Soviet
occupation began. The price that
Poland paid was very high: millions
of people were murdered, including
virtually the entire Jewish population.
Solidarity demonstrators at a mass rally in 1987 The country suffered devastation
and huge territorial losses, which
by wars with Sweden, Russia and the were only partly compensated by
Ottoman Empire, and although the the Allies’ decision to move the
country survived, it was considerably border west wards.
weak ened, and its period of dominance After the war, the Soviet Union
was over. subjugated Poland, but the socialist
In 1795, the republic was partitioned economy proved ineffective. The
by Russia, Prussia and Austria, and was for mation of Solidarity (Solidarność),
wiped off the map for more than 100 the first Independent Autonomous
years. Attempts to wrest independence Trades Union, in 1980, led by Lech
by insurrection were unsuccessful, Wałęsa, accelerated the pace of change.
This was completed when Poland
KEY DATES IN POLISH HISTORY regained its freedom after the June
AD 966 Adoption of Christianity under Mieszko I 1989 elections.
1025 Coronation of Bolesław the Brave, first In 1999, Poland became
king of Poland a member of NATO, and in 2004 it
1320 The unification of the Polish state joined the European Union (EU).
1385 Poland and Lithuania agree on dynastic union
under the Treaty of Krewo Language and Culture
1569 The Union of Lublin creates the Polish-
Lithuanian Commonwealth of the Two Nations Polish is a West Slavic language
1596 The capital moves from Krakow to Warsaw closely related to Slovak and Czech.
1655 Beginning of the “Deluge” (the Swedish Many of its words are borrowed
occupation); it ends in 1660 from Latin, although German,
1772–1918 Poland divided three times between Italian and English words are
Russia, Prussia and Austria. The final partition (1795)
is made after a Polish uprising led by
also common.
Tadeusz Kościuszko The legacy of more than 100
1918 Poland regains independence years of partition rule is still visible
1939 Invasion by German, then Soviet forces in Poland’s cultural landscape.
1940 Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp Russian, Prussian and Austrian
established; over one and a half million Poles and administrations left their mark
Jews are gassed here during the war
not only on architecture, but
1945 Communist government takes control
also on the customs and outlook
1980 Solidarity formed, led by Lech Wałęsa
of the people.
1989 First free postwar elections are held. Lech
Wałęsa wins the presidency by a landslide The Poles have a deep reverence
1999 Poland joins NATO for religious symbols and rituals,
2004 Poland becomes a member of the EU and the presence of the church
2010 President Lech Kaczyński and 95 others killed in can be seen every where, either
air crash; Poland goes to polls in the form of Baroque shrines
or in images of the Black Madonna.
POLAND 173
Exploring Poland
Bordering the Baltic Sea, Poland is one of the largest countries
of Central Europe. Warsaw, its capital, is in the centre of the
country and is an ideal base for visiting other cities, such as
Krakow, the ancient royal capital; Gdańsk, the Hanseatic
city and Poznań, one of the oldest Polish cities. Declared a
World Heritage Site in 1978, Krakow, with a host of historical
monuments, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
Key
Motorway
Motorway under construction 0 km 100
Major road 0 miles 100
Railway
Zygmunt Chapel at Krakow
Cathedral, Krakow
Karlskrona Nynashamn
Baltic RUSSIAN
Sea Gdynia F E DE RAT IO N
Słupsk
Trelleborg, Sopot
Ystad 6
LITHUANIA
1
8
Koszalin Gdańsk
Suwałki
Świnoujście
11
Malbork
51
25 16
61
7
A1
Olsztyn
22 16
Szczecin
10 53
A6
Bydgoszcz ęca 65
Piła Drw Ostrołęka Łomża
a
Białystok
dr
Noteć Toruń
61
7
22 10
O
60
Gorzów 8
5
Bu
19
Wielkopolski g
kr
Włocławek
a
A2 Poznań BELARUS
WARSAW
60
Konin
Rogalin
GERMANY Raczyński A2
A2
Siedlce 2
A1
Palace Biała
Odra
Zielona Góra
Podlaska
17
Kalisz
12 Łodź W
isł
5
a
8
Pilica
11
Sieradz
8 Piotrków Radom Lublin 12
1
4 Trybunalski
Wrocław Warta Chełm
Jelenia Góra Kielce

A4
Wałbrzych Tarnobrzeg Zamość
Opole
17
94
7
45
19
Katowice A4
Kraków A4
CZEC H Tarnów
REPU BL I C 12 9 Przemyśl
Bielsko- Krosno UKRAINE
Biała Nowy
Sącz
SLO VA K IA
Sights at a Glance
1 Warsaw pp174–83
2 Krakow pp184–99
3 Wrocław pp200–203
4 Poznań pp204–207
5 Raczyński Palace
6 Toruń pp208–209
7 Malbork
8 Sopot
Traditional house decoration, Warsaw 9 Gdańsk pp210–15

D Z IK
1 Warsaw STAW
KI
M
A
UR
NISKA A
NO
WS
KA
Warsaw is believed to have been founded in the late KI
EG
O
AL. JANA PAWLA II

S
M IŁ A OW
13th century, when Duke Bolesław of Mazovia built a AR
T
SA
W S
LE
KA R MEL IC K A
T.
castle here overlooking the Vistula river. It became the
DER
D
U
ZAMENHOFA
BO
IS
N
capital of Poland in 1596, making it one of Europe’s
KI
A A
A
EW
ŁOW
youngest capital cities, with a population of nearly two
AW
NAL
MORDE
WA
CHAJA A
YSŁ
NIE
million. Most places of interest are located in the historic LEW
ICZA
AD
PAWI A ŚWI
ĘTO
centre, the geographical heart of the city, which has now JE R SKA
.WŁ
DZIELNA DZIELNA
been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old
GEN
OGRÓD
KARSIŃSKICH
Town (Stare Miasto), partially surrounded by medieval NO W OL IP K I
walls, is the oldest district in Warsaw. Next to it is the more
KA RM ELI CKA
AL. JANA PAWLA II
recent New Town (Nowe Miasto), which became a separate
urban entity in 1408. Almost completely destroyed during DŁU G A
Ratusz
World War II, the reconstruction of these two districts was AL. SOLIDARNOŚCI
BI
an undertaking on a scale unprecedented in the whole
EL
AŃ
SK
of Europe. Today, they are the most popular tourist
A
PLAC
BANKOWY
destinations in Warsaw. SENATORSKA
EL EK TO R A L N A
P LA C
M I RO
WSKI
P TA
SIA
OGRÓD
SASKI
GR Z YBO WSKA
KRÓLEWSKA
ŁK O W S KA
ZI EL NA
PLAC P R ÓŻ NA
T WA R DA GRZYBOWSKI
PLAC HENRYKA
DÁBROWSKIEGO
M AR SZ A
Świętokrzyska
J AS N A
Rondo
ONZ ŚWIĘTO
KRZYS
KA
ŚL ISK A
M ON I U
A
S ZK I
SK
A ŁK O W
S IE NK I EW IC
ER
ZA
P L AT T
PLAC
DEFILAD
ZŁ O TA
MARSZ
SZPITALNA
EMILII
ZG
OD
Warszawa
A
Śródmieście
Centrum
W ID OK
AL. JEROZ
OLIM
SKIE
The elaborate ballroom of the Royal Castle
Sights at a Glance
1 Zygmunt’s Column
CZA
2 Royal Castle
KRU
3 Cathedral of St John
4 Old Town Market Square
5 Monument to the Warsaw Uprising
6 St Hyacinth Church
7 Ulica Freta
8 Krakowskie Przedmieście pp180–81 PIĘ
KN
9 Pac Palace A
0 Monument to the Heroes of Key

the Ghetto
q Umschlagplatz Monument
w Pawiak Prison
e Palace of Culture and Science Major sight / Place of interest
r National Museum Pedestrian street

WARSAW 175
S ANGU
SKA
KON WIKT ORSK A

SZ
KI
M
WÓJTOWSK
ZAKROCZY
A
EK
KA
SAPIEŻYŃS
PRZYRYN
WYBRZ EŻE
A KO Ś CI ELNA
F RA N CISZ KAŃ SK
RYNEK
KOŻLA
B O N I F R AT
NOWEGO
MIASTA
S TA
ERSK A
ŚWIĘTOJE R S KA
FRETA
RA
PLAC WA BOLEŚĆ
STO
KRASIŃSKICH MO
KAN
GA
DŁU
GDA
ONI
KIL
BU
JE Z U
IŃS
Field
GA
A B
SKI
ŃSKIE
KIE
Cathedral WĄ A J
J
IC K A
DUN
RZO
GO
ŚWI
PIW
A
ZOW
ETO
ER
UL
NA
LL
JAŃ
SCH I
Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto, erected in 1948

A
Church of
SKA
AL .
St Martin
SOL
M
ID A RN
IO
OŚ CI PLAC
DO
ZAMKOWY
ZK A
W
OD
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GR
A L . S O LIDARNOŚCI Most
JANA MOLIERA
Śląsko-Dąbrowski
NO Getting Around
KO ZI A
WY
PLAC ZD
ZJA
IE
IA
TEATRALNY Church of
The sights in the Old and New Towns
IEŚC
SOW
St Anne
BE D N
are easily visited on foot, since most of
DOBRA
P R Z EDM
AR
SK
TRĘBACKA A
the streets are pedestrianized. Trams
FU RM
Camelite are best for short trips across the centre.

AŃ S KA
Church
Vi
PLAC
KARO
WA There is also an extensive bus service,
st
MARSZALKA KAROW
A
and two metro lines with Świętokrzyska
IE
PILSUDSKIEGO
KRAKOWSK
DOB
ul
station as a transfer station between them.

BROWARNA
KRÓLE
WSKA
RA
Taxis are reasonably priced, and are easy

a
Church of W I ŚL AN A
the Visitation to find in the city centre. Although driving
A
LI PO WA
IECK
Church of the can pose problems, the streets are

O
K IE G
Z OW
Holy Cross
less crowded here than in most
DOBRA
Nowy Świat- OB O
MA
C ZA C
ŹNA SKA
Uniwersytet LESZCZYŃ European cities.
WYB
KO
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PE
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PLAC ZYSK
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TOP
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POWSTAŃCÓW CZA
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S
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W A RE Most
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TA M
ORD KA
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ŚW
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TA M K A Nauki
WYBR
G ÓR SK
I EG O Kopernik
DOB
KOŚ
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K RU
NOWY
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RA
C H MIEL NA 0 metres 500

CZK
C IU S
LE
F OK S A L
C
A
OW
CZ
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ZKO
JA
SK
Średnicowy
Warszawa
IEG
Powiśle
WSK
S MO L NA
O
RONDO
AL.
IE
CH. DE GAULLE’A JEROZ 3 M A JA

OLIMS
KIE
BR
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AL . 3 M AJ
A
KA
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Ż UR AW
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IA Most K. J.
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Poniatowskiego
LE
KS KO
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KR
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S OL E C
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KRZYŻY K S IĄ
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WSK
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Neo-Classical medallion on the façade of Pac Palace

Street-by-Street: The Old Town

The oldest district in Warsaw, the Old Town is today one
of the most attractive places in the city. Partially surrounded
by medieval walls, it was almost completely destroyed during
World War II but reconstructed on a scale unprecedented in
Europe. The pride of the historic Old Town is the Old Town
Square (Rynek Starego Miasta), surrounded by townhouses,
also rebuilt after World War II. Of great interest here are the
Cathedral of St John and the Royal Castle. On the square and
in nearby streets, especially Piwna, there are many restaurants
and bars that are reputed to be the best in Warsaw.
Church of St Martin
This modern crucifix incorporates
a fragment of a figure of Christ
3 . Cathedral of St John that was burnt during the
After suffering damage 1944 Warsaw Uprising.
during World War II, the
cathedral was rebuilt in
the Gothic style.
Jesuit Church, a Baroque-
P
Mannerist sanctuary of
IE
K
Our Lady of Mercy, the
A
R
patron saint of Warsaw,
S
K
was rebuilt after
A
World War II.
1 Zygmunt’s Column
is the oldest secular
monument in Warsaw. S
Ń
JA
O
T
IĘ
A W
Ś
N
IW
P
P L AC
ZAMKOWY
2 . Royal Castle
This former royal residence, rebuilt
in the 1970s, is today the symbol of
Polish independence.
The Palace Under the Tin Roof

Built in 1720, this palace was the first
in Warsaw to have a tin, rather than
tiled, roof.
WARSAW 177
Barbican and
City Walls
This impressive brick
fortification, constructed
between the 14th and
16th centuries, once
protected the northern
approach to the city.
The Museum of Warsaw

(see p178) occupies the
north side of Old Town
Market Square.
W
Statue of Zygmunt III Waza at the top of

Ą
SK
Zygmunt’s Column
ID
U
N
1 Zygmunt’s
A
J
A
K
JS Column
IE Kolumna Króla Zygmunta
M
O
W Plac Zamkowy. Map D2.
K
O
@ 116, 175, 178, 180, 190, 222, 503,
O
N
Ł
O
N44 (stop-on-request night bus).

v 4, 23, 26.
RYNEK Placed in the centre of Plac

STAREGO Zamkowy, King Zygmunt’s
MIASTA Column is the oldest secular
A statue in Warsaw. It was
K
erected in 1644 by Zygmunt III
J
A
Waza’s son, Władysław IV. This

G
U
monument, which stands

B
22 m (72 ft) high, consists of

a striking Corinthian granite
column supported on a tall
plinth and topped by a bronze
statue of the ruler, who is
depicted with a cross in his
left hand and a sword in his
right. The figure was created
by Clemente Molli, and the
monument was designed
by Augustyn Locci the Elder
and Constantino Tencalla,
two Italian architects working
for the king. The monument
4 . Old Town Market Square glorifies the ruler in a manner
One of the most beautiful sights which had until then been
of Warsaw, this square pulsates reserved for saints and other
with life until late in the evening. religious figures. Despite
repeated damage and repairs,
Statue of the the statue retains its original
Mermaid appearance. However, the
column on which it stands has
0 metres 100 already been replaced twice.
0 yards 100 An older, fractured shaft can
be seen on the terrace near
Key the south façade of the Palace
Suggested route Under the Tin Roof.
regions of the country are 16th-century crucifix, which is

depicted on the walls. Among credited with several miracles.
the paintings are 18th-century
works by Bellotto and Bacciarelli.
The Lanckoroński Gallery collec- 4Old Town
tion includes two paintings Market Square
by Rembrandt – Portrait of a Rynek Starego Miasta
Young Woman and Scholar
Map D2. @ 116, 175, 180, 503. v 4,
at his Desk. 23, 26. Museum of Warsaw: Tel (022)
531 3802. Open 11am–6pm Tue, Thu,
10am–3:30pm Wed, Fri, 10:30am–
3 Cathedral of 4:30pm Sat–Sun. Closed Mon, public
St John hols & one weekend a month. & free
Katedra św Jana on Sun. = Note: A 20-min English-
language film about Warsaw is
Świętojańska 8. Map D2.
screened at noon daily.
Tel (022) 831 0289. @ 116, 175,
178, 180, 222, 503. v 4, 23, 26.
Open 10am–noon, 4–6pm daily. Painstakingly restored after
A painting in the Senators’ Room, World War II, the Old Town
Royal Castle Completed in the early 15th Market Square was the centre
century, the Cathedral of of Warsaw public life until
2 Royal Castle St John was originally a parish the 19th century, when the
Zamek Królewski church. Gaining collegiate focus of the growing, modern
status in 1406, it was not until city moved. The tall, ornate,
Plac Zamkowy 4. Map D2. Tel (022)
355 5170. @ 116, 175, 178, 180,
1798 that it became a cathedral. and colourful houses, which
190, 222, 503, N44. v 4, 23, 26. The coronation of Poland’s lend the square its unique
Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sat,11am– last king, Stanisław August character, were built by
4pm Sun; May–Sep: till 6pm daily. Poniatowski, in 1764, and the wealthy merchants in the
Closed public hols. & free on Sun. swearing of an oath by 17th century.
∑ zamek-krolewski.pl the deputies of the The houses on one
Sejm to uphold the side form the Museum
Warsaw’s Royal Castle stands 1791 Constitution of Warsaw (Muzeum
on the site of an original castle took place here. Warszawy). This
built here by the Mazovian After World War II, displays the city’s
dukes in the 14th century. It various elaborate history through
was transformed between 1598 19th-century additions paintings, photo-
and 1619 by King Zygmunt III were removed from graphs, sculpture and
Waza, who asked Italian archi- the façade, and the archaeological finds.
tects to restyle the castle into cathedral was restored There is also a film
a polygon. The king chose this to its Mazovian Gothic Baryczkowski show, with footage of
castle as his royal residence in style. The interior Crucifix the Nazis’ systematic
1596, after the Sejm (Parliament) features religious art, destruction of Warsaw
had moved here from Krakow richly carved wooden stalls and in 1944. The museum will be
in 1569. In the 18th century, ornate tombs, including those of undergoing renovation till the
King Augustus III remodelled Gabriel Narutowicz (1865–1922), end of 2016. During this period,
the east wing in Baroque style Poland’s first president, assa- the exposition will be placed in
and King Stanisław August sinated two days after taking the Palace of Culture and Science
Poniatowski added a library. office, and Nobel Prize-winning (see p183). Today, café tables and
In 1939, the castle was novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz stalls line the square, and horse-
burnt, and then blown up by (1846–1916). In a chapel founded drawn carriages offer
the Nazis in 1944. Funded by the Baryczka family hangs a tours of the Old Town.
by public donations, it was
rebuilt between 1971 and 1988.
The castle’s fascinating
interiors are the result of its
dual role: being a royal residence
as well as the seat of Parliament.
It houses royal apartments as
well as the Chamber of Deputies
and the Senate. Some of the
woodwork and stucco is original,
as are many of the furnishings
and much of the art. The coats
of arms of all the administrative The Historical Museum of Warsaw in the Old Town Square
WARSAW 179
1639. The largest monastery in

Warsaw was constructed next
to it. Features inside the church,
which was rebuilt after World
War II, include vaulting above
the aisles, a Gothic chancel
decorated with stuccowork of
the Lublin type and 17th-century
tombstones. The Baroque tomb
of Adam and Małgorzata
Kotowski, by the Dutch architect
Tylman van Gameren, is also
The sombre Monument to the Warsaw Uprising noteworthy. The domed chapel
in which it stands is decorated
5Monument to the conservatism of Mazovian with portraits of the donors,
Warsaw Uprising buildings and partly in an who became prosperous and
Pomnik Powstania Warszawskiego attempt to endow the church were ennobled despite their
with the appearance of age. This humble origins.
pl. Krasińskich. Map D2. @ 116, was done to create an illusion
178, 180, 222, 503, N44. @ 18, 23, 26, of the age-old traditions of the
35, 36. order – which had in fact only 7 Ulica Freta
This monument, unveiled in been set up in Warsaw in 1603. Map D1 & D2. @ 116, 178, 180, 222,
1989, commemorates the When work was interrupted by 503, N44. Maria Skłodowska-Curie
heroes of the 1944 Warsaw a plague that raged in Warsaw Museum: Tel (022) 831 8092.
Uprising. It consists of sculp- in 1625, the few remaining Open 8:30am–4pm Tue, 9:30am–4pm
tures by Wincenty Kućma monks listened to confessions Wed–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat, 10am–3pm
placed in an architectural and gave communion through Sun. & 8 ∑ muzeum-msc.pl
setting by Jacek Budyń. The openings drilled in the doors.
sculptures show soldiers – The work was completed in The main road in the New Town,
one group defending the ulica Freta developed along a
barricades, the other going section of the old route leading
down into the sewers, which from Old Warsaw to Zakroczym,
were used by the insurgents which is to the northeast of the
to move around the city city. At the end of the 1300s,
during the uprising. The buildings began to appear
entrance to one such sewer along it, and in the 15th century
can be seen nearby. it came within the precincts of
It was in front of this New Warsaw (Nowa Warszawa).
monument, during the Several antique shops and
50th anniversary celebrations cafés line this street. The house
of the event, that the then at No. 16, where Marie Curie
president of Germany, Roman was born, is now the Maria
Herzog, apologized to the Skłodowska-Curie Museum
Polish nation for the Third (Maria Skłodowska-Curie
Reich’s unleashing of World Muzeum) dedicated to her. Films
War II and the bloody suppres- about her life and the history
sion of the Warsaw Uprising. Façade of the St Hyacinth Church seen of chemistry are presented to
from ulica Freta groups on request.
6St Hyacinth
Church Maria Skłodowska-Curie
Kościół św Jacka (1867–1934)
ul. Freta 10. Map D2. Tel (022) 635 Maria Skłodowska was 24 years old when she
4700. @ 116, 178, 180, 222, 503, N44. left Warsaw to study in Paris. Within a decade
Open 7am–5pm daily. Closed mass. she had become famous as the co-discoverer
of radioactivity. Together with her husband,
At the beginning of the 17th Pierre Curie, she discovered the elements
century, while the Jesuits were radium and polonium. She was awarded
building a Baroque church in the Nobel Prize twice: the first time in 1903,
the Old Town, the Dominicans when she won the prize for physics jointly
started work on a Gothic with her husband – becoming the first
chancel for St Hyacinth Church. woman Nobel laureate – and the second Marie Curie, the
They returned to the Gothic in 1911 for chemistry. famous physicist
style partly because of the
8Street-by-Street: Krakowskie
Przedmieście
Rebuilt after World War II, Krakowskie Przedmieście is one
of the most beautiful streets in Warsaw. Lined with trees,
green squares and statues of distinguished Poles, the street
is dominated by several palaces such as the Presidential
Palace (Pałac Namiestnikowski). Some of these now house
government departments. On weekdays, this is one of the Carmelite Church
This Baroque church was built
liveliest streets, as two great institutions of higher education – for the order of the Discalced
the University of Warsaw and the Academy of Fine Arts – Carmelites between 1661
are situated here. Numerous restaurants, bars and cafés and 1682.
line the street.
Presidential Palace
was rebuilt in the Neo-
. Church of St Anne Classical style for the tsar’s
This Gothic church was governor. It is now the
built for the Bernardine president’s residence.
Order in the second half
of the 15th century. The
Neo-Classical façade was
a later addition.
KA
RO
W
A
BE
DN
AR
IE
SK
OW
SK
K
K RA
A
OSS
OLIŃSKIC
TR
EM
BA
WA
H
CK
DO
A
ZI
A
KO
MIO
The statue of Adam

Mickiewicz, the Romantic
poet, was unveiled in 1898
on the centenary of his birth.
Hotel Bristol
This hotel, which
overlooks the
Presidential Palace,
is the most luxurious,
0 metres 100
as well as the most
expensive hotel
0 yards 100 in Warsaw.
WARSAW 181
Church of the Visitation

Also known as the Church of
St Joseph, this is one of the few
churches in Warsaw that was
Map D2 & 3.
not destroyed during World
Church of St Anne: Tel (022) 826
War II. Its interior features
8991. Open 6:30am–7:30pm
remain intact.
Mon–Sat, 8am–10:30pm Sun.
Closed mass. Church of the Holy
Cross: Tel (022) 556 8820.
Statue of Nicolaus Open 9am–5pm, daily. University
Copernicus, the Polish astro- of Warsaw: Tel (022) 552 0000.
nomer, was removed by the
Transport
Germans for scrap during
@ E-2, 111, 116, 125, 160, 175,
World War II but was later
180, 190, 222, 503.
returned to its original site.
v 4, 23, 26.
KOPERNIK A
Staszic Palace,
built between 1820
and 1823 in the late
Neo-Classical style,
now houses the
Polish Academy
of Sciences.
IE
ŚC
IE
DM
ZE
PR
KR
ÓL
EW
SK
A
Academy of Fine Arts
. Church of the Holy Cross

This church has urns containing
the hearts of composer Frédéric
Chopin and novelist Władysław
Reymont, awarded the Nobel
Prize in 1924.
. University of Warsaw
The university is the largest educational institution in Poland Key
but only some of the faculties are situated at its main site on Suggested route
Krakowskie Przedmieście.
Between the Monument to the

Heroes of the Ghetto and the
Umschlagplatz Monument runs
the Path of Remembrance,
opened in 1988. It is marked
by a series of 16 granite blocks
bearing inscriptions in Polish,
Hebrew and Yiddish. The nearby
Bunker Monument, on the site
where the Uprising commanders
blew themselves up, has been
specially marked. Each block is
dedicated to the 450,000 Jews
murdered in the Warsaw Ghetto
between 1940 and 1943, to the
Nineteenth-century Gothic interior of the Pac Palace heroes of the Ghetto Uprising
of 1943 and to certain key
9 Pac Palace of Ludwik Kaufman, a pupil individuals from that time.
Pałac Paca of the celebrated Italian Neo-
Classical sculptor Antonio
ul. Miodowa 15. Map D2. Canova. Today, the palace qUmschlagplatz
Tel (022) 634 9600. @ 116, 175, 180. houses the Ministry of Health. Monument
Open occasionally.
Pomnik na Umschlagplatz
This Baroque palace, formerly
ul. Stawki. Map C1. @ 157, 510.
the residence of the Radziwiłł 0 Monument v 17, 33, 35.
family, was designed and built
between 1681 and 1697 by
to the Heroes of Unveiled in 1988, the
Dutch-born architect Tylman the Ghetto Umschlagplatz Monument
van Gameren. One of the palace’s Pomnik Bohaterów Getta marks the site of a former railway
19th-century owners, Ludwik siding on ulica Dzika. It was from
ul. Zamenhofa. Map C1. @ 111, 180,
Pac, commissioned the architect here that some 300,000 Jews
227.Museum of the History of Polish
Henryk Marconi to redesign it; Jews: ul. Mordechaja Anielewicza 6. from the Warsaw Ghetto and
work was completed in 1828. Closed Tue & public hols. elsewhere were loaded onto
The interiors were decorated cattle trucks and dispatched to
in the Gothic, Renaissance, The city of Warsaw still lay in extermination camps. Among
Greek and Moorish styles, and ruins when the Monument to them was Janusz Korczak, Polish-
the façade remodelled in the the Heroes of the Ghetto was Jewish author and pediatrician,
Palladian manner. The palace erected in 1948. Created by the and his group of Jewish orphans.
gate was modelled on a triumphal sculptor Natan Rapaport and the Living conditions in the ghetto
arch and adorned with Classical architect Marek Suzin, it symbolizes were indescribably inhumane,
bas-relief sculptures – the work the heroic defiance of the Ghetto and by 1942 over 100,000 of
Uprising of 1943, which was the inhabitants had died. The
planned not as a bid for liberty but monument, on which the
as an honourable way to die. The architect Hanna Szmalenberg
daring revolt lasted for one month. and the sculptor Władysław
Reliefs on the monument Klamerus collaborated, is made
depict men, women and children of blocks of black-and-white
struggling to flee the burning marble bearing the names of
ghetto, together with a procession hundreds of Warsaw’s Jews.
of Jews being driven to death
camps under the threat of
Nazi bayonets.
On 7 December 1970, Willy
Brandt, the then chancellor of
West Germany, knelt in front
of this monument, to pay hom-
age to the murdered victims.
Today, people come here from
all over the world to remember
the heroes. The Museum of the
History of Polish Jews (Muzeum
Historii Żydów Polskich) is located
Detail from the Monument to the Heroes near the monument, within the One of the granite blocks marking the Path
of the Ghetto former ghetto area of the city. of Remembrance
WARSAW 183
w Pawiak Prison r National Museum

Więzienie Pawiak Muzeum Narodowe
ul. Dzielna 24/26. Map C2. al. Jerozolimskie 3. Map D4.
Tel (022) 831 9289. @ 107, 111, 180. Tel (022) 629 3093. @ 111, 117,
v 17, 23, 33. Open 9:30am–5pm 158, 517, 521. v 7, 8, 9, 22, 24, 25.
Wed–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat & Sun. Open 10am– 6pm Tue–Sun,
Closed Mon, Tue. 8 7 = till 9pm Thu. Closed Mon, pub hols.
& free Tue. Military Museum:
Built between 1829 and 1835 Tel (022) 629 5271. Open 10am–5pm
by Polish architect Henryk Wed, 10am–4pm Thu–Sun. 8 9
Marconi, this prison was initially 7 ^ - = ∑ mnw.art.pl
used as a transfer camp during
the 1863 Uprising for political Originally established in 1862
prisoners to be deported to as the Fine Arts Museum, the
Siberia. Pawiak got its name National Museum was created
from ulica Pawia, the street in 1916. Despite wartime losses,
where it was located. The prison today it has a large collection of
became notorious during the works of art covering all periods
Nazi occupation, when it was from antiquity to modern times.
used to imprison Jews and The collections are arranged
Poles arrested by the Germans. over three floors. On the ground
Many of those who were at the floor are the Galleries of Ancient
prison were either executed, Art, with their displays of
tortured or sent to concen- The 30-storey high Palace of Culture Egyptian, Greek and Roman
tration camps. and Science artifacts, the Faras Collection
Blown up by the Germans in of early Christian art and the
1944, the prison was partially was built between 1952 and Gallery of Medieval Art. The
reconstructed to house this 1955 to the designs of Russian first floor houses a collection of
poignant museum. The opening architect, Lev Rudniev. The Polish art which includes two
of the museum in 1965 was palace resembles Moscow’s paintings – Jan Matejko’s Battle
a hugely emotional event, Socialist Realist tower blocks, of Grünwald (1878) and the
attracting crowds of former and although it has only 30 Polish Hamlet, a portrait of
inmates and their families. storeys, with its spire it is 231 m the aristocrat and politician
(757 ft) high. Its volume is over Aleksander Wielopolski, painted
800,000 cubic m (28 million by Jacek Malczewski in 1903
cubic ft) and it contains 40 in the style of the Polish
million bricks. It incorporates Symbolist school. The foreign
various architectural and deco- art collection is displayed on
rative elements requisitioned the first and second floors and
from Poland’s historic includes the Virgin and Child
stately homes. (c. 1465) by Sandro Botticelli
The tower now provides and The Raising of Lazarus (1643)
office space and the Congress by Carel Fabritius, a pupil of
Hall is used for concerts and Rembrandt. The Military
festivals. The palace remains a Museum, in the building’s east
cultural centre in other ways, wing, illustrates the history of
with the Theatre of Dramatic Polish firearms and armour.
Art, a cinema, puppet theatre,
Tree with obituary notices in front of technology museum and a
Pawiak Prison sports complex. It also offers
the best view of Warsaw
from its Viewing Terrace.
e Palace of Culture Not far away is the Warsaw
and Science Rising Museum. The museum
Pałac Kultury i Nauki pays tribute to the struggle
that took place in 1944 when
pl. Defilad 1. Map C4. Tel (022) 656
7600. @ several routes. v 4, 7, 8, 9,
the Polish Home Army tried
18, 22, 24, 25, 35. q Centrum. to liberate the city from
Viewing Terrace: Open 9am–6pm the Nazis.
daily. & ∑ pkin.pl
E Warsaw Rising Museum
This monolithic building – a ul. Grzybowska 79. Open 8am–6pm
gift for the people of Warsaw Mon, Wed, Fri, 10am–8pm Thu, Fresco of St Anne from the 10th century,
from the nations of the USSR – 10am–6pm Sat & Sun. & National Museum
2 Krakow
For nearly six centuries, Krakow was the capital of Poland and the BASZTO W A
country’s largest city. Polish rulers resided at Wawel Royal Castle PLANTY
until the court and parliament moved to Warsaw in 1596. Even
GO
P IJ A RS K A
then, Krakow continued to be regarded as the nation’s
IE
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spiritual heart and rulers were still crowned and buried in
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the cathedral on Wawel Hill. Most places of interest are
WK
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located in its fairly compact historic centre. A good PLAC
NA
J.
SZCZEPAŃSKI
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Cultural
place to start is Wawel Hill with its imposing castle SZ
CZ Information
ŚW
EP Centre
SZ AŃ
and Gothic cathedral. North of Wawel Hill lies the EW
SK
SK
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Old Town, with an attractive market square, the Church of St
Ń
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Anne
Church of St Mary and the picturesque Cloth Hall.
EL
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To the south of the hill is the Kazimierz district, Y GŁÓWNY MARIACKI
POD
with its preserved Jewish quarter. Today, the city Collegium
Maius
WAL
St Barbara’s
has 750,000 inhabitants, and in recent years many GO
ŁĘ
Church
BIA
buildings and monuments have been restored to E
NA
St Adalbert’s
IŚL
KA
Church
their former glory.
BRACKA
RS
LA
S TO
Sights at a Glance
ANCISZKAŃSKA
1 Cloth Hall FR
DOMINIKA ŃSK
Franciscan A
2 City Hall Tower Church
GRODZKA
3 Ulica Floriańska
4 Church of St Mary pp188–9
F. S T
5 Czartoryski Museum PO SEL SKA

ASZR
6 Church of Sts Peter and Paul OKÓŁ

EWS
7 Szołaysky House
PLANTY
8 Fortifications on the Wawel
K IE G
ZA
9 Cathedral Museum Church of

O
NIC
St Andrew
0 “Lost Wawel” Exhibition
NO
Church of
KA
q Krakow Cathedral pp192–3 St Martin
w Wawel Royal Castle MCZ

E
ZA
e Kazimierz District pp194–5 POD ŚW
.I
r Auschwitz pp196–9
D
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Church of the
Bernardines
SM O
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st
ul
Paulite
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Church
Spectacular high altar at Krakow Cathedral

KRAKOW 185
ŚW
.F
IL I PA
RYNEK
KLEPARSKI KURNIKI
Getting Around
PAWIA
PLAC
JANA Kraków Central Krakow is small and compact, making it
MATEJKI WO Główny
RC
easy to get around on foot or by public transport.
ZE
EL
LA
C IS
Trams and buses are frequent on weekdays but less

ZA
BA
St Florian’s
SZ
TO regular on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
W
Gate A PLAC At night, only buses operate, and many bus routes
KOLEJOWY
PIJARSKA extend to the suburbs. A number of private firms
LU BI CZ run minibus services within the inner and outer city
KA
Matejko
ŃS
House and stop on request. Electric golf carts are a good

RIA
way of getting from the Main Market Square to the

RA D ZI
PLAC
F LO
ŚW. DUCHA
OFA Kazimierz district.
NA
L. ZAMENH
W IŁ Ł OW
AL
ŚW
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.M PLANTY
AR
SZ
ŚW KA
.T
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RZ
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7
RYNEK M . K O PE RNI K A
W
94
79
A4
Trzebinia
SIE Krzeszowice
NN Chrzanów Zabierzów
A Church of the
Dominican Nuns
79
Libiąz
A4
Dominican 79
John Paul II
Church Alwemia International KRAKÓW
780 Airport
44 V is
tu l a
Skawina A4
28
U DY
44
7
0 km 10
ERTR
0 miles 10
Ś W. G
Locator map
ŚW. SE
B AS T I A
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ŚW
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Key
EB
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BRZ
Church of the OZO
WA
NA
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Missionaries
IE
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Remu’h
RZ
DB
Temple Synagogue Street-by-Street area: see pp194–5

ST
ZE
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Synagogue
AR
SZER
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ST
A
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IŚ
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Motorway
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Isaak’s
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Synagogue
AKA Old Major road
NO
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ISE High
WA
E
B. M Synagogue Minor road
BOŻ
BA RT
PLAC
FA
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WĄ
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O S ZA
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Church of St Christi
K OWS K
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0 metres 250
SKA 0 yards 250

IŃ
S K AW

4 . Church of
Street-by-Street: Main St Mary
Market Square The façade of this
church, with its two
The huge Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) impressive towers,
is one of the finest
was laid out when Krakow received its new Gothic structures
municipal charter in 1257. One of the largest in Poland.
squares in Europe, it brims with life all year
round. In summer, pedestrians negotiate the
3 Ulica
maze of café tables that fill the lively square, Floriańska is
along with a host of shops, antique dealers, one of the busiest
restaurants, bars and clubs. There are also streets in Krakow.
numerous interesting museums, galleries
and historic sights, including some splendid
Renaissance and Baroque houses and mansions.
FL
OR
IAŃ
SK
SŁA
A
WK
OW
SKA
St Adalbert’s Church
This is a small but splendid KA
AŃS
Romanesque church. It ZEP
SZC
predates the planning of the
vast Main Market Square and
is all but lost in it now. RYNEK S
GŁÓWNY
A
WSK
SZE
BR
AC
KA
2 City Hall Tower

The Gothic tower is the only
remaining part of the former
City Hall. A café has been
opened in the basement.
1 . Cloth Hall
This beautiful Renaissance building
replaced an earlier Gothic market hall.
The upper floor houses a branch
of the National Museum.

KRAKOW 187
Aspects of the city’s history

can be seen in the Museum
of the History of the Market, in
the crypt of the neighbouring
St Adalbert’s Church.
3 Ulica Floriańska
Map D2. @ 152, 352, 502. v 2, 4, 8,
10, 14, 18, 20. Matejko House: Tel (012)
Church of St Barbara 422 5926. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat,
Dating from the late 14th 10am–4pm Sun. Closed Mon.
century, this church contains & free on Sun. 8 Jama Michalika:
many treasures, including a Open 9am–10pm Sun–Thu,
15th-century Gothic pietà. It Frenzy, by Władysław Podkowiński, 9am–11pm Fri, Sat.
was the principal Polish church Cloth Hall
in Krakow during Austrian rule. This charming street in the
1 Cloth Hall Old Town is full of restaurants,
Sukiennice cafés and shops. It leads from
the Main Market Square to the
Rynek Główny 1/3. Map C2.
@ 152, 502. v 3, 4, 8, 10, 14, 18, 20. Florian Gate and was once
Merchant’s House,
also known as “At a Museum of 19th Century Art: part of the Royal Route, along
Sign of the Lizard”, Tel (012) 433 5400. Open 10am–8pm which rulers would ride on
gets its name from the Tue–Sun. & ∑ muzeum.krakow.pl their way from Warsaw to
relief of lizards carved their coronation in Krakow.
in stone above the main Set in the centre of the Main Matejko House (Dom
portal. It is now a pub Market Square, the Cloth Hall Matejki), at No. 41, is the birth-
and cultural centre. replaced an earlier Gothic place of the painter Jan Matejko.
trade hall dating from the late He spent most of his life here.
14th century. Destroyed in a On display is a collection of his
fire then rebuilt by Giovanni paintings and his studio, full
Maria Padovano, it owes part of artist’s materials.
A of its present appearance to A little further on, at No. 45,
NN
SIE Tomasz Pryliński’s Romantic- is Jama Michalika, a café that
style restoration between 1875 was very fashionable in the late
and 1879. Today, the ground 19th to early 20th centuries.
floor is filled with a selection The fine Art Nouveau decor
of souvenir shops and cafés. by Karol Frycz can still be seen.
The Musuem of 19th Century The Florian Gate at the end
Art, a branch of the National of the street is one of the few
Museum, is located on the surviving remnants of the city’s
upper floor. It has a collection medieval fortifications, along
of 19th-century paintings by with a section of the city wall.
renowned artists, including Jan
Matejko and Henryk Siemiradzki.
G
R
O
D 2 City Hall Tower
Z
K Wieża Ratuszowa
A
Rynek Główny 1. Map C2. @ 152,
502. v 2, 4, 8, 10, 13, 14, 18, 20.
Historical Museum: Tel (012) 426 4334.
Open Apr–Oct: 10:30am–6pm daily.
Closed 1, 3 May & 15 Aug. &
The Gothic tower, crowned

by a Baroque cupola, which
0 metres 50
dominates the Main Market
Square is the only remaining
0 yards 50
vestige of the City Hall, built
in the 14th century and pulled
down in the 19th century.
Key
Today, it houses a branch Medieval Florian Gate at the end of
Suggested route of the Historical Museum. ulica Floriańska
. Crucifix
4 Church of St Mary The large sand-
Kościół Mariacka stone crucifix by
Veit Stoss is a fine
The imposing Church of St Mary was example of
built by the citizens of Krakow to rival 15th-century
sculpture.
the Krakow Cathedral on Wawel Hill (see
pp190–91). Construction began in 1355,
and continued until the mid-15th century;
the lower tower was not completed
until the early 16th century. Inside,
Neo-Gothic paintings cover the walls.
This great basilica, with its rows of
side chapels, contains an exceptional
number of works of art.
Hejnał Tower
The famous trumpet call –
the Hejnał – is sounded hourly
from the watchtower. As per
legend, the call is unfinished,
in memory of a medieval
trumpeter, shot while
sounding the alarm.
The Hejnał is broadcast
live on Polish radio
daily at noon.
Main
entrance
Ciborium
Baroque Porch This intricately constructed
The exuberant pentagonal ciborium in the form of a
porch was built in the mid- Renaissance church was
18th century to a design by made by Giovanni Maria
Francesco Placidi. Padovano around 1552.
For hotels and restaurants p220 and p221
KRAKOW 189
VISITORS’ CHECKLIST to the designs of an

unknown architect.
Practical Information The church is enclosed by
pl. Mariacki 5. Map C2. Tel (012) railings topped with the figures
422 0521.Open 11:30am–6pm of the apostles dating between
Mon–Sat, 2–6pm Sun. Altar of the 1715 and 1722. The interior
Virgin: Open 11:50am Mon–Sat, contains fine stuccowork by
2pm Sun. & ^
Giovanni Battista Falconi. The
Transport high altar and organ screen,
@ 152, 502. v 2, 4, 8, 10, 14, designed by Kacper Bażanka,
18, 20. are also noteworthy.
Among the many funerary
monuments the 17th-century
marble tomb of Bishop Andrzej
Gothic Tomicki is most striking.
stained-glass Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine, Standing in front of the church
window Czartoryski Museum is the statue of Piotr Skarga, a
Jesuit preacher and champion
5Czartoryski of the Counter-Reformation,
Museum erected in 2001. He died in
1612 and was buried in the
Muzeum Książąt Czartoryskich crypt below the high altar.
ul. św Jana 19. Map D1. Tel (012) 422
5566. @ 152, 304, 502. v 2, 4, 14, 20,
24. Open Tue–Sun. & free on Sun for
permanent exhibitions. 8
This museum has one of

Poland’s most varied art
collections. Assembled in
Puławy at the end of the 18th
century by Princess Izabella
Czartoryska, it was the private
collection of the Czartoryski
family. The collection was
later taken to Paris and then
to Krakow, where it was put Baroque façade of the Jesuit Church of
on public view. It includes Sts Peter and Paul
examples of handicrafts,
but most significant are the
paintings – among them 7 Szołaysky House
Visitors’ are Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady Kamienica Szołayskich
entrance with an Ermine (c. 1485) and
Rembrandt’s Landscape with Plac Szczepański 9. Map C2.
Good Samaritan (1638). Tel (012) 433 5450. @ 152, 502.
v 2, 4, 8, 10, 14, 24. Open 10am–
6pm Tue–Sat, 10am–4pm Sun.
6 Church of Sts & free on Sun. 8
Peter and Paul This museum houses

Kościół św Piotra i św Pawła permanent and temporary
exhibitions, including works
ul. Grodzka 52a. Map C3. by Krakow’s foremost Art
Tel (012) 422 6573. v 1, 8, 10, 18. Nouveau artist, Stanisław
Open 9am–7pm Mon–Sat,
Wyspiański. Exhibits of interest
1:30–5:30pm Sun. &
here include stage designs,
This twin-domed church is textiles, pastels and portraits
one of the most beautiful of friends and family. The
examples of early-Baroque stained-glass windows he
. Altar of the Virgin architecture in Poland. It was produced for the Franciscan
Carved by sculptor Veit Stoss built for the Jesuits after their church display his ingenuity.
between 1477 and 1489, arrival in Krakow in the 1580s, The ground floor of the
this great Gothic polyptych but after a structural disaster museum features an information
altarpiece is 12 m (39 ft) in 1605, the church was centre, museum shop, café
long and 11 m (36 ft) high. almost completely rebuilt and multi-purpose hall.
Street-by-Street:
The Wawel
In about 1038 Kazimierz the Restorer made
the citadel on Wawel Hill the seat of Polish
political power. In the 16th century the
Jagiełłonian rulers transformed the Gothic w . Wawel Royal Castle
castle into a magnificent Renaissance palace. Once home to the Jagiellonian kings,
the Wawel Royal Castle has survived without
Once the site of coronations and royal burials, major damage. It incorporates the walls
the cathedral is regarded as a shrine by of older Gothic buildings
Poles. The Wawel Royal Castle beside
it is a symbol of national identity.
8 Fortifications on
the Wawel have been
demolished and renewed
several times since the
Middle Ages – right up
to the 20th century
Monument
of Tadeusz
Kościuszko
q . Krakow Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral, lined with
royal burial chapels from different
ages, has some extraordinarily
valuable furnishings
9 Cathedral Museum
On display are religious and royal
regalia from the cathedral treasury,
including the magnificent robe
of Stanisław August Poniatowski
(see p178)
0 metres 50
0 yards 50
Key Thieves’ Tower

Suggested route

KRAKOW 191
8 Fortifications on
The Crown Treasury and the Wawel
Armoury situated in the Fortyfikacje, Mury Obronne
historic Gothic rooms of the
castle were used for storing Wawel. Map C4. v 1, 3, 8, 10,
the Polish coronation 18, 22.
insignia and Crown Jewels. The Wawel Hill was fortified
Memorabilia of the Polish from early times but today only
monarchs and objects from fragments of the oldest Gothic
the former treasury are also fortifications remain. However,
on display here. three towers raised in the
second half of the 15th century Embroidered hood of Bishop Trzebicki’s
still survive – the Senatorial cope, Cathedral Museum
Senatorial Tower, the Thieves’ Tower and
Tower the Sandomierz Tower. Of the from 1504 and has quilted
fortifications dating between embroidery depicting scenes
the 16th and 17th centuries from St Stanisław’s life. Some
the most interesting is the fascinating pieces of royal
Vasa Gate. The monument to memorabilia are also on display
the national hero Tadeusz at the museum.
Kościuszko, leader of the failed
insurrection of 1794, on the
Władysław Bastion is another 0 “Lost Wawel”
highlight. The Wawel continued Exhibition
to play a defensive role into Wawel Zaginiony
the 19th century, and a system
of fortifications dating from Wawel 5. Map C4. Tel (012) 422 5155.
v 3, 8, 10, 18. Open Apr–Oct:
the late 18th and mid-19th
9:30am–5pm Tue–Fri, 9:30am–1pm
centuries can still be seen.
Mon, 10am–5pm Sat–Sun; Nov–Mar:
9:30am–4pm Tue–Sat, 10am–4pm
Sun. Closed public hols. & free
Nov–Mar: Sun; Apr–Oct: Mon.
∑ wawel.krakow.pl
For anyone interested in

archaeology, this exhibition
is a real delight. The display
charts the development of the
Wawel over a long period of
time, and includes a virtual
image of the Wawel buildings
as they existed in the early
Middle Ages, archaeological
Sandomierz Tower, one of three towers of finds from Wawel Hill and a
the Wawel fortifications partially reconstructed early
Romanesque chapel dedicated
to the Blessed Virgin. Built at the
9Cathedral turn of the 11th century, the
0 “Lost Wawel”
Exhibition Museum chapel was discovered during
displays various finds Muzeum Katedralne research work in 1917.
from archaeological
excavations on the Wawel 3. Map C4. Tel (012) 429 3321.
v 3, 8, 10, 18, 22. Open Oct–Mar:
Wawel Hill
9am–4pm Mon–Sat; Apr–Sep:
9am–5pm Mon–Sat. Closed 1 Jan,
Easter, 15 Aug & 25 Dec. &
This museum is located in

Sandomierz Tower buildings near the cathedral
and contains a valuable
collection of pieces from the
cathedral treasury. Among the
finest liturgical vessels and
Fortified walls vestments is the chasuble of Chapel of the Blessed Virgin, part of the
Bishop Piotr Kmita, which dates “Lost Wawel” exhibition
q Krakow Cathedral
Królewska Katedra na Wawelu
Krakow Cathedral, which stands on
the Wawel (see pp190–91), is one of the most
important churches in Poland. Before the
present cathedral was erected (1320–64), two
churches stood on the site. The cathedral has
many features, including a series of chapels
founded by bishops of which the most
beautiful is the Renaissance Zygmunt Chapel.
There are royal tombs in the cathedral and
the Crypt of St Leonard, a remnant of the
Romanesque Cathedral of St Wacław.
Zygmunt Bell
Constructed in 1520,
this is the largest bell
in Poland. Weighing
almost 11 tonnes
(24,251 lbs), it has a
diameter of over
2 m (6 ft).
. Tomb of Kazimierz
the Jagiełłonian
Completed in 1492, this
royal tomb in the Chapel
of the Holy Cross is one of
the last commissions that
the German sculptor Veit
Stoss fulfilled in Poland.
Main entrance
Shrine of St Stanisław
The silver coffin containing
KEY the relics of St Stanisław, the
bishop of Krakow to whom
1 The top of the clock tower is the cathedral is dedicated, was
decorated with statues of saints. built between 1669 and 1671
2 High Altar by Pieter van der Rennen, a
goldsmith from Gdańsk.
KRAKOW 193
Wawel 3. Map C4. Tel (012) 422
5155. Open Apr–Sep: 9am–5pm
Mon–Sat, 12:30–5pm Sun; Oct–
Mar: 9am–4pm Mon–Sat, 12:30–
4pm Sun. & Royal Tombs &
Zygmunt Bell. 8 7
Stalls Transport
The early Baroque oak stalls @ 103, 502. v 8, 10, 18, 20.
in the chancel were built
around 1620.
Room in the Hen’s Foot Tower, Wawel

Royal Castle
w Wawel
Royal Castle
Zamek Królewski na Wawelu
Wawel Hill. Map C4. Tel (012) 422
1697. @ 103, 502. v 8, 10, 18, 40.
Open Nov–Mar: 9:30am–4pm Tue–
Sat; Apr–Oct: 9:30am–5pm Tue–Fri,
10am–5pm Sat & Sun. & Nov–Mar:
Sun. 8 Royal Private Apartments.
∑ wawel.krakow.pl
. Zygmunt Chapel One of Central Europe’s

The chapel with the most magnificent Renaissance
tombs of the last two residences, the Wawel Royal
Jagiellonian kings is Castle was built for King
the jewel of Italian Zygmunt I the Old, the penul-
Renaissance art in timate ruler of the Jagiellonian
Poland. The tomb Dynasty. The four-winged
of Zygmunt I the palace, built between 1502
Old was made by
and 1536, incorporated the
Bartolomeo Berrecci
after 1530, while that
remains of a 14th-century
of Zygmunt August building that stood on the
was built between site. Italian architects Francisco
1574 and 1575 by Fiorentino and Bartolomeo
Santi Gucci. Berrecci designed and construc-
ted it. One of the highlights
of the castle is the impressive
Renaissance-style courtyard
that was built in the 16th
century. The rooms in the
Hen’s Foot Tower are among
the most beautiful in the
castle. The tower was rebuilt
after it was damaged by fire in
the 16th and 17th centuries.
After the royal court was
transferred from Krakow to
Warsaw, the palace fell into
neglect, and during the era
of the partitions it served as
Royal Tombs barracks. At the beginning
These Baroque sarcophagi were made for members of of the 20th century, the castle
the royal Vasa Dynasty. The cathedral is the final resting was given to the city of Krakow,
place of most of the Polish kings, as well as national which started a restoration
heroes such as Tadeusz Kościuszko (see p191) and programme and turned it
several revered poets. into a museum.
e Street-by-Street: Kazimierz District

Narrow streets lined with low buildings make up the district
of Kazimierz. Founded in 1335 by Kazimierz the Great, it soon
developed a thriving Jewish population. Czech and German
refugees came here to join Jews displaced from Krakow in the
late 15th century, and the area bears witness to centuries of
co-existence between Jews and Poles. The Jewish quarter,
located in the district’s eastern part, was concentrated
around Szeroka ulica, later known as New Square. Many
synagogues, bathhouses and cemeteries were estab-
lished and Kazimierz became a centre of Judaic
culture and learning. During World War II, much of
A
the quarter was destroyed in the Nazi invasion,
W
O
but recently many galleries, cafés and bars
D
IO
have opened here.
M
J
A
A
K
W
U
O
B
D
A
IO
M
Temple Synagogue
The decoration of this synagogue,
built in the Neo-Renaissance style,
was influenced by Moorish art.
Key 0 metres 50
K
U
Suggested route 0 yards 50

P
A
Jewish Tombs
The signs carved on Jewish tombs have A
symbolic value. The grave of a rabbi is K
A
indicated by hands joined in prayer. Those A
IZ
of Levites are distinguished by basins and
jugs for the ritual ablution of hands. Three
interlaced snakes feature on the grave of a
physician, and a crown of knowledge on that
of a learned man. A lion or a six-pointed Star
of David signifies a descendant of Judah.
Kupa Synagogue
Built in the
17th century, this
synagogue, financed
by the Kahal, the
municipality of
Kazimierz, was also
used for non-religious
purposes. It has
recently been con-
Intricately carved symbolic motifs on Jewish tombs verted into a Jewish
cultural centre.
KRAKOW 195
. Remu’h Cemetery VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

This evocative Jewish
cemetery contains a
Wailing Wall which
Map E4.
commemorates the n ul. Józefa 7, (012) 422 0471.
tragic fate met by
Remu’h Cemetery: ul. Szeroka 40,
Krakow’s Jews during
(012) 422 1274. Open 9am–4pm
World War II.
Mon–Fri. Old Synagogue: ul.
Szeroka 24, (012) 422 0962.
_ Festival of Jewish Culture
(late Jun).
Bath (mikvah) Poper Synagogue Transport

v 11, 13, 24.
Remu’h Synagogue
This synagogue is dedicated
to Rabbi Remu’h, who was
reputed to be a miracle
D
worker. His grave

A
is still venerated by
JW
Jewish pilgrims.
Ó
R
S
Z
E
R
O
K
A
A Synagogue on
F
B
E
Z the Hill
A
Ó
RT
J
OZ
A
Isaak’s Synagogue is
named after its founder,
Isaak Jakubowicz, a
Jewish elder.
. Old Synagogue
High Synagogue Although destroyed by the
Designed in Gothic style, Nazis, Poland’s oldest synagogue
the High Synagogue is has been painstakingly restored.
one of Krakow’s most This menorah is among its
attractive synagogues. many treasures.
r Auschwitz I
Oświęcim
For most people, Auschwitz represents the ultimate horror of
the Holocaust. The Nazis began the first mass transportation
of European Jews to Auschwitz in 1942 and it soon became
the centre of extermination. Over the next three years, more
than one and a half million people, a quarter of those who
died in the Holocaust, were killed at Auschwitz and the Exhibitions
neighbouring Birkenau camp (see pp198–9), also known as The daily horrors of life in the
Auschwitz II. Today, Auschwitz is a UNESCO World Heritage camp are displayed in some
of the barracks.
Site and the camp has been preserved as a poignant
memorial. The prison blocks have been turned into a
museum charting the history of the camps and of
persecution in Poland.
The Camp
Auschwitz I opened in 1940 on the site of
former Polish Army barracks. Originally
built to incarcerate only Polish political
prisoners, further buildings were
added in the spring of 1941 as the
number of prisoners drastically
increased. Camp administration
was also based here.
Gas Chambers and Crematoria

The entire Auschwitz complex had seven
gas chambers and five crematoria. Four of
the gas chambers were in Birkenau but the
first was at Auschwitz, operating from 1941.
KEY
1 “Arbeit Macht Frei”, the

infamous words above the entrance
The Two Camps to Auschwitz translate as “Work
Although part of the same camp complex, Auschwitz and makes you free”. This was certainly
Birkenau are in fact 3 km (2 miles) apart. The small Polish not the case for the prisoners
town of Oświęcim was transported here, who were
commandeered by the often worked to death.
Nazis and renamed 2 Guard house and office of the
Auschwitz. Birkenau was camp supervisor
opened in March 1942 in 3 Block 11, the central jail was
the village of Brzezinka, where the first experiments with
where the residents gas were carried out in 1941.
were evicted to make
4 Store containing the poison,
way for the camp. There
Zyklon B, used to kill prisoners.
were an additional 47
Aerial view of Auschwitz I and Birkenau sub-camps in the 5 Camp kitchen
taken by the Allies in 1944 surrounding area. 6 Information Centre for visitors

KRAKOW 197
The “Wall of Death”

This is a reconstruction
of the wall near Block
11 used for summary
75 km (50 miles) W of Krakow.
executions carried out by
Map E2.
a firing squad. It now
Open Dec–Feb: 8am–3pm;
serves as a place of
Mar & Nov: 8am–4pm; Apr & Oct:
remembrance.
8am–5pm; May & Sep: 8am–6pm;
Jun–Aug: 8am–7pm. Closed 1 Jan,
Easter Day, 25 Dec. 8 call in
advance, fee applies. Note: Shuttle
bus to Birkenau runs hourly;
leaving from the Information
Centre. ∑ auschwitz.org.pl
Transport
£ to Oświęcim, then @ 2, 3.
Maksymilian Kolbe
This Franciscan priest,
who was later canonized,
chose to die to save
another inmate’s life
here. He was sentenced
to death by starvation.
Roll Call Square

Roll call took place up to three times a day
and could last for hours. Eventually, due to the
large number of prisoners, roll call was taken
in front of individual barracks.
1939 1940 First deportation 1941 Hitler reported to have 1944 As the Soviet 1945 27 Jan,
1 Sep, of German Jews into ordered the “Final Solution”. Army closes in on Soviet soldiers
Hitler Nazi-occupied Poland. Auschwitz, the SS liberate the few
invades begin destroying all remaining prisoners
Poland. 1942 First section of evidence of the camp. at Auschwitz.
Birkenau camp completed.
1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
1940 Oświęcim 1941 Himmler 1942 1943 Four gas chambers 1945 7 May,
chosen as the site makes first visit 1941 First gas Beginning built for mass murder. Germany
of the Nazis’ new to Auschwitz chamber goes of mass finally
concentration and orders its into operation. deportation 1945 18 Jan, 56,000 prisoners surrenders
camp. expansion. to Auschwitz. evacuated on “Death March”. to the Allies.
Auschwitz II–Birkenau
Oświęcim-Brzezinka
Birkenau was primarily a place of execution. Over one
million people were killed in its four gas chambers, 98
per cent of whom were Jewish. Victims included Poles,
Russian prisoners of war, gypsies and Czech, Yugoslav, French,
Austrian and German citizens. Birkenau was also an enormous
concentration camp, housing 90,000 slave labourers by mid- Hell’s Gate
1944 and providing labour for many of the factories and farms In 1944, the numbers arriving
at the camp began to increase
of southwestern, Nazi-occupied Poland. The gas chambers
dramatically. A railway line was
were quickly destroyed by the Nazis shortly before the extended into the camp. The
Soviet Army liberated the camp in January 1945. entrance gate through which
the trains passed was known
as “Hell’s Gate”.
Visiting Birkenau
There is little left of the camp
today; its main purpose is for
remembrance. Most visitors
come to pay their respects at
the Monument to the Victims
of the Camp, on the site of
the gas chambers.
The Unloading Ramp

This was possibly the most terrifying part of the
camp. It was here that SS officers separated the men
from the women and children, and the SS doctors
declared who was fit for work. Those declared unfit
were taken immediately to their death.
KEY
1 Towers and barbed wire

isolated the camps from the
outside world
2 Gas chamber and crematorium
Women’s Barracks 3 Area of expansion, nicknamed
The conditions in the living quarters at the camps “Mexico”, was never completed.
were terrible. With little or no sanitation, poor
nutrition and no medical care, diseases such as 4 Men’s barracks, with about 500
typhus and cholera spread rapidly. This image to 600 people living in each building.
shows the women’s barracks at Birkenau shortly 5 Hell’s Gate
after liberation.
KRAKOW 199
Kanada
This was the nickname of the
barracks where property stolen
from prisoners was stored. It was
the preferred place to work at
Auschwitz II-Birkenau as it offered
opportunities for inmates to pilfer
items to barter for food or
medicine later.
The Sauna
New arrivals selected for work were
deloused and disinfected in this
building, which became known as
the “sauna”. Periodic disinfection of
existing prisoners was also carried
out here.
The Ash Pond

Tonnes of ash – the remains of hundreds
of thousands of Auschwitz victims –
were dumped in ponds and troughs dug
around the outskirts of the camp.
The Camp Reconstruction

In 1944, Birkenau had more than
90,000 prisoners, the majority of whom
were exterminated. It was the largest
concentration camp in Nazi-occupied
Europe. From the unloading ramp to the
gas chambers, the crematoria to the ash
dumping grounds, the whole process of
murder was carried out systematically and
on a huge scale. This reconstruction shows
the camp at its peak in 1944, when as many
as 5,000 people were killed every day.
The Liberation of the Camps

With the war all but lost, in mid-January 1945 the
Nazi authorities gave the order for all the camps
to be destroyed. However, only a part of Birkenau
could be destroyed before the collapse of the
German Army. Between 17 and 21 January, more
than 56,000 inmates were evacuated by the
Nazis and forced to march west, but many died
en route. When the Soviet Army entered the
camps on 27 January 1945, they found just
7,000 survivors. Survivors of Auschwitz II-Birkenau, filmed by Soviet troops
3 Wrocław
The beautiful city of Wrocław bears the stamp of several
cultures. It was founded by Duke Vratislav of Bohemia in the
10th century and a Polish bishopric was established here in
AD 1000. Later it became the capital of the Duchy of Silesian
Piasts, and then came under Czech rule in 1335. In 1526, with
the whole Czech state, it was incorporated into the Habsburg
Empire, and in 1741 was transferred to Prussian rule. The
fierce defence that German forces put up here at the end
of World War II left almost three quarters of Wrocław in ruins
Baroque pietá in the University Church
but the city has now been painstakingly reconstructed. of the Blessed Name of Jesus
Ostrów Tumski
Cathedral of St John the Baptist: pl.
Katedralny 18. Open 10am–4pm University Church of the
Blessed Name of Jesus
Mon–Sat, 2–4pm Sun.
∑ katedra.archidiecezja.wroc.pl Wrocław University
PLAC
Once an island in the Odra Arsenal
KA UNIWERSYTECKI
DZ
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river, Ostrów Tumski is where C IE GRO U N IW
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SZY YTE
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In the 19th century, the 11 km (7 miles) W Ś W
Theatre
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Church of E L Ż BW.
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northern arm of the Odra IE T Y
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St Barbara Ś W.
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was filled in and Tumski OŁA
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St Elizabeth
AT
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ceased to be an island. Ostrów MAIN
WI
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ravages of World War II. Other W University C IM
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highlights include the two-
KA
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Palace ZA
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Cross, established in 1288 by WI

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Henry IV, the Pious and the O
PO PLAC
Archdiocesan Museum, a rich DW WOLNOŚCI Church of Sts
Wenceslas, Stanisław
repository of Gothic art built AL and Dorothy M E
E NNIC
PLAC ZA
between 1519 and 1527. TEATRALNY
T E AT
A walk through the narrow Dolnośląska
A ŁA
A
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Opera Hause
streets can be followed by a Lalek
CI
IDN
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BO ŻEG
visit to the Botanical Gardens. 0 metres 200
ŚW
M. Kopernik
Park
0 yards 200
P Wrocław University Central Wrocław POD
WALE
pl. Uniwersytecki 1. Tel (071) 375 1 Ostrów Tumski
2215. Assembly Hall: Open 10:30am– and paintings by Christoph 2 Wrocław University
3:30pm Mon, Tue & Thu, 11am–5pm Handke glorifying Wisdom,
Fri–Sun. & 3 University Church of the Blessed
Knowledge and Science, and
Name of Jesus
Established as an academy the founders of the academy.
by Emperor Leopold I in 1702, 4 Nankiera Bishop’s Square
Wrocław University (Uniwer- 5 National Museum
sytet Wrocławski) was given 6 Panorama of Racławice
its current status in 1811. The 7 Bernadine Church and
university has produced eight Monastery
Nobel Laureates including the 8 St Mary Magdalene’s Church
nuclear physicist Max Born. 9 Kameleon Store
Since 1945 it has been a Polish
0 Main Market Square
centre of learning.
q Town Hall
The highlight of this Baroque
building is the Assembly Hall w Church of St Elizabeth
(Aula Leopoldina) whose e Royal Palace
interior includes stuccowork, The richly ornamented interior of Wrocław r Church of Sts Wenceslas,
gilding by Franz Josef Mangoldt University’s Assembly Hall Stanisław and Dorothy
POLAND 201
R University Church of the VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Blessed Name of Jesus Practical Information
pl. Uniwersytecki 1.
271 km (168 miles) SW of Warsaw.
Tel (071) 343 6382. 5 * 630,000. n Rynek 14, 071
Built for the Jesuits in 1689–98, 344 31 11. _ Festival of Stage
this church (Uniwersytecki Songs (Mar), Jazz on the Odra
Kościoł Najświętszego Imienia (May), Wratislavia Cantans (Sep).
Jesuza) exemplifies Silesian ∑ wroclaw.pl
Baroque church architecture.
Transport
The interior was built by Krzyszt k 11 km (7 miles) NW of centre.
of Tausch in 1722–34. The £ Wrocław Główny,
vaulting was decorated by the The Gothic Church of St Vincent with ul. Piłsudskiego 105.
Viennese artist Johann Michael Hochberg Chapel in front
Rottmayer in 1704–6.
Church of Gardens
Botanical Good, dating from 1300.
Church of the
Piasek Island
St Martin
Holy Cross Church of The first floor has 16th- and
most
Church of Tumski Ś W.
IDZIE
GO
St Giles 17th-century paintings,
St Anna
PLAC ŚW.
K AT
EDRA
LNA
PLAC
KATED-
Cathedral of
St John the
including works by the Silesian
JADWIGI Church of RALNY
St Mary Archbishop’s Baptist artist Michael Willmann (1630–
Ossoliński on Piasek Palace
Library OSTRÓW 1706) and wooden sculptures
Church of by Thomas Weissfeldt (1630–
Church of
St Vincent TUMSKI 1712). The second floor is
BU
St Maciej LW Od
Hala AR ra devoted to contemporary
Targowa XA
NANKIERA A W . F. ER
O WA
BISHOP’S EG
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Polish works.
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PIASK
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K. JANICK
most
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National
TARG
Museum
PL. POWSTAŃ CÓW W
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Awangarda Church of
Gallery
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St Adalbert Panorama
ARZYN
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of Racławice
Park
Bernadine Church
BE R
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K AT
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DOMINIKAŃSKI
Façade of the National Museum
Church of
St Christopher
The church, used by the Panorama of Racławice
Piasts as a mausoleum, still ul. Purkyniego 11. Tel (071) 344 1661.
A
ALE
RGI
ZBOW
contains Gothic Ducal tombs. Open winter: 9am–4pm Tue–Sun;

KA
PODW
summer: 9am–5pm daily. & 7

WIER
Next door, at No. 17, is the Gothic

RA S
Church of St Maciej (Kościół św The Panorama of Racławice

PIOT
Macieja), which was once owned (Panorama Racławicka) depicts

KS.
by the Knights Hospitallers of the Battle of Racławice of 4

the Red Star. The pavilion of the April 1794, when the Poles
gallery at No. 8, on the opposite defeated the Russians. It is
side of the square, contains 120 m (400 ft) long and 15 m
Railway Station
550 m (600 yards)
the 13th-century walls of the (46 ft) high and took artists
House of the Nuns of Trebnica Wojciech Kossak and Jan Styka
(Dom Sióstr Trebnica), the oldest nine months to paint. Unveiled
P Nankiera Bishop’s Square surviving secular building in in 1894 in Lviv, in Ukraine, it
The buildings in this square the city. was brought to Poland in
(Plac Biskupa Nankiera) date 1946 and was put on display
from various periods. The Gothic E National Museum in Wrocław in 1985.
Church of St Vincent (Kościół pl. Powstańców Warszawy 5. Tel (071)
św Wincentego), at No. 5, was 343 5643. Open Apr–Sep: 10am–5pm
erected in the 13th to 15th Wed–Fri & Sun, 10am–6pm Sat; Oct–
centuries. At No. 16, the 17th- Mar: 10am–4pm Wed–Fri, 10am–5pm
century Baroque monastery, Sat & Sun. & free on Sat, limited
Old Order of St Clare, now availability. ∑ mnwr.art.pl
hosts a post elementary school. The ground floor of the National
The group of Baroque monastic Museum (Muzeum Narodowe)
buildings at No. 16 also encloses contains examples of Silesian
the small 3th-century Church and Gothic art, including the Rotunda containing the Panorama
of St Clare (Kościół św Klary). tombstone of Henry IV the of Racławice
Wrocław: Old Town

For those who enjoy exploring on foot, the Old Town
(Stare Miasto) of Wrocław is a delightful place. The restored
buildings located around the large Main Market Square
have been given over to an assortment of bars, restaurants
and cafés with alfresco seating, while the nearby churches
contain a wealth of religious art and ecclesiastical
furnishings. The impressive Gothic Town Hall has a finely
decorated interior. On summer evenings, this bustling
square comes alive as locals as well as visitors gather
here to attend the concerts and many cultural events
that are held in the square.
The façade of the House of the Seven
Electors, Main Market Square
the mid-15th century,
incorporating the walls of a Oświęcimskich, an office
13th-century church that had building built between 1912
previously stood on the site. and 1913 by renowned
Inside the basilica is a Gothic architect Hans Poelzig is
stone tabernacle, a Renaissance another interesting example
pulpit made between 1579 of Modernist architecture.
and 1581 by Friedrich Gross and
tombstones of various periods. P Main Market Square
The portal on the north side Rynek.
is a superb example of late Wrocław’s Main Market Square
12th-century Romanesque is the second largest in Poland,
sculpture. It was taken from after the one in Krakow. In the
a demolished Benedictine centre stand the Town Hall and
monastery in Olbina and a group of buildings separated
Late-Gothic portal of the Bernadine Church added in 1546. by alleys. The houses around the
and Monastery The tympanum, depicting square date from the Renaissance
the Dormition of the Virgin, is to the 20th century. Some still
R Bernadine Church now on display in the National have their original 14th- and
and Monastery Museum (see p201). 15th-century Gothic vaults. The
ul. Bernardyńska 5. Architecture west side of the square is the
Museum: Tel (071) 344 8279. most attractive with the late-
Open 10am–8pm daily. Baroque House of the Golden
& free for permanent exhibitions. Sun, at No. 6, built in 1727 by
∑ ma.wroc.pl Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt,
This impressive group of as well as the House of the
monastic buildings (Kościół i Seven Electors, its paintwork
Klasztor pobernardyński) was dating from 1672. Also to the
constructed by Bernadine monks south is Under the Griffins
between 1463 and 1502. Rebuilt Detail on a relief in St Mary (Pod Gryfami), at No. 2, built
from their wartime ruins, they Magdalene's Church between 1587 and 1589. It has
now house the Architecture a galleried interior courtyard.
Museum (Muzeum Architektury). P Kameleon Store On the east side, at No. 31
The monastery is of interest for ul. Szewska 6–7. and No. 32, is Feniks Store
its late-Gothic cloisters and the The Kameleon Store (Dom of 1904 and, at No. 41, Under
Church of St Bernard of Siena, a Handlowy Kameleon) is an the Golden Dog (Pod Złotym
towering Gothic basilica with unusual building on the Psem), a rebuilt town house
a typically Baroque gable. corner of ulica Szewska and of 1713. The north side was
ulica Oławska. It was built by reconstructed after World
R St Mary Magdalene's the German architect Erich War II. Just off the corner of
Church Mendelsohn as a retail store the Main Market Square,
ul. św Marii Magdaleny. Tel (071) 344 for Rudolf Petersdorf between in front of the Church of St
1904. Open 9am–noon, 4–6pm daily. 1927 and 1928. Its semicircular Elizabeth (Kościół św Elżbiety),
The great Gothic St Mary bay, formed of rows of windows, are two small acolytes’ houses,
Magdalene's Church (Kościół juts out dramatically. Nearby, the Renaissance Jaś of around
św Marii Magdaleny) was at the intersection of ulica 1564, and the 18th-century
erected between 1330 and Łaciarska and Ofiar Baroque Małgosia.
POLAND 203
P Town Hall basilica was built in the 14th

ul. Sukiennice 14/15. Museum of City century on the site of an earlier
Art: Open 11am–5pm Wed–Sat, church. However, the tower was
10am–6pm Sun. & ∑ muzeum. not completed until 1482. It
miejskie.wroclaw.pl became a Protestant church in
Wrocław’s Town Hall (Muzeum 1525 and has been a garrison
Miejskie Wrocławia) is one of church since 1946.
the most important examples The church suffered damage
of Gothic architecture in Eastern from a succession of wars
and Central Europe. Its present and accidents. A fire in 1976
appearance is the result of destroyed the roof and the fine
extensive rebuilding that took Baroque organ. Fortunately,
place between 1470 and 1510. more than 350 epitaphs and
The building’s southern tombstones have survived, Church of Sts Wenceslas, Stanisław
façade was embellished with forming a display of Silesian and Dorothy
Neo-Gothic stone carvings stone-carving from Gothic
around 1871. Inside are impressive to Neo-Classical periods. R Church of Sts Wenceslas,
vaulted halls, the largest being Stanisław and Dorothy
the triple-aisled Grand Hall on ul. Świdnicka. Tel (071) 343 2721.
the ground floor that served as Dedicated to three saints, the
an important venue for public Czech St Wenceslas, the Polish
meetings and receptions. There St Stanisław and the German St
are also a number of late-Gothic Dorothy, this Franciscan church
and Renaissance doorways. The (Kościół św Wacława, Stanisława
building houses the Museum of i Doroty) was built in 1351 to
City Art (Muzeum Sztuki strengthen relations between
Mieszczańskiej). Wrocław's three nationalities.
A plaque outside the entrance The church’s unusually
to the Town Hall commemorates narrow interior is Gothic. The
the prominent poet and writer beautiful Rococo tombstone
Aleksander Fredro (1793–1876), of Gottfried von Spaetgen
who acquired fame with his (c. 1725–1753) stands in
comedies about the Polish upper Church of St Elizabeth with Jaś and the nave.
classes. The plaque was made Małgosia, acolytes’ houses
in 1879 by Leonard Marconi
and transferred to Wrocław P Royal Palace
The Ossolineum
from Lviv in 1956. ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 35. The National Ossoliński
Archaeology Museum: ul. Institute was founded by
Cieszyńskiego 9. Tel (071) 347 1696. Count Józef Maksymilian
Open 11am–5pm Wed–Sat, Ossoliński (1748–1829) in
11am–6pm Sun. & Ethnographic Vienna in 1817. In 1827 it
Museum: ul. Traugutta 111/113. moved to Lwów (later Lviv),
Tel (071) 344 3313. Open 10am–4pm where it assembled collec-
Tue, Wed, Fri–Sun, 9am–4pm Thu. tions of manuscripts, prints,
& free on Sat. 7 etchings and drawings,
promoted scientific research
This Baroque palace (Pałac
and engaged in publishing.
Królewski) with Classical details, After World War II, most of the
enclosed by a court of annexes, collections were transferred
was built in 1719. After 1750, when to the National Museum
Wrocław was under Prussian rule, (see p201) in Wrocław, while
it became a residence for the the manuscripts were housed
Prussian kings. On the side facing in the Baroque monastery of
Gothic gables of the east façade of the Plac Wolności, only a side gallery the Knights Hospitallers of the
Town Hall remains of the Neo-Renaissance Red Star in Wrocław.
palace built between 1843
R Church of St Elizabeth and 1846.
ul. św Elżbiety. Tel (071) 343 1638. The Royal Palace contains
Open 8am–6pm Mon–Sat, two interesting collections:
1–6pm Sun. the Archaeology Museum
The tower dominating the Main and Ethnographic Museum,
Market Square is that of the the latter illustrating Silesian
Church of St Elizabeth (Kościół art and folk history, including The Baroque monastery that houses
św Elżbiety), one of the largest a large collection of dolls in the Ossolineum
churches in Wrocław. The Gothic traditional garments.
4 Poznań banks, cafés and restaurants.

From spring to autumn, the
Poznań is the capital of Wielkopolska, a historical region in west- square bustles with life; local
central Poland, and is its largest city. A stronghold by the name artists display their paintings,
of Polan stood here in the 8th century and it became the capital and the outdoor cafés are
permanently busy. The square
of the emerging Polish state in the 10th century. It was declared
also serves as a venue for cultural
the seat of the first bishopric in Poland in 968. Today, Poznań is events. Some of the houses
Poland’s second financial centre after Warsaw and a centre of here were destroyed during the
commerce. Annual trade fairs have been held here since 1921. battles for Poznań in 1945 and
The city has many historic buildings, the finest of which are its were rebuilt after World War II,
cathedral and those in the Old Town (Stare Miasto). A stroll but others escaped any serious
around the attractive late 19th-century quarter is worthwhile.
G
1727 by Pompeo Ferrari. Over EN
. T
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I
this is a painting illustrating a I U
SZ UTRZE
BY
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legendary episode from the KSI ĘC IA J Ó Z E
FA
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Cemetery
O
K
T.
life of St Stanisław. Then a
Discalced Carmelites’
bishop, he was accused by Church of St Joseph
Church of
the Polish King Bolesław III St Adalbert
Wrymouth (1085–1138) of St Adalbert’s
not paying for a village he had Hill
incorporated into his territory. In
DZIAŁO
ŚW
order to prove his innocence,
.W
WO
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St Stanisław is believed to LNI
WA
CI
CA
EC
have resurrected the
H
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Interior of the Church of the Most Sacred deceased former SK

Ń
SKIE
ŁY
M
Heart of Jesus owner of the PLAC
W
WIELKOPOLSKI
A L . K . M A R C I N KO
land to testify
A
PLAC TEG O
R Church of the Most Sacred 23 LU
NIECK
on his behalf.
A
CYRYLA Przemysław
WSK
RATAJSKIEGO Castle
Heart of Jesus The Baroque
WRO
ŻYDO
ul. Szewska 18. Tel (061) 852 5076/ buildings of a
M A
ŁA
ZE OR
3
YS
PR G
MA
STAR Y
853 3359. former Jesuit Raczyński RY NE K
JA
PLAC Library Działyński

Old
This magnificent church monastery and WOLNOŚCI Palace
Town
OLD TOWN
(Kościół Serca Jezusowego), college stand 27 GRUD SQUARE
Hall
NIA National STARY RY
NEK
built in the 13th century, is the close to the Museum
church, built for ZIA
oldest in the Old Town. It was Airport KO
LN A
7 km (4 miles) Archaeological
a Dominican church until the brotherhood
SZ K O
PO Museum
1920, when it was passed to between 1701 DG
ÓR
GOŁ Ę
BIA
Former Kaiser NA Church of Sts
the Jesuits. During the German and 1733. Today, District Ś W. Mary Magdalene
MARCIN
occupation in World War II, a they are used by PLAC
and Stanisław
WIOSNY
repository was set up here for the city council for SOK
A LUDÓW Chopin
WY PO
Polish books removed from secular purposes. ST D G Park
A
R Ó
IE JS K
ZE RN
the libraries in Poznań. LE A
CK
P Ó ŁW
A
P Old Town Square Railway Station
1.6 km (1 mile) Z I ELON
A
R Church of Sts Mary The Old Town Square (Stary

Magdalene and Stanisław Rynek) is the heart of the Old damage. They include Mielżyński
ul. Gołębia 1. Tel (061) 852 6950. Town. It is surrounded by town Palace, which dates from 1796–8,
Construction work on this houses with colourful façades, and Działyński Palace, both in
Baroque church (Kościół św Marii among which stands the Neo-Classical style.
Magdaleny i św Stanisław), began Renaissance Old Town Hall. The
in 1651 and continued for more centrepiece of the square is the P Old Town Hall
than 50 years. Several architects, Baroque Proserpine Fountain of Stary Rynek 1. Historical Museum
craftsmen and artists, including 1766, depicting the abduction of Poznań: Tel (061) 856 8193.
Tomasso Poncino, Jan Catenaci of the ancient Roman goddess of Open 9am–3pm Tue–Thu, noon–9pm
and Bartołomiej Wąsowski, had fertility, Proserpine. Nearby, a Fri, 11am–6pm Sat, Sun. & free on
a role in the project. 20th-century fountain com- Sat. ∑ mnp.art.pl
The most impressive aspect memorates 18th-century Poznań’s Old Town Hall (Ratusz)
of the church is its monolithic Catholic settlers from Bamberg, is one of the finest municipal
interior. Gigantic columns lead in southern Germany. The buildings in Europe. It was built
towards the high altar, which was ground floors of the buildings between 1550 and 1560 by the
designed and constructed in around the square are filled by Italian architect Giovanni
POLAND 205
Poznań City Centre Battista di Quadro. The façade VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

1 Church of the Most Sacred has three tiers of arcades,
Heart of Jesus topped by a grand attic and a Practical Information
large tower, and decorated with 319 km (175 miles) W of Warsaw.
2 Church of Sts Mary Magdalene
portraits of the kings of Poland. * 560,000. n Stary Rynek 59,
and Stanisław
The clock tower is an attraction (061) 852 6156. ( Poznań
3 Old Town Square International Trade Fair (all year).
4 Old Town Hall
in its own right. At noon each
_ Malta International Theatre
day, two clockwork goats
5 Działyński Palace Festival (Jun). ∑ poznan.pl
emerge from doors 12 times
6 Przemysław Castle
to butt heads. The building Transport
7 National Museum k 7 km (4 miles) W of centre.
now houses the Historical
8 Raczyński Library £ Dworzec Główny ul.
Museum of Poznań (Muzeum
9 St Adalbert’s Hill Historii Miasta Poznania). Dworcowa 1.
0 Ostrów Tumski The Renaissance Hall on the
q Archdiocese Museum first floor is lavishly decorated to
w Poznań Cathedral reflect the affluence of the city’s
municipal leaders. The coffered
ceiling is covered with an
PÓŁNO
CNA intricate series of paintings.
Archdiocese
GARBARY
PA N Museum
NY Lubrański
IEGO
BOŻNICZA
W Academy
M
WA
AR
D
K I P OS A Z E G O
AŃSK
II
a
SKO
rt
OSTRÓW
a
LUBR
PIA
T
TUMSKI RÓW UMSK
OST I
Church of
M A ŁE St Mary
GARB KI Façade of the magnificent Działyński Palace
A RY MS Poznań
TU
Psalter Cathedral
E. E
ÓW
S TAW
NA ST
KO
TR
S
KA
W O The Neo-Classical façade is

SK
IE GO
ŃSKIE
SZEWS
Church of the Most GO YSZY

Sacred Heart of Jesus KARD. S. W crowned with a large eagle
DO M IN
IK AŃ SK
A
most and set with figures of Roman
Bolesława
soldiers made by Anton Höhne
O
Chrobrego
W
E
I SZ 0 metres 250
AL between 1785 and 1787. The
W
WIELKA CH 0 yards 250 columned Red Room is worth
WOŹN
a visit. The building is now
A
Other collections of paintings used as a library, theatre and
W O DN
A can be seen in the Royal Hall concert hall.
RY
and the Court Hall.

GARBA
+ Przemysław Castle
Jesuit P Działyński Palace Góra Przemysła 1. Tel (061) 856 8186.
M O
College
Stary Rynek 78. Tel (061) 852 0950. Open 9am–3pm Tue–Thu, noon–9pm
ST
Fri, 11am–6pm Sat & Sun. & free on

ZA BRAMKĄ
WSZYSTKICH
This palace (Pałac Działyńskich)
OW
ŚWIĘTYCH
Sat. ∑ mnp.art.pl
A
was built in the late 18th cen-

tury for Władysław Gurowski, Little remains of the castle
Grand Marshal of Lithuania. (Zamek Przemysława) built
by Przemysław II in the 13th
century, once the largest in
Poland. The reconstructed
castle that now stands on the
site houses the Applied Arts
Museum (Muzeum Sztuk
Użytkowych), which holds a
collection of everyday objects,
decorative artifacts and religious
items dating from the Middle
Ages to the present. The
Baroque Franciscan Church
on ulica Góra Przemysła dates
from the early 18th century.
Frescoes by the Franciscan
painter Adam Swach decorate
Poznań’s colourful Old Market Square the nave.
E National Museum Prussians. On the summit,

al. Marcinkowskiego 9. Tel (061) 856 two churches face each other
8000. Open 9am–3pm Tue–Thu across a small square. One is the
(11am–5pm summer), noon–9pm Fri, Discalced Carmelites’ Church
11am–6pm Sat & Sun. & free on Sat. of St Joseph, built by Cristoforo
∑ mnp.art.pl Bonadura the Elder and Jan
The National Museum (Muzeum Catenaci between 1658 and
Narodowe) is housed in what 1667. It contains the tomb of
was originally the Prussian Mikołaj Jan Skrzetuski on whom
Friedrich Museum, a Neo- novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz
Renaissance building from based the hero of his historical
1900–1903. Its fine collections saga With Fire and Sword (Ogniem
of Polish paintings include i Mieczem). The other is the
medieval art of the 12th to the Statue of Hygeia, Greek goddess of health, Gothic Church of St Adalbert,
16th centuries and 17th- to outside the Raczyński Library forming a pantheon with the
18th-century coffin portraits. same function as the Pauline
Canvases by Jacek Malczewski compared with any other Church on the Rock in Krakow.
are the best examples of building in Poznań. The idea for The crypt contains the remains
painting by the Young Poland a library was initiated by Count of eminent local figures, includ-
Movement. The Gallery of Edward Raczyński in 1829. The ing Józef Wybicki, who wrote
European Art contains works aim of this visionary aristocrat the Polish national anthem.
from various collections, includ- was to turn Poznań into a “New
ing that belonging to Atanazy Athens”. The library was to be a Ostrów Tumski
Raczyński, brother of Count centre of culture. Although the The oldest part of Poznań,
Edward Raczyński. The most library’s architect is unknown, Ostrów Tumski was the site of
outstanding paintings are it is thought to have been built one of the first capital cities
those by Dutch and Flemish by the French architects and of the Polish state in the 10th
artists including Joos van Cleve designers Charles Percier and century. Today, it is dominated
and Quentin Massys. Italian, Pierre Fontaine. by the Gothic towers of Poznań
French and Spanish painters A seated statue of Hygeia, Cathedral, which contains
are also represented. the ancient Greek goddess many fine works of art.
of health, with the features of Near the cathedral stands
P Raczyński Library Konstancja z Potockich, Edward the small Gothic Church of
pl. Wolności 19. Tel (061) 885 8900. Raczyński’s wife, was installed St Mary (Kościół Najświętszej
Open 9am–8pm Mon–Fri. in front of the library in 1906. Marii Panny), which was built
∑ bracz.edu.pl between 1431 and 1448 for
Architecturally, Raczyński Library St Adalbert’s Hill Bishop Andrzej Bniński by Hanusz
(Biblioteka Raczyńskich) is This hill (Wzgórze św Wojciecha) Prusz, a pupil of the prominent
one of the most distinguished is believed to be the spot where late medieval architect Heinrich
buildings in the city. Its columned 1,000 years ago, St Adalbert gave Brunsberg. Down the road from
façade combines grandeur with a sermon before setting off on the church is the Lubrański
elegance, and it cannot be his campaign to evangelize the Academy, the first institute of
The Neo-Renaissance façade of the National Museum

POLAND 207
higher education to be The 16th-century tomb of 5 Raczyński Palace

established in Poznań. Founded Bishop Benedykt Izdbieński is Pałac Raczyńskich
in 1518 by Bishop Jan Lubrański, the work of Jan Michałowicz of
it acquired its greatest renown Urzędow, the celebrated sculptor 330 km (205 miles) W of Warsaw.
in the early 16th century. of the Polish Renaissance. Palace Museum: Tel (061) 813 8030.
Open May–Sep: 9:30am–4pm
Among its alumni was Jan
Tue–Sat, 10am–6pm Sun;
Struś, a physician during the
Oct–Apr: 9:30am–4pm Tue–Sun.
Polish Renaissance. Closed Mon. & free on Wed. 8
In the gardens on the other ∑ mnp.art.pl
side of ulica Ks.I. Posadzego
stand a number of charming Located in the village of
houses, one of which holds the Rogalin, Raczyński Palace is
collections of the Archdiocese one of the most magnificent
Museum. The late Gothic Psalter, buildings in the region. The
built around 1520 by Bishop seat of many Polish nobles, it
Lubrański, is distinguished for its was begun around 1770 for
stepped and recessed gables. Kazimierz Raczyński, Palatine
of Wielkopolska and Grand
E Archdiocese Museum Marshal of the Crown.
ul. Lubrańskiego 1. Tel (061) 852 6195. Although designed in the
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Fri, 9am–3pm Baroque style, architectural
Sat. Closed public hols. & 8 ornamentation was abandoned
The outstanding collection of during construction. The main
religious art on display in the Monument to the Victims of June 1956 building, however, retains its
Archdiocese Museum (Muzeum late Baroque solidity. Between
Archidiecezjalne) includes P Former Kaiser District 1782 and 1783, colonnades were
medieval painting and sculpture, After the Second Partition of added and complemented by
pieces of Gothic embroidery and Poland in 1793, Poznań came annexes in the classic Palladian
some fine kontusz (silk sashes). under Prussian rule. In the style. A drawing room and grand
The most important pieces are second half of the 19th century, staircase designed by royal
the Madonna of Ołobok, a Gothic- Prussia heightened its policy architect Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer
Romanesque statue dating of Germanization in the region. were added between 1788 and
from around 1310–29, and One of its instruments was 1789. A pavilion built between
a fascinating group of coffin the German Union of the 1909 and 1912 contains a
portraits, painted on metal plates. Eastern Marches (Deutscher collection of Polish and European
Ostmarkenverein), which the paintings dating from about
R Poznań Cathedral Poles called the “Hakata” colo- 1850 to the early 20th century,
Ostrów Tumski 17. Tel (061) 852 9642. nization commission from the including works by Jacek
Open Mar–Oct: 9am–6pm Mon–Sat, acronym of the initials of its Malczewski and Jan Matejko.
2–6pm Sun; Nov–Feb: 9am–4pm founders. When the city’s ring The grounds contain formal
Mon–Sat, 2–6pm Sun. of 19th-century fortifications gardens as well as one of the
In 966, shortly after Poland was demolished, a decision largest areas of protected oak
adopted Christianity, a pre- was made to use the space woodland in Europe. The palace’s
Romanesque basilica was built for government buildings. Mausoleum Chapel, designed in
on this site and Poland’s first Designed by German town the style of a Classical temple,
rulers were buried here. Between planner Josef Stübben, the contains the tombs of members
1034 and 1038, the basilica buildings were built between of the Raczyński family.
was destroyed during pagan 1903 and 1914 and today stand
uprisings, but it was rebuilt in amidst gardens, avenues and
the Romanesque style. It was the royal academy. Dominating
remodelled in the Gothic and the scene is the Kaiserhaus
Baroque periods, and after Castle by Franz Schwechten,
suffering war damage was although little sur vives of its
restored to its Gothic form. original splendour. Renamed
Vestiges of the pre-Romanesque the Zamek, it now houses the
and Romanesque churches can Zamek Cultural Centre. The
be seen in the crypt. Among Monument to the Victims
the highlights of the interior is of June 1956, which stands
Golden Chapel, built between beside it in Plac Mickiewicza,
1834 and 1841. Here lie the takes the form of two large
tombs of two of Poland’s first crosses. It was unveiled in 1981
rulers, Mieszko I and Bołesław II to commemorate the victims
the Bold, whose statues were of the Poznań’s Workers’ Protected oak trees, Raczyński
carved by Chrystian Rauch. Uprising in 1956. Palace grounds
6 Toruń
Founded by the Teutonic knights in 1233, Toruń quickly
became a major centre of trade. In 1454, when its citizens
rebelled against the knights’ rule, it passed to the kings of
Poland. Famous as the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus
Copernicus (1473–1543), the city is also renowned for its
architecture. Picturesquely situated on the banks of the Vistula
river, the Old Town of Toruń retains its medieval street plan, and
has a rare calm, since most of the streets are closed to traffic. A room in the 15th-century
Copernicus House
P Old Market Square P Copernicus House

The Old Market Square (Stary ul. Kopernika 15/17. Tel (056) 660
Rynek) is the heart of the historic 5683. Open May–Sep: 10am–6pm
district. The centrepiece is the Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr: 10am–4pm Tue–
Town Hall. On the south side, Sun. & ∑ muzeum.torun.pl
at No. 7, is the Meissner Palace, These two neighbouring
built in 1739 for Jakob Meissner, Gothic town houses from the
the mayor of Toruń, and given a 15th century are outstanding
Neo-Classical façade in 1798. examples of Hanseatic mer-
Star House, built in 1697 with chants’ houses. The painted
an ornamented façade, is to façades and fine carving of the
the east. In the square stands arched gables bear witness to
a monument to Nicolaus the city’s former wealth. The
Copernicus, made by Friedrich house at No. 17 was where
Tiecek in 1853, and a fountain Mikołaj Kopernik, Copernicus’s
The elaborate east end of the Gothic with the figure of a raftsman. father, lived. Although it may
St Mary’s Church not be the house in which the
P Town Hall astronomer Copernicus was
F Wilam Horzyca Theatre Rynek Staromiejski 1. Regional born, it is now a museum
pl. Teatralny 1. Tel (056) 622 5022. Museum: Tel (056) 660 5612. (Muzeum Kopernika).
This delightful theatre, in the Open Oct–Apr: 10am–4pm, Tue–Sun;
Art Nouveau style with Neo- May–Sep: 10am–6pm, Tue–Sun. P Crooked Tower
Baroque elements, was built in Closed Mon. & (ground floor free ul. Pod Krzywą Wieżą 1.
1904 by the Viennese architects on Wed). Tower: Open May–Oct: One of Toruń’s greatest
10am–8pm. &
Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann attractions, this tower (Krzywa
Helmer. The Kontakt Theatre The Town Hall (Ratusz) was built Wieża) is part of the town’s old
Festival, held here each year, between 1391 and 1399 as a fortification system, and was
brings together per formers two-storey edifice. In the 17th probably built in the first half
from all over Europe drawing century, architect Antonis van of the 14th century. Although
a large number of enthusiastic Opbergen added the third it leans significantly from the
audiences to its performances. floor and gave the building its perpendicular, the floors that
Mannerist appearance. It now were added later are perfectly
R St Mary’s Church houses the Regional Museum level – so that beer glasses in
ul. Marii Panny. Tel (056) 622 2603. of Gothic art and its Tower the pub that it now houses
The Gothic St Mary’s Church commands fine views. can be set down.
(Kościół Mariacki) was built
for Franciscan monks between
1270 and 1300. It has a richly
ornamented east gable. Late
14th- century wall paintings
are in the southern aisle, while
in the northern aisle is a 16th-
century Mannerist organ loft,
the oldest in Poland. By the
presbytery is the mausoleum
of Anna Vasa, sister of Zygmunt III,
made in 1636. Although of
royal blood, she could not be
buried at Wawel Royal Castle
(see p193) as she was of the
Protestant faith. St Mary’s Church, as viewed from the top of the Town Hall Tower
POLAND 209
211 km (131 miles) NW of
Warsaw. * 203,000. n Rynek
Staromiejski 25, (056) 621 0931.
_ Kontakt Theatre Festival (May/
Jun), Probaltica Baltic Arts and
Music Festival (mid-May).
∑ torun.pl
Transport
£ Toruń Główny, ul. Kujawska 1.
@ ul. Dąbrowskiego 26.
Malbork Castle, the great fortress on the Nogat river

+ Castle of the
Teutonic Knights 7 Malbork triangular vaulting. The partly
ul. Przedzamcze 3.
316 km (196 miles) NW of Warsaw.
reconstructed farm buildings
Little more than ruins remain * 40,000. £ @ n ul. Kościuszki in the Lower Castle, abutting
of the castle that the Teutonic 54, (055) 647 4747. Open summer. the former Chapel of St Lawrence,
Knights began building in 0 = ∑ zamek.malbork.pl have been converted into
Toruń during the 13th century. a hotel.
Before the castle was built Malbork, the castle of the
at Malbork, Toruń was the Teutonic knights, was begun
knights’ capital. The castle was in the 13th century. In 1309, 8 Sopot
extended in the 14th century, it was made the capital of an
394 km (245 miles) NW of Warsaw.
however, it was destroyed in independent state established * 38,000. £ @ n ul. Dworcowa
1454 when the people rose in by that order. The first major 4, (058) 550 3783. _ International
rebellion against the knights. phase of building was the Festival of Song (Aug). ∑ sopot.pl
Only the latrine tower – a tower Assembly Castle, a fortified
overhanging a stream that monastery later known as The most popular resort
acted as a sewer – was left the Upper Castle. The Middle town on the Baltic coast,
standing, although part of the Castle was built after 1310, Sopot was established as a
cellars and cloisters still survive. and includes the Palace of the sea-bathing centre in 1824
The Gothic house that was Grand Master, a structure almost by Jean Georges Haffner, a
built on the site in 1489, probably without equal in medieval physician in the Napoleonic
with materials scavenged from Europe, built between 1382 Army. Since the 17th century,
the castle, was the meeting and 1399 by Konrad Zöllner Sopot has been favoured
house of the Brotherhood von Rotenstein (c. 1335–90), by the wealthy burghers of
of St George. the 23rd Grand Master of the Gdańsk for their mansions. In
Teutonic Order. The Summer the inter war years, it attracted
P New Market Square Refectory and Winter Refectory some of the richest people
The New Town emerged as are alongside. The Upper Castle’s in Europe. The pier is a contin-
a separate civic entity in 1264. inner courtyard is surrounded uation of the main street,
Although it does not have by slender Gothic arches with colloquially known as Monciak.
as many historic buildings as Considered the longest pier
the Old Town, it has a lively in Europe, it is 512 m (1,680 ft)
atmosphere. In summer, long with a bench running all
the Market Square (Rynek the way around it. Filled with
Nowomiejski) is filled with bars and restaurants, the pier
fruit and vegetable stalls. In the is a pleasant place to enjoy a
centre is a former Protestant beer and the sea air. Visitors
church, built in 1824, probably also flock to the Art Deco
by the German architect Karl Sofitel Grand Hotel (see p220),
Friedrich Schinkel. It has been built between 1924 and 1927,
converted into a gallery of which overlooks the beach.
contemporary art. Fine houses, In the hills behind the town
some with ornate façades like is the Opera in the Woods
that of the Baroque house at (Opera Leśna), built in 1909 and
No. 17 surround the square. the venue for the International
On the corner of ulica Królowej Festival of Song. Founded in
Jadwigi is the Golden Lion 1961, this was once regarded
pharmacy, originating in Towering granite central column, Summer as Eastern Europe’s answer to
the 15th century. Refectory, Malbork the Eurovision Song Contest.
JA
PLAC
NA
SOLIDARNOŚCI
Z
9 Gdańsk
KO
KI
LN
DO
A
KIE
Among the finest cities of northern Europe, Gdańsk
WS
ŁA
has a history that goes back more than 1,000 years.
STO
GI
PIA
One of the wealthiest cities in Poland, it was
EW
NI
completely destroyed during World War II, but a
ŁY
KI
WA
postwar rebuilding programme has restored many W
A
ŁO
of its grand buildings. Most of the historic buildings W
A
are located along the pedestrianized ulica Długa

and Long Market (Długi Targ) in the city centre. .
Ś WE J A
NA EK MI
IL UŁ ŁO
Despite severe war damage, the Old Town (Stare GN Z A RT
BA
Miasto) retains a handful of churches, the most
RA
remarkable of which is the medieval Church of
JS
Gdańsk
KA
Główny
St Mary, dating back to the 14th century.
E
A
SZ
GR O DZ KI
POD
IU
EL
W
HE
BIE
RA
J.
LAŃ
JS
KO
Sights at a Glance
ZA
KA
SKA
W
R ZE
RO
PO DW A LE
TN
NNA
1 Monument to the Fallen
WI
A
SK
AR
Shipyard Workers
EL
EL
DN
BE
ZB
KIE
IE T
2 Old Town Hall
AŃ
SKA
3 Great Mill SKA
MŁ
LAŃ
B IE
YN
4 Church of St Catherine AC
H
Y
SK
5 Gdańsk Crane PI A
NA
MŁ Y ŃSKA
KOW
6 Church of St Mary
IE
DZK
GA
E
AL
ALSK
7 Great Armoury DW
RN
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CA
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8 Uphagen House
A
RS
WA
KA
9 Main Town Hall

POD
TARG
0 Artus Court DRZEWNY SZE
RO
KA
q Central Maritime
A
SK
HUCISKO
Y
AR
ŚW
w National Museum
LO W
.D
UC GL
WĘ
HA
W ĘG
TA R G
A
SK
IE J
DZ
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ŁO
TARG PIW
RSK
WĘGLOWY NA
KO
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KOZ
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RSKA
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DŁU
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W. BO
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DK
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KŁA
The Upland Gate, part of the fortifications of 1571–6

A
N IC K
ŚW
.T
R ÓJ
CY
RZEŹ
KO
UK
CU
RK
I
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Ż AB
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Key RU
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0 metres 200 KA
0 yards 200
Pedestrian street

POLAND 211
1 Monument
to the Fallen
Shipyard Workers
Pomnik Połeglych Stoczniowców
plac Solidarności. Map C1. @ v
WA Ł
A OW
TN A This monument was built a
I
M
SA few months after the Gdańsk
AK
E
RN
Shipyard workers’ strike of 1980

GÓ
KI and the creation of the first Inde-

BA
RY pendent Solidarity Trades Union
E
LN
ZA
S (see p172). Erected in honour of
O
IU KR
D
EL OS
KI
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the shipyard workers who were
BA
J.H
ST
RY
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The towering Monument to the Fallen

Shipyard Workers

4 Church of
St Catherine
Kościół św Katarzyny
ul. Profesorska 3. Map C2.
Tel (058) 301 1595.
The Church of St Catherine,
or “Katy” as locals call it, was
built between 1227 and 1239
by the dukes of Gdańsk-
Pomerania. Regarded as the
oldest and most important
parish church in the Old Town,
it underwent major rebuilding
in the 14th century.
The 76-m (250-ft) high
Baroque tower of the church
was added in 1486. It also
houses an impressive 49-bell
carillon. A major landmark,
the tower was demolished
The impressive façade of Great Mill in 1944 and then rebuilt. It is
well worth climbing to the
2 Old Town Hall Kultury). The main room on the top of the tower; the effort is
Ratusz Starego Miasta ground floor houses a changing rewarded by wonder ful views
series of exhibitions devoted to of the city. The presbytery on
ul. Korzenna 33/35. Map C3. local, regional, cultural and the east side of the church has
Tel (058) 301 1051. 7 0 - = historical themes. In the main a fine late-Gothic gable. Most
Built by Antonis van Opbergen hall is the bronze figure of Jan of the Gothic, Baroque and
between 1587 and 1595, Hevelius, a Polish astronomer Mannerist furnishings that the
the Old Town Hall is an and city councillor. church once contained were
outstanding example of pillaged or destroyed in 1945
Dutch Mannerist architecture. at the end of World War II. The
A compact building with no 3 Great Mill most notable surviving pieces
distinctive ornamentation, Wielki Młyn are paintings by Anton Möller
it is equipped with a strong and Izaak van den Blocke,
defence tower. The stone door- ul. Wielkie Młyny 16. Map C2. the Baroque memorials to
way was probably made by Open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri, various townspeople and
10am–3pm Sat. 7 =
artist Willem van der Meer at the tombstone of the Polish
the end of the 16th century. The seven-storey Great Mill astronomer Jan Hevelius and
Beneath each bracket are two is regarded as one of the his family, dating from 1659.
distorted masks personifying largest industrial buildings in
Vice, and two smiling, chubby medieval Europe. Construction
masks, representing Virtue. began during the rule of the
Even though very little is left Teutonic Knights, who seized
of the original decorative the town in 1308, and was
scheme of 1595, the paintings, completed around 1350. Built
sculptures and furniture within in brick, it is crowned by a tall
the Town Hall are fascinating. Of and steeply pitched roof. The
particular interest is the painted mill consisted of a two-storey
ceiling in one of the rooms by bakery with a chimney set
Hermann Hahn, a 17th-century against its gable that reached
artist from Pomerania. It was the height of its roof. Also part
removed from a house at ulica of the mill were 12, later 18,
Długa 39 and transferred to this large poles to which millstones
building some time after 1900. were attached for grinding
The theme of the ceiling various types of grain. The mill
paintings are allegorical: the was destroyed by fire in 1945,
central one depicts The Lord’s but was restored after World
Blessing and the Polish King War II. This remarkably old
Zygmunt III also appears in the edifice has now been con-
painting. Today, the building verted into a modern shop-
houses the Baltic Sea Culture ping centre although traces of Gothic tower of the Church of
Centre (Nadbałtyckie Centrum the original building still exist. St Catherine
POLAND 213
6 Church of
St Mary
Kościół Mariacki
ul. Podkramarska 5. Map D4.
Tel (058) 301 3982. Open 9am–
6:30pm Mon–Sat, 1–6:30pm Sun (5pm
in winter). Tower: Open 9am–5pm
Mon–Sat, 1–5pm Sun. &
∑ bazylikamariacka.pl
The Church of St Mary is the

largest medieval brick-built
church in Europe. Building
work began in 1343 and took
150 years to complete. The final
stage of construction, involving
Iconic Gdańsk Crane, a unique the 100-m (325-ft) long nave,
medieval structure was carried out by Henryk
Hetzel. From 1529 to 1945, Anton Möller’s decorative Tablet of Charity,
5 Gdańsk Crane when it was destroyed, it was Church of St Mary
Żuraw a Protestant church. Like many
other parts of Gdańsk, it was the shape of an open work
ul. Szeroka 67/68. Map D3. Central rebuilt after World War II. The tower, decorated with pinnacles
Maritime Museum: Tel (058) 301 6938. interior has Gothic, Mannerist and over 8 m (26 ft) high.
Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun (Jul & Aug:
and Baroque furnishings. It Also notable is the 15th-century
to 6pm). Closed public hols.
& ∑ nmm.pl
also contains several memorial Madonna of Gdańsk, by an
tablets to prominent local unknown artist, in the church’s
One of the city’s iconic families. The Tablet of the Chapel of St Anne. Another
buildings, the Gdańsk Crane Ten Commandments (1480–90) attraction is the Astronomical
was built in the 14th century depicts each of the command- Clock made by Hans Durunger
and renovated between 1442 and ments in two scenes, illustrating between 1464 and 1470. It shows
1444. Its present appearance obedience to and disregard of the hour and also the day, dates
combines the functions of a city the laws. The Tablet of Charity, of moveable feasts and phases of
gate and a port crane. an ornate panel made in 1607 the moon. At noon, a procession
The crane, a huge wooden by Anton Möller, was used to of figures representing Adam and
structure, is set between two encourage churchgoers to Eve, the Apostles, the Three Kings
circular brick towers. It was be generous. The memorial and Death appears. The church’s
operated by men working the tablet dedicated to Valentyn 402 steps leading to its 82-m
huge treadmills within, and was von Karnitz of around 1590, (270-ft) high Tower, offer
capable of lifting weights of up has many Dutch Mannerist panoramic views of the city.
to 2 tonnes (2 tons) to a height features. The centre painting
of 27 m (90 ft). It was originally depicts the biblical tale of
used not only to load and unload the Lamentation of Abel. 7 Great Armoury
goods but also to fit masts to The church has a number of Wielka Zbrojownia
ships. The Gdańsk Crane was unique features, including the
destroyed by fire in 1945. As part Gothic sacrarium, which is in ul. Targ Węglowy 6. Map C3. Academy
of the rebuilding programme of Fine Arts: ∑ asp.gda.pl
after World War II, it was repaired One of the finest examples of
and reconstructed together the Dutch Mannerist style in
with its internal mechanism. Gdańsk, the Great Armoury
It is now part of the collection was built, probably to plans
of the National Maritime
by Antonis van Opbergen in
Museum (see p215).
collaboration with architect Jan
The Crane Tower looks
Strakowski, between 1600 and
out over ulica Długie Pobrzeże,
which runs alongside the 1609. Today, the ground floor
Motława river. The tower, once of the former weapons and
known as the Long Bridge, was ammunition store is filled with
originally a wooden footbridge shops, while the upper storeys
that functioned as a quay where are occupied by the Academy
ships from all over the world of Fine Arts. The building has
were moored. Today, yachts a façade with 17th-century
offering trips around the port Finely decorated façade of the monumental decorative carvings by
of Gdańsk are moored here. Great Armoury Wilhelm Barth.
rebuilding. After a fire in 1556,

the Gothic structure was remod-
elled in the Mannerist style. The
interior was lavishly decorated
from 1593–1608 by prominent
painters and craftsmen of the
day, including Hans Vredeman
de Vries, Izaak van den Blocke
and Simon Herle. Their combined
genius produced one of the
finest town halls in all of northern
Europe, proof of the city’s wealth
and power. It also served as a
royal residence.
The highlight of the Town
The ornate Rococo doorway of Hall is the Red Room, which St George killing the Dragon (1485) carving
Uphagen House was once the Great Council in Artus’s Court
Chamber. The Renaissance
8 Uphagen House fireplace is by Willem van der in the cities of the Hanseatic
Dom Uphagena Meer and the centrepiece of the League. Visitors came to discuss
ceiling paintings, the Apotheosis the issues of the day and to
ul. Długa 12. Map C4. Tel (058) 301 2371. of Gdańsk (1608), by Izaak van enjoy the unlimited supply of
Open 9am–1pm Mon, 9am–4pm Tue– den Blocke. fine beer that was served there.
Thu, 10am–6pm Fri & Sat, 10am–4pm
After it was destroyed in The original building was
Sun. & free on Mon. ∑ mhmg.gda.pl
1945, it was rebuilt and many destroyed by fire in 1477 and
The house that originally stood furnishings were reconstructed. reconstructed by 1481. Its rear
here was acquired by Johann It now houses the Museum of elevation preserves the build-
Uphagen, a town councillor, the History of Gdańsk. ing’s original Gothic style, but
in 1775. He had it demolished, the façade was rebuilt twice –
and a new residence was first in 1552 and again from
built in its place. The architect 0 Artus Court 1616–17 by the architect and
Johann Benjamin Dreyer com- Dwór Artusa sculptor Abraham van den
pleted the project in 1787. Blocke (1572–1628). Despite
The result was an attractive ul. Długi Targ 44. Map D4. Open 9am– wartime destruction, recon-
1pm Mon, 9am–4pm Tue–Thu, 10am– struction has succeeded in
building combining Baroque,
6pm Fri & Sat, 10am–4pm Sun. & free
Rococo and early Neo-Classical re-creating something of the
on Mon. ^ = ∑ mhmg.gda.pl
features. The sole ornamen- court’s historic atmosphere.
tation of the restrained façade Originally established in the One of the highlights of
is the Rococo decoration to 14th century, Artus Court was a the interior is the intricately
the door, which is inscribed meeting place for the wealthy decorated 12-m (40-ft) high,
with the initial “A”, for Abigail, burghers of Gdańsk, who were 16th-century Renaissance
the owner’s wife. inspired by the chivalrous tiled stove. The furnishings
traditions of King Arthur and were changed several times,
the knights of the Round Table. funded mainly by individual
9 Main Town Hall Similar fraternities were set up fraternities, who would gather
Ratusz Głównego Miasta throughout Europe, and they for meetings on benches along
were particularly fashionable the walls of the court.
ul. Długa 46/47. Map D4. Museum of
the History of Gdańsk: Tel (058) 767
9100. Open 9am–1pm Mon, 9am–
4pm Tue–Thu, 10am–6pm Fri & Sat,
10am–4pm Sun. & free on Mon.
∑ mhmg.gda.pl
The city’s first Town Hall was

built after 1298 on the orders of
Świętopełk II, Duke of Gdańsk-
Pomerania. It functioned as an
office of the Hanseatic League, a
union of trading cities from the
Baltic States to the North Sea.
Work on the current building
began in 1327. A tower was
added between 1486 and 1488,
during one of several phases of The Red Room in the Main Town Hall
POLAND 215
qNational
Maritime Museum
Narodowe Muzeum Morskie
ul. Ołowianka 9–13. Map E3.
Tel (058) 301 8611. @ 106, 111, 138.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun (to 4pm
winter). Closed public hols. &
∑ nmm.pl
In the 17th century, Poland

strove to be “master of the Baltic
Sea” and her seafarers were
dedicated to maintaining the Sołdek, used as an exhibition space by the Central Maritime Museum
country’s maritime presence.
The themes of the displays in the w National sculpture, painting, ceramics,
National Maritime Museum are Museum gold jewellery, goldwork,
Gdańsk’s seafaring traditions and metalwork and furniture.
navigation on the Vistula river. Muzeum Narodowe Exhibits are spread over three
Exhibits include a reconstruction ul. Toruńska 1. Map C5. Tel (058) 301 floors. Gothic art and gold
of scenes from a sailor’s life 6804. @ 111, 112, 120, 166, 178, 186. jewellery are displayed on the
aboard the Swedish ship Solen, v 8, 13. Open May–Sep: 10am–5pm ground floor and paintings
sunk at the Battle of Oliwa in Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr: 9am–4pm Tue–Fri, on the first. The upper floor
1627 and raised from the seabed 10am–5pm Sat, Sun. & free on Fri. holds temporary exhibitions.
in the Gulf of Gdańsk in 1970. ∑ muzeum.narodowe.gda.pl The museum’s most prized
The museum consists of piece is The Last Judgement,
buildings on both sides of the The National Museum is by the Flemish painter Hans
Motława river. The two sections laid out in a former Gothic Memling (c. 1430–94). The
are connected by a ferry that Franciscan monastery from central panel of the triptych
goes from one bank 1422–1522. It was set up due depicts the Last Judgement,
to another at regular to the efforts of Rudolf Freitag, while the panel on the left
intervals. On the west a lecturer at the Royal School represents the Gates of Heaven
bank is the Gdańsk of Fine Arts, in 1872. It was and the one on the right
Crane (see p213). closed during World War II and portrays the Torments of Hell.
Period Gdańsk, a was reopened as In 1473, it was plundered by
reconstruction of a the City Museum privateers from Gdańsk from
merchant’s office in after the war. The a ship bound for Italy. Other
the Harbour Town Life impressive museum fascinating exhibits are The
exhibition, is one of was also known as Griffin’s Talons, a 15th century
the highlights here. the Pomeranian bison-horn cup belonging to
The adjoining Skład The Griffin’s Talons Museum till 1952 a sailing fraternity, and the
Kolonialny contains on display in the before being Longcase Clock. This Rococo
an interesting National Museum elevated to the clock, made in around 1750,
collection of boats rank of National is decorated with scenes
from distant parts of the world. Museum in 1972. The museum from the biblical story of
The main museum is in a series contains a wealth of artifacts, Tobias and the Raising of
of grain houses on the east from wrought-iron grilles to the Copper Snake.
bank. The naval weapons on
display here include 17th-cen-
tury Polish cannons, as well as
ones taken from the Swedish
warship Solen. The exhibits in
the adjacent granaries are dedi-
cated to the naval presence of
Poland and Gdańsk from the
Middle Ages to the present
day, and include waxworks
depicting Polish sailors. Sołdek,
the first Polish ocean- going
ship to be constructed after
World War II, was built in the
Gdańsk Shipyard. It is perma-
nently anchored in Motława
river and its holds are now
used for exhibitions. The Last Judgement (1467) by Hans Memling, National Museum
Practical & Travel Information crime as most European

capitals, so visitors should stay
Since the fall of Communism in 1989, tourism in Poland has alert for petty thefts and pick-
greatly increased. Foreign visitors are drawn to the country for pockets. They should take extra
its history, folk culture, great architecture and unique scenic care of their belongings in busy
railway stations, especially in
beauty. The quality of service has improved, especially in banks.
Warsaw. Theft in overnight trains
New hotels have sprung up, many of which are cheaper than is an increasing menace so it is
those in Western Europe. The best-equipped hotels and important to keep compartment
restaurants are, however, expensive. doors locked.
When to Visit Visitor Information Banking and Currency

The best time to travel to Information centres can be The official Polish currency is the
Poland is late spring or early found in most towns and cities. złoty, which is divided into 100
autumn, when temperatures Travel agencies such as Polish groszy. Money can be changed
are usually pleasantly warm National Tourist Office can at kantor (exchange bureaus),
and the coastal, lakeside and advise on tickets, trains and many of which offer better rates
mountain resorts are not too accommodation. Information than banks. Most banks will cash
crowded. The big cities, by is also available at train stations. traveller's cheques, although the
contrast, are noticeably quieter Hotel employees are often transactions are time consuming.
in summer; this is also when very helpful. The majority of banks are open
theatres close for the holiday from 8am to 6pm. ATMs can be
season. However, other events found in most towns and cities
such as festivals take place Health and Security and accept most international
during summer. After the Citizens of the EU and the credit cards.
summer season, many guest- European Economic Area (EEA)
houses, hotels, clubs and are entitled to free medical
restaurants in coastal resorts treatment in Poland provided Communications
and other popular lakeside they have their European The most inexpensive way to
spots close. The skiing season Health Insurance Card (EHIC). make international calls is on pre-
runs from the end of November For citizens of other countries, paid phone cards, which can be
to mid-March. transport to hospitals is provided bought at most kiosks. Another
free of charge in case of emergen- option is to call from one of the
cies, but treatment of serious phone-card-operated machines.
Documentation health problems may incur a For long-distance calls, rates are
Citizens of all European fee. Visitors are advised to take highest between 8am and 6pm.
Union (EU) countries, Canada, out full medical insurance Local calls are cheapest from 10pm
New Zealand and Australia before arriving and always carry to 6am. Poczta Polska, the Polish
can stay in Poland without a policy documents and passport post office, is open from 8am to
visa for up to 90 days. Beyond for identification at the hospital 8pm on weekdays. GSM mobile
that, it is necessary to apply during medical emergencies. phones have coverage all over
for a residence permit. Visitors An ambulance service is available Poland; it is best to buy a pre-
of other nationalities should 24 hours a day from any paid SIM card from local operators.
contact the Polish Embassy private clinic. There are also Internet cafés and
in their respective country for Polish cities suffer from the free WiFi areas all over the country,
entry requirements. same security problems and but connections outside the
capital tend to be slow.
The Climate of Poland WARSAW

Poland’s climate is influenced
by cold polar air from 23/75 Poland has a poor record for
Scandinavia and sub-tropical ° C/F providing for disabled people
air from the south. Polar- 12/54 13/55 but this is changing rapidly.
15/59
continental fronts dominate All renovated and new public
5/41
in winter, bringing crisp, frosty 3/37 buildings have ramps or lifts
0°C 0/32
weather and snow. Winters in 32°F -6/21 built into them, and special
the north can be particularly taxis are also available. Never-
5 7 4 2
cold. In contrast, late summer theless, many traditional sites
hrs hrs hrs hrs
and autumn (the most popular of interest may still be poorly
37 96 38 27
times to visit) offer plenty of equipped. For general advice
mm mm mm mm
warm sunny days.
month Apr Jul Oct Jan
or information about sites,
contact the Disabled People’s
National Council.
POLAND 217
Arriving by Air and express trains are the Travelling by Car

International flights from some fastest and are usually punctual. There are very few motorways,
90 cities in 40 countries arrive in InterCity trains are the most and those that exist are generally
Warsaw. The airports at Gdańsk, comfortable and expensive, in poor condition, but each
Katowice, Szczecin, Poznań, but also serve snacks on board. year new routes are added
Wrocław, and Krakow also have InterCity trains have special to the promised network
international flights, linking compartments for women with of highways spanning the
Poland with Western Europe children and the disabled. Ordi- entire country.
as well as Bucharest, Budapest, nary trains, such as Osobowy When driving, always
Prague, Sofia and the capitals and Tanie Linie Kolejowe, are carry your passport, car
of the former Soviet Bloc. Some reasonable. Express trains and insurance, Green Card, licence
25 airlines, including British sleeping cars are expensive. and, if applicable, rental
Airways, Air France, SAS Tickets can be booked through contract. If using a foreign
(Scandinavia) and Lufthansa InterCity’s website. The official car, the international symbol
(Germany), operate from Warsaw website Rozkład offers informa- of its country of origin must
Okęcie Airport, which also has tion on timetables and fares. be displayed. Seat belts need
direct connections with Canada, Suburban routes are served to be fastened at all times; use
the US, Israel and Thailand. Most by electric trains, some of which of mobile phones while driving
cities including Krakow and are open-plan, double-decker is illegal. Follow speed limits
Gdańsk are served by budget carriages. Tickets can be booked and switch on headlights
airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet at railway stations. The main station even during the day. All the
and Wizzair. in the capital is Warsaw Central. major international car rental
companies, including Avis and
Hertz, operate out of Warsaw
Rail Travel Travelling by Bus and Krakow.
Poland is covered by a Polish Motor Transport, Polska
dense network of railway lines. Komunikacja Samochodowa (PKS),
International train services run serves most of Poland's long- Arriving by Ferry
between all major Polish and distance routes. Local buses are Poland’s main port is the
European cities. The journeys sometimes the only means of Gdańsk Ferry Terminal
by fast train from Warsaw to getting to smaller towns and and ships from Scandinavian
Prague and Berlin take just 6 villages. These services are generally countries dock here. There
and 9 hours respectively. Most efficient, although before 8am are ferries between Gdynia's
big cities are connected by and in the afternoon, they may port and Kaelskrona, Sweden.
express lines. The Polish Rail be crowded. Tickets are usually Information can be found
Network (PKP) operates a range bought in advance from the bus through the agency Polish
of trains, out of which InterCity station's kasa (ticket offices). National Tourist Office.
DIRECTORY
Documentation United States Arriving by Air Rail Travel
al. Ujazdowskie 29/31,
∑ visitpoland.com Air France InterCity
Warsaw.
∑ intercity.pl
Embassies Tel (022) 504 2000. ∑ airfrance.com
∑ poland. usembassy. Polish Rail Network
Australia gov British Airways ∑ pkp.pl
ul. Nowogrodzka 11, ∑ britishairways.com
Warsaw. Visitor Information Rozkład
Tel (022) 521 3444. easyJet ∑ rozklad.pkp.pl
∑ poland.embassy. Orbis ∑ easyjet.com Warsaw Central
gov.au ∑ poland.travel Tel (022) 94 36.
Lufthansa
Canada Emergency
ul. Matejki 1/5, Warsaw. ∑ lufthansa.com Travelling by Car
Tel (022) 584 3100. Ambulance, Fire Ryanair Avis
∑ canada.pl and Police Tel (012) 629 6108.
Tel 112. ∑ ryanair.com ∑ avis.pl
New Zealand
al.Ujazdowskie 51, Road Emergencies SAS Hertz
Warsaw. Tel (012) 429 6262.
Tel 981. ∑ flysas.com
Tel (022) 521 0500. ∑ hertz.com.pl
∑ nzembassy.com/ Facilities for Wizzair
poland the Disabled Arriving by Ferry
∑ wizzair.com
United Kingdom Gdańsk Ferry
ul. Kawalerii 12, Warsaw. Disabled People’s
Warsaw Okęcie Terminal
Tel (022) 311 0000. National Council
Airport Tel (058) 343 1887.
∑ ukinpoland.fco. ul. Andersa 13, Warsaw.
gov.uk Tel (022) 530 6570. Tel (022) 650 4220.
Shopping & Entertainment an established shop. Most Polish

amber comes from the Gulf of
Poland is a great place to pick up memorable souvenirs. Gdańsk, and the Old Town has
These range from handicrafts to beautiful silver and amber several reliable outlets, including
jewellery, and hand-embroidered tablecloths, porcelain and Bursztynowa Komnata and
Nord Amber Gallery.
ceramic items. Thick, hand-knitted woollen sweaters and
ornamented leather slippers can be found in local markets
around the country. Vodka, the national drink, is available in Food and Drink
various flavours. The country has a vibrant cultural life and A good souvenir from Poland
there are plenty of jazz clubs, nightclubs, casinos, theatres, could be a jar of dried ceps
opera venues, cinemas and concert halls in all the big cities. (porcini mushrooms), honey,
smoked eel or dried sausage. The
In summer, many smaller resorts host folk music festivals or best places to buy such items are
jousting tournaments. bazaars and markets such as Hala
Mirowska near Plac Mirowski in
Warsaw, Stary Kleparz in Krakow,
Opening Hours tree ornaments are distinctive Plac Wielkopolski in Poznań or in
Shops are open from 10am to examples of folk art. All these the market halls of Wrocław and
6pm Monday to Friday and 10am items, as well as hand-woven Gdańsk. Polish sweets are of a
to 2pm on Saturdays. In the larger tapestries, embroidered table- high quality, and chocolates
cities, shops usually close at 7pm, cloths and doilies and leather made by the Warsaw firm Wedel
with most of the department goods are sold in outlets of the and the Krakow firm Wawel are
stores staying open for an extra Cepelia chain found in Warsaw particularly esteemed. Polish
hour until 8pm. All shops are and other big cities. liquor is internationally renowned,
closed on public holidays, with especially the pure vodka, which
the exception of some pharmacies is available in a bewildering array
and food shops. Antiques of varieties. Another popular
In most towns throughout spirit is żubrówka, a vodka with
Poland, antiques and collectables an unusual herbal flavour. Polish
Markets and Malls are sold in Desa shops (auction mead is equally distinctive.
The majority of Poles buy fruit, houses). In Wrocław, Antykwariat Made with honey according to
vegetables and delicatessen Daes also sells antique products. traditional recipes, it is the
products from markets such as accompaniment to dessert.
Stary Kleparz in Krakow and Hala
Targowa in Gdańsk. Household Gifts and Souvenirs
goods and fashionable clothes Some of the best Polish Nightlife
are increasingly sold in big souvenirs are porcelain and Warsaw is a major nightlife
shopping malls situated just pottery products. The most destination with a host of clubs
outside city centres. Among the renowned make is Ćmielów offering live music or DJ-driven
largest malls are Złote Tarasy, porcelain, which is available all dance events. Hybrydy has
next to Warsaw’s central station, over the country. Traditional cera- been hosting a well-balanced
and Galeria Krakowska near mics are also popular, especially mixture of gigs and club nights
Krakow’s main station. the white and navy-blue crockery for over 45 years. Krakow is
decorated with circles and small bursting with nightlife activity
stylized flowers. Bolesławiec and with a host of characterful bars
Art and Crafts Cepelia are good places to find and clubs grouped around
Many visitors to Poland return them. Also worth shopping for the main square. Elsewhere,
home with contemporary is Poland’s high-quality modern Poznań’s Przemysław Castle’s
paintings, prints and posters, glass and traditional cut glass boiler room makes for a unique
which are available at very or crystal. A variety of designs is jazz venue, the Blue Note Club.
reasonable prices. Paintings on available, hand-cut on perfectly In Your Pocket guide
glass, with traditional or modern transparent glass. provides up-to-date listings
designs, are sold in many galleries on their website.
around the country. Galleries
in Warsaw include Zapiecek Jewellery
and Art Gallery ZPAP (Union Silver jewellery is a speciality of Theatre
of Polish Artists and Designers), Polish craftsmen. It is relatively Poland has over 80 theatres
while in Krakow there is Kocioł cheap and comes in a variety scattered across its cities. In
Artystyczny. The range of folk of sophisticated, modern designs. Warsaw, the most popular
art and handicrafts in Poland is Amber jewellery is also extremely theatre is the Ateneum, which
truly impressive and almost every popular. This is sold at a range of specializes in comedy shows.
region has its own speciality. outlets, but to avoid the risk of The Teatr Żydowski (Jewish
Painted Easter eggs and Christmas buying a fake it is best to go to Theatre) presents spectacles
POLAND 219
in Yiddish and is the only such Krakow. Poland’s two best agencies. Tickets can be
place in the country. In Krakow, ballet companies perform in bought from the Cultural
Teatr Stary is considered one the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw Information Centre.
of the country’s best theatres. and Poznań.
In Warsaw, information about
advance booking for cultural Festivals
events can be found at Kasy Classical and Folk Music Poland hosts several local
ZASP. In Krakow, tickets can There are over 20 classical and international festivals.
be bought in advance at the orchestras in Poland and they A major theatre festival is the
Cultural Information Centre. perform in almost all of its Malta International Drama
Local tourist information big cities. Particularly renowned Festival, held from late June
offices can also provide are the National Philharmonic to early July in the streets
information on shows and Orchestra (Filharmonia and theatres of Poznań. In
booking procedures. Narodowa) in Warsaw, the Warsaw, the Street Theaters
Filharmonia Bałtycka in Gdańsk Festival runs throughout
and the Poznań Philharmonia, the summer. Opera festivals,
Musicals, Opera which performs in the University such as the Mozart Festival
and Ballet Hall. Classical music shows are in Warsaw, and Poznan’s
Musicals, opera and ballet can held in museums, churches ballet festivals are also popular.
provide the best form of enter- and palaces throughout the For those interested in religious
tainment even for those who year. In the rest of the country, music, the Wratislava Cantans
do not speak Polish. Operettas many bands perform the are held in September in
and musicals are performed at traditional folk music of individual Wrocław. Jazz festivals are
Opera i Operetka in Krakow regions, but it can be difficult also quite renowned in
and at Roma in Warsaw. For to track down their concerts. Poland and major events
opera-lovers, the productions of The best chance of seeing them include the Warsaw Jazz
the Great Theatre (Teatr Wielki) is at various music festivals in Jamboree, Jazz on the Oder
in Warsaw are recommended. the summer. Many folk groups in Wrocław (May) and Jazz
There are also opera houses in also perform in concerts All Souls’ Day in Krakow
Gdańsk, Wrocław, Poznań and organized by hotels or tourist (early November).
DIRECTORY
Markets Antiques Nightlife Musicals, Opera
and Malls and Ballet
Antykwariat Daes Blue Note Club
Galeria Krakowska pl. Kościuszki 15, Wrocław. ∑ bluenote.poznan.pl Opera i Operetka
ul. Pawia 5, Krakow. Tel (071) 343 7280. ul. Lubicz 48, Krakow.
Hybrydy
Tel (012) 428 9900. Tel (012) 296 6100.
∑ hybrydy.com.pl
Gifts and Roma
Hala Targowa Souvenirs In Your Pocket ul. Nowogrodzka
ul. Pańska, Gdańsk. ∑ inyourpocket.com
Bolesławiec 49, Warsaw.
Stary Kleparz ul. Prosta 2/14, Warsaw. Theatre Tel (022) 628 7071.
Rynek Kleparski, Krakow. Tel (022) 624 8408. Teatr Wielki
Ateneum pl. Tatralny 1, Warsaw.
Złote Tarasy
Jewellery ul. Jaracza 2, Warsaw. Tel (022) 692 0200.
ul. Złota 59, Warsaw.
Tel (022) 625 2421.
Tel (022) 222 2200. Bursztynowa
Komnata Cultural Information Classical and
Art and Crafts ul. Długie Pobrzeże Centre Folk Music
1, Gdańsk. ul. św Jana 2, Krakow. Filharmonia Bałtycka
Art Gallery ZPAP Tel (058) 346 2717. ∑ karnet.krakow.pl ul. Ołowianka 1, Gdańsk.
ul. Krakowskie
Kasy ZASP Tel (058) 320 6262.
Przedmieście 17, Warsaw. Nord Amber Gallery
Tel (022) 828 5170. ul. Mariacka 44/45, al. Jerozolimskie 25, National
Gdańsk. Warsaw. Philharmonic
Cepelia Tel (058) 305 5550. Tel (022) 621 9454. Orchestra
∑ cepelia.pl ul. Sienkiewicza
Teatr Stary
Food and Drink 10, Warsaw.
Kocioł Artystyczny pl. Szczepański 1,
ul. Sławkowska 14 (1st Tel (022) 551 7111.
Wedel Krakow. Tel (012) 422
floor), Krakow. ul. Szpitalna 8, Warsaw. 4040. Poznań Philharmonia
Tel (012) 429 1797. Tel (022) 827 2916. ul. św Marcin 81, Poznań.
Teatr Żydowski Tel (061) 852 4708.
Zapiecek Wawel pl. Grzybowski
ul. Zapiecek 1, Warsaw. Rynek Główny 33, Krakow. 12/16, Warsaw.
Tel (022) 831 9918. Tel (012) 423 1247. Tel (022) 620 6281.
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Warsaw Prices are based on one night’s stay in
Chmielna Guesthouse 
B&B Map D4  under 200 zloty
ul. Chmielna 13, 00-021  200 to 400 zloty
 over 400 zloty
Tel (022) 828 1282
∑ www.chmielnabb.pl
Small, but charming rooms (some MALBORK: Stary Malbork 
with shared facilities) grouped Historic
around a common lounge. ul. 17 Marca 26, 82-200
Tel (055) 647 2400
∑ hotelstarymalbork.com.pl
DK Choice A 19th-century Roman-Gothic
Rialto  building with comfortable
Design rooms, many with big half-
ul. Wilcza 73, 00-670 moon windows. It also boasts
Tel (022) 584 8700 a small bar, restaurant and
∑ hotelrialto.com.pl cosy fireplace.
Within walking distance of
the central station, this elegant POZNAŃ: IBB Andersia 
hotel has an Art Deco theme. Art Deco interior at the Rialto Design
Every detail down to the light in Warsaw Plac Andersa 3, 61-894
fittings, faithfully reproduces Tel (061) 667 8000
the “Roaring Twenties”. Modern GDAŃSK: Podewils  ∑ andersiahotel.pl
amenities and helpful staff. Boutique Map E4 Located in Poznań's tallest
ul. Szafarnia 2, 80-755 building, the Andersia Tower,
Tel (058) 300 9560 this superbly-equipped hotel
Sofitel Victoria  ∑ podewils.pl offers minimalist rooms with
Business Map C3 Full of antiques and oil paintings, this great views.
ul. Królewska 11, 00-065 Baroque-style old-world residence
Tel (022) 657 8011 overlooks Gdańsk's marina. SOPOT: Villa Baltica 
∑ sofitel.com Luxury
Facing central Warsaw’s lush KRAKOW: Mundo Hostel  ul. Emiliii Plater 1, 81-777
Saxon Gardens, Sofitel offers well- Hostel Map D5 Tel (058) 555 2800
furnished rooms with all amenities. ul. Sarego 10, 31-047 ∑ villabaltica.com
Tel (012) 422 6113 Chic rooms, some with sea
Hotel Bristol  ∑ mundohostel.eu views, in a historic building
Historic Map D3 Comfortable boutique hostel that also boasts of a modern
Krakowskie Przedmiescie 42/44, 00/325 with ethnic textiles and objets spa centre, which offers
Tel (022) 551 1000 d’art. Offers private double rooms. a full range of luxury
∑ hotelbristolwarsaw.pl beauty treatments.
Luxurious fin de siècle building KRAKOW: Pollera 
with a guest list that spans Historic Map D5 TORUŃ: Petite Fleur 
presidents and rock stars. ul. Szpitalna 32, 31-024 Boutique
Tel (012) 422 1044 Piekary 25, 87-100
∑ pollera.com.pl Tel (056) 621 5100
An Art-Nouveau classic, Pollera ∑ petitefleur.pl
Rest of Poland was opened in 1834 and has Intimate Old-Town hotel
welcomed guests with style with smart en suites, attention-
GDAŃSK: Happy Seven  and grace ever since. to-detail service and a
Hostel Map E2 good restaurant.
ul. Grodzka 16, 80-841
Tel (058) 320 8601 DK Choice WROCŁAW: Stop Wrocław 
∑ happyseven.com KRAKOW: Hotel Stary  B&B
Centrally located in a medieval Luxury Map D5 ul. Sienkiewicza 31, 50-349
building offering a mix of private ul. Szczepańska 5, 31-011 Tel 519 115 075
singles, doubles, triples and dorms. Tel (012) 384 0808 ∑ stopwroclaw.pl
∑ stary.hotel.com.pl Pretty 19th-century town house
GDAŃSK: Wolne Miasto  Once a merchant’s residence, the near the Botanical Garden, with
Historic Map D4 hotel retains many of the original small, characterful rooms.
ul. Św. Ducha 2, 80-834 features that include high ceilings
Tel (058) 322 2442 and plenty of exposed brick and WROCŁAW: Granary 
∑ hotelwm.pl stone. There is a swimming pool Design
A row of reconstructed tenement in an arched red-brick basement. Mennicza 24, 50-057
buildings that hide well-equipped The hotel also offers facilities for Tel (071) 395 2600
rooms. The accommodation saunas and has a spa centre that ∑ thegranaryhotel.com
captures the spirit of pre-War features salt inhalation among Lovingly restored red-brick
Danzig, with sepia photos of its treatments. granary that has luxurious
the city in its heyday. suites, each with a kitchenette.
For map references see pp174–5 (Warsaw), 184–5 (Krakow) & 210–11 (Gdańsk)

KRAKOW: Zapiecek  Price Guide
Warsaw Polish Map C1 Prices are based on a three-course meal
ul. Sławkowska 32, 31-015 for one, including cover charge, service
Browarmia  Tel (012) 422 7495 and tax.
Brewery Restaurant Map D3 Something of a temple for Polish  under 50 zloty
ul. Królewska 1, 00-065 pierogi, or stuffed dumplings,  50 to 80 zloty
 over 80 zloty
Tel (022) 826 5455 which are served in a range of
Busy beer hall with copper fillings, with savoury, sweet and
brewing vats at the back that baked versions well represented. Traditional regional dishes such as
has great grilled meats that roast duck with cranberry sauce in
go well with Browarmia’s KRAKOW: Zazie Bistro  a 19th-century farm-style building.
own brew. French Map D4
ul. Józefa 34, 31-056 POZNAŃ: Nowa
Papaya  Tel 500 410 829 Bażanciarnia 
Asian fusion Map D4 Busy bistro serving everything Polish
ul. Foksal 16, 00-372 from onion soup to bouillabaisse Stary Rynek 94, 61-772
Tel (022) 826 4851 and mussels with fries. Tel (061) 855 3358
Über-cool restaurant serving Elegant restaurant serving
imaginative oriental meat KRAKOW: Studio superb Polish fare including
and seafood dishes. Qulinarne  rabbit, pheasant and roast duck.
Gourmet Map D5
Sekret  ul. Gazowa 4, 30-060 SOPOT: Tropikalna Wyspa 
Polish Map D2 Tel (012) 430 6941 Café Restaurant
ul. Jezuicka 1/3, 00-272 Original menu conjoured Sopot beach; end of
Tel (022) 635 7474 through an inventive blend of ul. Traugutta, 81-769
Stylish restaurant close to the Polish ingredients, Mediterranean Tel (058) 692 8833
Royal Castle and set in a maze style and Oriental spices. Summer-season cafe-restaurant
of 16th-century cellars; has a right on the beach, serving pork-
vast menu of traditional roast MALBORK: Gothic  and-sauerkraut staples, fried or
meat and game dishes. International baked Baltic fish together with a
Starościńska 1, 80-200 tempting array of alcoholic drinks.
Tel (055) 647 0889
Located in the Teutonic Castle, TORUŃ: Restaurant 1231 
Rest of Poland Gothic serves a combination of International
varied international and Polish Przedzamce 6, 87-100
GDAŃSK: A la Francaise  cuisine with elements of Tel (056) 619 0917
French Map E4 traditional medieval cooking. Refined Polish and Italian
ul. Spichrzowa 24/1, 80-750 fare, with good steaks and
Tel (058) 765 1112 POZNAŃ: Petit Paris  excellent freshwater and
Delightful café-restaurant, Café/Patisserie Mediterranean fish.
which features soups, baguette ul. Polwiejska 32, 61-888
sandwiches, pancakes and Tel (061) 667 1555 WROCŁAW: Machina Organika 
delicious pastries and eclairs Serves delicious baguette Vegetarian
on the menu. sandwiches, soups, salads, quiche, Ruska 19, 50-101
pastries and more from its location Tel 534 088 360
inside the Stary Browar mall. Choose from the wide range
DK Choice of soups, mains and fruit-
GDAŃSK: Kubicki  POZNAŃ: Zagroda cocktails served under a
Polish Map E3 Bamberska  timber ceiling.
ul. Wartka 5, 80-841 Polish
Tel (058) 301 0050 ul. Kościelna 43, 60-534 WROCŁAW: Akropol na
Run by the same family since Tel (061) 842 7790 Solnym 
1919, this legendary eatery is full Greek
of vintage furniture. The food plac Solny 18/19, 50-063
reflects traditions of Poland's Tel 511 421 440
Baltic cities and includes meaty Contemporary restaurant
specialities like golonka (roast that offers grilled meats,
pork knuckle) as well as halibut, lamb roasts and lots of
herring and sole. Traditional Aegean seafood with
desserts such as such as sernik style and imagination.
(cheesecake) are worth a try.
WROCŁAW: Mosaiq

GDAŃSK: Pod Lososiem  International
Gourmet Map C3 św. Mikołaja 12, 50-001
ul. Szeroka 52/54, 80-835 Tel 530 306 605
Tel (058) 301 7652 French-Polish-Italian fare
Opulent restaurant with classic including steaks, seafood
seafood and game. Frequented and pasta. Excellent
by celebrities. The bar at Studio Qulinarne, Krakow wine list.
CZECH REPUBLIC
The Czech Republic is one of Europe’s youngest states. In the years after World
War II, foreign visitors to what was then Czechoslovakia rarely ventured further
than the capital, Prague. Today, the country’s beautifully preserved medieval
towns, palaces and castles, which were neglected during the Communist era,
are attracting an ever-increasing number of visitors.
Landlocked in Central Europe, the History

Czech Republic is divided into two From 500 BC, the area now known as
regions – Bohemia and Moravia. Rolling the Czech Republic was settled by Celtic
plains and lush, pine-clad mountains, tribes, who were later joined by Germanic
dotted with medieval châteaux and peoples. The first Slavs, the forefathers of the
19th-century spa resorts characterize Czechs, came to the region around AD 500.
the landscape of southern and western Struggles for supremacy led to the emergence
Bohemia. However, much of northern of a ruling dynasty, the Přemyslids, at the
Bohemia has been given over to mining start of the 9th century. The Přemyslids
and other heavy industries, with devastating were involved in many family feuds and
effects on the local environment. Moravia in 935 Prince Wenceslas was murdered
has orchards and vineyards in the south, by his brother, Boleslav. Later canonized,
and a broad industrial belt in the north Wenceslas became Bohemia’s best-
of the region. Prague, Bohemia’s largest known patron saint.
city and the capital of the Czech Republic, The reign of Holy Roman Emperor
is a thriving cultural and commercial Charles IV in the 14th century heralded a
centre. Its wealth of great architecture, Golden Age for Bohemia. Charles chose
spanning over 1,000 years, has withstood Prague as his imperial residence and
the ravages of two world wars in the founded many institutions there,
last century. including Central Europe’s first university.
Ruins of a castle on top of a hill, a common sight in the Czech Republic

Lavishly decorated interior of Prague Castle
In the early 15th century, Central republic of Czechoslovakia was

Europe lived in fear of an incredible declared. World War II brought
fighting force – the Hussites, followers German occupation, followed by
of the reformer Jan Hus, who four decades of Communism. In
attacked the corrupt 1968, a programme
practices of the Catholic of liberal reforms
church. Hus’s execution (the Prague Spring)
in 1415 led to the was introduced, but
Hussite Wars. it was swiftly quashed
At the start of the by Soviet leaders.
16th century, the Austrian The over throw of
Habsburgs took over the Communism did not
region and went on to come until November
rule for almost 400 years. 1989, when a protest
Religious turmoil led, in rally against police
1618, to the Protestant brutality led to the
revolt and the Thirty Years’ Velvet Revolution –
War. The 19th century a series of mass
saw a period of Czech demonstrations
national revival and the Engraving showing the reformer Jan Hus being and strikes that
burgeoning of civic pride. burnt at the stake resulted in the
However, it was not until 1918 resignation of the existing regime.
and the collapse of the Habsburg In 1993, the peaceful division of
Empire that the independent Czechoslovakia resulted in the
creation of two independent
KEY DATES IN CZECH HISTORY states – Slovakia and the
500 BC Celts settle in Bohemia and Moravia. Joined
Czech Republic.
by Germanic tribes in 1st century AD
AD 500–600 Slavs settle in the region
870 Přemyslids build Prague Castle Under the Habsburgs, Czech
1333 Charles IV makes Prague his home, marking identity was largely suppressed
the start of the city’s Golden Age and the Czech language became
1415 Jan Hus executed for heresy; start of the little more than a dialect. In the
Hussite Wars
19th century, however, Austrian
1526 Habsburg rule begins with Ferdinand I
rule relaxed, and the Czechs began
1583 Accession of Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II rediscovering their own culture.
1618 Protestant revolt leads to the Thirty Years’ War Czech was re-established as an
1627 Beginning of Counter-Reformation committee official language, thanks to the
in Prague
historian František Palacký, who
1916 Czechoslovak National Council created in Paris
also wrote the first history of the
1918 Foundation of Czechoslovakia
Czech nation.
1948 Communist Party assumes power
Since the Golden Age of the
1989 Year of the Velvet Revolution; Communist
14th century, Prague has prided
regime finally overthrown
itself on its reputation as a flourishing
1993 Czechoslovakia ceases to exist; creation of the
new Czech Republic cultural centre. In the early 20th
2004 Czech Republic joins the EU century, the city hosted an interesting
2007 New centre-right coalition forms a government Cubist movement that rivalled the
2013 Miloš Zeman wins the country’s first direct one in Paris. The Czech Republic has
presidential election also produced writers, artists and
musicians of world renown.
CZECH REPUBLIC 225
Exploring the Czech Republic

One of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities, Prague is the
highlight of a visit to the Czech Republic. However, the
Bohemian countryside is home to dozens of well-preserved
castles and historic towns such as České Budějovice. Most
of these sights can be visited on a day-trip from Prague,
and are easily reached by good public transport. Slightly
further afield, Český Krumlov merits at least a couple of
days’ exploration.
Sights at a Glance
1 Prague pp226–55 9 Český Krumlov pp272–3
2 Karlštejn Castle pp256–7 0 Telč
3 Kutná Hora pp258–9 q Třebíč Beautifully restored house,
w Znojmo Český Krumlov
4 Hradec Králové pp260–61
e Mikulov
5 České Švýcarsko pp262–3
r Brno pp276–7
6 Karlovy Vary pp264–5
t Kroměříž
7 Plzeň pp266–9
y Olomouc pp278–9
8 České Budějovice pp270–71
České
Švýcarsko
Liberec
GERMANY Děčín
13
Teplice
Terezín Turnov
PO L AN D
Chomutov Mladá
13
D8
Boleslav 33
Karlovy Žatec
Cheb 6 Vary 6 10 Poděbrady Hradec
ře PRAGUE Králové
Oh
20
D11 Or
27
lic
21
Marienbad 12
e
D5 Kutná Hora
D1
Plzeň
Karlštejn Ostrava
D5
37
Castle
D1
26 Svitavy
Bohemia
a
av
Humpolec Olomouc 47
Vlt
Příbor
27
Hranice
Moravia
Tabor
Klatovy Písek 34 Jihlava D1
19
Strákonice Jindřichův Brno Kroměříž
Hradec D1
Buchlovice
22
23
Třebíč
4
České Telč 38
Budějovice
D2
Malse
Český Znojmo Mikulov

Krumlov Břeclav
S LO VA K I A
3
AUS TRI A
0 km 100
0 miles 100
Key
Motorway
Motorway under construction
Major road
Railway
The magnificent Town Hall on Horní náměstí, Olomouc International border

1 Prague
The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague has a population
of just over one million. In the late Middle Ages, during the
reign of Charles IV, Prague’s position at the crossroads of
Europe led it to evolve into a magnificent city, larger than
Paris or London. In the 16th century, it was taken over by the
Austrian Habsburgs, who built many of the Baroque palaces
and gardens that delight visitors today. Some of these now
house important museums. The fascinating Jewish Quarter
has a handful of synagogues and a cemetery that remarkably The Three Fiddles, an old house sign in
survived the Nazi occupation. Despite neglect under Nerudova ulice
Communist rule, the historic centre of the city has been
preserved, making Prague one of the most beautiful
and interesting of all European capitals.
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Michna Palace
EŽÍ
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SAD
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Getting Around STŘELECKÝ

MAL OS TR
PETŘÍNSKÉ
SADY ŘÍČ OSTROV
NÍ
The historic centre of Prague
covers a relatively small area and VÍTĚZNÁ
is best explored on foot. Prague’s
subway, or metro, is the fastest way
of getting to other parts of the city.
It has three lines, A, B and C, and 61
stations. Line A covers the majority
of the city centre. There is an efficient
network of buses and trams. Trams
operate during the night as well. Key
Routes 14, 17 and 22 pass many Street-by-Street area: see pp228–9
major sights on both banks of the
Vltava. While the metro and trams
serve the city centre, buses are Major sight / Place of interest
used to reach the suburbs. Pedestrian street

PRAGUE 227
Sights at a Glance
1 Prague Castle Picture Gallery r Charles Bridge pp240–41 l Estates Theatre
2 Old Royal Palace t Old Town Hall pp244–5 z Municipal House pp252–3
3 St Vitus’s Cathedral pp232–3 y Celetná ulice x Wenceslas Square
4 St George’s Basilica and u Church of Our Lady before Týn c Church of Our Lady
Convent i Church of St James of the Snows
5 Zlatá ulička o Convent of St Agnes v National Museum
6 Castle Square p Spanish Synagogue b Mucha Museum
7 Sternberg Palace pp234–5 a Old-New Synagogue pp248–9 n Charles Square
8 Nerudova ulice s Jewish Town Hall m U Fleků
9 Strahov Monastery d Maisel Synagogue , National Theatre
0 Petřín Hill f Old Jewish Cemetery
q Little Quarter Square g Pinkas Synagogue
w Church of St Nicholas pp238–9 h Museum of Decorative Arts
e Wallenstein Palace and j Karlova ulice 0 metres 200
Gardens k Church of St Giles 0 yards 200
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Street-by-Street: Prague
Castle
The history of Prague began with the foundation of Prague
Castle in the 9th century. Despite fires and invasions, the
castle has retained churches, chapels and towers from every
period of its history, from the Gothic splendour of St Vitus’s
Cathedral (see pp232–3) to the 16th-century Renaissance
additions. The courtyards date from 1753–75, when the whole
area was rebuilt in the late-Baroque and Neo-Classical styles.
The castle became the seat of the Czechoslovak president
in 1918 and the current president of the Czech Republic has
an office here.
3 . St Vitus’s Cathedral
The Powder Tower, used in the past This relief in the Gothic St Vitus’s
for storing gunpowder and as a bell Cathedral decorates the
foundry, is now a museum. Golden Portal.
President’s Office
To Royal Garden
1 Prague Castle Picture

Gallery Renaissance and
Baroque paintings hang
in the restored stables of
the castle.
Second courtyard
Matthias Gate
First courtyard
To Castle Square
Third courtyard
Church of the
Holy Rood
Castle Gates
The gates of the castle
are crowned by copies of
18th-century statues called
Fighting Giants by Ignaz Platzer.
South Gardens
Here 18th-century statues
stand along the old ramparts.
PRAGUE 229
4 . St George’s
Basilica
The superb vaulted
chapel of the royal
Bohemian martyr
St Ludmila is decorated
with 16th-century
paintings.
5 . Zlatá Ulička
White Tower The picturesque artisans’ cottages
along the inside of the castle wall
were built in the late 16th century for
the castle’s guards and gunners.
Old Castle steps down to

Malostranská Metro
KÁ
ŘS
JI
Dalibor Tower takes its name
from the first man to be
imprisoned in it.
Lobkowicz Palace houses works of

art from the Lobkowicz family’s private
collection. It is also a venue for concerts.
4 St George’s
Convent
The convent houses
19th-century Czech
art such as a piece
titled Summer
Countryside with
Chapel by Adolf
Kosárek.
2 . Old Royal
0 metres 60
Palace
The uniform exterior 0 yards 60
of the palace conceals
many Gothic and
Renaissance halls.
Coats of arms cover Key
the walls and ceiling Suggested route
of the Room of the
New Land Rolls.
Jagiello, it was completed in

1502. The Rider’s Staircase, just
off the hall, is a flight of steps
with a magnificent Gothic rib-
vaulted ceiling. It was used by
knights on horseback to get
to jousting contests.
Under Habsburg rule, the palace
housed government offices,
courts and the old Bohemian
parliament. The Bohemian
Chancellery, the former royal
offices of the Habsburgs, is
the site of the famous 1618
defenestration. In 1619 the
Bohemian nobles deposed
Emperor Ferdinand II as king
Rib vaulting in the Vladislav Hall, Old Royal Palace of Bohemia, electing in his
place Frederick of the Palatinate.
1 Prague Castle 2 Old Royal Palace This led to the first major
Picture Gallery Starý královský palác battle of the Thirty Years’
Obrazárna pražského hradu War (see p224).
Prague Castle, third courtyard.
Prague Castle, second courtyard. Map B3. Tel 224 373 102. v 22.
q Malostranská, Hradčanská.
Map B3. Tel 224 373 531. v 22.
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–5pm daily;
3 St Vitus’s
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm daily. & 7 ^ Cathedral
∑ hrad.cz See pp232–3.
Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm daily. & 7
∑ kulturanahrade.cz
From the time Prague Castle
This gallery was created in was first fortified in the 11th
Prague Castle in 1965 to century, the Old Royal Palace
4 St George’s
display, among other works, was the seat of a long line of Basilica and
what remains of the great art Bohemian kings. Convent
collection of the Habsburg The vast palace complex Bazilika a klášter sv Jiří
Emperor Rudolph II (r. 1576– consists of three different
1612). Though many works of architectural layers. A Romanesque Jiřská náměstí. Map B3.
Tel 224 371 111. v 22.
art were looted by the occu- palace, built around 1135, forms
pying Swedish Army in 1648, the basement of the present
some fine paintings remain, structure. Over the next 200 Nov–Mar 9am–4pm daily. &
including works by artists Hans years, two further palaces were 7 ^ Concerts: Open Apr–Sep:
von Aachen and Bartolomeus built above this – the first by call for timings. ∑ hrad.cz
Spranger. Paintings from the Přemysl Otakar II in 1253, and
16th to the 18th centuries make the second by Charles IV in St George’s Basilica was
up the bulk of the gallery’s 1340. On the top floor is the founded by Prince Vratislav in
collection. Highlights include massive Gothic Vladislav Hall, 920 and is the best preserved
Rubens The Assembly of the with its splendid rib vaulting. Romanesque church in Prague.
Olympic Gods, featuring Venus Designed for King Vladislav The huge twin towers and
and Jupiter, Tintoretto’s austere interior have been
Flagellation of Christ and Titian’s restored to give an idea of the
The Toilet of a Young Lady. Master church’s original appearance.
Theodoric, Paolo Veronese and The interior contains the
the Czech Baroque artists Jan 10th-century tomb of Vratislav I,
Kupecký and Petr Brandl are located opposite the presbytery.
among the other painters Also buried in the church are
represented. The sculptures Prince Boleslav II, who died
include a bust of Rudolph II in 992, and Princess Ludmila
by Adriaen Vries. (grandmother of St Wenceslas),
Visitors can also see the who was murdered in 921 and
remains of the castle’s first is revered as the first Bohemian
church, the 9th-century Church saint. Her 14th-century tomb-
of Our Lady, believed to have stone is located in the Gothic
been built by Prince Bořivoj, side chapel. Other points
the first Přemyslid prince to Titian’s The Toilet of a Young Lady in Prague of interest include a rare
be baptized a Christian. Castle Picture Gallery early 13th-century painting,
PRAGUE 231
New Jerusalem, in the choir 6 Castle Square

vault. The double staircase to Hradčanské náměstí
the chancel is a remarkable
Map B3. v 22. q Malostranská,
late-Baroque addition and Hradčanská. Schwarzenberg Palace:
now provides a perfect stage Tel 233 081 716. Open 10am–6pm
for chamber music concerts. Tue–Sun. 7 ∑ ngprague.cz
Outside, the south portal
of the church features a The vast, grand square in front
16th-century relief depicting of Prague Castle was once lined
St George and the dragon. by workshops and artisans’
The adjacent former houses, but after the devastating
Benedictine nunnery is the fire of 1541, they were replaced
oldest convent building in by a series of imposing palaces.
Bohemia. It was founded in Picturesque 16th-century cottages in These were built by Czech
973 by Princess Mlada, sister Zlatá ulička and foreign noblemen, eager
of Boleslav II. Throughout the to live close to the court of
Middle Ages, the convent and the area had degenerated into the Habsburgs.
St George’s Basilica formed a slum and was populated by On the south side stands the
the heart of the castle complex. Prague’s poor and the criminal 16th-century Schwarzenberg
Rebuilt several times, the communities. In the 1950s, Palace (Schwarzenberský palác),
convent and its religious all the remaining residents a beautiful Renaissance building
functions finally ceased were moved and the area was with graceful attics and magnifi-
in 1782. restored to something like its cent sgraffito that gives the
The convent building was original state. Most of the impression that the façade is
formerly home to a collection houses were converted into clad in Italian-style diamond-
of the National Gallery’s 19th- shops selling books, Bohemian point stonework. The western
century Czech art. However, glass and other souvenirs for end of the square is taken up
it is now closed and there are visitors, who now flock to this by the Thun-Hohenstein Palace
presently no plans for any narrow lane. (Thun-Hohenšteinský palác),
future exhibitions. Despite the street’s name, built between 1689 and 1691
Rudolph II’s alchemists never and crowned with statues by
produced gold here. Their Ferdinand Brokof. To the north
5 Zlatá Ulička laboratories were in Vikářská, lies the Archbishop’s Palace
the lane between St Vitus’s (Arcibiskupský palác), a 16th-
Map C3. v 22. q Malostranská,
Hradčanská. & Cathedral and the Powder century building with a Rococo
Tower (Mihulka). façade in pink and white, added
Named after the goldsmiths Zlatá ulička has, however, in the 1760s. The Renaissance
who lived here in the 17th been home to well-known Martinic Palace (Martinický
century, Golden Lane (Zlatá writers such as Franz Kafka palác), at the corner of Castle
ulička) is one of the prettiest (see p35), who stayed at No. 22 Square, has sgraffito depicting
lanes in Prague. One side of the with his sister around 1916–17 scenes from the Bible. Its high
lane is lined with tiny, brightly and Jaroslav Seifert, the Nobel terrace provides views of
painted houses built right into Prize-winning Czech poet. the city.
the arches of the castle walls.
These were constructed in the
late 16th century for Rudolph II’s
24 castle guards. A century
later, the goldsmiths moved
in and modified the buildings.
However, by the 19th century
Schwarzenberg Palace in Castle Square, notable for its sgraffito decoration

3 St Vitus’s Cathedral
chrám sv Víta
Work began on St Vitus’s Cathedral, Prague’s Window by

most distinctive landmark, in 1344. Architect Alfons Mucha
The beautiful
Peter Parler was largely responsible for the
glass window was
grandiose Gothic design, though the building painted by Alfons
was not completed for another 600 years. The Mucha in Czech Art
cathedral contains the tomb of Good King Nouveau style.
Wenceslas and some fine works of art including
an exquisite Alfons Mucha window.
Rose Window
Designed by František Kysela in
the 1920s, the window above the
portals depicts scenes from the
biblical story of the Creation.
Gargoyles
On the ornate west front,
gutter spouts are given
their traditional disguise
as gargoyles. Main entrance
1619 Calvinists
c.925 Rotunda 1359 Masterbuilder take over
of St Vitus built by Peter Parler cathedral 1929 Consecration of
St Wenceslas summoned to as house completed cathedral,
continue work on of prayer nearly 1,000 years after
the cathedral Bust of Peter Parler death of St Wenceslas
on triforium
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
1872 Joseph
1589 Royal tomb Mocker
1060 Building of completed begins work
triple-aisled 1344 King John of on west nave
basilica begins Luxembourg founds Gothic 1421 Hussites
on orders of cathedral. French architect occupy 1770 New steeple added
Prince Spytihněv Matthew of Arras begins work St Vitus’s to tower after fire

PRAGUE 233
. Flying Buttresses
The slender buttresses that
surround the exterior of the
nave and chancel, supporting
Prague Castle, third courtyard.
the vaulted interior, are
Map B3.
richly decorated.
Cathedral: Open Apr–Oct:
9am–5pm Mon–Sat; Nov–Mar:
9am–4pm Mon–Sat. Great South
Tower: Open 9am–6pm daily;
Nov–Mar: till 5pm. & 7 5
∑ hrad.cz
Transport
v 22 to Pražský hrad.
q Hradčanská, Malostranská.
. Chapel of
St Wenceslas
The opulent, jewel-
studded chapel,
home to the
saint’s tomb, is
the highlight of a
visit to St Vitus’s
Cathedral. This
bronze ring hangs
on the chapel’s
north portal.
. Golden Portal
Until the 19th century, this
was the main cathedral
entrance and it is still used
on special occasions. Above
it is a mosaic of The Last
Judgment by 14th-century
Venetian craftsmen.
KEY
1 Nave
2 West front
3 Twin west spires
4 Triforium
5 The Renaissance bell tower
is capped with a Baroque “helmet”.
6 Chancel
Gothic Vaulting
The skills of architect Peter 7 To Old Royal Palace (see p230)
Parler are clearly seen in the 8 The tomb of St Wenceslas
delicate fans of ribbing that is connected to an altar, decorated
support the three Gothic with semi-precious stones.
arches of the Golden Portal.
7 Sternberg Palace
šternberský palác
The 18th-century Sternberg Palace has been home to the

National Gallery’s collection of European art since 1949.
Franz Josef Sternberg founded the Society of Patriotic
Friends of the Arts in Bohemia in 1796. Fellow noblemen
would lend their finest sculptures and pictures to the
society, which had its headquarters in the Sternberg Palace.
The Baroque building has a superb range of works by
Old Masters.
The Lamentation
of Christ (1408)
The frozen, sculptural
figures make this one
of the finest paintings
by Lorenzo Monaco.
First floor
Cardinal Cesi’s Garden in Rome (1548)

Henrick van Cleve’s painting provides a valuable image
of a Renaissance collection of antiquities.
Garden Room
Stairs to
second floor
Ground floor Stairs to first floor
Passageway to
Ticket Office Castle Square

PRAGUE 235
. Scholar in his VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Study (1634)
Rembrandt used keenly
observed detail to convey
Hradčanské náměstí 15.
wisdom in the face of
Map B3. Tel 233 090 570.
the old scholar.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun.
& ^ - ∑ ngprague.cz
Transport
v 22. q Malostranská,
Hradčanská.
Chinese
Cabinet
The Garden of Eden (1618)

Roelandt Savery studied the animals in the
menagerie of Rudolph II. He liked to include
them in his biblical and mythological works.
Second
floor Gallery Guide
The gallery is arranged on
three floors around the central
courtyard of the palace. The
ground floor, reached from the
courtyard, houses German and
Austrian art from the 15th to
19th centuries. The stairs to the
upper floors are just beyond the
ticket office. The first and second
floors have works of art from
Stairs down to
various European countries.
other floors
and exit . Head of Christ
Painted by El Greco in the 1590s,
this portrait emphasizes the
humanity of Christ. At the same
time the curious square halo Key
gives the painting the qualities German and Austrian Art
of an ancient icon. 1400–1800
Flemish and Dutch Art 1400–1600
Italian Art 1400–1500
Roman Art
Flemish and Dutch Art 1600–1800
French Art 1600–1800
Icons, Classical and Ancient Art
Venice 1700–1800 and Goya
. The Martyrdom of Spanish Art 1600–1800
St Thomas (1636) Naples and Venice 1600–1700
This magnificent work is by Peter
Paul Rubens, a Flemish Baroque Italian Art 1500–1600
painter from the 17th century. Non-exhibition space
8 Nerudova Ulice
Map B3. v 12, 20, 22.
q Malostranská.
A picturesque narrow street

leading up to Prague Castle,
Nerudova ulice is bustling,
noisy and crowded by day, but
becomes deserted at night –
over time, souvenir shops
and offices have replaced the
ordinary residents. The street
is named after the poet and
journalist Jan Neruda, who wrote
many stories set in this part of
Prague. He lived in the house
called At the Two Suns (No. 47)
between 1845 and 1857.
Until the introduction
of house numbers in 1770,
the city’s dwellings were
distinguished by signs. Nerudova
ulice’s houses have a splendid
selection of these, featuring
symbols, emblems and heraldic
beasts made of stone, stucco
or metal, which were usually
painted or carved. They often
indicate a profession or special The magnificent Philosophical Hall, within the Strahov Monastery
interest of the former occupants.
Proceeding up Nerudova’s 9 Strahov Velvet Revolution (1989) (see
steep slope, signs of particular Monastery p224), the monastery resumed
interest include the Red Eagle Strahovský klášter its original function, and monks
(No. 6), the Three Fiddles (No. 12), can sometimes be seen going
the Old Pharmacy Museum (No. Královská Kanonie Premonstrátů na about their business.
32) and the Golden Horseshoe Strahově, Strahovské nádvoří 1/132, The abbey courtyard
(No. 34). There are also many Strahovská. Map A4. Tel 233 107 730. is entered via a Baroque
v 22. Open 9am–noon, 1–5pm
Baroque buildings, most of which gateway sporting a statue
daily. Church of Our Lady, Philosophical
have become embassies. Among of St Norbert, the founder
Hall, Theological Hall, Picture Gallery:
them are the Thun-Hohenstein of the Premonstratensian
Open 10–11:30am, noon–5pm daily.
Palace (No. 20, now the Italian Closed Easter Sun, 24 & 25 Dec. & Order. The main monastery
Embassy), whose entrance is 0 = ∑ strahovskyklaster.cz church is the Church of Our
framed by an imposing portal Lady (Nanebevzetí Panny Marie),
with two spread-wing eagles When it was founded by featuring statues by Johan
by Matthias Braun, and Morzin Vladislav II in 1140 to serve an Anton Quitainer on its façade.
Palace (No. 5, the Romanian austere religious order, the The restored Baroque interior is
Embassy). The façade of the Premonstratensians, Strahov dazzlingly opulent. Besides the
latter has two vast statues rivalled Prague Castle (see magnificent altars and furnish-
of Moors (a pun on the pp228–9) in size. Burnt down ings, the frescoes are particularly
name Morzin) supporting in the 13th century, then rebuilt, striking, covering the ceiling
the semicircular it acquired its and walls above the arcades.
balcony on present Baroque Inside the monastery, the two
the first floor form in the 18th Baroque libraries are among the
sculpted by century. In 1783, most beautiful in Europe. The
Ferdinand during the reign first of these, the Philosophical
Brokof. Another of Joseph II, the Hall (Filosofický sál) was built to
impressive monastery man- house the books and bookcases
façade is that of Sign of Jan Neruda’s house, 47 aged to escape from Louca monastery in
the Church of Our Nerudova Street dissolution by Moravia, dissolved by Joseph II.
Lady of Unceasing declaring itself The vault is decorated with a
Succour (Kostel Panny Marie an educational establishment, 1782 fresco depicting mankind’s
Ustavičné Pomoci), the church of citing its vast library. The monks quest for truth. The second
the Theatines, an order founded were finally driven out in 1950 library is the Theological Hall
in the Counter-Reformation. by the Communists. After the (Teologický sál), dating from
PRAGUE 237
the 16th century. It is equally Albrecht von Wallenstein.

impressive, with a number His string of victories over the
of 17th-century astronomical Protestants in the Thirty Years’
globes and frescoes. The Picture War made him vital to Emperor
Gallery (Obrazárna), in the Ferdinand II. However, when
nearby 17th-century Church Wallenstein started to covet
of St Roch, is one of the finest the crown of Bohemia and
art galleries in Prague, focusing also dared to negotiate with
on the interpretation of the the enemy, he fell out of favour
works of masters such as Dali and was assassinated on the
and Chagall. emperor’s orders.
Wallenstein spent only
12 months in the palace
0 Petřín Hill Baroque Church of St Nicholas in Little that he had built for himself
Petřínské sady Quarter Square between 1620 and 1630. It was
designed by Italian architect
Map B4. v 6, 9, 12, 20, 22, then take
the funicular railway from Újezd.
Lichtenstein Palace. Other Andrea Spezza. The main
important buildings include hall has a ceiling fresco of
Petřín Hill, to the west of the Town Hall, with its fine Wallenstein himself, por trayed
Little Quarter (Malá Strana), Renaissance façade, and Sternberg as Mars, the god of war, riding
is the highest of Prague’s nine Palace, built on the site of the in a triumphal chariot. Today,
hills at 61 m (200 ft). A path outbreak of the 1541 fire, which the palace is home to the
winds up its slopes, offering destroyed most of the district. Czech Senate. The restored
fine views of Prague, but gardens are laid out as they
visitors can also take the were when Wallenstein dined
funicular from Újezd, which w Church of in the huge garden pavilion
lies to the south of Little St Nicholas that looks out over the Fountain
Quarter. At the top, there of Venus (1599) and rows
are many paths to explore and See pp238–9. of bronze statues.
several attractions, including
a version of the Eiffel Tower
(Rozhledna), built in 1891 as e Wallenstein
a tribute to the city’s strong Palace and Gardens
cultural and political links with Valdštejnský palác a zahrada
Paris at that time. A mini Gothic
Valdštejnské náměstí 4. Map C3.
castle (Bludiště), containing v 12, 18, 20, 22. q Malostranská.
a hall of distorting mirrors, Tel 257 075 707. Palace: Open 10am–
is particularly popular 4:30pm Sat & Sun (Apr–Oct to 5pm).
with children. 7 from Valdštejnské náměstí. ^
Gardens: Open Apr–May & Oct:
10am–6pm daily; Jun–Sep: 10am–
q Little Quarter 7pm daily. 7 from Valdštejnské
Square náměstí. - ∑ senat.cz
Malostranské náměstí
The first important secular
Map C3. v 12, 20, 22.
q Malostranská. building of the Baroque era in
Prague, the Wallenstein Palace
This sloping square, busy with stands as a monument to the Fountain of Venus in front of the
trams and people stopping for ambitions of military chief Wallenstein Palace
a drink or a bite to eat, has been
the centre of activity in Little
Quarter since its foundation in Albrecht von Wallenstein
1257. It began as a marketplace Albrecht von Wallenstein (Valdštein) was
in the outer bailey of Prague born in Bohemia in 1583. He studied in
Castle. Most of the houses here Italy and later converted to Catholicism.
have a medieval core, but all He joined Rudolph II’s Army and rose in
were rebuilt during the Baroque prominence to lead the imperial armies
and Renaissance periods. in Europe. During the Thirty Years’ War he
The square is dominated had several victories over the Protestants.
by the Church of St Nicholas, In 1630, he negotiated secretly with the
regarded as the best example Protestants and then joined them. For
of High Baroque in the city. Wallenstein, politician this, he was killed in 1634 by mercenaries
Opposite the church is the and commander acting on Emperor Ferdinand II’s orders.
vast Neo-Classical façade of
w Church of St Nicholas
Kostel sv Mikuláše
The Church of St Nicholas divides and dominates the two

sections of Little Quarter Square. Construction began in
1703 and the last touches were put to the glorious frescoed
nave in 1761. It is recognized as the masterpiece of father-
and-son architects Christoph and Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer,
Prague’s greatest exponents of High Baroque, though
neither lived to see the church’s completion. The statues,
frescoes and paintings inside are by leading Baroque
artists and include the fine Passion Cycle (1673) by Karel
Škréta. Renovation in the 1950s dealt with the damage
caused by 200 years of leaky cladding. Altar Paintings
The side chapels hold many works
of art. This painting of St Michael
. Pulpit is by Francesco Solimena.
Dating from 1765, the
ornate pulpit by Richard
and Peter Prachner is
lavishly adorned with
golden cherubs.
Baroque Organ
A fresco of St Cecilia watches over the superb
organ, built in 1746 by Tomás Schwarz. There
were originally three Schwarz organs here.
KEY
1 Chapel of St Catherine
2 Chapel of St Anne
3 Entrance from west side of
Little Quarter Square
4 The dome was completed by Façade
Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer in 1751, St Paul, by John Frederick
shortly before his death. Kohl, is one of the statues
5 The belfry, added in 1751 and that grace the curving façade.
1756, was the last part to be built. It was completed in 1710
Visitors can climb up it to admire by Christoph Dientzenhofer,
the view. who was influenced by Italian
architects Borromini and Guarini.
PRAGUE 239
Malostranské náměstí.
Map C3. Tel 257 534 215.
Open Mar–Oct: 9am–5pm daily;
Nov–Feb: 9am–4pm daily.
& 8 ^ 5 Concerts.
∑ psalterium.cz
Transport
v 12, 20, 22 to Malostranské
náměstí. q Malostranská.
. Dome Fresco
Franz Palko’s superb fresco, The Celebration
of the Holy Trinity (1753–4), fills the 70-m
(230-ft) high dome.
High Altar
. Statues of the Eastern A copper statue of St Nicholas by
Church Fathers Ignaz Platzer (1717–87) surmounts
The impressive statues of the church the high altar. Below it is the
fathers, which stand at the four corners painting of St Joseph by Johann
of the crossing, are the work of Lukas Kracker.
Ignaz Platzer.
The Dientzenhofer Family

Christoph Dientzenhofer (1655–1722) came
from a family of Bavarian master builders. His
son Kilian Ignaz (1689–1751) was born in
Prague and educated at the Jesuit
Clementinum. Together, they were
responsible for the greatest treasures
of Jesuit-influenced Prague Baroque
architecture. The Church of St Nicholas,
their last work, was completed by
Kilian’s son-in-law, Anselmo Lurago. Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer
r Charles Bridge
Karlův most
Prague’s most familiar monument was built by Peter Parler
(see p232) for Charles IV in 1357 after the Judith Bridge was
destroyed by floods. It connects the Old Town (Staré Město)
with the Little Quarter (Malá Strana) and was the only bridge
across the Vltava until 1741.
Malá Strana
Malá Strana
Bridge Tower
St Adalbert, (1709)
Judith Bridge Adalbert, Bishop of Prague,
Tower, 1158 founded St Lawrence Church on
Petřin Hill in 991. The Czechs
know him as Vojtěch.
St Vitus, 1714
Christ between St Cosmas St John de Matha,

Tower entrance St Wenceslas, 1859 St Felix de Valois and St Philip
and St Damian, 1709 Benizi, 1714
the Blessed Ivan, 1714
Stare Město St Cyril and

St Methodius (1938)
Thirty Years’ War The saints are widely
In the last hours of acknowledged
this war, Staré Město as the two who
was saved from the introduced
Swedish Army. The Christianity
truce was signed in to the region.
the middle of the
bridge in 1648.
St Norbert, St Wenceslas and St Christopher,

St Sigismund, 1853 St Anne, 1707
1857
St Francis Xavier
St Francis Borgia, 1710 St John the Baptist, 1855 St Joseph with
infant Jesus, 1854
PRAGUE 241
. St Luitgard, (1710) VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

The most artistically remarkable statue on
the bridge, sculpted by Matthias Braun, shows
the crucified Christ appearing to the blind
Map C4 & D4.
Cistercian nun.
Staré Město Bridge Tower:
Open 10am–6pm daily (Apr–Sep:
till 10pm; Mar & Oct: till 8pm).
& Malá Strana Bridge Tower:
Open 10am–6pm daily (Apr–Sep:
to 10pm; Mar & Oct: to 8pm). &
Transport
v 12, 20, 22 to Malostranské
náměstí.
. St John Nepomuk, (1683)

Reliefs on the bridge depict the martyrdom
St Cajetan, 1709 of St John Nepomuk. People walking on
St Augustine, the bridge touch the reliefs for good luck.
1708
St Anthony of
St Vincent Ferrer and St Jude
St Nicholas Padua, 1707
St Procopius, 1712 Thaddaeus,
Tolentino, 1708 1708 St Ludmilla with Little
Wenceslas, 1720
St Francis of Assisi, with two

Steps to Kampa Island
angels, 1855
Crucifix Tower
For 200 years this entrance
crucifix stood alone on
the bridge. The gilded
Christ dates from 1629
and the Hebrew words
“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord”
were paid for by a Jew as
punishment for blasphemy.
Madonna and
St Bernard, 1709
St Ivo, 1711
Pietà, . Staré Město Bridge Tower

1859 This fine Gothic tower was an
St Barbara, integral part of the old town’s
The Madonna, St Dominic St Margaret and fortifications. The sculptures, like
and St Thomas, 1708 St Elizabeth, 1707 the tower, are by Peter Parler.
Street-by-Street: Old Town

In the 11th century, the settlements around Prague
Castle (see pp228–9) grew manifold and the Old
Town (Staré Město) was created. Free of traffic and
ringed with historic buildings, the Old Town Square
(Staroměstské náměstí) ranks among the finest public
spaces in any city. In summer, café tables spill out on
to the cobblestoned streets, and the area draws visitors
in droves. Prague’s colourful history comes to life in
the buildings around the square. u Church of Our Lady before Týn
The church’s Gothic steeples are the Old
Church of Town’s most distinctive landmark.
St Nicholas
Kinský Palace
The palace, built by Kilian Ignaz
Dientzenhofer, has a stucco
façade crowned with statues
of the four elements.
STAROMĚSTSKÉ
The Jan Hus Monument was NÁMĚSTÍ
erected in 1915 on the 500th
anniversary of Jan Hus’s (see
p224) burning at the stake.
MALÉ
NÁMĚSTÍ
Ž
E
L
E
Z
N
Á
The Štorch House
The House at the Two

Golden Bears has a carved
Renaissance portal which
is the finest of its kind
in Prague.
The Štorch House

Based on designs by Mikoláš
Aleš, the façade has a painting
of St Wenceslas on horseback. t . Old Town Hall
Located in the Old Town
Square, the Town Hall’s
famous astronomical clock
dates from the early 1400s.
Key A procession of wooden
statues moves at the top of
Suggested route the clock every hour.
PRAGUE 243
i Church of St James z . Municipal House

Made in the 15th A popular concert
century, this wooden venue, this Art Nouveau
pietà can be building has an interior
seen on the adorned with allegories
main altar of of civic virtues by
the church. Alfons Mucha.
Powder Gate, a
much-restored
Týn courtyard Gothic gate, is a relic
of the time when
there was a royal
palace located here,
at the entrance to
the Old Town.
JAKUBSK Á
U
PR
ŠTUPARTSK Á
Aš
NÉ
BR
ÁNY
CELE TN
Á
House of the
Black Madonna
H
TR
Ý
CN
VO
O
y Celetná Ulice
l Estates Theatre
This ornamental Baroque
featured in Miloš Forman’s
plaque is the emblem of
1984 film, Amadeus.
the House at the Black
Sun, on the famous
Celetná ulice.
The Carolinum
This was the heart of the
university founded by 0 metres 100
Charles IV in 1348. A carved
0 yards 100
Oriel window projects from
the oldest surviving part.
t Old Town Hall

Staroměstská radnice
One of the most striking buildings in Prague, the Old Town
Hall was established in 1338 by King John of Luxemburg. Over
the centuries, several nearby houses were knocked together
as the Town Hall expanded, and it now consists of a row of
colourful Gothic and Renaissance buildings. Most of these
have been restored after damage inflicted by the Nazis in
1945. The 69-m (228-ft) high tower offers a great view.
Oriel Chapel
Old Town Coat of Arms The original stained-glass
Above the inscription, windows on the five-sided
“Prague, Head of the chapel were destroyed in the
Kingdom”, is the coat of last days of World War II, but
arms of the Old Town, which were replaced in 1987.
was adopted in 1784 for
the whole city.
Executions in the Old Town Square

A bronze tablet below the Oriel Chapel records the names
of the 27 Protestant leaders who were executed here by
order of Emperor Ferdinand II on 21 June 1621. This was
the result of Czech Army’s humiliating defeat at the Battle
of the White Mountain, which was the first battle of the
Thirty Years’ War in 1620. It led to the emigration of Protestants
unwilling to give up their faith, a Counter-Reformation
drive by the Catholic Church and a campaign An illustration depicting the execution of the
of Germanization. Protestant leaders

PRAGUE 245
Staroměstské náměstí 1.
Map E3. Tel 236 002 629.
Open Halls: 9am–6pm daily
(11am Mon); Tower: 9am–10pm
daily (11am Mon). & 8 7
∑ staromestskaradnicepraha.cz
Transport
q Staroměstská, Můstek.
v 17, 18.
. Old Town Hall Tower

In 1364, the tower was added to
the private house of Wolflin of
Kámen. Its gallery provides a
fine view of the city.
. Astronomical Clock
Mechanical figures
perform above
the zodiac signs
in the upper
section; the
lower section
is a calendar.
KEY
1 Temporary art exhibitions

2 Tourist information and
entrance to tower
3 Prague Tourist Information
Service; ∑ praguewelcome.cz
4 Old Council Hall features a
19th-century engraving on the well-
Entrance hall decorated preserved 15th-century ceiling.
with mosaics
Gothic Door 5 The house of Wolflin of Kámen
The late-Gothic main was purchased by the authorities
entrance to the Town Hall in 1338.
and tower was carved by 6 Viewing Gallery
Matthias Rejsek. The 7 Steps to gallery
entrance hall is filled with
wall mosaics after designs 8 Oriel Chapel
by the Czech painter 9 Calendar
Mikoláš Aleš.
y Celetná Ulice the original church. On the

Map E3. q Náměstí Republiky,
northern side is an entrance
Můstek. portal, built in 1390, decorated
with scenes of the Christ’s
One of the oldest streets in Passion. The interior has
Prague, Celetná ulice follows several notable features,
an old trading route from including Gothic sculptures
eastern Bohemia. Its name of Calvary, a pewter font and
comes from the plaited bread a 15th-century Gothic pulpit.
rolls that were first baked here The Danish astronomer
in the Middle Ages. In the 14th Tycho Brahe (1546–1601),
century, it gained prestige as court astronomer to Rudolf II,
a section of the Royal Route is buried here.
which linked the Royal Court
and Prague Castle via Old
Town Square; it was used for i Church of
coronation processions. St James
Most of the houses along Towering nave of the Church of Our Lady Kostel sv jakuba
Celetná ulice date from the before Týn
Middle Ages. The foundations Malá Štupartská. Map E3. Tel 224 828
u Church of Our 816. q Můstek, Náměstí Republiky.
of Romanesque and Gothic
Open 9:30am–noon, 2–4pm Tue–Sat,
buildings can be seen in some Lady before Týn to 3:30pm Fri, 2–4pm Sun. 5
of the cellars, but the majority,
Kostel matky boží před týnem
with their striking signs, This attractive Baroque church
are the result of Baroque Staroměstské náměstí 14. Map E3. was originally the Gothic pres-
remodellings. At No. 34, the Tel 222 318 186. q Můstek, bytery of a Minorite monastery.
House of the Black Madonna Staroměstská. Open 10am–1pm, The order, a branch of the
(Dům U Černé Matky Boží), 3–5pm Tue–Sat, 10am–noon Sun. Franciscans, was invited to
is a fine example of Cubist Closed Mon. ^ 5 Prague by King Wenceslas I
architecture. The building was Dominating the Old Town in 1232. The Baroque recon-
designed by Josef Gočár in Square are the multiple struction occurred after a fire
1911 and is home to the historic steeples of this historic church, in 1689, allegedly started by
Grand Café Orient, the only a source of Czech national agents of French king Louis XIV.
surviving Cubist café in the pride. The present Gothic More than 20 side altars were
world. The building building was started in added, decorated with works by
hosts temporary 1365 and soon became painters such as Jan Jiří Heinsch
exhibitions. The dis- associated with the reform and Petr Brandl.
tinctive polychrome movement in Bohemia. The tomb of Count Vratislav of
figure of the Madonna From the early 15th Mitrovice, designed by Johann
with Child comes from century until 1620, Týn Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and
an earlier house that was regarded as the main with sculptures by Maximilian
stood on this site. It is Hussite church in Prague. Brokof of Prague, is the most
also home to Cubist It was taken over by beautiful Baroque tomb in
paintings, sculptures, the Jesuits in the Bohemia. The count is believed
furniture and architec- Statue, House of the 17th century and they to have been buried alive by
tural plans. The 1759 Black Madonna were responsible accident; his corpse was later
Pachts’ Palace, across for the Baroque found sitting up in the tomb.
the street, has a balcony that renovation inside, which There is an equally macabre
rests on the shoulders of four jars with the Gothic style of tale regarding a 400-year-old
miners and soldiers sculpted by
Ignaz Platzer.
The most impressive example
of Baroque architecture is the
Hrzánský Palace at No. 558,
whose façade features busts,
gargoyles and stuccoes, as well
as a portal with caryatids. A
popular venue for state dinners,
the palace has been visited by
numerous important heads of
state. Today, most of Celetná’s
shops veer towards the chic
side of the Czech market, making
it a popular place for shopping. Baroque organ in the Church of St James
PRAGUE 247
Master of the Vyšší Spanish Synagogue is now home

Brod Altar and Master to an interesting permanent
Theodoric. The latter’s exhibition dedicated to the
splendid series of history of Prague’s Jews of
panels for Charles IV’s Bohemia, from the time of the
chapel at Karlštejn 1848 Jewish emancipation.
Castle (see pp256–7)
are the unmissable
works in the gallery. a Old-New
These larger-than-life Synagogue
portraits of saints and See pp248–9.
church fathers are full
of intense expression
and rich colours. Other s Jewish Town Hall
interesting works Židovská radnice
include the moving
Crucifixion from Maiselova 18. Map E3. Tel 222
319 002. @ 133. v 17, 18.
Prague’s Na Slovanech
q Staroměstská. Closed to the
Monastery, 14th-century
public. 0
panels by the Master
of Třeboň, and an At the core of this attractive
Třeboň altarpiece, Convent of St Agnes anonymous sculpture pink and white building is
of the Madonna the original Jewish Town
mummified forearm to be and Child, much influenced Hall, built between 1570
found hanging on the right by the famous Krumlov and 1577 by the rich mayor,
side of the church entrance. Madonna, now in a museum Mordechai Maisel. This is
According to legend, when a in Vienna. one of the few buildings to
thief tried to steal the jewels The early 16th century is survive the Holocaust. It
from the Madonna on the represented with works by the acquired its flowery late-
high altar, the Virgin grabbed Master of Litoměřice. These Baroque image in 1763 and
his arm and held on so tightly include a Holy Trinity triptych fur ther alterations were made
that it had to be cut off. and the stunning Visitation of in the early 20th century.
The acoustics in the lengthy the Virgin Mary. Permission for constructing
nave are excellent and concerts the belfry, a small wooden
are often held here. The splendid clock tower with a distinctive
organ dates from 1702. p Spanish green steeple, was granted by
Synagogue Ferdinand III. It has a clock on
Španělská synagóga each of its four sides, one of
o Convent of which has Hebrew figures and
St Agnes Vězeňská 1. Map E3. Tel 221 711 511.
v 17, 18. @ 207. q Staroměstská.
so turns in an anti-clockwise
Klášter sv anežky české direction. The building is now
Open Apr–Oct: 9am– 6pm Sun–Fri;
the seat of the Council of Jewish
U Milosrdných 17. Map E2. Tel 224 Nov–Mar: 9am–4:30pm Sun–Fri.
Religious Communities.
810 628. v 17 to Law Faculty Closed Jewish hols. & 7
(Právnická fakulta), 5, 8, 14 to Dlouhá ∑ jewishmuseum.cz
třída. @ 207 to Nemocnice na
This is the site of Prague’s first
Františku. q Staroměstská, Náměstí
Republiky. Open 10am–6pm Tue–
synagogue, known as the Old
Sun. & 8 7 ^ ∑ ngprague.cz School (Stará škola). In the 11th
century, the Old School was the
The Convent of the Poor centre of the Sephardic Jewish
Clares, founded by Princess community; they lived strictly
Agnes in 1234, was one of apart from the Ashkenazi Jews,
the first Gothic buildings in who were concentrated around
Bohemia. It functioned as a con- the Old-New Synagogue (see
vent until 1782, when the Order pp248–9). The present Moorish
was dissolved by Joseph II. building dates from the second
Following a painstaking half of the 19th century. The
restoration, the premises now ornate exterior gives way to
houses a magnificent collec- an even more fantastically
tion of medieval art belonging decorative and gilded interior.
to Prague’s National Gallery. The rich stucco decorations are
Among its most precious exhi- reminiscent of the Alhambra
bits are works by two Czech palace in Spain, hence the name. Belfry of the Jewish Town Hall, with two
artists of the 14th century: the Once closed to the public, the of its clocks in view
248 CENTRAL EASTREN EUROPE
Right-hand
a Old-New Synagogue Nave
Staronová synagóga The glow from
the chandeliers
Built around 1270, this is the oldest synagogue provides light for
in Europe and one of the earliest Gothic buildings worshippers, who
sit in the seats
in Prague. The synagogue has survived fires, the
lining the walls.
slum clearances of the 19th century and many
Jewish pogroms. Residents of the Jewish Quarter
have often had to seek refuge within its walls and
it is still the religious centre for Prague’s Jews. It
was originally called the New Synagogue until
another synagogue, which was later destroyed,
was built nearby.
. Jewish Standard
The historic banner
of Prague’s Jews is
decorated with a Star
of David, within which
the hat that had to
be worn by Jews in
the 14th century
is depicted.
. Five-rib Vaulting
Two massive octagonal
pillars inside the hall
support the five-rib vaults:
one rib was added to the
traditional four ribs.
KEY
1 The cantor’s platform (bima) is

surrounded by a Gothic wrought-
iron grille.
2 Candlestick holder
3 These windows formed part of
the 18th-century extensions built to
allow women a view of the service.
4 Fourteenth-century stepped
brick gable
5 The tympanum above the
Entrance
Ark is decorated with 13th-century
leaf carvings. Entrance Portal
The tympanum above the
6 The interior is dim since the door in the south vestibule is
small windows do not allow much decorated with bunches of
light in. grapes and vine leaves.
PRAGUE 249
Červená. Map D3 & E3.
Tel 224 800 812. Open Apr–Oct:
9:30am–6pm Sun–Fri; Nov–Mar:
9:30am–5pm. Closed Jewish
hols. & ^ u 7:30am Mon–Fri,
9am Sat. ∑ synagogue.cz
Transport
v 17, 18 to Staroměstská, 17 to
Law Faculty. q Staroměstská.
East Façade
The east and west
façades possess an
austerity that is in
contrast with the
Gothic interior. Exterior of Maisel Synagogue, rebuilt in
Gothic style
d Maisel
Synagogue
Maiselova synagóga
Maiselova 10. Map E3.
q Staroměstská. v 17, 18. @ 207.
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm Sun–Fri;
Nov–Mar: 9am–4:30pm Sun–Fri.
Closed Jewish hols. & ^ 7
∑ jewishmuseum.cz
When it was first built, in the late

. Rabbi Löw’s Chair 16th century, Maisel Synagogue
A Star of David marks was a private house of prayer
the chair of the Chief for use by mayor Mordechai
Rabbi, placed where Maisel and his family. It was the
Rabbi Löw once sat. most richly decorated synagogue
A 16th-century scholar, in the city. Maisel, who made
he was Prague’s most a fortune lending money to
revered Jewish sage. Rudolph II, funded the extensive
Renaissance reconstruction of
the ghetto.
The original building was
destroyed in a fire that also
devastated the Jewish Town
Hall in 1689, and a new syn-
agogue was built in its place.
Its present Gothic aspect
dates from the early 20th
century. The synagogue now
houses a superb collection of
Jewish silver and other metal-
work dating from Renaissance
times. It includes early examples
of items used in the Jewish
service, such as Torah crowns
and finials, used to decorate
the rollers that hold the text
of the Torah, shields (hung on
The Ark the mantle draped over the
This is the holiest place in the Torah) and pointers (used by
synagogue as it holds the sacred readers to follow the text).
scrolls of the Torah (the Most were brought by the
five books of Moses) and of Nazis from synagogues all
the books of the Prophets. over Bohemia and Moravia.
f Old Jewish philosopher and scholar who

Cemetery was believed to possess magical
powers. Visitors place a pebble
Starý židovský hřbitov
on his grave as a mark of respect.
Široká 3. Map D3. Tel 222 749 464 Elsewhere, fragments of 14th-
(reservations); 222 749 211 (Jewish century Gothic tombstones can
Museum). @ 207. v 17, 18. be seen embedded in the wall,
q Staroměstská. Open Apr–Oct: bought from an older Jewish
9am–6pm Sun–Fri; Nov–Mar: cemetery in Staré Město.
9am–4:30pm Sun–Fri (last adm
Near the entrance to the
30 mins before closing). & 7
∑ jewishmuseum.cz cemetery stands the Klausen
Synagogue. It has a rich display
Founded in 1478, this historic of religious objects in its fine,
site was, for over 300 years, the barrel-vaulted interior.
only burial ground permitted
to Jews. An estimated 100,000
people are believed to have g Pinkas
been buried here; due to lack Synagogue
of space they were buried on Pinkasova synagóga
top of each other, up to 12 layers Stained-glass window inside the Museum
deep. Today, over 12,000 grave- Široká 3. Map D3. Tel 222 326 660. of Decorative Arts
@ 207. v 17, 18. q Staroměstská.
stones exist in this cemetery.
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm Sun–Fri;
The last burial took place in 1787. The core of the present building
Nov–Mar: 9am–4:30pm Sun–Fri. &
From the late 16th century 7 ^ ∑ jewishmuseum.cz
is a hall with Gothic vaulting. The
onwards, the tombstones were gallery for women was added in
decorated with symbols denot- Regarded as the second oldest the early 17th century.
ing the background, family synagogue in Prague, Pinkas The synagogue now serves
name or profession of the Synagogue was founded in as a memorial to all the Jewish
deceased. The tomb of writer 1479 by Rabbi Pinkas and Czechoslovak citizens who
and astronomer David Gan expanded in 1535 by his great- were imprisoned in the Terezín
(1541–1613) is adorned with nephew Aaron Meshulam concentration camp and later
symbols representing his name – Horowitz. Since then, it has been deported to various Nazi exter-
a Star of David and a goose. rebuilt several times. Excavations mination camps. The names of
The most visited tomb in the have revealed fascinating relics the 77,297 Czech Jews who went
cemetery is that of Rabbi Löw of life in the medieval ghetto, missing during the Holocaust
(see p249), a 16th-century including a mikva (ritual bath). are inscribed on the walls. There
is also a haunting display of
children’s drawings from the
Terezín camp.
hMuseum of
Decorative Arts
Uměleckoprůmyslové muzeum
17 Listopadu 2. Map D3.
Tel 251 093 111. @ 207. v 17, 18.
q Staroměstská. Open 10am–6pm
Wed–Sun, 10am–7pm Tue. & 7 ^
- ∑ upm.cz
The museum’s collection

of glass is one of the largest
in the world, but space
constraints mean that only
a fraction of it is on display.
Pride of place goes to the
Bohemian glass, of which
there are many fine Baroque
and 19th- and 20th-century
pieces. Other exhibits include
Meissen porcelain, Gobelin
tapestries, costumes, textiles,
photographs and some
View across the Old Jewish Cemetery to the Klausen Synagogue exquisite furniture.
PRAGUE 251
j Karlova Ulice
Map D4. q Staroměstská.
Dating back to the 12th

century, this narrow, winding
street was part of the Royal
Route, along which coronation
processions passed on the way
to Prague Castle (see pp228–9).
Many original Gothic and
Renaissance houses remain,
although most have been
converted into shops to
attract tourists.
A café at No. 18, in the
House at the Golden Snake,
was established in 1714 by an
Armenian, Deodatus Damajan,
who handed out slanderous
pamphlets from here. It is now
a restaurant. Also noteworthy
is At the Golden Well at No. 3,
which has a magnificent Baroque
façade and stucco reliefs
of saints including St Roch
and St Sebastian, who are
believed to offer protection
against plague.
Baroque sculpture of an angel on the altar, Church of St Giles

k Church of St Giles
Kostel sv Jiljí who built a huge friary on was German, with occasional
its southern side. The monks performances given in Czech
Husova 8. Map D4. Tel 224 220 235. were evicted in the Communist or Italian.
v 6, 9, 17, 18, 22. q Národní třída.
era, but they have since been The theatre is renowned
Open by appt. 5
able to return. for its premieres of operas by
Despite a beautiful Gothic The vaults are decorated Mozart. On 29 October 1787,
portal on its south side, the with stunning frescoes by the the public was treated to the
inside of this church is essen- painter Václav Vavřinec Reiner, world premiere of Don Giovanni,
tially Baroque. Founded in 1371 who is buried in the nave. with the composer himself
on the site of a Romanesque The main fresco, a glorification conducting from the piano.
church, it became a Hussite of the Dominicans, shows Acknowledging the connection
parish church in 1420. Follow- St Dominic and his friars between Mozart and the theatre,
ing the Protestant defeat in helping the pope defend the interior was used by Miloš
1620, Ferdinand II gave the the Catholic Church from Forman in his famous Oscar-
church to the Dominicans, non-believers. winning film Amadeus (1984).
In 1834, the theatre witnessed
the first performance of
l Estates Theatre Fidlovačka, a comic opera by
Stavovské divadlo Josef Kajetán Tyl. One of its
songs, Kde domov můj? (“Where
Ovocný trh 1. Map E4. Tel 224 is My Home?”), later became the
901 448. q Můstek. Open for Czech national anthem. More
performances. 7 ∑ narodni-
than a century later, in the spirit
divadlo.cz
of the national revival, the
Built in 1783 by the German- theatre was renamed after Tyl,
speaking Count Nostitz though it has since reverted
Rieneck, the Estates Theatre to its original name.
is one of the finest examples The Carolinum, opposite, is
of Classical elegance in Prague. the core of Prague University,
Its white, gold and blue founded by Charles IV. In the
auditorium resembles a luxury 15th and 16th centuries, the
Estates Theatre, a mecca for chocolate box. Until 1920, the university led the movement
Mozart fans main language used on stage to reform the church.
z Municipal House
Obecní dům
Prague’s most prominent Art Nouveau building
was built between 1905 and 1911 on the site of
the former royal palace. On 28 October 1918, the
Municipal House was the scene of the proclamation
of the new independent state of Czechoslovakia. The
flamboyant interior, decorated with works by leading
Czech artists, including Alfons Mucha, is well worth
visiting. It includes Prague’s top concert venue, as
well as other smaller halls, a restaurant and café.
. Mayor’s Salon
This splendid room has furniture
by J Krejčuk and murals depicting
Czech heroes by Alfons Mucha – a
Czech master of Art Nouveau.
. Mosaic by Karel Špillar

The façade has a vast semicircular mosaic
depicting Homage to Prague by noted artist
Karel Špillar.
Main Hall
Lifts in the main hall have
beautiful Art Nouveau details
and ornaments.
KEY
1 The Glass Dome towers above

Hollar’s Hall, a circular room next to
the exhibition rooms.
2 Magnificent glass dome
3 Figures seen on all sides of the
building are by Czech artists who
combined historic and Classical
symbols with modern motifs.
4 The wing facing U Obecního
Domu ulice includes four dining . Smetana Hall
rooms with original panelling, The auditorium, seating 1,500, is occasionally
mirrors and clocks. used as a ballroom. The box to the left of the
5 Shops stage is reserved for the president of the
Republic; the one to the right, for the Mayor.
PRAGUE 253
Náměstí Republiky 5.
Map F3. Tel 222 002 101.
Gallery: Open only during guided
tours: 10am–7pm daily. 8 by
arrangement. 7 0 -
∑ obecnidum.cz
Transport
v 5, 8, 24, 26. q Náměstí
Republiky.
Bronze statue of St Wenceslas,

Wenceslas Square
Side Portal
Here, caryatids and cherubs x Wenceslas
demonstrate the Art Nouveau
era's love of classical motifs.
Square
Václavské náměstí
Decorative Detail v 3, 9, 14, 24. Map E4.
The Mayor’s Salon has this q Můstek, Muzeum.
delightful detail in one
of its columns. Originally a horse market, today
Wenceslas Square remains an
important commercial centre.
The square has witnessed many
key events. It was here that the
student Jan Palach burnt himself
to death in 1969 in protest against
the Soviet-led invasion of 1968,
and in November 1989, a protest
rally against police brutality led
to the Velvet Revolution and
the overthrow of Communism
(see p224).
At one end of the square
is the National Museum, which
was completed in 1890. In
front of the museum is a huge
equestrian statue of St Wenceslas
by the late sculptor Josef Myslbek,
erected in 1912. At the foot of
the pedestal there are statues
of Czech patron saints. A
memorial near the statue
commemorates the victims
of the former regime.
Walking down the square
from the monument, there
are several buildings of interest.
To the left, down a passage,
is Lucerna Palace, built in the
early 20th century by Václav
Havel, father of the former
Czech president. It is now a
shopping and entertainment
Decorative Elements complex. On the opposite
Lavish stucco decoration covers all sides of the Municipal side of the square is the Art
House; including floral motifs typical of the Art Nouveau style. Nouveau Grand Hotel Europa.
c Church of Our v National Museum

Lady of the Snows Národní muzeum
Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné Václavské náměstí 68. Map F5.
Jungmannovo náměstí 18. Map E4. Tel 224 497 111. q Muzeum.
Tel 222 246 243. q Můstek. Temporary exhibitions also at
Open 9am–6pm daily. 7 5 Vinohradská 1. Open 10am–6pm
Sun–Fri, 10am–8pm Sat. Closed first
Founded in 1347 by Charles IV Tue of month. & ∑ nm.cz
to mark his coronation, this
remarkable church was once The vast and magnificent
regarded as one of the great Neo-Renaissance building
landmarks of Wenceslas at one end of Wenceslas
Square (see p253). According Square houses the National
to legend, the church owes Museum. Designed by
its name to a 4th-century Bohemian architect Josef
miracle in Rome, when the Schulz as a triumphal affirma-
Virgin Mary appeared to the tion of the Czech National
pope in a dream telling him Revival, the museum was
to build a church on the spot completed in 1890. On closer The lavishly decorated staircase in the
where snow fell in August. inspection of the façade, there National Museum
Charles IV envisaged the are visible pock marks left by
church to be over 100 m shells from Warsaw Pact tanks intellectual and artistic life.
(330 ft) long, but it was never used during the invasion of The vast room, with windows
completed. The building that Prague in 1968. The entrance overlooking Wenceslas Square,
exists today was the presbytery is reached by a ramp flanked has four huge paintings by
of the projected church. by allegorical statues; seated Czech artists Václav Brožík and
The church had a checkered by the door are the figures František Ženíšek. The exquisite
history. It suffered damage in the of History and Nature. In front gilt-framed glass cupola over-
Hussite Wars (see p224) and was there is a fountain symbolizing head fills the space with light.
left to decay until 1603, when it the Czech nation and the The rich marbled decoration
was restored by the Franciscans. Czech rivers. is impressive, while the museum’s
The intricate net vaulting of the Inside, a monumental displays are devoted mainly
ceiling dates from this period. staircase lit by grand brass to mineralogy, archaeology,
Most of the interior decoration candelabras leads to the anthropology, numismatics
is in Baroque style, including the Pantheon, a dome-topped and natural history.
splendid three-tiered gold-and- hall. This contains statues and The building is undergoing
black altar, crowded with statues busts of the most prominent extensive renovation until
of saints. figures in Czech political, 2015. During renovations,
temporary exhibitions
are being housed in an
adjacent building.
b Mucha Museum
Muchovo muzeum
Panská 7. Map F4. Tel 224 216 415.
v 3, 9, 14, 24, 26. q Můstek,
Náměstí Republiky. Open 10am–6pm
daily. 8 - 7 ∑ mucha.cz
The 18th-century Kaunicky
Palace is home to the Mucha
Museum, dedicated to Alfons
Mucha (1860–1939), the Czech
master of Art Nouveau. The
exhibits include personal mem-
orabilia, paintings, drawings,
photographs – some taken by
Mucha – and also a docu-
mentary film. The artist’s time
spent in Paris is well docu-
mented. During summer, the
museum’s central courtyard is
The towering Church of Our Lady of the Snows converted into a café.
PRAGUE 255
n Charles Square
Karlovo náměstí
Map E5. v 3, 4, 6, 10, 16, 18, 21, 22,
24. q Karlovo náměstí.
In the southern part of New

Town, built around Wenceslas
Square and Senovážné Square,
lies Prague’s biggest square,
Charles Square. The public
garden in the square was laid
out in the mid 19th-century
and offers a peaceful and
welcome retreat. The statues
in the park are of various figures
from Czech history.
Charles Square was created A spectacular ceiling fresco inside the National Theatre
when Charles IV was establish-
ing Nové Město in 1348. A the official opening it was
wooden tower was built at its completely destroyed by fire.
centre, where the coronation Josef Schulz was given the job
jewels were put on display of rebuilding the theatre and
once a year. In 1382, the tower all the best Czech artists of the
was replaced by a chapel. It period contributed towards its
was from here that, in 1437, the lavish decoration. During the
historic document informing late 1970s and early 80s, the
the Czechs about the conces- theatre underwent restoration
sions granted to the Hussites and the New Stage (Nová
by the pope was read out for Scena) was built.
the first time. The beautiful Auditorium
Until the 19th century, the has an elaborately painted
square was used mainly as a ceiling by František Ženíšek,
cattle market and for selling adorned with allegorical figures
firewood and coal. On its north representing the arts. Equally
side stands the New Town Hall, U Fleků, Prague’s finest and best known impressive are the gold and red
one of Prague’s finest Gothic beer hall stage curtains. There is also a
buildings, embellished with stunning ceiling fresco in the
steep, triangular gables. On the here as early as 1459. The theatre’s lobby. The final part of
south side is the magnificent owners of this archetypal a triptych, painted by František
Church of St Ignatius, built by beer hall have kept up the Ženíšek in 1878, depicts the
Italian architect Carlo Lurago in tradition of brewing; the present golden age of Czech art.
the 1660s. The superb façade brewery, the smallest in the The theatre’s vivid sky-blue
is topped by a statue of the capital, produces and serves a roof is covered with stars and is
church’s patron saint, St Ignatius special strong, dark beer, sold believed to represent the sky –
of Loyola. At the time, the exclusively on the premises. the summit all artists should
church’s rules allowed only aim for.
Christ and the Virgin Mary to be
represented in this fashion, but , National Theatre
the Jesuits succeeded in obtaining Národní Divadlo
an exemption from the Pope
on this occasion. Inside, the Národní 2. Map D5. Tel 224 901
profusion of gilt is truly dazzling. 448. v 6, 9, 18, 21, 22 to Národní
Divadlo. q Národní třída. Auditorium:
Tel 221 714 152. Open only during
performances (box office open
m U Fleků 8am–6pm). & 7
Křemencova 11. Map D5. v 6, 9, 18, ∑ narodnidivadlo.cz
22. q Národní třída, Karlovo náměstí.
Tel 224 930 511. ∑ ufleku.cz This gold-crested theatre is a
cherished symbol of the Czech
A short walk northwest of cultural revival. The original
Charles Square is one of the Neo-Renaissance building was
most famous beer halls in designed by Czech architect
Prague, U Fleků. Records Josef ZÍtek and construction Stately façade of the National Theatre on
indicate that beer was brewed began in 1868. Just days before the Vltava river
2 Karlštejn Castle
hrad Karlštejn
This Gothic castle is one of the most visited historic sites in the
country. It was built for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in
1348 as a royal residence and a treasury where the imperial
insignia and crown jewels as well as documents, works of art
and holy relics were stored. In the 16th century, Karlštejn was
remodelled in the Renaissance style. The castle was restored in
the 19th century by Josef Mocker, who returned the building
to its original appearance.
. Holy Cross Chapel

The walls of the Holy Cross
Chapel are hung with a
unique collection of 129
portraits of saints and
monarchs – the work of
Master Theodoric, court
painter to Charles IV.
Voršilka Tower
The Voršilka Tower was once the castle’s main
entrance. Now the entrance is via the gate below
the tower, and along the former moat.
The Well Tower

The Well Tower is situated
at the lowest point of the
castle complex. Inside is an
old wooden treadwheel for
hauling water, which was
operated by two people.
CZECH REPUBLIC 257
. Church of St Mary VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

One of the paintings in the
Church of St Mary depicts Charles IV
receiving two thorns from the
25 km (16 miles) SW of Prague.
crown of Jesus from the French
Tel 311 681 617.
dauphin, Charles.
Open Mar–Nov: Tue–Sun.
^ interiors. Holy Cross Chapel:
Open Jun–Oct: Tue–Sun
(reservations required for some
routes). & 8
∑ hradkarlstejn.cz
Transport
£ from Prague.
St Catherine’s Chapel
Used as a place of meditation
by Charles IV, this tiny chapel has
walls that are richly decorated with
paintings and semi-precious stones.
Madonna Statue
The 14th-century marble
statue of the Madonna,
in the royal bedchamber,
belonged to King Charles IV.
KEY
1 The first floor of the Grand

Tower features two rooms, which
in the 19th century were turned
into a museum with a collection
of paintings of Karlštejn and
other castles.
2 Grand Tower
3 The Imperial Palace’s first floor
was used by courtiers; the second Knights’ Hall of the Imperial Palace
by the emperor for private and A striking feature of the Knights’ Hall is the late-Gothic
official functions. altarpiece from St Palmatius’s Church in the village of
Budňany at the foot of Karlštejn Castle.
3 Kutná Hora
A rich source of silver between the 13th and
18th centuries, Kutná Hora was the second
most important town in Bohemia, after Prague.
Its wealth funded many beautiful buildings,
including St Barbara’s Cathedral (sv Barbora);
the Italian Court (Vlašský Dvůr), which housed
the royal mint and later the Town Hall; the
14th-century Church of St James (sv Jakub) and
the 15th-century Stone House (Kamenný Dům).
Since 1995 the historic centre of Kutná Hora
Cathedral’s Front Façade
has been on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List. In 1388, German architect Peter
Located to the northeast of the centre is the Parler planned this five-aisled
suburb of Sedlec, home to an extraordinary building, with three
ossuary where bones accumulated over cen- tented spires.
turies were put together by carver František
Rint in 1870 to form crosses, a coat of arms
and a chandelier.
. Vault
The central nave,
with its magnificent
geometric vaulted
ceiling, was designed
in the early 16th
century by Benedikt
Ried. It incorporates
coats of arms from
local crafts guilds.
Organ
The Baroque organ
case dating from 1740–60
hides a much newer
mechanism installed in the early
20th century by local organ maker
Jan Tuček.
St Barbara’s Cathedral
Dedicated to the patron saint of miners, St Barbara’s
Cathedral is one of Europe’s most spectacular Gothic
churches. Both the interior and exterior are richly
ornamented, and the huge windows ensure it is filled
with light. Many of the side chapels are decorated with
interesting frescoes, some of which depict miners at work
and men striking coins in the mint, reflecting the sources
of the town’s wealth.
CZECH REPUBLIC 259
Pulpit
The pulpit dating from 1655
is decorated with four stone
reliefs, depicting the four
70 km (45 miles) E of Prague.
Evangelists. It was produced in
* 21,000. n Palackého
1566 by Master Leopold.
náměstí 377, 327 512 378.
Cathedral: Open 9am–6pm daily.
& Ossuary: Open daily. &
∑ kutnahora.cz
Transport
£ @ from Prague.
Oak Stalls
The late 15th-century stalls,
originally designed for St Vitus’s
Cathedral in Prague, feature
Gothic spired canopies and
carved balustrades.
Stained-glass
Window
The Art Nouveau
stained-glass windows
designed by František
Urban were added in
the early 20th century.
. High Altar
The central scene of the Neo-Gothic
high altar (1901–5), a replica of the
original, depicts the Last Supper.
Balustrade
The stone balustrade of the presbytery
includes the initials of King Vladislav
Jagiello (“W”) and his son Ludwig (“L”).
4 Hradec Králové P White Tower

Franušova 1. Tel 495 512 542.
Located at the confluence of the Labe and Orlice rivers, Hradec Open Apr–Sep: 9am–noon,
Králové is one of the most beautiful cities in Bohemia. It first 1–5pm daily.
appeared in historical records in 1225 and later became an The 72-m (235-ft) tall
Renaissance belfry next to the
important Hussite and then Counter-Reformation centre. In the
cathedral was erected in 1589.
20th century, the town acquired a new face when architects The white stone used as the
Jan Kotěra and Josef Gočár built many Modernist structures building material gave the
outside the medieval centre. The New Town (Nové Město) was structure its name: White Tower
developed between 1920 and 1930 by the two architects. (Bílá věž), though the stone is
now grey. The replacement
clock fitted in 1829 can be
misleading – the small hand
points to the minutes and the
large one to the hours.
R Church of the Assumption

of the Virgin Mary
Velké náměstí.
This church (Kostel Nanebevzetí
Panny Marie) was built for the
Jesuit Order by Carlo Lurago
in the mid-17th century. A
Old Town Hall and White Tower in Big Square century later, the church burned
down and only the chapel of
P Big Square R Cathedral of the St Ignatius Loyola, with its wall
The historic sights of the Old Holy Ghost paintings and a picture by Petr
Town (Staré Město) are clus- Velké náměstí. Brandl of the glorification of the
tered around its former market This Gothic cathedral (Katedrála saint, was spared. The present
square (Velké náměstí). One of sv Ducha), founded in 1307, is façade, with its two towers,
the most opulent buildings proof of the town’s wealth. dates from 1857. The former
here is the Old Town Hall In 1424, the church was Jesuit College, the long building
(radnice). This Gothic the temporary burial site to the right of the church, dates
edifice, erected before of Jan Žižka, leader of the from the late 17th century.
1418, was remodelled in Hussite movement.
the late 16th century in Striking features of E Modern Art Gallery
the Renaissance style its plain interior are Velké náměstí 139/140. Tel 495 514
and the two clock the late-Gothic, 893. Closed for renovation until
towers were added in 15th-century high spring 2015. & 7 ∑ galeriehk.cz
1786. The hall served altar, and in the The striking five-storey Art
as a prison during the Relief from the house south aisle, the Nouveau building of the
late 16th century. opposite the cathedral Baroque altarpiece Modern Art Gallery (Galerie
On the southern with a painting of moderního uměni) was
side of the square is the Bishop’s St Anthony by Petr Brandl. The designed in 1912 by Osvald
Palace, one of the town’s finest pewter baptismal font, dating Polívka. Inside is an extensive
Baroque buildings. It was from 1406, is one of the oldest collection of works by the finest
designed by Giovanni Santini, in Bohemia. Czech artists, including Jan
a Bohemian architect of Italian
origin who also created its magni-
ficent entrance portal. Adjacent
is the small-scale Baroque
Špulak House (Dům U Špuláků).
It was remodelled in 1750 by local
architect F Kermer. The 20-m
(66-ft) column in the square was
erected in 1717 in thanksgiving
for sparing the town from the
plague of the previous year.
The monument is probably
by sculptor and architect GB
Bullo. Adjoining the square to
the northeast is the medieval
Small Square (Malé náměstí). Interior of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
CZECH REPUBLIC 261
and renovated by the Hradec VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Králové Research Library, and
it remains a library today. Practical Information
116 km (72 miles) E of Prague.
E Museum of * 94,200. n Velké náměstí 165,
Eastern Bohemia 495 580 492. _ Folklore Festival
Elíščino nábřeží 465. Tel 495 512 391. (early Jun), International Jazz
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. & 7 Festival (Oct). ∑ ic-hk.cz
∑ muzeumhk.cz Transport
The building of the Museum £ Riegrovo náměstí 2.
of Eastern Bohemia (Muzeum @ Nádražní 2–4.
východních Čech) is one of the
prime examples of Bohemian
Impressive entrance hall of the Modern Modernism. It was built between Jan Kotěra in 1910. It replaced
Art Gallery 1909 and 1912 to a design by the oldest bridge in Hradec
Jan Kotěra. Inside are some Králové, dating from 1796.
Zrzavý, Jan Preisler, Josef Váchal, interesting exhibits – in parti- Between 1910 and 1912, Kotěra
Václav Špála, Josef Čapek and cular, a scale model of the town added four pavilions to house
Jiří Kolář. from 1865, complete with all shops. The architect also gave
of its fortifications. it distinctive fairy lighting and
u Former Synagogue masts with the town’s emblem.
Československé armády. P Prague Bridge The bridge leads into the
This distinctive building (synagoga) The 60-m (200-ft) long bridge section of the New Town
has a magnificent dome overlaid (Pražskỳ most) was designed by across the Labe.
with sheet copper. It was
completed in 1905 to a design
by Václav Weinzettel, in the Art
Nouveau style, with some Oriental
elements. Apart from the prayer
hall it also included the domes-
tic quarters of the rabbi, the
shammash and the caretaker;
there was also a meeting room
and space for the archives.
The building served the Jewish
community until World War II.
After 1960 it was acquired View of the Labe river from the Prague Bridge
Hradec Králové
Town Centre
1 Big Square
SMET
2 Cathedral of the Holy

ELÍŠČINO
ANOV
Ghost NÁMĚSTÍ
5 KVĚTNA A
TŘ ŠIMKOV
ÍDA
3 White Tower KA
O NÁ
RLA Former
IV
4 Church of the
NÁBŘEŽÍ
Synagogue
DIVIŠOVA S KÉ ARM
VEN
BŘE
MASARYKOVO LO ÁDY
Assumption of the NÁMĚSTÍ ČES
KOS LO
VA
PÍŠ
PO S
ŽÍ
Virgin Mary Museum of

Eastern Bohemia
PA
L
5 Modern Art Gallery Railway and Bus Stations AC
KÉ STARÉ MĚSTO
1.5 km (1 mile) HO
V
6 Former Synagogue GOČÁ KO D LO U H Á MALÉ
KL Í CP ER OV
R O VA PE
Ú ZKÁ
Prague ČK NÁMĚSTÍ
7 Museum of Eastern NOVÉ NÁMĚSTÍ Bridge T O M K O VA
U
SVOBODY Modern
Bohemia MĚSTOH Town Hall Art Gallery
A
ÁC
IPK
Í
8 Prague Bridge VL
EŽ
be
White Tower BIG

BŘ
A Church of the Assumption

FRANUŠOV SQUARE
Á
La
of the Virgin Mary

N
Cathedral of the
VO
RO Holy Ghost Špulák House

LO
KY
Y
CA
TY
NO
ÉHO
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VA
ENSK
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KOM
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BA
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LB
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0 yards 200

5 České Švýcarsko
Famous for its extraordinary natural beauty, České
Švýcarsko is a landscape of forests and fantastically
shaped sandstone rocks, criss-crossed by gorges and
ravines. Attracting visitors as early as the 19th century,
a section of the region was designated a national park
in 2000. Spread over an area of 79 sq km (30 sq miles)
the geological park contains some of the area’s
most spectacular natural treasures and is a haven
for wildlife.
Pravčická Brána
This is the largest natural rock bridge
in Central Europe, at 26 m (85 ft)
long, 7–8 m (25 ft) wide, and rising
to a height of 16 m (52 ft).
A hiking trail from Mezní

Louka leads to the stone
bridge of Pravčická brána,
6.5 km (4 miles) away. From
here, hikers can continue for
another 2.5 km (2 miles) on
Falcon’s Nest the same trail to Hřensko.
This small castle, by the Pravčická
Brána, belonged to the
Clary-Aldringen family.
It now houses a
restaurant and the
National Park J
La be
Museum.
Mezní Louka
Hřensko
Dĕčin Mezná
12km (7 miles)
Kame
nice
Saunstejn
Kamenická
Stráň
Kamenice Gorge
This narrow gorge runs
between vertical walls
of rocks, 50–150 m
(165–500 ft) high.
Boat trips go up- or
downstream. The
Tichá Soutěska footpath along its
Known as the “quiet gorge”, this banks was built in
section of Kamenice Gorge the 19th century by
stretches for 960 m (3,150 ft). Italian workers.
CZECH REPUBLIC 263
Wildlife in the
National Park
České Švýcarsko National
Park is home to a range of
144 km (89 miles) N of Prague.
animal species including
n Hřensko 82, 412 554 286.
the European beaver, river
National Park Museum: Falcon’s
otter and lynx, which
Nest. Tel 604 238 209. Open Apr–
settled here in the 1930s, as
Oct: 10am–6pm daily; Nov–Mar:
well as the Alpine chamois,
10am–4pm daily. &
introduced in 1907.
∑ pbrana.cz
Transport
@ from Děčín.
Sokolí vrch
486 m
(1,594 ft) Trails
A network of clearly
Doubice
signposted hiking and
cycling trails covers the
entire area of the park.
Ostroh
J
484 m
(1,588 ft)
e
J
ng
é Ra
v ick
Šaunštejn ho
t řic
Je
Vysoká Jetřichovice
Lípa Rynartice
Šaunštejn
This high rock platform, which was
once the site of the small Šaunštejn
Castle, can be reached by a series
of vertical stepladders.
0 km 1
0 miles 1
Key
Jetřichovice
Road
This scenic village, whose timber houses provide
accommodation to many walkers, makes a good Trail
base for forays into the Jetřichovické Range. Summit

6 Karlovy Vary includes paintings by Gustav

Klimt, his brother Ernst and
World famous for its mineral springs, the town of Karlovy Franz Matsche. A collective
Vary was founded by Charles IV in the mid-14th century. work of all three 19th-century
Legend has it that he discovered it when his dog fell into a artists is the stage curtain, on
which they painted their joint
hot spring (vary means “hot spring”) when out hunting. Since self-portrait. Following many
the 18th century, the rich and the famous have flocked here years of reconstruction, the
to take the waters. All the springs, the historic colonnades theatre was opened again
and architectural sights are located along the Teplá river. The in 1999.
town is also known for its porcelain and for Moser glassware.
R Church of St Mary
Magdalene
Kostelní náměstí.
Dating from 1732, and
among the best work of the
Bohemian architect Kilian
Ignaz Dientzenhofer, this
church (Kostel sv Máří
Magdalény) is one of the
finest examples of Baroque
architecture in the region.
The single-aisled church
with an oval floor plan has an
The lovely wooden Market Colonnade and Castle Tower impressively spacious interior
with fine decor. The high altar
P Imperial Baths glass and porcelain items and features an image of Mary
Mariánskolázeňská 2. handicrafts. Besides permanent Magdalene from 1752. It is
The Imperial Baths (Císařské displays, there are also topical flanked by Jakob Eberle’s 1759
lázně), looking more like a exhibitions organized sculptures of Saints Augustine,
theatre than a medical throughout the year. Jerome, Peter and Paul. It is
establishment, was once the also worth taking a
most opulent structure in F Karlovy Vary closer look at the
Karlovy Vary. Built between Theatre lavishly decorated
1892 and 1895, it features a Divadelní náměstí 21. side altars, the dome
Neo-Renaissance façade and Tel 353 225 621. and the splendid galleries
Art Nouveau decorations. The Karlovy Vary high up. The wavy
Theatre (Městské façade of the church,
E Karlovy Vary Museum divadlo), built between with two towers,
Nová louka 23. Tel 353 226 252. 1884 and 1886, is the Detail above Karlovy features a semi-
Open 9am–noon, 1–5pm work of Viennese Vary Theatre entrance circular stairway.
Wed–Sun. & architects Ferdinand
The museum (Karlovarské Fellner and Hermann Helmer, P Market Colonnade
Muzeum), established in 1853, who designed many theatre Tržištĕ.
has collections relating to the buildings all over Europe. It is This lovely white wooden
region’s history and its natural worth stepping inside to see colonnade (Tržni kolonáda),
environment; also on display are the grand interior decor, which designed in Swiss style by
architects Ferdinand Fellner
and Hermann Helmer, was built
Spa Resorts between 1883 and 1884 on
Clustered in the western part of the site of a former Town Hall,
the country, spa resorts began to which was demolished in 1879.
emerge and flourish in the 18th The colonnade contains two
century. Crowds of patients and springs. Between 1991 and
prominent figures visited spas, 1992 it underwent a thorough
initially to take medicinal baths, reconstruction, although it has
Karlovy Vary in 1891 and later to drink spring waters retained its original appearance.
in truly exclusive company and
opulent surroundings. During the Communist era, spa cures were P Mill Spring Colonnade
open to all who needed them, and spa treatments remain popular Mlýnské nabřeží.
in the Czech Republic today. The spa towns continue to attract Built between 1871 and 1881
numerous German, Austrian and Russian visitors, and during the by architect Josef Zítek, creator
past 20 years many have been restored to their former glory. of the National Theatre (see
p255) in Prague, the Mill Spring
CZECH REPUBLIC 265
126 km (78 miles) W of Prague.
* 53,600. n Smetanovy sady
1145/1, (355) 321 171.
_ International Film Festival
(late Jun–Jul). ∑ karlovyvary.cz
Transport
£ main and local stations.
Columns of the Mill Spring Colonnade @ Varšavská.
Colonnade (Mlýnská kolonáda) located in the Dvořákovy

is the largest of the town’s sady gardens. 1893 and 1897 by architect
colonnades, and one of its G Wiedermann, and is
most opulent. R Church of Sts Peter among the world’s largest
The Neo-Renaissance gallery, and Paul Russian Orthodox churches.
132-m (430-ft) long and 13-m Krále Jiřího. Open 10am–5pm daily. It was built for the Russian
(43-ft) wide, has a coffered ceiling This church (Kostel sv Petra a aristocracy, who flocked
resting on 124 columns with Pavela) was built between to Karlovy Vary in the
Corinthian capitals. Inside are five 19th century.
springs, with water temperatures
exceeding 50º C (120º F). Statues J Diana Viewpoint
at each end represent the Funicular. Open 9am–5pm
12 months of the year. daily (till 6pm Apr, May, Oct;
till 7pm Jun–Sep).
P Park Spring Colonnade Behind the Grandhotel
Dvořákovy sady. Pupp, at the southern end
Right at the centre of town, of Stará Louka, is the lower
stands Park Spring Colonnade station of the funicular, which
(Sadová kolonáda), a beautiful, runs to the top of the Hill
painted wrought-iron structure of Friendship. Built in 1912,
made of columns decorated the funicular rises 167 m
with sculptures, terminating in (550 ft).
two pavilions. The colonnade At the top is the Diana
was designed by Ferdinand Viewpoint (rozhledna Diana),
Fellner and Hermann Helmer Gilded domes of the Church of Sts Peter providing a great view over
between 1880 and 1881. It is and Paul the resort.
Main Railway Station

Karlovy Vary Town Centre 1 km (0.6 mile)
Dvořákovy
1 Imperial Baths Z sady
AH
RA Park Spring Colonnade
2 Karlovy Vary Museum DN
Bus Station and Í
Railway Station
Te
3 Karlovy Vary Theatre

I. P
600 m (650 yards)

p l á LÝ N
.P
AV
M
4 Church of St Mary Magdalene

IH O
LO
A
VA
Á
DO V
V
SK
5 Market Colonnade
JIŘ
SA
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LÍ
H
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KRÁLE
D
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Mill Spring C
6 Mill Spring Colonnade
Á
Church of E
BŘ
Sts Peter and Colonnade

EŽ
7 Park Spring Colonnade HO ZÁM VŘ

Í
Paul KÉ
ELI
E Í
V V R C CKÝ
DÉ
RA H
8 Church of Sts Peter and Paul
LN
T
PE
Í
ŇSKÁ
Te p á
9 Diana Viewpoint Market

l
Colonnade
ZE
A
KŘ I Ž Í K O
V
LÁ
KOLM Á
ÍŠT É
Church of St Mary
KOSTELNÍ Magdalene
TRŽ
NÁMĚSTÍ
MO
R AV
0 metres 200 SKÁ
NA
0 yards 200 A DIVADELNÍ
I
K
UŠ
U NÁMĚSTÍ
LIB
LO
A
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Á UK Karlovy Vary
ST LO
VÁ Theatre
NO
Karlovy Vary ŠK TYL
OV
Museum RO
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Diana U
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Viewpoint MAR
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SK
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Imperial
Baths

7 Plzeň Romanesque style. The

synagogue could accom-
West Bohemia’s capital was established in 1295 by Wenceslas II modate 2,000 worshippers, and
at the crossroads of the main trading routes between Saxony, the high balcony, intended for
Bohemia and Bavaria. Today, the city is famous for its two main women, could take up to 800
people. After World War II, the
industries – Pilsner Urquell beer, produced here since 1842,
building and its furnishings,
and the large Škoda factory that has made armaments and cars including the unique organ
since the late 19th century. Most of Plzeň’s historic sites, including located above the Torah,
the Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) and the Town Hall, suffered gradual deterioration.
are found on the left bank of the Radbuza. In 1998, it was reopened
after restoration.
P Town Hall
Náměstí Republiky.
The lovely Renaissance Town
Hall (Stará radnice) was designed
by Italian architect Giovanni de
Statio. This four-storey edifice
with its spectacular gables was
built between 1554 and 1559.
The interesting sgraffito deco-
rations on the façade are the work
of J Koul, produced between
1907 and 1912. Standing in front
of the Town Hall is the Plague
Column built in 1681. It was
erected to give thanks for the
The distinctive Plague Column on relative mildness of the epidemic
Náměstí Republiky suffered at that time. Onion-domed twin towers of the
Great Synagogue
P Republic Square P Imperial House
The market square of Plzeň, Náměstí Republiky 41. F Tyl Theatre
(Náměstí Republiky) is one Located to the west of the Town Smetanovy sady 16.
of the largest in the Czech Hall, this Renaissance edifice Tel 378 038 070. ∑ djkt-plzen.cz
Republic, covering an area of (Císařský Dům), dating from This theatre (divaldo JK Tyla) is
2.5 ha (6.5 acres). Standing at 1606, played host to Emperor named after Josef Kajetan Tyl,
its centre is the Cathedral of Rudolph II twice. Today, it houses Czech playwright and novelist,
St Bartholomew. The square the tourist information office. and a champion of national
is fringed by a number of The adjacent Pechlátovský culture in the 19th century.
beautiful houses, with the House (Pechlátovský dům) This Neo-Classical-style building
best-preserved along was created by combining was erected in 1902 and, like
the southern side. two Renaissance buildings the National Theatre (see p255) in
Particularly striking is and adding a Neo-Classical Prague, its design was intended
the Red Heart House façade to them. to symbolize and reinforce Czech
(U červeného srdce), patriotism. The figures on the
built in 1894 and u Great Synagogue theatre’s façade are allegories of
sporting magnificent Sady Pětatřicátníků 11. opera and drama. The beautiful
sgraffito. Painted by Tel 377 235 749. Open Apr–Oct: stage curtain was painted by
Mikuláš Aleš, the wall 10am–6pm Sun–Fri. Closed Augustin Němejc.
decoration shows Jewish festivals.
two mounted knights The world’s third largest R Franciscan Monastery and
in full tournament sacred Jewish building, Church of the Assumption
gear. The Bhishoprie after the synagogues in Františkánská.
(Biskupství) is located Jerusalem and Budapest This early-Gothic monastery
on the west side of (see p341), the Great (Františkánský klášter s kostelem
the square. A market Synagogue (Velká Nanebevzetí) is one of the oldest
is occasionally held in synagóga) was built in the buildings in the city. Off the
the square. 1890s. It was funded by lovely cloisters is the 13th-century
donations from the Plzeň Chapel of St Barbara; the chapel
R Cathedral of Jewish community. Its is decorated with frescoes from
St Bartholomew A statue on architect, Rudolf Štech, around 1460. The monastery’s
See pp268–9. Císařský dům designed it in a Moorish- Church of the Assumption has a
CZECH REPUBLIC 267
92 km (57 miles) SW of Prague.
* 170,000. n Náměstí
Republiky 41, 378 035 330.
Open Apr–Sep: 9am–7pm daily;
Oct–Mar: 9am–6pm daily.
( occasionally (during festivals).
_ Beer Festival (early Oct).
∑ plzen.eu
Transport
£ Nádražní 102/9.
Frescoes in the Franciscan Monastery @ Husova 2713/60
main altarpiece painting of E Brewery Museum

the Annunciation, a copy Veleslavínova 6. Tel 377 235 574. (Pivovarské muzeum) traces
of Rubens work. The Gothic Open Jan–Mar: 10am–5pm daily; the history of brewing in Plzeň
Madonna, below the painting, Apr–Dec: 10am–6pm daily. with a fascinating range of
is from the late 14th century. Appropriately housed in an beer-related exhibits.
old malt house, this museum
E Museum of West P Pilsner Urquell
Bohemia Brewery
Kopeckého sady 2. Tel 378 370 111. U Prazdroje 7. Tel 377 062 888.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & Open Apr–Sep: 8am–6pm daily; Oct–
∑ zcm.cz Mar: 8am–5pm daily. & 8
This museum (Západočeské The opulent brewery
muzeum) is in a Neo-Baroque building, with its imposing
building with a grand Art Empire-style gate, is a 1917
Nouveau interior dating from work of the architect H Zapala.
1898. The reliefs on the staircase The attractions here – besides
and the Art Nouveau library tasting Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský
furnishings are impressive. Prazdroj) beer – include the
Exhibits include the armoury chance to explore the interesting
of Charles IV, and a glass and 10-km (6-mile) long cellars,
porcelain collection in the Beautiful façade of the Museum of used between 1838 and 1930
vast, stately Jubilee Hall. West Bohemia to store the fermenting brew.
Plzeň City Centre

1 Republic Square
2 Cathedral of St Bartholomew
3 Town Hall
Mže
4 Imperial House
ÍKÛ
TYRŠ
5 Great Synagogue O VA
ÁT N
KOVA
KÁ N SKIN I-
6 Tyl Theatre
Á
TŘÍC
DOM
SEDLÁČ
7 Franciscan Monastery and VE LE SL

TA
AV ÍN OV Brewery Museum
A
Y PĚ
Church of the Assumption Imperial house Town Hall

SO LN Í
8 Museum of West Bohemia
SAD
Cathedral of St PR AŽ SK
Á
T
Bartholomew
Y
9 Brewery Museum
R
Great
ŠO
REPUBLIC DŘ EV EN
Synagogue Á Pilsner Urquell
0 Pilsner Urquell Brewery SQUARE
V
PR EŠ O
A
VS KÁ Brewery
JE
DRO
Á
AZ
ÁNSK
Tyl PRA
ŽSK PR
Theatre Á U
TIŠK
BE ZR UČ Franciscan Monastery and

OVA
FRAN
Church of the Assumption

SM .
E TA Museum of BŘ BŘ
.
NO NÁ NÁ
Bus Station V Y S West Bohemia É z a ISOV O Á
AD Y K O P E CKÉHO SADY SK
K
400 m (440 yards) N

u
IC
AV
db
DE
GL
ŠUM
N O VA
Ra
AN
JU NG M AN
AMERICKÁ Railway
Station
0 metres 200
0 yards 200

Plzeň: Cathedral of St Bartholomew

Chrám sv Bartoloměje
The Gothic Cathedral of St Bartholomew dominates

Plzeň’s Market Square (see p266) from its position in
the centre. Its 102-m (335-ft) spire can be seen from
all over the city, and was used in the 19th century
by the imperial land surveyors in laying out transport
routes around Plzeň. Construction of the church
started in the late 13th century and continued until
1480. The Sternberg Chapel, adjoining the south wall
of the presbytery, is an early 16th-century addition . Cathedral Tower
featuring an unusual keystone at the centre of the Originally the cathedral had
two towers. One collapsed
vault and Renaissance paintings.
when struck by lightning
in 1525.
Sculptures in the Cathedral
The church houses a large
number of sculptures,
including the figures of
saints Barbara, Katherine
and Wenceslas, on the
pillars of the main nave.
Stained-glass Windows
The striking elongated stained-
glass windows in the aisles
and the presbytery, which
provide the church interior
with beautiful light, were fitted
in the early 20th century.
KEY
1 Main door
2 The tower has a balcony at the
top, which is open to the public.
3 This small tower is over the
main nave.
4 The presbytery was given its
present form in around 1360.

CZECH REPUBLIC 269
Náměstí Republiky.
Tel 377 236 753.
Open 10am–4pm Wed–Sat;
Nov–Mar: Wed–Fri. &
Tower: Open 10am–6pm
daily. & ∑ plzen.eu
Pulpit . Plzeň Madonna

The sandstone Gothic pulpit as well as the The statue of the Virgin Mary set
grand traceried canopy above it, date from at the centre of the main altarpiece
around 1360, the same period as the rood dates from around 1390 and is an
arch figures. outstanding example of the
International Gothic style.
Pendant Boss, Sternberg Chapel

This unusual hanging keystone in the vault
of the chapel is a unique late-Gothic detail.
. Sternberg Chapel
The Sternberg family founded
this chapel in the early 16th
century. It has a beautiful
altar and marvellous
Renaissance paintings.
Rood Arch
Standing on the beam of
Entrance
the rood arch are figures in
a Calvary scene. The crucifix
was made in the 1470s by the
Bohemian Master of Plzeň.
8 České Budějovice Gothic, but there is also a

spectacular Rococo pulpit
Founded in 1265, the town of České Budějovice had two dating from 1759, and 17th-
magnificent churches and mighty town walls from as early as century organs. The Gothic
the 13th and 14th centuries. Spared by the Thirty Years’ War, cloister also has two original
tracery windows that are
it was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1641. Today, the town is fine examples of medieval
the political and commercial capital of southern Bohemia and stonemasonry work.
is renowned for its Budvar Brewery. The town’s well-preserved The large stone amphibian
historic centre has maintained its original layout, with a carved on the side wall by the
central square and surrounding streets in a grid pattern. church entrance, is a reminder
of the local legend about the
creature. It was believed to
have been guarding a treasure
that was hidden here, and had
tried to prevent the construction
of the church.
P Butchers’ Market
Krajinská 13.
The Renaissance Butchers’
Market (Masné krámy) is now
home to one of the most famous
restaurants, Masné krámy, in
České Budějovice. The building
has three stone masks and the
year of its construction, 1531,
České Budějovice’s Town Square, one of Europe’s largest squares on its façade.
P Town Square white-and-blue Town Hall P Black Tower

The Town Square (Náměstí (radnice) built by Antonio U Černé věže. Tel 386 352 508.
Přemysla Otakara II) bears Martinelli between 1727 and Open Apr–Jun, Sep, Oct:
the name of the town’s 1730 to replace a 10am–6pm Tue–Sun; Jul, Aug:
founder, Přemysl Otakar II. Renaissance building. 10am–6pm daily. &
Measuring 133 m Allegorical statues of The Gothic-Renaissance Black
(436 ft) on each side, the Justice, Providence, Tower (Černa věž), dating from
square is surrounded by Wisdom and Honesty 1577, stands next to St Nicholas’s
arcaded houses, built stand on the roof. Cathedral. It formerly served as a
mostly during the On top of the tallest belfry and the town’s observation
Middle Ages, that tower is a statue of tower. In 1723, two bells were
now have Baroque the Czech lion, and placed in the belfry; a third bell,
and Renaissance on the left side is the Budvar, was added in 1995. It
façades because of the medieval standard ell was presented to the town by
numerous alterations Coat of arms on the measure (the forearm), the nearby Budvar brewery.
made by their German Town Hall used when measuring Visitors get a fine view of the
owners. At the square’s cloth. The Debating town after climbing the 225
centre stands Samson’s Fountain, Hall features The Judgement winding stairs to the top at a
built in 1727, with a sculpture of of Solomon (1730) by Jan height of 72 m (236 ft).
Samson and the Lion. Made by Adam Schöpf.
Josef Dietrich, it was for some
time the only source of water for R Dominican Monastery
the town’s population. The and Church of the Sacrifice
cobblestones were laid in 1934 of the Virgin
in a distinctive square pattern. Piaristické náměstí.
P Town Hall This former monastery (Kostel
Náměstí Přemysla Otakara II. Obětování Panny Marie) was
Tel 386 801 401. Open Jul & Aug: built at the same time as the
10am, 2pm, 4pm Mon–Fri, 10am, 2pm founding of České Budějovice
Sat, Sun; May, Jun, Sep: 2pm daily. in 1265 and was altered by Peter
&8 Parler in the 14th century.
The southwest corner of the Inside the monastery’s church,
Town Square is occupied by cross-rib vaulting can be seen. The three-towered façade of the
the Baroque three-towered, The furnishing is mostly Neo- Town Hall
CZECH REPUBLIC 271
E South Bohemia Museum VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Dukelská 1. Tel 391 001 531.
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. Practical Information
∑ muzeumcb.cz 156 km (97 miles) S of Prague.
Established in 1887, this museum * 93,900. n Náměstí Přemysla
(Jihočeské muzeum) is the oldest Otakara II 2, 386 801 413. _ City
of its kind in the region. It houses Hall Summer Festival (Jul–Aug).
∑ visitceskebudejovice.cz
a natural science collection,
regional exhibits and 16th–18th Transport
century art. £ Nádražní 119/4.
@ Nádražní 1759.
P Iron Maiden
Zátkovo nábřeží.
Iron Maiden (Železná Panna), E Motorcycle Museum
erected in the 14th century, Piaristické náměstí. Tel 723 247 104.
was once a prison and torture Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun.
chamber. The tower is named The Motorcycle Museum
Black Tower with Samson’s Fountain in after the instrument of torture (Motocyklové muzeum)
the foreground (and death) that was used here, housed in the former Salt
the shape of which resembled House has numerous well-
R St Nicholas’s Cathedral a woman. preserved old Czech machines
U Černé věže. and some Harley-Davidsons.
On a small plot at the
northeastern corner of the Town Environs
Square is St Nicholas’s Cathedral Located just north of the centre
(Chrám sv Mikuláše). This triple- is the state-owned Budvar
aisled edifice started as a church Brewery (Budějovický Budvar)
in the 13th century. The original where beer has been made
Gothic building burnt down in since the 19th century. Visits can
1641 and was rebuilt a few years be arranged directly or via the
later in the Baroque style. The tourist information office.
pulpit, a painting in the south
chapel Death of the Virgin Mary P Budvar Brewery
(1740) and the main altarpiece Karolíny Světlé 4. Tel 387 705 347.
(1791) by Leopold Huber are The 14th-century Iron Maiden, standing on Open 9am–5pm daily (Jan–Feb:
truly fascinating. the bank of the Malše Tue–Sat). 8 & ∑ visitbudvar.cz
Česke Budějovice Budvar

Town Centre Brewery
1 km (0.6 miles)
1 Town Square OV
A
NA
HUS
2 Town Hall SA
DE
CH
3 Dominican Monastery and Ml NOV
Á
HRADEBN ýns
Church of the Sacrifice of Í ká
Sto
ka
KÁ
the Virgin
ČESKÁ
NA S
KRAJINS
4 Butchers’ Market
ÉH O
NA
M A
LÝ DE
5 Black Tower H
NÉ
PL A C H
N
RA CH
VĚ ŽE
DE
U Č ER
SK
PIARISTICKÉ
É
ST
NÁMĔSTĺ
BN
OC
H R OZ NO VÁ
Í
Motorcycle
E
7 South Bohemia Museum Museum Black

Butchers’ Tower
8 Iron Maiden Market
St Nicholas’s
Cathedral
9 Motorcycle Museum Dominican Monastery KANOVNI
ČESK Á
CKÁ
and Church of the Samson’s
Á
Sacrifice of the Virgin Fountain Railway and Bus Stations

KN ĚŽ SK
500 m (550 yards)

Town Hall TOWN
SQUARE
KARLA IV
BIS KU P S KÁ
A
DR. STEJSKAL
ŠIROKÁ
South Bohemia
Iron Maiden Museum
ZÁTK
O VO N CH
DE
DU
ÁBŘ
EŽI
Mal SA
KE
0 metres 200 še
NA
LS
KÁ
0 yards 200

9 Český Krumlov octagonal stars. Gothic wall

paintings dating from 1430
A well-preserved medieval town, Český Krumlov is one of the including St Elizabeth with
most-visited places in the Czech Republic. Founded in the 13th a beggar, St Katherine, The
century, it belonged to the Rožmberk Dynasty between 1302 Crucifixion, St Veronica and
Mary Magdalene, can be seen
and 1602. It was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage on the north wall of the side
List in 1992. The historic town centre is situated on the rocky aisle. The church once housed
banks of the sharply meandering Vltava river. The Inner Town the Krumlov Madonna (1393),
(Vnitřní Město), with its market square, Town Hall and Church regarded by many as the finest
of St Vitus, is located on the right bank. example of the International
Gothic style. It is now displayed
in the Art History Museum in
E Egon Schiele Centre town from an outbreak of Vienna. Its 15th-century replica
Široká 71. Tel 380 704 011. plague in 1682. Matthäus Jäckel, can be seen in the National
Open 10am–6pm. Closed Mon. a Prague sculptor, placed a statue Gallery in Prague.
&7-= of the Madonna at the top of
A former brewery the column. At the foot of
building, not far from the column, in one of
Concord Square, this the niches, is a figure
centre (Egon Schiele of St Roch, the
Centrum) now houses saint invoked for
a gallery devoted to protection against
Austrian artist Egon this disease.
Schiele (1890–1918),
who lived in Český R Church of
Krumlov in 1911. On St Vitus
display are watercolours Coat of arms on the ulice Horní.
and drawings, including Town Hall The Church of St Vitus
several famous male and (Chrám sv Víta) provides
female nudes which in Schiele’s a visual counterbalance to the
day caused a scandal. He was lofty tower of the Krumlov
driven out of the town for Castle. Dating from the early The imposing nave of the Church of
employing young local girls 15th century, and built on the St Vitus
to pose for him. There are also site of an earlier church, this
temporary exhibitions of con- triple-aisled Gothic edifice has P Ulice Horní
temporary works on display. one of the oldest examples Regional Museum: Horní 152.
of net vaulting in Europe. The Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
P Concord Square sanctuary by the north wall ∑ muzeumck.cz
The most imposing building of the presbytery is a splendid Located off the market square,
in this market square (Náměstí example of stonemasonry ulice Horní was once terminated
Svornosti) is the Town Hall dating from about 1500. The by a town gate that was
(radnice). It was created in the early-Baroque high altar, made demolished in 1839. At No. 159
mid-16th century by combining between 1673 and 1683, has is the chaplaincy that was built
two Gothic houses. The Marian paintings depicting St Vitus between 1514 and 1520, with
Plague Column at the centre of and the coronation of the Virgin a beautiful Gothic gable and
the square was erected in 1716 Mary. The late-Gothic porch has Renaissance window jambs. At
as a thanksgiving for sparing the an unusual vault in the shape of No. 155 is the former prelature,
built in the 14th century and
remodelled several times since.
Adjoining it is the former Jesuit
College at No. 154, designed by
Baldassare Maggi and now a
hotel. At No. 152, the Regional
Museum (Regionální muzeum)
has a scale model of the town
in 1800.
P Latrán
The old quarter of Latrán was
once a village inhabited by
craftsmen and merchants,
who provided services for the
Part of the façade of the former Jesuit College in ulice Horní Krumlov Castle. It is linked to
CZECH REPUBLIC 273
+ Krumlov Castle VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Zámek 59. Tel 380 704 721.
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun Practical Information
(Jun–Aug: to 6pm). & 8 2 routes. 177 km (110 miles) S of Prague.
- Castle Theatre: Tel 380 704 721. * 13,600. n Náměstí Svornosti
Open May–Oct: 10am–4pm (every 2, 380 704 622. _ Five-Petalled
hour, last adm 3pm) Tue–Sun. 8 & Rose Celebration (mid-Jun), Int.
Music Festival (mid-Jul–Aug).
This castle (Státní hrad a zámek
∑ ckrumlov.info
Český Krumlov) is second only
to Prague Castle in terms of its Tansport
size with a total of 300 rooms. £ Třída Míru 1 (1 km/0.5 mile N
The most breathtaking are the of Krumlov). @ Nemocniční.
Rožmberk Rooms, completed
in 1576, with wooden vaults
and Renaissance wall frescoes. with Castle Theatre (Zámecké
The Hall of Masks, which is divaldo). Built in 1767, the
decorated with some extra- theatre has a well-preserved
The arcaded bridge linking Krumlov Castle ordinary trompe l’oeil paintings interior, costumes and stage
with Castle Theatre depicting carnival scenes. machinery. It was refurbished
A 17th-century tiered bridge in the 20th century and offers
the Inner Town by a bridge (Plášt’ový most), complete with a glimpse of theatrical life in
over the Vltava river. statues, links the Upper Castle the 18th century.
All that remains today
of the former village is a
complex of late-Gothic and
Baroque buildings, including
the Minorite Monastery, the
Convent of the Poor Clares
and a church. The entire
complex was linked with the
castle by a covered walkway
running over Latrán. Close by
is the Renaissance Budějovice
Gate, the only one left of the
eight original town gates. It
was built between 1598 and
1602 by the Italian architect
Dominik Cometta. Entrance to the Minorite Monastery in Latrán
Český Krumlov Railway Station

Town Centre 1 km (0.6 mile)
Budějovice
1 Egon Schiele Centre Gate
2 Concord Square
LAT RÁN
3 Church of St Vitus
4 Ulice Horní
5 Latrán Convent of the
6 Krumlov Castle Poor Clares
Castle
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0 Telč
161 km (100 miles) SE of Prague.
* 5,600. £ @ n Náměstí
Zachariáše z Hradce 10, 567 112 407.
∑ telc.eu
The turning point for Telč came

in 1530, when a fire devastated
the town. Lord Zachariáš, the
governor of Moravia, brought
in Italian master builders and
architects to rebuild the town’s
castle. In the end, they rebuilt
almost all the houses in the
Renaissance style, endowing Telč Chateâu seen beyond the town’s fishponds
the town with a striking archi-
tectural uniformity that has q Třebíč river and Hrádek Hill, is on
survived to this day. Telč was 163 km (101 miles) SE of Prague.
UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
added to the UNESCO World * 37,800. £ @ n Karlovo Třebíč’s Jewish population
Heritage List in 1992. náměstí 47, 568 847 070. peaked at the end of the
The Main Square (Náměstí ∑ visittrebic.eu 18th century but subsequently
Zachariáše z Hradce), is lined with dwindled due to the impact
pastel-coloured houses with a The industrial town of Třebíč is of the Holocaust. With many
breathtaking variety of gables best known for the Basilica of original buildings intact, the
and pediments, some 250 years St Procopius (Bazilika sv Prokopa) quarter is evocative of the
old. At the narrow western end and its historic Jewish quarter. old ghetto. In par ticular, the
of the square is the Telč Chateau The church once belonged to colourful Leopold Pokorný
(Zámek Telč), a Renaissance build- a monastery, founded in 1101 ulice and richly frescoed Rear/
ing devised by Lord Zachariáš. by the Czech Royal Dynasty, the New Synagogue (Zadní/Nová
Inside, the highlights are the Přemyslids. It was transformed synagóga) are worth a visit.
rooms with stunning coffered into a castle in the 1600s. The
ceilings, such as the Knight’s 13th-century church was R Basilica of St Procopius
Chambers. It also has a fine restored in the Baroque period Zámek 1. Tel 568 610 022. Open daily.
collection of arms and porcelain. but retains its Romanesque & 8 (book in advance).
Modern Telč is separated portal, with floral and geometric
from the Old Town by two patterns. Notable features include
fishponds, which almost surround the rosette window in the apse w Znojmo
the tiny historic centre. and the unusual “dwarfs’ gallery” 205 km (128 miles) SE of Prague.
running outside. The enormous * 34,100. £ @ n Obroková 10,
+ Telč Chateau crypt features 50 columns, 515 222 552. ∑ znojmocity.cz
Tel 567 243 943. each with a different capital.
Open Apr–Oct: 9am-6pm. The restored Jewish quarter, Above the Dyje river lies
& 8 ∑ zamek-telc.cz Zámostí, between the Jihlava Znojmo, one of Moravia’s
oldest towns, with a network
of small streets at its heart.
The best of its historic sights
is the Romanesque Rotunda
of St Catherine (sv Kateřiny),
located inside the Znojmo
Castle (Znojemský hrad),
which has strik ing frescoes and
portraits of Přemyslid princes.
A large part of the castle is now
a brewery. The lane of Velka
Mikulasska leads to the Gothic
Cathedral of St Nicholas
(sv Mikuláš), which has a
globe-shaped Baroque pulpit.
+ Znojmo Castle
Přemyslovců 8. Tel 515 222 311.
Open Apr: 9am–5pm Sat & Sun;
May–Sep: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
Panoramic view of Znojmo, one of Moravia’s oldest towns & 7 limited access.

CZECH REPUBLIC 275
e Mikulov
251 km (156 miles) SE of Prague.
* 7,000. £ @ n Náměstí 1, 519
510 855. ∑ mikulov.cz
Built on a hillside close to the

Austrian border east of Znojmo,
Mikulov is a picture-postcard
town with delightful streets
and some fine Renaissance and
Baroque houses. Mikulov Castle
(zámek Mikulov), originally 13th-
century but much altered, was
used by the Gestapo, the secret
state police of Nazi Germany, to
hoard confiscated art objects.
It was burnt down in the final Sumptuous furnishings in the Imperial Room, Archbishop’s Palace, Kroměříž
days of World War II. Rebuilt in
the 1950s, it now houses the r Brno by Titian, Van Dyck, Veronese
local museum and has a large See pp276–7.
and Cranach.
collection of portraits of Habsburg Among the highlights is the
royalty and cardinals. It also has Assembly Hall, where talks were
fine vaults, which were used t Kroměříž once held by the exiled Austrian
for centuries to store locally 271 km (169 miles) SE of Prague.
Imperial Parliament from 1848–9,
made wine. * 29,100. £ @ ∑ kromeriz.eu during which they drafted a new
In the mid-19th century constitution. The Imperial Room
Mikulov was home to the second- The historic town of Kroměříž, includes portraits of Franz
largest Jewish community in the with its lovely gardens and archi- Joseph I, who went hunting
Czech region. Its once thriving tecturally appealing buildings, has here with Tsar Alexander III. Their
Jewish quarter, with a renovated survived the Communist period trophies can be seen in the
16th-century synagogue, lies to relatively unscathed. The main Hunting Hall. Above the main
the west of the castle. Round square, Velké náměstí, has been entrance, the Vassals’ Hall (Mansky
the corner on Brněnská ulice, a carefully restored and is one of sál) has a magnificent ceiling
rugged path leads to a medieval the prettiest in Moravia. fresco (1759) by the Viennese
Jewish cemetery that has The main attraction, just north artist F A Mauelbertsch, while
over 4,000 graves and finely of the square, is the magnificent the library houses 90,000
carved marble tombstones UNESCO-listed Archbishop’s volumes dating from the 16th
dating back to 1605. Palace (Arcibiskupský zámek), the and 17th centuries.
seat of the Bishops of Olomouc
+ Mikulov Castle between the 12th and the 19th + Archbishop’s Palace
Zámek 1. Tel 519 309 019. centuries. This vast Baroque Sněmovní náměstí 1. Tel 573 502 011.
Open Apr, Oct: 9am–4pm Tue–Sun; fortress has some splendidly Open Apr, Oct: 9am–4pm Sat & Sun;
Jul, Aug: 9am–6pm Tue–Sun; May, Jun, furnished rooms and houses the May, Jun, Sep: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun; Jul,
Sep: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. & impressive art collection of the Aug: 9am–6pm Tue–Sun (or by appt).
∑ rmm.cz Liechtenstein family, with works & 8 3 routes.
Mikulov Castle, set above the red rooftops of the pretty town of Mikulov
r Brno
The second largest city in the Czech Republic, Brno occupies
the site of what was in the 9th century the main settlement in
the Great Moravian Empire. Located on the confluence of the
Svitava and Svratka rivers, the city developed at the foot of
Petrov Hill. In 1641 it became the new capital of Moravia but
did not develop significantly until the 19th century. World
War II devastated the city and despite being totally rebuilt,
Brno has never quite regained its former lustre. However, its
buoyant theatre life and museums have made Brno a major
cultural centre. The city’s Old Town is focused around two Sculptures by Anton Pilgram on the Old
squares – Zelný Square and Freedom Square. Town Hall’s doorway
secular building in Brno, dating

from 1240. In 1510, a doorway
was cut into the tower on
Radnická and framed by a superb
Gothic portal. This work by Anton
Pilgram is decorated at the lower
level with figures of knights
and, above, with statues of the
city’s aldermen. At the centre
is the allegorical figure of Blind
Justice. A pinnacle above the
statue is deliberately twisted,
said to be Pilgram’s revenge for
being underpaid for his work.
View of the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul The main tourist office is
located here.
R Cathedral of Sts Peter P Zelný Square
and Paul This square (Zelný trh), meaning P New Town Hall
Petrov Hill. Open 8:15am–6:30pm cabbage market, has served as a Dominikánské náměstí 1.
daily. 5 vegetable market for the locals The New Town Hall (Nová
This cathedral (Katedrála sv since the Middle Ages, and has radnice), the seat of the city
Petra a Pavla) was built on the retained its original, sloping council, dates mainly from the
site where Brno’s first castle shape. Its main adornment is the 1700s. It was built inside a former
probably stood in the 11th Parnassus Fountain. Made to a Dominican monastery; the
and 12th centuries. Originally design by Fischer von Erlach in Dominican St Michael’s Church
Romanesque, the church the 1690s, it combines the best stands nearby. Gothic cloisters
acquired a Gothic appearance traits of Baroque naturalism, sur vive inside the Town Hall.
in the 1200s, but countless trompe-l’oeil and theatrics.
subsequent alterations even- Among the buildings around P Freedom Square
tually obliterated its original the square is the home of the Brno’s main square (Náměstí
shape. It was restored to its Reduta theatre. This is the oldest Svobody) buzzes with life –
Gothic form in the late 1800s. theatre building in Brno. The its restaurants and cafés are
Of great interest inside is the Dietrichstein Palace popular meeting places. The
crypt of the original church. (Dietrichsteinský palác), architecture around the square
built in 1700 at the square’s spans 400 years. Its finest
R Church of the Holy Cross southern end, is home to buildings include the
Kapucínské náměstí. 5. Crypt: the Moravian Museum, Schwartz House (Schwarzův
Open 9am–noon, 2–4pm Tue–Sat devoted to Brno’s palác), with a 16th-cen-
(also May–Sep: Mon), 11–11:45am, early history. tury façade decorated
2–4:30pm Sun. with sgraffito, and the
The austere façade of the P Old Town Hall 20th-century House of the
Church of the Holy Cross Radnická 8. Open Apr–Sep: Four Mamlases (Dům u
(Kostel sv Kříže), near the foot of 9:30am–6pm daily. Čtyř Mamlasů), whose
Petrov Hill, is typical of Capuchin Tel 542 427 106. four comical Atlas figures
churches elsewhere in Europe. Just off Zelný trh, strain to support the
The rather macabre attraction of the Old Town Hall building. The chief
the church are the mummified (Stará radnice) is Sculpture outside St Michael’s landmark is the
monks in the Crypt. the oldest Church, New Town Hall Plague Column.
CZECH REPUBLIC 277
E Moravian Gallery + Špilberk VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Husova 18. Tel 532 169 111. Špilberk. Tel 542 123 611. Dungeons:
Open 10am–6pm Wed, Fri–Sun, Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun (to 6pm Practical Information
10am–7pm Thu. & May–Sep). & ∑ spilberk.cz 206 km (128 miles) SE of Prague.
The Moravian Gallery A hilltop castle was built * 384,000. n Stará radnice,
(Moravská Galerie) is spread on this site by the Moravians Radnická 8, 542 427 150.
_ Moto Grand Prix (Aug).
over three premises. Out of in the 13th century, but
∑ ticbrno.cz
the three, the most spectacular Špilberk gained the status
complex is Jurkovič House. of a royal residence only Transport
Located at Jana Nečase 2, 400 years later, when it was k 10 km (6 miles) S of Brno.
Jurkovič House is a splendid transformed into a mighty £ Hlavní Nádraží. @ Zvonařka.
example of architecture created Baroque fortress. Its Dungeons,
in Brno around the beginning a maze of dark subterranean
of the 20th century. corridors, were transformed, during the reign of Emperor
Joseph II, into a series of
gruesome prisons. These
prisons were later used by
the Nazis. Displays inside
relate to Brno and the castle.
R Augustinian Monastery
Mendlovo náměstí. Tel 543 424 010.
Museum: Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun
(to 5pm Nov–Mar). & 7
The Augustinian monastery
(Augustiniánský klášter) has
a fine Gothic church, but it is
famous above all as the place
where Gregor Mendel (1822–
84) discovered and formulated
his theory of genetics. A Museum,
known as the Mendelianum
and dedicated to his work,
is located in the monastery’s
Brno’s Freedom Square, with its Baroque Plague Column west wing.
Brno City Centre

1 Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul
2 Church of the Holy Cross VA KO
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LEITNER
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KO
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NÁ
10 km (6 miles)

y Olomouc (sv Michala) on the town’s most

elevated site. In the 14th and
According to legend, Olomouc, one of Moravia’s oldest towns, 15th centuries it was destroyed
was founded by Julius Caesar. However, the town did not by fire, and in the 17th century
actually come into existence until the 7th century, when it grew it suffered damage during the
Thirty Years’ War. Between
into a major power centre. In 1063 it was made a bishopric and 1673 and 1699 it was rebuilt in
in 1187, the capital of Moravia; from 1655 it became a military Baroque style by the architect
stronghold. Today, Olomouc is a prosperous and vibrant Giovanni Pietro Tencalla, who
university city. The oldest part of the historic town centre, designed the first three-domed
surrounded by a ring of parks, is centred on the Main Square edifice in Moravia. Most of
the furnishings, including the
(Horní náměstí). This part of the town is fascinating to explore
organs, date from the Baroque
for its lively atmosphere and beautiful religious buildings. period. In 1829, the main façade
of the building was decorated
with fine statues of the Virgin
grand 13th-century Town Hall Mary and Christ, produced by
(radnice), which was greatly Ondřej Zahner.
extended in the 15th century,
when it acquired an exquisite
astronomical clock. A finely
vaulted Gothic Debating
Hall and a chapel dedicated
to St Jerome were also added
during the renovation. The huge
Holy Trinity Column (sousoší
Nejsvětější Trojice) in front of
the Town Hall was added to
the UNESCO World Heritage List
in 2000. This unique example of
Baroque sculpture was erected
between 1716 and 1717. Its
Stained-glass window, Church of St Maurice three tiers are decorated with
historical figures and saints
R Church of St Maurice and crowned by figures repre- Sculptures in the cloister of the Church
8. května. Open 7am–6pm daily. 8 senting the Holy Trinity. of St Michael
Tower: Open May–Oct: 9am–5pm Olomouc has seven fountains,
Mon–Sat, noon–5pm Sun. & three of which are located in R St Jan Sarkander Chapel
The 15th-century Church of this square. The largest of Na Hradě. Tel 603 282 975.
St Maurice (sv Mořice), with two them, made by local architect This chapel (sv Jana
asymmetrical towers, resembles Jan J Schauberger in 1725, is Sarkandera) is a Neo-Baroque
a medieval fortress. Outside, it the Caesar Fountain, sporting building designed by E Sochor
has a highly unusual an equestrian statue of between 1909 and 1912.
architectural detail Gaius Julius Caesar, the Dedicated to Jan Sarkander,
in the form of an legendary founder of a 17th-century preacher who
external stair- the town. The other was canonized by Pope John
case enclosed two are the Arion Paul II in 1995, it was erected
within a round Fountain, depicting on the site of the town prison.
cage. The Gothic the ancient poet Arion,
interior is impressive, and the Hercules R Church of Our Lady
with stained-glass Fountain, portraying of the Snows
windows and a vast the famed Greek hero Denisova. Open 10am–5pm daily. 8
1505 wall painting. The holding a white eagle – Built between 1712 and 1722
church also houses the Top of the Holy the official symbol of by Olomouc Jesuits, this church
largest organ in Central Trinity Column the town. (Panny Marie Sněžné) served,
Europe, made by the until 1778, as the university
esteemed organ maker Michael R Church of St Michael church. Over the years it has
Engler, in 1745. The church’s Žerotínovo náměstí. undergone a thorough restoration.
Tower provides panoramic Open 10am–noon, 2:30–3:30pm The main features of its façade
views of the Main Square. Wed, 2:30–3:30pm Fri. 8 are the monumental portal
The Dominicans, who arrived including four columns and a
P Main Square in Olomouc in about 1240, soon balustraded balcony. The lavishly
The Main Square (Horní began to build a monastery decorated interior includes
náměstí) has at its centre the and the Church of St Michael superb Baroque paintings.
CZECH REPUBLIC 279
R St Wenceslas Cathedral VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Václavské náměstí. Open daily.
Not many traces remain of the Practical Information
Romanesque church that was 284 km (176 miles) SE of Prague.
originally built here in 1107. The * 100,000. n Horní náměstí,
present church (sv Václav) was 585 513 385. _ Flora Olomouc
a result of the initiative of Arch- (late Apr, Aug, Oct), Festa
Musicale (Jun).
bishop Bedřich Fürstenberg, who
∑ tourism.olomouc.eu
ordered its reconstruction between
1883 and 1892 in Neo-Gothic style. Transport
£ Jeremenkova.
+ Přemyslid Palace @ Sladkovského 41.
Václavské náměstí. Tel 585 514 174.
Open May–Sep: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun.
Sculptures on the dome of St Jan Olomouc Archdiocesan Museum: most picturesque buildings. It
Sarkander Chapel Open Tue–Sun. & 7 was built after 1126 by Bishop
This palace (Přemyslovský Jindřich Zdík and was one
E Olomouc Art palác) is one of Olomouc’s of the most excellent works
Museum of residential architecture in
Denisova 47. Tel 585 514 111. Europe. The bishop’s rooms,
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. with their carved Romanesque
&7 windows and columns, are
This art gallery (muzeum considered to be the best
umění) is located in a in the country.
modernized historic building. The Olomouc Archdiocesan
It has a wide collection of Museum was opened in 2006,
paintings by Italian artists with some fine paintings
ranging from the 14th collected by the Olomouc
century onwards, as well bishops. The building also
as an excellent collection of Decorative motifs on the pillars inside houses the Mozarteum
20th-century Czech works. St Wenceslas Cathedral concert hall.
Olomouc Town Centre

0 metres 300
1 Church of St Maurice
0 yards 300
2 Main Square
3 Church of St Michael
4 St Jan Sarkander Chapel
5 Church of Our Lady of the Snows
6 Olomouc Art Museum
7 St Wenceslas Cathedral ÉHO
VSK Přemyslid
8 Přemyslid Palace BRO
DO Palace
St Wenceslas
VÁCLAVSKÉ Cathedral
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Practical & Travel Information entitled to receive free medical

treatment, but in all other cases
Since the Velvet Revolution of 1989 (see p224), the Czech medical help has to be paid for.
Republic has become far more open to visitors. The country It is advisable to take out travel
has responded well to the huge influx of tourists, and facilities insurance to cover any medical
costs incurred abroad. For
such as communications, public transport, banks and information
prescription and non-prescription
centres have improved considerably. Travelling by train is a medicines, it is advisable to visit
great way to explore the country at leisure, although buses a lékárna (pharmacy). Pharmacies
tend to be cheaper and faster. Remote places are most easily are found in large towns and
visited by car. are open on weekdays from
8am until 6pm, and on
Saturdays until 2pm.
When to Visit for up to 90 days. UK Violent crime against tourists
The best time to visit the citizens are entitled to stay is rare in the Czech Republic.
country is between May for up to 180 days without a The main problem, especially
and September. During these visa. For more information, in Prague, is petty theft from
months the warm weather consult the nearest Czech cars, hotel rooms and pockets.
makes for pleasant outdoor Embassy or the Foreign Affairs Visitors are advised to carry their
excursions such as camping Ministry’s website. passports with them and to
and mountain trekking. The keep a separate photocopy.
busiest months are August and
September, although Prague Visitor Information
can also be very crowded in The Czech Republic has a Facilities for the Disabled
July. While the main sights are very efficient network of tourist Despite some improvements,
often packed at these times, information offices, which can the country is not very easy for
the crowds lend a festive be found in almost every town, disabled travellers to negotiate.
atmosphere, which can make village and resort. They are In Prague, however, hotels,
a visit all the more enjoyable. usually run by the local council restaurants and historic sights
Late September is a good time and are open from 9am to 5pm have made efforts to improve
to visit Moravia to catch the (7pm in Prague). Many employ access. A number of railway
grape harvest season. Many English-speaking staff and offer stations, trains and some of
sights are closed between a variety of English-language the capital’s metro stations
the end of October and the publications, maps and guides. now provide wheelchair access.
beginning of April. The Prague Information Service Disabled travellers seeking advice
(PIS) is the best source of on transport, accommodation
tourist information for visitors and sightseeing tours should
Documentation to the capital. It has three offices contact the Prague Organization
Citizens of EU countries do located in the city centre, of Wheelchair Users.
not need a visa to travel to the providing information in
Czech Republic; they are simply several languages.
required to carry a passport that Banking and Currency
is valid for at least 6 months, The Czech unit of currency is
or an ID card. New Zealand, Health and Security the Czech crown (Kč). Banking
Australian and US citizens There is a reasonable standard hours are generally 9am to 5pm
need a valid passport to enter of health care in the Czech Monday to Friday, with some
the country and can stay Republic. EU nationals are branches closing for lunch.
Private exchange bureaus add
higher commission charges,
The Climate of the PRAGUE and the rate of exchange is
Czech Republic often much less favourable
23/73
The Czech Republic enjoys than that offered by banks.
long, warm days in summer, ° C/F Traveller’s cheques can only
12/54 13/55 12/54 be changed in banks. Credit
with June, July and August
the hottest months. Winter 5/41 cards are becoming more
3/37
can be bitterly cold, with 0°C 0/32 widely accepted.
32°F -5/23
temperatures often dropping
below freezing; heavy snow 6 8 4 2
is not uncommon. The wettest Communications
hrs hrs hrs hrs
months are October and 68 33 18 Telephone and postal services
27
November, but frequent, light mm mm mm in the Czech Republic are very
mm
showers occur in the summer efficient. Every town and village
months as well. month Apr Jul Oct Jan
has a post office and public
telephones. Card-operated
CZECH REPUBLIC 281
public phone booths are found including Lufthansa, operate especially in summer, to book
all over the country. Telefonní flights from the US via another well in advance. Eurolines and
karta (phone cards) are available European city. Student Agency are the main
at post offices and newsstands. Čedaz runs an inexpensive operators of international bus
International calls can be made minibus service from Prague’s routes to Prague.
from public phones, post offices Ruzyně Airport to the city Within the Czech Republic,
or hotels, although the latter centre. Taxis are also available there is an extensive network of
option is expensive. Most post from the airport to Prague. inter-city bus routes operated
offices are open from 8am to 6 by a variety of national and
or 7pm, Monday to Friday, and regional companies. Travelling
on Saturday morning. Známky Rail Travel by bus is cheaper than by train,
(stamps) can be purchased at Prague is connected by rail to and sometimes it is faster.
most newsstands as well as post all the major capitals of Europe. The main bus terminal in
offices. All towns have at least Nearly all international trains Prague is Florenc Station, which
one Internet café. Many hotels arrive at and depart from Hlavní serves international and long-
also offer Internet access. Nádraží, the city’s biggest and distance domestic routes.
busiest station.
The rail network is run by
Arriving by Air Czech Railways, České Dráhy Travelling by Car
The country’s biggest air (ČD), which operates several Well-maintained roads and
transport hub for both types of domestic routes. Express long sections of motorway
international and domestic trains (rychlík) stop only at major make driving one of the best
flights is Prague’s Ruzyně towns and cities and it is best methods of exploring the
Airport, which is about 20 km to reserve a místenka (seat) on country. Visitors driving on
(12 miles) from the city centre. these. Slower, cheaper trains, or Czech roads must carry a valid
The main Czech carrier is Czech osobní, stop at every station and International Driving Permit
Airlines (ČSA), although Prague run on local routes. Czech railway and an ID card. To travel on the
is also served by most major stations are well equipped. motor ways, visitors are required
European airlines as well as a Detailed information on train to purchase a dálniční známka
number of low-cost carriers, services, fares and timetables is (tax disc). These are valid for
including easyJet, Jet2.com available on the ČD website. either 10 days or a month and
and Wizzair from the UK. are available from post offices
Those travelling from and petrol stations.
Australia, New Zealand and Travelling by Bus Most of the major car
Canada will need to fly to Travelling by bus between Prague rental firms, including Avis and
another European capital and and other European cities is Budget, have offices in Prague
take a connecting flight to significantly less expensive than and at Ruzyně Airport, but
Prague. A number of carriers, rail or air travel. It is advisable, hiring is relatively expensive.
DIRECTORY
Documentation New Zealand Facilities for the Rail Travel
∑ mzv.cz Malé náměstí 1, Prague. Disabled
Tel 23 47 84 777.
České Dráhy (ČD)
Prague Organization Tel 840 112 113.
Visitor United Kingdom of Wheelchair Users ∑ cd.cz
Information Thunovská 14, Prague. Benediktská 6, Prague.
∑ czechcentres.cz Tel 257 402 111. Tel 224 827 210. Travelling by Bus
∑ britain.cz
Prague Information Arriving by Air Eurolines
United States ∑ eurolines.co.uk
Service Czech Airlines (ČSA)
Tržiště 15, Prague.
Tel 221 714 444. ∑ csa.cz Travelling by Car
Tel 257 022 000.
∑ praguewelcome.cz
∑ usembassy.cz easyJet Avis
∑ easyjet.com
Embassies Klimentská 46, Prague.
Emergency Jet2.com Tel 221 851 225.
Numbers ∑ jet2.com ∑ avis.cz
Australia
Klimentská 10, Prague. Ambulance Lufthansa Budget
Tel 221 729 260. Tel 112 or 155. ∑ lufthansa.com Ruzyně Airport, Prague.
Tel 235 325 713.
Canada Fire Ruzyně Airport ∑ budget.cz
Muchova 6, Prague. Tel 112 or 150. ∑ prg.aero
Tel 272 101 800. Police Wizzair
∑ canada.cz Tel 112 or 158. ∑ wizzair.com
Shopping & Entertainment producing excellent cheese.

Try the long strings of smoked
Shopping in the Czech Republic is undergoing great cheese available in delicatessens,
changes, with malls springing up in towns and international or olomoucké tvarůžky, an oval
chains opening branches. In Prague an eclectic range of cheese with a distinct flavour.
Department stores, found in
Western goods is on offer, as well as typical Czech products almost every large town, are a
such as crystal, wooden toys, antiques and Czech gemstones, good bet for food shopping.
particularly garnets. The country also offers a wide variety of The famous Czech beers Pilsner
entertainment with something for every taste. Those looking Urquell (Plzeňský Prazdroj) and
for nightlife will get the most from Prague, with its scores Budvar, which make excellent
of nightclubs, theatres and music venues. Outside Prague, presents, can be bought in
almost every food store. Czech
most towns and cities have a lively cultural scene. Many liquors, including the famous
towns organize rock concerts featuring local and Becherovka, are also available
international artists. throughout the country. Absinthe
and slivovice (plum brandy) are
other popular Czech spirits. As
Opening Hours Česky Porcelán among the for wine, those from southern
Most shops are open from best known. Interesting souvenirs Moravia are the country’s finest
9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. include gilded and hand-painted and are well worth taking back
On Saturdays shops close at crystal wine glasses and traditional home. In Prague, a good selection
1 or 2pm. However, many tourist earthenware beer tankards of alcoholic drinks is available in
shops are open every day until decorated with the Czech the Jan Paukert Delicatessen
7 or 9pm. Supermarkets and large brewery logo. and Wine Bar.
shopping centres are usually
open to 9 or 10pm daily, and
some in larger cities are open Handicrafts Cinema
24 hours. On Sundays in small Czech craftsmen have kept There are cinemas throughout
towns and villages all shops up the tradition of making the country, even in small towns.
remain closed, or open for just handicrafts and the range of One of the biggest multiplexes in
a few hours in the morning. souvenirs on offer includes Prague is the Cinema City Flora
ceramics, wooden vessels and complex. The annual International
toys. The largest selection of Film Festival is the largest Czech
Markets such goods can be found at cinema event, held in early July in
Prague has several famous local markets, but gift and Karlovy Vary (see pp264–5).
markets. Its Christmas and souvenir shops may also stock
Easter markets in the Old Town some interesting items.
Square and Wenceslas Square Classical Music, Theatre
(see p253) are filled with festive and Opera
and traditional goods. There are Antiques Classical music has a long
also two permanent markets. The The Czech Republic is rich tradition in the Czech Republic
central, open-air Havel Market in antiques. During the 1990s and the country has produced
sells fruit and vegetables as well specialist antique shops, called some well-known composers,
as toys and ceramics; it is open starožitnosti, opened and are including Bedřich Smetana,
all year round. The indoor Prague now to be found in almost every Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček
Market (Pražská tržnice) sells town. Some of the well-known and Bohuslav Martinů. Their
consumer goods and is also dealers in Prague’s Old Town works figure in the repertoires
open year round. include Antikvariát Pražský of local orchestras all year round.
Outside Prague there are local Almanach, Dorotheum and Although most orchestras and
markets in most towns and Pražské Starožitnosti, stocking concert halls close over the
cities selling produce and crafts. old books, antique furniture, summer holiday season, this is
paintings and porcelain. The when numerous classical music
prices are often more reason- concerts are staged in churches,
Glass and Ceramics able than in Western Europe. castles and palaces. Many
Bohemia is famous for its churches in Prague and several
high-quality lead crystal and other large cities organize
ornamental glass and almost Food and Drink concerts of Baroque music
every town has a shop specializ- Czech chocolates are quite year round. The Rudolfinum
ing in glass and crystalware. famous, and range from boxed in Prague is home to the Czech
The Old Town quarter (see chocolates to tyčinky (bars) and Philharmonic Orchestra, while
pp242–3) in Prague has scores wafers. Spa hotels and speciality the Prague Symphony Orchestra
of them with Erpet Bohemia, shops often sell spa wafers. is based at Municipal House
Dana-Bohemia, Moser and The country is also known for (see pp252–3). Brno (see pp276–7)
CZECH REPUBLIC 283
also has an active classical companies in the city: the State café and restaurant. It attracts
music scene with the National Opera and the Estates Theatre. many world music artists.
Theatre another superb venue Both stage first-class operas and Agharta Jazz Centrum is Prague’s
for concerts. ballets. The State Opera presents best jazz club. Karlovy láznĕ
Theatre has played an all its performances in the (Charles Spa) is a famous three-
important role in the cultural language in which they are storey club close to the Charles
development of the Czech written, usually Italian. Bridge entrance, with five stages
Republic. Most large towns have offering different kinds of music
a theatre, often a historic building from house to R&B. There are a
with a beautiful interior. Prague’s Music Festivals number of rock venues hosting a
National Theatre is the city’s main Czech music festivals are one of variety of groups, Roxy is one of
drama venue, but there are many the country’s greatest attractions the most popular. Prague also has
mainstream and fringe theatres, for music lovers. Of these the a lively gay and lesbian scene;
such as the Laterna Magika and most famous is the Prague Friends is one of the most
the Komedie Theatre, both of Spring International Music popular gay bars.
which stage more avant-garde Festival. Prague Castle also Most cities and larger towns
productions. Tickets for the stages Strings of Autumn, a have venues with live music at
National Theatre can be purchased traditional music festival held night, mainly performed by local
on the Internet, with group tickets from October to December. bands and musicians. Techno
to the most popular performances and dance is very popular
available well in advance. throughout the country.
As a rule, theatres display the Nightlife Information on events in
plays that are currently in their Every large Czech town has a music Prague can be found in the
repertoire on the front of the club, although Prague naturally weekly English-language Prague
building. Few productions outside has the greatest number. The Post. Other sources of information
Prague are performed in English. best-known cultural centre in the are the leaflets and posters in the
During the 20th century, opera capital is the Palace Akropolis local area. For information on gigs
became popular in Prague and complex, including a theatre, and clubs outside Prague, check
there are now two major opera concert hall, exhibition space, the posters around town.
DIRECTORY
Markets Dorotheum Komedie Theatre Music Festivals
Ovocný trh 2, Prague. Jungmannova 1, Prague.
Havel Market Tel 224 222 734. Prague Spring
Tel 224 216 676.
Havelská, Prague. International Music
∑ divadlokomedie.cz
Pražské Starožitnosti Festival
Prague Market
Mikulandská 8, Prague. Laterna Magika ∑ praguespring.cz
Holešovice, Prague.
Národní 4, Prague.
Tel 224 930 572. Tel 224 930 572. Strings of Autumn
Tel 224 901 448. ∑ strunypodzimu.cz
∑ holesovickatrznice.cz
Food and Drink Municipal House
Glass and Náměstí Republiky 5, Nightlife
Jan Paukert
Ceramics Prague. Tel 222 002 101.
Delicatessen and Agharta Jazz
Český Porcelán Wine Bar ∑ obecnidum.cz Centrum
Perlová 1, Prague. Národní 17, Prague. National Theatre Železná 16, Prague.
Tel 224 210 955. Tel 222 211 275.
Tel 224 222 615. Dvořákova 11, Brno.
∑ agharta.cz
Dana-Bohemia Tel 542 158 111.
Národní 43, Prague. Cinema ∑ ndbrno.cz Friends
Tel 224 214 655. Bartolomějská 11, Prague.
Cinema City Flora National Theatre Tel 226 211 920.
Erpet Bohemia Vinohradská 151, Prague. Národní 2, Prague. ∑ friendsprague.cz
Staromĕstské námĕstí 27,
Tel 255 741 002. Tel 224 901 448.
Prague. Tel 224 229 755. Karlovy Láznĕ
∑ cinemacity.cz ∑ narodni-divadlo.cz
Smetanovo nábreží 198,
Moser
Rudolfinum Prague. Tel 222 220 502.
Na Přikopě 12, Prague. Classical Music,
Alšovo Nábřeží 12,
Tel 224 211 293. Theatre and Palace Akropolis
Prague. Tel 227 059 227. Kubelíkova 27, Prague.
Opera ∑ ceskafilharmonie.cz
Antiques Tel 296 330 911.
Estates Theatre State Opera ∑ palacakropolis.cz
Antikvariát Pražský
Almanach Ovocný trh, Prague. Wilsonova 4, Prague. Roxy
Újezd 26, Prague. Tel 224 901 448. Tel 224 227 266. Dlouhá 33, Prague.
Tel 224 812 247. ∑ narodni-divadlo.cz ∑ opera.cz ∑ roxy.cz
Where to Stay
NEW TOWN: Carlo IV ||| Price Guide
Luxury Map F4 Prices are based on one night’s stay in
Senovážné náméstí 13, Praha 1 high season for a standard double room,
Tel 224 593 111
∑ prague.boscolohotels.com | under 3,000 Kč
Stylish rooms, Italian opulence || 3,000 to 6,000 Kč
||| over 6,000 Kč
and impressive spa facilities.
OLD TOWN: Fusion || ČESKY KRUMLOV: Leonardo 

Boutique Map F4 Boutique
Panská 9, Praha 1 Soukenická 33, 381 01
Tel 226 222 800 Tel 380 725 911
∑ fusionhotels.com ∑ hotel-leonardo.cz
A quirky hotel with industrial- Situated in a 16th-century
chic rooms and a rooftop terrace. building, the Leonardo features
lovely wooden ceilings and
a Baroque staircase.
DK Choice
Luxuriously furnished rooms at the OLD TOWN: Josef || KARLSBAD KARLOVY VARY:
Grandhotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary Boutique Map E3 Grandhotel Pupp ||
Rybná 20, Praha 1 Luxury
Tel 221 700 111 Mírové náměstí 2, 360 91
Prague ∑ hoteljosef.com Tel 353 109 111
A beautiful, modern hotel that ∑ pupp.cz
LITTLE QUARTER: features lots of white surfaces The 18th-century Pupp
Design Hotel Sax | and lovely, colour-coordinated offers luxurious rooms with
Boutique Map B3 rooms, with interiors designed mod cons, and a Neo-Baroque
Jánský vršek 328/3, Praha 1 by Eva Jiřičná. Other perks concert hall.
Tel 257 531 268 include a truly outstanding
∑ hotelsax.cz breakfast, a small but well- KUTNÁ HORA:
Comfortable and charming equipped gym on the top U Vlašského Dvora |
hotel attractively furnished in floor, and multilingual staff. Historic
vintage style. 28 října 511, 284 01
Tel 327 514 618
LITTLE QUARTER: OLD TOWN: Kempinski ∑ vlasskydvur.cz
Domus Henrici || Hotel Hybernska ||| In a 15th-century building, with
Boutique Map A3 Luxury well-appointed rooms that have
Loretánska 11, Praha 1 Hybernská 12, Praha 1 views over the Old Town.
Tel 220 511 369 Tel 226 226 111
∑ domus-henrici.cz ∑ kempinski-prague.com OLOMOUC: Arigone |
Housed in a historical building A beautifully reconstructed Boutique
equipped with all the amenities. hotel with large rooms, Univerzitní 20, 779 00
abundant amenities, and a Tel 585 232 351
NEW TOWN: Anna | lovely garden. ∑ arigone.cz
Value This stylish hotel in the historic
Budečská 17, Praha 2 OLD TOWN: Paríž ||| centre has Romanesque
Tel 222 513 111 Luxury Map F3 stonework and en-suite rooms.
∑ hotelanna.cz U Obecního domu 1, Praha 1
Stay in Art Nouveau rooms Tel 222 195 195
at this hotel with a lovely ∑ hotel-pariz.cz
breakfast room and a The beautiful rooms and
quiet location. fin-de-siècle decor at Paríž,
in the Old Town, contribute
NEW TOWN: Icon || to the creation of an ultra
Boutique Map E5 luxurious ambience.
U Jámé 6, Praha 1
Tel 221 634 100
∑ iconhotel.eu
Hip hotel with wonderful rooms, Rest of the Czech
all-day breakfasts, and efficient Republic
staff. Spa and lounge bar, too.
BRNO: Holiday Inn ||
NEW TOWN: Le Palais || Luxury
Luxury Křížkovského 20, 603 00
U Zvonarky 1, Praha 2 Tel 543 122 111
Tel 234 634 111 ∑ hibrno.cz
∑ palaishotel.cz Large rooms in warm colours
A belle époque hotel with plush, and consistently high standards
bright rooms, attentive staff, and of service. Located near the city’s Neo-Gothic façade of the stately hotel, Paríž
a great wellness centre. trade-fair grounds. in the Old Town

Price Guide
Prices are based on a three-course meal
| under 250 Kč
|| 250 to 500 Kč
||| over 500 Kč
food – pasta dishes, pizzas, and

fabulous desserts – on a boat.
The top deck is a great place
to have a drink.
OLD TOWN:
La Degustation |||
International Map E3
Haštalská 18, Praha 1
Seating at the well-reviewed Kampa Park in the Little Quarter Tel 222 311 234
Step into La Degustation for
a popular nightclub in the same the ultimate Prague dining
Prague building, so stay after dinner for experience. Expect several
a fun night out. courses of imaginative dishes
LITTLE QUARTER: prepared with skill and verve.
Café Lounge | LITTLE QUARTER:
Café Kampa Park ||| OLD TOWN: Plzeňská |||
Plaská 615/8, Praha 1 Fusion Map C3 Czech Map F3
Tel 257 404 020 Na Kampě 8b, Praha 1 Náměstí republiky 5, Praha 1
A beautiful café with a secret Tel 296 826 102 Tel 222 002 770
courtyard. The great coffee and The place for modern fusion An enjoyable evening is in store
creative menu make this a go-to cuisine with a focus on seafood, at this restaurant with fabulous
place from morning till night. served up in extravagantly Art Nouveau interiors, friendly
decorated rooms on Kampa staff, and authentic Czech dishes.
LITTLE QUARTER: Island, on the Vltava river.
La Terrassa ||
Spanish NEW TOWN: Nota Bene ||
Janáčkovo nábřeží – Dětský Czech Rest of the Czech
ostrov, Praha 5 Mikovcova 4, Praha 2 Republic
Tel 725 161 616 Tel 721 299 131 Closed Sun
Enjoy tapas and other Spanish A rotating beer list and authentic ČESKY KRUMLOV:
fare on a beautifully renovated Czech fare make Nota Bene one Pivovar Eggenberg ||
boat. Attentive staff and a good of the hottest places around. Czech
wine list ensure a stream of Head to the basement beer Latrán 27, 381 01
regular customers. hall for beer and snacks. Tel 380 711 917
Beer sets the tone at this eatery,
OLD TOWN: Lokál | located in the cooling rooms of
DK Choice Czech Map E3 a former brewery. It is a good
LITTLE QUARTER: Dlouhá 33, Praha 1 place to enjoy hearty Czech fare
Lehká Hlava || Tel 222 316 265 that can be washed down with
Vegetarian Map D4 This old-style pub serves Czech local light and dark beers.
Boršov 2/280, Praha 1 classics and lots of refreshing
Tel 222 220 665 Pilsner Urquell beer. Modern KARLSBAD KARLOVY VARY:
One of the best vegetarian lighting and long wooden tables Lázně 5 |||
restaurants in Prague, with a create a cozy but cool ambience. International
creative take on its extensive Smetanovy sady 1145/1, 360 01
menu – ranging from Asian to OLD TOWN: Sansho || Tel 602 266 088
Mexican to Lebanese. The Thai Fusion Located in a historic spa building,
red curry with tofu is a real treat, Petrská 25, Praha 1 this elegant restaurant offers
and the burrito will probably Tel 222 317 425 Closed Sun & Mon traditional Czech fare as well as
force diners to skip dessert. Hip Quality Asian-influenced fusion Mediterranean cuisine. Láznĕ 5
ambience and cool interiors. cuisine in a casual living-room is justly famous for its steaks.
space. The menu depends on
what is fresh at the local market. OLOMOUC:
LITTLE QUARTER: SaSaZu || Svatováclavský Pivovar ||
Asian OLD TOWN: Czech
Bubenské nábřeží 13, Praha 7 Grosseto Marina ||| Mariánská 4, 779 00
Tel 284 097 455 Italian Map D3 Tel 585 207 517
Classic Indonesian, Thai, and Alšovo nábřeží, Praha 1 A centrally located restaurant with
Vietnamese dishes are prepared Tel 605 454 020 a huge range of own-brewed
with flair and served in Oriental- Enjoy superb service, beautiful beers, daily specials, and a long
palace surroundings. There is also river views, and excellent Italian menu of meat and dumplings.
SLOVAKIA
A province of the kingdom of Hungary for nine centuries and part of
Czechoslovakia for 70 years, Slovakia has had a tumultuous past. It gained
independence in 1993 and is now one of Europe’s youngest countries. With
diverse topography, beautifully preserved architecture and rich folk culture,
the country holds a great appeal for visitors.
Landlocked at the heart of Central at the head of an alliance of Franks

Europe, Slovakia combines a dynamic and Moravians. This cleared the way
economy with a wealth of natural for the establishment of two Slavic
assets – mountains, lakes, unspoilt principalities, out of which grew
valleys and spectacular ice caves. the Great Moravian Empire. By 885,
Beautiful churches ranging from this incorporated parts of present-day
the Romanesque to Art Nouveau, Slovakia, Germany and Poland, as
are a feature of its towns and cities, well as Bohemia and Moravia. The
while numerous castles and ruined Moravian Empire was destroyed
fortresses stand testimony to the in the 9th century by the invading
region’s turbulent history. Slovakia, Magyars, who took control of the
nevertheless, remains a relatively Danube Lowlands, including much
little-known country, with few visitors. of modern-day Slovakia. From this
period the Czechs and Slovaks were
History exposed to different cultural and
During the 5th and 6th centuries the political influences. In 1025, the Slovak
Slavs arrived in the Danube Lowlands, Lands became part of the kingdom
but they were later conquered by the of Hungary. The turning point in
nomadic Avars. In 795 the Avars were Slovakia’s history came with the Battle
beaten by Charlemagne (r. 742–814), of Mohács (1526), when the invading
A vintage tourist bus in Bratislava’s Old Town

The romantic turreted Bojnice Castle, one of Slovakia’s greatest attractions
Ottoman Army crushed the forces

of King Louis II Jagiełło, then ruler
of Hungary and the Czech lands.
Slovakia came under Habsburg rule
and due to its position between
Christian Europe and the Muslim
Ottoman Empire, it was repeatedly
ravaged by raids and military campaigns.
Homegrown troubles also surfaced,
thanks to the Reformation and
resistance to the Habsburgs’ centralist
policies. The Enlightenment reforms
of the 18th century resulted in the
codification of the Slovak language Hungarians entering former Czech territory
and the stirrings of nationalism. By
1848, revolutions had broken out all in the Hungarian-ruled half of the
over Europe, including within the monarchy. Slovak politicians forged
Habsburg Empire. The leader of the links with Czech activists and, in 1918,
Slovak Nationalist Movement, L’udovit the Czechoslovak Republic was declared.
Štúr, demanded self-determination for Czech politicians rejected Slovakia’s
Slovakia in vain. After suppressing bid for autonomy however, steadfastly
the revolution, Emperor Franz Joseph II promulgating the concept of a
restored absolute monarchy. The single country. When Hitler took the
situation worsened after the creation Sudetenland in 1938, the Slovaks declared
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in independence, but the country became
1867, when Slovakia was placed little more than a Nazi puppet state.
The democratic state of Czechoslovakia
KEY DATES IN SLOVAKIAN HISTORY was reborn in 1945, only to fall under
5th–6th centuries Slav tribes colonize
the control of the Communist Party
Danube Lowlands three years later. Not until the Velvet
833 Foundation of the Great Moravian Empire Revolution of 1989 was the Communist
1000 St Stephen crowned king of Hungary government finally overthrown.
1241–42 Mongol invasion On 1 January 1993, the sovereign
1536 Bratislava (Pressburg) becomes capital of the Slovak Republic was proclaimed, and
kingdom of Hungary its position within the international
1683 Ottoman Turks defeated at the Battle of Vienna community was confirmed when, in
1840s L’udovit Štur becomes leader of the Slovak 2004, Slovakia joined NATO and the
Nationalist Movement
European Union.
1867 Creation of Austro-Hungary Monarchy
1918 Czechs and Slovaks proclaim the creation Language and Culture
of Czechoslovakia
Slovakian is the official language of
1938 Parliament proclaims the Slovak Republic
Slovakia, although there is a sizeable
1944 Slovak National Uprising
Hungarian minority in the south. There
1948 Communists take control of Czechoslovakia
is a full calendar of cultural events and
1993 Creation of the Slovak Republic
folk festivals are one of the country’s
2004 Slovakia joins NATO and becomes an
EU member main attractions. Slovakia is also rich
2007 Slovakia signs the Schengen Agreement in religious traditions: Catholic feasts
2014 Andrej Kiska, entrepreneur and philanthropist, are celebrated throughout the country
becomes president while Orthodox rituals are mainly
observed in the east.
SLOVAKIA 289
Exploring Slovakia
Slovakia surprises visitors with its diverse scenery and cultural
wealth. The majority of the historic sights in the capital city of
Bratislava can be found in its compact Old Town centre. Western
Slovakia boasts the city of Trnava, with its many magnificent
Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Classical buildings.
Central Slovakia, regarded as the country’s true heart, is primarily
a mountainous region, encompassing the High Tatra Mountains.
Eastern Slovakia’s towns of Spiš and Levoča are treasure-houses
of the country’s history, while Košice enjoys a well-deserved
reputation as its cultural centre. The country’s well-developed
network of public transport can be used for exploring Tablet in the Church of
the region. St James, Levoča
Sights at a Glance
1 Bratislava pp290–99 6 Levoča
2 Trnava pp300–303 7 Spišská Kapitula
3 Bojnice Castle pp304–305 8 Spiš Castle pp310–11
4 Banská Bystrica 9 Košice pp312–13
5 Tatra Mountains pp306–307
POLAND
Tatra Bardejov 77
11
Mountains Medzilaborce
Lab
18
Oravský
67
73
68
Spiš ore
59
Poprad Castle 74
Žilina D1 c
CZECH 18 Prešov
Martin D1 Humenné
REPUBLIC Levoča 18
D1 Vlkolínec Spišská
65
D1
66
64
Bojnice 72 Kapitula 50
59
Trenčin Košice
Castle Hron
Onda
Holíč 50 Banská Slovenský 50

Beckov
Kremnica Kras
va
Bystrica
Zvolen HUNGARY
D2
Vel'ké
50
50
64
Váh
Uherce
Smolenice Lučenec
Trnava
71
Nitra 5 75
1
D1 Levice
75
Galanta Nové 75
BRATISLAVA Zámky
76
Dunajská
64
Streda 63
D a n u be Komárno
0 km 50
0 miles 50
Key
Motorway
Motorway under construction
Major road
Railway
Winter landscape in the Tatra Mountains International border

1 Bratislava
Founded by the Celts in the 2nd century BC,
Bratislava is Slovakia’s administrative centre and
has long been the focus of the country’s social and
cultural life. Most of the historic sights are located in
the Old Town centre on the left bank of the Danube
(Dunaj) river. Some of the finest buildings, such as the
Mirbach Palace and the Old Town Hall, can be seen
around Franciscan Square (Františkánské námestie).
The landmark Bratislava Castle is on a hill above the
city. The views from the open-air observation decks
here, or from the restaurant on SNP Bridge (Slovenské Detail of the elegant altarpiece in St Anne’s
Národné Povstanie), are breathtaking. Chapel, St Martin’s Cathedral
Sights at a Glance q Slovak National Gallery

1 Old Town Hall w SNP Bridge Railway Station
1.5 km (1 mile)
2 Primatial Palace e Devín Castle
3 Franciscan Church r Red Stone Castle DY
LISA
PÁ
4 Mirbach Palace
ŠTETINOVA
HODŽOVO
5 Michael’s Gate NÁMESTIE
6 Bratislava Castle
7 House at the Good
PO
Á
K NSK
LÝ C
Shepherd O
ZI PA
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A
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8 St Martin’s Cathedral
A
SUCHÉ MÝTO
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pp296–7 EV
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9 Slovak National NV
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D a n u b e

B R AT I S L AVA 291
Getting Around Greater
2
Bratislava
50
The historic centre of Bratislava is mostly 503
pedestrianized, so the best way to explore
1
it is on foot. For longer trips within the city 50
504
and into its environs, there is a quick and
S L OVA K I A
49
efficient network of buses, trams and trolley-
buses. These also run at intervals throughout
D2
the night, starting from Námestie SNP. Drivers
Mora
2
D1
50
2
should be aware that it can be difficult to
va
get a parking space, and that leaving a 3 61 62
car illegally parked could incur a heavy Bratislava
fine. From April to October ferries and Dan R1
ub
sightseeing boats operate from a jetty e
9
on the Danube at Fajnorovo Nábrežie. 0 km 10
50
A U S TR I A 0 miles 10
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Franciscan Square and Mirbach Palace, Bratislava

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D a n u b e Starý Most Pedestrian street


The centre of Bratislava’s historic Old Town (Staré 5 Michael’s Gate
Mesto) consists of two interlinked squares: Hlavné This is the only
gate that remains
námestie and Františkánské námestie. The first has from the medieval
the distinctive Old Town Hall. This square also lay fortifications. In
along the coronation route of the Hungarian kings, the 18th century
now marked by golden crowns embedded in the it was topped with
a statue of the
pavement. The pride of Františkánské námestie, Archangel Michael.
apart from its lovely trees, is the Marian Column,
erected in 1657. With attractive cafés, both squares
are popular meeting places.
K A
ČNÍC
ZAMO
4 Mirbach Palace A
K
One of Bratislava’s finest architectural relics, this
S
N
Rococo palace now houses the City Gallery.
Marian Column NTIŠKÁ

FRA
Statue of Napoleon’s Soldier

This is one of several life-sized figures in
the Old Town. Others include a paparazzo
and a worker poking his head out of
a manhole. BIELA FRANTIŠ
KÁNSKE
NÁMESTIE
SE
D
LÁ
RS
K
A
HLAVNÉ
NÁMESTIE
NÁ RY
LE
ZE BÁ
RS
Hlavné Námestie K
At the centre of A
the main square
is the 1572 Maximilian
Fountain, designed
by Andreas Luttringer,
from where Roland,
a medieval French
knight adopted as
patron by the locals,
surveys the square.
3 . Franciscan Church
Bratislava’s oldest religious building, the Franciscan
Church, was erected in the 13th century. Remodelled
several times, it acquired its Baroque form in
the 18th century.
The Jesuit Church was 2 . Primatial Palace

built between 1636 and One of the city’s finest Neo-Classical structures, this palace
1638 by Protestants. Its was built between 1778 and 1781 by architect Melchior
greatest treasure is its Hefele for Archbishop Josef Batthyány, the head of the
pulpit by L’udovit Gode. Hungarian church.
0 metres 50
0 yards 50
UR
ŠU
LÍ
NS
KA
KA
N IC Museum of Music
B UČ The birthplace of Johann
O
LN
Á KL Nepomuk Hummel, a celebrated
STO NE composer and pianist, this
KO IÁL
AC STIE Renaissance house has displays
IM
PR ÁME about his life and works, as
N
well as the history of music
in Bratislava.
RA
DN
IČ
NA
The Museum of
Wine Production, part
of the City Museum,
displays wooden grape
Key
presses that are over 1 Old Town Hall
Suggested route 200 years old. Remodelled and rebuilt many times since the
13th century, the Old Town Hall is now home to
the impressive City Museum, which houses
exhibits related to the history of Slovakia.
1 Old Town Hall in the cardinal’s coat of arms –

Stará Radnica Iusticia (Justice) and Clementia
(Mercy). The palace, now the
Hlavné námestie. Map C4. City
Museum: Tel (02) 3218 1312.
seat of the town’s mayor, is
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Fri, 11am– partly open to the public.
6pm Sat & Sun. & The most opulent room is the
Hall of Mirrors, where in 1805,
The charming Old Town Hall, in the Peace Treaty of Pressburg
Hlavné námestie, was created in was signed between Napoleon
the 15th century by combining and Francis I, after the French
a number of residential houses. victory at the Battle of
At the turn of the 16th century, Austerlitz. Other first-floor
it was rebuilt in the Renaissance rooms are occupied by a branch
style. In the 18th century, its of the Municipal Gallery, with a
much older corner tower was modest collection of paintings
remodelled in Baroque style; and six unique English tapes-
excellent views can be had from tries dating from 1632, depict-
the top. On the lower section ing the love story of Hero and
of the tower is a plaque marking An ornate fountain in the courtyard at the Leander. The strik ingly bright
the level of flood waters Primatial Palace tapestries were discovered in
recorded in February 1850. a hidden compartment during
Higher up, to the left of the 2 Primatial Palace building works in the early
Gothic window, is another Primaciálny Palác 20th century.
historical relic – a cannonball
Primaciálne námestie 1. Map C4.
embedded in the wall during
the 1809 siege of Bratislava by
Tel (02) 5935 6394. Open 10am–5pm
Tue–Sun. &
3Franciscan
Napoleon’s Army. It is worth Church
taking a look at the unusual The most beautiful palace in Františkánský Kostol
colourful roof of the building on Bratislava, Primatial Palace
Františkánska 2. Map C4.
the side of Primaciálne námestie. was built between 1778
Open 10:30am–5pm Mon–Fri.
The Town Hall houses the and 1781 to a design by
popular City Museum (Mestské architect Melchior Hefele, The oldest religious building
múzeum). Displayed within its for Jozef Batthyány, the in Bratislava stands behind
splendid vaulted interiors are primate of Hungary and an inconspicuous
exhibits associated with the archbishop of Baroque façade. Built
history of Bratislava, including Esztergom. Its in the 13th century,
an unusual collection of lovely Neo- the church was
17th–19th century painted Classical pink- consecrated in 1297
shooting targets. and-gold façade in the presence of King
Opposite the Town Hall features a magnificent Andrew II. Subsequent
stands the Jesuit Church of pediment that is remodelling obliterated
the Holy Saviour. It was built crowned with the its original Gothic form,
between 1636 and 1638 for archbishop’s coat of but it is still possible to
Bratislava’s Protestant commu- arms and topped with see the medieval
nity, which explains its plain a giant-sized cardinal’s Statue in the rib vaulting above
façade. Its Baroque furnishings hat. The figures of angels Franciscan Church the presbytery.
include a richly decorated black on the façade hold Particularly impressive
and gold Rococo pulpit with the letters I and C, a is the two-tier 14th- century
gilded tassles. reference to the motto chapel of St John the Evangelist.
During coronation pageants,
the church was used for
knighting ceremonies, in which
the new monarch appointed
Knights of the Golden Spur.
This prestigious honour was
bestowed on those who
distinguished themselves
through feats of bravery.
The church’s elaborate
furnishings, mainly Baroque
in style, date from the 17th
and 18th centuries. The
15th-century Pietà, in a
Imposing façade of Bratislava’s eclectic Old Town Hall side altar, is a highlight.
4 Mirbach Palace
Mirbachov Palác
Františkánske námestie 11. Map C4. City
Gallery: Tel (02) 5443 1556. Open 11am–
6pm Tue–Sun. & ∑ gmb.sk
The Rococo Mirbach Palace,

opposite the Franciscan Church,
has a beautiful façade with
stuccoes and a triangular
pediment. The building was
erected between 1768 and
1770 by a rich brewer, Martin
Spech. Its subsequent owner,
Count Karol Nyary, ordered Bratislava Castle perched above the Danube river
his family crest to be placed in
the tympanum. The last owner, raised to its present height a complete reconstruction to
Emil Mirbach, bequeathed the of 51 m (167 ft) by the addition restore both the building and
building to the city. of a Baroque cupola, and its surroundings to their original
Now an art gallery, the the statue of the Archangel Baroque splendour. There are still
palace currently holds the Michael on top. The tower ongoing exterior reconstructions
main collection of Bratislava’s now houses the captivating on the north terrace of the castle.
City Gallery (Galéria mesta Museum of Weapons and The castle hill is now the domicile
Bratislavy), including examples Town Fortifications (múzeum of the Slovak parliament.
of 17th- and 18th-century zbraní a mestského opevnenia), The area outside the castle
Baroque paintings. Two of the which throws light on the has been developed into a
first-floor halls have walls almost history and fortifications of beautiful park with amazing
entirely covered with colourful the town. views over the city, and there
18th-century engravings set in The viewing terrace affords is also a restaurant and
wood panelling. a stunning panorama of the children’s playground.
city and beyond. Next to the
gate stands Bratislava’s oldest
5 Michael’s Gate pharmacy, the Baroque At the 7House at the
Michalská Brána Red Lobster (U červeného raka). Good Shepherd
Michalská ulica 24. Map C4. Museum
Dom U Dobrého Pastiera
of Weapons and Town Fortifications: Židovska 1. Map B5. Tel (02) 5441
Tel (02) 5443 3044. Open 10am–5pm
6 Bratislava Castle 1940. Museum of Clocks: Open 10am–
Tue–Fri, 11am–6pm Sat & Sun. & Bratislavský hrad 5pm Mon–Fri, 11am–6pm Sat & Sun.
∑ muzeum.bratislava.sk Bratislavský hrad. Map A5. Slovak
National Museum: Tel (02) 2048 3111.
One of the city’s finest
Built in the first half of the 14th Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, 10am–6pm examples of Rococo architec-
century, Michael’s Gate is the Sat & Sun (last adm 45 mins before ture can be seen at the House
only surviving gateway to the closing). & ∑ bratislava-hrad.sk at the Good Shepherd, named
medieval city. In the 18th after the statue of the Good
century, its Gothic tower was The Bratislava Castle, first Shepherd on its corner. Built
mentioned in written accounts between 1760 and 1765, it
in 907, is perched on a large, is one of the few remaining
rocky hill above the scenic 18th century houses in the
Danube. It was strategically area. It is colloquially referred
located at the crossing of to as the “house like an iron”,
ancient trade routes including because of its tall, flat wedge
the ancient Amber Route. shape, dictated by the plot
Fortified in the 11th and 12th on which it was erected. It is
centuries, the castle was rebuilt believed to be the narrowest
in Gothic style in the 15th cen- building in Europe, and con-
tury, and between 1552 and tains only one room on each
1560 remodelled into a superb floor. Inside is the Museum
Renaissance residence. Between of Clocks (múzeum hodín),
1750 and 1760 it acquired beau- a branch of the City Museum
tiful Rococo furnishings. In 1811, located in the Old Town Hall.
the castle burnt down; it was The exhibits date from the
rebuilt in the 1950s. The castle 17th to the 20th centuries
Michael’s Gate with its striking and all exhibitions are now open and are mostly the works of
Baroque cupola to the public after going through Bratislava’s clockmakers.
8 St Martin’s Cathedral Structure of

the Cathedral
Dóm sv Martina Vibrations from
heavy traffic on
This imposing Gothic edifice, with a wide nave the road to SNP
Bridge (see p298)
flanked by two aisles, was built in 1452 on the
have damaged
site of an earlier 14th-century Romanesque the cathedral,
church. Between 1563 and 1830, 11 Hungarian which often has
kings and 8 queens were crowned in the cathedral. to undergo
restoration.
From here it is possible to walk the former
coronation route through the Old Town by
following a series of golden crowns embedded
in the pavement. In the 19th century, the
church was rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style by
architect Jozef Lippert and its interior
refurbished along more purist lines.
Presbytery
After completing the hall the
builders realized that the
section by the altar was
too small, and added a
presbytery with a fine
net vault. The coat
of arms on the
vault is that of the
Hungarian King
Mátyás Corvinus
(see p321).
. Sculpture of St Martin
Originally made for the main
altar, this statue of St Martin
(1734) by sculptor Georg
Raphael Donner depicts
St Martin in Hungarian
dress, cutting his
cloak to share it
with a beggar.
Chapel of St John the Almsgiver

In 1732 Georg Raphael Donner
built the side chapel of St John
the Almsgiver at the request
of Archbishop Esterházy.
Rudnayovo náměstí 1.
Map B5. Tel (02) 5443 1359.
Open Apr–Oct: 9–11:30am,
1–6pm Mon–Sat, 1:30–4pm
Sun; Nov–Mar: times vary.
5 7:30am & noon Mon–Sat,
7:45am, 9am, 10:30am, noon,
5pm Sun. &
∑ dom.fara.sk
Interior
In the late 19th century the Baroque
furnishings were replaced with Neo-
Gothic ones and the main altar, along
with its angels paying homage to
St Martin, was removed.
The stained glass in the presbytery
dates from the second half of
the 19th century and was mostly
produced by the Viennese
company, K Geyling.
. Altar of
St Anne’s Chapel
The central section of
the ornate altarpiece
in St Anne’s Chapel
depicts the scene of
the Crucifixion of Christ.
KEY
1 St Anne’s Chapel
2 The tower, 85 m (280 ft) tall, is
topped with a slender cupola, and
includes a tiny copy of the Hungarian
crown, a reminder that this was once
the venue of royal coronations.
3 The Canons’ Chapel and
the Chapel of the Czech queen
Sophia are adjacent to the sacristy
under the tower.
4 Main portal with Neo-
Gothic vestibule
G Martinelli and F Hildebrandt,

and architect V Dědeček’s house.
In 1990, the gallery’s collections
were also placed in the neigh-
bouring Neo-Renaissance
Esterházy Palace. Designed by
I Feigler Jr and built between
1870 and 1876, Esterházy Palace
is reminiscent of an Italian
Renaissance town palace.
The gallery boasts a number
of works of art. The finest are
the 13th- and 14th-century
Slovak art collections, including
altarpieces and statues from
churches in the Spiš region
in eastern Slovakia. The most
Impressive façade of the Neo-Renaissance Slovak National Theatre compelling works in the Baroque
section are those by sculptor
9 Slovak National events, symphony concerts Franz Xaver Messerschmidt.
Theatre and theatre per formances. Some significant 16th–18th-
Slovenské Národné Divadlo Today the Reduta is home to century European works are
the Slovak Philharmonic, and on display in the adjoining
Hviezdoslavovo námestie 1. Map C5. every autumn it is the venue naval barracks.
Tel (02) 2047 2289/297. Open 8am– for the Bratislava Music Festival. Modern Slovak art is also
5:30pm Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm Sat. A section of the building, on well represented, with models
∑ snd.sk
the side of Mostova ulica, houses of buildings, photographs,
The Neo-Renaissance Slovak a casino and a restaurant. ceramics, jewellery and posters
National Theatre, on the east giving an eclectic overview of
side of Hviezdoslavovo the country’s creative output
námestie, was built between over the last 100 years.
1884 and 1886 by Viennese As well as Slovak artists, the
architects Ferdinand Fellner collection includes works by
and Hermann Helmer, who a number of acclaimed foreign
specialized in theatres. The artists including Rubens,
façade is decorated with busts Caravaggio, Manet and Picasso.
of Goethe and Shakespeare,
among others. At the centre of
the tympanum is a sculptural w SNP Bridge
group including the muse of Slovenské Národné
comedy, Thalia. The theatre Povstanie Most
stages performances of ballet
Staromestská. Map B5.
and opera, and attending one
of these is the only way to Also known as the Bridge of
see the interior. In front of the the Slovak National Uprising
theatre is a fountain made (SNP), this steel construction
in 1880 by sculptor V. Tilgner. The Reduta, home to the acclaimed was built between 1967 and
It depicts the Trojan youth Slovak Philharmonic 1972. It officially opened on
Ganymede flying on the back 26 August 1972, as the second
of Zeus, who is disguised in bridge over the Danube. This
the form of an eagle. qSlovak National feat of engineering is suspen-
Gallery ded from one pylon on the
Slovenská Národná Galéria south bank of the Danube.
0 Reduta Riečna 1. Map C5. Tel (02) 2047 6111.
The sheer size of this single,
Palackého 2. Map C5. Tel (02) 2047 Open 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun.
open suspension bridge is
5233. Open 1–7pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri; Closed 1 Jan, Easter Fri, 24 & 25 Dec. impressive; it is 431 m (1,414 ft)
8am–2pm Wed. ∑ filharm.sk & ∑ sng.sk high and weighs 7,537 tonnes
(8,308 tons). At the top of the
Near the Slovak National Established in 1948, the Slovak pylon is a restaurant, whose
Theatre stands the imposing National Gallery occupies a saucer-like shape is reminiscent
building of the Reduta. Built building that was created by of the Starship Enterprise from
between 1913 and 1918, with combining two structures – the Star Trek. From here there are
a grand lobby and staircase, it four-wing 18th-century Baroque beautiful sweeping views of
used to stage social and artistic naval barracks, designed by the city on the north bank,
and of the vast housing

estates of Petržalka on the
south. Built by the Communists,
this estate houses more than
150,000 of the city’s inhabitants.
The construction of SNP
Bridge and the Staromestská
Highway, which cuts through
the city and over the bridge,
involved the complete destruc-
tion of the former Jewish
quarter at the foot of Bratislava
Castle (see p295).
e Devín Castle Coat of arms from the well in the courtyard of Red Stone Castle
Hrad Devín
8 km (5 miles) W of Bratislava. Map E2.
French Army during the r Red Stone Castle
Tel (02) 6573 0105. @ 29. 4 from
Napoleonic Wars. In the 19th hrad Červený Kameň
Central Bratislava. Open 10am–5pm century, during the period
155 km (96 miles) N of Bratislava. Map F1.
Tue–Sun (May–Sep: until 7pm Sat & of national rebirth, the castle Tel (033) 690 5803. @ Open May–
Sun). & became a symbol in the Sep: 9am–5pm daily; Oct–Apr: 9:30am–
shaping of Slovak national 3:30pm Tue–Sun. & 8 _ Historic
At the confluence of the identity, promoted by L’udovít Fencing festival (May).
Morava and the Danube rivers Štúr, the leader of the Slovak ∑ hradcervenykamen.sk
lie the ruins of Devín Castle, Nationalist Movement (see p288).
perched on a high rock. The During the 1980s the castle The remarkable Red Stone
rock was once the site of a area, separated from Austria Castle is regarded as one
Celtic settlement. Later, the by the Danube, was closed to of the best-preserved castles
Romans built a fortress here the public. Now, it is a popular in Slovakia. A mighty edifice
and in the 9th century, Prince recreational spot for Bratislavans. with four corner towers, it was
Rastislav, king of Great Moravia One section of the castle acquired in the 16th century
between 846 and 870, chose it has been reconstructed, by a German banking family,
for his stronghold. It changed and features the remains of the Fuggers. Anton Fugger, one
hands many times until 1809, a Roman fortress and an of the richest men in 16th-
when it was blown up by the archaeological museum. century Europe, converted the
original 13th-century fort into
a Renaissance castle. When
the Pálffy family took it over in
1580, they converted it into a
Baroque residence.
The castle’s interior includes
finely preserved porcelain and
furnishings while the castle
chapel has lavishly decorated
walls and marble altars. An
unusual feature is the 1656
sala terrena, an artificial grotto
with trompe l’oeil paintings
and stuccoes. The castle also
houses collections from the
Slovak National Museum,
including a gallery of paintings
with portraits of the Habsburgs
and Pálffy family members.
Environs
Častá, about 1 km (0.6 mile)
east of Red Stone Castle, has
been a centre of wine-making
for centuries and several cellars
offer tastings. Its 15th-century
Gothic Church of St Imre has
The ruins of Devín Castle, high above the Danube river interesting medieval paintings.
2 Trnava
One of Slovakia’s oldest towns, Trnava was granted town
privileges in 1238. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was the seat
of the Hungarian primate and the headquarters of the Church
of Hungary. Known as the “Slovak Rome”, the town acquired
numerous churches and monasteries. The historic town centre
is enclosed within old walls, forming an almost complete square.
The main Holy Trinity Square is at its heart. The chief attractions
of the town are its religious buildings and relaxed ambience.
P Holy Trinity Square were given their present shape

The town’s main square, Trojičné after a fire in 1676. They are still
námestie, sports the lofty not identical; the southern
Municipal Tower dating tower is slightly narrower. Baroque column of St Joseph,
from 1574, with a viewing Inside, the main attraction St Nicholas’s Square
gallery and a cupola is the octagonal chapel
crowned with a golden of the Virgin Mary, added the Italian masters Pietro and
statue of Our Lady. in 1741 to the left aisle Antonio Spazzi in 1562. During
There is also an of the church. It con- the 16th and 17th centuries,
18th-century Plague tains the miraculous this Renaissance edifice was the
Column. Close by is picture of the Trnava seat of the Hungarian primates,
the 1831 Municipal Madonna, which is whose residence in Esztergom
Theatre (Trnavské particularly revered had been appropriated by
divadlo), the oldest in Slovakia. The the Ottomans. It was also the
theatre building in gilded Renaissance- headquarters of the Church of
Slovakia. Just north of Baroque main altar- Hungary at the height of the
the square, the Holy piece dates from 1639. Ottoman threat. The archbishops
Trinity Church (now Built into the side walls went back to Esztergom in 1820,
known as Jezuitský Plague Column, of the chapels are a but a Slovak archbishopric was
kostol in Slovakian) Holy Trinity Square number of interest- re-established here in 1990.
was built in the early ing Renaissance and
18th century by the Trinitarian Baroque tombstones. E Music Museum
monks. It has been used by the M S Trnavského 5. Tel (033) 551 4421.
Jesuits since 1853. To the west of P St Nicholas’s Square Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, 11am–5pm
the square is the single-towered This spindle-shaped square Sat & Sun. &
Church of St Jacob (sv Jakub), (námestie sv Mikuláša) by the The Music Museum (Dom
built in 1640 and given a Baroque old city walls was the focus of hudby) occupies a building
remodelling in 1712. the town in the Middle Ages. called Dom hudby, which
At its centre is the 1731 Baroque used to be the home of
R Cathedral of St John column of St Joseph, surrounded one of Trnava’s most famous
the Baptist by chapter buildings. Among citizens – the composer
See pp302–303. these is the Archbishop’s Palace Mikulas Schneider Trnavský
(Arcibiskupský palác), built by (1881–1958). It displays
R Church of St Nicholas objects and mementos
Námestie sv Mikuláša. 5 associated with the musician
The twin towers of the Church and serves as a concert venue.
of St Nicholas (sv Mikuláš), with
their distinctive bell-shaped u Synagogue
cupolas, are one of Trnava’s Halenárska 2. Tel (033) 551 4657.
chief landmarks. The church, Open 10am–6pm Tue–Fri (Oct–Apr:
dedicated to the patron saint 9am–5pm), 1–6pm Sat & Sun. &
of merchants, was built in the ∑ snm.sk
11th century. The original This imposing edifice in
structure was demolished in Byzantine-Moorish style was
the 14th century to make way built in the 19th century to a
for the new Gothic church built design by Viennese architect
between 1380 and 1421. Its Jakub Gartner. Today, it houses
outside walls are supported by a centre of modern art and
mighty buttresses, particularly the Museum of Jewish Culture,
imposing in the presbytery. The The twin towers of Church of and is also an exhibition and
towers, initially of unequal size, St Nicholas concert hall. Standing in front
SLOVAKIA 301
of the Synagogue (Synagoga) the empire’s institutions carried VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

is a marble monument, designed out during the reign of Joseph II
by architect Artur Szalatnai- in the late 18th century, the Practical Information
Slatinský, dedicated to the building became a military 46 km (28 miles) NE of Bratislava.
memory of Trnava’s Jews, hospital, and later, a warehouse. * 68,300. n Trojičné námestie 1,
murdered in the Holocaust. In 1954 it became a museum, (033) 323 6440. _ International
with the aim of continuing Folk Music Festival (end Jul),
Traditional Folk Handicraft Fair
Trnava’s museum traditions.
(2nd weekend Sep)
The collections, spread over
∑ trnava.sk
two floors, include archaeological
discoveries, an exhibition of Transport
religious art, ethnography, natural £ Kollárova. @ Stanična.
history displays and eight rooms
of folk ceramics as well as
a unique collection of bells.
R Church of the Assumption

of the Virgin Mary
Muzejné námestie. 5
The Order of the Poor Clares
settled in Trnava during the
Middle Ages. This church
Nineteenth-century synagogue in (Nanebovzatia Panny Márie)
Byzantine-Moorish style was built for the nuns in the
13th century as an aisleless
E Museum of West Slovakia Romanesque structure. Following
Muzejné námestie 3. Tel (033) 551 a fire in the 17th-century it was
29 13. Open 8am–5pm Tue–Fri, extended and remodelled in the
11am–5pm Sat & Sun. & Baroque style. Original features
One of the biggest in the of the interior include the early Interior of the Church of the Assumption of
country, the Museum of West 18th-century high altar and the Virgin Mary
Slovakia (Západoslovenské three side altars.
múzeum) is housed in the 14th century. Adjoining its
13th-century convent next to R Church of St Helen north façade is the original
the Church of the Assumption Dolné Bašty. 5 tower with Gothic windows.
of the Virgin Mary. Following Trnava’s oldest church, There are statues of saints
administrative restructuring of sv Helena, dates from the above the portal.
Trnava Town Centre

1 Holy Trinity Square
2 Cathedral of St John OVÁ
NÍK
RYB
the Baptist
JER
É BAŠTY
ORN
HL
IC H
H
3 Church of St Nicholas Cathedral of
BO
O VA
St John the Baptist

4 St Nicholas’s Square
KÁ
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5 Music Museum
PEK Á R SK
UNIVERZITNE
FRANT
NÁMESTIE
ŠTE
6 Synagogue Church of
P O TOČNÁ
St Nicholas
FÁN
7 Museum of West Slovakia ST NICHOLAS’S

IŠkÁ
SQUARE
A
IKO
M S ÉHO
RNO
8 Church of the Assumption Archbishop’s

NS
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AVS
TRN
HO
VA
Palace
A
of the Virgin Mary VA

AVO
Holy Trinity OSL
EZD Music
Church HVI Synagogue
9 Church of St Helen TROJIČNÉ
Museum
NÁMESTIE
KA
HA
Church of
P IT
LEN
St Jacob Á HOLY TRINITY

UL
ELN SQUARE
AD
SK
DIV
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Municipal
Á
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Theatre Church of the

A
Assumption of
O VÁ the Virgin Mary
PA
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Church of
St Helen
RSK
0 metres 400
KÁ
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0 yards 400
Railway and Bus Stations

300 m (330 yards)

Trnava: Cathedral of St John the Baptist

Katedrálny Chrám sv Jána Krstiteľa
The first monumental Baroque structure Main Façade
in Slovakia and one of the largest and The impressive
twin towered façade,
most impressive religious buildings, divided by protruding
the Cathedral of St John the Baptist was cornices, is decorated
constructed between 1629 and 1637. with statues of various
The building, intended as a church for saints, including saints
Joachim, Anna,
the Jesuit-run university, was founded by and Elizabeth.
Count Miklós Esterházy. It has an ornamented
Italianate interior with oval frescoes and
wooden altarpieces. From 1777, when the
university was moved to Buda in Hungary,
the church was used by war veterans.
Main Portal
The inscription in Latin above the
entrance refers to Count Miklós Esterházy,
the cathedral’s founder.
Main entrance
Interior
The walls, windows and vault are decorated with stucco
ornamentation – figurative, floral and geometric – by
artists Giovanni Rossi and Tornini.
SLOVAKIA 303
St John’s Pulpit
This Baroque pulpit, decorated
with figures depicting the Fathers
of the Church, was built by artisans
Univerzitne námestie.
B Kniling and V Stadler in 1640.
Tel (033) 551 4586.
Open May–Oct: 10am–noon,
2–5pm & 30 min before each
mass. 5 7:30am daily, 9:30 &
11:30am Sun. 8
. The High Altar

This lavish Baroque gilded
wooden altarpiece (1640)
depicts the scene of
Christ’s baptism.
Ornate Door
Above the richly carved wooden
door leading to the sacristy is
an ornate metal grille with
gilded elements.
. Vaulted Ceiling KEY

Paintings on the
arched vaulting of the 1 Figures of the apostles were
presbytery ceiling placed in niches on the south side
depict scenes from of the church.
the life of St John 2 Pilasters decorate the façade.
the Baptist.
3 Bojnice Castle
Zámok Bojnice
Originally built in the 12th century, the romantic
Bojnice Castle is one of Slovakia’s greatest attractions.
In the 13th century, it passed into the hands of the
most powerful Hungarian warlord of the time, Matúš
Čák. In 1527, the Thurzo family converted the castle
into a comfortable Renaissance residence and in the
19th century, its last owner, Count Ján Pálffy, remodelled
it into a stately residence resembling the Gothic
castles of France’s Loire Valley.
Chapel
The chapel, with its stuccoed
Pálffy’s Tomb and painted vault, was built in the
The chapel crypt contains 17th century, in a former bastion.
the impressive Neo-
Romanesque marble
sarcophagus of the
castle’s last owner,
Ján Pálffy.
. Golden Hall
The hall’s spectacular vault, made
of pine and covered with gold leaf,
was modelled on the interior of the
Venetian Academy of Fine Arts.
Music Room
The present Music Room
was once Count Ján Pálffy’s
bedroom. It now houses a
beautiful piano made in
Vienna in 1884.
SLOVAKIA 305
Castle Grounds
Bojnice is located in a large
park with many rare species
of trees, including what is
181 km (123 miles) NE of
claimed to be the oldest lime
Bratislava. Tel (046) 543 0633.
tree in Slovakia. In summer,
Open May: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun;
various events are staged in
Jun–Sep: 9am–5pm daily; Oct–
the grounds.
Apr: 10am–3pm daily. &
∑ bojnicecastle.sk
Transport
£ @ from Bratislava.
Central Castle
The rooms of the Central
Castle are furnished in Gothic
style. The top floor is the
Knights’ Hall, with 14- to
17th-century weapons.
Entrance Tower
and Gate
Well in the Fourth Courtyard

Standing in the smallest of
the castle’s courtyards, this
decorative well was once linked
to an old thermal spring. Its
ornate grille was made in 1895.
. Bojnice Altarpiece
KEY The altarpiece, painted by Italian painter Nardo di
Cione, is the only complete surviving work by the artist.
1 Castle courtyards Painted in the mid-14th century, using tempera paint
2 Neo-Gothic gallery on a wooden panel, it is the most important piece
from Ján Pálffy’s collection.
5 Tatra Mountains
Slovakia’s Northern Tatra Mountains consist of three ranges:
the Western Tatras (Západné Tatry), the High Tatras (Vysoké
Tatry) and the small area of Eastern Tatras (Belianske Tatry), a
protected reserve that is closed to the public. All of them are
within the Tatra National Park. The most spectacular range,
the High Tatras, is a major draw for hikers.
View from around Zuberec

The village of Zuberec, at the
Narodna Street, leading to the market
mouth of the Roháčska Valley,
square in Banská Bystrica offers magnificent views of Rohače,
the start of the Western Tatras.
4 Banská Bystrica
208 km (130 miles) NE of Bratislava.
* 82,100. £ @ n Námestie
SNP 14, (048) 415 5085.
One of the oldest towns

in Slovakia, Banská Bystrica
(Neusohl) was granted royal Habovka
privileges associated with
the mining of gold, silver Osobitá
1687 m
and copper in 1255. In 1944 (5535 ft)
it became the centre of the Zuberec
Slovak National Uprising RO
(Slovenské národné povstanie). HA
ČE
J
The historic sights are J
concentrated along the pedestri-
Salatín
anized Dolna, the large market 2050 m
Volovec
2064 m
square námestie SNP, and Horna. (6726 ft)
(6772 ft)
The central square is flanked
Baranec
by buildings of the old castle
J
2184 m
complex. Of these, the parish (7165 ft)
Church of the Ascension of

.
Ýp
the Virgin Mary (Nanebovzatia

eck
ov
Panny Márie), has magnificent a

nk
Jal
Baroque furnishings. Its greatest čia

er
Brobrovec Sm
treasures are the Gothic Altar Liptovský Mikuláš
of St Barbara, and the Side Altar, This town, set in a
which contains a fine 15th- valley surrounded by
Liptovský
century Gothic triptych of peaks, is an interesting Mikuláš
St Mary Magdalene. The castle and convenient base
complex also includes the for the Low Tatras.
Váh
Church of the Holy Cross, the
Matthias House and the Town Liptovský
Hall as well as remnants of the Prouba
Hrádok
old fortifications. Nearby, the
striking concrete SNP Museum
(SNP múzeum) is dedicated to Banská Bystrica
Slovak history, with an emphasis 75 km (47 miles)
on the 1944 Uprising against the
Nazis and the fate of Slovak Jews.
E Church of the Ascension

Liptovský Hrádok
of the Virgin Mary
This town is famous for
Námestie Š Moyzesa. Tel (048)
its ruined 14th-century
412 4531. Open during mass. ^
castle, later extended into
E SNP Museum a Renaissance palace. The
Námestie SNP. Tel (048) 412 3258. palace now houses an
Open May–Sep: 9am–6pm Tue–Sun; Ethnography Museum
Oct–Apr: 9am–4pm Tue–Sun. & 8 dating from the 19th century.
SLOVAKIA 307
Gerlachovský Štít VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

The highest peak of
the Tatras range, the Practical Information
2,654-m (8,707-ft) 339 km (210 miles) NE of
high Gerlachovský Štít Bratislava. n Starý Smokovec,
can only be climbed Štrbské Pleso, Tatranská Lomnica,
with the help of a Tatranská Kotlina (052) 442 3440.
professional guide. Open Oct–Apr: 8:30am–4pm
daily; May–Sep: 8am–6pm daily.
∑ tanap.org
Transport
k Poprad-Tatry. £ from Poprad
to Tatranská Lomnica, Starý
Smokovec, Štrbské Pleso.
Lomnický Štít
The second highest peak,
at 2,632 m (8,635 ft), it is
accessible by cable car.
Bukowina
Tatrzanska
10 km (6 miles)
Javorina Ždiar
Kasprov Vrch BE
Vrchy LIA
né
1985 m
(6512 ft) NS
KÉ
e
Červ
Krzesanica
J Švinica TATRY
2122 m 2301 m
(6962 ft) (7549 ft) Spišská Belá
J
16 km (10 miles)
Lomnický štít
J
Kamienista 2632 m
Vel’ká Kopa
2121 m (8635 ft)
2053 m
(6959 ft)
Bystrá (6735 ft)
2248 m J Gerlachovský štít Tatranská
(7375 ft) 2654 m Lomnica
J
Y
ATR Y
(8707 ft)
NĒ T Kriváň
TR
ZĀPAD 2494 m
(8182 ft) VYOSKĒ
TA Starý
Smokovec
Po pr ad
Štrbské
Pleso
Bi el y Vá
lá
Be
Poprad
h
a
bic
14km (9 miles)
Hy
Východná Važec
Hybe
Key
Motorway
Major road
Minor road Starý Smokovec
0 km 5
International This attractive spa complex has several
border 0 miles 3 hotels, pensions and restaurants that blend
Summit well with their woodland surroundings.
Levoča: Town Hall

Radnica
One of Levoča’s most distinguished buildings,
the Town Hall was erected in 1550 in Gothic
style, replacing an earlier building that had been
destroyed by fire. In the early 17th century it was
remodelled along Renaissance lines. The bell
tower dates from 1656–61, with Baroque
The striking Renaissance Thurzo House in decorations added in the 18th century.
the old centre of Levoča
The Neo-Classical pediments were
6 Levoča added in the 19th century. The Town
Hall is still used for civic functions,
* 14,000. £ @ n Námestie and it also houses the main branch
Majstra Pavla 58, (053) 451 3763. of the Spiš Museum on the first floor,
∑ levoca.sk with exhibits on regional history.
The former capital of the
Spiš region, a historic province
populated by Saxon settlers,
Levoča is situated between the
High Tatras and the Slovenské
Rudohorie Mountains. The
town has a well-preserved
historic centre, full of magnificent
Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance
and Neo-Classical buildings.
Its main square, námestie . Arcades
Majstra Pavla, features the The original Town Hall did not have
Gothic Church of St James any galleries. The two-tier arcades
(sv Jakub), containing a set were added to the central part of
of 18 altarpieces and a splendid the building in 1615.
collection of medieval and
Renaissance sacred art. The
main altarpiece, 18.6 m (61 ft) Cage of Disgrace
high, is the world’s tallest Gothic
altar. The tall statues of the
Madonna, St James and St John
the Evangelist are by Master
Pavol of Levoča, an outstanding
sculptor of the late-Gothic
period. To the south of the
church lies the former Town Hall.
The most striking historic
houses around the main
square are the Thurzo House
(Thurzov dom), crowned with
a Renaissance attic, and the
House of Master Pavol of
Levoča, now a museum devoted
to the sculptor’s life and works. The infamous 16th-century Cage
At the edge of the historic of Disgrace
district, the 14th-century Old
The wrought-iron cage by the
Minorites’ Church (Starý kláštor south wall of the Town Hall is
minoritov) has a dazzling the 16th-century Cage of Disgrace,
Baroque interior. in which women, who had
committed minor crimes, were
E House of Master Pavol locked up and put on public Town’s Coat of Arms
of Levoča display. It used to stand in a park The town’s striking coat
Námestie Majstra Pavla 20. belonging to the Probstner family, of arms consists of a red
Tel (053) 451 3496. Open 9am–5pm who gave it to the town in 1933. shield with a double cross
daily (by appt Mon). & ∑ snm.sk supported by two lions.
SLOVAKIA 309
Main Hall
The main hall’s vaulted
ceiling bears witness to
the Gothic origin of the
Námestie Majstra Pavla. Tel (053)
Town Hall.
451 2449. Open 9am–5pm daily.
Spiš Museum: Open 9am–5pm
daily. & ∑ snm.sk
. Council Chamber
In 1998, this room was used for a summit meeting
between the presidents of 11 European countries,
including Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia.
. Wall Paintings
The impressive Renaissance
wall paintings on the south
elevation of the building
depict the civic virtues of
restraint, courage, justice
and patience.
KEY
1 Coat of arms
2 The Spiš Museum, on the first
floor, contains several important
historical artifacts as well as an
exhibition on the town’s history.
3 The Neo-Classical pediments
date from the 19th century.
4 Corner column buttresses were
added in the 19th century to protect
the arches from structural failure.
8 Spiš Castle
Spišskỳ hrad
The ruins of Spiš Castle are part of a historic complex, along
with the small town of Spišské Podhradie (podhradie means
“below the castle”) and Spišská Kapitula to the northwest;
all three are on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.
Spiš Castle was the administrative capital of the Spiš region, a
historic province populated by Saxon settlers. Its oldest parts
date from between the 11th and 12th centuries. In 1780, the
Impressive Church of the Holy Spirit in
castle burned down, but it is now gradually being restored.
Žehra near Spišská Kapitula Most impressive from a distance, it is nonetheless worth a
visit for its spectacular views.
7 Spišská Kapitula
@
The walled, one-street town of

Spišská Kapitula is located on a
ridge, west of Spišské Podhradie.
Since 1776 it has been the seat
of the Spiš bishopric and the
ecclesiastical capital of the Spiš
region. Dominating the town
is the late-Romanesque, twin- Fortress
towered St Martin’s Cathedral, Occupying an area of 4 ha (10 acres), Spiš
(katedrála sv Martina) dating Castle is the remains of the largest fortress
from 1245–75, with two complex in Central Europe. In the 17th
Romanesque portals and the century it had 2,000 inhabitants.
statue of a white lion at the
entrance. The interior has
unique medieval frescoes in
the central nave. The interesting
burial chapel of the Zápolya
family, by the south wall,
dates from the 15th century.
Further along the street stand
the imposing Baroque Bishop’s
Palace with a clock tower, and
a row of Gothic canon houses.
Spišská Kapitula has been on
the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage list since 1993.
Environs
The village of Žehra lies 6 km
(4 miles) southeast of Spišská
Kapitula. It features the historic
UNESCO-protected 13th-century
Romanesque Church of the
Holy Spirit (sv Duch), a white
building with a tower and a
bell, topped with onion-shaped
wooden cupolas. Inside, 13th–
15th-century frescoes cover the
presbytery and a wall of the nave,
and there is a 13th-century
stone font.
Gate
R St Martin’s Cathedral The entrance gate leads to a vast
Open May–Oct: 10am–4:30pm daily, lower courtyard, nearly 300 m (985 ft)
1–4:30pm Sun. & 8 long and 115 m (380 ft) wide.
SLOVAKIA 311
. Castle Chapel VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Six wooden statues
of saints adorn Practical Information
the interior of 405 km (252 miles) NE of Bratislava.
the 15th-century Tel (0) 904 564 290. Open May–
Gothic chapel of Sep: 9am–6pm daily; April & Oct:
the Zápolya family. 10am–6pm daily; Nov: 10am–3pm
The chapel daily. Closed Dec–Mar. 8 Sat
was completely evening tours in Jul & Aug.
renovated in 2003. ∑ spisskyhrad.sk
Transport
Walls
£ @ from Spišské Podhradie.
The Zápolya family, who
owned the castle in the
15th and 16th centuries, had
the defensive walls rebuilt,
reinforced and equipped
with new gun positions.
. Upper Castle
Situated at the highest
point on the hill, the
Upper Castle, with its
Romanesque palace
and tower, was built
in the 13th century.
Burnt down in 1780,
it was not rebuilt.
Kruhová (round) Tower,

dating from the first half
of the 12th century, was
used as a residence and
observation point.
Tournaments
During summer, colourful . Museum
historical pageants and The museum has a range of exhibits,
tournaments are held in including pieces from the castle kitchens,
the castle courtyards, bedrooms and bathrooms as well as
featuring men dressed from the medieval torture room and
as knights. castle armoury.
9 Košice St Urban, the patron saint of

viniculture, as wine production
Slovakia’s second largest city, Košice has roots reaching back has always been a source of
to the 12th century. At the crossroads of major trade routes, Košice’s wealth. St Urban’s bell
it was granted the same town privileges as the then capital was cast in 1557 and installed
inside the tower; the tower itself
of Hungary, Buda, in 1347. In 1369, King Louis the Great gave was remodelled in Renaissance
the town its coat of arms, making it the first town in Europe style in 1628.
to receive this by royal decree. Due to its proximity to the
Hungarian border, Košice has always had a large Hungarian R St Elizabeth’s Cathedral
population. The most interesting sights in the city are clustered Hlavná 28. Tel (055) 622 1555.
Open 9am–5pm, daily. 5 8
within its large and superbly restored historic centre. ∑ dom.rimkat.sk
The largest church in Slovakia,
St Elizabeth’s Cathedral (Dóm
sv Alžbety) dominates the
main square. Begun in 1378,
the church is an achievement
of the popular European
Gothic style. The main, western
façade was meant to have
two towers, but by 1477 only
one had been built. In 1508
work was completed on the
beautifully vaulted presbytery.
Not until 1775 was the second
The Plague Column and beautiful houses in Hlavná tower of the cathedral built,
topped with an impressive
P Hlavná was built between 1897 and Rococo copper cupola.
This lovely avenue, full of shops 1899, to a design by Hungarian The present form of the
and cafés, makes for an enjoyable architect Adolf Lang. Its lofty church is the result of the
stroll. The most striking of its dome is topped with the torch- intricate reconstruction that
buildings are the Gothic Levoča bearing figure of Dawn. The began in the late 19th century,
House (Levočský dom) and the interior, with its beautiful when it was restored to its
Old Town Hall, its façade deco- auditorium and lyre-shape floor former appearance, close to
rated with sculptures of ancient plan, features a magnificent the original design. Inside, the
heroes by Anton Kraus (1705– ceiling with paintings of scenes spectacular main altarpiece has
1752). Built between 1722 and from Shakespeare’s works. 48 panels. The relief work
1723, the Plague Column is The foyer and the rest over the north and west
Košice’s most beautiful piece of the theatre are doors is also impressive.
of Baroque sculpture. richly decorated
with stuccoes. R St Michael’s
P State Theatre Chapel
Hlavná 58. Tel (055) 622 1231. P Singing Fountain Hlavná 26.
Open performances only. ∑ sdke.sk Hlavné námestie. Open 9am–5pm, daily. 5
The imposing building of the In the square The chapel of
State Theatre (Štátné divadlo) between the theatre Detail from St Michael (sv Michal)
and St Elizabeth’s St Elizabeth’s Cathedral was built in the 14th
Cathedral is the century, on the site of
Singing Fountain (Spievajúca a cemetery south of St Elizabeth’s
fontána), which spouts water Cathedral. The lower section of
to music. At night, the pearly the building served as an ossuary,
jets are lit up by coloured lights while the upper section was
that change with the rhythm used to celebrate masses for the
of the music. The fountain is souls of the dead. During the
at the centre of a narrow water 16th century, the chapel was
channel that runs the length converted into a storehouse for
of the square. weapons and ammunition when
the Turks threatened to invade.
P Urban Tower In the early 20th century, 17 old
Hlavná. Tel (055) 832 4576. tombstones from the cemetery
Open noon–4pm Tue–Sun. were built into the chapel walls.
The Singing Fountain in front of the ornate The 14th-century Urban Tower Highlights of the interior include
State Theatre (Urbanova veža) is dedicated to the altarpiece depicting
SLOVAKIA 313
St Michael the this church VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Archangel, the lovely (Univerzitný kostol
stone tabernacle, and šv Trojice) was Practical Information
above the sacristy built in 1681 by 445 km (277 miles) NE of
door, the oldest coat the Jesuit order. Bratislava. * 240,000. n Hlavná
of arms of Košice. Its austere, early- 59, (055) 625 8888. ∑ kosice.sk
Baroque façade, Transport
u Former Bas-relief from the Jesuit bearing traces of k 6 km (4 miles) SE of centre.
Synagogue Church’s façade the Renaissance £ Staničné námestie.
Puškinova. style, hides a lavishly @ Staničné námestie.
The Former Synagogue was furnished interior, which includes
built between 1926 and 1927. a 17th-century pulpit and stalls
In 1992, a bronze memorial and a 19th-century main altar. is the “golden treasure of Košice” –
plaque was added to the front The central nave and side a huge find of nearly 3,000 gold
of the building to commemorate chapels are beautifully decorated coins dating from the 15th to
over 12,000 Jews who were with magnificent trompe the 17th centuries.
taken from Košice to concen- l’oeil paintings.
tration camps in 1944.
E East Slovak Museum
P Executioner’s Bastion Hviezdoslavova 3. Tel (055) 622 0309.
Hrnčiarska 7. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat, 9am–1pm
The bastion (Katova bašta) takes Sun. & ∑ vsmuzeum.sk
its name from a nearby house, One of Slovakia’s oldest
which was once the home of the museums, the East Slovak
city’s hangman. This semicircular Museum (Východoslovenské
structure was built around 1500 múzeum) was established in
and served defence purposes, 1872 as the Upper Hungary
with eight cannon chambers set Museum. Its vast collections,
in its walls. The lower section of numbering half a million exhibits,
the bastion is reinforced with are displayed in an early 20th-
slanting buttresses. century Neo-Renaissance
building. The impressive façade
R Jesuit Church is decorated with the town’s
Junction of Hlavná & Univerzitna. coat of arms and carved figures
One of the finest remaining of Perseus and Vulcan. The The Neo-Renaissance building housing the
Baroque structures in the city, museum’s greatest attraction East Slovak Museum
Košice City Centre

1 Hlavná
2 State Theatre NÁMESTIE
East Slovak
MARATÓNU Museum
3 Singing Fountain MIÉRU
A
VOV
4 Urban Tower SLA
ZDO
H V IE
5 St Elizabeth’s Cathedral IKO
VA
BAC
HLA
KASÁRENSKÉ
6 St Michael’s Chapel NÁMESTIE
ŠT
VN
7 Former Synagogue
EF
Á
IČN
ÁN
Á
ZBROJ N
8 Executioner’s Bastion
IK
Á
KO
DN
MÄI
OV
9 Jesuit Church VO
VÁ Č
MOYZESO
A
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0 East Slovak Museum

SKA
Mestsky
SKA
HRN
LA
BIE Park
ČIA
VA
VA
Executioner’s
PO ŠT O
RSK
Jesuit Church Bastion

A
ERZITN
HRADBO VÁ
UNIV
Levoča
State Theatre House
ORL
Á
NSK
Singing Fountain M LY
IA
CY RIL ME TO D EJS K Á HLAVNÉ Urban Tower Former

NÁMESTÍE Synagogue
St Elizabeth’s Cathedral Old Town
PUŠ
Hall
A
A St Michael’s Chapel Railway and

E T IN
K IN
SK
ALŽB NÁMESTIE
Bus Stations
ÁR
OV
SLOBODY 300 m (330 yards)

ON
A
ZV
HLA
VRÁ A
TN OV
0 metres 300 A E LT
EV
TIMONOVA OS
VNÁ
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0 yards 300 Airport
VA
INO 6 km (4 miles)
P R IB

Practical & Travel Information centres (although very few) it

is even possible to book acco-
Slovakia is a visitor-friendly destination. Numerous historic mmodation. The Bratislavská
sights, good roads, efficient internal transport, tasty local Informačná Služba (BIS) in
food and a wide choice of accommodation options have Bratislava is specifically set up
to help visitors, providing maps
contributed to the steadily growing number of visitors to and booking information.
the country. A good network of tourist information offices, However, almost none of
found in almost every town and village, also helps to provide the maps, guidebooks and
invaluable information and assistance to travellers. information brochures that
can be obtained from tourist
information offices are free of
When to Visit cheques, cash or credit cards, charge; the best visitors can
Slovakia can be visited for each day of their intended hope to be given for free are
throughout the year. Spring stay (this also applies to children). a few pamphlets.
and autumn are good times This rule is, however, applied to Tourist information offices are
for nature enthusiasts to visit – EU citizens only in exceptional usually open from 9am to 5pm,
ideal for mountain hikes, bike circumstances. The sum may although some of them close
tours and cave exploration. be reduced on presentation of for an hour at lunchtime. On
Summertime is excellent for documents confirming advance Saturdays many offices close at
swimming in the numerous payment for some services, such 1pm, and many remain closed
pools and bathing centres, and as hotel bookings or car hire. on Sundays. The staff usually
indulging in water sports on its Customs regulations do speak English and German.
many artificial lakes. In winter, not apply to visitors from within
Slovakia tempts visitors with its the EU as long as they stay
excellent ski slopes as well as within the EU guidelines Health and Security
more unusual attractions such for personal use. In emergencies and life-
as swimming in outdoor threatening situations, EU
thermal pools. nationals with an EHIC
Visitor Information (European Health Insurance
Local tourist information Card) are entitled to free
Documentation centres provide details on medical treatment, but in all
Nationals of EU countries may accommodation and the other cases, hospitalization
enter Slovakia on presenting a region’s attractions, as well as or medical help has to be
valid passport or ID card, but if popular cultural and sporting paid for. Lekareň (pharmacies)
they intend to stay in the country events. The most reliable can be found in all towns and
for more than 90 days, they are information can be obtained from villages and are open from
required to report to the police the Asociácia Informačných 8am to 6pm. Large towns
and apply for a resident’s permit. Centier Slovenska (AICES) also have 24-hour pharmacies.
Australian, New Zealand, US, affiliated offices. Visitors to Slovakia do not
Canadian and Japanese citizens Many places also have require any immunizations or
can stay in the country without their own information centres vaccinations. Drinking water is
a visa for a period of 90 days. providing similar services. These safe but mineral water is also
Foreigners entering the may also sell parking permits widely available.
country have to carry €56.40, or and local discount cards to In Slovakia, crime directed at
the equivalent in any convertible tourists and exchange foreign visitors remains relatively rare.
currency, in the form of traveller’s currency. In some of these Slovaks would usually prefer to
resolve disagreements by way
of negotiation rather than open
The Climate of Slovakia BRATISLAVA confrontation. The best way for
Slovakia has a continental 23/73
visitors to protect themselves
climate with warm summers against losing documents, cash
°C/F 16/61 16/61 15/59 or other valuables is for them
and cold winters. Temperatures
in summer, between June to take a few basic precautions
6/43 7/45
and August, can reach to safeguard belongings,
2/36
20° C (68° F), and fall to 0°C particularly in crowded places.
32°F -3/27
-2° C (28° F) in winter, between
November and February.
Spring and autumn usually 7 hrs 9 hrs 5 hrs 2 hrs Facilities for the Disabled
experience mild and Facilities for the disabled are
42 73 54 43
pleasant weather. limited in Slovakia, although
mm mm mm mm
month Apr Jul Oct Jan buildings are gradually being
adapted to their needs. Most
trains have wheelchair access
SLOVAKIA 315
to at least one carriage, but it efficient, but not all public is 12 km (7 miles) from the
is often difficult to get through telephones allow international city centre. Vienna’s airport
the station to reach the carriage. calls. Those that do not allow also operates a bus service
outgoing calls to international to Bratislava.
and mobile numbers are
Banking and Currency marked with an orange sticker.
The national currency of Post offices can be found in Rail Travel
Slovakia is the euro. Most Slovak all towns and larger villages. Trains in Slovakia are run by ŽSR
banks are open from 8am to A poste restante service is (Želenice Slovenskej Republiky).
5pm and accept traveller’s available in the main post office Travelling by train is more
cheques, which can also be in every major town and city. comfortable than by coach, but
cashed in exchange bureaus. An it should be stressed that stand-
increasing number of services ard fares on international train
and retail outlets now accept Arriving by Air routes are usually very high – so
credit card payments. It is easy Bratislava’s M R Štefánika Airport travelling by air might not cost
to find a bank for exchanging is served by airlines from all over much more. Discounted fares
or withdrawing money in towns Europe, but the most popular may be available on advance
and tourist resorts. The most are Air Slovakia, Czech Airlines, bookings or with concessions.
common are branches of large Austrian Airlines, Ryanair, Slovakia’s principal station is the
banks such as Slovenská Aeroflot, Lufthansa and KLM. Bratislava Main Train Station.
Sporitel’ňa, VÚB and Tatra Visitors to southern Slovakia
Banka. Slovak banks are generally can fly to Vienna’s Schwechat
open from 8am to 5pm. International Airport, less Travelling by Coach
than 50 km (30 miles) from the Visitors can travel to Slovakia
border, while those heading for by coaches operated by inter-
Communications northern Slovakia can consider national carriers. These run
Slovak telephone and postal taking a flight to Krakow in scheduled services between
services are widely available Poland, which is closer than Autobusová Stanica Bratislava
and efficient and are usually Bratislava, and head south and major European cities.
open from 8am to 5pm. Public from there. Travelling by coach is generally
phones are mostly in good Low-cost airlines offer a less expensive than by air, but
working order, and making a good range of deals on flights it may be less comfortable,
local or international call is fairly to Prague, Brno, Bratislava and takes much longer. The
easy. Payphones in Slovakia are and Krakow in Poland, and coaches on international
both coin- and card-operated. the number of routes is steadily routes are well equipped
The service is quick and increasing. Bratislava’s airport with air conditioning.
DIRECTORY
Documentation United States VÚB Schwechat
Hviezdoslavovo námestie Mlynské Nivy 1, 82990, International Airport
∑ slovakia.org
4, 811 02, Bratislava. Bratislava. ∑ viennaairport.com
∑ ec.europa.eu Tel (02) 5443 3338. ∑ vub.sk
Visitor Rail Travel
Emergency
Information Numbers Arriving by Air Bratislava Main Train
∑ slovakia.travel Ambulance Aeroflot Station
Tel 155, 112. ∑ aeroflot.ru Predstaničné námestie
Asociácia
1, Bratislava.
Informačných Centier Fire Austrian Airlines
Tel (02) 18 188.
Slovenska Tel 150, 112. ∑ astrian.com
ŽSR
∑ aices.sk Police Czech Airlines
∑ slovakrail.sk
Tel 158, 112. ∑ czechairlines.com
Bratislavská
Informačná Služba Banking and KLM Travelling by
Currency ∑ klm.com Coach
∑ bkis.sk
Slovenská Sporitel’ňa Lufthansa Autobusová Stanica
Embassies Nám Snp 18, Bratislava. ∑ lufthansa.com Bratislava
∑ slsp.sk Mlynské Nivy
United Kingdom M R Štefánika Airport
Tatra Banka 31, 821 09, Bratislava.
Panská 16, 814 99, ∑ letiskobratislava.sk
Hodžovo námestie 3, Tel (02) 18 211,
Bratislava. Bratislava. Ryanair (02) 5542 2734.
Tel (02) 5998 2000. ∑ tatrabanka.sk ∑ ryanair.com ∑ slovaklines.sk
Shopping & Entertainment relatively inexpensive. The

bottled Slovak Zlatý bažant
Shops in Slovakia range from small local outlets and stalls in beer is excellent.
bazaars and markets to department stores and supermarkets
belonging to large international chains. The country is famed Nightlife
for its handcrafted goods such as traditional clothing, table- Bratislava pulsates with life
cloths, lace, wooden or china figurines, sculptures, ceramics around the clock. From April
and paintings. Slovakia also has wide-ranging cultural until early October countless
entertainment that should satisfy most visitors. There are outdoor bars and music venues
scores of theatres, cinemas, clubs, concert halls, art galleries spring up around the city. The
focus of social life in the evenings
and museums. Visitors can catch world-class artistes in
is the bars and pubs in Korzo,
larger cities, or traditional folk festivals in provincial areas. on the outskirts of the Old
Town. Visitors interested in
partying can venture into a
Opening Hours make superb and unique fashionable discotheque or
Shops in Slovakia are generally souvenirs that last for decades. visit one of the capital’s music
open from 9am to 6pm, although Traditional arts and crafts clubs housed, for example,
some food stores open as early products can be bought in post-Communist nuclear
as 6am and do not close until relatively easily in larger towns shelters. The flourishing nightlife
8 or 9pm. Some shops are open and tourist resorts at shops is encouraged by the relatively
on Saturdays and Sundays, such as Folk – Folk (see Art low prices of drinks.
usually till 1pm. Most shops and Antiques) in Bratislava. The best-known and most
no longer close for lunch and UL’UV Stores (Centre for Folk popular clubs and discos in
remain open all day. Art Production) is a chain of Bratislava include: 17’s Bar and
stores specializing in Slovak Harley Davidson for rock, Café
handicrafts that has branches Kút for reggae, Jazz Café for jazz,
Markets in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica Subclub or Trafo for disco, Casa
In many Slovak towns and and Trnava. del Havana for a salsa party and
villages the traditional market Randal for punk and rock n’ roll.
day is Saturday. This is the best Nightlife is not limited to the
opportunity to buy fresh local Art and Antiques capital city – those who enjoy
fruit, vegetables and meat. The Slovakia is renowned for its spending their time in clubs
most famous Christmas market colourful ceramicware. Majolica can also find something to their
takes place in Hlavné námestie from Modra (western Slovakia) liking in Košice, Trnava and in the
and Františkánské námestie is sold in most towns, although foothills of the Tatras, although
(see pp292–3), the twin central the best selection is available the entertainment on offer is
market squares in Bratislava. in Benekit v.o.s., Corvus, Folk – rather modest compared with
Slovak markets are also a great Folk and LÚČ Vydavatelské that in Bratislava. Inevitably,
place to taste local delicacies, Družstvo in Bratislava. Bratislava offers the most vibrant
such as lokša (potato pancakes) Starožitnosti (antique shops) gay and lesbian nightlife. Two
and langoš (fried garlic cakes) are found in most towns, and established gay clubs there are
and sample local wines. there are many interesting D4 and Apollon Gay Club.
items that can be picked up
for a good price. U Žofky
Handicrafts in Bratislava also offers an Music and Theatre
Slovakia is rich in culture and array of antiques. The main establishments
traditions, most of which have associated with classical music,
been carefully preserved by opera and ballet have their
the conscientious people. Food and Drink homes in the capital, Bratislava.
Typical crafts include Shops sell a variety of traditional The Slovak Philharmonic
handmade dolls dressed in local food products, including Orchestra is housed in the
traditional costume, embroidered a varied and delicious range of Neo-Baroque Reduta (see p298)
tablecloths, carved wooden cheeses and a wide variety building, while the country’s
figurines, painted Easter eggs, of wines, beers and spirits. best opera and ballet theatre
dolls made of dried corn leaves Sheep cheeses to try include is the Slovak National Theatre.
or wire, and secular or religious bryndza, smoked oštiepky and Of the 24 national theatres
paintings on glass, wood or steamed parenica. Those who in Slovakia, a few, such as the
ceramic. Slovak artists are also enjoy good liquor might like Hungarian Theatre and Romany
renowned for their woodcarvings, to bring home a few bottles Theatre in Košice, give perfor-
mostly depicting nativity figures of local wine, liqueurs, the mances in foreign languages,
and saints. Hand-carved nativity famous plum brandy slivovica however, there are not many
scenes are quite expensive but or cognac. They are all performances in English. The
SLOVAKIA 317
contemporary Astorka Theatre autumn. The best-known Visitors are advised to visit
in Bratislava is marvellous. Other Slovak festival of popular music tourist offices for the most
theatres there include Radošin is Bratislava Lyre, which was one up-to-date information.
Naive Theatre, GUnaGU and of the flagship national entertain-
Aréna. Slovakia also hosts a ment events under Communist
number of international theatre rule, and is now a nationwide Folk Festivals
festivals, including the biennial song festival. The Jewish folklore Most folk festivals take place
Bábkarska Bystrica (festival of music group Pressburger in summer. The International
puppet theatres), held during Klezmer Band often perform Historic Fencing Festival in
March–April in Banská Bystrica, at festivals. Trenčín (Jul–Aug), Červený Kameń
and the annual Divadelná Nitra, The free English-language Castle (May), Levice (Jun) and
held in Nitra in September. weekly The Slovak Spectator and Banská Bystrica (Sep), draws the
Numerous music events the monthly magazine What’s biggest crowds. The Janošíkove
and festivals also take place on – Bratislava & Slovakia are Dni (Janosik’s Days) folklore
throughout Slovakia. The most good sources of information festival, held in July–August in
prominent are the Bratislava about the events in the capital Terchova, is also popular, with
Music Festival and Bratislava and around the country, and art, theatre and book presen-
Jazz Days, both held in the contain some good reviews. tations as well as music.
DIRECTORY
Handicrafts Nightlife Trafo Hungarian Theatre
Venturska 1, Bratislava. Thalia Mojmirova 3, 04001
UL’UV Stores 17’s Bar Košice.
Hviezdoslavovo námestie Tel (02) 2092 2744.
Main store: Obchodná Tel (055) 622 5866.
17, 811 22 Bratislava. ∑ trafo.sk ∑ thaliaszinhaz.sk
64, 816 11 Bratislava.
Tel (09) 0363 7038.
Tel (02) 5273 1351. Pressburger
Apollon Gay Club
Music and Klezmer Band
Other branches: Panenská 24, Theatre ∑ klezmer.sk
Dolná 14, 974 01 820 00 Bratislava.
Aréna Radošin Naive
Banská Bystrica. Tel (02) 9154 8031. Theatre
Tel (04) 8412 3657. ∑ apollon-gay-club.sk Viedenská Cesta 10,
Škultétyho 5,
851 01 Bratislava. 831 04 Bratislava.
Hlavná 5, 917 00 Trnava. Café Kút
Zámočnická 11, Tel (02) 6720 2557. Tel (02) 5556 3508.
Tel (03) 3551 3684.
∑ uluv.sk 811 03 Bratislava. Astorka Theatre Romany Theatre
Tel (02) 5443 4957. Stefanikova 4,
Nám Snp 33 Bratislava.
Art and Antiques Casa del Havana
040 01 Košice.
Tel (02) 5441 2245. Tel (055) 622 4980.
Pod Michalskou
Corvus ∑ astorka.sk ∑ romathan.sk
Bránou, Bratislava.
Europalia 24, 945 01 Tel (02) 9107 97222. Slovak National
Bábkarska Bystrica
Komárno, Bratislava. Theatre
D4 Marionet’s Festival
Tel (02) 9035 72125. Hviezdoslavovo Nám 1,
Jedlíkova 9, 811 06 ∑ BDNR.sk 811 02 Bratislava.
Folk – Folk Bratislava. Tel (02) 2047 2111.
Bratislava Jazz Days ∑ snd.sk
Obchodná 24, Harley Davidson
∑ bjd.sk
811 01 Bratislava. Rebarborová 1, Slovak Philharmonic
Tel (02) 5443 4874. 821 07 Bratislava. Bratislava Music Orchestra
Tel (02) 4319 1094. Festival Palackého 2,
I.N.A. Business 811 02 Bratislava.
Jazz Café Michalská 10, Tel (02) 5920 8233.
Obchodná 60,
Ventúrska 5, 811 01 811 03 Bratislava. ∑ filharm.sk
Bratislava.
Bratislava. Tel (02) 5443
Tel (02) 5443 0378.
LÚČ Vydavatelské 4661. ∑ jazz-cafe.sk Folk Festivals
∑ bhsfestival.sk
Družstvo Randal Club Jánošíkove Dni
Špitalská 7, Karpatská 2, Bratislava. Divadelná Nitra (Jánošik’s Days)
813 59 Bratislava. Tel (02) 9077 49413. Festival ∑ janosikovedni.sk
∑ randalclub.eu ∑ nitrafest.sk
Tel (02) 6042 1233. International Historic
Subclub GUnaGU Fencing Festival
U Žofky
NábrArm. Gen. L. ∑ serm.sk
Michalska 5, Na Františkánskom
Svobodu, Bratislava.
811 01 Bratislava. Tel (02) 5411 1183. námestie 7, Bratislava.
Tel (02) 5443 1994. ∑ subclub.sk Tel (02) 5443 3335.
Where to Stay
this modern hotel carries Price Guide
Bratislava the theme inside with retro Prices are based on one night’s stay in
furnishings and inspired decor. high season for a standard double room,
Hostel Blues €
Hostel Map E3 € under €70
Špitálska 2, 811 08 DK Choice €€ €70 to €120
€€€ over €120
Tel 905 204 020 Marrol's Boutique €€€
∑ hostelblues.sk Boutique Map D5
This centrally located hostel has Tobrucká 4, 811 02 KOŠICE: Yasmin €€
bunk-bed dorms, private doubles, Tel (02) 5778 4600 Boutique
comfortable social areas and live ∑ hotelmarrols.sk Tyršovo nábrežie 1, 040 01
blues or jazz concerts in its bar. One of the most exclusive Tel (055) 795 1100
hotels of the city, Marrol’s is ∑ hotel-yasmin.sk
Arcadia €€ located close to the exit from Stylish ten-storey hotel with
Historic Map C4 the Old Bridge. It offers ultra- a modern design and pleasing
Františkánska 3, 811 01 modern conveniences, and interiors. It offers comfortable,
Tel (02) 5949 0500 impeccable service. Rooms spacious rooms, a wellness
∑ www.arcadia-hotel.sk and apartments have retro- centre and is well-equipped
High ceilings, rich textiles and old- styled furnishings and come for holding large conferences.
school furnishings characterize this in a variety of sizes. Outstanding
plush pied-a-terre in the Old Town. restaurant, well-equipped gym LEVOČA: Arkada €
and business facilities. Historic
Loft €€ Námestie Majstra Pavla 26, 054 01
Boutique Tel (053) 451 2372
Štefánikova 864/4, 811 05 ∑ arkada.sk
Tel (02) 5751 1000 Bright and airy en suites
∑ lofthotel.sk Rest of Slovakia on Levoča's evocative Town
Loft combines a modern and a Square, in a lovely building
19th-century building through BOJNICE: Kaskada € that dates back to the late
a central atrium and offers sleek Resort Middle Ages.
modern rooms. Located close to Jánošiková 1301/24, 972 01
the city centre. Tel (046) 518 3010 SPIŠSKÉ PODHRADIE: Hotel
∑ www.kaskada.sk Kapitula €
Tatra €€ A modern hotel with its own Historic
Historic Map C2 aquapark, Kaskada offers plush Spišská Kapitula 15, 053 04
Nám. 1 Mája, 811 06 fully equipped rooms and a wide Tel (053) 454 2581
Tel (02) 5927 2111 range of facilities. ∑ hotelkapitula.eu
∑ hoteltatra.sk In a 15th-century historic
Located centrally, this 1930s KOŠICE: Bankov €€ Gothic building in the
hotel offers modern rooms, many Boutique immediate vicity of several
with views of the presidential Dolny Bankov 2, 040 01 cultural monuments; offers
palace on Hodžovo námestie. Tel (055) 632 4522 spacious well-styled en suites
∑ hotelbankov.sk and facilities for events and
Mamaison Sulekova €€ Situated beside the woods on conferences.
Luxury the outskirts of the town, Bankov
Šulekova 20, 811 06 is a romantic retreat with plush STARY SMOKOVEC: Grand Hotel
Tel (02) 5910 0200 rooms, a stylish restaurant and Stary Smokovec €
∑ mamaison.com a spa centre. Luxury
Close to the Bratislava Castle, the Stary Smokovec 38, 062 01
Mamaison offers well-equipped Tel (052) 478 0000
apartments with modern kitchens ∑ www.grandhotel.sk
and swish bathrooms. The Grand occupies a lovely,
Carpathian-style half-timbered
Park Inn €€ 1904 building right in the heart
Luxury Map C5 of the Stary Smokovec mountain
Rybné námestie 1, 811 02 resort. The interior retains many
Tel (02) 5934 0000 original Art Nouveau fittings and
∑ parkinn.com/hotel-bratislava the rooms are richly furnished.
Located in the central Spa facilities on site.
pedestrianized zone, the ParkInn
has plush rooms, fitness centre, TRNAVA: Penzion u Mami €
indoor pool and meeting facilities. B&B
Jeruzalemská 3, 917 01
Tulip House €€ Tel (033) 535 4216
Historic Map D4 ∑ penzionumami.sk
Štúrova 15/10, 811 02 Located on a quiet street near
Tel (02) 3217 1819 the Cathedral of St John the
∑ tuliphousehotel.com Baptist, this hotel offers 11
In an Art Nouveau building that Spacious and comfortable bedroom at comfortably furnished rooms
has a tulip design on the facade, Bankov, Košice as well as a few apartments.

Price Guide
Bratislava Prices are based on a three-course meal
Bistro St Germain €
French € under €15
Rajská 7, 811 08 €€ €15 to €30
€€€ over €30
Tel 911 331 999
Bistro-by-day and café-by-night,
the cosy St Germain is popular
for its sandwiches, burgers and DK Choice
salads. Live music at weekends. KOŠICE: Med Malina €€
Slovak
Bratislavsky Mestiansky Hlavná 81, 040 01
Pivovar € Tel (055) 622 0397
Brewery Restaurant Map D4 Perfect for sampling East Slovak
Dunajska 21, 811 06 specialities, Med Malina has
Tel 948 710 888 Spectacular location of UFO at the top of a dining room that looks like
A large beer hall with a spacious Nový Most, Bratislava granny's parlour, complete
garden, serves meaty goulash, with wooden sideboards and
steaks and grilled sausages. poultry, served with inventive hanging clumps of garlic. Try
Wash them down with their combinations of spices the pirohy: pastry parcels stuffed
own brew: the Bratislavsky and vegetables. with meat, potato, cabbage or
Ležiak pilsener beer. cottage cheese. Dishes like
Le Monde €€€ bigos (meat and cabbage stew)
Modra Hviezda €€ French Map C4 and zurekk (rye soup) betray the
Slovak Map B5 Rybárská Brána 8, 811 01 influence of nearby Poland.
Behlavého 11, 811 01 Tel (02) 5441 5411
Tel 948 703 070 Situated in a historic house in
Enjoy traditional poultry, rabbit or the Old Town that offers fantastic LEVOČA: Reštaurácia u 3
game dishes and local wines in a views from the terrace, Le Monde Apoštolov €
brick cellar environ or beside the serves sophisticated French Slovak
cobbled Behlavého Lane. cuisine with an innovative Námestie Majstra Pavla 11, 054 01
contemporary angle. Tel (053) 451 4352
This elegant restaurant in the
DK Choice UFO €€€ centre of town, offers traditional
Pivnica u Zlatej Husy €€ Fusion Slovak cuisine, a vast selection of
Slovak Nový Most, 851 01 freshwater fish as well as a choice
Pezinská 2, Slovensky Grob, 900 26 Tel (02) 6252 0300 of vegetarian dishes.
Tel 905 525 417 Located at the top of the pylon
The village of Slovensky Grob on Nový Most (New Bridge), the SPIŠSKÁ NOVA VES:
is famous for the roast goose stylish UFO offers Mediterranean– Nostalgie €€
served at its rustic inns of which Asian fusion cuisine, cocktails and International
the 'Golden Goose Tavern' is delicious desserts. Breathtaking Letná 49, 052 01
one of the most famous. The views too. Tel (053) 441 4144
goose is usually served whole A historic restaurant with a
(sufficient for a group), although contemporary global menu,
you can also order individual Nostalgie offers Mexican, Italian
cuts. Lokša (potato pancakes) Rest of Slovakia and Creole options together with
is the traditional side-order. local freshwater fish and poultry.
BANSKA BYSTRICA: Hotel Be sure to save room for dessert.
Šactička €
FouZoo €€€ Slovak STARY SMOKOVEC:
Fusion Šachtićky 34, 974 01 Lefevre €€€
Ševčenkova 34, 851 01 Tel (048) 414 1911 International
Tel 901 747 477 Overlooking wooded mountain Stary Smokovec 25, 062 01
Japanese fusion restaurant slopes, this hotel restaurant is a Tel (052) 478 0000
serving top class sushi and an great place to enjoy freshwater With high ceilings and a classy
appetizing variety of steak or fish, lamb, game, dumpling- air, this elegant restaurant in the
seafood mains. Arty interiors dishes and other Slovak staples. Grand Hotel, serves traditional
influencesd by contemporary Slovak and European–Asian
and retro science-fiction. KOŠICE: Golem € fusion cuisine.
Brewery Restaurant
Messina €€€ Dominikánske námestie 15, 040 01 TRNAVA: Patriot €€
International Map D5 Tel (055) 728 9102 International
Tobrucká 4, 811 02 Choose between the wood- Jeruzalemska 12, 917 01
Tel (02) 5778 4600 floored beer hall and the summer Tel (033) 551 2511
Warm colours and chandeliers garden for traditional Slovak This homely bar-restaurant offers
set the tone for creative cuisine pub food: smoked beef tongue, bistro fare that includes Italian
that changes seasonally. Expect grilled pork and chicken backed pastas, risottos, juicy steaks, roast
the best cuts of meat and by locally brewed ales. fowl and Slovak dumpling dishes.
HUNGARY
Unique to Central Europe, Hungary is peopled by descendants of Magyars, a
race from Central Asia who settled here in the 9th century. In recent times, the
country has fought against Ottoman, German, Austrian and Soviet occupiers,
yet its indigenous culture remains intact. In 1989 Hungary became the first
Eastern Bloc country to embrace Western-style democracy.
Hungary has a varied landscape, with the Lombards and the Avars. The
forests and mountains dominating the ancestors of the modern Hungarians, the
north and a vast plain covering the rest Magyars, migrated from the Urals in 896,
of the country. The Tisza river and its under the leadership of Prince Árpád,
tributaries shape the eastern regions, whose dynasty lasted until 1301, when
while the west has Lake Balaton, one of King András III died without leaving an
the largest lakes in Europe. The mighty heir. The throne then passed to a series of
Danube flows through the heart of the foreign kings, but the country flourished,
country, bisecting the capital, Budapest, and during the reign of Mátyás Corvinus
where one-fifth of the population lives. (r. 1458–90) it became the greatest
monarchy in Central Europe. The Ottomans
History won a major victory at the Battle of Mohács
In AD 100 the Romans established in 1526. They returned to capture
the town of Aquincum near modern- Buda in 1541, which became the capital
day Budapest, and ruled the area, then of Ottoman Hungary. To quell their
called Pannonia, for three centuries. advance, the Austrians, under Ferdinand
They withdrew completely following of Habsburg, occupied western Hungary,
the arrival of the Huns in the early 5th while the central plains stayed under
century. After the death of Attila the Hun Ottoman control; the eastern region,
in 453, the area was ruled by the Goths, including Transylvania, became
View from Castle Hill across the Danube, with the Parliament visible beyond Elizabeth Bridge, Budapest
The popular Szechenyi thermal baths
a semi-autonomous land, tied was ruthlessly upheld, most visibly

to the Ottomans. Christian armies in 1956 when demonstrations were
led by the Habsburgs finally crushed by Soviet tanks. Nevertheless,
defeated the Ottomans in free elections took place
1686. Economic prosperity in 1989, resulting in victory
came with Austrian rule, for the democratic oppo-
but nationalism was sup- sition. Since then, the
pressed, which led to a country has invested in
major uprising in 1848. After tourism, which is now a
crushing the rebellion, major source of income.
Emperor Franz Joseph I
sought to unite the two Language and Culture
nations, and so created the Modern Hungarian
Dual Monarchy of Austro- derives from a language
Hungary in 1867. Following Mátyás Corvinus (1440–90), originally spoken by the
World War I, the Habsburg King of Hungary Finno-Ugric tribes of
Empire was dismantled, and the Urals. Traditional
Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory peasant culture was all but destroyed
to the “successor states” of Yugoslavia, in the 20th century, but folk songs and
Czechoslovakia and Romania. It was to dances still survive.
regain these territories that Hungary Musically, the country has produced
backed Germany in World War II, but several famous composers, including
in 1945 Budapest was occupied by the Franz Liszt and Béla Bartók, while in
Soviets. The subsequent Communist rule literature, powerful voices include
Exploring Hungary
Located in the heart of Central Europe, Budapest is the perfect base
for exploring Hungary. Szentendre, with its Serbian religious art, is
Vienna
a short drive north. Pécs, a treasure trove of European history,
A4
lies to the south, while the popular town of Eger in the Mosonmagyaróvár
wine-producing area is to the east. The country has an Fertő-Hanság 1 Danube

National Park Győr 1
excellent rail network, fares are reasonable and the
M
Sopron
1
Fertőd M1
road infrastructure has expanded in recent years. 85 Csorna
AUST R I A
Pannonhalma
84
86
83
Abbey
81
Kőszeg Ráb
a
Sárvár
Szombathely
Sights at a Glance
82
Herend 8
87
8
1 Budapest pp324–43 r Kőszeg
8 71
2 Szentendre pp344–6 t Sárvár Veszprém
84
76
3 Gödöllő y Veszprém pp354–5 Lake Balaton Tihany
4 Vác u Siófok Tour

76
Zalaegerszeg
ton Siófok
5 Visegrád i Lake Balaton Tour Keszthely Bala
Lake
86
65
75 75
6 Nagybörzsöny and pp356–7 SLOVENIA M7
74
67
Duna-Ipoly National o Keszthely pp358–61 M7

0
61
Park p Pécs pp362–3 Nagykanizsa

Kaposvár
7 Esztergom pp348–9 a Kecskemét pp364–5 61
8 Székesfehérvár s Bükk National Park pp366–7

66
67
9 Pannonhalma Abbey d Eger pp368–71 Nagyatád
0 Győr f Lake Tisza

68
Pécs
g Debrecen
C R OATIA
q Fertőd
58
6 Szigetvár
w Fertő-Hanság h Hortobágy and Hortobágy
National Park National Park
e Sopron j Szeged
HUNGARY 323
KEY DATES IN HUNGARIAN HISTORY

c. AD 100 Romans establish Aquincum
c. 410 Huns overrun the region
896 Magyar tribes arrive
1001 Coronation of Stephen I (István), Hungary’s first king
1300s Angevin rule begins
1458–90 Reign of Mátyás Corvinus
1526 Ottomans win the Battle of Mohács
1526–41 Ottomans conquer Buda three times
1541 Start of Ottoman rule
1686 Habsburg troops enter Buda, ending Turkish rule
in Hungary
1848 Hungarian Nationalist Uprising
1867 Compromise with Austria gives Hungary
independence in internal affairs
1873 Buda and Pest become Budapest
Folk dancers performing at a wine festival, Tihany 1918 With the break-up of the Austro- Hungarian
Empire, Hungary gains independence after nearly 400
years of foreign rule
Tibor Déry and István Örkény. 1941 Hungary enters World War II
Hungary is also known for its 1945 Soviet Army takes Budapest
wine and meat-based dishes, 1956 The Soviets repress a nationalist uprising
the latter spiced with paprika, 1989 Hungary proclaimed a democratic republic
the country’s most 2004 Hungary becomes a member of the EU
famous export. 2014 Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party re-elected
27
3 37 Sárospatak U KRA IN E
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36
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Esztergom
21
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Eger M3
4
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BUDAPEST Jászberény Tisza Hortobágy and Debrecen
31
R OMA N IA
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1 Budapest
Budapest was founded in 1873 after the unification of three separate towns – Buda
and Obuda on the west bank of the Danube, and Pest on the east. All three towns
developed in the second half of the 12th century; Buda became the seat of
Hungary’s rulers in 1247. A period of Turkish rule from 1541 to 1686 left few
traces, except for the city’s wonderful bathhouses. Now home to two
million people, Budapest is considered one of the most beautiful M A RK
Ó U.
cities in Europe. Many of the historic sights lie along the banks
of the Danube, including the Neo-Classical Parliament,
HO NV ÉD
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BUDAPEST 325
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Railway

Street-by-Street: The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace has experienced many incarnations over
the centuries. Even now it is not known exactly where, in
the 13th century, King Béla IV began building his castle,
SZ
though it is thought to be near the site of Mátyás Church
íN
(see pp330–31). The Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of
Há
Luxembourg built a Gothic palace on the present site,
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from which today’s castle began to evolve. After the
Ottoman occupation, the Habsburgs built a monumental
palace here in the 18th century. The current form
SZ
dates from the rebuilding of the 19th-century
T
palace after its destruction in February 1945.
GY
During the renovation, the remains of the
ÖR
15th-century Gothic palace were exposed and
GY
archaeologists decided to showcase the defensive
U
walls and royal chambers in the reconstruction.
Sándor Palace
Ornamental Gateway
Dating from 1903, this
gateway leads to the
Habsburg Steps and the
Royal Palace. Nearby, a
bronze sculpture of the
mythical turul bird
guards the palace.
3 . Mátyás Fountain
In the northern courtyard of the Royal Palace stands
the Mátyás Fountain. It was designed by Alajos Stróbl
in 1904 and depicts King Mátyás Corvinus and his
beloved Ilonka.
Lion Gate
This gate, leading to the rear
courtyard of the palace, gets
its name from the four lions
that watch over it. These
sculptures were designed
by János Fadrusz in 1901.
1719 The building of a

1255 First written c.1400 Sigismund of 1541 After capturing 1881 Architect
small palace begins on
document, a letter Luxembourg builds Buda, the Ottomans Miklós Ybl begins
the ruins of the old
by King Béla IV, an ambitious Gothic use the Royal Palace a programme
palace, to a design by
refers to building palace on this site to stable horses and to rebuild and
Hölbling and Fortunato
a fortified castle store gunpowder expand the place
de Prati
1200 1400 1600 1800
c.1356 Louis I builds 1686 The assault by Habsburg 1849 Royal Palace
Turul
a royal castle on the soldiers leaves the palace is destroyed again, bird
southern slopes of razed to the ground during an un-
Castle Hill successful attack
1458 A Renaissance palace evolves 1749 Maria Theresa builds a vast by Hungarian
under King Mátyás palace comprising 203 chambers insurgents

BUDAPEST 327
Dome of the Royal Palace

The original Neo-Baroque dome,
designed by Alajos Hauszmann,
was destroyed in the razing
of the palace during World
War II; it was later rebuilt
in Neo-Classical style.
Statue of Prince Eugene of Savoy

Unveiled in 1900, this statue by József Róna
commemorates the 1697 Battle of Zenta,
which was a turning point in the Turkish War.
The bas-reliefs on the base depict scenes
from the battle.
R
É
T
Y
R G
Ö
Y
G
T
Z
S
1 . Hungarian National Gallery

Works of art illustrating Hungary’s turbulent
history are displayed here. Periods of both foreign
domination and patriotic home rule are brought
to life through the gallery’s extensive collection.
Key
2 Budapest Suggested route
History Museum
Building the Royal Palace

In the early 15th century, a Gothic Royal Palace
was built on the site. This was rebuilt in the
Renaissance style by King Mátyás in 1458. After
the Ottoman occupation, it was razed and built on
National Széchényi Library
a smaller scale. The palace was further developed
by Queen Maria Theresa and was rebuilt again
after World War II, to a design conceived in 1905.
0 metres 50 15th century 1749

1719 1905
0 yards 50
a church in Spiš (now part of 2 Budapest

Slovakia), it is a fine example History Museum
of medieval wood sculpture Budapesti Történeti Múzeum
in the Gothic style.
Royal Palace, Szent György tér 2.
Late-Gothic, Renaissance,
Map C3. Tel (01) 487 8800. @ 5, 16,
Baroque and 19th-century
78, Várbusz. Open Mar–Oct: 10am–
artifacts share the first floor.
6pm Tue–Sun; Nov–Feb: 10am–4pm
The Visitation (1506) by Master Tue–Sun. & 7
MS, a fragment of a folding ∑ btm.hu
altarpiece from a church in
modern-day Slovakia, is a The Budapest History Museum,
delightful example of late- also known as Castle Museum,
Gothic Hungarian art. Several is situated in the Royal Palace
works by Mihály Munkácsy, and holds an interesting
widely regarded as Hungary’s collection of artifacts relating
The Visitation (1506) by Master MS, greatest artist, show the devel- to the city’s development.
Hungarian National Gallery opment of 19th-century his- The Royal Palace was
toricist art and the influence of damaged during World War II
1Hungarian Impressionism. The Woman and during its reconstruction,
National Gallery Bathing (1901), by Károly Lotz, chambers dating from the
Magyar Nemzeti Galéria better known for his frescoes, Middle Ages were uncovered
is one of the best examples in the south wing. These
Royal Palace, Szent György tér 2.
of Neo-Classical painting in remarkable rooms, including
Map C3. Tel (01) 439 7325. @ 5, 16,
Hungary. The painting reflects a prison cell and a chapel, have
78, Várbusz. Open 10am–6pm Tue–
Sun. & - = ∑ mng.hu
Lotz’s fascination with the work been recreated in the base-
of the French painter Ingres. ment and provide an insight
Established in 1957, the Another impressive work of into the character of a much
Hungarian National Gallery art is the elaborately decorated earlier castle within today’s
houses a comprehensive folding St Anne altarpiece Habsburg reconstruction. They
collection of Hungarian art (c. 1520) from Kisszeben. now house an exhibition on
from medieval times to the Works from the 20th the palace’s medieval history,
20th century. Gathered by century, including paintings with weapons, seals and other
various groups and institutions and exhibits from the Art early artifacts.
since 1839, these works were Nouveau era as well as the The museum also has
previously exhibited at the Expressionist, Surrealist and an interesting display on
Hungarian National Museum avant-garde movements, are Budapest in the Middle Ages,
(see p340) and the Museum all showcased on the second illustrating the evolution of
of Fine Arts (see p342). The floor. Those by painter Tivadar the town from its Roman
collection was moved to the Kosztka Csontváry give a origins to a 13th-century
Royal Palace (see pp326–7) unique, idiosyncratic vision settlement, and one on
in 1975. of the world. Temporary Budapest in modern times
The gallery houses six exhibits are housed on the tracing the city’s history
permanent exhibitions, third floor. from 1686 to the present.
comprising the most valuable
and critically acclaimed
Hungarian art in the world.
Highlights include religious
artifacts spanning several
centuries, Gothic altarpieces
as well as Renaissance and
Baroque art.
The collection is spread
over three floors. On the
ground floor are early stone
and Gothic exhibits, including
sculptural and architectural
fragments discovered during
the reconstruction of the Royal
Palace. Among the star exhibits
are a carved stone head of
King Béla III, from c. 1200, the
Madonna of Bártfa (1465–70)
and the Madonna of Toporc
(c. 1420). Originally crafted for Fifteenth-century majolica floor, Budapest History Museum
BUDAPEST 329
Buda’s Old Town Hall, crowned with an onion-shaped dome, on Holy Trinity Square
3 Mátyás Fountain Mátyás, a new tradition is The column was commissioned

Mátyás Kút gaining popularity with visitors, by the Buda Council after the
who throw coins into the outbreak of the second plague
Royal Palace. Map C3.
@ 5, 16, 78, Várbusz. fountain in the belief that this in the city. It commemorates
will ensure their safe return to the dead of two outbreaks of
The ornate fountain in the Budapest in the future. the plague, which struck the
northernmost courtyard of the inhabitants of Buda in 1691
Royal Palace was designed by and 1709. The pedestal of the
Hungarian sculptor and artist, column is decorated with
Alajos Stróbl in 1904. Decorated bas-reliefs by Anton Hörger
with bronze sculptures, this depicting the horrific fate
flamboyant fountain is dedi- Buda’s citizens suffered during
cated to the great Renaissance those epidemics. Further up
king, Mátyás Corvinus who is the ornate column are statues
the subject of many popular of holy figures, while at the
legends and fables. summit is a superb compo-
The design of the bronze sition of the figures of the
figures takes its theme from Holy Trinity. The central section
a 19th-century ballad by the of the column is decorated
poet Mihály Vörösmarty (1800– with beautiful angelic figures
55). According to the legend, surrounded by clouds.
King Mátyás met a peasant Buda’s Old Town Hall, a large
girl, Ilonka, while on a hunting Statue of King Mátyás with his hunting Baroque building with two
expedition. The two fell in love trophy, Mátyás Fountain courtyards, was also built on
but their love was doomed. the square at the beginning
This representation shows of the 18th century. It was
the king dressed as a hunter, 4 Holy Trinity designed by the 17th-century
standing proudly with his kill. Square imperial court architect, Venerio
He is accompanied by his chief Szentháromság tér Ceresola, whose architectural
hunter and several hunting scheme incorporated the
Map B3. @ Várbusz from Moszkva tér.
dogs in the central part of the remains of medieval houses.
fountain. Below the columns This square, located close to In the 18th century an east
on the left, is the statue of the Royal Palace, is the central wing was built and bay win-
Galeotto Marzio, an Italian point of the Old Town. It takes dows and a stone balustrade
court poet, with a hawk in his its name from the Baroque with Rococo urns, by Mátyás
hand. The striking figure of the Holy Trinity Column in the Nepauer, were also added. The
young Ilonka, with a doe, is middle of the square, which corner niche, opposite Mátyás
below the columns on the was originally sculpted by Church, houses a small statue
right. In keeping with the Philipp Ungleich between 1710 of the Greek goddess Pallas
romantic reputation of King and 1713 and restored in 1967. Athene by Carlo Adami.
5 Mátyás Church
Mátyás templom
The Parish Church of Our Lady Mary was built
on this site between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Some of the architectural style dates from the
reign of Sigismund of Luxembourg, but the
church was named after King Mátyás Corvinus,
one of the greatest Hungarian rulers. Much of
the original detail was lost when the Ottomans
Rose Window
converted the church into the Great Mosque
Architect Frigyes Schulek
in 1541. The liberation of Buda saw the church faithfully reproduced, in
almost totally destroyed, but it was rebuilt in stone, the medieval stained-
the Baroque style by the Franciscan friars. It glass window to its
original Gothic style.
sustained further damage in 1723 but was
restored in the Neo-Gothic style between 1873
and 1896 by the architect Frigyes Schulek. The
crypt houses the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art.
Béla Tower
Named after the church’s
founder, King Béla IV, this
tower has retained several
of its original Gothic features.
. Baroque Madonna
According to legend, the original statue was
set into a wall of the church during the
Ottoman occupation. When the church was
destroyed in 1686, the statue miraculously
appeared. The Ottomans took this
as an omen of defeat.
KEY
Main Portal
Below the arches of the 1 The roof is decorated with
west entrance is an impressive multicoloured glazed tiles.
19th-century bas-relief by 2 The main altar was created
sculptor Lajos Lantai showing by Frigyes Schulek and based on
the Madonna and Child Gothic triptychs.
seated between two angels.
BUDAPEST 331
. Tomb of King Béla III VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

and Anne de Châtillon
The remains of this royal
couple were transferred from
Szentháromság tér 2.
Székesfehérvár Cathedral to
Map B2.
Mátyás Church in 1860. They
Tel (01) 489 0716.
lie beneath an ornamental
Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri,
stone canopy in the
9am–1pm Sat, 1–5pm Sun.
Trinity Chapel. & 7 Museum: Open 9am–
5pm Sun–Fri.
∑ matyas-templom.hu
Transport
@ Várbusz.
Pulpit
The richly decorated
pulpit of the church
includes the intricately
carved stone figures of
the four Holy Fathers
of the Church and the
four Evangelists.
This beautiful
19th-century stained
glass depicting Christ
the Lamb, is from
one of the three
arched windows
on the south
elevation.
. Mary Portal
This depiction of the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary is the most magnificent
example of Gothic stone carving in
Hungary. Frigyes Schulek reconstructed
the portal from fragments.
c.1387 Church 1458 Thanksgiving mass 1686 After liberation of Buda

redesigned as following the coronation from Turkish rule, church is
Gothic hall- of Mátyás Corvinus almost destroyed. New church
church by built with a Baroque interior
1541 Ottomans convert
Sigismund of church into a mosque Holy figures on the pulpit
Luxembourg
1250 1350 1450 1550 1650 1750 1850 1950
1309 Coronation of 1526 Cathedral burnt in 1970 Final
1896 Frigyes Schulek completes
the Angevin king the first attack by Turks the reconstruction of the church details are
Charles Robert in Neo-Gothic style completed
1255 Church originally 1470 Mátyás Tower in post-war
founded by King Béla IV rebuilt after its 1945 Church is severely damaged by rebuilding
after the Mongol invasion collapse in 1384 German and Soviet armies programme
6 Street-by-Street: Gellért Hill

Rising steeply beside the Danube, Gellért Hill is one of the
city’s most attractive areas. It is named after Bishop Gellért,
who converted the pagan Magyars to Christianity at the
behest of King Stephen (István), the first king of Hungary.
In the 11th century, Prince Vata, brother of King Stephen,
incited a heathen rebellion here that resulted in the
death of the bishop. Under the Ottomans, a strong-
hold was built on the hill to protect Buda, and in
1851, the Habsburgs placed their own intimidating
Citadel at the summit. It was not until the end of
the 19th century that Gellért Hill became a venue
for picnickers. In 1967, the area around the
Citadel was made into an attractive park. Queen Elizabeth Monument
Close to the entrance of Elizabeth Bridge
stands this statue of Habsburg Emperor
Franz Joseph’s wife, Elizabeth, who was
popular with the Hungarians.
Elizabeth Bridge
Gellért Hill’s reservoir
H
E
G
. Statue of Y
A
St Gellért L
IA
The statue of Bishop Ú
T
Gellért, blessing the
city with his uplifted
cross, overlooks
Elizabeth Bridge. He is
regarded as the patron
saint of Budapest.
Citadel
Once a spot that inspired terror, the Citadel
now hosts a hotel, restaurant and lounge
bar, where people can relax and enjoy the
splendid view.
Key
Suggested route
Liberation Monument
Designed by Hungarian sculptor
Zsigmond Strobl, the monument
commemorates the liberation of
Budapest by the Soviet Army in 1945.
BUDAPEST 333
Rudas Baths, with decorative Ottoman

cupolas, are famous Turkish baths that The Reservoir
date from the 16th century. In 1978, a new reservoir
was built near Uránia
Obser vatory to the north-
west of Gellért Hill to supply
the capital with drink ing
water. The surface of the
reservoir is covered over
and provides a point from
which to observe the Royal
Palace (see pp326–7) to
the north. A sculpture by
Márta Lesenyei decorates
the structure.
Observation Terraces
The observation terraces on Gellért Hill offer spectacular
views of the southern part of Buda and the whole of Pest.
Sculpture by Márta Lesenyei on

Gellért Hill’s reservoir
Rock Church
This church was established in
1926 in a holy grotto. Under the
Communists, the Pauline Order
of monks was forced to abandon
the church, but it was reopened
in 1989.
SZ
EN
0 metres 500
T
0 yards 500
G
EL
LÉ
R
T
Liberty
R
Bridge
A
K
PA
R
T
. Gellért Hotel and Baths Complex

One of a number of bath complexes
built at the beginning of the 20th
century, this impressive spa hotel
(see pp334–5), with its thermal pool,
was built to exploit the natural hot
springs here.
Gellért Hotel and Baths Complex

Gellért Szálló és Fürdo
Located at the foot of Gellért Hill, this hotel and spa
was built between 1912 and 1918 in the Modernist
Art Nouveau style by architects Ármin Hegedűs, Artúr
Sebestyén and Izidor Sterk. The earliest reference to the
existence of healing waters at this spot dates from the
13th century. During the reign of King András II in the
Middle Ages, a hospital stood on the site. Baths built
Outdoor Wave Pool
here by the Ottomans were mentioned by the renowned
Built in 1927, this swimming pool with
17th-century Turkish travel writer, Evliya Çelebi. Destroyed a wave mechanism is situated at the
during World War II, the hotel was later rebuilt and back of the complex, providing a view
modernized. Today it also houses several restaurants of Gellért Hill.
and cafés. The baths complex includes an institute of
water therapy, set within Art-Nouveau-era interiors,
but with modern facilities.
. Baths
Two separate baths, one for
men and another for women,
are identically arranged. In each
there are three plunge pools –
with water at different
temperatures – a sauna
and a steam bath.
Balconies
The balconies fronting the hotel rooms have fanciful
Art Nouveau balustrades decorated with lyre and
bird motifs.
. Entrance Hall
Like the baths, the interior of the hotel has kept
its original Art Nouveau decor, with elaborate
mosaics, stained-glass windows and statues.
BUDAPEST 335
Sun Terraces
Situated in the sunniest VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
spot, these terraces are a
popular place for drying
Szent Gellért tér.
off in summer.
Tel (01) 889 5500.
7^0-=
Baths: Kelenhegyi út.
Open 6am–8pm daily. & 7 ^
∑ gellertbath.com
Transport
@ 7, 7A, 86. v 18, 19, 47, 49.
Hot pool with Eastern-Style Towers

medicinal spa water The towers and turrets of the hotel
were designed in characteristically
Oriental cylindrical form.
Main Staircase
The landings of the main
staircase have stained-glass
windows by Bozó Stanisits,
added in 1933. They illus-
trate an ancient Hungarian
legend about a magic
stag, referred to in the
poetry of János Arany.
Restaurant Terrace
This first-floor terrace offers diners a
pretty view of Budapest. The ground
and first floors of the hotel house a
total of four cafés and restaurants.
. Main Façade
Behind the hotel’s façade are attractive recreational
facilities and a health spa that is also open to non-
guests. The entrance to the baths is around to the
right from the main entrance, on Kelenhegyi út.
7 Parliament
Parlamentnek
The largest building in the country,
Hungary’s Parliament has become a symbol
of Budapest. A competition, held to choose
its design, was won by Hungarian architect
Imre Steindl, who based his plans on the
Houses of Parliament in London, built by
Charles Barry in the mid-19th century. Lateral View
The magnificent dome marks the central point
Steindl’s Neo-Gothic masterpiece, constructed
of the Parliament building. Although the façade
between 1885 and 1904, is 96 m (315 ft) is elaborately Neo-Gothic, the ground plan
high and has 691 rooms. follows Baroque conventions.
. Domed Hall
Adorning the massive pillars
that support Parliament’s
central dome are figures of
some of Hungary’s rulers.
. Deputy Council
Chamber
Formerly the lower
house, this is where the
National Assembly now
convenes. Paintings by
Hungarian artist Zsigmond
Vajda (1860–1931) hang
on either side of the
Speaker’s lectern.
Gables
Almost every corner of the Parliament
building features gables with pinnacles
based on Gothic sculptures.
Lobbies
Magnificent corridors, adorned with
stained-glass windows, are the venue
for many political discussions.
BUDAPEST 337
Dome
The ceiling of the 96-m VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
(315-ft) high dome is
covered in an intricate
Kossuth Lajos tér. Map C2.
design of Neo-Gothic
Tel (01) 441 4000. Open Apr–Oct:
gilding combined with
8am–6pm Mon–Fri; till 4pm Sat–
heraldic decoration.
Sun; Nov–Mar: 8am– 4pm Mon–
Sun. 7 - ∑ parlament.hu
Transport
@ 70, 78. v 2, 2A.
q Kossuth tér.
Tapestry Hall
This room, on the Danube
side of the Domed Hall,
has a tapestry depicting
Prince Árpád with seven
Magyar leaders under his
command, as he signs
a peace treaty and
takes an oath.
Old Upper House Hall

This vast hall is virtually a mirror
image of the Deputy Council
Chamber. Both halls have public
galleries running around
a horseshoe-shaped interior.
The main entrance

on Kossuth Lajos tér
KEY
1 South wing Main Staircase

The best contemporary
2 Danube façade
artists were invited to decorate
3 North wing the Parliament’s interior. The
4 The Royal Insignia, excluding sumptuous main staircase
the Coronation Mantle (see p340), features ceiling frescoes
are kept in the Domed Hall. by painter Károly Lotz and
sculptures by György Kiss.
8 Roosevelt basilica has two towers,

Square one of which houses a bell
Roosevelt tér weighing 9 tonnes (10 tons).
This was funded by German
Map C3. @ 16. v 2. Catholics to compensate for
Known by different names the loss of the original bell,
over the years – Unloading which was looted by the
Square and Franz Joseph Nazis in 1944.
Square among others –
Roosevelt Square received its
current title in 1947. It leads 0State
into the Pest side of the Chain Opera House
Bridge, the city’s first perma- Magyar Állami Operaház
nent bridge over the Danube
river. A major feat of engineer- Andrássy út 22. Map D2.
Tel (01) 332 7914, 353 0170 (box
ing, the bridge was designed
office). q Opera. & 8 3pm & 4pm
by Englishman William Tierney
daily. 7 ^ = ∑ opera.hu
Clark and built by the Scot,
Adam Clark, between 1839 Impressive exterior of the Opened in September 1884,
and 1849. St Stephen’s Basilica the State Opera House was
At the beginning of the 20th built to rival those in Paris,
century, the square was lined He added the Neo-Renaissance Vienna and Dresden. Its
with hotels, the Diana Baths dome after the original col- beautiful architecture and
and the Lloyd Palace, designed lapsed in 1868. József Kauser interior decor were the life’s
by József Hild. The only building completed the church in 1905. work of architect Miklós Ybl.
from the 19th century still It received the title of Basilica The façade celebrates
standing today is the Hungarian Minor in 1938, the 900th anni- musical themes, with statues
Academy of Sciences. All other versary of St Stephen’s death. of Hungary’s most prominent
buildings were demolished and A marble statue of the saint composers, including Ferenc
replaced by the Gresham Palace stands on the main altar, and Liszt. The interior contains
and the Bank of Hungary, on scenes from his life are depicted ornamentation by Hungarian
the corner of József Attila utca. behind it. A painting to the right artists, including Alajos Strobl
There is a statue to Baron József of the main entrance shows and Károly Lotz.
Eötvös, a reformer of public St Stephen, who was left without The opulence of the foyer,
education, in front of the an heir, dedicating Hungary to with its chandeliers and
InterContinental Budapest. the Virgin Mary. His mummified vaulted ceilings, is echoed in
In the centre of the square forearm is kept in the Chapel the grandeur of the sweeping
are monuments to two famous of the Holy Right Hand. main staricase and the three-
politicians: Count István Széchenyi, The outer colonnade at storey auditorium. During its
the leading social and political the back of the church has the lifetime, the opera house has
reformer of his age, and Ferenc figures of the 12 Apostles. The seen some influential musical
Deák, who was instrumental in dome is decorated with superb directors, including Franz Erkel,
the Compromise of 1867, which mosaics by Károly Lotz and it composer of the Hungarian
led to the Dual Monarchy of reaches 96 m (315 ft) and is opera Bánk Bán, Gustav Mahler
Austria-Hungary. visible all over Budapest. The and Otto Klemperer.
9 St Stephen’s
Basilica
Szent István Bazilika
Szent István tér. Map D3. Tel (01) 311
0839. q Deák Ferenc tér. Open 9am–
5pm Mon–Sat, 2–5pm Sun. & 7 5
∑ bazilika.biz
Dedicated to St Stephen (István),

the first Hungarian Christian
king, this church was designed
by József Hild in the Neo-
Classical style, using a Greek
cross floor plan. Construction
began in 1851 and was taken
over in 1867 by the great
Hungarian architect, Miklós Ybl. The imposing façade of the State Opera House
BUDAPEST 339
q Vigadó Square e Inner City

Vigadó tér Parish Church
Map C3. v 2. Belvárosi Plébánia Templom
Március 15 tér 2. Map D4.
The square is dominated by
Tel (01) 318 3108. q Ferenciek tere.
the Vigadó Concert Hall, with
Open 9am– 7pm daily. 5
its mix of eclectic forms. Built ∑ belvarosiplebania.hu
to designs by architect Frigyes
Feszl between 1859 and 1864, Built in the 11th century, this
it replaced an earlier building is the oldest building in Pest.
destroyed by fire during the It was first established during
uprising of 1848–9. The façade the reign of St Stephen, on
has arched windows and the burial site of the martyred
includes features such as folk St Gellért, who played a major
motifs, dancers on columns role in converting Hungary
and busts of former monarchs, to Christianity. In the 12th cen-
rulers and other Hungarian tury it was replaced by a
personalities. An old Hungarian Thonet House, with Zsolnay tile decoration, Romanesque church of which
coat of arms is also visible in Váci Utca a wall fragment remains in the
the centre. façade of the South Tower.
The Budapest Marriott Hotel, which stages classic plays In the 14th century, it became
located on one side of the by Russian playwright Anton a Gothic structure and subse-
square, was designed by József Chekhov, among others. The quently a mosque – a small
Finta in 1969. It was one of the building was once occupied prayer niche, a reminder of the
first modern hotels to be built by the “Inn of the Seven Ottoman occupation, can be
in the city. Electors” which had seen beside the altar.
On the Danube promenade a large ballroom Damaged by the
is a statue of a childlike figure and concert hall, Great Fire of 1723,
on the railings, Little Princess, and it was here the church was partly
by László Marton. Vigadó that a 12-year-old rebuilt in the Baroque
Square also has craft stalls, Ferenc (Franz) Liszt style by György Paur
cafés and restaurants. performed in 1823. between 1725 and
Built by Ödön 1739. The interior
Lechner and Gyula also contains Neo-
w Váci Utca Pártos, the Thonet Classical elements by
Map D4. q Ferenciek tere.
House, at No. 11, Crest of Pest, Inner City János Hild, as well as
is most notable for Parish Church some 20th- century
Once two separate streets which the Zsolnay tiles from works such as the
were joined at the beginning Pécs (see pp362–3) that adorn main altar, which replaced the
of the 18th century, the two its façade. The oldest building original in 1948. The altar was
ends of Váci utca still have on Váci utca, No. 13, was built painted by Károly Antal and Pál
distinctly different characters. in 1805. In contrast, the Post- Molnár. On the south side of the
Today, part of the southern Modern Fontana department church is a tabernacle bearing
section is open to traffic, but the store at No. 16 was constructed the Crest of Pest.
northern end is pedestrianized in 1984. Outside there is a
and has long been a popular bronze fountain with a figure
commercial centre. Most of the of the Greek god Hermes,
buildings lining the street date dating from the mid-
from the 19th and early 20th 19th century.
centuries, although new banks, The Nádor Hotel once
modern department stores and stood at No. 20 and featured
shopping arcades have now a statue of Archduke Palatine
sprung up along the street among József. Today, the Taverna Hotel,
the older original buildings. designed by József Finta and
The street has a number of opened in 1987, stands here.
famous buildings, notable for It has a popular coffee shop.
their architecture or for their In a side street off Váci
place in local history. Philantia, utca, at No. 13 Régiposta
an Art-Nouveau-style florist’s utca, stands a Modernist-
shop opened in 1905, now style building. An unusual
occupies part of the Neo-Classical sight in the city, this striking
block at No. 9, built in 1840 by Bauhaus-influenced build-
József Hild. The same block ing dates from 1937 and is The Baroque nave of the Inner City
also houses the Pest Theatre, by Lajos Kozma. Parish Church
of József Hebenstreit. Above including fine French pieces,

the altar is a copy of the famous Thonet bentwood furniture,
Polish painting The Black and a large collection of
Madonna of Częstochowa ceramics. The metalwork
(c. 1720). The balustrade of the collection comprises watches,
organ loft, the confessionals and jewellery and other items
the carved pulpit are the work made by foreign and Hungarian
of the Pauline monks. craftsmen. The textiles section
includes silks from the 13th and
14th centuries and also traces the
tMuseum of history of traditional lacemaking.
Applied Arts The museum holds regular
Iparművészeti múzeum temporary exhibitions. The library,
dating from 1872, contains
Űllői út 33–7. Map E5. Tel (01) 456
5107. q Ferenc körút. Open
around 50,000 books, making it
10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & = - one of the largest in Hungary.
∑ imm.hu
Opened in 1896 by Emperor

Franz Joseph I as part of the
Magnificent sculptures decorating the Millennium Celebrations, this
pulpit in the University Church museum is housed within
an outstanding Art Nouveau
r University Church building designed by Gyula
Egyetemi templom Pártos (1845–1916) and Ödön
Lechner (1845–1914). The
Papnövelde utca 7. Map D4. exterior incorporates elements
Tel (01) 318 0555. q Kálvin tér. inspired by the Orient as well
Open 7am–6pm Mon–Sat,
as the Zsolnay ceramics
8am–7:30pm Sun. ∑ kpi.hu
characteristic of Lechner’s Gothic painting of Saint Martin of Tours,
This single-aisle church, built work. Damaged in 1945 and Hungarian National Museum
between 1725 and 1742, is again in 1956, the building
considered one of the most was recently restored to its yHungarian
impressive Baroque churches original magnificence. National Museum
in Budapest. It is believed to The building is set around Magyar Nemzeti múzeum
have been designed by local a glorious, arcaded courtyard,
architect András Mayerhoffer surrounded by cloisters and Múzeum körút 14–16. Map E4.
Tel (01) 338 2122. @ 9, 15. v 47, 49.
and the tower was added in designed in an Indian-Oriental
q Kálvin tér, Astória. Open 10am–6pm
1771. The church was built style. The museum, established
Tue–Sun. & 8 - =
for the Pauline Order, which in 1872, comprises many superb ∑ hnm.hu
was founded by Canon examples of arts and crafts
Euzebiusz in 1263; it was the workmanship. Housed in a Neo-Classical
only religious order to be Among the permanent edifice built by Mihály Pollack,
founded in Hungary. collections are furniture from the Hungarian National
The superb exterior features the 14th to the 20th centuries, Museum was founded in 1802.
a tympanum and a row of It was started when Count
pilasters that divide the Ferenc Széchényi bequeathed
façade. Figures of St Paul and his collection of coins, books
St Anthony flank the emblem and documents to the nation.
of the Pauline Order, which The museum’s expanding
crowns the exterior. The carved- collection of art stretches from
wood interior of the main the 11th century to the present
vestibule is also worth seeing. day and offers the richest source
Inside the church, a row of art and artifacts relating to
of side chapels stand behind the country’s history.
unusual marble pilasters. In Among the star exhibits are
1776, Bohemian artist Johann a textile masterpiece made of
Bergl painted the vaulted Byzantine silk, which became
ceiling with frescoes depicting the Coronation Mantle in the
scenes from the life of Mary, 12th century, a 6th-century BC
though these are now in poor figure of a Golden Stag and a
condition. The main altar dates 13th-century golden funeral
from 1746, and the carved A 17th-century dress in the crown, discovered on Margaret
statues behind it are the work Museum of Applied Arts Island (see p343).
BUDAPEST 341
A large rose window

u Great Synagogue is flanked by two richly
A Hebrew inscription from the
second book of Moses is set
Zsinagóga decorated towers crowned under the rose window.
by distinctive onion domes.
Dohány utca 2. Map E3. Tel (01)
342 8949. q Astoria. v 74. Jewish
Museum: Open Mar–Oct: 10am–
6pm Sun–Thu, 10am–4pm Fri; The façade has white
Nov–Feb: 10am–4pm Sun–Thu, and red bricks and
10am–2pm Fri. & 8 intricately designed
∑ zsidomuzeum.hu ceramic friezes.
The Great Synagogue is the

largest in Europe. Built in a
Byzantine-Moorish style
between 1854 and 1859 by
the Viennese architect Ludwig
Förster, it has three naves and,
in accordance with Orthodox
tradition, separate galleries for
women. Together the naves
and galleries can accommo-
date up to 3,000 worshippers.
Some features, such as the
position of the reading platform, by Frigyes Feszl. In 1931, objects from ancient Rome to
reflect elements of Judaic reform. a Jewish Museum was the present, including the book
The interior has valuable established here with a vast of Chevra Kadisha from 1792.
decorative fittings, such as collection of historical relics, There is also a Holocaust
those on the Ark of the Law, devotional and everyday Memorial Room.
i Jewish Quarter feature of the area. The Jewish

Zsidó Negyed community became well
integrated into Hungarian
Király utca, Rumbach Sebestyén society until, in 1941, a series of
utca, Dohány utca & Akácfa utca. anti-Semitic laws were passed.
Map E3. q Deák Ferenc tér.
In 1944, a ghetto was created
Jews first came to Hungary in in the area around the Great
the 13th century, initially set- Synagogue and the deportation
tling in Buda and Óbuda and, of thousands of Jews to camps,
later, in the 19th century, estab- including Auschwitz (see
lishing a larger community pp196–9), was implemented.
outside the Pest city boundary. In total, 600,000 Hungarian Millennium Monument,
In the late 19th century, three Jews were victims of the Heroes’ Square
synagogues were built and Holocaust. A plaque on the
many Jewish shops and work- Orthodox Synagogue in Rumbach in the history of the Austro-
shops were established. Kosher utca commemorates the Hungarian monarchy. The city
businesses were a common thousands of Jews sent from underwent a huge programme
Budapest. Today, the Jewish of modernization, with the con-
Quarter is recovering its pre- struction of hundreds of civic
ghetto character, and shops buildings and palaces as well as
are being rebuilt. the introduction of gas lighting
and Europe’s first underground
transport system. The square
o Heroes’ Square is surrounded by monuments
Hősök tér including the Museum of Fine
Arts, the Széchenyi Baths and
Király utca, Rumbach Sebestyén utca,
Dohány utca & Akácfa utca. Map F1.
the Vajdahunyad Castle (see
q Hősök tere. p343) built in Városliget.
Dominating the square is
Heroes’ Square is a relic of a the Millennium Monument,
proud age in Hungary’s history – featuring statues of prominent
it was here that the Millennium Hungarian leaders. The famous
Celebrations opened in 1896. Statue of Anonymous (1903),
Detail of the Orthodox Synagogue, This marked a high point in the by Miklós Ligeti, stands in front
Jewish Quarter development of Budapest and of the castle.
Fine Arts, Vajdahunyad Castle

and the Heroes’ Square Monu-
ment (see p341) were built.
Among its attractions is a lake,
Varosligetito, which serves as
an ice rink in winter and a
boating lake in summer. The
park is also home to the
Széchenyi Baths, Budapest’s
zoo and the 110-year-old
Gundel Restaurant.
Magnificently decorated ceiling at the Museum of Fine Arts s Széchenyi Baths

Széchenyi Strandfürdő
p Museum collection of Dutch and Flemish
Állatkerti körút 11. Map F1. v 72.
of Fine Arts art features the sublime St John Tel (01) 363 3210. q Széchenyi fürdő.
Szépművészeti Múzeum the Baptist’s Sermon (1566), by Swimming Pool: Open 6am–10pm
Pieter Bruegel the Elder. There daily. Thermal Pool: Open 6am–7pm
Dózsa György út 41. Map F1. Tel (01) are Italian and Spanish works, daily. & ∑ spasbudapest.hu
469 7100. @ 4, 20, 30, 105. v 75, 79. including some by Raphael, El
q Hősök tere. Open 10am–5pm
Greco and Goya and drawings The largest complex of spa
Tue–Sun. & 8 7 =
and graphics by one of the baths in Europe, Széchenyi
∑ szepmuveszeti.hu
best-known German painters, Baths also has the deepest
The origins of the Museum of Albrecht Dürer. Also on view and hottest baths in Budapest;
Fine Arts date from 1870, when are stunning 19th- and the water here reaches the
the state bought a spectacular 20th-century works by Pablo surface at a temperature of
collection of paintings from the Picasso as well as gems by about 75° C (180° F). The spa,
aristocratic Esterházy family. French Impressionists. housed in an attractive Neo-
The museum’s collection was Baroque building by Gyõzõ
further enriched by donations Czigler and Ede Dvorzsák,
and acquisitions. In 1906, it a Városliget was constructed between
moved to its present location, Városliget 1909 and 1913. At the main
a Neo-Classical building with entrance stands a statue of
Italian Renaissance influences, Városliget. Map F1. q Hősök tere, geologist Vilmos Zsigmondy,
designed by Hungarian archi- Széchenyi Fürdő. who discovered a hot spring
tects Albert Schickedanz and Városliget, also known as here while drilling a well in
Fülöp Herzog. The tympanum City Park, was once an area 1879. In 1926, three open-air
crowning the portico is sup- of marshland used as a royal swimming pools were added;
ported by eight Corinthian hunting ground. Drained and these are popular throughout
columns. It depicts the Battle planted during the reign of the year due to the heat of the
of the Centaurs and Lapiths, Queen Maria Theresa, the park water. The springs are known
and is copied from the Temple was laid out in the English for their alleged healing pro-
of Zeus at Olympia, Greece. style in the late 19th century. perties and are recommended
The museum’s collection Városliget was the centre for for treating rheumatism,
encompasses a wide range the Millennium Celebrations disorders of the nervous
of art from antiquity to the in 1896, when the Museum of system, joints and muscles.
20th century. Among the
Egyptian artifacts, most of
which were unearthed by
Hungarian archaeologists
during 19th century excava-
tions, the collection of
bronze figures from the
New Kingdom of Ptolemy
is the most fascinating.
The collection of Greek
vases is the highlight of the
classical artifacts, along with
the famous Grimani jug, which
dates from the 5th century BC.
In the sculpture gallery, a small
bronze figure by Leonardo da
Vinci stands out, while the rich An outdoor pool at Széchenyi Baths
BUDAPEST 343
d Vajdahunyad details on the Gothic

Castle pavilion stem from castles
Vajdahunyad Vára such as that in Segesvár,
now in Romania. The famous
Városliget. Map F1. Tel (01) 363 Austrian architect Josef
1973. v 70, 72, 75, 79. @ 4, 20, 30.
Emanuel Fischer von Erlach
q Széchenyi fürdő. Museum of
(see p384) inspired the
Agriculture: Tel (01) 422 0765.
Open Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm Tue–
Renaissance and Baroque
Sun; Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm complex. The façade copies
Tue–Sun. & 8 7 part of the Bakócz chapel
∑ mmgm.hu in the lovely Esztergom
Basilica (see p348).
Located at the edge of The popular Museum of
the lake in Városliget, this Agriculture, in the Baroque
fairytale castle is a complex section, has interesting
consisting of several buildings exhibits on wine-making,
reflecting various architectural cattle-breeding, hunting
styles. Designed by architect and fishing.
Ignác Alpár for the Millennium
Celebrations in 1896, it illus- The delightful Japanese Garden,
trates the history of archi- f Margaret Margaret Island
tecture in Hungary. Originally Island
intended as temporary Margitsz viget escape after sightseeing
exhibition pavilions, the castle in the busy city. Besides
Margitsziget. Map F1.
proved so popular with the @ 26 from Nyugati Station. its lovely green spaces,
public that, between 1904 swimming pools and play-
and 1906, it was rebuilt Inhabited as far back as grounds, notable attractions
using brick to create a Roman times, Margaret include the Centenary
more permanent structure. Island is a tranquil oasis in Monument, a unique water
The pavilions are grouped the middle of the Danube tower and a serene Japanese
chronologically in style, with river. The 2.5-km (1.5-mile) Garden. Designed by István
individual styles linked to long island was also known Kiss, the Centenary Monument
give the impression of a single, as the Island of Rabbits, as it was erected in 1973 to celebrate
cohesive design. Each one served as a popular hunting a century of the merger of
uses authentic details copied ground for medieval kings. the cities of Buda, Pest
from Hungary’s most impor- Monks, too, were drawn to and Óbuda.
tant historic buildings, or is its peaceful setting. During At the centre of the
the interpretation of a style Ottoman rule it was used island, the 57-m (187-ft)
inspired by a specific architect as a harem. In the 1200s, high water tower, built in
of that period. The medieval Princess Margaret (1242–70), 1911, offers great views
period, often considered a daughter of King Béla IV after from its lookout gallery.
glorious time in Hungary’s whom the island is named, The relaxing Japanese
history, is emphasized, while spent most of her life as a Garden, one of three lovely
the controversial Habsburg recluse in a convent here. landscaped parks, features
era is not. The Romanesque It has been open to the a wide range of flora as
complex features a copy public since 1869. well as beautiful rock
of the portal from a Today, Margaret Island gardens, ponds, water falls
rural village as well still offers the perfect and playgrounds.
as a monastic cloister
and palace. The
Gothic and Renaissance sections of Vajdahunyad Castle, seen across the lake in Városliget
2 Szentendre
With its Baroque architecture, Orthodox churches, cobbled
streets and riverside setting, Szentendre makes for an idyllic
visit. It is also known for its museums, which document the
history of the region. Originally founded by the Romans in the
4th century, the town was settled by Serbian refugees in the
14th century. They fled here first from the Ottoman Turks after
the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, and again after the Battle of
Belgrade in 1690, ushering in a period of great prosperity. In
the 1920s, many Serbs moved away to be replaced by artists
who were attracted by the town’s air and light. It remains
popular with them today. Entrance to the fascinating Charles
Ferenczy Museum
P Fő Square merchants’ houses; it was
Szentendre Gallery: Tel (026) 310 244. converted into a gallery in 1987. Portrait of Mrs Sándor Ernst
Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. & János Opposite, in an early-19th- (1916) can be seen here. The
Kmetty Memorial Museum: century Saxon-style house, is museum’s fine arts collection
Tel (026) 310 244. Open Apr–Oct: the János Kmetty Memorial has some 8,000 works by
10am–2pm Wed–Sun. & 8 7 Museum, devoted to the local artists.
At the heart of Szentendre lies life and works of the painter
the bustling Fő Square (Fő tér), János Kmetty (1889–1975), P Templom Square
which is packed with hawkers a pioneering Cubist who Czóbel Museum: Tel (026) 312 721.
and street artists in summer. A lived here for 45 years. Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun.
wrought-iron cross was raised &87
here in 1763 by the survivors E Charles Ferenczy Museum This walled square (Templom
of the last major outbreak of Fő tér 6. Tel (026) 310 244. Open 10am– tér), at the top of a hill above Fő
bubonic plague. 4pm Tue–Sun. & 8 7 Square, stands on the site of the
On the Danube side of ∑ femuz.hu original Roman fort of Ulcisia.
the square is the Orthodox This art museum (Károly The square was the centre of the
Blagoveštenska Church, built Ferenczy muzeum), northeast town in the Middle Ages and is
between 1752 and 1754 and of the Blagoveštenska Church, popular today for the views it
designed by András Mayerhoffer houses the work of Hungarian offers of the streets below.
(1690–1771). Its elegantly curved Impressionist painter Károly The Catholic church in the
balcony and tall, split-level belfry Ferenczy (1862–1917), who middle of the square was first
are fine examples of late-Baroque lived in Szentendre between built in Romanesque style in
simplicity. Inside, frescoes of the 1889 and 1906. Rooms here the 14th century and renovated
Roman emperor, Constantine, a also display the works of his in Baroque style in the 18th
fine choir and a colourful iconosta- wife, painter Olga Fialka, and century. A few original features
sis depicting the Annunciation their three children: a painter, remain, including the sundial
vie for attention. a sculptor and a weaver. on the right-hand side.
Opposite the church is the Although most of Ferenczy’s Opposite the church is a
Szentendre Gallery, featuring best works are on display at charming building housing the
the work of local artists. The the Hungarian National Gallery Czóbel Museum. It is dedicated
building was originally a (see p328), the lucid and comic to painter Béla Czóbel, famous
terrace formed by six identical Acrobats (1912) and his serene for his landscapes and nudes.
He lived in Szentendre from
1946 until his death in 1976.
R Belgrade Church
and Museum of Serbian
Orthodox Ecclesiastical Art
Pátriárka utca 5. Tel (026) 312 399.
Open Apr–Oct: 10am–4pm Wed–Sun;
Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm Fri–Sun. & 7
Constructed by Serbs but often
known as the Greek Church, the
Belgrade Church (Szerb Ortodox
Egyházművészeti Gyűjtemény,
Könyvtár és Levéltár) is the
Hungarian seat of the Serbian
Wrought-iron cross amid pretty, colourful houses in Fő Square Orthodox Patriarch, and is
HUNGARY 345
therefore, officially a cathedral. Built P Bogdányi Utca VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

between 1756 and 1764, it is a Imre Ámos/Margit Anna Museum:
mix of Baroque and Rococo Open Apr–Oct: 10am–2pm Tue–Sun. Practical Information
styles, its clock tower topped by &87 25 km (16 miles) N of Budapest.
a tall spire. Inside, it contains Winding its way north from Fő * 22,000. n Tourinform,
icons of Orthodox saints by Vasili Square, Bogdányi utca is a lively Dumtsa Jenő utca 22, (026)
Ostoic and a red marble altar. thoroughfare lined with historical 317 965. _ Serb Folk Festival
(19 Aug).
In the garden outside the buildings, and packed with many
church, the Museum of Serbian shops, stalls and portrait painters. Transport
Orthodox Ecclesiastical Art has a The Imre Ámos/Margit £ Dunakanyar körút (HEV).
collection of around 2,000 icons, Anna Museum at No. 10 com- @ Dunakanyar körút.
vestments, treasures and art memorates the life and works 4 Dunakorzó (summer only).
objects brought here in the last of well-known painters Imre
150 years after the closure of Ámos and Margit Anna, who
their original host churches. married in 1936, and moved legendary Serb ruler Prince
to Szentendre in 1937. Ámos, Lázár once lay in a church.
a Jew, was taken to a labour He was killed by a traitor at
camp in Vojvodina in 1940, the Battle of Kosovo Polje
where he continued to in 1389. His body was
paint. He was deported taken back to Serbia
to Germany in 1944, in the 1800s, and
where he died, prob- the church was
ably in a concentration later destroyed
camp. His wife Margit in a fire.
lived until 1991. Her Built between
Cubist paintings are A wine barrel sign in 1741 and 1746,
on the ground floor, Bogdányi utca Preobraženska
while Ámos’s works, Church, is another
including his account of life in fine Baroque Serbian Orthodox
the camp, are displayed on the church. It is also famous for
first floor. A cross on the corner the annual Serb Folk Festival
Icons of Orthodox saints in the of Bogdányi utca and Lázár tér that takes place here on
Belgrade Church stands where the body of the 19 August.
Szentendre Town Centre

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Railway and
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500 m (550 yards)
E Margit Kovács he strongly influenced his

Ceramics Collection contemporaries. His finest
Vastagh György utca 1. Tel (026) 310 works, including Landscape at
244. Open 10am–6pm daily. & 7 Szentendre (1934) and Street
This striking 18th-century at Szentendre (1932), are
building (Kovács Margit displayed here.
Kerámiagyűjtemény) was
originally a salt storage facility, E Hungarian
and later became a vicarage Open-Air Museum
for the Blagoveštenska Church. Sztaravodai út. Tel (026) 502 500.
Since 1973 it has been devoted @ 7. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
to the work of ceramic artist 8 7 ∑ skanzen.hu
Margit Kovács (1902–77). Hungary’s largest and best
Kovács attended Budapest’s open-air village museum
School of Applied Arts (Szabadtéri Néprajzi The façade of the Baroque Royal
before learning the Múzeum) is 4 km Palace at Gödöllő
fundamentals of (2 miles) from
pottery in the work- Szentendre. The 3 Gödöllő
shop of artist Herta museum, opened
35 km (22 miles) NE of Budapest.
Bücher in Vienna. She in 1967, is spread * 29,000. £ HÉV from Budapest.
developed her skills over 55 ha (136 acres) n Tourinform, Királyi Kastély, (028)
further in the State and features a recon- 415 402.
School for Applied structed village from
Arts in Munich before each of Hungary’s Once the summer residence of
returning to Hungary. Plaque, Margit Kovács five historic regions. the Habsburgs, Gödöllő is most
Nursing (1948) is an Ceramics Collection Each of the villages famous for the Royal Palace,
example of Kovács’s is complete and self- built in 1741. The enchanting
obsession with the Madonna, contained, comprising houses, Baroque palace was commis-
a common theme in many of churches, schools, mills, wine sioned by the flamboyant
her early works, while the Bread presses, forges and stables. In aristocrat Antal Grassalkovich I
Cutter (1962) is a witty satire on particular, it is worth seeing the and designed by Andras
the idealized peasant woman three huge outdoor ovens in the Meyerhoffer. Home to a long
from a feminist perspective. village of the Great Plain, brought line of Hungarian rulers from
to the museum from the village Emperor Franz Joseph to Admiral
E Barcsay Collection of Kisbodak; the roadside crucifixes Horthy, the palace has been
Dumtsa Jenő utca 10. Tel (026) 310 in the central Transdanubian restored to its full glory. Elegant
790. Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm village; and the flintstone walls rooms and extravagant furnish-
Wed–Sun. & of the Bakony region houses. ings offer a glimpse into the
Barcsay Collection (Barcsay All the buildings in the lives of the rulers who lived here.
Gyűjtemény), located in a 19th- museum are open to the The oldest building in the
century Saxon house, is dedicated public, and some are working town, dating from 1661, was
to Jenő Barcsay (1900–88), who museums, with artisans demon- once the home of local land-
settled in Szentendre in 1926 strating traditional skills from owner Ferenc Hamvay.
after studying art in Budapest and pottery to wine-making. Special Today, it houses the excellent
Paris, teaching art and anatomy courses in traditional skills are Gödöllő Town Museum. Besides
here from 1931–45. Regarded as also on offer at various times displays that tell the story
the first Hungarian Constructivist, of the year. of the town and its greatest
patron, Antal Grassalkovich,
there is an exhibition focusing
on the works of the Gödöllő
Artists’ Colony, a group of
artists active between 1901
and 1920, who pursued ideals
of communal rural living.
E Royal Palace
Királyi Kastély. Tel (028) 420 331
Nov–Mar: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
8 7 - = ∑ kiralyikastely.hu
E Gödöllő Town Museum

Szabadszág tér 5. Tel (028) 422 002.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun (to 4pm
A thatched building in the Hungarian Open-Air Museum Nov–Feb). & 8 Hungarian only.

HUNGARY 347
4 Vác 6 Nagybörzsöny
40 km (25 miles) N of Budapest.

and Duna-Ipoly
* 33,000. £ from Budapest. National Park
@ from Budapest. n Tourinform,
Március 15 tér 17, (027) 316 160. @ from Szob (to Nagybörzsöny).
( daily, behind Március 15 tér.
∑ dinpi.hu
Founded in the year 1000, Vác Home to the fine 14th-century

is situated on the eastern bank stone Romanesque Church
of the Danube river. The town of St Stephen, a working mid-
was rebuilt in the late 17th 19th-century water mill (open
century after being destroyed to the public) and a mining
by war. Its central square, around museum, Nagybörzsöny is best
Március 15 tér, dates from the known as the gateway to the
18th century and was a thriving Duna-Ipoly National Park, one
marketplace until 1951. The of the largest in the country.
market itself survives, although The Buda Hill caves and the
it is now hidden behind the The Dominican Church in Vác, with its rich Sas-hegy nature trail outside
Town Hall, a Baroque master- Rococo ornamentation Budapest are also within the
piece from 1680. The superb park’s borders.
façade, with two Corinthian half- the hill, in the Solomon Tower, The park is home to more
columns guarding the entrance, is the fascinating Mátyás Király than 70 protected plants
is adorned with an intricate Museum, a collection of items and more than half of
wrought-iron balcony. The Sisters excavated from the ruins of Hungary’s native bird species,
of Charity Chapel and Hospital, the Royal Palace. including black-and-white-
built in the 17th century and still Built by King Béla IV backed woodpeckers.
a functioning hospital to this day, at the same time as A narrow-gauge railway
is located next door. the citadel, this lovely runs at weekends
On the southern side of the palace was renovated from Nagybörzsöny
square stands the Dominican two centuries later to Nagyirtás across the
Church of Our Lady of Victory, by King Mátyás Börzsöny Hills, from
the construction of which Corvinus (r. 1458–90), where well-marked
began in 1699. Due to the War in magnificent hiking trails fan
of Independence, however, Renaissance style. It out across the
work on the interior only began fell into dereliction in park. There is also
in 1755. As a result the façade the 16th century after a long trail starting
is sober, while the interior is the Turkish invasion and from the town of
rich in Rococo artwork. was then buried in a Nagybörzsöny itself,
At the northernmost end of mud slide. The ruins Signpost in Duna-Ipoly leading up to Nagy
the Old Town, on Köztársaság were not rediscov- National Park Hideg Hegy peak,
út, stands the only triumphal ered until 1934, when which offers views
arch in Hungary. This was built excavations took place. across to Slovakia.
in 1764, ostensibly to honour A second narrow-gauge
Queen Maria Theresa. E Mátyás Király Museum railway, from Kismaros to
Salamon-Torony utca. Tel (026) 597 Királyrét, opens up the southern
010. Open May–Oct: 9am–5pm Tue– part of the park.There are
5 Visegrád Sun. & ∑ visegradmuzeum.hu hiking trails from Királyrét
E Royal Palace across the hills, and on to
* 1,700. £ from Budapest. Fő utca 23. Tel (026) 398 026. Nógrád, where there is a
@ from Budapest. 4 from Budapest, Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. & 8 spectacular castle in ruins.
Esztergom; from Szentendre (summer
only). ∑ visegrad.hu
Set on the narrowest stretch

of the Danube, the village of
Visegrád is a popular tourist
destination that is dominated
by its spectacular ruined citadel.
Built in the 13th century by King
Béla IV (1206–70), this was once
one of the finest royal palaces
in Hungary. The massive outer
walls are still intact, and offer
superb views. Halfway down The magnificent ruins of the citadel, towering over Visegrád
7 Esztergom of the Ottomans. Víziváros Parish

Church, consecrated by Jesuits
Esztergom is the seat of the Archbishop of Hungary and the in 1728, is a perfect example of
most sacred city in the country. St Stephen, Hungary’s first the Baroque architecture of the
king, was baptized in the city and crowned here on Christmas time, with its rounded façade
and high nave. The twin spires
Day in the year AD 1000. Almost completely destroyed by the were added in the middle of
Mongol invasion 250 years later, the city was gradually rebuilt the 19th century. The Baroque
during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although it is dominated interior was lost during World
by the huge Esztergom Basilica, the city has much to offer War II. A bridge behind the
besides its mighty cathedral, including the remains of a 10th- church leads to the island of
Prímás Sziget, from where
century castle, a picturesque Old Town, the fascinating Danube
another bridge crosses the
Museum and Hungary’s finest collection of ecclesiastical art. river into Slovakia.
R Esztergom Basilica which date back to the 10th

Szent István tér 1. Tel (033) 402 354. century. From 1256 it served
Open 6am–6pm daily. & 8 7 ^ as the palace of Esztergom’s
treasury, crypt. 0 ∑ bazilika- archbishops until it was sacked
esztergom.hu during the Ottoman invasion.
Rising above the Danube, its Much of the palace survived,
bright blue cupola visible from and is open today as the Castle
afar, Esztergom Basilica (Esztergomi Museum (Vármúzeum). The
bazilika) has been a symbol of only way to see it is on a guided
Hungary for a millennium, since tour, which takes in the study
St Stephen was crowned here. of King Mátyás’s tutor, with
Hungary’s largest cathedral, the Renaissance-style ceiling fres-
present structure dates from the coes, and the 12th-century
19th century and was built over Royal Chapel, with an original
a 47-year period from 1822 to rose window and 13th-century
1869. Its interior has a copy of portraits of the Apostles.
Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin To the south and north are
(1853–4), the largest single- well-preserved remains of the
canvas painting in the world. ramparts and steps back into The intricately carved Lord’s Coffin of
Other highlights include the the town. The Esztergom Garamszentbenedek
Treasury, which holds the Castle Festival takes place in
country’s most valuable collec- the palace grounds in summer. E Christian Museum
tion of liturgical and royal art. Mindszenty tér 2. Tel (033) 413 880.
P Víziváros Open Mar–Oct: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun;
+ Royal Palace and Berényi utca. Nov–Feb: 11am–3pm Tue–Sun. &
Castle Museum A district of mainly Baroque 8 ∑ christianmuseum.hu
Szent István tér 1. Tel (033) 402 354. buildings, Víziváros (Watertown), The Roman Catholic Primate of
Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun; has narrow streets, single-storey All Hungary, János Simor, moved
Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. houses and tiny well-kept into this grand Neo-Renaissance
& 8 ∑ varmegom.hu gardens. The area was developed palace after it was completed in
Opposite the Basilica stands during the regeneration of 1882 and immediately opened
the Royal Palace (Vár), parts of Esztergom after the withdrawal the palace and its vast collection
of paintings, including works by
early Italian Renaissance artists
Migazzi and Bertinelli, to the
public. The building has been a
dedicated museum (Keresztény
múzeum) since 1924, and its
collection of church art, bol-
stered by many subsequent
purchases, is now the finest in
Hungary. Tamás Koloszvári’s
Ascension (1427), is considered
the most outstanding example
of Hungarian Gothic art.
The splendid, wheeled Lord’s
Coffin of Garamszentbenedek
(1480), now in Slovakia, deco-
View of the imposing Esztergom Basilica rated with carved figures, is
HUNGARY 349
used in Easter processions. VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Though called a coffin, its
purpose has always been Practical Information
symbolic; it is believed not to 50 km (31 miles) NW of Budapest.
contain any human remains. * 28,500. _ Esztergom Castle
The room devoted to altar- Festival (Jul–Aug).
pieces, some of which are 700 Transport
years old, is stunning in its £ Bem József tér. @ Simor
colour and historical import. János utca. 4 Nagy-Duna
Besides the picture gallery, there Sétány (summer only).
are equally superb sculpture
and icon galleries.
The Danube Museum, devoted to the location. The museum houses
E Bálint Balassa Museum famous river all sorts of hydraulic equipment
Mindszenty tér 5. Tel (033) 500 175. from the 20th century, as well
Open May–Oct: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun; E Danube Museum and as exhibits devoted to damming
Nov–Apr: 9am–5pm Wed–Sun. Lower Esztergom the Danube and navigation.
& 8 Hungarian only. Kölcsey utca 2. Tel (033) 500 250. There is a collection of engineering
∑ balassamuzeum.hu Open May–Oct: 10am–6pm Wed– tools, as well as a history of water
Named after a Renaissance Mon; Nov–Dec, Feb–Apr: 10am– management since Roman
poet who died in 1594 while 4pm Wed–Mon. 8 7 times. There are several hands-
fighting the Turks, the Bálint ∑ dunamuzeum.org.hu on displays aimed at children.
Balassa Museum (Bálint Balassa The role of the Danube in the A five-minute walk south
múzeum) focuses primarily history and development of along Vörösmarty utca leads
on life in Esztergom during the Esztergom is given due impor- to Széchenyi tér, centre of the
Middle Ages and the Ottoman tance in this excellent museum Lower Town and surrounded
era. It also includes some (Duna múzeum) close to the on all sides by a mixture of
archaeological finds from the city centre. The building itself Baroque and Neo-Classical
Royal Palace. is a gem, originally built in houses, many of which are
The two-storey museum Baroque style in the 18th now cafés. Its focal point is
building, with its huge, tunnel- century and fully renovated the Town Hall, an immaculately
like entrance, dates from 1860 in 1973, when the museum preserved Rococo building
and was originally a boys’ school. moved here from its previous from 1729.
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8 Székesfehérvár
60 km (37 miles) SW of Budapest.
* 105,000. £ from Budapest.
@ from Budapest. Piac tér.
n Tourinform, Piac tér 12–14, (022)
312 818. ( Piac tér, daily.
Settled by the Magyar chieftan

Arpad in the 9th century,
Székesfehérvár was the first
permanent settlement on the
Székesferhérvár plain. Arpad’s
descendants, Prince Geza and
St Stephen, erected a castle and
a vast basilica respectively. The
walled city that grew around
them was the site of Hungary’s
Diet, or Parliament, until the Pannonhalma Abbey’s great library housing ancient manuscripts
Turkish occupation in 1543.
Although much of the city was Baroque style, the entrance abbey burnt down in 1137,
destroyed in World War II, the features statues of St Stephen, and was replaced with a
Old Town was spared, and its Laszlo and Imre. The Carmelite Romanesque construction
cobbled streets are packed with Monastery features colourful, that itself was superseded by
historically and religiously dramatic frescoes by the late-Romanesque basilica
significant buildings. Viennese artist Franz still in existence today. The
On the main square, Anton Maulbertsch, Western Tower, added in 1832,
Városház tér, the while the 18th-century is one of the abbey’s most
Baroque Bishop’s altar fresco in the prominent features.
Palace, designed by Cistercian Church The basilica’s main portal of
Jakob Riedler, was was painted by local receding arches is one of the
built in 1801 using artists. Opposite this most important surviving exam-
stone from the Royal stands the Black Eagle ples of a porta speciosa extant in
Basilica. Across the Pharmacy Museum, Hungary. Though now hemmed
square, behind the adorned with hun- in by extensions to the complex,
18th-century Town dreds of old medicine it is an outstanding example of its
Hall, is the 15th- cen- bottles and an kind – an ornamental portal held
tury St Anne’s Entrance to St Stephen’s amazing frescoed in red marble with rich wood
Chapel, the only part Cathedral ceiling. The town’s carvings. Inside, the stained-glass
of the medieval city most visited site, window, added in 1860, depicts
to have survived the however, is the Bory Castle, the popular Roman Catholic saint,
Ottoman occupation. Behind built by Jeno Bory (1879-1959). Martin of Tours, who was born at
it is St Stephen’s Cathedral, Part Roman forum, part Gothic Szombathely in western Hungary.
founded by Bela IV, where castle, it houses sculptures and The Neo-Classical Library holds
parts of the original Hungarian artworks by Bory and his wife. 330,000 volumes, including the
coronation ceremony once Tihany Manuscript, the earliest
took place. Renovated in written Hungarian text. On the
9 Pannonhalma far side of the basilica, Our Lady’s
Abbey Chapel has three Baroque altars
Pannonhalmi Főapátság and a tiny organ. All the abbey’s
monks are buried here. The abbey
100 km (62 miles) W of Budapest.
Tel (096) 570 191. £ @ Abbey &
also houses a treasury that is
Arboretum: Open 22 Mar–Apr & Oct: home to a rich collection of
9am–4pm Tue–Sun; May–Sep: 9am– ecclesiastical art and historical
5pm daily; Nov–21 Mar: 10am–3pm artifacts. The abbey’s Benedictine
Tue–Sun. Library: Tel (096) 570 142. grammar school, founded in 1802,
& 8 7 ^ Abbey 0 = is one of the finest in Hungary.
The abbey’s Arboretum, on
The story of Pannonhalma Abbey the eastern slope, is the site of
is as old as Hungary itself. A hundreds of rare tree and shrub
UNESCO World Heritage Site since species that have grown wild in
1996, there has been an abbey its grounds. The abbey also boasts
here since 1002, the same year a smart new visitor's center, with
Stunning 18th-century Town Hall St Stephen brought Christianity a café and gift shop selling wine
in Székesfehérvár to the Magyars. The original made on the grounds.
HUNGARY 351
0 Győr
120 km (74 miles) W of Budapest.
* 125,000. £ from Budapest.
@ from Budapest. n Tourinform,
Árpád utca 32, (096) 311 771. ( daily
flower market, Arany János utca.
_ Győr Spring Festival (Mar).
∑ gyor.hu
Located halfway between
Budapest and Vienna, where
the Danube, Rába and Rábca
rivers meet, Győr has long been
a place where empires met, and
clashed. During the Ottoman
Wars it became home to the
most impregnable fortress in
Hungary. Today it is a modern,
vibrant city, full of monuments
that tell of its eventful past.
Founded in the 11th century,
Győr Cathedral was rebuilt in
Gothic style between 1257 and
1267; its Baroque interior dates
from after the Ottoman period,
when the altarpieces and superb
frescoes by Franz Anton
Maulbertsch were added.
It houses the remains of
St Laszlo, one of Hungary’s Magnificent interiors of a bedroom in the Esterházy Palace in Fertőd
most sacred relics, and a mira-
culous painting of the Virgin ceramics by Hungary’s leading The Neo-Baroque French
Mary, one of its most signi- 20th-century abstract sculptor gardens were laid out at the
ficant pilgrimage sites. (see p346), while to the south, same time, though these
The imposing Bishop’s Palace, Szechényi tér, once the city’s were remodelled along English
next door, saw most of its fortifi- market place, is ringed by ideas of garden design at the
cations added in the 16th century, splendid buildings, many beginning of the 20th century.
to keep out the Ottomans. Nearby, housing museums. The palace is approached
the Diocesan Treasury and through a grand wrought-iron
Library and Lapidary houses a entrance gate, with its Rococo-
treasure trove of manuscripts q Fertőd stone-vase separating columns.
and liturgical items, including 184 km (114 miles) W of Budapest.
Although the palace was badly
an illuminated manuscript once * 3,400. £ from Szombathely. damaged during World War II,
belonging to King Mátyás. @ from Sopron. n Tourinform, the main ballrooms and drawing
Up Apaca utca to the north, Joseph Haydn utca 3, (099) 370 544. rooms have been restored
the Margit Kovács Exhibition _ Haydn Festival (Jun–Sep). to their glorious best, filled
houses a vast collection of with priceless French furniture,
The small town of Fertőd Venetian mirrors and
was created in 1950, when Flemish tapestries.
two former estates belonging Joseph Haydn’s presence at
to the Esterházy family, Süttör the palace, from 1766 to 1790,
and Esterháza, were merged. is celebrated by the annual
For three centuries the Haydn Festival, with concerts
Esterházy family was one of showcasing the Austrian com-
the richest and most powerful poser’s work. The emphasis is
in Hungary. They flourished on his chamber music, which
under the Habsburgs, under is per formed by outstanding
whom family members served musicians in the Grand Gallery
in a variety of political and and the beautiful gardens.
military offices.
Originally constructed as P Esterházy Palace
a hunting lodge in 1720, the Joseph Haydn utca 2. Tel (099) 537
Esterházy Palace is the result 640. Open Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm Fri–
Győr's Bishop's Palace, built as a defence of vast extensions by architect Sun; Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm daily. &
against Ottoman invaders Melchior Hefel in the 1770s. 8 7 ∑ eszterhaza.hu
wFertő-Hanság both as a sailing spot and for its Museum and an outstanding
National Park grassy beaches and attractive art collection.
Fertő-Hanság Nemzeti Park nature walks. The town is built around the
Igazgatósága Many parts of the park can magnificent Belváros – the
only be visited with a special Inner Town. Centred around Fő
195 km (121 miles) W of Budapest. permit or on organized guided tér, an impressive central square
£ from Sopron, Győr. @ from
tours. Information about visits that acts as a focal point, Belváros
Zalaergeszeg. n Rév-Kócsagvár,
and tours is available from the contains most of the town’s
Sarród (Park Administration), (099) 537
park’s administration office main sights. Built between 1861
620. 8 7 ∑ fertohansag.hu
in the small village of Sarród, and 1864, the former Ursuline
Located in northwest Hungary located southwest of the park. Convent houses a fine collection
near the Austria-Hungary border, of ecclesiastical art, owned and
the Fertő-Hanság National Park, managed by Sopron’s Catholic
set around Lake Fertő, was once Convent. Most of the items on
one of the most heavily guarded display date from the Baroque
sections of the Iron Curtain. Now period but there is also a collec-
a designated nature reserve, it tion from the early 1800s. Sopron’s
is regarded as one of Europe’s largest church, the Benedictine
most significant water habitats Church, on Fő tér, was built by
and was included on UNESCO’s Franciscan monks in 1280 and
list of World Heritage Sites displays remnants of medieval
in 2001. frescoes. It is also known as the
Lake Fertő is shallow – in Goat Church, as it is believed
most places less than 1-m (3-ft) that a goatherd financed it
deep – and is famous for its vast from the treasure found by his
expanse of tall reeds. Its main flock. Opposite the Benedictine
sources of water are rainfall Church, the Storno House is
and two streams. More than a grand house built in the
200 species of birds nest here, 1400s, which was home to
including the Hungarian ibis, King Mátyás between 1482
spoonbill, heron and egret, and 1483.
and there are also numerous Originally a Renaissance
rare plant species. building, it was remodelled
With the eastern Alps as its in the Baroque style in 1720.
backdrop, the lake is encircled It displays a collection of art
by one of Europe’s best cycle The Firewatch Tower, a striking and period furniture.
paths, which takes in superb landmark in Sopron Sopron also has a wealth of
scenery in both Hungary and fine Art Nouveau architecture
Austria. Favourable, frequent e Sopron including the Firewatch Tower,
winds also make the lake a from where superb views unfold.
popular place for sailing, while 209 km (130 miles) W of Budapest. In 1921, the townspeople voted
* 56,000. £ from Győr, Vienna.
the shallow waters are regarded to stay in Hungary, rather than
@ from Győr. n Tourinform,
as good swimming spots. The join Austria and the Gate of
Liszt Ferenc utca 1, (099) 517 560.
main resort on the Hungarian ( Csarnok utca, daily. _ Early Music
Loyalty, at the foot of the tower,
side, Fertőrákos, is popular Days (Jun), Sopron Festival Weeks
was added in 1928 to honour
(Jun–Jul), Volt Pop Festival (Jul), the result of that plebiscite.
Sopron Jazz (Sep), Christmas Also worth visiting is the
Market (Dec). medieval Synagogue, one of
the oldest in Europe, believed
A border town of the Pannonia to have been built around 1300.
province, Sopron is regarded Abandoned in 1526, when the
as one of Hungary’s most Jews were expelled from the
attractive towns. Its proximity town, many of its original fea-
to Austria is evident in the tures remain intact, including
street signs and shops with a replica of the Ark of
German-speaking staff that the Covenant.
dominate the town. The coun-
try’s oldest cultural centre, R Benedictine Church
Sopron has remains of Roman Templom utca 1, Fő tér. Tel (099) 523
edifices, and city walls as well 768. Open 8am–6pm daily. & 7
as grand medieval buildings, P Firewatch Tower
including both churches and Fő tér. Open May–Aug: 10am–8pm
Frozen Lake Fertő in the picturesque a synagogue. Among its other Tue–Sun; Apr, Sep–Oct: 10am–6pm
Fertő-Hanság National Park attractions are a Pharmacy Tue–Sun. &
HUNGARY 353
r Kőszeg Turkish siege. The Jurisics

Museum has a fine collection
219 km (136 miles) W of Budapest. of memorabilia belonging to
* 12,000. £ from Szombathely.
the artisans and tradesmen
@ from Sopron. n Tourinform,
who inhabited the town. Set
Rajnis József utca 7, (094) 563 120.
in a Baroque house on Jurisics
Nestled in lowland hills just tér, the Golden Unicorn
minutes from the Austrian Pharmaceutical Museum,
border, Kőszeg is a small, quiet contains a superb late 18th-
town. Spared during World century wooden apothecary
War II, it is regarded as one counter with old medicine
of the prettiest towns in the bottles. Nearby, the Gothic
region. The town preserves Church of St James,
the memory of Captain Miklós completed in 1407, but
Jurisics, who led the Hungarians reconstructed in the 18th
against the Turks. Its century, has served
main square, castle Jesuit, Protestant and
and museum are Roman Catholic con-
named after him. gregations. Inside, the
Jurisics Castle is on faded frescoes by Superb frescoes depicting battle scenes,
the site where Miklós an unknown artist Sárvár Castle
Jurisics and 450 por traying the Magi
soldiers held Turkish date from 1403. An Patriarch Tamás Nádasdy
forces at bay for 25 original statue of the brought in Italian architects to
days in August 1532; Madonna from the create a genuine Renaissance
the bells of the town Gothic period is also masterpiece. This, with various
toll every day at noteworthy. Built additions including a palatial
11am in his honour. Crest above the gate to between 1892 and interior, has remained intact
A fire destroyed parts Jurisics Castle 1894 to designs until the present day. Much
of the castle in 1777; however, by Austrian architect Otto Kott, of the castle is devoted to the
the interior arcades were built the fantastical Neo-Gothic captivating Ferenc Nádasdy
after the blaze. The Castle Museum Jesus’s Heart Church, on Fő tér, Museum, which has exhibitions
has displays on the town’s history, is famous for its stained-glass on the history of the family and
including various depictions of altar windows depicting Sts the town, regional folk art and
the siege. In the heart of Kőszeg’s Stephen, Imre and Elizabeth. period furniture. Highlights
Old Town stands the elegant include two series of frescoes:
Miklós Jurisics tér, surrounded 17th-century works showing
by churches and museums. t Sárvár the Hungarians in battle with
The impressive entrance to the Turks, and scenes from the
the square, the Heroes’ Gate, 212 km (132 miles) W of Budapest. Old Testament painted by artist
* 16,000. £ from Szombathely.
was erected to commemorate István Dorffmaister in 1769.
@ from Szombathely. n Tourinform,
the 400th anniversary of the In 1961, the search for oil led
Várkerület 33, (095) 520 178.
to the discovery of hot springs
Located on the banks of in Sárvár. Since then the develop-
the Rába river, this town was ment of spas has added to
originally the site of Roman the town’s appeal as a tourist
and Celt fortifications. destination. The famous Sárvár
Sárvár (mud castle) Spa and Wellness Centre has
derives its name grown to become one of the
from the castle of largest and most modern
mud that was built bath complexes in Hungary. It
here by the Magyars comprises indoor and outdoor
in the 10th century. pools, leisure and splash pools,
The Sárvár Castle a sauna and a treatment centre
that now attracts offering various therapies.
visitors is, however, a
distant relation to its E Ferenc Nádasdy Museum
muddy ancestor, Várkerület 1. Tel (095) 320 158.
having been built in Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun; Jul–Aug:
the 16th century. Its 9am–9pm Tue–Sun. & 8
illustrious patrons  Sárvár Spa and
were the Nádasdy Wellness Centre
family, who bought Vadkert utca 1. Tel (095) 523 600.
Heroes’ Gate in Miklós Jurisics Square, Kőszeg the town in 1534. Open 8am–10pm daily. & 7
y Veszprém fine houses, many of which

have been turned into cafés.
The site of the nation’s first bishopric, and for centuries the The Pósa House at No. 3 was
seat of the Queen of Hungary’s household, Veszprém is one built for a local merchant,
of Hungary’s great historic towns. It was all but razed by the Endre Pósa, in 1783. Its showy
decoration, especially the two
Turks as they fled Hungary in the 1600s. Spread over five hills, cherubs below the roof, was
the most picturesque part of the city is its Castle District (Vár), intended to offset the linearity
with its delightful mixture of medieval and Baroque buildings. of the building. The contours
The twin towers of St Michael’s Cathedral, visible from afar, of the Art Nouveau house next
are a symbol of Veszprém. Many sights are at the top of long door are gentler. Opposite is the
Neo-Classical Town Hall, built in
staircases or at the end of steep, cobbled streets. Down below,
1896 as church offices, but reno-
the lower city also offers some fine Baroque architecture, vated and converted in 1990.
great museums and quaint streets. Behind the Town Hall, up a flight
of stairs, is Lenke Kiss’s fountain
Girl with a Jug, affectionately
P Archbishop’s Palace known as “Zsuzsi” by locals.
Vár utca 16–18. Tel (088) 426 088.
Open May–Oct: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun
(only a few rooms are open to the
public). & 7
Veszprém’s finest building,
this (Érseki Palota) is a brilliant
example of Baroque design by
Jakab Fellner, built in 1764 with
his trademark rounded four-
columned loggia. Used to
house the archbishop’s archive,
Dazzling golden interior of it also has a fine collection of
St Michael’s Cathedral Baroque furniture and frescoes.
R St Michael’s Cathedral P Castle Gate and Museum A late-Art Nouveau stained-glass window
Vár utca 27. Tel (088) 426 088. Vár utca. Tel (088) 426 088. Museum: in the Petőfi Theatre
Open May–mid-Oct: 10am–5pm. Open Apr–Sep: 9am–3pm daily.
There was a church here as &7 F Petőfi Theatre
early as 1001, when St Stephen Although it looks medieval, this Óváry Ferenc utca 2. Tel (088) 424 235.
created a bishopric, but the gate (Várkapu) is a replica of the 7 ∑ petofiszinhaz.hu
cathedral’s (Szent Mihály original castle gate that was This late-Art Nouveau municipal
Érseki Székesegyház) present built in 1938 to commemorate theatre building, set in well-
appearance dates back to the Hungarian dead of World kept gardens, is named after
1908, when it was extensively War I. The tower affords good revolutionary playwright and
rebuilt in Neo-Romanesque views of the city from the top. poet Sándor Petőfi. The theatre
style. Remains of earlier styles (Petőfi Szinház) was designed
include the Gothic undercroft P Óváros Square in 1908 by István Medgyaszay,
and the crypt’s vaulting, both Óváros tér. who studied in Vienna. It has
from 1380. The towers were Veszprém’s former market intricate folk motifs on the
built in 1723, and many older square, Óváros Square (Óváros façade, typical of the later
features of the cathedral tér) is surrounded by some Art Nouveau buildings.
have recently been restored.
R Gizella Chapel
Vár utca 18. Tel (088) 426 088.
Open May–mid-Oct: 10am–5pm
Tue–Sun. & 7 ^
This 13th-century Gothic chapel
(Gizella Kápolna) commemorates
the life of Gizella, wife of Stephen
and first queen of Hungary.
The chapel was lost and only
rediscovered in the 1760s, during
building work. It retains original
Byzantine frescoes of the
apostles on its walls. Façade of the Neo-Classical Town Hall, built in 1896
HUNGARY 355
E Laczkó Dezső Museum VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Erzsébet Sétány 1.
Tel (088) 564 330. Open 10am–6pm Practical Information
Tue–Sun. 8 110 km (68 miles) SW of
Designed by the local architect Budapest. * 60,000.
István Medgyaszay, the Country n Tourinform, Vár utca 4 (088)
Museum (Laczkó Dezső múzeum) 404 548. _ Gizella Art Days (May).
was opened in 1922. It displays Transport
local artifacts and folk costumes k 90 km (56 miles) S of centre.
dating back to Celtic times. £ Jutási út. @ Piac tér.
Most of the collection was
donated by local Piarist monks,
after whose leader, Laczkó St István Viaduct, designed by the O Veszprém Zoo
Dezső, the museum was named. Hungarian architect Róbert Folly Kittenberger Kálmán út 15–17.
It also housed Hungary’s first Tel (088) 566 140. Open May–Sep:
public library, still a leading P St István Viaduct 9am–6pm daily; Apr, Oct: 9am–5pm
research facility. Szent István völgyhíd. daily; Mar, Nov: 9am–4pm daily; Dec–
Stretching over the Fejes Feb: 9am–3:30pm daily. & 8 7
∑ veszpzoo.hu
E Bakony Regional valley, from Dózsa György
Folk House utca to the St László Church, Hungary’s best zoo
Erzsébet Sétány 3. Tel (088) 564 310. the St István Viaduct (Kittenberger Kálmán Növény
Open Jun–Sep: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. (Szent István És Vadaspark) is named after
&8 Völgyhíd) was built 19th-century biologist and
Hungary’s first ethnographic in 1938, a major natural historian Kálmán
museum, the Bakony House engineering achievement Kittenberger (1881–
(Bakonyi Ház) was created in at the time. Designed by a 1958). Spread over
1935, and modelled on the Hungarian, Róbert Folly, it 13 ha (32 acres) in
19th-century houses of a rises 50 m (164 ft) above the lovely Fejes valley,
nearby town. The house is the Séd river at its it is home to 120
built on high foundations highest point. It offers species, including
and has a covered terrace. magnificent views of Sumatran tigers,
A staircase leads to a single the castle and the Kamchatka bears
door. Inside, items on show Bakony Mountains A giraffe in and wonder ful
date to 1700. to the north. Veszprém Zoo exotic birds.
Veszprém City Benedek

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i Lake Balaton Tour

Spread over an area of 596 sq km (230 sq miles), Lake
Balaton is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe. It is
often referred to as Budapest-on-Sea and attracts thousands
of holidaymakers every summer. Most of the southern side of
the lake is very shallow, with an average depth of just 4 m
(13 ft), and the waters are fairly warm, making this the most
popular shore with bathers and families. The southern shore
is, therefore, the most developed, with sandy beaches and a
wide choice of accommodation.
q Kis-Balaton
The Kis-Balaton
Marina in Siófok, departure point for pleasure
Nature Reserve at
cruises and water sports the mouth of the
Zala river covers
u Siófok an area of 40 sq km
88 km (54 miles) SW of Budapest. (15 sq miles). It is
* 23,000. £ @ from Budapest. home to many rare
g from Balatonalmádi, Tihany. plants and animals.
n Tourinform, Viztorony, Szabadság
tér (084) 310 117. _ Golden Cockle
Folklore Festival (Jul).
∑ siofoktourism.com
The largest and liveliest resort 0 Balatonberény

on Lake Balaton’s southern One of the first resorts on the lake
coast, Siófok stretches along to become popular, Balatonberény
the shore for 17 km (11 miles). retains a late-19th-century charm,
It is popular with weekenders most apparent in its delightful lakeside
from Budapest, many of whom cottages and rural houses.
Sopron
have holiday homes here. The Badacsonytomaj
main attraction is the beach. It
is split into two parts – Golden
J
Shore (Aranypart) to the north, Keszthely

Zalaegerszeg J
and Silver Shore (Ezüstpart) to
the south – by the Sió canal,
which was originally built by J
the Romans in AD 276. Like all J
of Lake Balaton’s resorts, Siófok
offers mainly grass beaches.
The resort’s marina is at the
head of the canal, from where
pleasure cruisers and ferries
depart for the nearby Tihany
Peninsula, Hungary’s first
conservation area. The port 8 Balatonfenyves
is a good place to hire sailing This small resort is very
boats, and to organize a Nagykanizsa popular with families.
variety of other water sports. Zalakaros A miniature railway runs
On summer evenings, to a nearby thermal bath.
Siófok comes alive with tens
of thousands of young people
looking for a good time in
the resort’s innumerable bars,
discos and nightclubs, many 9 Balatonmáriafürdő
of which are in the open air. This lively resort attracts water
Visitors looking for a quiet sports enthusiasts and those
night may prefer to go to one looking for a good range of
of the smaller resorts along bars and restaurants.
the coast.
HUNGARY 357
1 Zamárdi
A world away from Tips for Drivers
noisy Siófok, Zamárdi Length: 87 km (54 miles).
is home to some fine Stopping-off points: All the
thatched cottages, resorts along the shore have a
including this arcaded wide range of restaurants. For a
house on Fő utca, now quieter ambience, there are many
the village’s museum. small places in Buzsák. The most
panoramic lake views are from
the top of Bokros-hegy, above
Balatonberény.
∑ balaton-tourism.hu
2 Balatonföldvár
This town owes its name to Iron Age Veszprém
Balatonfűzfő
fortifications called földvár, remains of
which can still be seen. The village’s leafy
promenade is generally considered the Balatonkenese
finest on the south shore. Balatonalmádi
Budapest
3 Kőröshegy Veszprém
A short detour south of
Balatonföldvár is Kőröshegy,
with a well-preserved Gothic J
Balatonfüred
fortified church dating
from 1460.
Tihany
Siófok
J
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on
l at
Ba
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La
Balatonboglár Balatonlelle
Halastó
4 Balatonszemes
This quiet resort has a Postal and
J Carriage Museum. Its tree-lined
streets are ideal for a stroll and
there is an aquapark nearby.
Lengyeltóti
5 Somogyvár
Somogyvár is well worth the detour south
0 kilometres 10
from Buzsák – the impressive ruins of the
Benedictine monastery here date back to 0 miles 5
the 11th century.
Key
6 Buzsák
7 Fonyód The Living Museum of Arts and Motorway
Unremarkable as a resort, Crafts at Buzsák is the best place Tour route
Fonyód sits at the foot of the around Balaton to learn about
Minor road
largest hill on the southern the traditions of the lake and its
shore, the 233-m (764-ft) high people. Fine cloth, pottery and Railway
Várhegy, an extinct volcano. garments are still made here. Ferry route

o Keszthely in 1974, remains of captivating

14th- and 15th-century frescoes
Keszthely is the oldest and largest of the towns that line the were discovered. Lost during
shores of Lake Balaton (see pp356–7). Many of its elegant streets the Ottoman occupation,
evocatively preserve the small-town atmosphere of the 19th when the church served as a
fortress and was connected to
century, when it was the property of the Festetics family. Their Lake Balaton by a canal, these
Baroque family seat, Festetics Palace (see pp360–61), is one of represent the largest collection
Hungary’s finest stately homes. The town possesses one of of Gothic frescoes remaining in
the lake’s few sandy beaches and serves as Balaton’s cultural Hungary. The fine rose window
hub, hosting the annual Balaton Festival. Since the conversion above the eastern portal is also
an original 14th-century feature.
in 2006 of a nearby former Soviet airfield into the Hévíz-Balaton
Airport, Keszthely is transforming itself into one of the most P Kossuth Utca
visited places in Hungary. Keszthely’s main thoroughfare
was built to allow the Festetics
family easy access from their
castle to the lake. Undoubtedly
the widest street in the older
part of the town, it is lined with
some fine houses. The oldest, at
No. 22, is the birthplace of the
Hungarian-Jewish pianist Karl
Goldmark. With its porticos and
covered upper-level loggia, the
house has a Mediterranean feel.
Just behind, in a leafy courtyard,
is Keszthely’s well-preserved
Neo-Renaissance synagogue.
Originally dating from 1780, it
was entirely rebuilt between
1851 and 1852.
The Town Hall, one of many attractive buildings on Fő Square
E Balaton Museum
P Fő Square and Town Hall the patriarch of the Festetics Múzeum utca 2. Tel (083) 312 351.
Fő tér. family and uncle of István Open Check website for timings. 8
At the heart of Keszthely is the Széchenyi, one of Hungary’s 7 & ∑ balatonimuzeum.hu
bustling Fő Square (Fő tér), domi- social and political reformers. The mustard-yellow Neo-Baroque
nated on its northern side by the The church was originally built Balaton Museum (Balatoni
attractive late-Baroque, pastel- in Gothic style using stone taken múzeum) building was erected
pink Town Hall (Polgármesteri from an old Roman settlement in the 1920s to a design by Dénes
Hivatal). This was built in 1790, nearby. During restoration work Györgyi, and is worth seeing
although the façade was exten- in its own right.
sively remodelled in the 1850s. The exhibitions inside are
Erected earlier, in 1770, the equally interesting and include
Baroque Trinity Column, in the a fascinating look at life around
centre of the square, looks its Lake Balaton in pre-Roman times.
best in early summer when it There are displays showing the
is surrounded by bedding development of fishing on the
flowers of every colour. lake as well as a more sombre
display explaining the effects
R Franciscan Church of pollution on life in the lake.
Fő tér 5. Tel (083) 314 271. Models of sailing ships, streamers
This grand building, towering and paddleboats that once
over the southern side of traversed the lake are also
the square, is the Franciscan on view.
Church and former monastery There is also a collection of
(Magyarok Nagyasszonya outstanding Roman stoneware
Templom), built in the 14th from the region and an original
century. Its tall Neo-Gothic milestone to Aquincum, a
tower with a 10-m (33-ft) spire Roman town 69 km (43 miles)
was added in the 18th century. from Keszthely, whose remains
The crypt holds the tomb of Stained-glass window in the were excavated at the end of
György Festetics (see p361), Franciscan Church the 19th century.
HUNGARY 359
187 km (116 miles) SW of
Budapest. * 10,000.
n Tourinform, Kossuth utca 28,
(083) 314 144. _ Balaton Festival
(May), Helikon Chamber Music
Festival (May). ∑ keszthely.hu
Transport
k 10 km (6 miles) S of centre.
£ Kazinczy utca. @ Kazinczy
Excavated fishing equipment on display at the Balaton Museum utca. 4 Kazinczy utca.
E Georgikon Farm Hungary and Austria. A

Museum selection of antique agricultural The dolls are complemented
Bercsényi Miklós utca 65–7. equipment ranges from Bronze by a display of local village
Tel (083) 311 563. Open May–Oct: Age tools to steam ploughs, architecture, with more than
10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 10am–6pm Sun. including an early motor tractor. 200 scale models, including
&7 houses, stables and churches.
Europe’s first Academy of E Doll and Waxwork The second part of the museum
Agriculture was set up here Museum holds waxworks, featuring
by György Festetics in 1797. It Kossuth Lajos utca 11. Tel (083) 318 500 life-size figures of eminent
was converted into a museum 855. Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sun. & Hungarians, from Prince
(Georgikon Majormúzeum) in ∑ babamuzeum-keszthely.hu Árpád to Imre Nagy.
1972, and exhibitions focus on the This museum (Történelmi The third section is a 7-m
history of Hungarian agriculture Panoptikum) is actually three (23-ft) long model of Hungary’s
from Celtic times to the present museums in one. The first Parliament, which was made by
day. There are separate displays on contains a collection of 700 Ilona Miskei from more than four
wine production in the Balaton porcelain dolls. Each doll wears million sea-snail shells.
area and domestic farming in the traditional costume of a
southern Transdanubia, a region particular Hungarian village, P Festetics Palace
along the border between and was handmade there. See pp360–61.
Keszthely Town
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Railway Pier
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Hévíz-Balaton Airport
10 km (6 miles)
. Baroque Tower
Keszthely: Festetics Palace This Neo-Baroque
Festetics Palota façade is based on the
French stately homes
Originally the home of the Festetics family, of the same era. The
the stately Neo-Baroque Festetics Palace is the central tower’s dome,
however, evokes an
magnum opus of little-known architect Viktor earlier Baroque style.
Rumpelmayer, who redesigned the palace in the
1880s. It was requisitioned by the Soviet Army
in 1944. Today, the palace houses the Helikon
Palace Museum, which is a popular day trip from
Lake Balaton (see p356–7). More than half of the
palace’s 101 rooms are open to the public, and
feature fine examples of exotic art, furniture Main entrance
and arms gathered on the family’s many foreign
expeditions. The palace is famous for its
100,000-volume library and its fine English
gardens, which cover over 42 ha (104 acres).
English Gardens
English stately homes
were the inspiration for the
beautiful palace gardens.
These were laid out by the
English landscape artist
Edward Miller.
Carriage Museum
In the palace’s former stables, the Carriage
Museum is home to a priceless collection of
hunting and parade coaches and carriages
from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
KEY
The World of Islam
1 Weapons display
The Festetics family filled the mansion with
2 Each room is decorated in a treasures brought back from their travels to
different colour scheme and features North Africa and the Middle East. The
priceless artifacts. collection has been enhanced with loans
from the Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait.
HUNGARY 361
. Mirror Room VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Adorned with
Venetian mirrors and
English furniture, the
Kastély utca 1, Keszthely.
striking Mirror Room,
Tel (083) 314 194. n Tourinform,
also known as the
Kossuth Lajos utca 28, (083) 314
Main Hall, regularly
144. Open Oct–May: 10am–5pm
hosts chamber
Tue–Sat; Jun–Sep: 9am–6pm
music concerts
daily, 7pm–midnight Wed, 9pm–
and operettas.
midnight Sat. & 8 7 - =
Note: fee payable for photography
& video cameras.
∑ helikonkastely.hu
Transport
£@4
Chapel
The small, private Festetics
Chapel was built in the 1880s,
when the extent of the palace
was considerably expanded.
. Library
The Rococo Helikon
Library holds over
100,000 volumes on
its oak shelves.
Hungary’s literary
elite gathered here in
the 19th century.
György Festetics
A polymath who combined a love for agriculture
and the arts with the progressive ideals of the
Enlightenment, György Festetics (1755–1819) was
the grandson of Kristóf Festetics, who had been
given the Helikon Estate in 1743 by the
Habsburgs. György is best known for
founding Europe’s first agricultural
Portrait Gallery college, the Georgikon (see p359) at
Beautiful portraits of almost every Keszthely in 1797. A great explorer, he went
member of the Festetics family, as on to become a generous patron of the arts
well as prominent members of and organized poetry and music festivals Statue of György
Hungarian and Viennese society, at the palace. Festetics
line the palace’s walls.
p Pécs
Cosmopolitan Pécs calls itself “Hungary’s Mediterranean city”,
as the sun shines here for more than 200 days a year. Many of
the city’s streets also have an Oriental feel to them. Pécs was
founded by the Romans, who called the place Sopianae, in the
3rd century AD. It served as the capital of Valeria Province and
was an early centre of Roman Christianity – as evidenced by
the 4th-century tombs on Apáca utca. It was the Ottoman
Turks, however, 1,000 years later, who left the deepest marks
on the city’s landscape. Széchenyi tér, the bustling heart of the
city, is dominated by the former Gazi Kasim Pasha mosque,
the largest surviving original Islamic construction in Hungary. Impressive sculpture outside the Modern
The city also boasts excellent galleries, museums and great Hungarian Gallery
examples of Islamic architecture.
Gulácsy and Farkas Molnár. In
the garden there is a collection
R St Peter’s Cathedral and Zala. A bronze statue of Janos of large granite statues by
Bishops’ Palace Pannonius, a leading humanist, Budapest-born sculptor Pierre
Dóm tér. Tel (072) 513 050. stands in front of the cathedral. Szekely. Outdoor events are
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–5pm Tue–Sat, Opposite is the deep red, also staged here in summer.
1–5pm Sun; Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm 19th-century Neo-Renaissance
Tue–Sat, 1–4pm Sun. 8 7 Bishops’ Palace (Püspöki Palota). E Csontváry Museum
The historic centre of Pécs, It has a statue of Hungary’s Janus Pannonius utca 11.
Dóm tér, is dominated by most prominent musician Tel (072) 310 544. Open 10am–4pm
St Peter’s Cathedral (Szent Péter Franz Liszt in a raincoat, on the Tue–Sun. & 8 7
Székesegyház), first built as a southern balcony. The palace A tortured soul and former
Neo-Romanesque church in is home to one of Hungary’s pharmacist turned artist, Tivadar
1009 when St Stephen made largest libraries. Kosztka Csontváry (1853–1919)
Pécs a bishopric. The original produced most of his work
church, which burnt down in E Modern Hungarian between 1903 and 1909, after
1064, was replaced by a Baroque Gallery which he moved to Naples. Most
cathedral built over nearly 200 Káptalan utca 4. Tel (072) 514 040. of Kosztka Csontváry’s master-
years. Badly damaged by the Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & 8 pieces, including the startling
Mongols, it was almost entirely 7 ∑ jpm.hu View of the Dead Sea from the
rebuilt as a Gothic church in the One of the finest collections Temple Square in Jerusalem (1905),
15th century. The current edifice of 20th-century Hungarian have been on display in this Neo-
dates from 1891, and is the work art in the country with more Renaissance building since 1973.
of Viennese architect Friedrich than 10,000 pieces, this gallery
Schmidt. The interior is impressive, (Modern Magyarképtár) P Apáca Utca and Early
especially the frescoes in the features works by every major Christian Mausoleum
chapel by Károly Lotz and the artist of the age, including Christian Burial Site Apáca utca 14:
reliefs in the crypt by György József Rippl-Rónai, Lajos Tel (072) 224 755. Open by appt only;
book in advance. & 8 Early Christian
Mausoleum: Szent István tér 4. Open
Apr–Oct: 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun; Nov–
Mar: 10am–3:30pm Tue–Sun. & 8
Four graves at Apáca utca
14, all from AD 390, mark one
of the earliest Christian burial
sites in Europe. The bodies are
buried under a chapel, and
not in sarcophagi. Nearby, the
Early Christian Mausoleum
(Ókeresztény Mauzóleum), below
an excavated chapel, is even
older, dating from AD 275. It is
decorated with biblical frescoes.
These and two further burial
chambers at Pécs were declared
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
St Peter’s Cathedral, with its distinctive corner towers in 2000.
HUNGARY 363
E Archaeological Museum P Király Utca VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Széchenyi tér 12. Tel (072) 312 719. Largely pedestrianized,
Open May–Oct: 10am–2pm Tue–Sat; Király utca is an architectural Practical Information
Nov–Apr: 10am–3pm Mon–Fri by showcase. Art Nouveau façades 202 km (126 miles) SW of
appt only. 7 can be seen at No. 5 – Palatinus Budapest. * 156,000.
This 18th-century building hotel – as well as at Nos. 8, 10, n Tourinform, Széchenyi tér 9,
(Régészeti múzeum) was 19 and the National Theatre. (072) 213 315. _ Spring Festival
(last two weeks Mar), Pécs Cultural
converted into a museum in The St Pauline Church at No. 44
Festival (first week Sep).
1922. The highlight is the story is in Baroque style.
∑ baranyatour.hu
of Pécs in Roman times. The
museum also features artifacts u Synagogue Transport
left behind by Goths, Huns, Kossuth tér. Open May–Sep: £ Indóház tér. @
Tatars and Visigoths and a 10am–5pm Sun–Fri. Taxi to Zólyom utca, Széchenyi tér.
bust of Marcus Aurelius. &7
This grand Neo-Renaissance
U Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque/ synagogue (Zsinagóga), U Jakovali Hassan Mosque
Inner City Parish Church built in the 1860s, indicates Rákóczi út. 2. Tel (072) 313 853.
Széchenyi tér. Tel (072) 321 976. the high standing that the Open Apr–Sep: 10am–6pm Tue–Sun.
Open mid-Apr–mid-Oct: 10am–4pm 5,000-strong Jewish &8
Mon–Sat; mid-Oct–mid-Apr: 10am– community had in Pécs This 16th-century mosque
noon Mon–Sat. & 7 society. They lived in (Jakovali Hassan Dzámi)
Built in 1579 for Gazi Kasim Pécs until 1944, when was converted into a
Pasha, this lovely mosque (Gazi the anti-Semitic Arrow Catholic church in 1714,
Kasim Pasha Dzámi/Belvárosi Cross government but its 23-m (75-ft) high
Templom) was the largest in sent them to camps minaret remains intact.
Hungary, and remains its most in Auschwitz (see Since 1975 it has been a
important Ottoman monument. pp196–9). A memorial museum documenting
Converted into a Christian commemorates Façade of Pécs the Ottoman occupa-
church in the late 1600s, those who were killed. Synagogue tion of Pécs. Many exhi-
calligraphy at the entrance Services take place in bits were donated by
and a prayer niche are reminders the smaller prayer hall the Turkish government as a
of its origins. at the side. mark of friendship in the 1990s.
Pécs City Centre

TCA
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a Kecskemét R Great Catholic Church

Nagytemplom
The city of Kecskemét dates back to 1368, though little Kossuth tér 2. Open 9am–7pm daily;
remains from that era. Kecskemét benefited from self-government spire and viewing platform summer
only. & 7
during Ottoman rule, and the Habsburgs encouraged the
The gigantic Great Catholic
development of agriculture in the region, which is often Church was built in 1772–96.
called the “Garden of Hungary”. The local plums are the source Its spire rises to 73 m (240 ft),
of a delicious brandy. An earthquake in June 1911 shook offering superb views. The
the city, but the outstanding Baroque and Art Nouveau Baroque exterior features
city centre was mercifully spared. Home to some great statues and reliefs of figures
from Hungarian history. Grand
museums, Kecskemét is a superb place to explore.
steps lead to the pulpit in
an otherwise plain interior.
R Piarist Church and School works and exhibitions on the
Jókai tér. Church: Open 11am– Art Nouveau architects Tóth
2pm daily. and Glücks. The green and
The Piarists were a relatively orange tiled roof is outstanding.
progressive and scientific
Catholic Order founded in E Hungarian
Rome in 1597 by St Joseph Photography Museum
Calasanctius. They arrived Katona József tér 12.
in Kecskemét in 1715 and Tel (076) 483 221. Open noon–5pm
founded the school on Jókai Wed–Sun. & 7
tér. The present school build- ∑ fotomuzeum.hu
ing (Rendház), however, This museum (Magyar
was built in the late 1940s. Fotográfiai múzeum)‚ is housed
The Baroque church (Piarista in a former synagogue that
Templom) opposite the school retains many of its original fea-
was erected between 1729 tures. The museum displays the Room in the Museum of Medicinal and
and 1765, to designs by Andras works of every great Hungarian Pharmaceutical History
Mayerhoffer. St Calasanctius photographer, including André
is represented by one of four Kertész and László Moholy-Nagy. E Museum of Medicinal and
statues in front of the building, There are regular exhibitions Pharmaceutical History
alongside the Virgin Mary and by international artists. A Kölcsey utca 3. Tel (076) 329 964.
St Stephen and St László. photography bookshop is Open May–Oct: 10am–2pm Tue–Sun.
attached to the museum. &7
P Ornamental Palace Although this museum (Orvos
Rákóczi utca 1. Tel (076) 480 776. P József Katona Theatre És Gyógyszerészettörténeti
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 1:30–5pm and Holy Trinity Monument Kiállítás) houses only a small
Sun. & 7 Katona József tér 5. collection, consisting mainly of
This masterpiece (Cifra Palota), Tel (076) 328 420. Open 10am–2pm colourful old medicine bottles,
completed in 1902, was the Tue–Sat. 7 ^ intricate old surgical instruments,
work of architect Géza Markus. Resembling a jewellery box, a weighing chair and various
An art gallery since World War II, this theatre (Katona József reference works, it is worth a visit
the palace holds over 10,000 Színház) was the creation of if only to see the superb building,
Austrian architects which was once a pharmacy.
Ferdinand Fellner
and Hermann Helmer. E Museum of
Completed in 1896, Hungarian Naïve Art
it was named after Gáspár András utca 11.
playwright József Tel (076) 324 767. Open Mar–Oct:
Katona. It is worth 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; Nov–Feb: by
attending a perfor- appt only. & 8
mance to see the This charming museum (Magyar
ceiling alone. Naiv Művészek Múzeuma) is
The superb Holy devoted to local Naïve artists
Trinity Monument who produced some stunning
(Szentharomsag work. Unique in Hungary, the
Szobor) in front of the museum provides a thorough
theatre was erected survey of the genre. There are
after the end of the more than 2,500 exhibits, with
most recent outbreak the collection of small animal
The Art Nouveau Ornamental Palace of plague, in 1742. sculptures a special highlight.
HUNGARY 365
considered state of the art in the VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

1950s. There are also interactive
toy workshops for children Practical Information
during summer. 86 km (53 miles) SE of Budapest.
* 105,000. n Tourinform,
E Zwack Fruit Brandy Kossuth tér 1, (076) 481 065.
( daily. _ Spring Festival (last
Distillery and Exhibition
Matkói utca 2. Tel (076) 487 711. two weeks of Mar), Zoltan Kodály
Open Mon–Fri, by appt only. Classical Music Festival (last week
& 8 compulsory. of Jun to last week of Aug).
∑ kecskemet.hu
Mechanical toys in the Toy Museum Zwack Unicum Company is the
and Workshop Hungarian market leader in plum Transport
brandy, and its factory offers a £ Kodály Zoltán tér; Narrow
E Szórakaténusz Toy fascinating insight into the world Gauge, Széchenyi tér. @ Kodály
Museum and Workshop of alcohol distillation. Visitors can Zoltán tér.
Gáspár András körát 11. see how the brandy is made –
Tel (076) 481 469. Open Mar–Oct: before tasting it – and learn about
10am–5pm Tue–Sun; Nov–Feb: by the life of the Zwack family. The a fascinating place to visit. Opened
appt only. & = plant is open only to group tours; to the public in 1984 as the
Next to the Museum of Tourinform provides information Museum of Popular Folk Art,
Hungarian Naïve Art is this on where and when to join one. the permanent collection now
children’s paradise, housed covers woodcarving, pottery,
in a specially built wooden E Museum of Applied embroidery and weaving. Visitors
building (Szórakaténusz Folk Art can access on-site workshops to
Játékmúzeum És Műhely). Serfőző utca 19. Tel (076) 327 203. watch the artisans at work and
There is a wide array of Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sat. then try embroidering a waistcoat
Hungarian toys from the 18th Closed 17 Dec–10 Jan. & 8 or tablecloth themselves; an
century to the present, with Hungarian only. 7 interactive kitchen produces
dolls and wooden toys taking This vast and enchanting local specialities in traditional
pride of place. Among them building (Népi Iparművészeti ovens. However, the workshops
are some relatively clumsy múzeum) and garden, formerly and kitchen are open only on
mechanical toys that were a brewery for nearly 200 years, is selected days in the summer.
Kecskemét City
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s Bükk National Park

Bükki Nemzeti Park
Since 1977, most of the Bükk Mountain region in
northern Hungary has been classified as a national
park. It extends from Eger (see pp368–9) in the south
to Mályinka, 61 km (38 miles) to the north. An area of
outstanding natural beauty, Bükk, meaning “beech”, is Lipizzaners in Szilvásvárad Horse Museum
renowned for its beech forests and steep cliffs, riddled The famous Lipizzaner horses
with more than 800 caves. There is some skiing in were brought here from
Lipica, in Slovenia, in the
winter at Felső-Borovnyák, but the main activities are
16th century.
hiking and climbing. Routes of all grades and lengths
criss-cross the range, linking the main towns in
Nagyvisnyó
the region.
Szilvásvárad
J
J Bálvány
956 m (3,136 ft)
Szalajka
Istállós-kő
959 m (3,146 ft)
Fátyol Waterfall Istállós-kői

Cave
Staggered limestone steps make this Bélapátfalva Tar-kő
17-m (56-ft) long waterfall one of the most 949 m
attractive in Hungary. The steps grow a little (3,114 ft)
every year as the water deposits more lime. Pes-kő

865 m (2,838 ft)
Mónosbél
Stimecz-ház
Szarvaskő
Felsőtárkány
Vineyards in Felsőtárkány
The pretty town of Felsőtárkány,
surrounded by vineyards and parks, is one
of the best gateways to Bükk National Park.
Várhegy
669 m (2,195 ft)
KEY Síkfőkút
Eg er
1 Romanesque Bélapátfalva,
Felnémet
erected by Cistercian monks in the
Eger
1200s, is the best preserved abbey
5 km (3 miles)
in Hungary.
2 The Szalajka Narrow Gauge
Railway runs along the entire length
of the Szalajka Valley during summer.

HUNGARY 367
Climbing on Felső-
Borovnyák
The steep, high cliffs of
the Bükk offer challenging
n Tourinform Eger, Bajcsy-
rock-climbing experiences
Zsilinszky tér 9, (036) 517 715;
for even the most
Tourinform Miskolc, Varoshaz
experienced climbers.
tér 13, (046) 350 425.
Anna Cave: Open 10am–4pm
daily. 8 Subalyuk Cave: Open
Apr–Oct: 10am–4pm daily.
∑ bnpi.hu
Mályinka Transport
143 km (89 miles) NE of
Budapest. £ @ to Eger,
Miskolc, Lillafüred, Szilvásvárad.
ík
e ns
s- F Garadna
Ki Újmassa
Hámori-tó
Hámor
Ómassa
István- Tűzköves
Bánkút lápa Cave 895 m (2,936 ft)
Lillafüred
Anna Cave
ík
ns Bükkszentlászló Six interconnected
- Fe Stará Huta Miskolc caves are accessible via
kk
Bü Rejtek
Bükkszentkereszt 10 km (6 miles) a series of natural
Nová Huta limestone staircases.
Répáshuta
Nagybodzás
668 m (2,192 ft)
Bükk Mountains
The Bükk region is renowned for its clean
Magas-tető air. The highest peak in the mountains is
664 m (2,178 ft)
Istállós-kő.
Hajnoczy
Cave
0 kilometres 3
Bükkzsérc
0 miles 3
Cserépfalu
Key
Major road
Other road
Subalyuk Cave
Railway
Traces of Palaeolithic Man have been
Trail found in this cave, making it one of the
Summit oldest-known dwellings in Europe.
d Eger E Lyceum
Eszterházy Károly tér 1. Tel (036) 520
Situated off the main road from Budapest to the east of Hungary, 400. Open 9:30am–1pm Sat–Sun.
&87
Eger is a sleepy, provincial town dominated by its castle (see
pp370–71) and the legend of the great siege of 1552. Eger has Founded in 1765 by Bishop
Károly Eszterházy as a Catholic
been rebuilt twice, almost from scratch, by the church. After university, this university
destruction by the Mongols in 1241, it was reconstructed with (Líceum, Eszterházy Károly
money from the Minorite and Franciscan Orders. After the Főiskola) was relegated to
withdrawal of the Ottomans in 1687, the local bishopric revived the ranks of a lyceum by
the town by commissioning many of the Baroque masterpieces the imperial authorities who
opposed the idea of a church
that remain today, including the cathedral, the Lyceum and
university. The highlight is
the Bishop’s Palace. Nowadays, Eger is also known for its the library, which holds over
Bull’s Blood wine (see p371) and its university. 150,000 volumes, including
the first book ever printed in
R Eger Cathedral of the Italian sculptor Marco Hungary, in 1473. The library
Pyrker János tér 1. Tel (036) 515 725. Casagrande. The cathedral’s boasts Johann Kracker’s fresco
Open 8am–8pm daily. 7 5 interior is sombre, brightened of 132 figures, depicting the
The second largest church primarily by Viennese artist meeting of the Council of
in Hungary, Eger Cathedral Johann Kracker’s ceiling Trent (1545–63). The tower is
(Főszékesegyház – Szent János frescoes of the Kingdom of Hungary’s leading centre of
Apostol És Evangélista Szent Heaven on the inside of the astronomy, with a collection
Mihály Főangyal) is the most cupola. The cathedral is also of astronomical items and a
astonishing sight in the town, home to Hungary’s largest 19th-century camera obscura.
though its mixture of Neo- organ, which is played every
Classical and Neo-Romanesque Sunday after morning mass
styles, in bright yellow, may not at 12:45pm.
be to everyone’s taste. It was
built between 1831 and 1837 P Bishop’s Palace
to a design by the architect Széchenyi utca 1. Tel (036) 517 589.
József Hild, who would later Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat.
design the even larger and The second element of central
more stunning basilica at Eger’s ecclesiastical architectural
Esztergom (see p348). triumvirate is the former Bishop’s
The cathedral is unique in Palace (Római Katolikus Érseki
Hungary, with a cupola, which Palota). It was built in Baroque
at 40 m (131 ft) is shorter than style to the designs of 18th-
the two western towers, which century architect Jakab Kellner Façade of the Lyceum, built as a
measure 44 m (144 ft). At the and completed in 1766. Catholic university
other end of the building, The palace houses the
three gargantuan statues Ecclesiastical Collection of the P Kossuth Lajos Utca
loom over the colonnaded Eger Bishopric, and the coronation The wide boulevard of
Neo-Classical façade. These cloak of Habsburg Empress Kossuth Lajos utca has long been
represent Faith, Hope and Maria Theresa among other home to Eger’s most important
Charity, and were the work priceless objects. administrative and ecclesiastical
buildings. At No. 4 is the Vice-
Provost’s Palace, a pastel-shaded
Rococo mansion with a façade
of hewn stone dating from 1758.
On the same side of the street, at
No. 14, is the Franciscan Church
and Monastery, a single-nave
church built in 1738 on the ruins
of a mosque.
Opposite, at No. 9, is
the Baroque County Hall,
completed in 1758. It is famed
for the two grand wrought-iron
gates, crafted by the blacksmith
Henrik Fazola (1730–79), who
moved to Eger from Germany
to take the city’s waters. He is
The sombre interior of Eger Cathedral, brightened by ceiling frescoes also responsible for most of
HUNGARY 369
tiered façade and twin VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

towers were designed by
Bohemian architect Kilian Ignaz Practical Information
Dientzenhofer, but the church 137 km (85 miles) NE of Budapest.
was not completed until 1773. * 56,000. n Tourinform,
It is dedicated to St Anthony Bajcsy-Zsilinszky tér 9, (036) 517
of Padova and scenes from the 715. ( Dobó István tér, daily.
saint’s life feature in the ceiling Transport
frescoes painted by Márton £ Vasút utca. @ Pyrker János
Raindl. St Anthony is also tér. Dobó István tér 9.
depicted alongside the Virgin
Mary on the altar, in a painting
by Johann Kracker. P Minaret
Aerial view of Kossuth Lajos utca, Eger’s Knézich Károly utca. Open Apr–Oct:
most sought-after address 10am–5pm daily. &
A relic of the Ottoman regime,
the ironwork that typifies many Eger’s minaret (Minaret) is a classic
of the buildings on Kossuth of its genre. Sleek and perfectly
Lajos utca, as well as the famous symmetrical, the 14-sided
Hungarian National Gallery sandstone tower rises on an
(see p328) in Budapest and incline to its needle-like point,
Festetics Palace in Keszthely 40 m (131 ft) above the street. It is
(see pp360–61). topped with a crescent moon and
a cross. Closed for 150 years after
R Minorite Church the mosque next to it was demol-
Dobó István tér ished in 1841, the 17th-century
Set against the background of minaret is now open to visitors
the open spaces of Dobó István and offers fine views of the city
tér, the ornate exterior of the to those prepared to climb the
former Minorite Church (Szent 97 steps up to the balcony.
Antonius Minorita Templom)
has more aesthetic appeal than Main façade of the former Minorite Church, + Eger Castle
the cathedral. The rounded, built in the 18th century See pp370–71.
Eger Town Centre

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Eger: Eger Castle

Eger Vár
The site of a legendary siege against the invading Ottomans,
Eger Castle is an imposing edifice. Entered by a tiny gate set into
3-m (10-ft) thick walls with the menacing upper fortress in the
background, it was here, in 1552, that the greatest rearguard
action in Hungarian military history was carried out. The castle,
defended by a garrison of just 2,000 soldiers and ably assisted by
the women of the town, held out against a formidable Ottoman
force five times that size for six weeks. The Ottomans eventually
retreated, but took the castle 44 years later, only for much of it . Bishop’s Palace
to be destroyed in 1702 by the Habsburgs. The names of all those who
defended the castle in 1552 are
engraved in a marble tablet on
Fold Bastion Waxworks the main hall.
A great collection of lifelike wax
figures, displayed over three
levels of the bastion, recreates
scenes from the siege.
Art Gallery
The Art Gallery hosts an unrivalled
collection of Hungarian Baroque paintings
and sculptures, including this bas-relief
above the entrance.
KEY
1 Round Tower
Dobó Bastion
2 Ticket Office The bastions and walls
3 Cannon Hill were fortified from the
mid-1500s under
4 Three Crosses Hill
István Dobó, who led
5 Tomb of Gárdonyi the defenders during
the siege.
HUNGARY 371
Vár utca, Eger. Tel (036) 312 744.
Open Nov–Feb: 8am–5pm; Mar
& Oct: 8am–6pm; May–Aug: 8am–
8pm; Apr & Sep: 8am–7pm.
& includes all exhibitions,
extra for camera & guided tours.
7 partly. = _ Castle and
Theatre Festival (Aug).
∑ egrivar.hu
. Ruins of Romanesque Cathedral
Among the ruins of a 10th-century baptistry in the inner courtyard Transport
£ @ 11, 12, 14 from
stands the grave of Eger’s first bishop, Buldus.
Eger Station.
. Underground Corridors
Castle Hill is a warren of under-
ground chambers and paths, dug by
the Ottomans in order to attack the
castle from below. Some 200 m
(656 ft) are open to the public.
Main entrance
Bull’s Blood Wine

Bull’s Blood of Eger is along with
Tokaj, probably Hungary’s most
celebrated wine. Comparable
to the Bordeaux wines of
France, Bull’s Blood is robust
and fruity, made of a mix of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Cabernet Franc grapes.
During the Siege of Eger,
copious amounts of the wine
were drunk by the defending
soldiers, and word was put
Ippolito Gate and about that their bravery was
Bornemissza Bastion based on the blood of bulls
This striking castle that had been added to the
gate is named after wine. The stories were almost
an Italian cardinal, certainly false, but they
Ippolito d’Este, impressed the superstitious
who became Ottomans, and played a minor Hungary’s Bull’s
the Archbishop role in their defeat and retreat. Blood wine
of Esztergom.
f Lake Tisza The family-oriented resort of

Tisza-tó Kisköre is home to the lake's best
beaches. The town of Tiszaderzs,
199 km (124 miles) E of Budapest. £
from Debrecen. @ from Debrecen.
set back from the shores of
the lake, has a 13th-century
Although it is considered one of Romanesque church rebuilt in
the natural wonders of Hungary, the 1600s and an 18th-century
Lake Tisza is, in fact, an artificial Baroque Reformed Church.
lake. It was created in the early South of Tiszaderzs, the water
1970s, when the Tisza river was park at Abádszalók is one of the
dammed for the irrigation of lake’s most popular attractions.
the Great Plain, which covers It is also known for water sports.
about 56 per cent of the On the western shore, the
country. Covering 127 sq km village of Sarud, has many
(49 sq miles), the lake is 18th- and 19th-century Imposing Great Reformed Church and
second in size only to Lake thatched cottages as well fountain, Debrecen
Balaton (see p356–7), and as a great shallow beach.
is increasingly challenging North of Sarud rowing during the revolution of 1848,
its famous neighbour boats are available for it served as Hungary’s capital.
as the summer holiday Peregrine falcons hire at the village of Today it is celebrated for its
destination of choice. at Lake Tisza Poroszló and there grand thermal bath complex
Most of the northern is also a nature trail and excellent university.
part of the lake is a protected that meanders around the Debrecen’s defining landmark,
nature reserve. Much loved surrounding countryside. the Great Reformed Church,
by bird-watchers, the reserve towers above the town from
is accessible only with a guide. E Pál Kiss House Museum the top of its main street, Piac
Almost 200 species can be Tel (059) 352 106. Open 9am–noon, utca. Built between 1819 and
seen here, including peregrine 1–5pm Tue–Sat . 1823, on the site of an earlier
falcons, which enjoy the Abádszalók church to designs by Mihaly
microclimate generated by n (059) 535 346. Pechy, this is where Hungary’s
the lake waters. parliament met between 1848
The largest resort on Lake and 1849, and where its
Tisza is the bustling town of g Debrecen secession from the Habsburg
Tiszafüred, which has many 220 km (137 miles) E of Budapest. Empire was declared. Across the
grass beaches, boat launches * 200,000. £ from Budapest. square is the Civis Aranybika
and one of Hungary’s oldest @ from Budapest. Railway Station, Hotel, an Art Nouveau master-
regional museums, Pál Kiss Múzeum utca. n Tourinform, Piac piece designed by Alfred Hajos,
House Museum. Housed in a utca 20, (052) 412 250. ( daily. Hungary’s first Olympic
Neo-Classical villa, the museum _ Spring Festival (Mar), Jazz Days champion. Piac utca leads into
was founded in 1877 and displays (Mar), Summer Theatre (Aug), Flower the central square, Kalvin tér,
painted furniture, pottery and Carnival (Aug). ∑ debrecen.hu which is home to the Calvinist
an archaeology exhibition Famous for its Calvinist Reformed College, founded by
with Roman coins and mosaics. Reformed College and Calvinist Dominican monks in 1538.
Named after Pál Kiss, a general Church, the pretty town of Rebuilt twice, the present
in the revolution of 1848, Debrecen is Hungary’s second building was designed by Mihaly
it is also a major bird- largest. It has always been an Pechy. It was in the Oratory
watching centre. important market town and, here that Hungary’s provisional
parliament met in 1944 while
Budapest was under siege.
Nearby stands the excellent
Deri Museum, built between
1926 and 1928, to house local
industrialist Frigyes Deri’s art
collection. It has a rich collection
of antiquities from Egypt and
Ancient Greece as well as
displays on Debrecen’s history,
ethnography and art.
Debrecen’s famous thermal
bath complex lies just north
of the centre, with an extensive
range of pools and baths
and a vast water-therapy
The popular water park at Abádszalók, Lake Tisza treatment centre.
HUNGARY 373
h Hortobágy centre is in the tiny but charming

and Hortobágy village of Hortobágy itself.
National Park Here, the 17th-century
Hortobágy Csárda restaurant
Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park
serves Hungary’s national dish,
183 km (114 miles) E of Budapest. goulash (gulyásleves), which
@ n Pásztormúzeum, Petőfi tér 1, originated in the puszta. A
Hortobágy, (052) 589 000. Hortobágy small Shepherds’ Museum
National Park: Tel (052) 589 170. (Pásztormúzeum) offers a
Open 8am–4pm daily. & 8 7 0 fascinating insight into the
- = ∑ hnp.hu
life of the puszta shepherd.
Established in 1973, this The unique Nine-Arch
was the first national park Bridge (Kilenclyukú Híd), built
in Hungary and remains the between 1827 and 1833 to
largest, stretching over 820 sq km designs by Ferenc Povolny, crosses
(317 sq miles) from Lake Tisza the Hortobágy river and once Twin-towered Neo-Romanesque Votive
to Debrecen. It was added to formed part of the main road Church, Szeged
UNESCO’s World Heritage from Budapest to Debrecen.
List in 1999. The vast plain, planning. Today, the city is an
known locally as the puszta, Hortobágy Máta Stud Farm important centre for the salami
meaning “emptiness”, is the Czinege J utca 1, Hortobágy. and paprika trades.
nesting site of as many as Tel (052) 589 369. Open 8am–8pm Constructed between
152 bird species, including daily. & 8 riding lessons. 1913 and 1930, the grand Neo-
great bustards, herons, storks E Shepherds’ Museum Romanesque Votive Church
and spoonbills. Up to 342 Petőfi tér 1, Hortobágy. Tel (052) 589 on Dom tér contains several
different bird species have 321. Open Mar–Apr: 10am–4pm daily; ornate frescoes and the third
been spotted here in migration, May–Sep: 9am–6pm daily; Oct–Dec: largest organ in Europe. In
including tens of thousands 10am–2pm daily. Closed Jan–Feb. & front of it stands the Demetrius
of screeching cranes, which Tower, built between the
can be seen in late September. 12th and 13th centuries, while
The park is also home to j Szeged behind it is the single-towered
cattle, horses, buffalo, and 170 km (105 miles) SE of Budapest.
Serbian Orthodox Church.
Hungarian long-haired sheep, * 97,000. £ from Budapest. Founded by Serb immigrants
which continue to be herded @ Roosevelt tér. n Tourinform, in the 1700s, it contains a
by semi-nomadic farmers as Dugonics tér 2, (062) 488 690. magnificent iconostasis
they have been for centuries. _ Szeged Open Air Theatre Festival engraved in pear wood.
The 300-year-old Hortobágy (mid-Jul–Sep). ∑ szeged.hu To the west, beyond the
Máta Stud Farm riding centre, university, are two notable
located inside the park, is The fourth largest city in the Art Nouveau buildings. The
Hungary’s best. It organizes country, Szeged straddles the elaborate Reok Palace, was
riding performances by the Tisza river less than 20 km (12 designed by Ede Magyar
Csikós (Hungarian cowboys), miles) from the point where Oszadszki for local merchant
as well as riding lessons for Hungary, Serbia and Romania Istvan Reok in 1907. In the
visitors throughout the summer. meet. Completely destroyed Jewish Quarter, the New
While much of Hortobágy by the spring floods in 1879, Synagogue, built between
National Park is open to visitors Szeged was entirely remodelled 1900 and 1903, has a grand
all year round, some parts have and its avenues, squares and dome and a marble tabernacle
limited access. The park’s variety of architectural styles are covered with gold leaf.
administration and visitors’ testimony to enlightened town Szechenyi tér, has a pond
commemorating the devas-
tating 1879 flood. Further away
is the Neo-Baroque National
Theatre on Déak Ferenc utca,
which stages ballets, opera
and performances by the
Philharmonic Orchestra. The
Old Synagogue, in the Jewish
Quarter, bears a plaque display-
ing the level of the flood waters.
The Art Nouveau-style New
Synagogue, built between
1900 and 1903, has a grand
dome with a marble tabernacle
A pair of storks in Hortobágy National Park, Hortobágy covered with gold leaf.
Practical & Travel Information heart ailments should seek

medical advice before using
In recent years, tourism has become an important part of the Hungary’s thermal baths. For
Hungarian national economy and as a result there have been minor ailments, it is advisable
vast improvements in communications, banking facilities to visit a patika or gyógyszertár
(pharmacy). If the nearest store
and public transport. The biggest problem visitors face is the is closed, it usually displays
formidable language barrier. However, staff at many tourist a list of 24-hour emergency
offices, hotels and major attractions speak English or German. pharmacies.
Hungary has a relatively
low crime rate. However, as in
When to Visit visitors can get advice on most cities that attract a large
The best time to visit Hungary sightseeing, accommodation number of visitors, pickpockets
is between April and the end and cultural events from the operate in Budapest, targeting
of June, and from the middle offices of Tourinform Budapest. crowded metro stations, buses
of August until October. July The official website also provides and shopping malls.
is usually hot and Budapest can brochures and maps, all of
become quite uncomfortable, which can be downloaded
although away from the capital for free in various formats. Facilities for the Disabled
the heat is less severe. From The BTH Tourinform sells entry The country’s transport system,
November until March, many tickets to most major attractions museums and other major
museums have shorter opening in Budapest and organizes attractions are gradually being
hours and may close altogether. specialist tours. renovated to make them
The Budapest Card entitles wheelchair-friendly, although
card holders, along with one access problems can still
Documentation child under 14, to unlimited occur. Those seeking advice
Citizens of the US, Canada, use of the city’s public transport on transport and sightseeing
Australia, New Zealand, and system, free entry to 60 museums, tours for the disabled should
the European Union (EU) simply the zoo and the funfair, a 50 contact the Hungarian
require a valid passport to visit per cent discount on guided Disabled Association.
Hungary for up to 90 days. For tours and 10–20 per cent
more information about visas discount on selected cultural
and extended visits, visitors events and restaurants. Banking and Currency
should check the website of The Hungarian currency is
the Hungarian Ministry of the forint (HUF or Ft). Banks
Foreign Affairs. Health and Security are open from 10am to 5pm,
Hungary has long been a Monday to Friday and closed
world leader in medical research on weekends; exchange bureau
Visitor Information and development. No special and ATMs, however, remain
Visitors can obtain various vaccinations are required to open all week. Since banks and
information leaflets and maps visit the country. However, exchange bureau offer the best
from the Hungarian National visitors with allergy problems rates, it is always advisable to
Tourist Office, which has and breathing difficulties who change money there.
branches worldwide. intend to visit Budapest should Credit cards are more
Within Hungary, there are be aware of the summer smog widely accepted now, but
tourist information offices in conditions, which are particu- are still not as commonly
most large towns. In Budapest, larly acute in Pest. Those with used as elsewhere in Europe,
so it is a good idea to carry
sufficient cash.
The Climate of Hungary BUDAPEST
Hungary enjoys some of the 24/75
best weather in Europe, with
Communications
° C/F 17/63 16/61 16/61
an average of eight hours of The Hungarian telephone
sunshine a day in summer. system used to be notoriously
7/45 7/45
June, July and August are bad, but improvements are
1/34 slowly being made. Phone
the hottest months. In winter, 0°C
32°F -4/25
temperatures can fall well cards, which are available from
below freezing point and 10 tobacconists, post offices, petrol
7 hrs 5 hrs 2 hrs
there may also be snow. hrs stations and newspaper kiosks,
The country has comparatively 45 56 57 37 are the best option when using
low rainfall. June usually mm mm mm mm public phones, although some
gets the most rain, while month Apr Jul Oct Jan booths still accept coins. Mobile
autumn is the driest season. phone coverage is almost total,
with only a few remote areas of
HUNGARY 375
the Northern Highlands not capital. Taxis are also a quick and fares are available for those
benefiting from the presence of comfortable way of getting into planning extensive rail travel
at least one of the networks. the city. within the country. European
Post offices are open from 8am Rail Passes (Eurail) are also valid.
to 6pm Monday to Friday and
on Saturday mornings. Visitors Rail Travel
should be prepared to wait as The Hungarian national rail Travelling by Bus
service is slow and there are network is efficient, reliable Buses to all European destinations
often long queues. and punctual. Budapest has depart from Népliget Station.
direct rail links to 25 other Within Hungary, the state-owned
capital cities, with Keleti Pu Volánbusz company operates
Arriving by Air Station handling the majority an extensive network of buses
Budapest’s international of international traffic. High- to most cities and towns.
airport is Ferenc Liszt Airport, speed trains to Vienna, the
located 16 km (10 miles) from main communications hub for
the city centre. British Airways Western Europe, depart every Travelling by Car
operates three daily scheduled 3 hours approximately and Although the government
flights from London. Many take about 3 hours to get there. has recently invested in a new
low-cost airlines also operate Almost all trains within motorway network, many towns
daily flights from London. Hungary are operated by Magyar are still only connected by
Other major airlines flying Államvasutak (MÁV), a state- single-lane roads. To hire a car,
from the US and Canada to owned company that offers visitors should be aged 21 or
Hungary include Air France, excellent value for money. There over and they must have held a
British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa are different types of local trains, valid driving license for at least
and Delta Airlines, although each categorized according to a year. An international driving
services entail a transfer or its speed: személy (slow), sebes licence is also useful. Most of
touch down at another (speedy) or gyors (fast). the international car hire firms
European city. There are also modern have offices at the airport in
The Airport Minibus Shuttle Intercity services between Budapest, and rent-als can also
takes passengers from the Budapest and the larger cities. be arranged through travel
airport to any address in the A number of concessionary agencies and at hotels.
DIRECTORY
Documentation United States British Airways Keleti Pu Station
1054 Szabadság tér 12, Tel (01) 411 5555 Kerepesi út 2/6, Budapest.
∑ mfa.gov.hu Tel (01) 313 6835.
Budapest. Tel (01) 475 (Hungary).
4400. ∑ hungary. Tel 0845 773 3377 ∑ mav-start.hu
Visitor usembassy.gov (UK). Tel 877 428 2228 Magyar Államvasutak
Information
(US). Kerepesi út 3, Budapest.
Emergency Tel (01) 313 7214.
BTH Tourinform Numbers Delta Airlines
Liszt Ferenc tér 11, ∑ mav.hu
Tel (01) 301 6680
Budapest. Ambulance (Hungary).
Tel 104. Travelling by Bus
Tel (01) 322 4098. Tel 888 750 3284
Fire (US). Népliget Station
Hungarian National
Tel 105. Üllői út 131, Budapest.
Tourist Office Ferenc Liszt Tel (01) 219 8080.
∑ tourinform.hu Police Airport
Tel 107. Tel (01) 296 9696. Volánbusz
Tourinform Budapest Üllői út 131, Budapest.
Sütö utca 2, Budapest. Facilities for KLM Tel (01) 219 8063
Tel (01) 438 8080. the Disabled Tel (01) 373 7737 (reservations).
∑ tourinform.hu (Hungary). ∑ volanbusz.hu
Hungarian Disabled Tel 800 374 7747 (US).
Embassies Association
1032 San Marco utca 76, Lufthansa
Canada Budapest. Tel (01) 388 Tel (01) 411 9900
1027 Ganz út 12–14, 2388. ∑ meosz.hu (Hungary).
Budapest. Tel 800 645 3880 (US).
Tel (01) 392 3360. Arriving by Air
Rail Travel
United Kingdom Air France
1051 Harmincad utca 6, Tel (01) 483 8800 European Rail
Budapest. (Hungary). Tel 800 237 Passes (Eurail)
Tel (01) 266 2888. 2747 (US). ∑ raileurope.com
Shopping & Entertainment smoked, such as sonkás, an

excellent cheese flavoured with
Shopping in Hungary has changed dramatically in recent ham. Visitors must be sure to
years. The choice of places to shop ranges from small, buy – and sample – Hungary’s
family-owned shops selling inimitable trinkets and luxuries regional wines, including the
golden Tokaji, which is available
to flea markets packed with the bizarre and the beautiful. in Budapest. Locally made apricot
Souvenir hunters are spoilt for choice and those looking and plum liqueurs and palinka
for something typically Hungarian have a variety of Zsolnay (brandy) can be purchased in
porcelain, vintage Tokaji wine and paprika to choose from. Budapest at House of Palinka.
The range of cultural events and entertainment is also
richly varied. Even the smallest of towns has its own Cinema
orchestra, dance company and theatre. Most major Hungarian cities
have a multiplex cinema usually
housed within the main shop-
Opening Hours include carpets, especially rugs ping centre. Almost all foreign
Shops in Budapest are open with plain, naïve designs and films are dubbed and subtitled
from 10am to 6pm Monday wooden toys including soldiers in Hungarian, allowing cinema-
to Friday and 10am to 1pm on in Habsburg-era uniforms. goers to choose which version
Saturday. Many stay open until they prefer. Non-Hungarian
8 or 9pm on Thursday. In the speakers should opt for the angol
rest of the country an increasing Porcelain, Crystal nyelvű (English soundtrack) version.
number of shops and outlets and Antiques Films may even be shown in
remain open on Saturdays and Hungary has a long tradition English with no subtitles at all –
Sundays. Supermarkets are open of producing high-quality these are advertised as angol
seven days a week, until 8pm. porcelain, with the Herend nyelvű, felirat nélkül (English
Shops are also open on public name carrying a worldwide language, no subtitles).
holidays with the exception of reputation. Herend porcelain
Christmas and New Year’s Day. is famous for its decorative and
colour ful designs; the factory Music, Opera and Dance
shop in the small town of The Ferenc Liszt Academy of
Markets Herend, north of Lake Balaton, Music in Budapest is one of
Markets are an essential aspect stocks a small selection. The Europe’s finest classical music
of life in Budapest. The most Zsolnay porcelain factory has venues. The Palace of Art is a
spectacular are the cavernous a shop located in Pécs. Ajka recent addition among the
late 19th-century market halls crystal, made near the town of capital’s music venues, while
dotted around the city, of which Veszprém has been recognized organ or choral music are
the largest is the three-level as Hungary’s finest for more performed at Mátyás Church
Central Market Hall (Nagy than 150 years. Ajka Crystal in (see pp330–31) and St Stephen’s
Vásárcsarnok) on Fővám tér. Budapest is a good place to pick Basilica (see p338). The standard
This is open from 7am to 6pm up this excellent work of art. of opera in Budapest is very
Monday to Friday and 7am Antique shops in Budapest high. Both the State Opera
to 1pm on Saturday. are concentrated in the Vár and House (see p338) and the Erkel
Many other cities also Víziváros areas and are good Theatre have a mainly classical
organize open-air craft and folk places to purchase domestic repertoire. Famous names in
art markets. The Debrecen city items from the 18th and 19th rock and pop play at the mod-
craft fair is held during August centuries. The tiny shop Moró ern Papp László Budapest
in Kossuth tér. Antik specializes in 18th-century SportArena. For live rock, the
weapons, while the Nagyházi party boat A38 is also popular.
Gallery sells everything from Elsewhere in the country,
Folk Art jewellery to furniture. Veszprém is known for its
Hungarian folk art items such music and small-scale chamber
as embroidered peasant blouses concerts in the Castle District
and wooden carvings are still Food and Drink courtyard, the highlight of all
made in many rural areas, and Paprika – as a condiment – summer visits here. Pécs also
many are sold in the capital. These can be bought in all colours has a rich cultural heritage,
can be found at flea markets and varieties. Along with a with renowned opera and
around Parliament (see pp336–7). wide variety of spicy salamis, dance companies, as well as
Handmade items are available it is available in many super- the Pannon Philharmonic
at Folkart Kézművesház and markets and smaller delicatessens Orchestra, all of which per form
machine-made products at scattered all around the country. at the Pécs National Theatre.
Folkart Centrum. Other local Cheese is another popular The best way of securing a
goods worth looking out for delicacy. The best sort is seat for concerts at the Ferenc
HUNGARY 377
Liszt Academy of Music or major Nightlife to the beat of Euro-pop.

opera productions is via the There is no doubt, Budapest Siófok’s Palace Disco is one
Cultur-Comfort Central Ticket is a party town, there are plenty of the country’s largest, only
Office based in Budapest. of nightspots in the region. a 15-minute walk out of the
Tickets for plays and concerts One extreme is a popular town centre.
can be purchased in advance international club such as The country is also home
by contacting the box office Dokkoló, where the beautiful to a number of classy casinos
at the relevant venue. people are regularly out attracting gamblers from all
in force. over Europe and the Middle
Outside the capital, the East. Those in Győr and Sopron
Music Festivals university cities of Szeged and are housed in glorious historical
Music festivals – from Baroque Győr are among the liveliest, buildings. At any of Hungary’s
to jazz – feature regularly on with a wide range of pubs casinos – most of which are
the international arts calendar. and clubs. In the town of operated by one Austrian
Prominent events include the Veszprém, the Expresszó Club company – players can try
annual Debrecen Jazz Festival is the busiest venue, while their hand at roulette, blackjack,
and the Sopron Early Music the Mythos Music Club features poker and the wheel of fortune.
Days. For fans of rock and pop, live acts or international DJs Most stay open 24 hours a day,
the biggest event is the seven- on weekends. During the and require visitors to dress
day Sziget Festival held summer almost all of Lake smartly. Presentation of a
in August. Balaton’s resorts thump passport is also required.
DIRECTORY
Markets Food and Drink Papp László Expresszó Club
Budapest SportArena Brusznyai út 2,
Central Market Hall House of Palinka Veszprém.
Vámház körút 1–3 Stefánia út 2, Budapest.
Rákóczi út 17, Budapest. Tel (020) 938 0411.
Fövám tér, Tel (01) 422 2600.
Tel (01) 338 4219. Mythos Music Club
Budapest. Szabadsag tér 1,
Pécs National Theatre
Tel (01) 366 3300. Music, Opera Veszprém.
Preczel Miklós út 17, Pécs.
and Dance Palace Disco
Folk Art Tel (072) 512 675.
Deák Ferenc
Folkart Centrum A38 St Stephen’s Basilica Sétány 2, Siófok.
Váci út 58, Pázmány Péter Sétány Szent István tér 2, Tel (084) 350 698.
Budapest. 3–11, Budapest. Budapest.
Tel (01) 318 5840. Tel (01) 464 3940.
Tel (01) 318 9159.
Folkart Kézművesház Cultur-Comfort
State Opera House
Régposta út 12, Central Ticket Office
Budapest. Andrássy út 22, Budapest.
Paulay Ede út 31,
Tel (01) 318 5143. Tel (01) 332 7914.
Budapest.
Tel (01) 322 0000. Music Festivals
Porcelain, Crystal
and Antiques Erkel Theatre
Debrecen Jazz
Ajka Crystal Köztársaság tér 30,
Festival
Jozsef Attila 7, Budapest. Budapest.
∑ debrecen.hu
Tel (01) 317 8133. Tel (01) 333 0540.
Ferenc Liszt Academy Sopron Early

Herend
Andrásst út 16, of Music Music Days
Budapest. Üllői út 25, Budapest. ∑ prokultura.hu
Tel (01) 374 0006. Tel (01) 462 4600. Sziget Festival
Moró Antik Mátyás Church ∑ szigetfestival.com
Falk Miksa út 13,
Szentháromság tér 2.
Budapest. Nightlife
Tel (01) 355 5657.
Tel (01) 311 0814.
Palace of Art Dokkoló
Nagyházi Gallery
Balaton út 8, Komor Marcell út 1, Hajogyari Sziget 122,
Budapest. Budapest. Budapest.
Tel (01) 475 6000. Tel (01) 555 3300. Tel 0630 535 2747.
Where to Stay
PEST: Cotton House  Price Guide
Budapest Boutique Map D2 Prices are based on one night’s stay in
Jókai út 26, 1066
 inclusive of service charges and taxes.
BUDA: Abel Panzió Tel (01) 354 2600
∑ cottonhouse.hu  under 15,000 HUF
Value
 15,000 to 35,000 HUF
Ábel Jenö utca 9, 1113 This atmospheric hotel has  over 35,000 HUF
Tel (01) 209 2537 some of the best-decorated
∑ abelpanzio.hu rooms in Hungary, each themed
This restored family villa in a leafy on a famous stage or screen star. In an atmospheric building from
street in Buda offers charming 1753, this hotel enjoys a main-
rooms and good service. PEST: K & K Opera  square location; neat, attractive
Boutique Map D3 rooms, many with castle views.
BUDA: BI & BI Guesthouse  Révay utca 24, 1065
Value Tel (01) 269 0222 KESTHELY: Helikon 
Retek utca 16, 1024 ∑ kkhotels.com Luxury
Tel (01) 786 0955 Located close to the Opera House, Balaton-part 5, 8360
∑ bibipanzio.hu this hotel offers comfortable Tel (083) 889 600
Stay in neat rooms and enjoy a rooms behind a splendid façade. ∑ hotelhelikon.hu
decent breakfast at this friendly The modern high-rise Helikon
guesthouse close to the Castle PEST: Kempinski offers plush rooms, many with
District and a metro station. Corvinus  superb views across the water.
Luxury Map D3
BUDA: Burg  Erzsébet tér 7, 1051 PECS: Palatinus 
Value Map B2 Tel (01) 429 3777 Boutique
Szantháromság tér 7, 1014 ∑ kempinski.com Király utca 5, 7621
Tel (01) 212 0269 An exclusive hotel popular Tel (072) 889 400
∑ burghotelbudapest.com with visiting heads of state, ∑ danubiushotels.com
The Burg provides small but the Corvinus has luxurious rooms Palatinus is decorated with a
comfortable en-suite rooms, and a host of excellent facilities. mixture of Art Nouveau and Art
several of which boast fabulous Deco styles. Sumptuous rooms
views of the Mátyás Church. PEST: Mamaison and a basement spa centre.
Hotel Andrassy 
Boutique PECS: Patria 
DK Choice Andrassy út 111, 1063 Boutique
BUDA: Gellert  Tel (01) 462 2100 Rákóczi utca 3, 7621
Luxury Map D5 ∑ mamaison.com Tel (072) 889 500
Szent Gellért tér 1, 1111 Situated in a Bauhaus-style ∑ danubiushotels.com
Tel (01) 889 5500 building, the Andrassy offers The wonderfully designed Patria
∑ danubiushotels.com elegance, intimacy, superb is a modernist masterpiece. The
Visited by Hungarian high service, and a touch of romance. rooms are bright and colourful.
society since World War I, this
legendary spa hotel has both SIÓFOK: Janus
indoor and outdoor pools fed Boutique Hotel & Spa 
by healing spring waters. The Rest of Hungary Boutique
rooms are opulently decorated, Fö ut 93–95, 8600
and the social areas feature Art EGER: Senator-ház  Tel (084) 312 516
Nouveau decor. Massages and Modern ∑ janushotel.hu
other wellness treatments are Dobó tér 11, 3300 Individually designed rooms with
available. Wonderful views Tel (036) 411 711 varied themes ranging from
across the Danube. ∑ senatorhaz.hu Japanese to Gothic.
PEST: Leo Panzió 

Pension Map D4
Kossuth Lajos utca 21a, 1053
Tel (01) 266 9041
∑ leopanzio.hu
A superb pension in the heart of
Pest, Leo Panzió offers exemplary
service and good value for money.
PEST: Astoria 
Boutique Map D4
Kossuth Lajos utca 19–21, 1053
Tel (01) 889 6000
∑ danubiushotels.com
In a predominantly Art Nouveau
building, the Astoria has spacious
rooms, an elegant café, and a lovely
Neo-Baroque breakfast room. The classy Cotton House hotel in Pest

Price Guide
Budapest Prices are based on a three-course meal
 cover charge, service and tax.
BUDA: Régi Sipos
 under 3,000 HUF
Seafood
 3,000 to 5,000 HUF
Lajos utca 46, 1036  over 5,000 HUF
Tel (01) 250 8082
Set apart from the tourist
trail, Régi Sipos serves up fish
specialties such as pontypörkölt DK Choice
(carp goulash) and harcsapaprikás PEST: Bock Bisztró 
(catfish stew), with cheesy Hungarian Map E2
lasagne-like noodle sheets. Erzsébet körút 43–49, 1073
Tel (01) 321 03 40 Closed Sun
BUDA: Alabárdos With an interior that is lined
Etterem  with cookery books and wine
Hungarian Map B2 magazines, Bock Bisztró has
Országház út 2, 1014 made old-school Hungarian
Tel (01) 356 0851 Closed Sun cooking attractive again. Serves
Set in an outstanding Gothic traditional mains such as
building, Alabárdos serves classic borjúpaprikás and veal paprikash
cuisine from days gone by. are served alongside European
Everything, from the service to the The 1960s retro-style Menza café and East–West fusion dishes.
presentation, exudes elegance. in Pest Also a wine shop, so diners get
good advice on wine pairings.
BUDA: Búsuló
Juhász Etterem  PEST: Vakvarjú 
Hungarian Map C5 International Map E2 PEST: Menza 
Kelenhegyi út 58, 1118 Paulay Ede út 7, 1061 Hungarian Map E2
Tel (01) 209 1649 Tel (01) 268 0888 Liszt Ferenc tér 2, 1061
There are spectacular views Providing excellent views Tel (01) 413 14 82
from this restaurant on the of one of Budapest’s busiest Classic Hungarian dishes are
slopes of Gellért Hill. Expect streets, this lively restaurant made with fresh produce and
traditional Hungarian specialties offers an extensive menu a postmodern twist. The 1960s
and live gypsy music. of interesting inexpensive decor provides a fitting backdrop.
international fare.
BUDA: Fekete Holló 
Hungarian Map B2 PEST: Károlyi Etterem 
Országház út 10, 1014 Hungarian Map D4 Rest of Hungary
Tel (01) 356 2367 Kárlyi Mihály utca 16, 1053
Located on Buda Hill, this Tel (01) 328 0240 EGER: Fehérszarvas
is a gem of a traditional Enjoy elegant, sophisticated Vadásztanya 
restaurant, where the kitsch dining in the courtyard of the European
medieval decor fails to detract Kárloyi Palace, with a traditional Klapka út 8, 3300
from the excellent food. It menu of Hungarian classics. Tel (036) 411 129
can get very busy. Popular with wedding parties Eger’s silver-service restaurant is
at weekends. a little way from the centre but
PEST: Bohém Tanya  well worth the trek. Feast on
Hungarian Map E2 PEST: Kárpátia  game and freshwater fish in a
Paulay Ede út 6, 1061 Hungarian Map D4 cellar filled with hunting trophies.
Tel (01) 267 3504 Ferenciek tere 7–8, 1053
Savour hearty Hungarian food Tel (01) 317 3596 KECSKEMÉT: Kecskeméti
in pleasant surroundings. Diners Ostentatiously decorated Csárda és Borház 
are seated in wooden alcoves with Transylvanian folk motifs, Hungarian
large enough for eight, and that the 19th-century Kárpátia is Kölcsey 7, 6000
might mean sharing a table a long-established favourite. Tel (076) 488 686
with others. The goulashes remain of One of the best-regarded
unimpeachably high quality. eateries in the country, this
PEST: Café Kör  place specializes in the paprika-
European Map D3 PEST: Soul Café  rich cuisine of the great plain.
Sas út 17, 1051 International Map E4
Tel (01) 311 0053 Ráday út 11–13, 1092 PECS: Cellarium 
A popular, good-value bistro Tel (01) 297 6986 International
that serves Hungarian and An intimate restaurant Hunyadi János út 2, 7621
European mains, as well as on a thriving street, Soul Tel (072) 314 596
fine salads and a handful of Café offers diners well- Housed in catacombs that once
vegetarian dishes. Originally prepared international and provided shelter from invading
a wine bar, Kör is also a good Hungarian cuisine. There is Ottomans, Cellarium offers
place to enjoy wine, spirits plenty of choice for delicious local specialties and
and liquers. vegetarians. classic international dishes.
VIENNA 381
VIENNA
Originally a Celtic settlement, Vienna’s hindered its progress, and it was not until
location on the edge of the Hungarian plains 1683, with the final defeat of the Ottoman
made it vulnerable to attacks, and Barbarian Turks, that Vienna was able to flourish. In
invasions reduced the town to ruins by the the mid-19th century, the city’s defences
early 5th century. In the 10th century, the were demolished and the Ringstrasse, a
German Babenberg Dynasty acquired Vienna wide circular boulevard, was built, linking
and it became a major trading centre. Later, new political and cultural institutions. Today,
in the 13th century, Vienna came under the Vienna is an architectural delight, with its
control of the prosperous Habsburgs, who magnificent palaces, imposing churches and
remained in power until 1918. In the 16th world-class museums. The city’s rich cultural
century, the threat of Ottoman invasion scene and vibrant nightlife add to its appeal.
Sights at a Glance GETTING AROUND

1 The Hofburg Complex 7 Staatsoper Vienna’s city centre is easily
pp382–4 8 Secession Building explored on foot. Trams 1 and 2, 71
2 Kunsthistorisches Museum 9 Karlskirche and D trams take visitors along
3 MuseumsQuartier Wien 0 Austrian Museum part of the Ringstrasse, past many
4 Naturhistorisches Museum of Applied Arts of the important sights. Fiakers
5 Burgtheater q Freud Museum (horse-drawn carriages) are a novel
6 Stephansdom way to get around. Hopper buses
serve the city centre while larger
buses run to the outer suburbs,
which are also served by the
U-Bahn (subway) service.
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Pedestrian street
Pretty interiors of the Karlskirche, a Baroque masterpiece

1 The Hofburg Complex

What began as a small fortress in 1275 grew over the
centuries into a vast palace, the Hofburg. It was the seat of
Austrian power for over six centuries, and successive rulers
were all anxious to leave their mark. The various buildings
range in style from Gothic to late 19th-century Neo-Renaissance.
The Hofburg is particularly impressive when seen from
Heldenplatz. This is one of Vienna’s most lively areas, both
by day and at night, when the rooms of the palace
serve as a theatre and concert halls.
. Augustinerkirche
The Habsburgs’ former parish church houses
the late 18th-century tomb of Maria Christina,
Maria Theresa’s daughter.
Prunksaal
The showpiece of the
Austrian National Library is
the grand, wood-panelled
Prunksaal, or Hall of Honour.
KEY
1 Michaelertor is the gate through

which visitors reach the older parts
of the palace.
2 Schatzkammer (the treasury) is
housed in the Alte Burg.
3 Stallburg
4 Statue of Joseph II (1806)
in Josefsplatz
5 Albertina, built in 1781, now
houses one of the finest collections
of graphic art in Europe.
6 Burggarten
7 The Burgtor, or outer gate,
was built to a design by Peter Nobile
between 1821 and 1824.
8 Monument to Eugene of
Savoy (1865) . Spanish Riding School
The gracious interior of the
9 Heldenplatz riding school is lined with
0 Hofburgkapelle, the Hofburg 46 columns and adorned
chapel, is where the famous Vienna with elaborate plasterwork,
Boys’ Choir performs. chandeliers and a
coffered ceiling.
VIENNA 383
Mozart Memorial (1896)

Viktor Tilgner’s statue of VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
the composer stands just
inside the entrance to
Michaelerkuppel, Hofburg
the Ringstrasse.
Complex. Tel (01) 533 7570.
% Stephansplatz, Herrengasse,
Volkstheater. Open for opening
times of individual museums see
p384. ∑ hofburg-wien.info
Transport
@ 2A, 57A. v D, 1, 2, 71.
Neue Burg
The last wing of
Hofburg was built just
before the outbreak
of World War I, during
the final days of
the monarchy.
Volksgarten
Schweizertor
This 16th-century
gateway leads to
the Schweizerhof, the
oldest part of
the Hofburg, originally
a stronghold with
four towers.
. State Apartments
The table in the state banqueting
hall is laid as it used to be during
the latter part of the reign of
Franz Joseph I (1848–1916).
Exploring the Hofburg Complex

The vast Hofburg complex contains the former imperial
apartments and treasuries (Schatzkammer) of the Habsburgs,
several museums, a chapel, a church, the Austrian National
Library, the Winter Riding School and the offices of the
president of Austria. The entrance to the imperial apartments
and treasuries is through the Michaelertor on Michaelerplatz.
Tenth-century crown of the Holy
Roman Empire, Schatzkammer
State Apartments
Michaelerkuppel-Feststiege. Tel (01) 533 Habsburg rule are displayed in
7570. Open Sep–Jun: 9am–5pm daily; 21 rooms known as the treasuries
Jul & Aug: 9am–6pm daily. & 8 (Schatzkammer). They include
∑ hofburg-wien.at relics of the Holy Roman Empire,
The State Apartments the crown jewels and liturgical
(Kaiserappartements) in the objects of the imperial court,
Reichkanzleitrakt (1726–30) and and in addition dazzling gold,
the Amalienburg (1575) include silver and porcelain that were
the rooms occupied by Franz once used at state banquets.
Joseph I from 1857 to 1916, those
of Empress Elisabeth from 1854 Hofburgkapelle
to 1898 and those where Czar Schweizerhof. Tel (01) 533 9927.
Alexander I lived during the Open 10am–2pm Mon & Tue,
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria Congress of Vienna in 1815. 11am–1pm Fri. Closed public hols.
(1865) by Winterhalter & Vienna Boys’ Choir: Sep–Jun:
Spanish Riding School 9:15am Sun (book by phone).
& ∑ hofburgkapelle.at
Neue Burg Tel (01) 533 9031. Open for performan-
Heldenplatz. Tel (01) 52524 4031. ces; Morning training sessions: 10am– Originally built in 1296, the
Open 10am–6pm Wed–Sun. noon Tue–Fri. Closed public hols. & Hofburgkapelle was renovated
Closed 1 Jan, 6 Apr, 25 May, 2 Nov. 7 some areas. ∑ srs.at in the 1440s by Friedrich III;
& Weltmuseum Wien: Open 10am– The Spanish Riding School is it contains Gothic statues in
6pm daily, except Tue. ∑ welt believed to have been founded canopied niches. Every Sunday,
museumwien.at ∑ khm.at by the Habsburgs in 1572 to visitors can hear performances
The massive curved building, cultivate the classic skills of haute by the renowned Vienna Boys’
Neue Burg, was added to the école horsemanship. Today, 80- Choir (Wiener Sängerknaben).
Hofburg between 1881 and minute shows take place in the
1913. The Ephesus Museum building known as the Spanish Burggarten and Volksgarten
houses archaeological finds Riding School, built between 1729 Burgring/Opernring/Dr-Karl-Renner-
from Ephesus, while pianos that and 1735, to a design by Josef Ring. Open daily.
belonged to Haydn, Schubert and Emanuel Fischer von Erlach. Some of the space left around
Beethoven are kept in the musical the Hofburg after Napoleon’s
instruments museum – the Schatzkammer invasion was transformed by
Sammlung alter Musikinstrumente. Schweizerhof. Tel (01) 525 240. the Habsburgs into gardens.
The collection of weapons in the Open 10am–5:30pm Wed–Mon. The Volksgarten opened in 1820,
Hofjagd und Rüstkammer is one Closed public hols. & 7 ∑ khm.at but the Burggarten remained
of the finest in Europe. There is Sacred and secular treasures the palace’s private garden
also a fine ethnological collection, amassed during centuries of until 1918.
the Weltmuseum Wien.
Augustinerkirche
Augustinerstrasse 3. Tel (01) 5330
9470. ∑ augustinerkirche.at
One of the oldest parts of the
Hofburg complex, the church has
one of the city’s best-preserved
14th-century Gothic interiors. The
Loreto Chapel here has a series of
silver urns that contain the hearts
of the Habsburg family. The church
is also celebrated for its music,
with masses by Schubert or Haydn
performed here on Sundays. Ornamental pond in the Volksgarten, with Burgtheater in the background
VIENNA 385
the world. It houses a diverse

range of facilities from art
museums to venues for film,
theatre, architecture, dance
and new media.
The complex includes
KUNSTHALLE wien, Vienna’s
main showcase for international
and contemporary art exhibitions.
It focuses on transdisciplinary
work, including photography
and film, as well as modern-art
retrospectives. To the left of
Kunsthalle is the Leopold
Museum, home to over 5,000
works of Austrian art of which
Hunters in the Snow (1565) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder the highlights are major works
by Gustav Klimt and the world’s
2 Kunsthistorisches Spanish works are by largest Egon Schiele collection.
Museum Velasquez (1599–1660), The Museum of Modern Art
who immortalized the Ludwig Foundation Vienna
Maria Theresien-Platz. Tel (01) 52524 eight-year-old Margarita (MUMOK) contains one of the
4031. v D, 1, 2, 71. @ 57A. Teresa, the future wife of largest European collections of
% Volkstheater, MuseumsQuartier.
Emperor Leopold I (1640– modern art ranging from Pop
Open 10am–6pm Tue, Wed, Fri–Sun;
1705), in Infanta (1659). Art to Viennese Actionism.
10am–9pm Thu. & 9 7
∑ khm.at
Built in the style of the Italian 4 Naturhistorisches

Renaissance, the Museum of Museum
Art History houses a collection Maria Theresien-Platz. Tel (01) 52177
amassed over the centuries 276. v 1, 2, 46, 49, 71, D. @ 48A.
by generations of Habsburg % Volkstheater. Open 9am–6:30pm
monarchs. The public was given Thu–Mon, 9am–9pm Wed.
access to these art treasures Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 Nov, 25 Dec.
when the museum opened & 7 - = ∑ nhm-wien.ac.at
in 1891 in Ringstrasse, built to
designs by Karl von Hasenauer Almost a mirror image of the
(1833–94) and Gottfried Semper Kunsthistorisches Museum,
(1809–79). The museum’s lavish the Natural History Museum
interior complements its exhibits was designed by the same
perfectly and attracts more architects and opened in
than a million people each year. 1889. Both were built under
The collection focuses on Schiele’s Kneeling Female Nude, (1917) the reign of Franz Joseph I.
Old Masters from the 15th to MuseumsQuartier Wien The Natural History
the 18th centuries. Due to links Museum is home to one of
between the Habsburgs and 3 MuseumsQuartier the richest and most wide-
the Netherlands, Flemish art Wien ranging collections in the
is also well represented. world. It includes archae-
Highlights are about half Museumsplatz 1. Tel (01) 523 5881. ological, anthropological,
v 1, 2, 49, 71, D, J. @ 48A.
the surviving works by Pieter mineralogical, zoological and
% MuseumsQuartier, Volkstheater.
Bruegel the Elder, including geological displays. Besides
Visitor Centre: Open 10am–7pm daily.
his The Tower of Babel and most ∑ mqw.at. KUNSTHALLE wien:
casts of dinosaur skeletons,
of the cycle of The Seasons, all Open 10am–7pm Fri–Wed, 10am–
it also has the world’s oldest
from the mid-16th century. 10pm Thu. & 7 Leopold Museum: collection of meteorites. In
Among the other outstanding Open 10am–6pm Wed, Fri–Mon, addition, it includes prehistoric
works are Dutch paintings 10am– 9pm Thu; Jun–Aug: open daily. sculptures, Bronze Age items
from genre scenes of great & Museum of Modern Art Ludwig and extinct birds and mammals
charm to magnificent land- Foundation Vienna: Open 2–2pm as well as Europe’s most
scapes. The Artist’s Studio Mon, 10am–7pm Tue–Sun. comprehensive exhibition
(1665), an enigmatic allegorical of gems. The archaeological
painting by Vermeer (1632–75), Once home to the imperial section includes the celebrated
is believed by some to be a stables and carriage houses, the Venus of Willendorf, a
self-portrait of the artist at MuseumsQuartier Wien is one 25,000-year-old Paleolithic
work. The most interesting of the largest cultural centres in fertility figurine.
on 25 May 1869, to the strains

of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Built
in Neo-Renaissance style, the
Staatsoper did not appeal to
Emperor Franz Joseph, who
compared it to a “railway station”
leading Eduard van der Nüll, its
Austrian architect, to commit
suicide. Yet, when the Opera
House was hit by a bomb in
1945 and largely destroyed, the
event was seen as a symbolic
blow to the city.
With a new state-of-the-
art auditorium and stage,
the Opera House reopened
on 5 November 1955, with a
Splendid grand staircases gracing the side wings of the Burgtheater performance of Beethoven’s
Fidelio. Gustav Mahler, Richard
5 Burgtheater Giant’s Doorway. Severely Strauss and Herbert von Karajan
Universitätsring 1. Tel (01) 51444
damaged during World War II, are among the illustrious com-
4140. v 1, 2, 71, D. % Schottentor. the cathedral was later restored posers who have conducted
Open for performances and guided to its former glory. Its interior here. Each year, on the last
tours. Closed Good Fri, 24 Dec. & 8 contains an impressive collection Thursday of Carnival, the stage
3pm daily. 7 ∑ burgtheater.at of art spanning several centu- is extended to create a vast
ries. Highlights are the Baroque dance floor for the Vienna
The impressive Burgtheater high altar and Pilgram’s pulpit, Opera Ball.
is one of the most prestigious decorated with portraits of
stages in the German-speaking the Four Fathers of the Church.
world. The original theatre, The 15th-century, 137-m
built under Maria Theresa’s (450-ft) Steffl or South Spire,
reign, was replaced in 1888 by is the striking symbol of
the present Italian Renaissance- the city.
style building by architects Karl
von Hasenauer and Gottfried
Semper. It closed for refurbish- 7 Staatsoper
ment in 1897 after it was Opernring 2. Tel (01) 51444 2250.
discovered that several seats @ 59A. v 1, 2, 71, D. % Karlsplatz.
had no view of the stage. A ∑ wiener-staatsoper.at
bomb devastated the building
at the end of World War II, Vienna’s Opera House, the
leaving only the side wings Staatsoper, was the first of the The imposing façade of Vienna’s Opera
containing the grand staircases grand Ringstrasse buildings House, Staatsoper
intact. It has since been restored to be completed. It opened
to wide acclaim.
8 Secession
Building
6 Stephansdom Friedrichstrasse 12. Tel (01) 587
Stephansplatz 1. Tel (01) 51552 5307. @ 59A. % Karlsplatz.
3526. @ 1A, 2A. % Stephansplatz. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. &
Open 6am–10pm daily. 8 10:30am, ∑ secession.at
3pm Mon–Sat, 3pm Sun & pub hols;
tours in English daily 3:45pm Apr–Oct. Designed by Joseph Maria
9 7 = Organ concerts: May–Nov: Olbrich in 1898, the unusual
7pm Wed. ∑ stephanskirche.at Secession Building was a
showcase for the Secession
The Stephansdom, with its movement’s artists such as
magnificent glazed-tile roof, Gustav Klimt, Kolo Moser
is the heart and soul of Vienna. and Otto Wagner. The almost
A church has stood on the site windowless building, with
for over 800 years, but all that its filigree globe of entwined
remains of the original 13th- laurel leaves on the roof, is a
century Romanesque structure Superb sculptures adorn Singer squat cube with four towers.
are the Heathen Towers and Gate, Stephansdom The motto of the founders,
VIENNA 387
cupola painted by Johann and diversified over the years

Michael Rottmayr between to include objects representing
1725 and 1730, depicting new artistic movements. The
the Apotheosis of St Charles permanent collection, presented
Borromeo. It was the painter’s according to periods from the
last commission. Others include Gothic to the present, includes
the typically Baroque high world-famous works by the
altar featuring a stucco relief Wiener Werkstätte, an arts and
by Albert Camesina, which crafts cooperative workshop
shows St Charles Borromeo from 1870 to 1956. Furniture,
being taken to heaven on a textiles, glassware, and fine
cloud filled with angels and Renaissance jewellery are also
putti, and the two intricate on display. A number of rooms
columns, inspired by Trajan’s are devoted to the Art
Column in Rome. These feature Nouveau period.
Golden filigree dome adorning the scenes from the life of the
Secession Building saint, illustrating his qualities
of steadfastness and courage. q Freud Museum
on the façade, states: “To every Berggasse 19. Tel (01) 319 1596.
Age its Art, to Art its Freedom”. v 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, D. @ 40A.
The Secession Building’s % Schottentor, Schottenring.
best-known exhibit is Klimt’s Open 9am–5pm daily. & 8
Beethoven Frieze. This 34-m (110-ft) ∑ freud-museum.at
painting is regarded as one of
the masterpieces of Viennese Berggasse No. 19, a typical
Art Nouveau. Designed in 1902 20th-century Viennese town
and covering three walls, the house, is now one of the city’s
frieze was carefully restored in most famous addresses. The
the 1970s. It shows interrelated father of psychoanalysis,
groups of figures thought to be Sigmund Freud (1856–1939),
a commentary on Beethoven’s lived, worked and received
Ninth Symphony. patients here from 1891 till
1938, when he was forced to
leave the city, where he had
9 Karlskirche lived almost all his life, by the
Karlsplatz 8. Tel (01) 505 6294.
Nazis. Although abandoned
@ 4A. v 1, 2, 71, D. % Karlsplatz. by Freud in a hurry, the flat
Open 9am–6pm Mon–Sat, 12– Stucco relief on the Baroque high still preserves an intimate
5:45pm Sun & public hols. & 9 altar, Karlskirche atmosphere with most of
∑ karlskirche.at his belongings still in place.
The room in which Freud
During Vienna’s plague 0 Austrian Museum received patients is on the
epidemic of 1713, Emperor of Applied Arts mezzanine floor. There are at
Karl VI vowed that as soon as Stubenring 5. Tel (01) 711 360.
least 420 items of memorabilia
the city was delivered from v 2. @ 3A, 74A. % Stubentor, on display, including his letters
its plight he would build a Landstrasse. < Wien Mitte. and books. His frayed hat and
church dedicated to St Charles Open 10am–10pm Tue, 10am–6pm travel trunk can be seen in the
Borromeo (1538–84), a former Wed–Sun. & free on Tue. ∑ mak.at small, dark lobby. A cabinet
archbishop and patron saint contains some archaeological
of plague victims. He announced The Austrian Museum of objects collected by Freud. The
a competition to design the Applied Arts (Museum für world-famous couch is now in
church, which was won by angewandte Kunst or MAK), the Freud Museum in London.
Johann Bernhard Fischer von founded in 1864, was the first
Erlach’s (1656–1723), architect of its kind in Europe and
of many of Vienna’s finest exercised a strong influence
buildings. His eclectic Baroque on the development of the
masterpiece has a gigantic applied arts for some time.
Neo-Classical dome and portico The renovated museum
borrowed from classical Greek acts both as a showcase for
and Roman architecture, Austrian decorative arts and
flanked by two minaret- as a repository for fine objects
like towers. from around the world. Originally
One of the most striking founded in 1864 as a museum Beautifully restored patients’ waiting room
features is the frescoes in the of art and industry, it expanded in the Freud Museum
Practical & Travel Information well. However, traveller’s cheques

are the safest way to carry large
Vienna is well equipped for both winter and summer tourism. sums of money and can be
The public transport system is clean, efficient and easy to exchanged in most banks in
use and banking and currency exchange facilities are widely Vienna. Bankomats or ATMs are
found everywhere in the city,
available in the city. The official language is German but even railway stations and airports;
English is widely spoken throughout the city. most are closed after midnight.
Documentation Health and Security Communications

Citizens of the US, Canada, Hospitals in Vienna are of a The telecommunications network
Australia and New Zealand high standard. In case of medical in Vienna is run by Telekom
need just a passport to visit emergencies, visitors should call Austria. Public phones are slowly
Vienna. No visa is required for an ambulance or the local doctor being phased out, however you
visitors who intend to stay for on call. For minor ailments or can make long-distance phone-
three months or less. Most injuries, it is best to go to a calls from all major post offices.
European Union (EU) citizens pharmacy. All pharmacies are The mobile phone network is well
require only a valid identity marked with a distinctive red “A” developed and SIM cards can
card to enter the country. sign, and when closed, display the be obtained at the airport, major
address of the nearest open one. train stations and throughout
Although visitors are unlikely the city. The postal service in
Visitor Information to encounter any violence in the city is very reliable and post
Austria has a wide network of Vienna, it is always advisable to offices are open Monday to Friday
local tourist offices. In Vienna, be cautious when out walking. between 8am and noon and 2
the Wiener Tourismusverband The police and emergency and 6pm.
(Vienna Tourist Board) is very services are easy to contact
helpful, especially with regard if the need arises.
to forthcoming events and Facilities for the Disabled
booking accommodation. Public awareness of the needs
Visitors can also plan their Banking and Currency of the disabled is growing in
trip to Vienna by contacting The official currency of Austria is Austria. Wiener Tourismusverband
travel agencies or the represen- the euro. Banks are the best place has a good online information
tatives of Österreich Werbung to change money and are open service with details of wheelchair
(the Austrian National Tourist Monday to Friday from 8am to access points at tourist sights,
Office) in their native country. 12:30pm and from 1:30 to 3pm. hotels and public toilets.
For information on cheap Some, generally those at main
accommodation, youth hostels train stations and airports, stay
and tickets for concerts, the open longer and do not close Arriving by Air
multilingual staff at Jugend- for lunch. Major credit cards are Vienna’s Schwechat
information Wien (Vienna accepted at large stores, hotels International Airport is 19 km
Youth Information Office) can and restaurants, but visitors are (12 miles) from the city centre.
provide assistance and leaflets. advised to carry some cash as There are direct flights from the
DIRECTORY
Visitor Canada Police Ryanair
Information Tel (01) 531 383 000. Tel 133. ∑ ryanair.com
∑ kanada.at
Jugendinformation Communications Schwechat
Wien United Kingdom International Airport
∑ jugendinfowien.at Tel (01) 716 130. Telekom Austria
∑ telekom.at ∑ viennaairport.com
∑ britishembassy.at
Österreich Werbung
∑ austria.info United States Arriving by Air Rail Travel
Tel (01) 313 39.
Wiener ∑ usembassy.at Austrian Airlines Rail Enquiry
Tourismusverband ∑ aua.com ∑ oebb.at
∑ wien.info Emergency British Airways
Numbers Arriving by Coach
Embassies ∑ britishairways.com
Ambulance Delta Airlines Busterminal Erdberg
Australia Erdbergstrasse 200A.
Tel 144. ∑ delta.com
Tel (01) 506 740.
∑ australian-embassy. Fire Fly Niki Eurolines
at Tel 122. ∑ flyniki.com ∑ eurolines.com
VIENNA 389
United States on Delta Airlines

from New York and Orlando. The Climate of Vienna VIENNA
Austrian Airlines flies from New Summers (June–August) 23/74
York, Chicago and Washington, in Vienna can be quite hot
with temperatures sometimes ° C/F
while Fly Niki operates flights to 15/59 15/59 14/57
several US destinations. There are as high as 30° C (86° F)
between June and August. 6/43 7/45
several flights a day from Gatwick
and Heathrow airports in London. Spring (March–May) and 0°C
1/34
British Airways and Ryanair also autumn (September–October) 32°F

-4/25
offer regular flights to Vienna. are very pleasant. Winters

(November–March) are very 6 hrs 9 hrs 4 hrs 2 hrs
cold with regular snowfall,
45 84 56 39
Rail Travel temperatures usually dip
mm mm mm mm
to as low as -4° C (25° F).
As of 2015, the Hauptbahnhof month Apr Jul Oct Jan
Wien, located on Südtiroler Platz,
will be Vienna’s most important
train station serving all interna-
tional rail travel as well as local wien.at for up-to-date information. in the east of the city, right
destinations going to the south Information about train schedules beside the U3 Erdberg
and east. The Westbahnhof will is available on the official website. underground station. The Old
serve local destinations only and Town is a short six-stop journey
the Franz-Josephs-Bahnhof will from here. Eurolines operates
continue to run train services Arriving by Coach daily services from Busterminal
going north. Check www.oebb. International coach services Erdberg to most Eastern
at and www.hauptbahnhof- arrive at Busterminal Erdberg European cities.
Shopping & Entertainment DIRECTORY

Shopping in Vienna can be expensive, but it is a good place Food and Drink
to buy traditional goods such as Loden coats, porcelain and Altmann & Kühne
glass. Famous for its coffee shops, Christmas markets, world- Tel (01) 533 0927.
class opera and orchestras, Vienna is also the centre of ∑ altmann-kuehne.at
entertainment in Austria. Meinl am Graben
Tel (01) 532 3334.
Food and Drink Theatre and Music ∑ meinlamgraben.at
Austria is justly famous for Viennese theatre enjoys a Souvenirs
its cakes and pastries. Visitors high reputation and the
should try the buttery advent Burgtheater (see p386) is the J. & L. Lobmeyr
Tel (01) 512 0508. ∑ lobmeyr.at
stollen (Christmas cake), stuffed city’s leading theatrical venue.
with fruit and nuts and dusted The Volkstheater puts on modern Maria Stransky
with icing sugar, available plays while the Ronacher Tel (01) 533 6098.
from the Meinl am Graben produces lavish musicals. ∑ maria-stransky.at
delicatessen. Specialist choco- At the Staatsoper (see p386), Petit Point
late shops such as Altmann & operas are normally performed Tel (01) 512 4886.
Kühne are also worth a visit, in the original language whereas ∑ petitpoint.eu
both for the chocolates and at most other theatres, they are
their unusual packaging. sung in German. The principal
Theatre and Music
venues for classical music are Burgtheater
the Musikverein and the concert ∑ burgtheater.at
Souvenirs halls of Konzerthaus.
Konzerthaus
Petit-point embroidery, which The city supports two ∑ konzerthaus.at
adorns elegant handbags, great orchestras, the Wiener
powder compacts and similar Philharmoniker and the Wiener Musikverein
articles, is a Viennese speciality. Symphoniker. Seasonal events ∑ musikverein.at
A wide range of these goods is include the Vienna Festival in Ronacher ∑ musicalvienna.at
available at Petit Point and May and June, and Impulstanz,
Staatsoper ∑ staatsoper.at
Maria Stransky. Trachten a festival for contemporary
(Austrian costumes) shops sell dance and performance. Vienna Festival
typical hats, pretty children’s Seasonal opera, drama and ∑ festwochen.at
dresses, jackets and blouses. concert performances take Volkstheater
J. & L. Lobmeyr is the best place throughout the city in ∑ volkstheater.at
place for glassware. late July and August.
Where to Stay
Lively metropolitan hotel located Price Guide
Vienna close to the city’s nightlife. Hearty Prices are based on one night’s stay in
breakfast spread for late risers. high season for a standard double room,
Hotel Post €
Boutique Kaiserin Elisabeth €€ € under €150
Fleischmarkt 24, 1010 Luxury €€ €150 to €250
€€€ over €250
Tel (01) 515 830 Weihburggasse 3, 1010
∑ hotel-post-wien.at Tel (01) 515 260
Uniquely designed rooms at this ∑ kaiserinelisabeth.at Famous for its huge breakfast
6-storey hotel, most with a private Visit this traditional hotel with 63 buffet, this hotel also has a
bathroom. Great on-site restaurant. non-smoking rooms and a host lovely café and a well-
of in-room amenities. stocked bar.
DK Choice Pension Aviano €€
Hollmann Beletage €€ Pension Pension Schottentor €
Boutique Marco-d'Aviano-Gasse 1, 1010 Pension
Köllnerhofgasse 6, 1010 Tel (01) 512 8330 Hörlgasse 4, 1090
Tel (01) 961 1960 ∑ aviano-pension-vienna.h-rez.com/ Tel (01) 319 1176
∑ hollmann-beletage.at Traditional Viennese decor at this ∑ tinyurl.com/l4b2hho
With its sleek tangerine and non-smoking, pet-friendly pension. Family-run three-star pension
granite decor and 25 spacious with neat rooms and all
rooms boasting an array of Palais Coburg €€€ basic amenities.
gadgets, this hotel is an absolute Luxury
gem. Mammoth breakfasts, Coburgbastei 4, 1010 The Levante
friendly staff and a sauna are just Tel (01) 518 180 Parliament €€
a few of the many perks of this ∑ coburg.at Boutique
family-run boutique hotel. Opulence complements history Auerspergstrasse 9, 1080
beautifully at this exclusive hotel. Tel (01) 228 280
Grand rooms and stunning service. ∑ thelevante.com
Hotel Am Parkring €€ Unwind in the gorgeous
Boutique Palais Hansen courtyard of this hotel with
Parkring 12, 1015 Kempinski Vienna €€€ an eye-catching glass bar
Tel (01) 514 800 Luxury and a Finnish sauna.
∑ schick-hotels.com Schottenring 24, 1010
The city views from this privately- Tel (01) 236 1000 Hotel am Konzerthaus €
owned hotel are stunning. It has ∑ kempinski.com Boutique
modern, comfortable rooms. Elegant rooms and suites with all Am Heumarkt 35–37, 1030
high-tech facilities. Great location. Tel (01) 716 160
Hotel Am Stephansplatz €€ ∑ mgallery.com/Vienna
Boutique Altstadt Vienna € This 211-room hotel attracts
Stephansplatz 9, 1010 Boutique a sophisticated clientele
Tel (01) 534 050 Kirchengasse 41, 1070 with sumptuous breakfasts,
∑ hotelamstephansplatz.at Tel 522 66 66 an excellent restaurant and
This hotel is popular with both ∑ altstadt.at high-tech rooms.
business and leisure guests and Choose from 42 exquisitely
features paintings by famous decorated rooms that blend period Imperial €€€
artists such as Patricia Karg. character and exotic modernity. Luxury
Kärntner Ring 16, 1015
Hotel Capricorno €€ Harmonie € Tel (01) 501 100
Boutique Boutique ∑ imperialvienna.com
Schwedenplatz 3–4, 1010 Harmoniegasse 5–7, 1090 Stately 1800s hotel with
Tel (01) 5333 1040 Tel (01) 317 6604 exquisite rooms. Butlers
∑ schick-hotels.com ∑ bestwestern-ce.com serve the suites.
The spacious, inviting library at Hollmann Beletage


Price Guide
Vienna Prices are based on a three-course meal
Café Prueckel €
Café € under €35
Stubenring 24, A-1010 €€ €35 to €65
€€€ over €65
Tel (01) 512 6115
A much-loved Viennese café
with 50s-style, kitschy decor Wrenkh €€
offering excellent coffee, meals Vegetarian
and pastries. This place always Bauernmarkt 10, 1010
attracts a cool and arty crowd. Tel (01) 533 1526 Closed Sun
Simple, no-frills menu that
Gasthaus Poschl € lays an emphasis on regional
Gasthaus food and healthy vegetarian
Weihburggasse 17, 1010 dishes. Try the mango and
Tel (01) 513 5288 quinoa salad.
Sit down with a crisp chicken
schnitzel with parmesan Palmenhaus €€€
potatoes and a glass of Austrian European
beer in this friendly restaurant. Dining room of the Vestibul with marble Burggarten 1, 1010
pillars and arches Tel (01) 533 1033
Griechenbeisl € One of Vienna’s plushest
Austrian Lebenbauer €€ venues with a menu to match.
Fleischmarkt 11, A-1010 Vegetarian Opt for a carpe diem breakfast –
Tel (01) 533 1977 Teinfaltstrasse 3, 1010 fresh pineapple, mint, honeycracker,
Enjoy a schnitzel meal and a few Tel (01) 533 5556 rye breads, goats cheese
drinks in Vienna’s oldest inn. Closed Sat & Sun omelette and rolls with jam.
Excellent beef fillet and an exten- One of Vienna’s most upmarket
sive wine list. Framed autographs vegetarian restaurants, Plachutta €€€
of such figures as Beethoven and Lebenbauer boasts a creative, Austrian
Schubert add gravitas. meat-free menu. Recipes use Wollzeile 38, 1010
mainly organic produce and Tel (01) 512 1577
Konditorei Gerstner € are cooked without fat, eggs The Plachutta Wollzeile
Austrian or flour. Do not miss the plays host to numerous
Kärntner Strasse 11–15, 1010 pumpkin risotto. Austrian soap stars and other
Tel (01) 5124 9630 celebrities. Savour Viennese
One of the city’s greatest pastry Ofenloch €€ dishes such as the famous
makers and chocolatiers, Gerstner Austrian tafelspitz (boiled beef ).
is a favourite with tour groups. Kurrentgasse 8, 1010
Ask for the scrumptious Tel (01) 533 8844 Closed Sun
poppy pie. Traditional menu with all DK Choice
the usual soups, potato Vestibul €€€
Beaulieu €€ dumplings and schnitzels. Austrian
Mediterranean The service is a cut above Universitätsring 2, 1010
Herrengasse 14/18, 1010 the rest. Tel (01) 532 4999 Closed Sun
Tel (01) 532 1103 This accolade-winning
The seafood risotto with saffron Le Siêcle €€ kitchen specializes in seasonal,
is a popular draw at Beaulieu. Mediterranean wholesome ingredients with
Or go for a plate of delectable Weihburggasse 32, 1010 everything made from scratch,
Austrian cheese and breads. Tel (01) 515 173 440 be it home-made stock or
Serving a delectable array elderberry juice. Great food,
of international dishes, this reliable service and superb
DK Choice award-winning restaurant is location, just a stone’s throw
Ilona Stuberl €€ renowned for decadent dining. away from Vienna’s fine
Austrian Le Siêcle serves everything cultural venues.
Bräunerstrasse 2, 1010 from caviar and suckling pig
Tel (01) 533 9029 to herb-rubbed roasted lamb
Founded in 1957, this family- and chateaubriand. Zum Schwarzen Kameel €€€
run Austro-Hungarian restaurant Austrian
is a well-respected part of Vienna’s Teahouse Haas & Haas €€ Bognergasse 5, 1010
culinary scene. A menu in eight International Tel (01) 533 812 511 Closed Sun
languages covers veal, pork, fish, Stephansplatz 4, 1010 Step inside this century-
beef and vegetarian dishes. The Tel (01) 512 2666 old Viennese Jugendstil
restaurant also serves salads, A 25-year-old institution, building and be wowed
pastas, soups and hearty desserts. this friendly teahouse is known by an 800-strong wine list.
The waiters are well versed in the for its inviting courtyard. It Choose from dozens of cheeses
1867 unification history of Austria expertly delivers a wide selection on a first-class menu. The
and Hungary under Franz Josef. of Germanic dishes for brunch, wild boar with red wine is
lunch and afternoon tea. particularly good.
SOUTH
EASTERN
EUROPE
South Eastern Europe

at a Glance 394–395
Slovenia 396–429
Croatia 430–483
Bosnia and Herzegovina 484–501
Montenegro 502–519
Serbia 520–541
Romania 542–573
Bulgaria 574–611
South Eastern Europe at a Glance

One of the most diverse areas of the European continent,
South Eastern Europe is where the cultural traditions of
Central Europe, the Mediterranean and the Balkans come
together. So it is not uncommon to see Catholic churches,
Orthodox monasteries and Muslim holy sites in the same
region. The region’s island-scattered Adriatic coast and the SOUTH
EASTERN
golden-hued sands of Romania and Bulgaria offer ample EUROPE
opportunities to relax on the beach. Inland, rugged

mountain regions, rich in wildflowers and woodland,
provide the perfect backdrop for exhilarating hikes.
Mount Triglav (see pp418–19),

the highest peak in Slovenia, stands at
the heart of a national park filled with
jagged summits, evergreen woodland
and glacier-carved lakes.
Maribor
Ljubljana
SLOVENIA Zagreb
(see pp396–429)
Virovitica
Rijeka Karlovac Osijek
Novi Sad
BOSNIA AND
CROATIA HERZEGOVINA
(see pp430–483) (see pp484–501)
Jajce Zvornik
Zadar
Zagreb (see pp466–73), capital of Croatia Sarajevo
and an important regional cultural centre, Užice
boasts a fine collection of museums and Split Jablanica
galleries and a year-round supply of
top-quality music and theatre. MONTENEGRO
(see pp502–519)
Jajce (see pp494–5), the Dubrovnik

medieval Bosnian capital, is a Podgorica
picturesque hilltop town famous
for its thundering waterfall and
water-powered mills.
Ostrog Monastery (see pp512–13), one of

the highlights of Montenegro, is a popular
pilgrimage site. Its painted rock churches
are among the most beautiful religious
buildings in the Balkans.
Aerial view of the popular town, Cavtat, near Dubrovnik, Croatia
INTRODUCING SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE 395
Peleş Castle (see pp558–9) is

nestled in the Transylvanian Alps.
Its fairy tale spires and turrets
reflect the romantic tastes of its
high-living first resident, German-
born King Carol I of Romania.
0 km 100
0 miles 100
Suceava
Satu Mare
Iaşi
Oradea
Târgu
Cluj-Napoca Mureş
ROMANIA Bârlad
Arad (see pp542–573)
Deva
Braşov Galaţi
Buzău
Târgu Jiu
Belgrade Piteşti
Požarevac Bucharest
Constanţa
Craiova
SERBIA
(see pp520–541)
Calafat Ruse
Paraćin
Pleven
Niš Montana Sofia (see pp578–85), capital of
Varna
Bulgaria, is rich in Roman
Veliko Tûrnovo remains, medieval treasures
Grdelica
BULGARIA and Orthodox churches. The
Sofia (see pp574–611) Burgas cavernous Neo-Byzantine
Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial
Kyustendil Plovdiv Haskovo
Church serves as the city’s
graceful centrepiece.
Belgrade (see pp524–31),

the Serbian capital,
centres on the sprawling
Kalemegdan Fortress,
overlooking the Danube
river. With its crumbling
bastions built by former
conquerors, it is now a
tranquil park laced with
flowerbeds and tree-
shaded promenades.
SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE 397
SLOVENIA
Despite being one of Europe’s smallest nations, Slovenia offers magnificently
varied scenery and splendid architecture. Since 1991, it has re-established itself
as a major holiday destination for outdoor pursuits, high-quality health spas
and ski resorts. Economic growth has helped sustain tourism, and the lively
people make Slovenia a welcoming place to visit.
Few countries in South Eastern Europe basin settled in the Drava and Sava
pack as much variety into such a small valleys. A Slav tribal state known as
geographical area as Slovenia. The Carantania came into existence in the
landscape changes swiftly between territory of present-day Slovenia and
the Alps and limestone plateaus, dense southern Austria, but this soon came
forests and Mediterranean coastline, under the control of more powerful
all within a very short distance of each German-speaking rulers.
other. At the heart of the country is In the medieval period, the
Ljubljana, a city combining graceful country was governed by feudal
architecture with an exuberant lifestyle. landowners, including the Babenbergs,
The population is relatively the Spannheims and the Counts
homogenous with 83 per cent of its of Celje. Ultimate authority was
two million inhabitants ethnically also wielded at various times by
Slovene. Small but significant minorities Hungarian kings, German emperors
include Albanians, Bosnians, Croats and and the Austrian Habsburg family,
Serbs, who came to live and work in who established control over most
Slovenia during the Yugoslav period. of Slovenia by the 15th century.
Around the same time, the
History Ottoman Turks mounted attacks
The Slovene nation has its origins in deep into Central Europe, turning
the great migrations of the 6th century, Slovenia into the front line in the
when Slav tribes from the Carpathian region’s defence.
Pavement café on Old Square, Ljubljana’s oldest medieval square

View of the picturesque Bled Castle
renamed Yugoslavia. This multi-

ethnic state was invaded by Hitler
in April 1941 and Slovenia was
divided between Nazi Germany
and Fascist Italy.
After World War II, Slovenia
became a federal republic within
a reconstituted, Communist-ruled
Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav Federation
functioned successfully under the
leadership of President Tito. However,
with the death of Tito and the onset
Guards carrying Tito’s coffin at his funeral in 1980 of economic problems, the union
began to disintegrate.
Throughout the Habsburg period, Slovenia declared independence
the predominant language was from Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991.
German, with Slovene spoken only The Ten Day War (27 June–6 July)
among the peasantry. However, a with Yugoslavia followed, in which
brief period of French rule (1809–1813) the Yugoslav People’s Army was
introduced Slovene-language school- outmanoeuvred by Slovenia’s
ing and a new generation of educated defence forces.
Slovenes rose to promote national Slovenia went on to establish
culture. Following the collapse of the itself as one of the economic and
Habsburg Empire in 1918, Slovenia political successes of the new Europe,
entered the newly created kingdom joining NATO and the European
of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later Union in 2004.
KEY DATES IN SLOVENIAN HISTORY Language and Culture

AD 591 Slavs arrive in the upper Drava region Modern Slovene belongs to the
1282 The Habsburg Dynasty establishes its first Slavic family of languages and is
feudal holdings in Slovene lands closely related to Croatian and
1573 Peasant Uprising ends with the defeat of the Serbian. Centuries of Austrian rule
rebels and bloody retribution by the nobility has left a profound imprint on the
1813 A brief period of Napoleonic rule is followed language and many colloquial
by a return to Habsburg control
expressions are of German origin.
1918 Slovenia joins other south Slav peoples to
form the kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
The Austrian influence also
1921 Vidovdan Constitution establishes a
extended to architecture, with
constitutional monarchy; Belgrade is the capital Alpine farmhouses and onion-
1938 Josip Broz Tito appointed leader of the domed churches scattered across
Communist Party of Yugoslavia parts of the country.
1941 Slovenia divided between Fascist Italy, Nazi Slovenia was predominantly a
Germany and Miklós Horthy’s Hungary
peasant country until the early 20th
1974 The 1974 Constitution gives each republic
century and folk music and village
greater responsibility for its internal affairs
festivals are still an integral part of
1980 Yugoslavia enters a period of crisis following
the death of Tito national life.
1991 Slovenia declares independence During the 1970s and 80s,
from Yugoslavia Slovenia emerged as a centre of
2004 Slovenia joins NATO contemporary art and popular music
2007 Euro introduced in Slovenia and Slovenian culture retains a
modern outlook.
SLOVENIA 399
Exploring Slovenia
A delightful destination in its own right, Ljubljana is also a
good base from which to explore the rest of the country.
The city lies at the centre of Slovenia’s road and rail network
and many regional attractions are within a couple of hours’
drive. To the north are the grand Julian Alps, towering
above Lakes Bled and Bohinj. To the west, routes cross the
cave-studded karst region before descending towards the
coast, characterized by Venetian-style architecture and
lush vegetation.
Sights at a Glance
1 Ljubljana pp400–407 q Soča Valley Tour p413
2 Postojna Cave pp408–409 w Kobarid
Traditional Alpine farmhouses along a
3 Predjama Castle e Bovec stream, Lake Bohinj
4 Škocjan Caves r Kranjska Gora
5 Koper t Bled pp416–17
6 Piran y Triglav National Park pp418–21
7 Portorož u Velika Planina
8 Hrastovlje i Logarska Dolina
9 Lipica o Maribor pp422–23
0 Idrija p Ptuj
Murska Sobota
3
Kranjska Gora Dravograd 1
AUS TRI A Maribor Dr A5 Lendava
Jesenice 4 av
Soča Logarska a
Bovec Bled Ptuj
Dolina A1 2 Ormož
Triglav Velenje
Kobarid Tolmin Velika Planina
National Park
9
a
Stahovica D r a vi n j
Soča Celje
Sav
Žalec
A2
Valley Tour Domžale

ITALY
a
A1
Laško CR O AT I A
LJUBLJANA
Idrija Litija
Radeče
a Sevnica
A1
10 ic
Nova Gorica 2 bljan A2
5
H4 Lju
Trebnje
10
A2 Brežice
6
Predjama Castle
Postojna Cave
Kr
ka
A3
Divača Postojna
Lipica Kočevje
Škocjan Caves
Piran Koper Matavun
7 Črnomelj
Portorož Hrastovlje
CR O ATI A Vinica
0 kilometers 40
0 miles 40
Key
Highway
Major road
Railway
The Plague Column in the town of Maribor International border

Sequin Castle
1 Ljubljana
Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, began life as the Roman
colony of Emona, a major trading centre that was
sacked by the Huns in AD 452. Reoccupied by Slavs
in the 7th century, the focus of the settlement was
moved to the east bank of the Ljubljanica river,
where both Ljubljana Castle and the Old Town are
located today. With a population of two hundred TIVOLI
PARK
and eighty thousand, it is one of Europe’s smallest
capital cities. The Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg) is Tivoli Castle
a good base from which to explore the main sights. JA K

O P IČ
On the right bank of the river is the fascinating Old EVO
SPR
EHA
JAL
IŠ Č E
Town (Stari Grad), with its Baroque architecture and
several ancient churches. Important museums and
galleries, such as the Museum of Modern Art and
National Gallery, as well as the sprawling Tivoli Park,
A
ST
are located on the left bank.
CE
A
K
LS
O
IV
Sights at a Glance T
1 Ljubljana Castle
0 metres 500
VA
500
NO
0 yards
3 Market
ŠER
4 Prešeren Square
PRE
5 National Gallery of Slovenia
6 Tivoli Park
Key
7 Museum of Modern Art
8 National Museum of Slovenia Street-by-Street area: see pp402–403
9 National and University Library Major sight / Place of interest
0 Plečnik House Pedestrian street
The Triple Bridge spanning the Ljubljanica river, designed by leading architect Jože Plečnik

LJUBLJANA 401
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Nebotičnik
M AL A UL
Railway Station and

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VA
Opera KAR NA
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AC JEV
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House ES
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TO LI CA STA
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St James’
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Getting Around
P
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AD A Š ULI CA
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Lj
Central Ljubljana is small and all
C E S TA
UL I
CA u
TR
O VA
bl
EIPPR its sights are easily visited on foot.

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ni
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An extensive bus network links
ca
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PR
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BARJANSKA
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TA
N
the city centre to the suburbs,
and buses run from early morning
CA
until midnight. Tickets can be

LI
U
ULICA
bought from newspaper kiosks.

VA
LO
Taxis are safe and reliable, and

ER
H
ZI
Z I H E R LO V A ULICA
cheaper if arranged by phone.
A fast modern funicular takes
visitors up the steep hill to
Ljubljana Castle.

Street-by-Street: Ljubljana
Old Town
Located between the medieval castle and the leafy
banks of the Ljubljanica river, Ljubljana’s Old Town
contains one of the best-preserved ensembles of
Baroque buildings in South Eastern Europe. Arcaded
18th-century houses, domed churches and fountain-
studded piazzas add to its elegant character. Narrow
3 . Market
cobbled alleys such as Stari trg and Mestni trg, lined Ljubljana’s lively outdoor market is known
these days with swanky cafés and upmarket shops, for its fresh herbs and dried mushrooms
provide a vibrant introduction to the Slovene capital. alongside every kind of local produce.
VO
D
Statue of
N
IK
Valentin
O
V
Vodnik
SQ
U
A
R
E
A
D
A
M
IČ
L
U
N
D
R
O
V
O
N
A
B
R
E
Ž
The cathedral’s bronze doors, JE
decorated with scenes from The Market
the history of Christianity in Colonnade, an
Slovenia, were created in 1996 elongated pavilion
to commemorate the visit of built by architect
Pope John Paul II to Ljubljana. Jože Plečnik in 1939,
houses food shops
and a fish market.
The Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) was

Key designed for pedestrians by Jože
Plečnik in 1932 as part of the reno-
Suggested route vation of the riverbank area.
P
Franciscan Church of
the Annunciation
Ljubljana’s most attractive
Baroque church, with a
single nave and two rows
of lateral chapels, con-
tains a splendid 18th-
century altar by Italian The Prešeren Statue,
sculptor Francesco one of Ljubljana’s best-known
Robba, richly adorned landmarks, honours Romantic
with spiral columns poet and national icon
and figurines. France Prešeren.
LJUBLJANA 403
A funicular railway from Krekov

Square transports visitors to the
wooded Castle Hill.
1 . Ljubljana Castle
Perched high above the Old Town, the castle’s
clock tower provides a great view of the city
with the Karavanke Mountains in the distance.
The Town Hall, a Renaissance

building dating from 1719, has
an attractive courtyard.
MESTN
I TRG
JE
EŽ
BR
A
N Fountain of the Three Rivers
VO of Carniola
JE
K AR Completed in 1751, Francesco Robba’s
N
CA Fountain of the Three Rivers symbolizes
the three main rivers of Slovenia.
G
R
RNOV T
ŠE
E
PR
ČOPOVA
0 metres 50
0 yards 50
ULIC
A
. Ljubljanica Riverbank
The east bank of the river is lined with willow trees, orange- and red-
roofed townhouses and fabulous terrace cafés and restaurants.
John Paul II shown peering from

a window at the top. The south
door depicts the tall mitred
profiles of six of Slovenia’s 20th-
century bishops, praying at the
tomb of Christ.
Inside, the cathedral has a
rich sequence of side chapels
and a nave dominated by an
Illusionist ceiling painting of
the Crucifixion by Giulio
Quaglio (1610–58).
Down a side street
brightened by flower stalls
is the 18th-century portal of
Ljubljana’s seminary, framed
by a pair of titans carved by
Angelo Putti. The seminary’s
Exterior of St Nicholas’s Cathedral, dominated by its twin towers library is decorated with
frescoes by Quaglio and can
1 Ljubljana Castle manicured lawns, the castle be visited by contacting the
Ljubljanski grad has several points of interest Ljubljana tourist information
grouped around its irregular office in advance (see p425).
Grajska planota 1. Map E3. Tel (01) 306
4293. Open May–Sep: 9am–11pm
courtyard. Built in 1848 to serve
daily; Oct–Apr: 10am–9pm daily. Vir- as a viewing platform, the spec-
tual Museum: Open May–Sep: 9am– tacular Clock Tower provides a
9pm; Oct–Apr:10am–6pm daily. & wonderful view of the city, with
the Karavanke Mountains visible
Looming above the Old Town, to the north.
Ljubljana Castle dates from On the western side of the
the 11th century when the courtyard, the remarkable 15th-
Spannheims adopted the city century Gothic Chapel of St
as their feudal power base. George has a ceiling decorated
Following Ljubljana’s absorption with the coats of arms of the
by Austria in 1355, the castle Carniola province’s leading feudal
became the property of the families. The nearby Virtual
Habsburg family. It went on to Museum (Virtualni muzej)
serve as army barracks, a refuge showcases the history of the city
for the poor and a prison. Now through an impressive 20-minute
an immaculate building with audio-visual presentation.
Local produce in Ljubljana’s
bustling Market
2 St Nicholas’s
Cathedral 3 Market
Stolnica sv Nikolaja Glavna tržnica
Dolničarjeva ulica. Map E3. Adamič-Lundrovo nabrežje. Map F3.
Tel (01) 234 2690. Open 6am– Open 7am–4pm Mon–Fri, 7am–2pm
noon & 3–7pm daily. Sat (Colonnade); 6am–6pm Mon–Fri,
6am–4pm Sat & in winter (stalls).
Built on the site of an earlier
church by leading Jesuit archi- The northern end of Ljubljana’s
tect Andrea Pozzo in 1707, this Old Town has long been the
Baroque cathedral is dedicated site of the city’s large and lively
to St Nicholas, patron saint of market. Running along the
fishermen and sailors. The curving bank of the Ljubljanica
cathedral’s exterior has two river is the Market Colonnade,
doors, built for Pope John Paul a Classical-inspired structure
II’s visit in 1996, each decorated built by Jože Plečnik in 1942
with expressive bronze reliefs. to provide shelter for a row of
The west door is adorned with delicatessen stalls. Built into the
scenes from the history of riverbank itself, the colonnade’s
Slovene Christianity; it portrays lower storey is home to a fish
A section of Ljubljana’s medieval castle, the baptism of the Slovene market filled with glistening
high above the Old Town nation at the bottom, with Pope heaps of octopus, squid and
LJUBLJANA 405
lobster from the Adriatic Sea. 5 National Gallery

The lower storey also has a of Slovenia
simple seafood snack bar and Narodna galerija Slovenije
an arcaded terrace looking out
Prešernova 24. Map D2. Tel (01) 241
on to the river.
5418. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. &
Outside the colonnade are 8 7 = ∑ ng-slo.si
stalls selling souvenirs, herbs
and speciality foods. Just east Slovenia’s national art
of this area is the main fruit and collection occupies an elegant
vegetable section of the market, 19th-century building with
where trestle tables fill the stucco ceilings and ornate
broad expanse of Vodnikov chandeliers. A modern annexe
Square. At the southern end of was added in 2001. A tall
the square is a statue of Valentin atrium holds Francesco
Vodnik, the priest and poet Statue of Romantic poet France Prešeren, Robba’s original Fountain of
whose works helped to shape Prešeren Square the Three Rivers of Carniola,
the modern Slovene language. which was completed in 1751
Marking the eastern end of Centromerkur Building, top- and symbolizes the meeting
the market is the Dragon’s ped by a statue of Mercury, the of the Sava, Krka and Ljubljanica
Bridge (Zmajski most), named Roman god of commerce, was rivers. The fountain initially
after the personable built as a department store in stood in the Old Town, but
bronze dragons – a 1903. On the opposite was replaced by a replica
traditional symbol of side of the square is the in 2006.
the city – adorning angular Hauptman The gallery’s Slovene
each of its four corners. House, decorated with collection is particularly rich
Built to mark the 40th multicoloured tiles. Just in Gothic statuary; highlights
anniversary of the reign behind the house, the include a 13th-century
of Austrian Emperor building at Wolfova No. 4 Madonna on Solomon’s Throne,
Franz Josef in 1901, features a relief of the carved by the little-known
the bridge also 19th-century beauty Master of the Solčava Maria.
features ornate Art Dragon sculpture, Dragon’s Julija Primic, peering There is also an outstanding
Nouveau lampposts. Bridge, Market from a first-floor collection of work by Slovene
window. Primic Impressionists such as Rihard
was the object of France Jakopič, Matija Jama and Matej
4 Prešeren Square Prešeren’s unrequited love Sternen, whose canvases exalt
Prešernov trg and the inspiration behind the Slovene landscape in the
many of his poems. years before World War I.
Map E2 & 3.
A short walk north along The European galleries
Standing at the junction Miklošičeva cesta leads to contain an impressive cross-
between Ljubljana’s Old Town the most vivacious of section of Flemish still life
and the 19th-century districts Ljubljana’s buildings, the and genre paintings, a rich
on the west bank of the Cooperative Bank built by collection of Baroque altar
Ljubljanica river, Prešeren architect Ivan Vurnik in 1922. pieces, and Max Reichlich’s
Square is the symbolic heart of Covered in bright red, yellow early 16th-century carving
the city. It is named in honour and blue chevrons, it is a Killenberg Triptych, in which
of France Prešeren, the Roman- unique mixture of Art Deco the Virgin Mary and St Anne
tic poet whose patriotic verses and folk art influences. nurse the infant Jesus.
were central to the develop-
ment of a Slovene national
consciousness. Prešeren is
commemorated by a monu-
ment in the centre of the
square, portraying the poet
with a book in hand, accom-
panied by a muse. Opposite
the statue is the Franciscan
Church, containing a fine
18th-century high altar by
famous Italian sculptor
Francesco Robba.
Around the square are some
of the finest Art Nouveau struc-
tures in Ljubljana. On the
northeastern corner, the Superb interior of the National Gallery of Slovenia
group Irwin, who mix avant-

garde art and extreme political
symbolism to create a series of
ironic statements on the nature
of national identity.
8 National Museum
of Slovenia
Narodni muzej Slovenije
Prešernova 20. Map D2. Tel (01) 241
4400. Open 10am–6pm daily (until
8pm Thu). & = ∑ nms.si
The National Museum of

Slovenia was founded in
1821. Housed since 1888 in
the grand Rudolfinum building,
The green expanses of Ljubljana’s Tivoli Park the museum features an
impressive staircase overlooked
6 Tivoli Park 20th-century Slovenia in by beautiful frescoes of
Park Tivoli multimedia form, using film cavorting muses.
Celovska cesta. Map C1 & C2. Open footage to bring each period The ground floor contains
Nov–Mar: 8am–3pm Mon–Sat; Apr– to life. an extensive collection of
Oct: 8am–5pm Mon–Sat. International Rising above the western expressively carved funerary
Centre of Graphic Arts: Grad Tivoli, Pod end of the park is a series of monuments from the Roman
turnom 3. Tel (01) 241 3800. Open wooded hills, including the settlement of Emona, together
10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & ∑ mglc-lj. 391-m (1,283-ft) high Rožnik with a gilded bronze statue of a
si. National Museum of Contemporary Hill. Reached by a network young male aristocrat. Ancient
History: Celovška cesta 23. Tel (01) 300 of well-signposted tracks, the Egypt is represented by an
9611. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & hill is topped by the Church intriguing 7th-century BC coffin
∑ muzej-nz.si. Cankar Memorial of St Mary’s Visitation. of the priest Isahta, decorated
Room: Cankarjev vrh 1. Tel (01) 241 Downhill from the church with brightly painted hieroglyphs.
2506. Open Apr–Oct: 11am–6pm Sat is the Pri Matiji Inn, once Also on the ground floor is the
& Sun. Closed Nov–Mar. & the home of famous novelist numismatic collection, displaying
To the west of the National Ivan Cankar (1876–1918). ancient coins and bronze ingots
Gallery (see p405) stretches Tivoli The nearby Cankar Memorial as well as modern currency.
Park, a well-tended expanse Room (Spominska soba The upstairs galleries display
of lawns and trees much loved Ivana Cankarja) displays his Stone Age pottery, Copper Age
by locals and visitors alike. The writing desk and personal vessels and implements from
park’s main avenue, Jakopičevo possessions. the Ljubljana marshes, along
sprehajališče, is lined with display with Celtic weaponry and
stands that regularly show art jewellery. The most valued
and photography exhibitions. 7Museum of
At the end of the avenue stands Modern Art
Tivoli Castle (Tivolski grad), an Moderna galerija
18th-century villa that now houses
Tomšičeva 14. Map D2. Tel (01) 241 6800.
the excellent International Center
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. ∑ mg-lj.si
of Graphic Arts (Mednarodni
grafični likovni center). As well The Museum of Modern
as organizing the Ljubljana Art contains the national
Biennale of Graphic Arts, held collection of 20th-century
in autumn every odd-numbered art, along with paintings and
year, the centre also hosts sculptures from several other
exhibitions of posters, prints former Yugoslav republics.
and drawings. Slovenia was at the forefront
On the northern edge of of Modernism in the years
the park is the stately Baroque following World War I and the
Sequin Castle (Cekinov grad), movement is represented here
housing the National Museum by the Constructivist works of
of Contemporary History artist Avgust Černigoj and
(Muzej novejše zgodovine his poet collaborator Srečko
Slovenije). The museum Kosovel. More fascinating still is Magnificent staircase of the National
chronicles the history of the work of the contemporary Museum of Slovenia
LJUBLJANA 407
item on display is the Vače

Situla, a 30-cm (12-inch)
high bronze bucket from
the 6th century BC that once
served as a ritual drink ing
vessel. Its outer surface has
stunning frieze-like reliefs
depicting a parade of horse-
men, a drinking party and a
line of antelope-like animals
being stalked by a big cat.
The museum’s department
of History and Applied Arts
is in a separate building at
Metelkova 25 and displays
objects from the 14th century
to the present. Plečnik House, residence of Slovenia’s most influential architect
granite with terracotta- 0 Plečnik House

9National and coloured brickwork. Inside, a Plečnikova hiša
University Library dark stair way of polished black
Karunova 4. Map D5. Tel (01) 241
Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica limestone leads to the brightly
2500. Closed for restoration until May
lit first floor reading rooms, 2015. & 8 ∑ mgml.si
Turjaška 1. Map E4. Tel (01) 200 1188.
Open 8am–8pm Mon–Fri, 9am–2pm
symbolizing the transition
Sat. 8 = from ignorance to knowledge. Present-day Ljubljana would
The exquisite doorknobs, table be unimaginable without the
Set back from the west bank lamps and chandeliers were all work of Jože Plečnik, the
of the Ljubljanica river on designed by Plečnik himself, architect and town planner
the site of a former palace, fusing Art Deco with folk- responsible for the Triple
the National and University influenced motifs to create Bridge, Market Colonnade
Library is considered to be a highly personalized style. (see p402) and the Ljubljanica
the masterpiece of Jože Immediately south of the riverbank area, as well as the
Plečnik, the architect library is Križanke, a medieval National and University Library.
responsible for the monastery complex Plečnik’s work was in many
appearance of renovated by Plečnik and ways a precursor of Post-
modern Ljubljana. turned into an outdoor Modernism, combining pure
Completed in concert venue. forms of modern architectural
1940, the landmark A major venue for rock style with ornamental details
building is typical of concerts in summer, drawn from Egypt, Classical
Plečnik’s work, combining Križanke also hosts Greece and Central European
the straight lines several classical folk art.
popular in the archi- Detail of library music events as The house where Plečnik
tecture of the period door handle part of the popular lived from 1921 until his death
with inspired decorative Ljubljana Summer in 1957 exemplifies his extra-
details. The exterior is a Festival (see p426), held ordinary commitment to the
patchwork of different hues, between July and August world of architecture. With
mixing grey hunks of Slovene every year. each room having its own
design scheme, the house
now serves as an intimate
and absorbing museum of
his work. Visitors can view the
sunny, cylindrical annexe he
built to serve as a work space,
filled with furniture he
designed himself. Most of his
original plans, photographs
and models of his major works
are preserved here. Most
famous among his unfinished
projects is the Slovene
Acropolis, a monumental
parliament building originally
intended for Ljubljana’s
Aerial view of the imposing National and University Library Castle Hill.
2 Postojna Cave
Postojnska jama
Slovenia’s most popular natural attraction, Postojna Cave
constitutes the longest subterranean system in the country,
with over 20 km (12 miles) of chambers and tunnels. It was
formed by the seeping waters of the Pivka river and its
tributaries, which carved out several levels of underground
galleries over a period of roughly three million years. The cave
was first opened to visitors in 1819, with Austrian Emperor
Francis I as the guest of honour. The site currently receives just
under half a million people a year, making it one of the most-
visited natural attractions in Europe. Inside, magnificent
formations of stalactites and stalagmites seem to stretch Visitors outside the main entrance to
endlessly in all directions. Postojna Cave
Tracks and Walkways

Guided tours, lasting 90 minutes, begin with visitors
riding an electric train into the heart of the cave,
before embarking on a walking tour through a series
of halls encrusted with intricate rock formations.
Stalactites, formed by
constantly dripping
water, hang from the
ceiling of the cave.
. The Diamond
This huge stalagmite,
also called “Brilliant”,
on account of its
Russian Bridge dazzling white surface
Built by Russian prisoners during World and peculiar shape, is
War I, the Russian Bridge leads to the one of the highlights
Macaroni Hall, which is covered with of the spectacular
stunning pure-white stalactites. Winter Chamber.
SLOVENIA 409
53 km (33 miles) S of Ljubljana.
n Jamska Cesta 9, Postojna,
(05) 700 0100. ∑ tdpostojna.si.
Open Jul & Aug: tours hourly
9am–6pm; May, Jun & Sep: tours
hourly 9am–5pm; Apr & Oct:
tours at 10am, noon, 2pm & 4pm;
Jan–Mar, Nov–Dec: tours at 10am,
noon & 3pm. & 8 0 - =
∑ postojnska-jama.eu
Transport
Big Mountain
£ from Ljubljana.
This 45-m (147-ft) high rocky
@ from Ljubljana.
mound was created when the
ceiling collapsed.
Predjama Castle, built into a natural rock

arch on a hill slope
3 Predjama Castle
Predjamski grad
50 km (31 miles) S of Ljubljana.
@ from Ljubljana. Open Jan–Mar,
Nov–Dec: 10am–4pm; Apr &
Oct: 10am–5pm; May, Jun & Sep:
9am–6pm; Jul & Aug: 9am–7pm. &
- _ Erasmus Jousting Tournament
(Aug). ∑ postojnska-jama.eu
The Vivarium
The cave is the natural habitat of There are few fortresses
this rare worm-like amphibian, more dramatically situated
known as the human fish. It can than Predjama Castle, which
be seen in the Vivarium, where stands halfway up a hillside
visitors can learn about species at the mouth of a cave. The
of the underground world. site was fortified as early as
the 13th century. However,
. White Passage most of what remains today
One among a series of chambers is the result of a 16th-century
collectively known as Beautiful renovation by the then
Caves, the White Passage is crammed owner Ivan Kobencl.
with impressive stalagmites The castle museum has
and stalactites. several fascinating rooms
containing period furnishings
and weaponry. Several exhibits
recall its 15th-century owner
Erazem Lueger, a Robin Hood
figure who, according to legend,
was killed by a cannon ball
that hit the castle. Inside the
chapel is a delicately carved
Gothic pietá dating from 1420.
Steep passageways descend
into the Cave below the castle,
an interesting, atmospheric
underground chamber that can
be visited only by guided tour.
. Concert Hall T Cave

Visitors finally emerge into the Concert Hall, a vast space where & 8 May–Sep: 11am, 1pm,
orchestral performances are occasionally held, before returning 3pm & 5pm daily. ∑ postojnska-
by train to the cave entrance. jama.eu
4 Škocjan Caves a beautifully proportioned

Škocjanske jame ground floor arcade. Also on
the square is the 12th-century
80 km (51 miles) SW of Ljubljana.
£ from Divača. @ n Matavun, (05) Cathedral of Mary’s Assumption
708 2110. Open check website for (Stolna cerkev Marijinega
timings. & 8 - = ∑ park- vnebovzetja), which contains
skocjanske-jame.si the ornate medieval sarcophagus
of local protector St Nazarius
Located in rolling countryside behind the main altar. On the
just outside the town of Divača, right side of the transept is an
the Škocjan Caves are one of animated Madonna with Child on
Slovenia’s most spectacular karst the Throne and Saints attributed
features and a UNESCO World to the Venetian painter Carpaccio
Heritage Site. The labyrinthine (1460–1526), who is believed
complex of passages and to have lived in Koper for a
collapsed valleys is believed to time. Behind the cathedral is
be the world’s largest network a 12th-century rotunda that
of subterranean chambers and originally served as the baptistry,
remains only partially explored bearing a faded relief of St John
to this day. About half of the Main altar of the Cathedral of Mary’s the Baptist above the door.
5 km (3 miles) of underground Assumption, Koper A short walk west of Tito
passageways are open to the Square, the Regional Museum
public, accessible by a 90-minute leaving its attractive Old Town (Pokrajinski muzej) houses a rich
guided tour. Tickets are available rich in Venetian-influenced collection of archaeological
at the tourist information centre architecture. Koper was home finds and medieval stonework.
in the village of Matavun, a short to a largely Italian-speaking East of the square, the
distance from the cave entrance. community until it became Ethnographic Collection
Highlights of the tour include part of Slovenia in 1954; (Etnološka zbirka) fills a
the 15-m (49-ft) long stalactites the town still bears traces restored Gothic house
of the Great Hall and the under- of its Italian heritage, with with a display of domestic
water river in the canyon-like bilingual street signs and utensils, farmers’ tools and
Murmuring Cave. The temperature many locals speaking local costumes.
underground is a constant 12° C both languages.
(53° F), so warm clothing is Central Koper is an Stair detail, E Regional Museum
recommended. enjoyable warren of Praetorian Palace Kidričeva 19. Tel (05) 663
narrow, pedestrian-only 3570. Open 9am–5pm Tue–
streets, most of which meet at Fri, 11am–5pm Sat (till 10pm May–
5 Koper Tito Square (Titov trg). Aug), 11am–3pm Sun. &

Its most enduring symbol, the E Ethnographic Collection
* 24,000. £ @ g n Titov trg 3, Praetorian Palace (Pretorska Gramscijev trg 4. Tel (05) 663
(305) 664 6403. ∑ koper.si palača), is a striking example of 3586. Open 8am–4pm Mon–
Venetian Gothic architecture Fri. &
Now Slovenia’s main port, Koper with fancy tooth-like crenellations.
started off as a small Roman Embedded in the façade are
settlement known as Goat Island several coats of arms belonging 6 Piran
(Insula Caprea). It became a to distinguished families from
major trading centre under the Koper. Opposite the palace * 4,600. @ n (05) 673 4440.
Venetian Empire (1278–1797), stands the town loggia, with ∑ portoroz.si
A jumble of pastel-coloured
houses on a small peninsula,
Piran is coastal Slovenia’s most
charming town. The town
centres around Tartini Square
(Tartinijev trg), named after local
violinist and composer Giuseppe
Tartini (1692–1770); Antonio dal
Zotto’s statue of Tartini occupies
the centre. The most striking
building on the square is the
14th-century wine-red Venetian
House (Benečanka hiša), with
delicate Gothic windows and
Breathtaking stalactites in a chamber in the Škocjan Caves balustraded balconies. Nearby,
SLOVENIA 411
Panoramic view of the coastal town of Piran, centred on Tartini Square
St Peter’s Church (Cerkev sv harbour, the Sergej Mašera 8 Hrastovlje

Petra) contains a 14th-century Maritime Museum (Pomorski 104 km (65 miles) SW of Ljubljana.
crucifix that shows Jesus on a muzej Sergej Mašera) recounts * 120. £
fork-shaped cross, thought to the history of Piran as a
symbolize the Tree of Life. Tucked trading town. Located in the arid hills
away in a small plaza behind the above the coast, the rustic
church, Tartini House (Tartinijeva E Tartini House village of Hrastovlje is home to
hiša) honours the composer with Tartinijev trg. Tel (05) 663 3570. one of Slovenia’s most outstand-
a collection of heirlooms, includ- Open Jun–Aug: 9am–noon & 6–9pm ing medieval treasures. Crowning
ing one of his violins. daily; Sep–May: 11am–noon & a hillock slightly apart from
Uphill from the square, 5–6pm daily. & the rest of the village is the
narrow streets wind towards Aquarium Romanesque Holy Trinity
St George’s Cathedral (Stolna Kidričevo nabrežje 4. Tel (05) 673 Church (Cerkev sv Trojice), its
cerkev sv Jurja), a single-nave 2572. Open mid-Jun to Aug: 9am– interior covered from floor to
structure paired with a Venetian- 10pm daily; Sep–mid-Nov & mid-Mar– ceiling with dazzling frescoes
style campanile. The small Parish mid-Jun: 9am–7pm daily; mid-Nov– painted by local artist John
Museum (Župnijski muzej) mid-Mar: 9am–5pm daily. & of Kastav in 1490. The most
displays the church silverware, E Sergej Mašera famous of the friezes is the
including an 18th-century Maritime Museum Dance of Death on the southern
statuette of St George studded Cankarjevo nabrežje 4. Tel (05) 671 wall, in which a group of
with semi-precious stones. 0040. Open Sep–Jun: 9am–5pm Tue– skeletons leads people old
To the west of Tartini Square, Sun; Jul–Aug: 9am–noon & 5–9pm and young, rich and poor alike,
the Aquarium (Akvarij) has a Tue–Sun. ∑ pommuz-pi.si towards the grave. Many other
selection of fish and crustaceans scenes feature stories from the
indigenous to the Adriatic Sea. Bible. The main characters are
On the opposite side of the 7 Portorož clad in 15th-century attire,
providing an insight into the
* 13,000. @ n Obala 16, (05) 674 lifestyle of late-medieval
2220. ∑ portoroz.si Slovenia.
Strung along the sun-bathed R Holy Trinity Church

sweep of Piran Bay, Portorož Hrastovlje 6275. Tel (05) 664 6403
is Slovenia’s biggest beach (Koper Tourist Office). Open 9am–
resort. Apart from the grand noon & 1–5pm daily. Closed Tue. &
Habsburg- era hotel – the
Kempinski Hotel built in 1911 –
most of the modern cafés,
hotels and casinos bordering
the palm-lined main boulevard
date from the post-World
War II period.
Portorož is a popular spa
resort busy throughout the year
thanks to a warm microclimate
and the therapeutic qualities of
the seawater. The large crescent
Multistorey hotels along the tree-lined beach, with its seaside park, has The stone tower and walls of Holy Trinity
waterfront in Piran tennis and volleyball courts. Church, Hrastovlje
9 Lipica
* 50. £ @ ∑ lipica.org
Located near the Italian border

in the hills above Trieste, the
village of Lipica is synonymous
with the Lipizzaner horses bred
here since 1580. Established by
the Habsburg Archduke Charles II
of Styria, the Lipica Stud Farm
crossed Spanish, Italian and Arab
horses with local steeds, resulting
in the uniquely graceful white
Lipizzaner. The breed found favour
with the Spanish Riding School
(see pp382–3) in Vienna and has
since been considered an aristocrat
in the equine world. The colourful walls of Gewerkenegg Castle, Idrija
Tours of the stables allow visitors
to see the horses at close quarters, 0 Idrija history as well as an interesting
while the Classical Riding School 60 km (37 miles) W of Ljubljana.
display on Idrija lace-making –
stages shows in which the horses * 6,500. @ from Bovec. n Mestni a household industry. Several
perform complex routines. The trg 2, (05) 374 3916. industrial monuments are located
morning “Experience the Lipizzaner” ∑ visit-idrija.si around the town centre. The
session gives insight into the pavilion at St Francis’ Shaft
training of the Lipizzaners and One of the largest mercury (Jašek Frančiške) contains a
their riders. mining centres in the world, display of mining machinery,
Riding courses and carriage Idrija once provided 13 per while the reconstructed
trips can be arranged all year cent of the global output. 19th-century Miner’s House
round. Riding courses must be Since active mining came to (Rudarska hiša) shows how
booked in advance. The stable a halt in 2008, the town has miners’ families used to live.
complex also contains Lipikum – begun to develop into a
museum of the Lipizzaner and an major centre of industrial Environs
art gallery devoted to August heritage tourism. Some 25 km (16 miles) north
Černigoj (1898–1985), the avant- The best way to get a feel of Idrija is the Franja Partisan
garde painter who spent his final of Idrija’s mining past is to take Hospital, a timber-built field
years in Lipica. the tour of Anthony’s Shaft hospital used by Slovene resis-
(Antonijev rov), a network of tance fighters during World War II.
Lipica Stud Farm tunnels excavated in 1500. Active from December 1943
Lipica 5. Tel (05) 739 1580. The tour starts with a video until the end of the war, the
# Jan–Mar & Nov–Dec: 10am–3pm presentation about the history hospital was damaged by floods
daily; Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm daily. & 8 of the mine. Visitors are then in 2007 but is now restored.
tours of the Lipica stables take place led down the shaft, where
on the hour. mining techniques of the past E Anthony’s Shaft
are demonstrated. The Town Kosovelova 3. Tel (05) 377 1142.
Classical Riding School
Museum (Mestni muzej), & 8 10am & 3pm Sat & Sun.
# Apr–Oct: 3pm Tue, Fri & Sun;
Experience the Lipizzaner: Apr–Oct: housed in the 16th-century E Town Museum
10am–noon Tue–Sun. 0 - = Gewerkenegg Castle, contains Prelovčeva 9. Tel (05) 372 6600.
∑ lipica.org an exhibition on mining Open 9am–6pm Mon–Fri. & =
The Soča Front (Isonzo Front)

During World War I, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary in
1915, believing that victory would lead to territorial gains in the
northern Adriatic Sea. The Soča Front, extending from north of
Bovec through Kobarid to north of Trieste, Italy, served as the
front line for almost three years. The Austrians used the mount-
ainous terrain to their advantage, hurling back 12 successive
Italian offensives. In 1917, the Italians were forced to retreat in
the 12th battle, known as the Battle of Caporetto. Memories of
the Soča Front are poignant for the Slovenes, who fought and
Portraits of World War I heroes in the Kobarid died alongside Croats and Czechs, in defence of an Austro-
Museum (see p414) Hungarian Empire that collapsed in 1918.

SLOVENIA 413
q Soča Valley Tour Tips for Drivers

Famous for its turquoise Alpine waters, the Soča river, Starting point: Bovec. Highway
also known by its Italian name, Isonzo, rises in the number 203 from Bovec to
Kobarid, and number 102 from
Triglav National Park (see pp418–21) and flows south
Kobarid to Tomlin, run alongside
towards the Gulf of Trieste. The Soča valley has many the Soča river.
features typical of the Slovene karst, including water- Length: 40 km (25 miles).
falls, limestone gorges and rock formations. Several Stopping-off points: There
are several restaurants along the
monuments recall the battles of World War I, when
route, especially in Kobarid; most
Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces fought for control serve traditional cuisine.
of the valley.
2 Boka Waterfall
This tumbling waterfall in the
hills west of Bovec is a popular Trenta
tourist spot. 15 km
(9 miles)
Žaga
1 Bovec
The main town of the northern Soča valley,
Bovec is Slovenia’s leading resort for
So
adventure sports.
ča
Drežnica
S
o
Vrsno 0 kilometres 5
Robič
č
a
0 miles 5
V
a
ll
ey
ITALY
Most na Soči Idrija
25 km
(15.5miles)
3 Kobarid
The town of Kobarid witnessed the bloodiest
battles of World War I. The town museum
documents the suffering of the soldiers.
4 Tolmin
The museum in Tolmin sheds
light on the costumes, trades and
lifestyles of the valley’s inhabitants.
Key
Tour route 5 Tolminka Gorge
Other road
Northeast of Tolmin lies the steep Tolminka gorge,
with a walking route running precariously above it.
Railway The Tolmin–Čadrg road crosses the gorge at the
International border Devil’s Bridge (Hudičev most).

adrenalin junkies and nature

lovers, the area offers numerous
summer and winter sports
activities and natural wonders.
The stretch of the Soča river to
the south and west of Bovec is
regarded as prime white-water
terrain, with numerous sports
agencies offering rafting, kayak-
ing and canoeing trips during
the high season from April to
September. However, the most
popular attraction in these parts
Interior of the fascinating Kobarid Museum, Kobarid is the breathtaking Boka
Waterfall, which tumbles from
w Kobarid platforms, dominates the the karst some 6 km (4 miles)
118 km (73 miles) NW of Ljubljana.
landscape of the lower Soča southwest of Bovec.
* 4,500. @ from Ljubljana. valley (see p413). A walking
n Trg svobode 16, (05) 380 0490. route heads north from the
∑ dolina-soce.com Charnel House on to the r Kranjska Gora
surrounding hillsides, where 85 km (53 miles) NW of Ljubljana.
A pleasant town characterized World War I trench positions * 5,500. @ from Jesenice.
by a mix of Alpine and Italianate can still be seen. The Kozjak n Kolodvorska ulica 1c, (04) 580
architecture, Kobarid (Caporetto waterfall nearby is well 9440. ∑ kranjska-gora.si
in Italian) is famous as the site worth seeing.
of the Battle of Caporetto Set in the mountain-fringed
(see p412), which saw Austro- E Kobarid Museum Upper Sava valley, the Alpine
Hungarian and German units Gregorčičeva 10. Tel (05) 389 town of Kranjska Gora is
rout their way through Italian 0000. Open Apr–Sep: 9am–6pm Slovenia’s premier winter holi-
lines in 1917. The Kobarid daily; Oct–Mar: 10am–5pm daily. & day resort. Most of the skiing
Museum (Kobariški muzej) 8 ∑ kobariski-muzej.si trails are located on the slopes
poignantly documents the of the 1,555-m (5,102-ft) high
battle through a 20-minute film e Bovec Vitranc Mountain, southwest
and mocked-up trenches. The of the town. There are also
museum’s Black Room conveys * 1,700. @ n Trg Golobarskih
ski slopes at Podkoren resort,
the horrors of war through a žrtev, (05) 384 1919. 3 km (2 miles) up the valley.
distressing series of photographs. ∑ bovec.si Located alongside the lovely
East of the town centre lies parish church is Liznjek House,
Charnel House, a memorial for Nestling on the eastern side of Kranjska Gora’s main urban
fallen Italian soldiers. It was the Triglav massif, Bovec occu- attraction. A beautiful balconied
opened in 1938, with Mussolini pies the broad plain formed by 18th-century building, it was
in attendance, when much of the confluence of the Koritnica the property of a wealthy local
western Slovenia belonged to and Soča rivers. A paradise for farmer and once served as a
Italy. Inside the huge ossuary
are the remains of soldiers killed
on the Soča Front. The nearby Skiing
Church of St Anthony, set on The mountains of northern and western Slovenia provide a wealth
three tiers of arcaded octagonal of winter sports opportunities. The season runs from mid-December
to late March and almost all ski centres are equipped with
snowmobiles. The largest
resort, Kranjska Gora, has 20 km
(13 miles) of ski trails. The
Mariborsko Pohorje resort,
outside Maribor (see p422),
is Slovenia’s largest ski area,
with a wide range of inter-
mediate runs and good
facilities. Another favourite is
Mount Vogel, accessible by
cable car from Lake Bohinj
(see pp420–21). Several ski cen-
tres can be visited on a day- Winter sports enthusiasts skiing on the
trip from Velika Planina. slopes of Velika Planina
The evocative Charnel House in Kobarid
SLOVENIA 415
t Bled i Logarska Dolina

See pp416–17. 100 km ( 62 miles) NE of Ljubljana.
Taxi from Ljubljana. ∑ logarska-
dolina.si
y Triglav National
Hidden away on the northern
Park side of the Kamnik Alps, the
See pp418–21. Logarska Dolina valley is one
of the most beautiful spots in
northern Slovenia. It is a typical
u Velika Planina example of a glacier-carved
30 km (19 miles) NE of Ljubljana.
valley, with a level green valley
 ∑ velikaplanina.si floor dotted with dairy farms
and steep sides where dense
Literally meaning “Big Mountain”, forests give way to bare cliffs.
Velika Planina is one of the most The relatively isolated valley can
popular destinations in the be entered via the village of
Kamnik Alps. Reached by cable Solčava, which is accessed by
car from the Kamniška Bistrica road from the regional centre of
Alpine houses with pretty window boxes, valley, at 1,666 m (5,466 ft) it is a Velenje, a mining town located
Kranjska Gora relatively smooth mountain, 50 km (31 miles) northeast
covered in highland pastures of Ljubljana. Solčava itself is
country inn. Inside is a wonderful where dairy herds graze during famous for the splendid
display of folk crafts and tradi- the summer. Scattered across 13th-century Solčava Madonna,
tional furnishings including the mountain are wooden huts a Romanesque statuette housed
wooden beds, wardrobes, folk- topped by broad shingle roofs in the local parish church.
painted trousseau chests and and surrounded by wooden About 2 km (1 mile) beyond
grandfather clocks painted stockades. A unique form of Solčava is the starting point of
with bright floral designs. traditional architecture, they the landscape park, Logarska
In summer, Kranjska Gora were built by local shepherds as Valley hiking route, which runs
is a popular base for hiking in seasonal sleeping quarters. for 6 km (4 miles) along the valley
Triglav National Park (see pp418– In winter, Velika Planina is a floor to reach the charming
21). Starting at Mojstrana, 13 km popular out-of-town destina- Rinka Waterfall, surrounded by
(8 miles) east of Kranjska Gora, tion for skiers, offering a choice grizzled grey mountain peaks.
the Triglavska Bistrica walking of downhill and cross-country Running parallel to Logarska
trail runs up the ruggedly runs. It is also busy during Dolina to the west is Matkov
beautiful Vrata valley before summer, when its well-marked Kot, another stunning glacial
reaching the forbidding north paths become busy with valley. The main target for hikers
face of Mount Triglav, Slovenia’s hikers. Many choose to walk up here is the famous Matk’s Tub
highest mountain. the mountain without taking (Matkov Škaf ), a dramatic
For visitors wishing to explore the cable car, an exhilarating circular hollow gouged out
the area by car, Kranjska Gora hike that begins in the village of bare rock by a seasonal
stands at the intersection of of Stahovica. waterfall.
several scenic mountain routes.
North of the town, a road winds
dramatically across the Würzen
pass towards the city of Villach in
Austria. To the south are the
hairpin bends of the Vršič pass,
high among the peaks of Triglav
National Park. A major feat of
engineering, the road over the
pass was built by Russian Prisoners
of War during World War I, to send
supplies to Habsburg armies
defending the Soča Front.
To the west of Kranjska Gora
lies Planica valley, the site of
one of the world’s highest ski
jumps. Ski jumps in Planica are
symbols of Slovene prowess in
winter sports and annually
host the famous ski-jumping
World Cup. Distinctive conical, shingled wooden huts on Velika Planina
t Bled The former features an

imaginative audio-visual display,
With its placid lake, fairy-tale island church, clifftop castle detailing both the history of the
and girdle of grey mountains, Bled has become a visual castle and the development of
trademark for the Slovene tourist industry. Although it tourism in the region. Replicas
of historical costumes recall the
emerged as a popular spa resort in the mid-19th century, Slavs who first settled in the
Bled’s key attractions today consist of boat trips to the island area in the 6th century, while a
church and excursions into the Alpine surroundings. Offering natural history section exhibits
plenty of good hotels, Bled also makes a good base for the 5th-century skeleton of an
exploring nearby places of interest such as the enchanting elk. The wine cellar and printing
works are also worth a visit.
Lake Bohinj and Triglav National Park (see pp418–19). In
Outside, the castle terrace
winter, buses connect Bled with the skiing and snowboarding commands an outstanding
centre at Mount Vogel, near Lake Bohinj. view, with the lake directly
below and the Karavanke
mountain range looming
in the distance.
Bled Island
Open May–Sep: 9am–7pm daily;
Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm; Apr & Oct:
9am–6pm. & - =
∑ blejskiotok.si
Perched atop the hummock-
shaped Bled Island (Blejski otok),
the creamy-ochre Church of the
Assumption (Cerkev Marijinega
vnebovzetja) occupies a site that
has been sacred for centuries.
The island initially served
pagan Slavs as a shrine,
inspiring a famous episode
Boats moored on the forested lakeshore, Bled in France Prešeren’s epic
poem “Baptism at the Savica”
} Lake Bled + Bled Castle (“Krst pri Savici”), in which
Just over 2 km (1 mile) long, Tel (04) 572 9782. Open 8am–6pm the Slovene prince, Črtomir,
2 km (1 mile) wide and 30 m daily (until 8pm Apr–Oct). & 0 - falls in love with the beautiful
(98 ft) deep, Lake Bled (Blejsko = ∑ blejski-grad.si Bogomila, daughter of the
jezero) fills a hollow gouged Dramatically located on a island shrine’s guardian.
out by retreating glaciers sheer cliff overlooking the lake’s After the region’s conversion
towards the end of the last eastern end, Bled Castle (Blejski to Christianity, the island
Ice Age. With wooded hills grad) began as the 11th-century became a focus of Catholic
surrounding the lake and stronghold of the Bishops of pilgrimage. It has been asso-
Alpine peaks in the distance, Brixen, who ruled over the area ciated with the cult of the
it is nothing less than truly until 1803. Rebuilt by various Virgin Mary since the early
entrancing. The best way to owners over the years, the castle Middle Ages, when a wooden
soak in the landscape is to walk now houses an absorbing chapel stood on the site of the
along the path which leads museum and a restaurant. current church. Pilgrimages
right around the lake, a circuit
that takes about an hour to
complete. The most stunning
views are from the western
end, with the church spire on
Bled Island set against the
stupendous backdrop of the
snow-capped Karavanke Alps.
On the southern shore of
the lake, visitors can stop by
the gardens of Vila Bled,
built for Yugoslav strongman
Josip Broz Tito in 1947 and
now converted into an
upmarket hotel. Bled Castle, perched on a rock above the town
SLOVENIA 417
rainy days) or by VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

traditional canopied
rowing boat (pletna). Practical Information
Visitors disembark at 53 km (34 miles) NW of Ljubljana.
the bottom of a * 8,100. n Cesta svobode 10,
99-step staircase, (04) 574 1122. _ Bled Days (Jul),
which leads to the Music Festival Bled (Jul), Okarina
Ethno Festival (Aug). ∑ bled.si
front door of the
church. Inside are Transport
the fragmentary k Ljubljana. £ Lesce Bled, Bled
remains of some jezero (local trains only). @ 4
15th-century fres-
coes illustrating the
lives of the Virgin Vintgar Gorge
Mary and Jesus Christ. Tel (04) 572 5266. Open Apr–Oct:
Hanging from a 8am–7pm daily. & 0
small tower above Located 4 km (2 miles) north
the nave is the of Bled, Vintgar gorge (Soteska
15th- century Vintgar) is a 2-km (1-mile) long
Wishing Bell, which ravine carved by the rushing
Church of the Assumption on Bled Island was presented to waters of the Radovna river. In
the church by a 1893, the locals decided to con-
boomed during the Baroque wealthy pilgrim whose struct wooden walkways and
era, when the church was prayers had been answered. galleries to make the ravine
expanded and redecorated. Among the various legends accessible to visitors, turning it
Today, the island remains a surrounding it, it is believed into a major attraction. Visiting
popular place for pilgrimages that the original bell sank in the gorge is an exhilarating
on the Marian feast days, not- a shipwreck and had to be experience as the trail winds its
ably the Ascension and the replaced by one donated by way beneath sheer cliffs, passing
Birth of the Virgin. These are the Pope. It is also believed gurgling rapids and whirlpools
traditionally all-night affairs that those who ring the bell to on the way. The walkway culmin-
with participants arriving late honour the Blessed Virgin will ates at the 16-m (52-ft) high Šum
in the evening and celebrating have their wishes granted. Waterfall, which marks the
mass at 4am. The island is open People used to walk across the northern end of the gorge. The
to visitors throughout the year ice to the church during harsh waterfall is at its most impressive
and can be reached either by winters, although ice is a rare in spring, when it throws up
electrical boats (in winter or on occurrence nowadays. clouds of steam.
Bled Town Centre

1 Lake Bled
2 Bled Castle Vintgar Gorge
PR
EŠ
3 Bled Island G
E R N OV
A
CE
BLED
R
ST
A
A
J
SK
A C EST Lesce-Bled
A
M ENADA Railway Station

Bled Castle A PR O 4 km (2.5 miles)
L AŠ K C.
V ES SV
O
BO
KA PRO
AŠ M ENA
DE
DA TA
L
ES
VES
Bled Jezero AC
Railway Station SK
L JA N
UB
K O LO D
LJ ESTA
AC
ŠK
E
ŽEL
OR
V
S
Lake Bled
KA TA
CES
E
Church of the B OD
Assumption SVO AŽ
O
S TA ST R
CE PO
D
Bled
Island
KI
ML
DR
Vila Bled
IN
IČ E V
E
S KA
AC OD
E STA OB 0 metres 500
CE S
SV
A
ST
TA
0 yards 500
CE

y Triglav National Park

Triglavski narodni park
Established in 1961, Slovenia’s only national park is centred on the
country’s highest mountain, the 2,864-m (9,396-ft) high Mount
Triglav. Starkly beautiful outcrops of bare limestone characterize
the higher altitudes of the park, while its lower reaches encompass
forests of spruce and beech, which are home to a fantastic range
of flora and fauna. An outstanding network of picturesque trails, Kranjska
Gora
valleys, deep blue lakes and peaks makes Triglav National Park
one of the most visited places in the country.
VALLEY
I T A LY
ICA
AN
EY PL
LL AR
Vršič
VA M
TA
Strmec
A
Log Pod RIC Razor
NA GE 2,607 m
Mangartom LI OR
(8,553 ft)
M
G
Trenta
ZADN
Alpinium Juliana Zgornja Kršovec J
VALL ICA
Bavšica ča EY
This lush botanical garden on the southern So
approaches of the Vršič Pass showcases the EY
LL
VA
diverse flora of the Slovene Alps. About 600 TA
Soča
EN
botanical species can be found here. Great

TR
Lake
VALLEY OF THE
TRIGLAV LAKES
Pristava
Lepena
Black Lake
Komal
1,520 m (4,987 ft)
Lo
we
rB
Krn oh
2,182 m inj
(7,159 ft) Mo
unt
ains
Soča Trail
This 20-km (12-mile) long trail runs along the Soča Tolminske
river as it carves its way through the pine-fringed Ravne
Trenta valley to the tiny hamlet of Kršovec.
0 kilometres 5
0 miles 5
Key
Valley of the
Minor road
Triglav Lakes
Walking trail This sequence of seven
Cycle route glacial lakes, surrounded
Park boundary
by boulders and spruce
trees, constitutes one
International border of the park’s most
summit captivating sights.
SLOVENIA 419
Vrata Valley
A classic glacial valley
on the northern side
of Mount Triglav, Vrata
n Bled: Ljubljanska cesta 27,
valley is overlooked by
(04) 578 0200; Trenta: Na Logu,
towering limestone
(05) 3889 330; Mojstrana: Pocar
rock formations.
Farm, Zgornja Radovna 25, (04)
578 0200. 8 ® on Lake Bohinj
and in Bled and Kranjska Gora,
just outside the park. ∑ tnp.si
Transport
Gozd @ from Bled.
Martuljek
Zgornja
Y
Radovna
L LE
VA
Ra
A
Y
AT
do
RA
LE
VR
vn
DO
AL
Bled
a
VN
TV
EY
AV
6 km (4 miles)
KO
LL
ALL
VA
Mount
EY
Debela Peč
MA
Triglav
2,014 m
KR
2,864 m
(6,608 ft)
(9,396 ft)
KA PLATEAU
Kanjavec POKLJU
2,569 m
(8,428 ft)
Rudno
Polje
VO
JA
VA
LLE
Y
Gorjuše
Pršivec Mount Triglav
1,761 m
Studor Slovenia’s highest peak, Mount
(5,778 ft)
Triglav is a national symbol; its
Lake Stara
Ukanc Bohinj
three-peaked silhouette appears
Fužina on the national flag.
Ribčev Laz
Mount Vogel
1,922 m (6,306 ft)
KEY
1 Vršič Pass, a spectacular

mountain road cutting through the
heart of the park, features an exhila-
rating sequence of hairpin bends.
2 The Radovna cycle route leads
visitors through verdant farmland
dotted with traditional villages.
3 The Goreljek Peat-Bog Nature Pokljuka Plateau
Trail passes through unspoilt This unspoilt area of pine
wetlands, rich in cranberries, forests and pastures is
bilberries and the insect-devouring criss-crossed by nature
sundew plant. trails. The highlight is the
4 Lake Bohinj (see pp420–21) is the Pokljuka Gorge, which
largest water body in Slovenia. burrows through the pla-
teau’s northern flanks.
Triglav National Park: Lake Bohinj

Tucked into the southeastern corner of Triglav National Park,
Lake Bohinj is a beautiful expanse of water, fed by clear
mountain streams and with high mountains on almost all
sides. Surrounded by some of Slovenia’s best-preserved rustic
villages, it is ideal for swimming and kayaking and an excel-
lent base from which to explore the region’s hiking trails. In
winter, Mount Vogel, to the south of the lake, is a popular spot
for skiing and snowboarding, while the frozen lake provides Visitors canoeing near Ribčev Laz, at the
a great opportunity for ice skating. eastern end of Lake Bohinj
Slap Savica
A popular walking trail west from Ukanc
leads to Slap Savica, a pair of waterfalls
surrounded by high cliffs. Their waters feed
the Sava river, which flows southeast to
meet the Danube at Belgrade in Serbia.
Slap Savica
1.5km (1mile)
c
a
vi
Sa
Ukanc
Mount Vogel
1.5 km (1 mile)
Ukanc
The small village of Ukanc, at the lake’s western
end, has pebbly beaches and is surrounded
by the peaks of Pršivec and Komna.
Mount Vogel
At an altitude of 1,800 m (5,906 ft), Mount Vogel is a
paradise for skiers in winter and hikers in summer. The
cable car from the shores of Lake Bohinj ascends to a
plateau from where there are breathtaking views of
the Triglav massif to the north.
SLOVENIA 421
n Ribčev Laz 48, (04) 574 6010.
 Zlatorog campsite, (04) 572
3482. ∑ bohinj.si Mount Vogel
Cable Car: Open May–mid-Oct:
8am–6pm daily. & Cable car
runs every half hour in peak
season, hourly at other times.
Church of St John: Open Jul &
Aug: 9am–noon daily.
Transport
Stara Fužina 82 km (51 miles) NW of Ljubljana.
£ from Lesce-Bled and
With charming Alpine farmhouses, Stara Fužina is one of the best-
preserved traditional villages in western Slovenia. The 13th-century Ljubljana. @ from Bled
St Paul’s Church, in the outskirts of the village, is also worth a visit. and Ljubljana.
Stara
Fužina
La k e Bohi nj
Kozolec
Church of
The meadows around
St John Stara Fužina are dotted
with canopied hay-
drying racks or kozolec,
Ribčev Laz a common feature
of Slovenian farms.
0 metres 500
Key
0 yards 500
Minor road
Trail
KEY
1 The cable car to Mount Vogel

begins from the southern shores
of Bohinj.
2 A World War I Cemetery holds
the graves of about 300 soldiers
buried between 1915 and 1917.
3 The Church of the Holy
Spirit (Cerkev sveti Duh) has a fine
bell tower and contains a number . Ribčev Laz
of notable 15th- and 16th- The main settlement at the eastern end of Lake Bohinj, Ribčev
century frescoes. Laz is famous for its dainty parish Church of St John (sveti Janez),
which contains some late-Gothic frescoes.
o Maribor although some exquisitely

carved medieval stone stalls
Slovenia’s second largest city, Maribor occupies a strategic remain in the choir. A chapel
location on the Drava river. Settled by Slavs in the early Middle to the left of the main altar is
Ages, the city became an important trading centre. However, dedicated to Bishop Anton
Slomšek, who promoted the
with the expansion of the Ottoman Empire, it turned into a Slovenian language at a time
border fortress and trade declined. The city’s fortunes improved when Maribor was ruled by a
with the construction of the Vienna–Trieste railway in 1846. German-speaking elite.
Today, it has a mix of old and new architecture; the riverside
quarter of Lent has the most attractive Baroque buildings. P Main Square
The town’s long, rectangular
Main Square (Glavni trg) took
Maribor from Ottoman attacks. shape in the 13th century,
Once the Turkish threat receded, when Maribor was emerging as
the castle became an aristocratic a major commercial centre in
residence. Today, it is home to the the region. On its northern side
Regional Museum (Pokrajinski is the Town Hall (Rotovž), with
muzej), which displays folk an onion-domed clock tower
costumes, military uniforms, and an arcaded Renaissance
furniture spanning several eras courtyard at the back. In the
and Gothic and Baroque religious
art. The building’s 18th-century
Rococo staircase, adorned with
statues, is remarkable.
Ornate west wing façade of the
15th-century Maribor Castle R Cathedral
Slomškov trg. Tel (02) 251 8432.
+ Maribor Castle and Open dawn–dusk daily.
Regional Museum Just southwest of the castle,
Grajski trg 4. Tel (02) 228 3551. Maribor’s medieval cathedral
Open 9am–1pm & 4–7pm Tue–Sat, (Katedrala) is predominantly
9am–2pm Sun. & ∑ pmuzej-mb.si Gothic in style, although a
Dominating the northern end characterful Renaissance bell
of Castle Square (Grajski trg), tower was added in 1601. The
Maribor Castle (Mariborski grad) interior decorations date mostly Baroque Plague Column on the Maribor’s
was built in 1478 to protect from the Baroque period, Main Square
Maribor City Centre

1 Maribor Castle and Regional Museum GREGOR ČIČEVA ULICA
GRAJSKA
2 Cathedral Maribor Castle and

TRUBARJEVA ULICA
Regional Museum
3 Main Square
ULICA
4 Lent ULICA PA R T I Z A N S K A C E S TA
KA
S LO V E N S Bus and
5 The Jewish Quarter GRAJSKI
TRG
Railway
Stations
VOLKMER JEV PREHO 550 m
D
(600 yards)
DRŽEČNIK ILIJANA
Cathedral of
IM
A.
St John the Baptist

OFA MAKS
UL.
SLOMŠKOV J U R Č I Č E VA
ULICA
TRG
ULICA ŠK
A
O R O Ž N O VA ULIC
UL .
A
OB JARK U
A
ROTOVŠ KI
L EK AR N IŠKA
POŠ TNA ULIC
OSK
TRG
A
ULIC
OSVOJITVE
GOS P
Town
V E T R I N J SK
Hall
AM
0 metres 200 KORO MAIN

VENSKE OS
ŠKA SQUARE
C E S TA
0 yards 200 PLAGUE
St Alosius’s MONUMENT
Church
ULICA SLO
ŽIDOV SKA ULICA The Jewish

GLAV NI MOS T
Quarter
Judgement V SKA
Tower DRA
Old Vine Synagogue
A
P R IS TA N
Lent U LIC
USNJAR S K A Water
Tower
Drava
SLOVENIA 423
133 km (83 miles) NE of Ljubljana.
* 110,000. n Partizanska cesta
6a, (02) 234 6611. ∑ visitmaribor.si
Transport
£ from Ljubljana, Vienna or
Zagreb. @ from Ljubljana.
western boundary is the Judges’

Tower (Sodni stolp), a barrel-
shaped medieval structure with Period furnishings at the Regional Museum,
a curious mansard roof. To the Ptuj Castle
Old Vine adorning the Drava riverfront in east is the rather peculiar
the Lent quarter 16th-century Water Tower p Ptuj
(Vodni stolp) featuring a penta- 135 km (84 miles) NE of Ljubljana.
centre of the square is an gonal ground plan and a tall, * 11, 000. £ @ n Slovenski trg 5,
ornate Baroque Plague Column tapering roof. (02) 779 6011. _ Ptuj Carnival (late
(Kužno znamenje), raised in Feb/early Mar). ∑ ptuj.info
1743 to commemorate all the P The Jewish Quarter
people from the city who died Synagogue Židovska 4. Tel (02) 252 Set on the banks of the Drava
during the Great Plague of the 7836. Open 8am–4pm Mon–Fri. & river, the charming rural town
17th century. ∑ sinagogamaribor.si of Ptuj is one of the oldest in
Standing on a terrace Slovenia. During the Roman
P Lent immediately inland from the period, it served as a legionary
Downhill from the city centre is Water Tower is the Jews’ Tower base and the centre of local
the charming riverside quarter (Židovski stolp), a quadrangular trade. Ptuj’s most revered sight
of Lent, which was once a busy red-brick structure attached is the 2nd-century Orpheus
port from where rafts laden with to a short stretch of the surviving Monument (Orfejev spomenik),
local timber began their journey city wall. The narrow lanes beside the carved tombstone of a
south along the Drava and the tower were once home to Roman administrator, which
Danube rivers. Maribor’s Jewish community, depicts the scene of Orpheus
Today, Lent is a bustling who were an important playing the lyre and taming a
neighbourhood, its well- presence in the city from the group of wild animals. This
preserved Baroque houses home 13th century until their exter- stands on Slovenski Square
to modern art galleries, cafés and mination by the Nazis during (Slovenski trg), in the town
bars. Growing along the façade World War II. The beautifully centre. Slightly uphill from
of one of the waterfront houses restored 14th-century the monument, St George’s
is the famous 400-year-old Old Synagogue (Sinagoga) now Church (Cerkev sv Jurij) is a
Vine (Stara trta), the oldest vine houses an exhibition devoted treasure trove of Gothic reli-
in the world. Marking Lent’s to local Jewish heritage. gious art, with a famous statue
of St George near the main
entrance. The grand attraction
of the town, however, is the
fortified Ptuj Castle (Ptujski
grad), dating from the 10th
century. Expanded several
times, the most important
renovation occurred under
Walter Leslie, Baron of
Balquhane, in the 1650s.
The castle is now home to
the Regional Museum, which
boasts an extensive archaeo-
logical collection, furniture
acquired through the ages and
a section on local ethnography.
+ Ptuj Castle
Tel (02) 748 0360. Open May–mid-
Oct: 9am–6pm daily; mid-Oct–Apr:
Water Tower on the banks of the calm Drava river, Maribor 9am–5pm daily. & -
Practical & Travel Information are open from 8am to 7pm,

Monday to Friday, and for a few
With Slovenia’s popularity as a holiday destination growing hours on Saturday mornings. In
rapidly, standards in the travel industry here have improved Ljubljana, there are pharmacies
greatly. Slovenia is one of the better-developed countries in that stay open all night.
Slovenia has a very low
South Eastern Europe and travelling is a pleasant experience. crime rate and is considered
The extensive road network is in good condition and public extremely safe. The threat posed
transport is efficient and well organized. The country also by petty thieves and pickpockets
has a modern communications network, making it easy to is relatively minor, but visitors
keep in touch by telephone, post or Internet. Many young should still be on their guard,
Slovenes speak fluent English, and Italian and German are particularly in crowded buses
and busy shopping centres.
also widely spoken.
Banking and Currency

When to Visit the Slovene National Tourist Banks are open from 8:30am
Slovenia’s vibrant capital city, Office offers guidance on visa to 5pm, Monday to Friday and
Ljubljana, is a year-round regulations and extended visits. from 8:30 to 11am on Saturday
destination. Elsewhere in the mornings. Credit cards are
country, April to October widely accepted and ATMs are
is the best time to visit as Visitor Information easy to find throughout the
many museums and tourist The Slovene Tourist country. On January 1 2007,
attractions have restricted Information Centre provides Slovenia officially adopted the
opening hours, or close brochures and information euro. It is advisable to exchange
altogether, for the rest of the leaflets on tours and transporta- foreign currency at banks and
year. July and August can be tion. The Ljubljana Tourist bureaus rather than hotels as
hot in lowland areas and along Information Centre also they offer better exchange rates.
the coast, but in other parts maintains a website in English.
of the country, cool Alpine Most towns have their own
breezes create the perfect information centres. The staff, Communications
conditions for summer hiking. most of whom speak English, Postal and telephone services
Mountain resorts are at their are usually proficient in several in Slovenia are problem free.
liveliest during the winter sports foreign languages and helpful Public phones use telekartice
season, which lasts from mid- in providing information on (phone cards), which can be
December until March. accommodation and events. purchased from post offices,
tobacco shops and newspaper
kiosks. However, for long
Documentation Health and Security distance and international calls
Citizens of the European Union High standards of hygiene it is best to go to the post office.
(EU) can enter Slovenia on and health care are maintained The Slovene postal service is
presentation of a valid identity in Slovenia and no special well developed. Post offices are
card. Citizens of the US, Canada, vaccinations are required for open from 8am to 7pm, Monday
Australia and New Zealand a visit to the country. Most to Friday and from 8am to 1pm
require a valid passport to visit town centres have a pharmacy on Saturdays. Internet cafés are
Slovenia and can stay for up to (lekarna) with trained staff, most common in several city centres
90 days. The official website of of whom speak English. These and most hotels now offer Wi-Fi
Internet connection to guests.
The Climate of Slovenia LJUBLJANA

Slovenia has a continental 22/72
climate characterized by There has been a significant
° C/F 15/59 14/57 15/59 improvement in recent years
warm, dry summers and
fairly cold winters. In summer, with regard to the needs of the
6/43
daytime temperatures reach 4/39 disabled traveller. The Paraplegics
2/36
20° C to 25° C (68° F to 77° F). 0°C Association of Slovenia gives
32°F
-4/25
The weather is best from May advice on the facilities available.
to September, when the days Public transport offers wheelchair
5 hrs 8 hrs 3 hrs 2 hrs
are warm and the nights facilities while ramps feature in
cool. January is the coldest 98 113 151 88 a number of train stations. High-
month with temperatures mm mm mm mm end hotels have at least one
frequently falling below month Apr Jul Oct Jan room equipped for wheelchair
freezing point. users, however, this is less common
in the lower-category hotels.
SLOVENIA 425
Arriving by Air are not served by train; however, frequent departures, although
The easiest way to reach they are well connected by bus. smaller destinations may only
Slovenia is to fly. The Slovene Within Slovenia, trains fall into have one or two buses a day.
national airline, Adria Airways, three categories. InterCity Slovenia Timetable information regarding
has direct scheduled flights (ICS) operate on the Ljubljana- bus services is available on
from London’s Gatwick Airport Maribor-Ljubljana route. In the the bus station’s website.
to Ljubljana Airport at Brnik, summer and on Saturdays, Buses are comfortable
situated 26 km (16 miles) north Sundays and public holidays, and ticket prices reasonable.
of the capital. In addition, ICS trains also operate along the International services also run
budget airline easyJet flies Maribor-Ljubljana-Koper route daily to Belgrade and Sarajevo.
several times a week from and back. EuroCity (EC) operate
London’s Stansted airport to along major international routes
Ljubljana. There are no direct and connect important economic Travelling by Car
flights from the US and Canada and tourist hubs in Slovenia Slovenia’s well-surfaced
to Slovenia, but there are several and Europe. EuroNight (EN) roads are uncrowded and well
one-stop options involving a are international night trains, signposted. In order to drive
change of flight in Amsterdam, which include sleepers and here each vehicle must display
Frankfurt or London. A regular couchettes. Regional (RG) and a windscreen sticker or vinjeta
bus ser vice runs daily from the other passenger (potniški) trains (vignette), which can be bought
Brnik airport to Ljubljana bus (LV) connect Slovenian towns from petrol stations and
station until around 8pm. A on shorter and longer routes. newspaper kiosks. A weekly
privately operated minibus These are intended primarily vignette for a car costs €15.
shuttle ser vice is also available, for daily journeys to and from Ljubljana’s central location
which runs till slightly later. work or school. means that a drive from
Ljubljana is a good starting here to anywhere else in the
point for onward travel to country can be completed in
Rail Travel Central Europe, with daily trains two hours or less. Two-lane
The Slovene railways run a smooth from the Ljubljana Train highways run southwest
service. Ljubljana stands at the Station to Vienna, Budapest, from Ljubljana to the Adriatic
centre of the rail network, offering Zagreb and Belgrade. coast, and east to Maribor.
fast and punctual services to Note that mountain
destinations such as Maribor, roads, especially the Predel
Postojna, Koper, Ptuj and Bled. Travelling by Bus pass and the Vršič pass in the
Mountainous areas such as the The Ljubljana Bus Station serves Triglav National Park, may be
Triglav National Park (see pp418– most destinations in Slovenia. closed in winter due to harsh
21) and the Soča valley (see p413) Major towns and cities have weather conditions.
DIRECTORY
Documentation Embassies Emergency Easyjet
Numbers ∑ easyjet.com
Slovene National Australia
Železna cesta 14. Ambulance Ljubljana Airport
Tourist Office
Tel 112. Brnik.
∑ slovenia.info Ljubljana.
Tel (04) 206 1981.
Tel (01) 234 8675. Fire ∑ lju-airport.si
Visitor ∑ dfat.gov.au Tel 112.
Information Canada Rail Travel
Police
Free telephone Linhartova cesta Tel 113. Ljubljana Train
49a, Ljubljana. Station
information line
Tel (01) 252 4444. Facilities for Trg Osvobodilne fronte 4.
Tel 080 1900. the Disabled
United Kingdom Tel (01) 291 3391.
Ljubljana Tourist ∑ slo-zeleznice.si
Trg Republike 3, Paraplegics
Information Centre Association of Slovenia
Ljubljana.
Adamič-Lundrovo Travelling by Bus
Tel (01) 200 3910. Štihova 14, Ljubljana.
nabrežje 2, Ljubljana. ∑ ukinslovenia.fco. Tel (01) 432 7138. Ljubljana Bus Station
Tel (01) 306 1215. gov.uk ∑ zveza-paraplegikov.si Trg Osvobodilne
∑ visitljubljana.com fronte, Ljubljana.
United States Arriving by Air Tel 1991.
Slovene Tourist Prešernova 31, ∑ ap-ljubljana.si
Information Centre Ljubljana. Adria Airways
Krekov trg 10, Ljubljana. Tel (01) 200 5500. Tel 080 1300 (Slovenia),
Tel (01) 306 4575. ∑ slovenia.usembassy. (01) 369 1010 (call UK)
∑ slovenia.info gov ∑ adria.si
Shopping & Entertainment and live music are major

features of Ljubljana’s nightlife,
Slovenia has a lively and varied shopping culture that although venues change from
embraces old-style outdoor markets as well as modern malls. one year to the next. Fans of live
A wide range of handmade goods is available including rock should head to Metelkova
Mesto, a former Yugoslav Army
crystal, black pottery and fine lace. Food items are also of
barracks that has been taken
particularly high quality. As for entertainment, the Slovenes over by several alternative
are outgoing people. They enjoy spending time in the cultural organizations and
country’s cafés and bars and the capital city, Ljubljana, has transformed into a variety of
a vibrant clubbing scene. Theatres and concert venues can bar and club venues.
be found in all the country’s cities. Several interesting local
events, such as excellent traditional music and art festivals Classical Music
are also held in most big cities and towns. Slovenia offers a diverse musical
repertoire. The Slovene National
Theatre, Opera and Ballet and
Opening Hours black pottery are exhibited in the Slovene Filharmonic are
Shops are mostly open from museums, but are also sold in among the best of their kind
8am to 7pm Monday to Friday most souvenir shops, including in Central Europe.
and from 8am to 2pm on Etnogalerija Skrina in Ljubljana. Located in the heart of
Saturday. Only a handful of food Lavishly illustrated books on Ljubljana, Cankarjev Dom
shops stay open on Saturday Slovene architecture, the natural can claim to be one of Europe’s
afternoons and Sundays. landscape and folk traditions are finest cultural venues frequently
sold at bookshops. Mladinska hosting top international
Knjiga Konzorcij in Ljubljana is performances.
Markets one of the bigger outlets where Tickets for concerts are
The area around Ljubljana’s these books can be purchased. available from the box offices
Slovenska cesta offers the most of the venues themselves.
choice in the way of high-street
shops and department stores, Food and Drink
while the nearby Old Town is Many of Slovenia’s delicatessen Festivals
the best place for luxury goods, products make ideal gifts, with Festivals form an integral part
gifts and souvenirs. At the pršut (home-cured ham) of the of Slovenian cultural life. The
northern end of the Old Town, karst region topping the list. popular Ljubljana Summer
Ljubljana’s colourful main market Other gourmet delights include Festival embraces classical
offers a variety of fresh fruit and klobase (farmhouse sausages), music, jazz, opera and folk
vegetables as well as delicates- med (honey) and bučno olje and usually takes place from
sen products, dried herbs and (pumpkin seed oil). July to mid-September.
craft items. The Sunday morning Most food shops and Other well-known annual
antiques and bric-a-brac market supermarkets stock a wide festivals include Druga Godba,
on the Ljubljanica riverbank is selection of Slovene wines. featuring ethnic music from
full of potential discoveries. Alongside excellent Merlots, around the world, which takes
Most towns have their own Sauvignons and Rieslings, there place in Ljubljana during May.
markets selling fruits, vegetables are a handful of outstanding Tickets for both the Summer
and home-cured meats. indigenous wines: the dry white Festival and Druga Godba can
šipon from eastern Slovenia; rich be obtained from the Ljubljana
red teran from the karst region; Summer Festival box office
Crafts and Souvenirs and the gentler red refosk from opposite the Križanke concert
Slovenia is renowned for its the coast. Strong viljamovka venue. The noted Lent Festival,
traditional handicrafts. Quality (Williams pear brandy), the which covers everything from
crystal from the town of Rogaška splendid brinjevec (Juniper pop to classical music on
in the east of the country can brandy) and delicious slivovka outdoor riverside stages,
be found at Galerija Rogaška (plum brandy) are among the takes place in Maribor from
in Ljubljana’s Old Town. The most popular local spirits. late June to early July.
delightfully intricate lace Slovenia also has firmly
made by the women of Idrija rooted seasonal traditions,
is available at Galerija Idrijske Pubs and Bars as evidenced by its famous
Čipke, also in the Old Town. An Most places in Slovenia have a Pust Festival. Held in February
especially typical form of folk art downtown area with cafés and each year, this is regarded as
is the decoration of beehives bars. The Old Town in Ljubljana the most famous of Slovenia’s
with scenes depicting village life and the Lent riverside area in pre-Lent carnivals and
or wild animals. Painted boards Maribor are two of the liveliest involves riotous displays of
displaying beehive motifs and places for bar hopping. Clubbing masked revelry.
SLOVENIA 427
Sports Activities with many agencies offering trips

on the Soča river. Among these
Dominated by one of Europe’s most stunning mountain are Maya, Soča Rafting and Bled
ranges, the Julian Alps, Slovenia is an excellent outdoor Rafting in the towns of Tolmin,
destination and a major centre for activity holidays. The Bovec and Bled respectively.
The same agencies also arrange
country’s picturesque mountains, beautiful rivers and lakes adventure sports such as canyon-
offer unlimited opportunities to indulge in a wide range of ing and bungee jumping.
adventure sports including hiking and skiing, whitewater
rafting or kayaking in the Soča valley (see p413) and cycling
Skiing
through the majestic hills of Dolenjska. The Slovene coast
offers some of the best windsurfing in Europe while scuba In winter, visitors flock to
Slovenia’s wonderful ski slopes.
diving and sailing are also popular. Snowboarding and downhill
skiing are popular in the Alpine
parts of Slovenia. Kranjska Gora
Hiking and west of the country including and Mariborsko Pohorje are
Hiking has been a popular the mountain trails in Triglav the largest and best-equipped
pursuit in Slovenia for well over National Park (see pp418–21). There ski resorts, although there are
a century and a half. There is a are also several well-organized several smaller destinations
wide variety of trails to suit the recreational routes in the lowlands. to choose from, many of which
recreational rambler as well as Cycling is permitted on all roads are only an hour’s drive from
the serious mountain climber, except motorways. Local tourist the capital, Ljubljana. Since
and routes are well kept with information centres are well Slovenia’s split from Yugoslavia
frequent signposts. Hiking maps equipped to advise visitors about in 1991, many Slovenes have
are widely available and there cycling routes. Mountain bikes achieved tremendous success
is an established network of are available for hire in the main in winter sports. The most
mountain huts offering refuge resort centres. notable event in the Slovenian
to the long-distance trekker. sporting calendar is the World
Ski-Jumping Championships,
Rafting held in Planica in March.
Cycling Slovenia offers various water Other winter pleasures
The popularity of cycling has sports, from boating for relax- include snowmobile rides – in
grown in recent years. Slovenia’s ation to adrenaline-inducing Kranjska Gora – and organized
varied topography presents many white water descents over steep sled runs outside the ski centres.
opportunities for cyclists. There is waterfalls and rapids. The fast- Depending on the weather, the
a broad range of well-marked flowing Alpine rivers are perfect ski season usually lasts from
mountain biking trails in the north for rafting, canoeing and kayaking, December to March.
DIRECTORY
Crafts and Food and Drink Slovene Filharmonic Ljubljana Summer
Souvenirs Kongresni trg 10, Festival
Čokoladnica Cukrček Ljubljana. Ljubljana.
Etnogalerija Skrina Mestni trg 11, Ljubljana. Tel (01) 241 6026.
Tel (01) 421 0453. Tel (01) 241 0800.
Breg 8, Ljubljana. ∑ ljubljanafestival.si
∑ cukrcek.si ∑ filharmonija.si
Tel (01) 425 5161.
∑ skrina.si Kraševka Slovene National Rafting
Ciril Metodov trg 10, Theatre, Opera and
Galerija Idrijske Ljubljana. Bled Rafting
Ballet
Čipke Tel (01) 232 1445. Cesta svobode 4, Bled.
Župančičeva 1, Ljubljana.
Mestni trg 17, Ljubljana. ∑ krasevka.si Tel (040) 955 955.
Tel (01) 241 5900.
Tel (01) 425 0051. ∑ bled-rafting.si
Pubs and Bars ∑ opera.si
∑ idrija-lace.com
Maya
Galerija Rogaška Metelkova Mesto Festivals Padlih borcev 1, Tolmin.
Mestni trg 22, Ljubljana. Metelkova ulica, Ljubljana. Tel (051) 312 972.
Tel (01) 241 2701. ∑ metelkovamesto.org Druga Godba ∑ maya.si
∑ steklarna-rogaska.si Ljubljana.
Classical Music Tel (01) 241 7299. Soča Rafting
Mladinska Knjiga ∑ drugagodba.si Trg Golobarskih žrtev 14,
Konzorcij Cankarjev Dom Bovec. Tel (05) 389 6200.
Slovenska cesta 29, Prešernova cesta Lent Festival ∑ socarafting.si
Ljubljana. 10, Ljubljana. Maribor.
Tel (01) 241 0657. Tel (01) 241 7100. Tel (02) 229 4000.
∑ mladinska.com ∑ cd-cc.si ∑ festival-lent.si
Where to Stay
with spacious and well-equipped Price Guide
Ljubljana rooms, is conveniently located Prices are based on one night’s stay in
mid-way between the Old Town high season for a standard double room,
and the train and bus stations.
DK Choice € under €75
Celica € Maček €€ €€ €75 to €150
€€€ over €150
Hostel B&B Map E3
Metelkova 8, 1000 Krojaška 5, 1000
Tel (01) 230 9700 Tel (041) 827 815 KRANJSKA GORA: Kotnik €€
∑ hostelcelica.com ∑ sobe-macek.si Resort
Making full creative use of the On the banks of the river Borovška cesta 75, 4280
former Yugoslav military police and right above the popular Tel (04) 588 1564
station, ‘The Cell’ is an interior- Maček café-bar, this friendly and ∑ hotel-kotnik.si
design classic – each room informal B&B has bright and Rooms at this intimate and
decorated by a different team cheerfully coloured en suites friendly family-run hotel come
of international artists. It offers with laminated wooden flooring. with Internet connection,
bunk-bed dorms as well as minibar and a hairdryer too.
double rooms. Basic breakfast is Antiq Hotel €€€
included. Book well in advance. Boutique Map E4 LAKE BOHINJ: Hotel Jezero €€
Gornji trg 3, 1000 Resort
Tel (01) 421 3560 Ribčev Laz 51, 4265
Vila Veselova € ∑ antiqhotel.eu Tel (04) 572 9100
Hostel Map D3 Boutique hotel with a lovely ∑ hotel-jezero.si
Veselova 14, 1000 location in the heart of the Old Lakeside location, pool and
Tel (059) 926 721 Town, with rooms ranging from modern rooms that have
∑ v-v.si snug 'economy' doubles with balconies. Jezero is also
In a grand-looking 19th-century shared facilities to regular rooms well-managed.
villa at the edge of Tivoli Park this with en suite bathrooms.
simple but friendly hostel-cum- MARIBOR: Orel €€
pension offers self-contained 4-, Grand Hotel Union €€€ Business
6- and 8-bed dorms. Historic Map E2 Volkmerjev prehod 7, 2000
Miklošičeva 1, 1000 Tel (02) 250 6700
Allegro €€ Tel (01) 308 1270 ∑ hotel-orel.si
Historic Map E4 ∑ union-hotels.eu Located in the heart of Maribor's
Gornji trg 6, 1000 Handsome Art Nouveau building pedestrian zone, this combined
Tel (059) 119 620 near the Tromostovje bridge. hotel and hostel offers three-star
∑ allegrohotel.si ‘Executive’ rooms in the main hotel rooms as well as simply
Rooms with reproduction building are spacious and stylish; decorated doubles and triples.
furniture and loud fabrics but while 'business' rooms in the
crisp modern bathrooms mark modern annexe are more contem- PIRAN: Max €
out this intimate hotel set in a porary in style. There are several B&B
historic house in the Old Town. on-site cafés and restaurants. Ulica IX. Korpusa 26, 6330
Tel (05) 673 3436
City Hotel €€ Best Western Premier ∑ maxpiran.com
Business Map E2 Hotel Slon €€€ On a stepped street near Piran's
Dalmatinova 15, 1000 Luxury Map E2 cathedral, Max offers cosy en
Tel (01) 239 0000 Slovenska cesta 34, 1000 suites, squeezed into a tall thin
∑ cityhotel.si Tel (01) 470 1100 house that has a steep and
This popular mid-range hotel ∑ hotelslon.com narrow staircase.
Right on the main shopping street,
minutes away from the Old Town, PORTOROŽ: Riviera €€€
Slon offers fully-equipped modern Luxury
rooms. Slon meaning ‘Elephant’ Obala 33, 6320
refers to a Habsburg emperor Tel (05) 692 6020
who once stayed at an inn at this ∑ lifeclass.net
site with an elephant. Among the best-equipped of the
many four-star hotels grouped
along the Portorož seafront,
Riviera offers spacious bedrooms
Rest of Slovenia as well as on-site spa facilities.
BLED: Vila Bled €€€ PTUJ: Kurent €

Historic Hostel
Cesta svobode 26, 4260 Osojnikova 9, 2250
Tel (04) 575 3710 Tel (02) 771 0814
∑ vila-bled.si A smart hostel with a choice
Now a luxury hotel with spacious of cosy double rooms with or
rooms and modern bathrooms, without shower, and 6-person
Plush interiors of the Vila Bled the Vila Bled was originally dorms with bunk beds. Breakfast
in Bled President Tito's holiday home. and Internet access are included.

Gostilna AS $$$ Price Guide
International Map E3 Prices are based on a three-course meal
Čopova 5A, 1000 for one, half a bottle of wine, including
Tel (01) 425 8822
This smart but not overly formal € under €40
restaurant has long been a €€ €40 to €80
€€€ over €80
favourite among local gourmets.
The blend of Mediterranean and
central European cuisine makes KRANJSKA GORA: Miklič $$
full use of local ingredients. International
Vitranška 13, 4280
Pri Vitezu $$$ Tel (04) 588 1635
International Map E4 Highly regarded hotel
Breg 20, 1000 restaurant with a balanced
Tel (01) 426 6058 menu of meat, game and
‘At the Knight’s Place’, located in Adriatic seafood. Specialities
a 300-year-old inn on the banks include delicious pasta
of the Ljubljanica, offers upscale dishes dressed with
Homely and relaxed ambience at Špajza dining in a pleasing barrel-vaulted Istrian truffles.
in Ljubljana environ. Adriatic seafood and
meat dishes from central Europe MARIBOR: Gril Ranca $
form the backbone of the menu. Balkan Grill
Ljubljana Dravska 10, 2000
Tel (02) 252 5550
Cafe Romeo $ DK Choice Balkan grilled food including
International Map E4 Špajza $$$ ćevapčići (grilled minced-
Stari trg 6, 1000 Slovene Map E4 meat rissoles), pljeskavice
Tel (040) 706 070 Gornji trg 28, 1000 (hamburger-style patties)
This popular café offers a Tel (01) 425 3094 and vešalice (skewer-grilled
reasonably priced lunch of Experience relaxed dining chunks of pork). The riverside
pastas, tortillas, sandwiches and in an interior comprising a location is a major plus.
salads in a pop-art environment. cluster of small rooms decorated
with folksy bric-a-brac. The PIRAN: Neptun $$
Celica Café $ menu includes fresh fish from Seafood
International the Adriatic as well as inland Župančičeva 7, 6330
Metelkova 8, 1000 Slovenian classics such as breast Tel (05) 673 4111 Closed Tues
Tel (01) 230 9700 of duck, horsemeat fillets and Very popular with tourists,
Rather popular for its inexpensive game. The 4- to 5-course set this excellent seafood
but filling fare with a choice of lunches are worth trying. restaurant occupies a quiet
vegetarian options, this café at street just a few steps away
the Celica hostel also has a daily from the main square.
menu which is a real bargain. Great place to sample
fresh Adriatic fish, expertly
Le Petit Café $ Rest of Slovenia grilled. Reservations
Café-Patisserie Map D4 are recommended.
Trg francoske revolucije 4, 1000 BLED: Okarina $$
Tel (01) 251 2575 International PORTOROŽ: Santa Lucia $$$
French-style café with terrace Ljubljanska cesta 8, 4260 Seafood
looking towards the Ilyrian Tel (04) 574 1458 Obala 26, 6320
Monument, best known for its Quality fusion restaurant with a Tel (05) 677 9104
fresh pastries and croissants. menu that spans Adriatic seafood, One of the few bar-
Balkan-style grilled meats, and restaurants clustered
Pri Škofu $$ spicy Indian dishes with several around Portorož's tennis
Slovene Map E4 vegetarian options. There is also a club, Santa Lucia offers
Rečna 8, 1000 good list of Slovene wines. the best in Adriatic seafood,
Tel (01) 426 4508 with some excellent oven-
Enjoy a traditional Slovene baked fish recipes alongside
meal at this delightful suburban DK Choice shellfish and squid.
restaurant, where the waiter tells KOBARID: Hiša Franko $$$
you of the choices available. Slovene PTUJ: Gostilna Ribič $$
Staro Selo 1, 5222 Seafood
Shambala $$ Tel (05) 389 4120 Closed Mon Dravska ulica 9, 2250
Asian Map E4 This homely family-run restaurant Tel (02) 749 0635 Closed Mon
Križevniška 12, 1000 that has quickly established itself The menu at this traditional
Tel 031 843 833 as a cult destination for creative riverside inn with a big
An exquisite selection of cuisine. Fish and game, the main outdoor terrace includes
Asian dishes with Thai curries, ingredients here, are garnished a good choice of freshwater
spicy grilled fish and Chinese with organic vegetables from the fish, delicous seafood
stir-fries. The fixed-price lunch restaurant's own garden. and seasonal specials,
is excellent value. notably game.
CROATIA
Situated between Eastern and Western Europe, Croatia has long served
both as a land of passage and a point of contact between different worlds
and cultures. Though small, it has great ethnic, historical and architectural
diversity as well as a variety of landscapes. The beautiful Adriatic coast is an
outstanding attraction and the largely unspoilt interior has great rural charm.
Croatia forms a meeting point between Slav tribes, including the Croats, settled
the Mediterranean, Central Europe in South Eastern Europe from the early
and the Balkans. The north of the 6th century onwards. Croats on the
country has a Viennese look; while to Adriatic coast accepted the rule of
the west, the Adriatic coast boasts a Byzantium, which had inher ited Roman
great deal of Italian-style architec ture. possessions in Eastern Europe. Croats
The 1991–5 war which followed the living inland carved out an independent
break-up of Yugoslavia had a disastrous territory of their own. In the 9th century,
effect on Croatia’s economy but the invading Hungarians were pushed back
country has regained its reputation by Croatian rulers strengthening their
as a popular holiday destination. hold over northern and eastern Croatia.
Over the next 200 years, the Croats
History extended their territories towards
Croatia has been home to human the Adriatic, allowing a Christian Slav
civilization since the Neolithic era. Illyrian culture to flourish.
tribal states established themselves The last Croatian king died childless in
throughout the region dur ing the 1st 1091, and the crown was claimed by the
millennium BC. They were, however, Hungarians. Hungarian monarchs ruled
no match for the Romans, who over Croatia until 1526, when their armies
conquered present-day Croatia in were destroyed by the Ottoman Turks.
the 2nd century BC. Croatia turned to the Habsburg Empire
Ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre in Pula, dating from the 3rd century AD
A breathtaking view of Plitvice Lakes National Park
to disintegrate. Croatia declared

its independence in October 1918,
and entered into a political union
with the neighbouring kingdom
of Serbia, creating the kingdom
of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The
kingdom was renamed Yugoslavia
in 1929. However, the Croats and
Serbs could not agree on how power
was to be shared in the new state,
and Yugoslavia remained an
unstable unit with frequent
Marshal Josip Tito, the first president of Yugoslavia political crises.
Yugoslavia was invaded by
for protection, and became a front Germany and Italy in 1941, breaking
line state in the Habsburgs’ wars against up the country and re-establishing
the Ottomans. Croatia as a pro-Nazi puppet state.
The Ottoman threat had receded Resistance to the Nazis was led
by the 19th century, and patriotic by the partisan movement created
Croats began to demand political and by local Communist leader Josip
cultural autonomy from the Habsburgs. Broz Tito.
These calls were left unanswered until At the end of World War II, Tito
the end of World War I, when the re-established Yugoslavia as a
Habsburgs were defeated and began Communist federation composed of
six equal republics. Following Tito’s
KEY DATES IN CROATIAN HISTORY death in 1980, tensions between
1200 BC Illyrian settlement in the Balkans
Yugoslavia’s republics re-emerged,
229 BC The Roman Army destroys Illyrian forts, and
leading to a disintegration of central
rules Illyria for the next three centuries author ity. Slovenia and Croatia declared
AD 7 Croats settle in Pannonia and Dalmatia their independence in 1991. Serbs
899 Hungarians enter the Balkans but are pushed living in Croatia launched a rebellion,
back by the Croats supported by the Yugoslav People’s
901 Prince Tomislav defeats the Hungarians and forces Army. Fighting continued for four years,
them beyond Sava river and was finally brought to an end by
1091 Hungarian King Ladislas seizes the Croatian military victories in August
Croatian crown 1995. Croatia has since developed into
1526 Hungary is defeated by the Ottomans; Croatia a modern European democracy, becom-
turns to the Habsburg Empire for support
ing a member of NATO in 2009 and an
1918 Croatia proclaims independence after the fall of
EU member in 2013.
the Habsburg Empire
1945 The Yugoslav Federal State is founded with Language and Culture
Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and
Bosnia and Herzegovina as members The official language of Croatia is
1980 Yugoslavia’s President Tito dies, leaving the state Croatian, although many dialects
without a firm leader are spoken in its regions. Croatia is
1991 Croatia declares independence; Serb forces a devoutly Catholic country and
occupy large parts of the country colourful religious festivals take
1995 Croatian forces recapture occupied territory place throughout the year. During
2009 Croatia joins NATO the summer, traditional songs
2013 Croatia joins EU and dances are performed at
folk festivals.
C R O AT I A 433
Exploring Croatia
Croatia is a fascinating country made up of a wide variety
of landscapes. Its capital, Zagreb, is a delight, with plenty of
galleries and museums. The country’s coast and islands are
spectacular, with several national parks to preserve their
natural charm. The rest of Croatia features rolling fields and
hills covered with vineyards. The country also benefits from
an efficient transport system with excellent connections
between the mainland and the islands.
Key
Motorway
Major road
Railway The Korzo, an avenue lined with
International border SLOVENIA 19th-century buildings, Rijeka
Čakovec
Ferry route Varaždin
Koprivnica
A4
HUNGARY
ZAGREB
Bjelovar Virovitica
Samobor
Drav a
Osijek
Euphrasian SERBIA
A3
Karlovac Daruvar
Basilica Sisak Našice
Rijeka Kutina
Glina Đakovo Vukovar
A6 Slavonski
Poreč
6 Brod Vinkovci
A1
Rovinj
Venice Krk Senj
Cres A3
Pula
Rab
52
Plitvice Lakes BOSNIA AND
Otočac
National Park HERZEGOVINA
Veli Lošinj Gospic´
Venice 50
Lošinj Pag
Paklenica National Park
Zadar
Knin 0 km 50
Kornati
National Park Drniš 0 miles 50
Sinj
Šibenik A1
Salona
Ancona Adriatic Trogir
Split
Sea
Šolta Brač Makarska
Ploče
Vis Hvar
Pescara Korčula Elaphite
Isles
Lastovo
Dubrovnik
Mljet
Bari Cavtat
Sights at a Glance
1 Dubrovnik pp434–40 e Zadar
2 Elaphite Isles r Paklenica National Park
3 Cavtat t Plitvice Lakes National Park
4 Mljet pp442–3 pp460–61
5 Korčula pp444–5 y Rab
6 Split pp446–9 u Rijeka
7 Salona pp450–51 i Pula
8 Brač o Rovinj
9 Vis p Euphrasian Basilica pp464–5
0 Hvar pp454–5 a Zagreb pp466–73
Pedestrianized street in Dubrovnik’s q Trogir pp456–7 s Varaždin pp474–5
Old Town w Kornati National Park d Osijek pp476–7

1 Dubrovnik
Located on the Adriatic coast, the city of Dubrovnik is renowned
for the beauty of its monuments and its magnificent walls. It
was founded by refugees from Roman Epidaurum, now Cavtat
(see p441), in the 7th century. Dubrovnik (or island of Ragusa
as it was called) came under Byzantine, Venetian and then
Hungarian suzerainty, although by the late 14th century, it
was a de facto self-governing city-state. In the 15th and 16th
centuries, its fleet exceeded 500 ships. Artistically it flourished,
and its wealth increased due to its privileged access to the
trade routes of the Ottoman Empire. Much of the Old Town
centre dates from the rebuilding that took place after the
earthquake of 1667. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubrovnik
has been restored to its former glory after the seige in the
1990s by Serb and Montenegrin forces.
The Big Fountain of Onofrio, dating from
1438–44
imposing Pile Gate (Gradska

vrata Pile). The stone bridge
leading to the gate dates from
1537, and crosses a moat
which is now a garden. The
gate is a strong defensive
structure built on different
levels. Above the ogival arch
stands a statue of St Blaise,
the patron saint of Dubrovnik,
by Ivan Meštrović (see p471).
Between the inner and outer
walls is a Gothic portal.
A superb view from the impressive city walls P Big Fountain of Onofrio
In the square which opens
P Walls towers and the Fort of St John out immediately beyond the
Access to the walls near the Franciscan defend the section facing the Pile Gate is the Big Fountain
Monastery in Poljana Paška Miličevića, Adriatic Sea and the Old Port. of Onofrio (Velika Onofrijeva
the large square behind Pile Gate, Completing the defences to the fontana), one of the best-known
and near the Dominican Monastery. east and west are two fortresses, monuments in the city. It was
n (020) 324 641. Open Jun & Jul: the Revelin and the Lovrijenac. built between 1438 and 1444
8am–7:30pm; Apr, May, Aug & Sep: by the Neapolitan architect,
8am–6:30pm; Oct: 8am–5:30pm; P Pile Gate Onofrio della Cava, who was
Nov–Mar: 10am–3pm. &
The main entrance to the old responsible for designing the
A symbol of Dubrovnik, the walls fortified centre is through the city’s water supply system. He
(Gradske zidine) offer splendid decided to draw water from
views from their parapets. They the Dubrovačka river for this
were built in the 10th century, purpose. The fountain once
with modifications completed in had two storeys, but the upper
the 13th century, and then rein- level was destroyed in the
forced over the years by architects earthquake of 1667, which
such as Michelozzo Michelozzi killed thousands of people and
(1396–1472), Juraj Dalmatinac destroyed countless buildings.
(c. 1400–73) and Antonio Tucked between the city walls
Ferramolino (c. 1490–1550). and the Franciscan Monastery,
The walls and ramparts are opposite the fountain, is the
1,940 m (6,363 ft) long and reach Church of St Saviour (sv
a height of 25 m (82 ft) in some Spas), built after an earlier
parts. Those facing inland are up earthquake of 1520. Its façade
to 6 m (20 ft) wide and strength- is an example of Venetian-
ened by an outer wall with ten Dalmatian Renaissance
semi-circular bastions. Other Pile Gate, leading to the Old Town architecture.
DUBROVNIK 435
R Franciscan Monastery VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Placa 2. Tel (020) 321 410. Open
summer: 9am–6pm daily; winter: Practical Information
9am–5pm daily. Franciscan Museum: 600 km (375 miles) SE of
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; Zagreb. * 43,000. n Local:
Nov–Mar: 9am–5pm daily. & Brsalje 5, (020) 323 887; Regional:
Construction of the Franciscan (020) 324 999. _ Dubrovnik
Summer Festival (Jul–Aug).
Monastery (Franjevački
∑ experience.dubrovnik.hr
samostan) began in 1317 and
was completed in the following Transport
century. It was almost entirely k 20 km (12 miles) NE of centre.
rebuilt after the earthquake in @ Obala Pape Ivana Pavla II 44a.
1667. However, the Venetian g Obala Stjepana Radića 37.
Gothic south door, dating from
1499, along with a 15th-century Stradun or Placa, the busy main street
marble pulpit and the cloister, of Dubrovnik its lively shops and cafés are
escaped undamaged. popular with locals and visitors.
One side of the cloister P Stradun
leads to the Pharmacy (Stara The street that crosses the city P Minčeta Tower
ljekarna), in use since 1317, from east to west between two The most visited of the walls’
lined with shelves of alembics, city gates is known as Stradun or defensive structures, this tower
measuring apparatus and jars. Placa. It was constructed in the (Tvrđava Minčeta) was designed
The capitular room of the 12th century by filling in the by Michelozzo Michelozzi in
monastery is home to the channel that separated the island 1461 and completed by Juraj
Franciscan Museum (Muzej of Ragusa from the mainland. Dalmatinac in 1464. The semi-
franjevačkog samostana), with The street was paved in 1468 and circular tower is crowned by a
religious art, pharmaceutical stone houses were built after second tower with embrasures
instruments and a library. the earthquake of 1667. Today, at the top.
Dubrovnik City Centre

1 Walls 0 Cathedral and Treasury
Key
2 Pile Gate q Fort of St John
3 Big Fountain of Onofrio w Sponza Palace Street-by-Street area: see pp436–7
4 Franciscan Monastery e Ploče Gate
5 Stradun r Dominican Monastery
6 Minčeta Tower
7 Square of the Loggia Z AGR
PUT BA
E
8 Church of St Blaise IZ
A
ČK
GR A Airport
9 Rector’s Palace AD 20 km (12 miles)
A
Minčeta
Tower
M. RSKA
PERI HVA
Bus Station and ĆA
D
Ferry Terminal
IS P O
E VA
2 km (1 mile) PE Revelin
OVIĆ A
E VA
Franciscan LIN
NSK
O T IĆ
Fort
NCI
Lovrijenac Monastery E
Dominican SU PI LA
A
UNI
R IJ E
FR AN A
PA L M
IĆ E V
Monastery A
IĆ E V
EŠK
AN T
LO V
Ploče Gate
N IK
A
A
KUN
Pile Gate
IOSK
Church of
N A LJ
AČK
KOV
MI
PRIJE
St Saviour KO
DO
ŽUD
KOV
PETI
BOŠ
Rosary OG
ET
VA
Big Fountain STRA Synagogue Church SV

IĆ E
DUN
of Onofrio
D
IZ M
A
TA L
EDU
OK
OD Sponza North
ŠIR
ZA
GE
RO Marin Držić POL Palace

KO AČ Pier
A
M.
M House SQUARE OF
THE LOGGIA Old
KA
Bokar Fort
GA
Church of Port
US
A
Rupe
IĆ
BO
NA
Orthodox St Blaise
IPA
Museum
EV
KA
MI
PRED DVOROM
Church
OS
OD
AR
DO
RU South
M.
.J
ŽID
PA GUNDULI- Rector’s
NE
SV
Pier
OD
ĆEVA
A
BO
NJI
Palace
ARIC
POLJANA
RA
Fort of
N.
Walls POLJANA
LUĆ
IJE
AR .
ŠT
M SV
St John
D.
RO MARINA A D A M J AN A
SM
AJE Cathedral DRŽIĆA KN E Z J U D E
O ROV T IJ ERN E
D
KA
A and Treasury O D P US
ŠT
ANDRI
EL Jesuit
BRAĆE A
A
P OB I J A N A
Church a
OD POLJANA
Se
JIĆ
MA R. BOŠKOVIĆA
RG
AR
IT E DM
IR A
t ic
ISP O
r ia
0 metres 150
Ad
0 yards 150


In 1991, the peaceful city of Dubrovnik was the target
of heavy shelling by Serb and Montenegrin troops.
This period saw some of the most significant symbols
of Dalmatian culture badly damaged. The war also
sent the city’s economy, especially tourism, into decline.
Only after the Erdut Agreement of 1995 did life begin
to return to normal. UNESCO and the European Union
set up a special commission for the reconstruction of
the city and the damage was repaired in a remarkably
short period of time. Dubrovnik has now regained its
. Rector’s Palace
former splendour and tourism is flourishing once again. Considered the political centre of
Besides its magnificent walls, the city has several the city, this originally served as
churches, monasteries and museums that throw the rector’s residence and now
light on an eventful history. houses the city’s history museum.
. Cathedral Treasury
The provenance of the
objects here demonstrates
Dubrovnik’s trading
relations with the GUNDULIĆE VA
RIC A
principal cities of LUĆ A POL JANA
the Mediterranean.
With artifacts from the
Byzantine, Middle Eastern,
Apulian and Venetian schools, OM
OR
it features gold and enamel DV
objects as well as paintings ED
PR
by great artists.
POLJANA
MARINA
DRŽIĆA
KN
E
Z
A
Key
D
A
Suggested route
M
JA
NA
JU
DE
The Church of St Blaise,

originally a 16th-century
View of Dubrovnik church, was redesigned
Spectacular views of the entire city can be enjoyed in the 18th century by
from the car park, situated about 2 km (1 mile) south Marino Groppelli.
along the beautiful coast.
DUBROVNIK 437
Sponza Palace
Built in the 16th century,
this palace features
Renaissance arches and
Venetian Gothic windows.
A Latin inscription in the
courtyard refers to the
public scales that once
stood here. Today, it houses
the State Archives.
Franciscan Monastery
The outer . Dominican Monastery
and the Big Fountain
city walls Since its foundation in 1315, the
of Onofrio
monastery has played a leading
role in the cultural activities of
the city. Important sculptors
PR
ST
and architects played a part

IJE
in its construction.
RA
KO
DU
N
A
SK
AR
AT 0 metres 50
ZL
0 yards 50
Old Port
S
V
E
T
O
G A
DOMINIK
Ploče Gate
Next to the Dominican Monastery is
the Ploče Gate, which leads to the
suburb of Ploče. From there goods
arrived from, and were sent to, every
port in the Mediterranean.
Fort of St John
This imposing fortress was one of many bulwarks built to make
the city impregnable. It now houses an interesting museum
devoted to the city’s maritime past.
P Square of the Loggia

Luža.
The political and economic heart
of Dubrovnik, the Square of the
Loggia is situated at the eastern
end of Stradun and surrounded
by important buildings.
On the eastern side of the
square is a delightful Clock
Tower (Gradski zvonik), which
was restored in 1929. The nearby
Loggia of the Bell, with four
bells, dates from 1463. The bells
were rung to alert the citizens Rector’s Palace, the administrative centre of Dubrovnik
whenever danger threatened.
Next to this stands the Main P Rector’s Palace (1509) by Mihajlo Hamzić. Next
Guard House, rebuilt in 1706, Pred Dvorom 3. Tel (020) 321 422. door is the Neo-Renaissance
after the earthquake of 1667. Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; Town Hall (Vijećnica), designed
It has a large Baroque door way Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm daily. & and built by Emilio Vecchietti in
and, on the first floor, Gothic For centuries, the Rector’s 1863. It is also home to Gradska
mullioned windows, reminiscent Palace (Knežev dvor) was the kavana, a charming café, and the
of the earlier building construc- political and administrative prestigious Civic Theatre.
ted on this site in the late centre of Ragusa (see p434).
15th century. It housed the Upper Council,
Today, the square is a popular as well as the rector’s quarters
meeting place, particularly and rooms for diplomatic
around Orlando’s Column, which meetings and audiences. The
was built by Croatian sculptor early 15th-century building
Antonio Ragusino in 1418. was constructed on the site
of a medieval fortress and
R Church of St Blaise designed by Italian architect
Luža. Tel (020) 323 887. Open 8am– Onofrio della Cava. The portico,
noon & 4:30–7pm daily. by Petar Martinov from Milan,
The pretty Church of St Blaise was added in 1465. The Gothic
(Crkva sv Vlaha) was rebuilt works are by the 15th-century
at the beginning of the architect and sculptor Juraj
18th century according to Dalmatinac. Concerts are held
a 17th-century design and in the courtyard during the
contains many Baroque Dubrovnik Summer Festival.
works of art. The rooms of the palace
On the main altar stands house the interesting Cultural
a 15th-century statue of Historical Museum (Kulturno-
St Blaise, the patron saint povijesni muzej)), which displays
of Dubrovnik. It depicts the 13 collections of over 15,000 Impressive dome of Dubrovnik’s
saint holding a model of art and craft items, paintings Baroque Cathedral
the city in the Middle Ages. and sculptures created in
Europe between the 16th R Cathedral and Treasury
and 20th centuries. Kneza Damjana Jude 1. Open Apr–
An authentic jail space and Oct: 8am–5pm Mon–Sat, 11am–5pm
court have been preserved Sun; Nov–Mar: 8am–noon & 3–5pm
on the ground floor while the Mon–Sat, 11am–noon, 3–5pm Sun.
mezzanine floor holds coins, Cathedral Treasury: Tel (020) 323 459.
stamps and an inventory of Open as cathedral. &
the state pharmacy, Domus The elegant Cathedral
Christi. Also of interest are (Velika Gospa) was built
the portraits of illustrious after the earthquake of 1667,
personalities who were born following designs by Italian
or lived in Dubrovnik, whose architects Andrea Buffalini and
histories are narrated through Paolo Andreotti. Inside, there are
commemorative medals and three aisles enclosed by three
heraldic coats of arms. apses. Paintings by Italian and
Among the paintings are the Dalmatian artists from the 16th
The 18th-century Baroque façade of the 16th-century Venus and Adonis by and 18th centuries decorate the
Church of St Blaise Paris Bordon and Baptism of Christ side altars, while the Assumption
DUBROVNIK 439
(c. 1513) by Titian dominates

the main altar. Alongside the
church is the Cathedral Treasury
(Riznica katedrale), famous
for its collection of about 200
reliquaries. It includes the arm
of St Blaise, which dates from
the 13th century, and the
Holy Cross, which contains a
fragment of the cross on which
Jesus is said to have been
crucified. The tondo Virgin of
the Chair (c. 1513) is thought to
have been painted by Raphael
and is a copy of the masterpiece
which is now in Florence.
The treasury also has an Sponza Palace and Clock Tower
extraordinary collection of
sacred objects in gold, including portraits. On the lower level is 14th century and now houses
a pitcher and basin with an Aquarium (Akvarij) with an the State Archives.
decoration showing the flora assortment of Mediterranean
and fauna of Dubrovnik. marine life, including sea horses. P Ploče Gate
At the top is the circular Bokar Luža.
+ Fort of St John Fort (Tvrđava Bokar), built by To the northeast of the Sponza
Maritime Museum: Tel (020) 323 Michelozzo Michelozzi. Palace is the Ploče Gate (Vrata
904. Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm od Ploča), which faces a small
Tue–Sun; Nov–Mar: 9am–2pm P Sponza Palace port and is preceded by the
Tue–Sun. & Aquarium: Tel (020) Tel (020) 321 032. Open May–Oct: polygonal Asimov Tower. Dating
323 978. Open Jun–Sep: 9am– 9am–10pm daily; Nov–Apr: from the 1300s, the gate is a
8pm daily; Oct–May: 9am–1pm 10am–3pm daily. complex structure with a double
Mon–Sat. &
To the left of the Square of the defence system, reached by a
The imposing Fort of St John Loggia stands the splendid stone bridge. A moat separates
(Tvrđa sv Ivana) was once the Sponza Palace (Palača Sponza), it from the Revelin Fort (Tvrđava
city harbour’s main defence, a remodelled between 1516 and Revelin). Designed in 1538 by
part of a chain that stretched 1522. It has an elegantly Antonio Ferramolino, the fort
to the Tower of St Luke (Kula sculpted Renaissance loggia on was the last of the defences to
sv Luke), along the walls. the ground floor, a Venetian be built. Based on a pentagonal
The upper areas of the fort Gothic three-mullioned window ground-plan, it has walls enclos-
house the Maritime Museum on the first floor – evidence of ing three large rooms and a ter-
(Pomorski muzej), where the its 14th-century origins – and a race. Such was its strength that
seafaring history of the city is statue of St Blaise on the upper the city’s art treasures were
told through displays of model floor. Once the city’s custom brought here for safe-keeping
ships, prints, diaries and house, it was the Mint in the during times of trouble.
Dubrovnik’s tiled roofs as seen from Ploče Gate

in 1023. This was rebuilt in the

14th century but destroyed by
the 1667 earthquake. In 1859,
the Habsburg Archduke
Maximilian (1832–67) built a
palace here and renovated the
cloister, which later became
the Natural History Museum.
The fort, built by the French
in 1808, provides sweeping
views of the island.
In Trsteno, 20 km (12 miles)
northwest of Dubrovnik, is an
arboretum. Begun in 1502, it
is in a park surrounding a villa
built by a noble, Ivan Gučetić
(1451–1502), and has the typical
layout of a Renaissance garden,
with grottoes and ruins. In
the middle of the park is an
attractive lily pond, filled with
fish and overlooked by an
Church of St Dominic, in the Dominican Monastery impressive statue of the
god Neptune.
R Dominican Monastery 16th century. There are also Above the park beside the
Sv Dominika 4. Tel (020) 321 423. works of art from the Venetian main road are two huge plane
Open May–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; school, including St Blaise, trees, thought to be over 400
Nov–Apr: 9am–5pm daily. & St Mary Magdalene, and The years old.
Located in the eastern part Angel Tobias and the Purchaser
of Dubrovnik, near the Ploče by Titian, as well as precious
Gate, the Dominican Monastery reliquaries and objects in 2 Elaphite Isles
(Dominikanski samostan) was gold and silver.
3 km (2 miles) N of Dubrovnik.
first built in 1315, but it soon * 2,000. @ g from Dubrovnik
became clear that because Environs n (020) 324 999.
of the size of the complex, the The serene island of Lokrum,
city walls would have to be 700 m (2,296 ft) across the The beautiful Elaphite Isles
enlarged. The monastery was water from Dubrovnik, is a nature (Elafitski otoci) were named
later rebuilt after the earthquake reserve set up to protect the after the fallow deer said to
of 1667. exotic plants found there. roam here by the natural
A long flight of steps with Its scenic beauty makes it a historian Pliny the Elder (AD
a stone balustrade leads up popular tourist destination. 23–79). The islands became a
to the church. The elaborate The first inhabitants of the part of the Dubrovnik Republic
door, by Bonino of Milan, is island were the Benedictines, in the 14th century. Only three
decorated with a Romanesque who founded an abbey here of them are inhabited – Šipan,
statue of St Dominic. The Lopud and Koločep – while
interior has a wide single nave; Jakljan is devoted to farming.
hanging from the central arch The islands are characterized
is a splendid gilded panel – by woods of maritime pines
Crucifix and Symbols of the and cypresses, beautiful
Evangelists – by 14th-century beaches and bays frequented
painter Paolo Veneziano. by pleasure boats. They have
The various rooms of the long been popular with the
monastery, arranged around aristocracy of Dubrovnik, who
a superb 15th-century Gothic built villas here. Many of the
Renaissance cloister by sculp- churches date from the pre-
tor Maso di Bartolomeo, house Romanesque period, although
the Dominican Museum (Muzej few remain intact. Some
dominikanskog samostana). islands had monasteries, which
It contains an extraordinary were suppressed with the
collection of works of art arrival of French troops
from the Dubrovnik school, in 1808.
including a beautiful triptych The island nearest to
and an Annunciation by Statue of Neptune overlooking the pond Dubrovnik, Koločep, has been
Niccolò Ragusino, from the in Trsteno’s arboretum a popular summer retreat since
C R O AT I A 441
Old Town located behind the

waterfront. The 16th-century
Rector’s Palace houses the
impressive Baltazar Bogišić
collection. It was assembled
and donated by Bogišić
(1834–1908), a cultural activist
and jurist of the 19th century
who spent a lifetime promoting
literature and learning. Several
books from Bogišić’s collection
are displayed here. The works
of well-known painter Vlaho
Bukovac (1855–1922) are also
displayed inside the palace,
including his depiction of the
Aerial view of Šipan, the largest of the Elaphite Isles local carnival celebrations
in 1901.
the 16th century. A large 3 Cavtat At the end of the seafront
part of the island is covered in stand the Church of Our Lady
20 km (12 miles) S of Dubrovnik
subtropical undergrowth and * 2,500. @ from Dubrovnik. 4
of Snow (Gospa Snježna) and
maritime pines. The churches n Zidine 6, (020) 478 025. _ Jul– a Franciscan monastery, both
of St Anthony and St Nicholas Aug in Cavtat, Epidaurus Festival (Sep). dating from the end of the
have pre-Romanesque origins, ∑ visit.cavtat-konavle.com 15th century. On the hilltop
while the Parish Church dates is the Račić Mausoleum, built
from the 15th century. The pretty coastal town of by Ivan Meštrović (see p471) for
Lopud, covering 4.6 sq km Cavtat is the Croatian name a local ship-owning family in
(1.7 sq miles), has a fertile for Civitas Vetus, the site of 1922. The Byzantine-inspired
valley sheltered from the cold the ancient Roman town of domed structure is decorated
winds by two ranges of hills. Epidaurum, destroyed in the 7th with Greek angels and ornate
Most of the inhabitants live century by the Avars. Occasional gargoyles. Eagles and Neo-
in the village of Lopud, strung excavations have revealed the Assyrian winged lambs adorn
around a wide, curving bay. remains of a theatre, several the elaborate cupola.
The Franciscan Monastery tombs and also parts of a road. A pair of fine shingle and
dates from 1483. The monas- The present-day village attracts sandy beaches lie about 1 km
tery church, St Mary of the visitors for the beauty of the (0.6 miles) east of the town
Rocks (sv Marija od Špilica), area, its beaches, luxuriant centre in an area known as Žal,
contains several works of art vegetation and interesting literally meaning “beach”. Visitors
including a polyptych (1520) monuments. Much of Cavtat’s throng the beaches in spring
by Pietro di Giovanni, triptychs charm is encapsulated in the and summer.
by Nikola Božidarević and
Girolamo di Santacroce depict-
ing the Virgin and Child, and
a carved choir from the
15th century.
In the southeast of the
island, Šunj draws visitors to
its sandy beach, but its church
is also worth visiting for many
intriguing works of art, including
a painting by Venetian artist
Palma il Giovane and a polyptych
by Matej Junčić.
The largest of the Elaphite
Isles, Šipan, covering 15 sq km
(6 sq miles), has just two settle-
ments, Šipanska Luka and
Suđurađ. Šipanska Luka has
the pre-Romanesque Church
of St Michael and the ruins of
a Benedictine monastery, while
the village of Suđurađ has the
ruins of a bishop’s palace and
a castle. A panoramic view of the seafront and port of Cavtat
4 Mljet
The island of Mljet, called Melita by the Romans and
Meleda by the Venetians, covers an area of 98 sq km (37 sq
miles). It is mountainous, with two limestone depressions
in which there are two saltwater lakes linked by a channel.
In Roman times, Mljet was a holiday resort for the wealthy
of Salona (see pp450–51), who built villas here. In 1151,
Duke Desa, Grand Prefect of Zahumlje, in Herzegovina,
gave the island to the Benedictines of Pulsano in Gargano,
Italy, who founded a monastery here. Two centuries later,
Stjepan, Governor of Bosnia, gave it to Dubrovnik (see
pp434–40). In 1960, the western end, which covers an area Roman Palatium
of 31 sq km (12 sq miles) and is entirely forested, was Near Polače lie the ruins of a
declared a national park. Roman settlement named Palatium.
It includes the remains of a large villa
and an early Christian basilica.
Pomena Mijet
Goveđari Polače National Kozarica
Park
Soline
Blato
Monastery of St Mary
In the centre of Veliko jezero is a small island
with a 12th-century Benedictine monastery,
remodelled in the 1500s. It features colourful
altarpieces carved from local stone.
Veliko jezero
Covering about 145 ha (358 acres) Veliko jezero (Big
Lake) reaches a depth of 46 m (150 ft). A channel links
the lake to the sea and another links it to a smaller lake,
Malo jezero.
Mljet National Park

The national park was created
to save the forest of Aleppo
pine and Holm oak. In the 19th 0 kilometres 3
century, mongooses were intro-
duced here to kill snakes. 0 miles 3

C R O AT I A 443
70 km (44 miles) W of Dubrovnik.
* 1,300. n Goveđari,
Pristanište 2, (020) 744 041. &
8 Note: The park can be
visited on foot or by bicycle
following the trails. Boats must
be authorized – call information
office for details. ∑ np-mljet.hr
Transport
g from Dubrovnik.
Marine Life
Dozens of species of fish, including grouper, inhabit
the underwater ravines and caves along the coast.
The endangered monk seal, protected in these
waters, is highly valued.
Uninhabited Islands
Nature is left undisturbed
on these islands, with
woods of pine, Holm oak
and oak stretching down
to the rocky shore.
Sobra
Prožura
• Okuklje
Babino Polje
Korita
Maranovići
Key
Major road
Minor road
Park boundary
KEY
1 The village of Babino Polje was

founded around the middle of the
10th century by a group of refugees
from the mainland. The governor’s
residence was built in 1554, when
Fishing Villages the island became part of the
The island’s ancient stone Republic of Ragusa, now Dubrovnik.
villages are inhabited 2 Saplunara lies at the
mainly by farmers and southernmost tip of the island. It
fishermen. Along with the boasts the most beautiful beach in
delightful bays and the area and has been declared a
surrounding coves, these nature reserve for its greenery and
villages are lovely places to lush vegetation.
visit and spend time.
5 Korčula capitals and several important

sculptures, including the tomb
At a length of 47 km (29 miles), Korčula is one of the largest of Bishop Toma Malumbra. The
islands in the Adriatic Sea. Mountains run the length of the paintings include Venetian
island, reaching an altitude of 560 m (1,837 ft) at their peak, artist Tintoretto’s impressive
St Mark with St Jerome and
and dense forests of Aleppo pine, cypress and oak are found St Bartholomew (1550). On a
all over. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the island was named wall are trophies recalling the
Korkyra Melaina by the Greeks. After AD 1000, it was fought Battle of Lepanto of 1571.
over by Venice and the Croat kings, and later by the Genoese Next to the cathedral, in
and the Ottoman Turks. In the 1298 naval battle between the Bishop’s Palace, now the
Genoa and Venice, the Genoese captured Marco Polo said to Abbot’s House, is the Abbey
Treasury (Opatska riznica). It
be a native of the island. Today, Korčula is a popular holiday is particularly known for its
spot for its beaches, scenic villages and the eponymous town. Dalmatian and Venetian art,
including a polyptych by Blaž
of Trogir, two altar paintings
by Pellegrino of San Daniele,
a Sacred Conversation and an
Annunciation by Titian and
Portrait of a Man by Vittore
Carpaccio. To the left of the
cathedral, a door by Bonino
of Milan decorates the Gothic
Church of St Peter (sv Petar).
Facing the church are the
Gothic Arneri Palace and the
16th-century Renaissance
Gabriellis Palace. The latter
has been the Town Museum
(Gradski muzej) since 1957
and contains documents on
Korčula’s seafaring history, an
interesting archaeo-logical
Land Gate, the main entrance to Korčula’s Old Town section covering the period
from prehistoric to Roman times
Korčula Town impact of the strong Bora wind and other works of art.
This enchanting town is perched common in this area. Along the seafront is the
on a peninsula and surrounded by Facing the central square, All Saints’ Church (Svi Sveti),
strong 13th-century walls, which Strossmayerov Square, is the built in 1301 and remodelled in
were reinforced with towers and 13th-century Cathedral of the Baroque style; it belongs to
bastions by the Venetians after St Mark (Katedrala sv Marka), the oldest confraternity on the
1420. The Land Gate (Kopnena built in pale, honey-coloured island. Inside is an 18th-century
vrata), the main entrance to the stone. The skill of Korčula’s wooden Pietà by the Austrian
Old Town, was fortified by a sculptors and stone masons artist George Raphael Donner,
huge tower, which overlooked is evident in its ornate door. and a 15th-century polyptych
a canal dug by the Venetians to On the left stands an imposing by Blaž of Trogir. In the nearby
isolate the town. Narrow streets bell tower, while inside the quarters of the brotherhood is
branching off the main road church are large columns the Icon Collection (Zbirka
were designed to lessen the with elaborately decorated ikona), famous for its range of
Proi zd Prigradica
Hvar Vela Luka
41 km (25 miles)
Key
Major road Blato
Potirna
Minor road
Ferry route Prižba Brna

C R O AT I A 445
Dubrovnik. * 17,000. n Obala
dr. Tuđmana 4, (020) 715 701/867.
∑ visitkorcula.eu. _ Moreška
(summer). Lumbarda: n (020)
712 005. ∑ tz-lumbarda.hr
Blato: n Trg dr. Franje Tuđmana 4,
(020) 851 850. _ St Vincenza’s
Day (28 Apr). ∑ tzo-blato.hr
Vela Luka: n Obala 3 br. 19,
(020) 813 619. ∑ tzvelaluka.hr
Transport
g from Orebić, Split. @ 20260
Korčula. g from Split, Hvar.
The beautiful rocky coastline of Korčula
Byzantine icons from the 13th Archaeological Museum of and that of St Jerome date
to the 15th centuries. Outside Zagreb (see p473). Today, the from the 14th century. Every
the walls are the Church and village is the only centre of April, the central square plays
Monastery of St Nicholas (Sv. production for Grk, a liqueur- host to St Vincenza’s Day, which
Nikola), from the 15th century, like white wine made from is celebrated with Kumpanjija
with paintings by Italian artists. grapes of the same name. The dance and drum music.
nearby beaches are famous
E Abbey Treasury for their golden sands. Vela Luka
Trg sv Marka. n (020) 711 049. Situated about 45 km (28 miles)
Open call for information. & Blato west of Korčula town is Vela
E Town Museum The central square of the Luka, known as “the oldest and
Trg sv Marka. Tel (020) 711 420. village of Blato, towards the the newest town”, because it
Open Jul–Sep: 9am–9pm Mon–Sat; western end of the island, has was built at the beginning of the
Apr–Jun: 10am–2pm Mon–Sat; Oct–Mar: an 18th-century Baroque loggia, 19th century on the Neolithic
10am–1pm Mon–Sat; Sun: by appt. the Arneri Castle, where the site of Vela Spilja. One of the
E Icon Gallery Civic Museum documents the largest towns on the island, it
Trg Svih Svetih. n (020) 711 306, local history of the town and has a number of industries that
(091) 593 1281. Open summer: displays archaeological finds coexist with attractive bays and
10am–2pm & 5–8pm Mon–Sat; from the surrounding area. islands. The surrounding hills
Winter & Sun: by appt. All Saints’ Church (Svi Sveti), of shelter the town from the winds
medieval origin, was enlarged from the north and south. Vela
Lumbarda and rebuilt in the 17th century. Luka is also the main port on the
Thought to have been founded The church has an altarpiece of island and there are regular ferry
by Greeks, the village of Lumbarda the Virgin with Child and Saints services to Split (see pp446–9).
lies 6 km (4 miles) southeast of (1540) on the main altar by
Korčula town. In the 16th century, Girolamo di Santacroce and, in
it became a holiday resort for the chapel, the relics of the local
the nobles of Korčula. Some focus of veneration, the martyr
inscriptions from the Greek St Vincenza. The cemetery
period are now kept in the church of the Holy Cross
Dubrovnik
Split 137 km 48 km (30 miles)
Račišće (85 miles)
Orebić
7 km (4 miles)
K O R Č U L A Korčula
Pupnat
Žrnovo
Lumbarda
Čara Pupnatska Luka
Zavalatica
0 km 5
Town of Korčula, on a peninsula on the
0 miles 5
northeast coast of the island
6 Split and the nobility erected

prestigious buildings here.
Built on the remains of an imperial Roman palace, Split is a Examples include the Venetian
fascinating and vibrant Mediterranean city, featuring palm- Gothic Cambi Palace and the
lined avenues and bustling pavement cafés. At its heart is the Renaissance Town Hall
(Vijećnica), built in the first half
Palace of Diocletian, a 3rd-century structure that was abandoned of the 15th century, which has a
by the Romans before being settled by sanctuary-seeking loggia with three arches on the
locals. Adapted to the needs of a growing city, the palace area ground floor and a Gothic
is nowadays a labyrinth of atmospheric alleyways with exciting window on the upper floor.
architectural discoveries at every corner. During the Middle
R Church of St Francis
Ages, a steadily growing Slav population turned Split into a
Trg Republike. n (021) 348 600.
centre of Croatian language and culture. Almost four centuries Open by appt.
of Venetian rule (1409–1797) filled the city with Italianate art The pretty Church of
and architecture. During the 20th century, Split became the St Francis (Sv. Frane) has been
biggest ferry terminal on the Adriatic, and remains the main rebuilt in recent times, but the
gateway to Croatia’s seductively beautiful islands. Romanesque-Gothic cloister,
with thin columns enclosing
a flower garden, is original.
The church, with mainly
Baroque furnishings, has a
15th-century crucifix by Blaž
Jurjev Trogiranin (c. 1412–48).
It also houses the tombs of the
city’s illustrious citizens, including
that of Archdeacon Toma, the
first Dalmatian historian, writer
Marko Marulić and the well-
known composer Ivan Lukačić.
E Museum of Croatian
Archaeological Monuments
Stjepana Gunjace bb. Tel (021) 323
901. Open Jul–Aug: 9am–1pm &
5–8pm Mon–Fri, 9am–2pm Sat; Sep–
View of the port and the seafront in Split Jun: 9am–4pm Mon–Fri, 9am–2pm
Sat. & ∑ mhas-split.hr
P Palace of Diocletian is inscribed with verses by Set up in 1975, this museum
See pp448–9. another famous Croatian (Muzej hrvatskih arheoloških
poet, Tin Ujević. spomenika) houses finds from
P Braće Radić Square the area around Split dating
This medieval square (Trg braće P People’s Square from the early Middle Ages.
Radić) is on the southwest corner The busy People’s Square The collection also includes
of the Palace of Diocletian. The (Narodni trg/Pjaca) was Split’s the works of early Croat
tall Hrvoje’s Tower (Hrvojeva centre of business and admin- sculptors, from AD 800. The
kula) is the only evidence of the istration during the 15th century, stone fragments, salvaged from
imposing castle built here by the castles and churches, consist
Venetians in the second half of mainly of tombs, capitals, altar
the 15th century to strengthen fronts, ciboria and windows.
the city’s sea-facing defences. Highlights include Prince Višeslav’s
Built on an octagonal groundplan, 9th-century hexagonal baptis-
it stands on the southern side mal font and the striking
of the square. 10th-century sarcophagus of
On the northern side of the Queen Jelena discovered in
square is the Baroque Milesi Solin, near the ancient Roman
Palace, from the 17th century, city of Salona (see pp450–51).
and at its centre is a striking
bronze statue dedicated to E Meštrović Gallery
Marko Marulić (1450–1524), Šetalište Ivana Meštrovića 46.
the writer and scholar who Tel (021) 340 800. Open May–Sep:
composed the first epic poem 9am–7pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr:
in the Croatian language. His The 15th-century Hrvoje’s Tower on Braće 9am–4pm Tue–Sat, 10am–3pm
statue, by sculptor Ivan Meštrović, Radić Square Sun. &

C R O AT I A 447
Capogrosso-Kavanjin family VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

and was bought by Meštrović
in 1932 to set up an exhibition Practical Information
hall. It can be visited with the 210 km (131 miles) NW of
same ticket. He also built a Dubrovnik. * 178,000.
church here to exhibit a series n Peristil bb, (021) 345 606.
_ St Domnius Feast (7 May),
of reliefs.
Split Summer (Jul–Aug),
Split Film Festival (Sep).
E Archaeological Museum
∑ visitsplit.com
Zrinsko Frankopanska 25. Tel (021)
329 340. Open Jun–Sep: 9am–2pm & Transport
4pm–8pm Mon–Sat; Oct–May: 9am– k 20 km (12 miles) N
2pm & 4–8pm Mon–Fri, 9am–2pm of centre. £ Obala kneza
Sat. & 8 7 Domagoja. @ Obala kneza
Considered Croatia’s oldest Domagoja. g Jadrolinija.
museum, the Archaeological
Distant Chords (1918) by Ivan Meštrović, Museum (Arheološki muzej)
Meštrović Gallery was founded in 1820 and moved hilly, densely wooded area criss-
to its present location in 1914. crossed by attractive footpaths.
Regarded as one of the most It contains a fine collection of The best way to reach Marjan
important sculptors of the finds from the Roman, early is to walk through the Varos
20th century, Ivan Meštrović Christian and medieval periods district immediately west of
(see p470) himself designed the that are exhibited in rotation. the Old Town, taking a flight of
Meštrović Gallery (Galerija Of particular interest are the steps which gradually ascends
Meštrović) building, which finds from the ruins of Salona Marjan’s flanks. Near the top,
was his residence in the early including sculptures, capitals, fine views of Split’s port, along
1930s. His sculptures decorate sarcophagi, jewellery, coins with the islands of Brač (see p452)
the garden and the interior, and small objects in glazed and Hvar (see pp454–5) to the
and part of the building still terracotta and ceramic. south are clearly visible. Paths
preserves the artist’s apart- along the southern edge of the
ments. Further down the road } Marjan Peninsula peninsula lead past a sequence
is the Kaštelet, a 17th-century Rising to the west of central of medieval chapels. The best
residence that belonged to the Split is the Marjan Peninsula, a beaches in Split are in this area.
Split Town Centre

Airport
1 Palace of Diocletian Archaeological
20 km (12 miles)
Museum
2 Braće Radić Square
3 People’s Square SKA
SINJ
4 Church of St Francis
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D O M A L D O VA
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K R U Ž I Ć E VA Park
ON
Golden
ĆA
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KA
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ČI
EN J
NŠ
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SA
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PU RG
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Fish
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Market PEOPLE’S DO
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SQUARE M IN CARRARINA
IS O
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VA POLJANA
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SKA
BA
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Iron Gate Museum

ŠUBIĆEV
PA P
A
Church of A of Split
L IĆ
JEV
Palace of E VA
VA
St Francis
OB
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Diocletian
IĆ E
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Milesi
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HR
Palace KR LJAN
MA
IS T
Baptistry A A
BRAĆE RADIĆ J E L L J IC E
EN
PER
SQUARE of St John E Silver

Museum of Croatian Marina Cupola Gate
Archaeological Monuments, Tower Cathedral of
Meštrović Gallery and
Marjan Peninsula Main Hall St Domnius
Food
Bronze Market
Gate
Harbour
Ferry Terminal
0 metres 100 400 m (440 yards)
Railway and Bus
Stations
0 yards 100 200 m (220 yards)

Split: Palace of Diocletian

Dioklecijanova palača
Split’s main attraction is the Old Town centre, a fantastic
architectural jumble built on what remains of the once-
magnificent Palace of Diocletian, now a World Heritage Site.
Believed to be a native of Salona, Diocletian became emperor
of Rome in 284. After governing for 20 years, he retired from
public life and in 305 moved into the palace in the bay of
Split. The corners of the palace were marked by four square
towers. Four further towers were set along each of the north,
east and south sides, while the side facing the sea had a
loggia with arches. After Diocletian’s death, the palace was Iron Gate and the Clock Tower
used as an administrative centre and also housed the gover- The best preserved gate leads to
nor’s residence. In 615, refugees from Salona found shelter the Church of Our Lady of the
Belfry, with a 12th-century bell
here after the destruction of their city by the Avars. tower next to it.
. Temple of Jupiter
Consecrated in the 6th century, the
Temple of Jupiter had an atrium with six
columns, while the main building had a
coffered vault resting on a crypt. In the
early Middle Ages, it was turned into
the Baptistry of St John.
KEY
1 Bronze Gate
2 The Temples of Venus and
Cybele were circular outside and
had a hexagonal ground plan inside.
A colonnaded corridor ran around
the outside.
3 Temple of Cybele
4 The Cardo was the main street
of the complex.
5 The Decumanus, a transverse . Peristyle
path, divided the complex into Near the crossroads where the Cardo and Decumanus
two halves. intersected, the peristyle gave access to the sacred
6 The Silver or Eastern Gate was a area of the palace. On one side were the temples of
simpler version of the Golden Gate. Venus and Cybele and, further back, that of Jupiter,
now the Baptistry of St John.
C R O AT I A 449
Golden Gate
The main entrance to the
palace, the Golden Gate,
facing Salona (see pp450–51),
Cathedral of St Domnius:
was the most imposing of
Open Jun–Aug: 8am–sunset;
the gates, with twin towers
Sep–May: 9am–noon &
and numerous decorations.
4:30–7:30pm daily. &
Temple of Jupiter: Open summer
only (8am–8pm). &
Transport
@ Palace Basement.
Diocletian’s Emblem
After reorganizing the empire,
Emperor Diocletian sought the
spiritual unification of its citizens.
The state religion, personified
by the emperor, grew steadily
in importance and temples
were constructed bearing
his image.
Reconstruction of
Diocletian’s Palace
The spectacular palace,
shown here in its original form,
was laid out in the same way as a
Roman military camp. It was 215-m
(705-ft) long and 180-m (590-ft) wide
and was enclosed by very thick walls, at
times 28-m (92-ft) high. The four-sided
stronghold was reinforced with towers on the
north, east and west sides. There is a gate on
each side, connected by two roads
corresponding to the Roman
Cardo and Decumanus.
. Cathedral of St Domnius
Originally Emperor Diocletian’s mausoleum, the
cathedral was consecrated in the 7th century
when the sarcophagus containing the emperor’s
body was removed. The superb interior features
Roman columns and fine Romanesque carvings.
7 Salona
The ancient town of Salona, 5 km (3 miles) from Split, is
famous for its Roman ruins, scattered among meadows, olive
groves and vineyards. The name Salona derives from the salt
works in the area, the Latin for salt being sal. Originally an
Illyrian settlement, it later came under Greek control, but only
became an important centre when the Romans built a town
next to the Greek city. Under the rule of Augustus, it became
a Roman colony called Martia Julia Salonae, and in due
course was made capital of the Dalmatian province. In the 1st
century AD, the Romans built theatres, temples, town walls,
towers and an amphitheatre, and Salona became the richest
and most populous town in the mid-Adriatic. In 614, it was
destroyed by the Avars and Slavs; the buildings were stripped
and the stone used for new structures. Main road leading to Salona
of baths, the Caesarea Gate

was constructed here and early-Christian basilicas.
to house the relics of the The Baths were built in the
Salonian saints, victims 1st century when the town
of Emperor Diocletian’s became the capital of the
persecution of Christians. province of Dalmatia.
The ruins of the necropolis In the early Christian period,
and the basilica are the buildings were probably
well preserved. transformed into religious
Located near Manastirine buildings such as those in
is the Tusculum, a villa the Bishop’s Complex in the
with interesting sculp- northeastern part of ancient
tures embedded in the Salona. This comprised basilicas,
walls and the garden. It a baptistry and the bishop’s
was built for the distin- residence. Before Christianity
guished archaeologist became widespread, several
Frane Bulić (1846–1934) early Christian martyrs
Ruins of the town walls and triangular tower to enable him to study were slayed here, including
the ruins of Salona. A St Domnius (patron saint
Exploring Salona scholar and director of the of Split), and Sts Venantius
At the end of the 19th century, Archaeological Museum (see and Anastasius.
excavations began to bring to p447) in Split, Bulić devoted The foundations of two
light the buried remains of this much of his life to researching basilicas have been excavated:
ancient settlement. The work the ancient city. The building is the Urban Basilica, and Honorius’s
revealed that the town had two now a small museum, but the Basilica, which had a Greek
districts dating from different most interesting finds are now cross plan. This is also the site of
periods: the original, Old Town housed in the Archaeological what remains of the impressive
(Urbs Vetus) and a later part Museum in Split. Caesarea Gate, which features
which dates from the Augustan- Further on is the richest area arches flanked by two octagonal
era (Urbs Nova Occidentalis and of ruins with the foundations towers, displaying the advanced
Urbs Nova Orientalis). The exca-
vations have uncovered only a
part of the layout of the Outer
Walls, which were frequently
reinforced over the centuries.
However, the foundations and
the remains of the towers, with
triangular or rectangular bases,
are still visible.
The tour usually begins from
the site closest to the entrance,
the Necropolis of Manastirine,
a burial area just outside the
walls, north of the town. In the
4th century, a religious building Excavated remains of the Necropolis of Manastirine
C R O AT I A 451
the Theatre at the edge VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

of the Old Town. This
was built in the first half Practical Information
of the 1st century AD 255 km (158 miles) NE of
and part of the stage Dubrovnik. n (021) 211 538.
and the foundations Ruins: Open Apr–Sep: 7am–7pm
of the stalls have been Mon–Fri, 9am–7pm Sat, 9am–1pm
Sun; Oct–Mar: 9am–3:30pm
excavated. Next to the
Mon–Fri, 9am–2pm Sat. 8
theatre is the Forum,
∑ solin-info.com
the political and
The Basilica Urbana in the Bishop’s Complex commercial heart of Transport
the town. Unlike the @ from Split.
building techniques used by forum in Zadar (see p458), the
the Romans in the imperial era. paving was dismantled and only
Moving west along the foundations remain. In the of the 19th century and the
the walls, visitors reach the Roman era, some of the most southern part of the aqueduct
Necropolis of Kapljuč, another important buildings stood is still in use. Alongside the walls
early Christian burial site, and around the Forum, which began it is possible to see some parts of
then the imposing ruins of the to be built in the 1st century AD the aqueduct – more evidence
Amphitheatre, in the western- and were subsequently modified. of the great skill of Roman
most part of the settlement. The best-preserved Roman civil engineers.
The amphitheatre, in construction from ancient Salona From the theatre, visitors
brick, was probably covered is the aqueduct, built to bring return to the Necropolis of
in stone and stood in the water from the Jadro river to the Manastirine. North of this
newer part of the town on town, and extended during the stands the Necropolis of
the northwest edge of the Old reign of Diocletian to reach his Marusinac, built outside the
Town (Urbs Vetus) close to the palace (see pp448–9) in Split. Repair ancient town around the
walls. According to historians, work was carried out at the end tomb of St Anastasius.
it could seat 20,000 people. The
foundations and a part of the
lower tribune have been exca-
vated and the discovery of a
network of underground channels
has led to the theory that
simulated naval battles were
held in the arena. The amphi-
theatre’s construction date was
controversial for a long time,
but it has now been dated to
the second half of the 2nd
century AD. From the amphi-
theatre, another path leads to The Amphitheatre, of which only a part of the lower tribune remains
The Ruins of Salona

Snack bar Walls and
1 Necropolis of Manastirine aqueduct
2 Tusculum
3 Baths
4 Bishop’s Complex
5 Caesarea Gate
6 Necropolis of Kapljuč
7 Amphitheatre
8 Theatre
9 Forum
0 Necropolis of Marusinac
0 metres 500
0 yards 500
Modern
town

8 Brač
175 km (109 miles) NW of Dubrovnik.
* 14,000. k @ g to Supetar from
Split. Supetar: n Porat 1, (021) 630
551. ∑ supetar.hr Bol: n Porat
bolskih pomoraca bb, (021) 635 638.
∑ bol.hr
The third largest island in the

Adriatic, Brač has an interesting
geological structure. In some
areas, the limestone hills have
sinkholes and are cut by deep
ravines and gorges. In others
a white, hard stone prevails, Zlatni rat, Bol’s famous beach which changes with the seasons
which has been quarried since
ancient times. Extensive woods of the 18th century and faces A rich treasury includes
cover some parts of the island, a sheltered bay. The exterior of liturgical objects. From Bol,
while other parts are cultivated. the Church of the Annunciation visitors can make the 2-hour
Although Brač has always of Mary (Gospa od Blagovijesti) climb up the 778-m (2,552-ft)
been inhabited, it was first ruled is Baroque, with a Rococo high Vidova gora, the highest
by Salona (see pp450–51) and interior. In the centre of the peak in the Dalmatian islands,
the rich Salonians built villas island, Nerežišća was Brač’s near which a fortified monastery,
and sought refuge here when main town for a long period. Blaca Hermitage (Pustinja Blaca),
their town was attacked by the The governor’s palace, the clings to the rocks. In Pučišća,
Avars. It was later ruled by Split loggia and a pedestal with to the northeast, quarrymen
(see pp446–9). However, both the lion of St Mark are signs can be seen at work and the
Split and Brač came under of its former status. old Roman quarries can also
Byzantine and then Venetian The major attraction at Bol, be visited. Similarly charming
rule (1420–1797). on the southern coast, is its is Sumartin, further east, which
Ferries departing from Split famous long beach, Zlatni rat, was founded by refugees from
on the mainland dock to the meaning Golden Horn – a the coastal region of Makarska,
Old Town of Supetar, which triangular spit of shingle which when they fled the Turks in
has some good beaches. Škrip reaches out into the sea and 1645. There is a fine Franciscan
is probably the site of the first changes shape with the monastery, the foundations of
settlement on the island and seasonal winds. It is
the presumed birthplace of Helen, a popular spot
mother of Emperor Constantine, for windsurfing.
the first Christian Roman emperor. A Dominican
The church and a painting by monastery, founded
Palma il Giovane (see p454) on in 1475, stands on a
its main altar are dedicated to headland at the edge
Helen. A fortified house in Škrip of the village. The
is home to the Brač Museum, beautiful church here
which displays archaeological is decorated with
finds from the area. To the paintings, including a
southwest lies Milna, which Virgin with Saints (1563)
was founded at the beginning attributed to Tintoretto. The town of Pučišća on the island of Brač
Split
Split
18 km (11 miles)
ŠOLTA 17 km (11 miles) Supetar
Maslinica Grohote Stomorska Škrip Pučišća Povlja
Nerežišća
Selca
Milna
BRAČ Sumartin
Makarska
Key 14 km (9 miles)
Bol
Major road
Minor road 0 km 10
Ferry route 0 miles 10

C R O AT I A 453
Split
58 km (36 miles)
Stončica
Vis
Komiža VIS
Podstražje
The façade of the Church of Our Lady of

Key Spilica, Vis
Biševo
Minor road Byzantines and, from 1420, the

0 km 4
Ferry route Venetians. Vis played a key role
0 miles 4 during World War II – in 1944,
Marshal Tito used it as a base
for partisan military operations.
which were laid by the poet 9 Vis The main town of Vis has
Andrija Kačić Miošić (1704–60). 220 km (137 miles) NW of Venetian Gothic buildings and
Dubrovnik. * 4,300. g from Split. the Renaissance church of Our
Environs n Šetalište Stare Isse 5, (021) 717 017. Lady of Spilica (Gospa od Spilica),
The long island of Šolta, to Komiža: n (021) 713 455. with a painting by Girolamo di
the northwest of Brač, was a Santacroce (1516–84). In the
holiday resort for the nobility Further out to sea than the town of Komiža, on the western
of Roman Salona. After the other Dalmatian islands, Vis coast, there is a tower built by
attack on Salona in 614, some was a military base until 1989 the Venetians.
of the refugees fled and estab- and closed to tourism. Now
lished villages. It was later gradually being rediscovered Environs
abandoned in favour of Split by intrepid travellers, it has a The island of Biševo, to the
and left uninhabited for over a jagged coastline with beaches, southwest of Vis, has a Blue
century due to frequent Turkish and an inland mountain chain Grotto (Modra Spilja), where,
raids. Traces of defence towers with Mount Hum reaching a at midday, the water takes on
can be seen, as well as the height of 587 m (1,925 ft). beautiful colours. Day-trips by
ruins of Roman villas. The island was chosen by boat depart from Komiža and
Dionysios of Syracuse as a base Vis in the mornings. The ruins
E Brač Museum for Greek domination of the of a monastery, built around
Škrip. n (021) 637 092. Adriatic. The Greeks founded the AD 1000, can be seen; it
Open summer: 8am–8pm Mon–Sat; town of Issa here. The island was resisted raids by pirates and
winter: by appt. later ruled by the Romans, the Saracens for 200 years.
Beautiful coastline near Komiža, on the island of Vis

0 Hvar
Art treasures, a mild climate, good beaches and fields of
scented lavender make this island one of the gems of the
Adriatic. Limestone hills form the central ridge. Hvar’s story
begins in the 4th century BC when Greeks from Paros founded
Pharos and Dimos, present-day towns of Stari Grad and Hvar.
Traces have been left by the Romans, the Byzantines, the
Croatian sovereigns and the Venetians, who ruled from 1278
until 1797. After 1420, defences were built, and the capital was Main square of Hvar, with the Cathedral of
moved from Pharos to Hvar. In 1886, under Austria-Hungary, St Stephen
the Hvar Hygienic Society began to promote the town as a Virgin and Saints (1627) by
health resort. Crucially for Croatian literature, Hvar was the Palma il Giovane (1544–1628),
native island of Renaissance poets Hanibal Lucić and Petar Pietà (c. 1520) by Juan Boschetus,
Hektorović, both of whom wrote lyrically about the people Virgin with Saints (1692) by
and landscapes of the Adriatic. Domenico Uberti and a fine
16th-century wooden choir.
The Clock Tower, the civic
Loggia below and Hektorović
Palace (Hektorovićeva palača),
recognizable by the beautiful
Venetian Gothic mullioned
window, all date from the
15th century.
On the south side of the
square is the Arsenal, which
dates from the late 16th
century. A theatre was built on
the first floor in 1612. This was
the first “public theatre” in the
A peaceful bay on the island of Hvar Balkans; people of all classes
could come and watch perfor-
Hvar Town Europe. The town was also the mances here, regardless of
This beautiful town is one of the birthplace of the Renaissance their social standing.
most visited on the eastern coast poet Hanibal Lucić (c. 1485–1553) Outside the walls of the
of the Adriatic Sea, thanks to the and the playwright Martin Old Town are the Franciscan
treasures within its 13th-century Benetović (c. 1550–1607). Monastery (Franjevački
walls. During Venetian rule, local The town’s most important samostan), dating from 1461,
nobles and governors decided buildings stand on three sides and the Church of Our Lady of
to make the town a safe harbour of the main square, the fourth Charity (Gospa od Milosti), with
for the fleets going to, or return- side is open to the sea. The a relief on the façade by Nikola
ing from, the Orient. They also Renaissance Cathedral of St Firentinac. Inside are St Francis
transferred the bishopric and Stephen (Katedrala sv Stjepana) receiving the Stigmata and St
built monasteries there. has a trefoil pediment and a Diego by Palma il Giovane, three
Hvar has a long tradition of art 17th-century bell tower standing polyptychs by Francesco da
and culture. It is home to one of to one side. The interior contains Santacroce, Christ on the Cross
the first theatres ever built in many works of art including by Leandro da Bassano, and six
Split Stari Vrboska

50 km (31 miles) Grad
Jelsa
Sveti Klement Hvar Poljica
HVAR
Jerolim
Pakleni Islands
Zavala
0 km 5
0 miles 5
Šćedro
C R O AT I A 455
of Dubrovnik. * 11,500.
Hvar: n Trg svetog Stjepana bb,
(021) 741 059. ∑ tzhvar.hr
Stari Grad: n Obala dr F.
Tudmana 1, (021) 765 763
∑ stari-grad-faros.hr.
Lavender growing wild on the island of Hvar
Sućuraj: n (021) 717 288.
∑ tz-sucuraj.hr
scenes inspired by the Passion Hektorović (1487–1572),
of Christ by Martin Benetović. which houses an Ethnographic Transport
There are also many works Collection and has a seawater Hvar: g from Split. Stari Grad:
g from Split; Jadrolinija.
of art in the rooms facing fishpond. Hektorović, a poet, built
the cloister. The painter of the the fort in around 1520. He was Sućuraj: g from Drvenik.
Last Supper in the refectory is the author of the poem “Fishing
unknown. The 16th-century and Fishermen’s Conversation”
Španjola fort and early 19th (Ribanje i ribarsko prigovaranje) in 16th-century Church of St Mary
century Napoleon fort both which he describes a fishing trip (Sv Marija), fortified in 1575 to
offer splendid views of the town. around the islands of Hvar, Brač provide shelter for villagers in the
(see p452) and Šolta. event of a siege. The Baroque
The Dominican Monastery Church of St Lawrence (Sv Lovro)
(Dominikanski samostan) was has a polyptych (c. 1570) on the
founded in 1482. It was rebuilt main altar by Paolo Veronese and
and fortified after destruction a Virgin of the Rosary by Leandro
by the Turks and has a rich library da Bassano.
and a collection of paintings. The
town also has an International Sućuraj
School of Painting and Sculpture. Lying in a sheltered bay at
The cloister of the Franciscan Monastery, the eastern tip of the island
outside Hvar R Dominican Monastery is the village of Sućuraj with
Tel (021) 765 442. Open Jun–Sep: the remains of a castle built
Stari Grad 10am–noon & 4–8pm; Oct–May: by the Venetians in around 1630.
This town was originally called by appt.
Pharos and was founded by the Environs
Greeks in the 4th century BC. To the west of the island are
Remains of the town can be seen the Pakleni Islands. Facing the
in Ciklopska ulica. Around Pod town of Hvar, these islands are
dolom are the ruins of a Roman uninhabited and mostly wooded.
villa with mosaic floors. Their name derives from the
Stari Grad lies at the end paklina (resin) that was once
of a long bay and the key sights extracted from the pines and
are situated around the main used to water-proof boats. During
square. Facing the square are the summer, boat trips to the
the 17th-century Church of Tvrdalj, Stari Grad islands depart from Hvar. The
St Stephen (Sv Stjepan) and nearest island, Jerolim, is given
the Baroque Biankini Palace Vrboska over to naturism.
(Palača Biankini), the home The road leading to this small The island of Šćedro, off the
of an archaeological collection. village is a marvellous sight in south coast of Hvar, is covered in
The heart of the town is June when the surrounding pines and maquis. Illyrian tombs
dominated by Tvrdalj, the fields are covered with lavender. and parts of a Roman villa have
fortified residence of Petar Vrboska is home to the been found here.
Drvenik
7 km
Sućuraj (4 miles) Key
Major road
Bogomolje
Minor road
Ferry route

q Trogir lacks the balustrade. A second

door, opening onto a side street,
Set on an island joined to the mainland by a bridge, Trogir is one has a complex structure with
of the jewels of the Dalmatian coast. The Greeks of Issa, now Vis two sculpted lions holding a
(see p453), first settled here in the 3rd century, when they founded coat of arms. They are flanked
by sculptures of angels.
the fortified town of Tragyrion, which became Tragurium under
the Romans in AD 48. In 1123, Trogir was attacked and destroyed R Cathedral of St Lawrence
by the Saracens and abandoned by the surviving inhabitants. Trg Ivana Pavla II. Tel (091) 531 4754.
It revived again 70 years later and a period of extra-ordinary Open mid May–Oct: 9am–8pm; Nov–
mid May: by appt.
artistic growth ensued, first under the kings of Hungary and
later under Venetian rule. Trogir’s buildings display a profusion This opulent Cathedral of
St Lawrence (Katedrala sv
of architectural styles, evidence of its earlier prosperity and cul- Lovre) stands on the site of an
tural past. In 1997, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ancient church destroyed by
the Saracens. Construction
began in 1193, but was pro-
longed for decades. Its most
spectacular feature is the west
door, decorated with carved
reliefs executed by local stone-
mason Master Radovan in 1240.
His delightful frieze, filled with
plants and animals, depicts the
changing of the seasons. Inside,
there is an octagonal pulpit from
the 13th century and a ciborium
on the main altar with sculptures
depicting the Annunciation.
To the right of the cathedral
stands a 14th-century Venetian
Gothic bell tower, rebuilt when
The picturesque seafront at Trogir Trogir became part of the
Venetian territory.
P Land Gate P Stafileo Palace
Hrvatskih mučenika. Matije Gupca 20. Closed to the public. P Town Hall
Rebuilt in the 17th century, Built in the late 15th century, the Trg Ivana Pavla II.
the Land Gate (Sjeverna vrata) Stafileo Palace (Palača Stafileo) On the eastern side of John
was made from a tall doorway has a series of five windows in Paul II Square (Trg Ivana Pavla II)
in pale rusticated stone, with Venetian Gothic style on each stands the impressive Town Hall
grooves that once supported of its two floors, their openings (Gradska vijećnica), originating
a drawbridge. On the cornice framed by pillars and carved in the 15th century. It has three
above the arch is the Lion of arches. Around the arches are storeys with open arches and
St Mark and, above that, on reliefs of flowers and leaves. a mullioned window with a
a pedestal, stands a statue of The design is attributed to the balustrade on the upper floor;
St John of Trogir (Sv. Ivan Trogirski), school of Juraj Dalmatinac the façade is decorated with
one of the town’s patron saints. (see p438), who worked for coats of arms. The pretty
many years in Trogir. porticoed courtyard is open
E Civic Museum to the public.
Gradska vrata 4. Tel (021) 881 P Čipiko Palace
406. Open May–Oct: 9am– Gradska ulica. Closed to the public,
noon & 5–8pm Mon–Sat; except courtyard.
Nov–Apr: 9am–2pm by appt. An inscription indicates 1457
&8^ as the year of completion of the
Through the Land Gate is Čipiko Palace (Palača Čipiko),
the lovely Baroque Garagnin built for Trogir’s most illustrious
Fanfogna Palace, now the Civic family. Over a Renaissance
Museum (Muzej grada Trogira), doorway, distinguished by its
with 18th-century furnishings. columns, is a shell decoration
On display are interesting above a finely worked cornice.
archaeological collections, The first floor has a beautiful
books, documents, drawings mullioned window with a
and antique clothes linked balustrade in stone; the second Exterior of the Čipiko Palace, built for Trogir’s
to the town’s history. floor is similarly designed but most illustrious family
C R O AT I A 457
P Loggia and Clock Tower R Church of St Nicholas VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Trg Ivana Pavla II. Gradska ulica 2. Tel (021) 881 631.
On the southern side of the Open Check at tourist office Practical Information
square is the striking town for timings. 240 km (150 miles) NW of
Loggia (Gradska loža); its roof is The Church of St Nicholas Dubrovnik. * 13,000. n Trg
supported by six columns with (Sv. Nikola) and Benedictine Ivana Pavla II 1, (021) 885 628.
_ Trogir Summer Festival (Jun–
Roman capitals dating from the convent date from the 11th
Aug). ∑ tztrogir.hr
14th century. On the wall are century, but were rebuilt
two splendid reliefs – Justice in the 16th century. The Transport
(1471) by Nikola Firentinac, and convent now houses the k 7 km (5 miles) N of centre.
Ban Berislavić (1950) by Ivan Zbirka umjetnina Kairos, an @ Jadranska magistrala.
Meštrović. The Clock Tower, to interesting art collection that g Obala bana Berislavića.
the left of the Loggia, supports a includes the Kairos, a relief
pavilion dome salvaged in 1447. of Greek origin dating from
the 1st century BC, a Gothic artillery was installed
R Church of St John crucifix and a Romanesque at the top of the castle
the Baptist statue of The Virgin with Child. for defence purposes.
Trg Ivana Pavla II. Open Check
at tourist office for timings. P Kamerlengo Castle and
The Romanesque Church of St Mark’s Tower
St John the Baptist (Sv. Ivan Hrvatskog proljeća.
Krstitelj), built in the 13th century, In the southwest corner
is the pantheon of the powerful of the island stands the
Čipiko family. The church was beautiful Kamerlengo Castle
home to an art gallery (Kaštel Kamerlengo), at one
(Pinacoteca) with collections time the residence of the
of medieval illuminated manu- Venetian governor. Built in
scripts, ornaments, paintings around 1430, it stands facing
and gold pieces from various the sea. It was once connected
churches. However, the collec- to St Mark’s Tower (Kula svetog
tion is currently in the Museum Marka), also built by the Imposing St Mark’s Tower, built for defence
of Sacred Art near the cathedral. Venetians in 1470 for defence; in 1470
Trogir Town Centre

1 Land Gate
2 Civic Museum
3 Stafileo Palace Airport
7 km (5 miles)
4 Čipiko Palace JADRANSKA MAG
I S TR AL A
Bus
5 Cathedral of St Lawrence Market Station
6 Town Hall
7 Loggia and Clock Tower
8 Church of St John the Baptist BLA
ŽA
JUR
JEV
9 Church of St Nicholas Land Gate A
T
RO
0 Kamerlengo Castle and

GI
G R A D S KA
RA
Civic Museum
NIN
St Mark’s Tower IK
A RADOVANOV
A
TRG
EN
UČ E VA
M IĆ Cathedral of
UB
UL
Š Čipiko
H St Lawrence
KI Palace
A TS TRG IVANA
H RV MATI J E G UP C A PAVLA II Town Hall
Stafileo
Palace Loggia and
A
SK
MO
Clock Tower Church of

AU
J
SIN St John the Baptist
GU
GRADSKA UL
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S T IN
E I VA N A D UK N O VI ĆA
AR
SK
OB
AT
HR
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E H
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St Mark’s
RO
TIC
TS
Tower MA
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Walls
ŽOT
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Church of
PR
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OL
St Nicholas
AR S
KOV
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19
St Dominic
71
Ć A
NA BERISLAVI
Marmont’s OBALA BA
Kamerlengo
Gloriette Castle
RI SL AV IĆ A
BA NA BE
OB AL A
0 metres 100
0 yards 100

wKornati rocky outcrops. There are no

National Park permanent inhabitants; even
Nacionalni Park Kornati though the vegetation appears
to be sparse, flora and fauna
340 km (213 miles) NW of Dubrovnik. are rich.
g from Biograd, Murter, Primošten,
Today, they belong to the
Rogoznica, Vodice, Zadar. n Butina 2,
people of the small island
(022) 435 740. & ∑ kornati.hr
of Murter, who bought these
The Zadar Archipelago is islands around the end of the
made up of more than 300 19th century for grazing sheep.
islands surrounded by crystal- The park was set up to protect
clear waters. In 1980, part of the waters, to allow marine life
the archipelago was designated to flourish. With around 350 Imposing exterior of the Church of
as Kornati National Park. It is plant and 300 animal species, St Donat, Zadar
36 km (22 miles) long and 6 km it is a popular destination with
(4 miles) wide and is made up scuba divers and sailors. To into a major ferry port. The
of 89 islands of white stone, conserve this diversity, fishing is centre of public life is the
which about 20,000 years ago prohibited in the park’s waters. People’s Square – a business
were the peaks of a mountain The best way to visit it is by a district and the site of political
chain. These include Kornat sailing boat, and there are also debate, it has been the
(for which the National Park organized day-trips from Zadar heart of the town since
is named), Piškera, Lavsa and and Murter, Biograd, Vodice, medieval times.
Mana along with dozens of Primošten and Rogoznica. Further away is the Forum,
where the main square of the
ancient Roman city of Jadera
e Zadar once stood. Little remains of
the Forum that once stood here
* 92,000. k £ from Zagreb.
since much of the original stone
@ from Rijeka, Split, Zagreb. found its way into the adjacent
4 Jadrolinija. n City: Ilije Smiljanića 9th-century Church of St Donat
5, (023) 212 222. Regional: Sv named after its founder Bishop
Leopolda Mandića 1, (023) 315 316. Donat. One of the finest exam-
_ Musical evenings at St Donat ples of Byzantine architecture, it
(Jul & Aug), Summer Theatre. has a circular groundplan and a
∑ visitzadar.net women’s gallery. It has not been
used as a church since 1797,
Set on a narrow peninsula on the but concerts are often held
Adriatic coast, Zadar’s present here. Beside the church is the
layout dates back to Roman rule “Sea Organ”, a set of pipes built
when it became an important into stairs leading down to the
Aerial view of the spectacular islands of municipium, and a port for the sea, which produces a musical
Kornati National Park trading of timber and wine. It sound when the waves hit the
later enjoyed a spell of prosperity shoreline. Another installation
under Venetian rule, when many just next to this one is known as
of its churches and palaces were “Greeting to the Sun” and consists
Sali built. Today, its proximity to the of 300 glass plates that produce
Dugi Otok Zadar Archipelago has turned it interesting light effects.
a
ers
Telašćica rov
a P Katina
al
M
Lučica
KO Vrulje
RN
AT KORNAT
I
NA
Mana
TIO
NA
L
Piškera PA J
RK Smokvica
Lavsa
Key
Kurba Vela
Trail
Park boundary

C R O AT I A 459
The superb Romanesque

Cathedral of St Anastasia
is another attraction of the
Forum. The interior contains
fine Venetian carvings in the
15th-century wooden choir
stalls. Beneath the ciborium lies
the sarcophagus of St Anastasia,
dating from the 9th century.
The bell tower that stands to
one side of the cathedral was
completed in the 19th century
by architect Thomas G. Jackson.
Housed in a building near the
Forum is the Archaeological Striking Renaissance façade of the Church of St Mary, Zadar
Museum, with collections dating
from prehistory to recent times terrain is made up of limestone foxes and hares. The bare rock
from the entire Zadar area. karst with many sink holes and faces of Velika Paklenica are
plateaus separated by deep popular with rock climbers. The
R Church of St Donat fissures. In 1978, UNESCO listed rock is pierced by numerous
Forum. n Archaeological Museum, Velebit as a biological reserve caves, but they are not easily
(023) 250 516. Open Apr, May & Oct: with the aim of protecting this accessible. Only the Manita
9am–5pm daily; Jun–Sep: 9am–9pm wildlife haven, which hosts Cave is open to visitors, when
daily; Nov–Mar: by appt. & 2,700 plant species and colonies accompanied by a guide.
R Cathedral of St Anastasia of large birds of prey. The kukovi However, deep within the walls
Forum. Tel (023) 251 708. – rock formations sculpted of the canyon is an extensive
Open 8am–noon & 5–7pm daily. by wind and water – are network of underground
also protected. tunnels built by the Yugoslav
The park itself covers an Army. These are currently being
rPaklenica area of 95 sq km (37 sq miles), renovated for use as a multi-
National Park and is formed by two gorges, purpose visitor centre.
Nacionalni park Paklenica Big Paklenica (Velika Paklenica) Hiking and mountain
and Small Paklenica (Mala biking are popular activities
370 km (231 miles) NE of Dubrovnik.
@ from Zadar. n Starigrad
Paklenica), which cut into the here. A path in the valley
Paklenica, (023) 369 202. Open Apr– limestone mountains. Parts penetrates far into the interior
Oct: 6am–8:30pm daily; Nov–Mar: of the canyon walls are more of the park to a cliff edge,
7am–3pm daily. & ∑ paklenica.hr than 400 m (1,312 ft) tall. High which offers magnificent views
up, birds of prey make their of the wooded Vaganski vrh,
Situated in the Velebit massif, nests in a habitat ideal for the highest peak in the Velebit
Paklenica National Park was breeding. Golden eagles and chain. In summer, visitors can
founded in 1949. The entire even peregrine falcons can stay overnight in the mountain
Velebit massif chain is nearly be spotted, while in the forests hut, on the banks of the Velika
150 km (93 miles) long. The there are bears, wild boars, Paklenica creek.
One of the forested paths leading to Paklenica National Park

t Plitvice Lakes National Park

Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera
The picturesque Plitvice Lakes National Park, in the heart of
Croatia, was founded in 1949. This area of 300 sq km (115 sq
miles), covered in lakes and forest, has been on the UNESCO
World Heritage Site since 1979. It is particularly known for its
spectacular waterfalls. There are 16 lakes within the park, each
offering eye-catching scenery; visitors can explore by following
the paths along the shores or by using footbridges. There are
no towns or villages in the reserve, only hotels.
A charming shepherd’s hut located by the
Shuttle buses take people to the starting points lake shore
of the trails and to the hotels. The largest
lake can be toured by electric boat.
0 metres 500 Ciginovac
0 yards 500
Prošćansko
jezero
Okrugljak
STUBICA
Galovac
Footbridges and Boats Gradinsko

Numerous footbridges and environmentally jezero
friendly electric boats, that serve the largest
lake in the region, enable visitors to move
from one lakeshore to another and are a
lovely way to explore the lush green fir,
pine and beech forests. PRIJEKA Gliborita
KOSA draga
Velika
Poljana
Dense Forests
The forests alongside the waters are home to
some of the largest European species of animal,
including wolves, lynx, foxes, wild boars, bears,
roebucks, wild cats, otters and badgers.
C R O AT I A 461
of Dubrovnik.
n (053) 751 015.
Open summer: 8am–sunset
daily; winter: 9am–sunset daily.
& 8 7 partly.
Flora ∑ np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
The park flora ranges from waterlilies on the lakes to forests of
gigantic trees. The rich undergrowth is also a source of food for Transport
@ from Zagreb.
the park’s wildlife.
Plitvice
Waterfalls
Signposted routes direct
Draga visitors to viewpoints to
Matijaševac watch the rushing water as
it cascades from the
lake above.
Jezero
Kozjak Zagreb
Gavanovac 160 km
(99 miles)
Entrance 1
Dubrovnik
460 km (288 miles)
Special routes are taken

by the park’s shuttle
buses to take visitors
around the area.
Key
Major road View of the Korana River
Minor road
The lakes drain into the Korana river, one of Croatia’s cleanest
waterways. The long-winding river flows between steep cliffs
Trail amidst spectacular scenery, and is a popular place for kayak
Boat route and raft trips.
is the heart of the city and

lined with majestic 19th-cen-
tury buildings. Halfway along
stands the domed Civic Tower,
decorated with the coat of
arms of the city. In the Old
Town is the Cathedral of
St Vitus. Built at the top of a
hill between 1638 and 1742,
the interior features a Gothic
crucifix from the 13th century
on the main altar. To the west
stands the late 19th-century
View of the beautiful town of Rab with its four striking bell towers Governor’s Palace, which since
1955 has housed the Maritime
y Rab 14th century, leads to the and History Museum of the
town square. The heart of Rab, Croatian Littoral. Founded in
* 9,200. @ from Rijeka & Zagreb.
the square, is graced by the 1876, the museum documents
g from Rijeka, Jablanac, Pag, Valbisca 13th-century Romanesque the history of navigation
(Krk). n Trg Municipium Arba 8, (051) Prince’s Palace, which was through a collection of sea-
724 064. _ Tournament of Rab (July later rebuilt in Renaissance faring equipment from the 17th
25–27), Musical Evenings, Church of the style with mullioned windows. and 18th centuries. East of the
Holy Cross (Jun–Sep). ∑ tzg-rab.hr In the courtyard are some cathedral lies Tito Square, from
Roman and medieval remains. where 561 steps lead up to the
The Kvarner Gulf region, home The town has many monastic Sanctuary of Our Lady of Trsat,
to the enticing island of Rab, buildings. Among them, the a church and a monastery built
lies parallel to the Velebit fine Romanesque Cathedral of by Martin Frankopan. According
massif. With its sandy beaches St Mary the Great has a stunning to legend, parts of the Holy
and mild climate, the island is façade of pink and white stone House of Mary of Nazareth were
a popular holiday destination. with a sculpted Deposition by brought here in 1291, before
The main town, Rab, which Petar Trogiranin above the portal. being transferred to Italy. To
gives its name to the island, Inside is a beautiful font, made compensate the local people
became a bishopric in the by the same sculptor in 1497. for this loss, Pope Urban V
early Christian period and was At a height of 70 m (230 ft), the donated a Virgin with Child in
inhabited by Slavic people cathedral’s 13th-century bell 1367, painted by St Luke, a copy
in the 6th century. The town tower is the tallest on the island. of which now stands on the
came under Venetian rule Northwest of Rab, set on a main altar. Opposite the church
between 1409 and 1797 and long bay, the village of Kampor is Trsat Castle, built by the
has some fine examples of is famous for the Church of Romans to defend Tarsatica,
Venetian architecture, includ- St Bernard, which contains parts of which are intact.
ing its four famous bell towers superb panels. Further north, at In February and March
which make it look like a ship. the end of a rocky peninsula, is from the first Sunday after Ash
The Sea Gate, a tower from the the village of Lopar, popular for Wednesday, Rijeka hosts Croatia’s
its beaches and leisure facilities. largest carnival celebrations.
u Rijeka
* 130,000. k £ from Zagreb.
@ from Pula, Zadar & Zagreb. g
Jadrolinija, Riva 16. n Korzo 14, (051)
335 882. _ Rijeka Carnival (Feb &
Mar), Rijeka’s Summer Nights Arts
Festival (Jun–Jul). ∑ visitrijeka.hr
Once the Roman city of

Tarsatica, Rijeka came under
the Habsburgs in 1466 and was
declared a free port in 1719.
Today Rijeka is one of Croatia’s
main ports and a key rail and
road junction.
The Sea Gate, one of the many entrances The Korzo, a broad avenue Gothic crucifix in the Cathedral of
into Rab town running south of the Old Town, St Vitus, Rijeka
C R O AT I A 463
the oldest and best-preserved The remains of a wall dating

Roman monument in the back to the Middle Ages can
town. Just north, towards the still be seen. In the square
harbour, the later Twin Gate, in front of the pier is Balbi’s
with an ornate frieze, leads to Arch, an ancient city gate, as
the Archaeological Museum. well as a striking late-Renaissance
On display are finds from Pula clock tower. The Baroque Califfi
and the surrounding area, with Palace is now the Native Museum,
collections from Prehistoric housing 18th- century art
times to the Middle from the Venetian school
Ages. Roman antiquities and works by modern
and architectural Croatian artists. Dominat-
remains from medieval ing the town from its
times are the other hilltop location is
The Temple of Romae and Augustus, a jewel items on exhibit. the 18th-century
of Roman architecture, Pula In the southeast of the Cathedral, dedi-
town stands the Arch of cated to the third-
i Pula the Sergii, also known as century martyr
the Golden Gate. It was St Euphemia.
* 60,000. k £ from Zagreb. @ erected in the 1st Originating in
from Poreč, Rovinj & Zagreb. g from century BC to honour Headless statue, early Christian
Zadar. n Forum 3, (052) 219 197. three brothers who Archaeological Museum times, it was
_ Music events in Arena, Pula held important rebuilt in 1736.
Amphitheatre (summer), Croatian Film positions in the Roman Empire. The saint’s remains are pre-
Festival (summer). ∑ pulainfo.hr Its frieze has a bas-relief depict- served in a Roman sarco-
ing a chariot pulled by horses. phagus in the apse of the
The hisoric town of Pula is triple-aisled church. The adja-
best known for its magnificent cent bell tower is over 62 m
monuments from the Roman o Rovinj (200 ft) high and was modelled
era, when it was a colony on that of San Marco in Venice.
known as Pietas Julia. It was * 13,000. k @ from Pula, Poreč, It is crowned by a copper
destroyed by an East-Germanic Rijeka & Zagreb. n Obala Pina statue of St Euphemia. Along
tribe, the Ostrogoths, but Budicina 12, (052) 811 566. _ Grisia, the water front, the interesting
began to flourish again when International Art Exhibition (2nd Sun Institute of Marine Biology,
it became the main base for the Aug); Patron St Euphemia’s Day (16 founded in the late 19th
Byzantine fleet in the 6th and Sep). ∑ tzgrovinj.hr century, houses one of the
7th centuries. In 1150, it came oldest aquariums in Europe.
under Venetian rule and in 1856, Originally a port built by the To the south of the town
Austria made it the base for its Romans, the pleasant town of lies Zlatni rt, an attractive
fleet. Pula continues to be one Rovinj is situated on what was park planted with cedars
of the most important naval formerly an island. The strait and cypresses and fringed
bases in Croatia and it is separating it from the coast by rocky beaches.
also now an important was filled in 1763, after which
university town. the town expanded on to the E Native Museum
The Pula Amphitheatre mainland. Rovinj was ruled by Trg m. Tita 11. Tel (052) 816 720.
is the town’s star attraction. the Byzantines and Franks, from Open summer: 10am–2pm & 6–10pm
Regarded as one of the six 1283 until 1797, and then Tue–Fri, 10am–2pm & 7–10pm Sat &
largest Roman amphitheatres passed into Venetian hands. Sun; winter: 10am–1pm Tue–Sat.
in the world, it once seated
23,000 spectators. Originally
built by Emperor Claudius, it was
expanded by Emperor Vespasian
in AD 79 for gladiator fights.
Today, it is a popular venue for
concerts ranging from opera
to rock as well as an annual
film festival.
To the south of the
amphitheatre, two gates mark
the entrance to the heart of the
town. The single-arched Gate of
Hercules, with a carving of the
head of Hercules at the top, was
built in the 1st century BC and is The port town of Rovinj, dominated by the cathedral and its bell tower
p Euphrasian Basilica
Eufrazijeva bazilika
Located in the town of Poreč, this 6th-century church
is a Byzantine masterpiece decorated with mosaics
on a gold background. It was built for Bishop Euphrasius
between 539 and 553 by expanding the existing 4th-
century Oratory of St Maurus Martyr, patron saint of
Poreč. Although the building has undergone many
alterations over the centuries, some of the original floor
mosaics survive. In December 1997, the basilica was
added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Classical
concerts are held in the church from July to August.
. Ciborium
Dominating the presbytery
is a beautiful 13th-century
ciborium supported by four
marble columns. The canopy
is decorated with mosaics.
. Apse Mosaics
Mosaics from the 6th century cover the apse. Christ and
the Apostles are depicted on the arch, while the Virgin
appears on the vault enthroned with the child and two
angels. Bishop Euphrasius himself is shown with a
model of the basilica.
KEY
1 The Garden is home to

the remains of a 4th-century
mosaic floor from the Oratory
of St Maurus Martyr.
2 Bell tower
3 The Bishop’s Residence, a triple-
Sacristy and Votive Chapel aisled building dating from the 6th
Past the sacristy’s left wall is a triple-apsed century, now houses paintings by
chapel with a 6th-century mosaic floor. Antonio da Bassano, Palma il Giovane
Here lie the remains of Sts Maurus and a polyptych by Antonio Vivarini.
and Eleuterius.
C R O AT I A 465
Interior
The entrance leads to
a large basilica with a
central nave and two side
710 km (444 miles) NE of Dubrovnik.
aisles. The 18 Greek marble
Tel (052) 431 635. n Eufrazijeva
columns have carved
ulica 22, (052) 429 030. Open Apr–
capitals featuring animals,
Jun & Sep–Oct: 9am–6pm Mon–
some of Byzantine origin
Sat; Jul & Aug: 9am–9pm Mon–
and others Romanesque.
Sat; Nov–Mar: 9am–4pm
All bear the monogram
Mon–Sat. &
of Euphrasius.
Transport
@ from Rovinj, Pula & Zagreb.
Baptistry
This octagonal building dates from
the 6th century. In the centre is a
baptismal font and there are also
fragments of mosaics. To the rear
is a 16th-century bell tower.
Atrium
The church atrium is
composed of a square
portico with two columns
on each side. Medieval
tombstones and archaeological
finds are displayed here.
a Zagreb
Croatia’s capital since 1991, Zagreb is the heart of the
political, economic and cultural life of the country. With a
population of almost 800,000, it is also Croatia’s largest city.
Zagreb is divided into two parts: the Old Town (Gornji grad
or Upper Town), which includes the two districts of Gradec
and Kaptol, and the modern area (Donji grad or Lower
Town). The Upper Town is home to the main centres of
religious, political and administrative power. The Lower Mary with Child, Church of
C
NA
Town developed after 1830 around a U-shaped series of St Mark
KA
parks and open spaces known as the “green horseshoe”,
TUŠ
and the major museums, including the Mimara Museum
and Gallery of Old Masters, are all located here, as well as
the Croatian National Theatre. Around Governor Jelačić
Square (Trg bana Jelačića), where the Upper and Lower STR
ELJ
AČ
KA
towns meet, there are plenty of lively cafés with
DEŽM ANOVA
summer terraces.
Sights at a Glance
1 Cathedral of the Assumption
of the Blessed Virgin Mary ILIC A
2 Archbishop’s Palace
3 Dolac Market
4 Stone Gate Key
A
5 City Museum O PA N SK
MEDULIĆEVA

6 Meštrović Gallery
7 Church of St Mark DAL MAT INSK A
FR A N K
Pedestrian street
8 Croatian Museum of Naïve Art
9 Lotrščak Tower Railway
0 Church of St Catherine
q Croatian National Theatre
P RI LA Z GJ UR
w Museum of Arts and Crafts E DE Ž EL I ĆA
TRG
e Mimara Museum
MARŠALA TITA
r Gallery of Old Masters
t Archaeological Museum
y Museum of Contemporary Art
KL AI ĆE VA
ROOSEVELTOV
Greater Zagreb TRG
Granešina TRG BRAĆE
MAŽURANIĆ
PE
RK
OV
Sesvete
ČEV
Maksimir
A
Črnomerec VUKOTINOV IĆEVA
ZAGREB MARULIĆEV
TRG
KA
Zagreb
VS
SA
Jarun
Sa
va
Lake
Jarun
A1 Novi Zagreb A3 VODNIKOV A
Botinec
0 km 3 CR
30 Zagreb
NA
TK
OV
A
0 miles 3
Key

ZAGREB 467
M ED V E DG RAD SK A
NOVA VES
ILIRSKI
VA
TRG
NO
LOU Š I Ć E
GE
T M IK VA
RIB
DE
PU E ZV
T
IN
NJ
L IŠ ON
VK
AR
TA
AK
ŠE NI
A ĆK
VO A A
BR AZ
O
OV
U VR R
D ET
M
BASARIČEKOVA
DE
GORNJI GRAD
0 metres 200
KAP
OPATIČKA
0 yards 200
RADIĆ EVA
T KA LČIĆ E VA
TOL
KA
SO
VI
KA
O P AT O V I N A
IČ
MARKOV
SN
TRG
KA ME NIT
ME
Š E VA
A
CIRILOMETODSKA
M AT O
KAPTOL
JEZUITSKI
TRG
SKA
KATARIN LINSKA
B A K A Č E VA
TRG KRVAVI
MOST
OVO P A L M O T I Ć E VA
RAD
YER ŠE
MA DOLAC
OSS TA L I
ŠTE
STR
IĆE
ICA
SPLAVN
VA
PO D Z I D O M
TOMIĆEVA
VL
AŠ
KA
C E S AR Č E V A
K U R E L Č E VA
ILI CA TRG
ILICA BANA JELAČIĆA
JU R IŠ IĆ
E VA
GUNDULIĆE VA
PRA ŠKA
PRERADOVIĆEV
TRG BOGOVIĆEVA
PE
MARIĆEV
GA JE VA
PROLAZ
TR
VARŠAVSKA
MIŠKECOV
IN
PROLAZ
JSK
TESLI NA
A
PR ER AD OV
A
OV
YK IĆEVA
S AR IĆ EV A
ĐORĐ
MA BE RI SL AV
IĆ EVA
ZRINJEVAC
DONJI GRAD V I Ć E VA
BOŠKO
HEB RAN GOV A

PRERA
I Ć E VA STROSSMAYEROV
K O VA Č
TRG MAT IČIN A
IĆEV A
D O V IĆ
K AT A N Č
The twin spires of Zagreb’s cathedral
GUN DUL IĆEVA
towering above the city

E VA
TRE NKO VA H A T Z OV A
ŽER JAV IĆEV A
PETRI NJSKA
SVAČIĆEV
TRG
GA JEV A
HA UL IK O
KU M IČ IĆ EV
Getting Around
TOMISLAVOV Walking is the best way to
VA
TRG explore the Upper Town, which

A
is connected to the Lower

MIH ANO VIĆE VA
Town by a funicular railway.
MIR AM AR SKA
STARČEVIĆEV
TRG The central and suburban
BOTANIČKI VRT districts are well connected
GRG URO VA
Zagreb by trams and buses, which run
at regular intervals and have
night services as well. Taxis and
hire cars are also available.

Street-by-Street: the Upper Town

In the Upper Town (Gornji grad) there are various institutions
that have played a significant part in the history of the city
The Natural History Museum,
and of Croatia. They now house the political and cultural created from three collections,
centres of the country: the presidency of the republic, the houses most of the finds from
parliament, the State Audit Court and several government Krapina, which date human
ministries. All of these buildings were restored, repaired or presence in Croatia back to
the Palaeolithic era.
rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1880. Some of the
ancient noble palaces have been converted into museums.
There are also three interesting churches: the ancient Church
of St Mark, the Baroque Church of St Catherine, built by the
Jesuits, and the Church of Sts Cyril and Methodius. The daily A
OV
R
signal to close the city gates was rung from the medieval ET
EM
Lotrščak Tower. D
Ban’s Palace
The building dates from the 17th century and
was built after the city became the seat of the Ban,
Governor of Croatia, in 1621. It now houses the
presidency of the republic.
A
IC
L
U
A
K
IČ
N
S
E
M
A
IC
UL
VA
KA
ŠE
DS
Croatian Historical Museum

TO
This museum, housed in the splendid Vojković-

TO
MA
Oršić Palace has works of art and documents

ME
collected since 1959.

ILO
ĆIR
TRRINN
G
TA
KA
The Church of Sts Cyril

and Methodius was
designed in the early 19th- 9 Lotrščak Tower
century by Bartol Felbinger. At noon every day a
This Byzantine-style church cannon is fired from this
serves Croatia’s Greek tower, which dates from
Catholic community and the 12th century.
has a splendid iconostasis.
8 . The Croatian Museum
of Naïve Art Museum of Broken Relationships
Over 1,500 works of Naïve art by The museum is dedicated to failed love relationships.
the founders and followers of the Its exhibits include personal objects left behind from
Hlebine school are held here. former lovers, accompanied by brief descriptions.
ZAGREB 469
6 . Meštrović Gallery
The great Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović lived in
this 18th-century building from 1922 to 1941. About
ten years before his death, he donated his home
and all the works of art in it to the state.
KA
A
OV
AČ
Parliament Building
EK
ET
This building dates from 1910, when the

RIČ
ML
provincial administration offices were enlarged.

The independence of Croatia was proclaimed
SA
from the central window of the building

BA
ICA
in 1918.
UL
KA
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7 . Church of St Mark
The coloured tiles on the roof of this fine Gothic
IC KA
church form the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia,

A
ULTIČ
Slavonia and Zagreb.

A
OP
The Klovićevi dvori is

one of the city’s most
JEZUITSKI important art exhibition
TRG
spaces. Housed in a 17th-
century Jesuit monastery,
prestigious touring
exhibitions are held here
throughout the year.
0 Church of St Catherine
Built on the site of an ancient
Key 0 metres 50
Dominican church, this is the city’s
Suggested route 0 yards 50 most fascinating Baroque building.
3 Dolac Market
Dolac. Map E2. Tel (01) 481 4959.
Overlooking Governor Jelačić

Square (Trg bana Jelačića) and
west of Zagreb’s Cathedral is this
picturesque market, which has
held this spot since 1930. Local
farmers display their colourful
produce, while fresh fish from
the Adriatic is sold from a pavilion
in the market’s northwestern
corner. Dominating the plaza
above Dolac Market is a sculp-
tural ensemble by Vanja Radauš
featuring Petrica Kerempuh, a
fictional character who figures
Awe-inspiring central nave of Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary strongly in Croatian literature.
On the western side of the
1 Cathedral of the lofty interior contains a string market is the Church of St Mary
Assumption of the of Neo-Gothic altars and some (Crkva sv Marije), a 14th-century
impressive earlier tombstones, church rebuilt in Baroque style
Blessed Virgin Mary notably the fine Baroque plaque in 1740. Inside is a fine collection
Katedrala Marijina Uznesenja honouring the warrior-aristocrat of marble altars by 18th-
Kaptol. Map E2. Tel (01) 481 4727. Toma Bakac Erdödy. Behind century Slovene stonemason
Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sat, 1–5pm Sun. the altar is an effigy of Cardinal Franjo Rottman.
Alojzije Stepinac, who was
Dedicated to the Assumption persecuted by the Communist
and the Blessed Virgin Mary, regime and subsequently 4 Stone Gate
Zagreb’s cathedral is the city’s beatified by Pope John Paul II. Kamenita vrata
most recognizable landmark.
Kamenita. Map D2.
Despite its 11th-century origins,
the cathedral owes its present 2 Archbishop’s West of Dolac Market, the
appearance to the reconstruction Palace streets ascend towards Gradec,
carried out by Austrian architect Nadbiskupska palača a well-preserved old quarter,
Friedrich von Schmidt and that was once surrounded by
Kaptol. Map E2. Closed to the public.
Hermann Bollé following the defensive walls. Gradec’s only
earthquake of 1880. The complex of buildings surviving gate is the Stone Gate,
The imposing Neo-Gothic that forms the Archbishop’s a 13th-century structure that
façade is topped by a slender pair Palace encloses three sides houses one of the city’s most
of 105-m (345-ft) high spires. The of Cathedral Square. It incor- venerated shrines. According to
porates three of five round popular belief, a painting of the
towers and one square tower, Virgin Mary, which hangs inside
which were built from 1469
onwards as defence against
Ottoman attacks. The present
palace dates from 1730, when
several buildings were linked
and unified by a single,
imposing Baroque façade.
In the square in front of
the palace stands a fountain
crowned by a statue of Mary
with four angels, by Viennese
sculptor Dominik Fernkorn,
in around 1850.
The former moat east of the
palace has now been converted
into the Ribnjak Park, with various
statues, including one called
Modesty by Antun Augustinčić.
A leafy area ideal for strolling,
Intricate detail on a pillar inside Cathedral of the park also includes a couple Baroque façade of the elegant
the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of popular cafés. Archbishop’s Palace
ZAGREB 471
6 Meštrović Gallery
Atelje Meštrović
Mletačka 8. Map D2. Tel (01) 485 1123.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Fri, 10am–2pm
Sat & Sun. &
This 17th century gallery

building was modernized by
sculptor Ivan Meštrović and
was his residence between 1922
and 1942. It now belongs to the
Meštrović Foundation, which
also owns the gallery and the
Kaštelet in Split (see p447) as
well as Meštrović’s mausoleum.
It houses a collection of
Meštrović’s work. There are
Sculptures in the garden of the Meštrović Gallery almost 300 works on display,
including copies of History
the gate, miraculously survived a Croatian Academy of Arts and of Croatia, Deposition and
fire in 1731. The painting became Sciences. Inside is the beautifully Woman in Agony.
the centre of a popular cult, and decorated Illyrian Hall (Ilirska
Zagreb folk still come here to dvorana). The 19th-century
light candles and offer prayers. Paravić Palace, with wrought- 7 Church of
On the other side of the gate, iron gates, is now the Institute St Mark
on the corner of Habdelićeva of Historical Studies. Crkva sv Marka
and Kamenita, stands Ljekarna
Markov trg. Map D2. Tel (01) 485 1611.
Aligheri, a pharmacy that has Open call in advance.
been in existence since 1350.
The pharmacy was named after Now the Upper Town’s parish
the previous owner, Nicolò church, the Church of St Mark
Alighieri, great-grandson of was first mentioned in 1256,
Italian poet Dante Aligheri. when King Bela IV granted
permission to hold a fair in
front of the church. On the
5Zagreb City south side of the church is a
Museum Gothic portal carved by Ivan
Muzej grada Zagreba Parler between 1364 and 1377.
Surrounding the portal are 15
Opatička ulica 20. Map D1. Tel (01)
niches containing statues of
485 1361. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Fri,
11am–7pm Sat, 10am–2pm Sun. &
Jesus, Mary, St Mark and the
8 by appt. 7 ^ ∑ mgz.hr 12 apostles. The tiles of the
church roof portray the coats
Three historic buildings – Statues of saints from the main portal of of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia,
the Convent of the Nuns of the convent, City Museum Slavonia and the city of Zagreb.
St Clare dated from around
1650, a 13th-century tower
and a granary from the 17th Ivan Meštrović
century – combine to form Born in 1883, Ivan Meštrović
the City Museum. A room- (1883–1962) is regarded as one
sized floor map depicting the of the most important sculptors
history and culture of Zagreb of the 20th century. He studied
is on display. The permanent sculpture in Split and Vienna
exhibition, which comprises before he established himself in
more than 2,500 exhibits, has Paris in 1908. He worked in various
a thematic approach that helps cities, including Split – where he
the visitor to understand the created many of the works now
various aspects of the city. on display in the Meštrović Gallery –
It covers 45 diverse topics, and Zagreb. After World War II, he
ranging from the artistic and taught at universities in the US,
the popular to the everyday. where he died in 1962. He was buried
On the same street as the The 20th-century sculptor in the mausoleum in Otavice that he
museum a 19th-century Ivan Meštrović designed for himself and his family.
Palace houses part of the
interiors in Croatia. Of particular

interest are the stucco reliefs
covering the walls and ceiling
made by Antonio Quadrio.
On the ceiling is a medallion
depicting Scenes of the Life of
St Catherine by Franc Jelovšek,
while the main altar, dating
from 1762, has St Catherine
among the Alexandrian
Philosophers and Writers,
by Kristof Andrej Jelovšek.
Woodcutters (1959) by Ivan Generalić, Croatian Museum of Naïve Art qCroatian

National Theatre
8 Croatian Museum ringers. Today, the tower houses Hrvatsko narodno kazalište
of Naïve Art an art gallery and a gift shop. It
Trg maršala Tita 15. Map C4.
Hrvatski muzej naivne umjetnosti is worth climbing the spiral stair-
Tel (01) 4888 418. Open for
case up to the terrace to enjoy
Čirilometodska ulica 3. Map D2. performances only. Closed Mon, 1
the fine views over the red-tiled Jan, Easter, 1 May, 1 Nov, 25–26 Dec.
Tel (01) 485 1911. Open
roofs of the city. ∑ hnk.hr
10am–6pm Tue–Fri, 10am–1pm
Sat & Sun. & 8 = ∑ hmnu.org
The Croatian National Theatre
Since 1994, this 18th-century 0 Church of stands in the square that marks
building, with its Neo-Baroque St Catherine the beginning of a U-shaped
façade, has housed works Crkva sv Katarina series of parks and squares
from an exhibition of Naïve called the “green horseshoe”, the
Katarinin trg. Map D2.
painters that opened in Zagreb design of engineer Milan Lenuci.
Tel (01) 485 1950.
in 1952. Inspired by peasant Completed in 1895, the theatre
craft traditions, the paintings was designed by the architects
are characterized by the use Considered to be one of the Hermann Helmer and Ferdinand
of vivid colour and a strong most beautiful religious build- Fellner and is a blend of Neo-
feeling for narrative. There are ings in Zagreb, the Church of Baroque and Rococo styles.
paintings by the founders St Catherine was built by The richly decorated interior
of the Naïve trend, including Jesuits around 1630 on the is famous for the stage curtain,
Ivan Generalić and Mirko site of a Dominican building. which features a patriotic scene
Virius; some new works by The white façade has a door- entitled The Croatian Renewal by
the Hlebine School of Painting, way with four niches for painter Vlaho Bukovac. In front
which originated in the village statues and six prominent of the theatre stands a master-
of Hlebine near the Hungarian pilasters. Above is a niche with piece by sculptor Ivan Meštrović
border; and works by artists a statue of the Virgin Mary. The (see p471) called The Well of Life,
such as Ivan Rabuzin from single-nave church has one of depicting a group of bronze
other regions. the most striking Baroque figures huddled around a well.
9 Lotrščak Tower
Kula Lotrščak
Strossmayerovo šetalište. Map D2.
Tel (01) 485 1768. Open Apr–Oct:
9am–9pm Mon–Fri, 10am–9pm Sat
& Sun. &
Dating from the 13th century,

the captivating Lotrščak Tower,
or Burglars’ Tower, is one of the
oldest buildings in Zagreb and
a remnant of its fortifications.
Since the middle of the 19th
century, the city’s inhabitants
have set their clocks at noon by
the sound of a cannon fired from
this tower, a practice begun in
1877 to coordinate the city’s bell- Stately exterior of the Neo-Baroque Croatian National Theatre
ZAGREB 473
w Museum of Arts carpets and Ming vases. The first until it was replaced by the
and Crafts floor concentrates on applied art Roman alphabet.
Muzej za umjetnost i obrt and religious sculpture, including
some fine medieval statues. On
Trg maršala Tita 10. Map C4. the top floor, a wide-ranging tArchaeological
Tel (01) 488 2111. Open 10am–7pm
Tue–Sat, 10am–2pm Sun. & 8 =
collection of paintings takes in Museum
0 - ∑ muo.hr
Byzantine icons, a Rembrandt, Arheološki muzej
a Rubens, a Renoir and some
Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog 19.
This elegant 19th-century delightful still lifes by Manet. Map E3. Tel (01) 487 3101.
building contains the finest Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat (until 8pm
collection of applied art in Thu), 10am–1pm Sun. & 8 by appt.
the country, with an extensive r Gallery of = ∑ amz.hr
display of furniture throughout Old Masters
the ages. Many of the exhibits Galerija starih majstora The Neo-Classical Vraniczany-
are by graduates of the Zagreb Hafner Palace has housed this
Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog 11.
School of Applied Arts, which Map E4. Tel (01) 489 5117.
museum since 1945. It contains
has been turning out talented Open 10am–7pm Tue, 10am– 4pm artifacts from all over Croatia,
ceramicists, glass-makers Wed–Fri, 10am–1pm Sat & Sun. ranging from prehistoric finds
and graphic designers since &8 to Greek vases and
its establishment in 1882. medieval Croatian
An outstanding collection In 1880, Bishop jewellery. One of the
of photography and poster Strossmayer of Ðakovo, most captivating
art is also on display. one of the proponents objects on display is the
of the pan-Slav move- Vučedol Dove, a three-
ment, had this building legged pouring vessel
constructed to house in the shape of a bird
the Yugoslav Academy which dates from the
of Arts and Sciences. Copper Age (c. 2500
Now called the BC). Discovered near
Croatian Academy of Vukovar, it is regarded
Arts and Sciences, the as the emblem of the
building houses the St Sebastian, Gallery museum. Among the
Gallery of Old Masters, of Old Masters Egyptian mummies on
which contains one of display is the so-called
the country’s finest picture Zagreb Mummy, dating from
collections, most of which the 3rd century BC.
was donated by Strossmayer
himself. The collection features
Renaissance art including y Museum of
canvases by Tintoretto and Contemporary Art
The Bather (1868) by Renoir in the El Greco. In the entrance hall Muzej suvremene umjetnosti
Mimara Museum is the 11th-century Baška
Avenija Dubrovnik 17. Map A5. Tel (01)
tablet, bearing one of the 605 2700. v 14. Open 11am–6pm
e Mimara Museum oldest-known inscriptions in Tue–Fri & Sun, 11am–8pm Sat. & 8
Muzej Mimara the Glagolitic script. Glagolitic 7 = - ∑ msu.hr
was used by medieval rulers
Rooseveltov trg 5. Map C4. Tel (01)
A major centre of avant-garde
482 8100. Open Oct–Jun: 10am–5pm
art in the years following 1945,
Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat, 10am–7pm Thu,
10am–2pm Sun; Jul–Sep: 10am–7pm
the museum, which opened in
Tue–Fri, 10am–5pm Sat, 10am–2pm
2009, showcases contemporary
Sun. Closed Mon. & 8 = Croatian art. Highlights of the
display, Collection in Motion,
In 1972, Ante Topić Mimara, include abstract canvases by
a businessman who was also a painters Ivan Picelj, Aleksandar
collector, painter and restorer, Srnec and Julije Knifer and
donated his extensive collections conceptualist pieces by Mladen
to the city of Zagreb, and the Stilinovič, Tomislav Gotovac
Mimara Museum was set up and Vlado Martek. International
for their display. The museum acquisitions include artist Carsten
is housed in a Neo-Renaissance Höller’s toboggan slides. The
building built by the German building is in itself an attraction,
architects Ludwig and Hülsner in displaying both moving images
1895. The ground floor contains Susanna and the Old Men, Gallery of and abstract light displays
archaeological finds, Oriental Old Masters on its façade at night.
s Varaždin uniforms and bearskin hats.

To the east of the square
Although traces of the Neolithic Age and the Roman stands Drašković Palace (Palača
period have been identified around Varaždin Castle, the first Drašković), built in the late 17th
documented mention of the town of Varaždin was in 1181, century with a Rococo façade.
The Croat Parliament met
when King Bela III (r. 1172–96) confirmed the rights of the
here between 1756 and 1776.
Zagreb Curia to the thermal spas in the area. In 1209, it was Opposite stands the Renaissance
declared a free town by King Andrew II (r. 1205–35) and began Ritz House, one of the oldest
to develop as a trading centre. From the 16th century onwards, in the town; the date of construc-
Varaždin was a border fortress defending Habsburg territories tion, 1540, is engraved on
from the Ottoman Turks, and the Croatian Parliament began its doorway.
to meet here in 1756. In 1776, a huge fire caused widespread R Cathedral of
destruction, but left many churches and palaces standing. the Assumption
Today, Varaždin is one of the best-preserved towns in Croatia. Pavlinska ulica 4. Tel (042) 210 688.
Open 9:30am–12:30pm &
4–7pm daily.
The Church of the Assumption
(Katedrala Uznesenja Marijina)
became a cathedral in 1997. Both
the church and the monastery
annexed to it were built in the
first half of the 17th century by
the Jesuits. Later, the Pauline
Order took over.
The cathedral’s tall façade
features pillars, and its interior is
in the Baroque style. The main
View of Varaždin Castle, home to the Civic Museum altar occupies the width of the
central nave and is a riot of gilded
P Varaždin Castle and E Gallery of Old and columns, stuccoes and engravings.
Civic Museum Modern Masters At the centre is an Assumption of
Strossmayerovo šetalište 7. Stančićev trg 3. Tel (042) 214 172. the Virgin, reminiscent of Titian’s
Tel (042) 658 754. Open 9am–5pm Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, 9am–1pm work in Venice. Baroque music
Tue–Fri, 9am–1pm Sat & Sun. Sat & Sun. & 8 by appt. ^ concerts are held here on
&8^ The gallery (Galerija starih i novih some evenings.
Varaždin Castle (Stari grad i Majstora) has a large collection of
Gradski muzej) has origins works from all over Europe, and is
in the 12th century, and was particularly rich in landscapes by
rebuilt between the 14th Flemish and Italian artists as well
and 19th centuries when an as portraits by German and
Ottoman attack was imminent. Dutch painters.
The stout round bastions
built at this time are still an P Tomislav Square
impressive sight. The castle Town Hall: Trg kralja Tomislava 1.
was remodelled in the 1560s, Tel (042) 402 508. Open by appt.
when Italian architect Drašković Palace: Trg kralja Tomislava 3. Rich Baroque altar in the Cathedral
Domenico dell’Allio created Closed to the public. of the Assumption
a Renaissance structure with a The charming Tomislav Square
beautiful arcaded courtyard. (Trg kralja Tomislava) is the heart R Church of St John
The castle’s present look dates of the town. Facing the square is the Baptist
from the time of the powerful the Town Hall (Gradska vijećnica), Franjevački trg 8. Tel (042) 213
Erdödy counts, who added one of the oldest buildings in 166. Open 8:30am–noon &
bastions and a moat. Now Varaždin. Built in the 15th century 5:30–7pm daily.
the Civic Museum, it houses in Gothic style, it has since been Built in 1650 in the Baroque style
collections of weapons, altered and a clock tower added. on the site of a 13th-century
porcelain, handicrafts and It was a private house until 1523, church, the Church of St John the
an 18th-century pharmacy. when its owner Prince George of Baptist (Crkva sv Ivana Krstitelja)
Ruins of the wall and the Lisak Brandenburg gave it to the town has a Renaissance doorway with
Tower, to the east of the to serve as the Town Hall. It is a tympanum and statues of St
castle, are the only remaining guarded in summer by the Anthony of Padua and St Francis
evidence of the original Purgars, the traditional town of Assisi. The interior has eight
medieval walls. guard, who wear 19th-century side chapels and an ornate
C R O AT I A 475
Palace (Palača Herzer) has VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

housed the Entomological
Museum (Entomološki odjel Practical Information
Gradskog muzeja) since 1954. 80 km (50 miles) NE of
The museum was founded by Zagreb. * 40,000.
entomologist Franjo Košćec, n Ivana Padovca 3, (042) 210
who, in 1959, donated his own 987. _ Varaždin Baroque
evenings (Sep–Oct),
natural history collection to the
Špancirfest (late Aug).
town. The museum also hosts ∑ tourism-varazdin.hr
occasional themed exhibitions.
Transport
R Church of the Holy Trinity £ Kolodvorska 17.
Kapucinski trg 7. Tel (042) 213 550. @ Zrinskih i Frankopana bb.
Bell tower of the Church of St John the Open 9am–noon & 6–7pm Mon–Sat,
Baptist, Tomislav Square Sun before and after mass.
The Church of the Holy Trinity Theatre (Hrvatsko Narodno
gilded pulpit from the late 17th (Crkva Presvetog Trojstvo) dates Kazalište) is one of the
century. The bell tower is 54 m from the early 18th century main cultural centres in
(177 ft) high. and houses Baroque paintings, the town. Every year during
In front of the church is a furnishings by local masters summer and autumn,
copy of the Monument of Bishop and an organ with figures of theatregoers from all over
Gregory of Nin by Ivan Meštrović. angels playing instruments. Europe come to attend the
The adjacent former pharmacy The neighbouring monastery is performances here.
has many works of art, among famous for its library, containing
them some allegorical frescoes manuscripts, parchments and P Municipal Cemetery
by the 18th-century painter incunabula and some of the Hallerova aleja. Open Mar–Apr
Ivan Ranger. oldest documents written in & Oct: 7am–8pm; May–Sep:
Kajkavski (ancient Croatian). 7am–9pm; Nov–Feb: 7am–5pm.
P Herzer Palace To the west of the castle,
Franjevački trg 6. Open 9am–5pm F Croatian National this cemetery (Gradsko
Tue–Fri, 9am–1pm Sat & Sun. Theatre groblje) is a public garden
Entomological Museum: Tel (042) 658 Ulica Augusta Cesarca 1. Tel (042) 214 as well as a place of rest. It
760. & 8 688. Open for performances only. was laid out in the early 20th
Built at the end of the 18th Built by Hermann Helmer in century by cemetery keeper,
century, the late Baroque Herzer 1873, the Croatian National Herman Haller.
Varaždin Town Centre

1 Varaždin Castle and Civic
Museum V. N A Z O R A
2 Gallery of Old and Varaždin Castle and
Civic Museum TRG BANA
Modern Masters JELAČIĆA
3 Tomislav Square
LJ. GA JEV
A.
ŠEN
4 Cathedral of the Assumption STANČIĆEV

OE
TRG
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5 Church of St John
P. P
Gallery of Old
CA
and Modern Masters

the Baptist
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6 Herzer Palace
RAD
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V. LI Church of
7 Church of the Holy Trinity TOMISLAV
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Municipal
St John
L IN S
Cemetery SQUARE
the Baptist
IČA
8 Croatian National Theatre

KA
Ursuline Drašković Palace

S.
Church KA
U.
Herzer FRANJEVAČKI PA V L I NS
VR
Palace TRG
Cathedral of the
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Assumption
A Patačiċ
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KAČ Palace VA
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Church of
E VA
St Nicholas Railway Station

Erdödy 500 m (550 yards)
Palace TRG Croatian
SLOBODE
National
Theatre
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SA
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KAPUCINSKI
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0 metres 200 Church of

BL AŽ EK
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OPAN
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d Osijek statue of the Virgin Mary from

the 15th century and some
The capital of Slavonia, Osijek sits in the middle of a fertile liturgical furnishings.
plain. The city developed in 1786 with the merger of three
districts: the Fort (Tvrđa), Lower Town (Donji grad) and Upper R Church of St Michael
Trg Jurja Križanića, Tvrđa. Tel (031) 208
Town (Gornji grad). Due to its position on the Drava river, Osijek
990. Open before mass.
has always played a strategic role. In 1991, after the declaration The second biggest church in
of independence by Croatia, the city was bombed by Yugoslav the city, this impressive building
forces and much of the old centre was damaged. Osijek never (Crkva sv Mihovila) was built by
fell, and emerged from the war to become a prosperous centre. the Jesuits in the first half of the
Trvđa, the fortified centre, escaped serious damage during the 18th century. The Baroque façade
war and has preserved much of its Baroque architecture. The is flanked by two bell towers, and
the monastery has a splendid
Upper Town, meanwhile, presents Osijek’s modern face with doorway built in 1719. Below
bustling streets, filled with shops, bars and restaurants. street level, the foundations of
the 16th-century Kasim-paša
Mosque are still visible.
P Europska avenija
This avenue is Osijek’s main
thoroughfare, linking Tvrđa
to the Upper Town. It is famous
for the superb row of Art
Nouveau houses built for local
industrialists at the beginning of
the 20th century. It runs
through the leafy Park kralja
Držislava, which contains the
monumental sculpture Soldier in
the Throes of Death (1894) by
The main square, trg sv Trojstva, in the heart of Tvrđa Croatian sculptor Robert
Frangeš-Mihanović.
E Museum of Slavonia There are nine departments:
Trg sv Trojstva 6, Tvrđa. Tel (031) 250 730. natural history, archaeology
Open 9am–7pm Tue, Wed & Fri, 9am– (with prehistoric, antique and
10pm Thu, 5–9pm Sat, 10am–2pm Sun. medieval sections), numismatics,
& 8 ^ = Osijek Archaeological history, department of arts and
Museum: Open 10am–6pm Tue & Wed, crafts, ethnography, the technical
noon–8pm Thu, 10am–4pm Fri, 10am– department and a collection of
2pm Sat & Sun. Closed Mon. & 8
old newspapers. There is a rich
On the eastern side of Tvrđa is collection devoted to local folklore,
the old Town Hall, which houses including intricately embroidered
the Museum of Slavonia (Muzej traditional costumes from
Slavonije). The museum has nearly surrounding villages. Local crafts
400,000 registered objects are represented with a range of
grouped into about 100 collections. painted wooden furniture.
The museum also houses the
Osijek Archaeological Museum,
which has displays of statuary
and tombstones from the Roman Soldier in the Throes of Death, Park kralja
settlement of Mursa, as well as Držislava, Europe Avenue
weapons and jewellery belong-
ing to the first Croat settlers. E Museum of Fine Arts
Europska avenija 9. Tel (031) 251 280.
R Church of the Holy Cross Open Sep–Jun: 10am–6pm Tue–Fri
Franjevačka ulica, Tvrđa. Tel (031) 208 (till 8pm Thu), 10am–1pm Sat & Sun;
177. Open 8am–noon & 3–8pm, daily. Jul & Aug: 10am–6pm Mon–Fri. &
8 by appt.
Northeast of Trg sv Trojstva, on
the site of a sacred medieval This gallery (Muzej likovnih
building, stands this church umjetnosti), founded in 1954,
(Crkva svetog Križa), built by is housed in an elegant 19th-
Statue from Roman Mursa, Osijek the Franciscans between 1709 century house. There are collec-
Archaeological Museum and 1720. Inside is a pretty tions of paintings from the 18th
C R O AT I A 477
R Church of Sts Peter VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

and Paul
Trg Marina Držića, Gornji grad. Practical Information
Tel (031) 310 020. Open 2–6:30pm 280 km (174 miles) E of Zagreb.
Mon, 9am–6:30pm Tue–Fri. * 108,000. n Županijska 2,
This imposing late 19th-century (031) 203 755. _ Summer
Neo-Gothic church (Crkva sv Nights of Osijek (Jun–Aug), City
Day (2 Dec). ∑ tzosijek.hr
Petra i Pavla) is dedicated to Sts
Peter and Paul. It was designed Transport
by Franz Langenberg. The 40 k 20 km (12 miles) S of Osijek.
stained-glass windows and £ Trg Ružičke. @ Bartola Kašića.
some sculptures are by the
Viennese artist Eduard Hauser.
in Moorish style in the
Splendid Neo-Gothic Church of P Croatian National Theatre 19th century, but was badly
Sts Peter and Paul Županijska 9, Gornji grad. damaged during the bombing
Tel (031) 220 700. by Yugoslav forces in 1991. It
and 19th centuries, as well as Osijek has a long and rich has now been restored and
works by popular Croatian artists. theatre tradition. The Croatian stages a number of opera and
A special section is dedicated to National Theatre (Hrvatsko drama productions from
works of art from the Osijek school. narodno kazalište) was built September to May.
R Church and Monastery

of St James
Kapucinska 41, Gornji grad.
Tel (031) 201 182. Open 6:30am–
noon, 4–8pm & by appt, daily.
The medieval Gothic Church
and Monastery of St James
(Crkva i samostan sv Jakova),
with a Capuchin monastery, is
the oldest building in the Upper
Town. In the sacristy are mid-
18th-century paintings on the
life of St Francis. Lavish interior of the Croatian National Theatre
Osijek City Centre

1 Museum of Slavonia 6 Church and Monastery
2 Church of the Holy Cross of St James
3 Church of St Michael 7 Church of Sts Peter and Paul
4 Europska avenija 8 Croatian National Theatre
5 Museum of Fine Arts 0 metres 500
0 yards 500
GO
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Church of A Church of the
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KARDINAL
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KAPU C I N S K A
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Croatian AČA
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Airport 400 m (440 yards) 400 m (440 yards) CE
5 km
S TA
(3 miles)

Practical & Travel Information centar (hospitals and clinics) in

all the major towns and health
Croatia is a welcoming country to visit with minimal centres and ljekarna (pharmacies)
border formalities, an up-to-date transport network and a in the smaller towns. Visitors
well-organized tourist information infrastructure. Modern need not pay for medical
services if the Health Care
highways ensure speedy access to the Adriatic coast, while
Convention has been signed
a busy fleet of passenger ferries serves the offshore islands. between Croatia and their
Public services and tourist facilities are efficient and modern, home country. This applies
making the country an increasingly popular holiday to all countries in the EU
destination in South Eastern Europe. including the UK, Ireland and
Italy. If not, visitors have to pay
for treatment according to a
When to Visit Visitor Information standardized price list.
The most popular time to visit Every town and city has a tourist Croatia has a relatively low
Croatia is in summer, during office, usually called the Turistički crime rate and violent crime
July and August. With its crystal- Ured, Turistička Zajednica or is rare. If petty theft occurs,
clear seas, islands and bays Turistički Informativni Centar. it is most likely to happen
offering plenty of opportunities The staff are usually helpful on crowded beaches during
for exploration and swimming, and speak English. The Croatian the summer season, so
the coast is a major attraction. National Tourist Board has visitors should be vigilant
For a quieter holiday, off-season offices in cities throughout the in these places.
months such as May, June world, including London and
or September are preferable, Washington, and also runs a
when the weather is still fine, useful website. Facilities for the Disabled
resorts are not so crowded Opening hours for tourist Croatia is quite well equipped
and accommodation is cheaper. offices vary depending on the with facilities for the disabled.
Cities such as Zagreb, Dubrovnik season. In July and August, the Most public places, including
and Split are enjoyable tourist offices open daily from trains, buses and toilets, are
destinations all year round. 8am to 8pm; in May, June and wheelchair-friendly.
September hours are shorter.
In smaller towns, some tourist
Documentation offices may be closed altogether Banking and Currency
Citizens of European Union (EU) between October and April. The Croatian currency is the
countries, the US, New Zealand, kuna. Money can be changed
Canada and Australia may visit in banks and authorized
Croatia for up to 90 days without Health and Security exchange bureaus as well as
a visa. The Croatian Ministry of Croatian public health post offices and tourist agen-
Foreign and European Affairs services meet the standards cies. In cities and major towns,
website provides a list of countries of those elsewhere in Europe, cash can be withdrawn from
whose citizens require visas. All and in general visitors run no ATMs using internationally
foreign visitors must register with serious health risks. There are recognized cards.
the local police within 48 hours no endemic diseases and the
of arrival; this is usually arranged most common ailments are
by hotel staff. Failure to do so those caused by insect bites Communications
may result in a penalty or even and over-exposure to the sun. Public telephones are found
deportation from the country. There are bolnica or klinički everywhere and are operated
using phone cards, which are
usually sold in units of 15, 30
The Climate of Croatia ZAGREB and 50 kuna. They can be
Along the coast, the climate 24/75 bought from news kiosks
is typically Mediterranean, and tobacco shops.
° C/F 16/61 17/63 16/61 SIM cards from local mobile
with mild winters and hot, dry
summers; the Dalmatian coast 8/46 9/48 network providers such as
is one of the sunniest parts 3/37
Tele2, T-Mobile and Vipnet
of Europe. Inland, the weather 0°C are economical, but visitors
32°F
-3/27 should check with their own
is continental, with hot
summers and cold winters. 5.5 8.8 phone service providers for
9 hrs 3 hrs
The mountainous areas have hrs hrs advice on roaming facilities
an Alpine climate, with 50 90 90 30 within the country.
plenty of rain, including mm mm mm mm Internet facilities are widely
thunderstorms and snow month Apr Jul Oct Jan available, and it is easy to find
in winter. Internet cafés with good
connections in most places.
C R O AT I A 479
Arriving by Air Ancona and Split four times a Austria and Italy. Within
The national airline, Croatia week all year round. Blue Line Croatia, the bus network
Airlines, links Croatia’s main also runs daily services. is comprehensive but can
airports with the rest of Europe. be expensive. Services are
Other European airlines offering divided into Intercity (direct
scheduled services to Croatia Rail Travel connections between the larger
include Air France, Lufthansa Croatia is well connected to cities) and regional services
and Austrian Airlines. Among the rest of Europe by rail, (with connections to smaller
the budget airlines, Wizz Air flies especially Central Europe. towns and the main cities). For
direct to Zagreb from London Visitors travelling from London information, visitors can contact
Luton airport while easyJet to Zagreb should contact Rail or check the website of the
and Ryanair operate summer Europe or see their website for main bus station, Autobusni
season flights from the UK and information. Connections from kolodvor Zagreb.
Ireland to several cities on the other European cities include
Croatian coast. There are no Munich and Vienna.
direct flights from North America Within Croatia, all the major Travelling by Car
or Australasia although one or towns and cities are linked Travelling to Croatia by car is
two-stop flights involving a by rail, with the exception of most popular with visitors from
change at a major European Dubrovnik, where there is no neighbouring countries. Those
airport are easy to arrange. railway station. The hub of the driving in Croatia need to carry
Croatia has airports at Zagreb, Croatian railway network is in a valid driving licence, the car’s
Split, Dubrovnik, Osijek, Pula, the capital Zagreb, where the log book and a Green Card.
Rijeka and Zadar. All are close head office of Croatian Railways Hiring a car is relatively easy
to their respective city centres is located. and rental agencies can be
and well connected to them found in all the main towns
by regular bus services. and cities. It is best to hire from
Travelling by Bus big companies such as Avis or
Croatia is also well linked Hertz, which offer competitive
Arriving by Sea to other countries by bus. prices. One of the advantages
Several boat companies International buses connect of renting a car through these
operate between Croatia and the country with the bordering companies is having the option
Italy. Jadrolinija, the main ferry states and also with France, of leaving the car in a different
company, runs between Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, town from the collection point.
DIRECTORY
Documentation Visitor Arriving by Air Arriving by Sea
Information Air France
Croatian Ministry of Blue Line
Foreign Affairs Croatian National ∑ airfrance.com ∑ blueline-ferries.com
∑ mvep.hr Tourist Board Austrian Airlines Jadrolinija
Iblerov trg 10/IV, Zagreb.
∑ austrian.com Riva 16, Rijeka.
Embassies Tel (01) 469 9333.
Croatia Airlines Tel (051) 666 111.
∑ croatia.hr
Australia ∑ croatiaairlines.com
Emergency Rail Travel
Kaptol Centar, Zagreb. Dubrovnik Airport
Tel (01) 489 1200. Numbers Tel (020) 773 100. Croatian Railways
Ambulance ∑ airport-dubrovnik.hr Tel (060) 333 444.
Canada
Tel 194. easyJet ∑ hzpp.hr
Prilaz Gjure Deželića 4,
Zagreb. ∑ easyjet.com Rail Europe
Fire
Tel (01) 488 1200. Lufthansa Tel (08448) 484 064.
Tel 193.
∑ lufthansa.com ∑ raileurope.com
New Zealand General Emergency
Vlaška 50a, Zagreb. Tel 112. Ryanair Travelling by Bus
Tel (01) 461 2060. ∑ ryanair.com
Police Autobusni Kolodvor
United Kingdom Tel 192. Split Airport Zagreb
I. Lučića 4, Zagreb. Tel (021) 203 506. Tel (060) 313 333.
Tel (01) 600 9100. Communications ∑ split-airport.hr ∑ akz.hr
United States Tele2 Wizz Air
∑ tele2.hr ∑ wizzair.com
Travelling by Car
Ul. Thomasa Jeffersona 2,
Zagreb. T-Mobile Zagreb Airport Avis
Tel (01) 661 2200. ∑ hrvatskitelekom.hr Pieso bb HR - 10 150, ∑ avis.com.hr
∑ zagreb.usembassy. Vipnet Zagreb. Tel (060) 320 320. Hertz
gov ∑ vipnet.hr ∑ zagreb- airport.hr ∑ hertz.hr
Shopping & Entertainment Souvenirs

Three good souvenirs from
Souvenir-hunters in Croatia will be spoilt for choice, with a Croatia are ties, fountain pens
range of traditional crafts such as costume dolls, exquisite and lavender. The country can
handmade lace and hand-painted ceramics and jewellery to claim to have invented the tie,
or cravat, which was originally
choose from. Ties and fountain pens, both of which originated
a scarf used by Croatian cavalry-
in Croatia, also make good purchases. A variety of accessible men to distinguish them from
and engaging entertainment caters for all age groups and other soldiers during the Thirty
tastes, ranging from opera and ballet to folk music festivals Years’ War in the 17th century. A
and nightclubs. In summer, performances are sometimes held good selection can be found in
outdoors in places with a particularly pretty setting. leading clothes stores in Zagreb
such as Boutique Croata.
Another little-known fact is that
Opening Hours souvenirs, including objects the inventor of the fountain
Shops and department inspired by maritime themes is pen, Eduard Slavoljub Penkala,
stores are usually open from available. Visitors can also find was an engineer from Zagreb.
8am to 8pm Monday to Friday good reproductions of Roman Pens are available in most
(sometimes 7am to 9pm) objects in the underground department stores in the capital.
and from 8am to 2 or 3pm on area of Diocletian’s Palace (see The country’s best-known
Saturday. It should be noted pp448–9). In Osijek, the most natural product is lavender,
that smaller shops often close interesting buys are textiles, which is sold dried, in small
at lunchtime, usually from noon finely embroidered with gold bags, or as essence, in bottles.
to 4pm. Shops are generally and silver thread. It can be found more or less
closed on Sundays and holidays, A typical Croatian craft is all over Croatia but is particu-
although many remain open needlework with red geometric larly linked with the island of
in the high season in patterns stitched on to a white Hvar (see pp454–5).
tourist resorts. background. This characteristic
design, painstakingly sewn
by hand, is mostly used to deco- Food
Markets rate table linen, pillowcases Among Croatia’s gastronomic
The street markets of Croatia and blouses. The art of lace- specialities, mustard (in tradi-
are colourful, lively places to making is also widely admired. tional containers), honey and
stroll around. In Zagreb, the A centuries-old tradition, the lace cukarini biscuits are particularly
Dolac is a daily market where was originally used to embellish worth buying. Truffles from Istria
food is sold under bright red women’s blouses. The patterns and olive oil from the Dalmatian
umbrellas. In Split, a morning produced are the lace-maker’s Islands are highly prized by
market is held every day on interpretation of designs that gourmets. Another valued
Pazar, selling absolutely every- have been passed down from delicacy is paški sir, a mature
thing: fruit, vegetables, shoes, generation to generation. cheese made from sheep’s milk,
flowers, clothes and a vast Beautiful lace can be bought produced on the island of Pag.
assortment of souvenirs. in many places. Hrvatska kuća Food specialities can be bought
Bigger shopping centres Materina priča and Etno butik from Zigante Tartufi in Istria
are mainly found in larger Mara sell a variety of handicrafts. and Natura Croatica in Zagreb.
towns and cities where most
merchandise is sold under
one roof, and usually include Jewellery Nightlife
a department store or super- There is one item of jewellery Croatia is never short of
market. In Zagreb, the busiest that can only be found in nightlife. For an all-night
shopping centres are the Croatia or, more precisely, in party, however, the capital
Importanne Centar in the Rijeka. This is the morčić, a or the coast are the best
city centre and Avenue Mall small figurine in the form places to be. There are lots
in the southern suburb of of a black Moorish character of lively bars along the
Novi Zagreb. wearing a turban. It was originally pedestrianized Tkalčićeva
produced as earrings but today ulica in Zagreb; while clubs
tie-pins and brooches can also like Aquarius Club (house
Handicrafts be found. Considered a symbol and techno) and Močvara
Croatia has a long tradition of of good luck, the item is (alternative rock) provide
producing fine handicrafts. In traditionally made of glazed plenty in the way of DJ
Zagreb, Širok has an array of ceramic, although precious action and live music.
dolls in traditional costume, stones may be used to decorate Apart from Zagreb, other
embroidered items, terracotta, it on request. The best place places have an equally lively
ceramics and wooden objects. to buy a morčić in Rijeka is the nightlife. Located in the boat,
In Split, an assortment of Mala Galerija. Arca Fiumana on Rijeka’s
C R O AT I A 481
waterfront, Café-Disco Bar Theatre, Dance performances can be bought

Makina holds live concerts and Festivals in advance from an agency or
and plays alternative, rock, funk Although usually performed at the relevant venue.
and indie music. Another good in Croatian, high-class stagings
spot for lively alternative rock of opera and theatre are
concerts is Rock Club Uljanik, enjoyable, especially those Folk Music
occupying a vacant building put on by Zagreb’s Croatian Croatia has a rich tradition of
above the shipyards in Pula. National Theatre, Rijeka’s folk music and folk bands play
Split features clubs with Croatian National Theatre Ivan all along the Adriatic, in open-
open-air terraces looking out pl. Zajc and Split’s National air concerts and at holiday
to sea, the best of which are Theatre. For a more unusual festivals. Unusual instruments
O’Hara on the seafront path form of drama, a visit to the to look out for are the tamburica,
and Hemingway near the unique Zagreb puppet theatre, a mandolin-type instrument
yachting marina. The alleyways Zagrebačko kazalište lutaka, of Anatolian origin common
of Dubrovnik’s Old Town are can be rewarding. They have in Slavonia and in the extreme
full of café-bars that remain performances almost every east of the country, and the
lively until the early hours, weekend and tickets can be roženice (a traditional Istrian
while the Night Club Fuego bought on the spot. Information woodwind instrument similar
is casual and relaxed, and about programmes is available to the modern oboe). Visitors
plays a range of music. from the tourist information will also encounter variations
Hvar, one of the country’s office or on posters announcing on the folk theme such as klapa
many islands, has developed forthcoming events. – five- to ten-part harmony
a reputation as a party island. Croatia also has many singing, mainly by males – or
Early evening activity centres traditional festivals, of which linđo, the most popular dance
around the harbour in bar- the most famous is the sword of Dubrovnik, accompanied
cum-clubs such as Carpe dance, enacted in Korčula’s by a traditional instrument
Diem, where the dancers town centre twice a week with three strings called a
warm up before heading up throughout the summer. Any lijerica. The famous Dubrovnik
the tree-covered hillside to festive occasion incorporates Summer Festival, held between
Veneranda, a concert and folk dances such as the July and August, is not to
cultural centre with a Baroque poskočica, where couples be missed, nor any event
chapel, located close to the weave themselves into intricate at Pula’s ancient and stunning
main square. configurations. Tickets for Pula Amphitheatre.
DIRECTORY
Markets Souvenirs Hemingway Croatian National
VIII. Mediteranskih igara 5, Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc
Avenue Mall Boutique Croata Split. ∑ hemingway.hr Uljarska 1, Rijeka.
Av Dubrovnik 16, Zagreb. Prolaz Oktogon, Tel (051) 337 114.
Tel (01) 652 7645. Močvara
Ilica 5, Zagreb.
Trnjanski nasip bb, Zagreb. Zagrebačko kazalište
Dolac Tel (01) 481 2726. Tel (01) 615 9667. lutaka
Tel (01) 481 3199. Ulica baruna
Food Night Club Fuego
Importanne Centar Brsalje 8, Near Pile Gate, Trenka 3, Zagreb.
Starčevićev trg 7, Zagreb. Natura Croatica Dubrovnik. Tel (01) 487 8445.
Tel (01) 457 7076. Preradovićeva 8, Zagreb. Tel (020) 312 870.
Folk Music
Tel (01) 485 5076. O’Hara
Handicrafts Dubrovnik Summer
Zigante Tartufi Uvala Zenta 3, Split.
Etno butik Mara ∑ ohara.hr Festival
Livade 7, Livade.
Ilica 49, Zagreb. ∑ dubrovnik-
Tel (052) 664 030. Rock Club Uljanik
Tel (01) 480 6511. festival.hr
Dobrilina 2, Pula.
Hrvatska kuća Nightlife Pula Amphitheatre
Veneranda Forum 3, Pula.
Materina priča
Aquarius Club On the hill above Riva, Hvar. Tel (052) 219 197.
Preradovićeva 31, Zagreb.
Aleja Matije Ljubeka bb,
Širok Jarun, Zagreb. Theatre, Dance
Bakačeva 8, Zagreb. Tel (01) 364 0231. and Festivals
Tel (01) 481 6552.
Café-Disco Croatian National
Jewellery Bar Makina Theatre
Putnička obala bb. Trg maršala Tita 15,
Mala Galerija Zagreb. Tel (01) 488 8418;
Užarska 25, Rijeka. Carpe Diem Trg Gaje Bulata 1, Split.
Tel (051) 335 403. Riva, Hvar. Tel (021) 306 908.
Where to Stay
DUBROVNIK: Fresh Price Guide
Sheets B&B  Prices are based on one night’s stay in
B&B high season for a standard double room,
Bunićeva poljana 6
Tel 091 896 7509  under 600 kuna
∑ freshsheetsbedandbreakfast.  600 to 1200 kuna
 over 1200 kuna
com
Occupying a unique space
behind the Cathedral, Fresh
Sheets offers a mix of well- ROVINJ: Hotel Lone 
equipped and modern double Boutique
rooms and apartments, all Luje Adamovića 31
decorated in bright colours. Tel (052) 800 250
∑ lonehotel.com
DUBROVNIK: Karmen  This uber-contemporary hotel
B&B hovers above Lone Bay like a
Bandureva 1 friendly alien spaceship. The
Tel (020) 323 433 rooms are well appointed and
Excellent view from the Hotel Luxe ∑ karmendu.com the social areas, grouped around
in Split Comfortable apartments in one a spiral stairway, a joy to use.
of the Old-Town’s most atmospheric
corners, atractively furnished
Zagreb with bric-a-brac and antiques. DK Choice
SPLIT: Goli&Bosi 
ZigZag Integrated Hotel  DUBROVNIK: Villa Hostel
Apartments Map E3 Dubrovnik  Morpurgova poljana 2
Petrinjska 9 Luxury Tel (021) 510 999
Tel (01) 889 5433 Vlaha Bukovca 6 ∑ gollybossy.com
∑ zigzag.hr Tel (020) 500 300 A converted department
Stylish self-catering apartments ∑ villa-dubrovnik.hr store is home to this innovative
in a variety of sizes conveniently In addition to characteristic design hostel. The hostel
located at the central Petrinjska comfort, seclusion and high provides plenty of accomo-
address and in nearby streets. standards of service, expect dation options–dorm beds
stunning views at Villa Dubrovnik, taking the form of semi-private
DoubleTree by Hilton  nestled beneath cliffs to the cubicles, en suite doubles and
Business east of the Old Town, overlooking top-floor family rooms. The
Grada Vukovara 269a the crystal clear waters of hostel's cafe-restaurant spreads
Tel (01) 600 1900 the Adriatic. out into the neighbour ing
neighbouring
∑ hilton.com/zagreb piazza during the summer.
Modern hotel with excellent HVAR: Adriana 
service and faciities In the up- Luxury
and-coming commercial district. Obala Fabrika 28 SPLIT: Hotel Luxe 
Tel (021) 750 200 Boutique
Esplanade  ∑ suncanihvar.com Kralja Zvonimira 6
Historic Map D5 Smart hotel on the harbourfront Tel (021) 314 444
Mihanovićeva 1 with small but stylish rooms, ∑ hotelluxesplit.com
Tel (01) 456 6666 popular top-floor bar and Bright colours and swish design
∑ esplanade.hr swimming pool. characterize this contemporary
Long established as a haven hotel located above the port.
for celebrities, this uber-stylish KORČULA: Lesić-Dimitri 
and iconic hotel is set in a regal Luxury TROGIR: Concordia 
1920s building combining its Don Pavla Poše 1–6 B&B
Art Deco glamour with every Tel (021) 715 560 Obala Bana Berislavića 22
contemporary convenience. ∑ lesic-dimitri.com Tel (021) 885 400
Luxury apartments occupying ∑ concordia-hotel.net
a row of restored houses in Set in an 18th-century
Korčula's Old Town. Each stone house, Concordia
Rest of Croatia apartment has a fully-equipped offers cosy rooms, many
kitchen and contemporary with harbour views.
BRAČ: Villa Adriatica  bathroom.
Boutique VARAŽDIN: Pansion Garestin 
Put vele luke 31, Supetar OSIJEK: Waldinger  B&B
Tel (021) 755 010 Closed Oct-Apr Historic Zagrebačka 34
∑ villaadriatica.com Županijska 8 Tel (042) 214 314
A chic and well-equipped Tel (031) 250 450 ∑ gastrocom-ugostiteljstvo.com
family-run hotel, Adriatica ∑ waldinger.hr A 10-minute walk from the
is situated in a quiet, peaceful Nineteenth-century city- town’s Baroque centre this
neighbourhood, which is centre building with neat, B&B offers plain but well-
just minutes away from burgundy-hued rooms and equipped rooms above a
the seafront. modern bathrooms. popular restaurant.

fresh fish alongside inexpensive Price Guide
Zagreb dishes such as hake fillets, pastas Prices are based on a complete meal for
and grilled meats. one with drinks (except wine), including
Pauza 
International Map D4 DUBROVNIK: Lokanda  under 200 kuna
Preradovićeva 34 Peskarija   200 to 400 kuna
 over 400 kuna
Tel (01) 485 4598 Closed Sun Seafood
Adriatic seafood and Asian spices Na ponti bb
are the hallmarks of Pauza’s Tel (020) 324 750 KORČULA: LD 
imaginative menu, although With outdoor seating spread Gourmet
there’s a lot more besides, with along the Old Port quayside, Don Pavla Poše 1–6
soups, pastas and salads luring this is a reliable choice for grilled Tel (020) 715 560
the lunchtime crowds. squid, seafood risotto and other This classy restaurant with
Adriatic staples. seating on Korčula’s waterfront
Ribice i Tri Točkice  promenade, gives an inventive
Seafood Map D3 DUBROVNIK: Nishta  twist to local meat and fish
Preradovićeva 7/1 International dishes. The ideal place to sample
Tel (01) 563 5479 Prijeko bb the best of local wines.
This rather enjoyable restaurantis Tel (020) 322 088 Closed Sun
bedecked with maritime murals, Nishta kicked off something OSIJEK: Slavonska kuća 
and specializes in smartly priced of a gastro revolution in the fish- Croatian
Adriatic seafood dishes with and meat-obsessed Dalmatia by Kamila Firingera 26a
fillets of fish, squid, octopus opening this strictly vegetarian, Tel (031) 369 955
stews and risottos filling its vegan and gluten-free restaurant Decorated to look like a country
extensive menu. in the heart of the Old Town. The kitchen, the 'Slavonian house' is
menu has Thai, Indian, Mexican one of the best restaurants in the
Vinodol  and Mediterranean influences. region to sample freshwater fish;
Croatian Map D3 either pan-fried, or stewed as hot
Teslina 10 DUBROVNIK: Proto  spicy fiš paprikaš.
Tel (01) 481 1427 Seafood
Grilled meats and roast lamb Široka 1 ROVINJ: Wine Vault 
are the specialities at this popular Tel (020) 323 234 Closed Nov–Mar French
restaurant that boasts a large Traditional Dalmatian fish A. Smareglia 3
terrace in a covered courtyard. and seafood dishes are Tel (052) 636 017
served with care and imagination Based in the Monte Mulini Hotel,
in this elegant restaurant Wine Vault is renowned for its
just off the main street in French-influenced cuisine. The
Rest of Croatia the Old Town. multi-course tasting menus are
intended to last several hours.
BRAČ: Bistro Palute  HVAR: Kod Kapetana 
Seafood Seafood SPLIT: Fife 
Porat 4, Supetar Fabrika 30 Croatian
Tel (021) 631 730 Tel (021) 742 230 Trumbićeva obala 11
With seating right on Supetar's Occupying a pleasant Tel (021) 345 223
harbour, Palute serves the best spot on Hvar's harbourfront, Very much a legend of the local
'At The Captain's' is popular culinary scene, Fife offers large
among locals for its excellent inexpensive portions of Dalmatian
fresh fish and squid, seafood and stews, and remains
expertly grilled. unspoiled by its growing popularity
with in-the-know tourists.
DK Choice SPLIT: Kadena 
HVA
HVAR:
V R: Macondo  Seafood
International Ivana pl. Zajca 4
Groda bb Tel (021) 389 400
Tel (021) 742 850 Occupying a terrace overlooking
This fine restaurant just uphill the seafront path and yachting
from the main square has long marina, Kadena specializes in
been regarded as one of the local fish and shellfish, prepared
best places on the island for with haute-cuisine flair.
seafood served in an informal
and friendly ambience. The VARAŽDIN: Verglec 
spaghetti with lobster or the International
scampi in buzara sauce are well Silvija Strahimira Kranjčevića 12
worth trying; and the wine list Tel (042) 211 131
provides a good introduction This centrally located restaurant
to the island's developing straddles two culinary cultures
viniculture. Outdoor seating is with its fine pizzas and filling
Grand interiors of the Vinodol in an atmospheric narrow alley. north-Croatian fare. Try the roast
in Zagreb duck or roast pork.
BOSNIA AND
HERZEGOVINA
In the light of its tragic history in recent times, it is easy to forget
that Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the most powerful states
in Europe in the Middle Ages. Although the country still wears the
scars of battle, it nevertheless charms visitors with its breathtaking
scenery, atmospheric medieval towns and warm, hospitable people.
Situated in the southwestern Balkans, to 12,000 BC. However, the first

the mountainous northern part of significant records are of the Illyrians,
Bosnia has long been paired with who occupied the western Balkans
Herzegovina, its smaller neighbour; in the 6th century BC before the Romans
both regions are bound by centuries of conquered it some four centuries
common history. Although the capital, later. By the 6th century, attacks by
Sarajevo, has recovered from its wartime Huns, Goths and Avars had weakened
ordeal, towns such as Mostar are yet to the Romans, and the arrival of Slavic
be fully restored, as many settlements tribes from northeast Europe further
still remain abandoned. Despite the added to the region’s veritable melting
danger of landmines, it is still possible pot of ethnicities. The region was
to get a flavour of the country’s natural first ruled by the Serbs, then by the
treasures, from mountains and lush Croats, and finally by the Hungarians,
forests to rivers and dramatic gorges, before establishing itself as an indepen-
in the company of experienced local dent kingdom under King Tvrtko in 1377.
guides. Rafting on Bosnia’s world-class Following Tvrtko’s death in 1391, the
rapids is especially popular. country was absorbed into the expand-
ing Ottoman Empire. When the Austro-
History Hungarians took over from the Ottomans
The earliest evidence of human in 1908, they sought to unite the
settlement in the region dates back country’s ethnic and religious groups
The pedestrianized Old town market in the capital city, Sarajevo

The landmark single-arch stone bridge on the Neretva river, Mostar
that triggered World War I. Bosnia

and Herzegovina joined the newly
formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats
and Slovenes in 1918. During World
War II, the Nazis established a puppet
state in Croatia which grew to include
Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the
war, the country was reintegrated into
Yugoslavia, and enjoyed a peaceful and
prosperous period. As the Yugoslav
regime slowly collapsed throughout
1990–91, Bosnia and Herzegovina voted
for independence, but despite interna-
tional recognition it soon fell prey
to inter-ethnic violence. The republic’s
Depiction of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand largest ethnic group, the Bosnian
and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, at Sarajevo Muslims, were challenged by ethnic
Serbs and later Croats who did not
as loyal Habsburg subjects. However, want to become part of an independent
this attempt at homogeneity was Bosnian state. The Bosnian Croats
resisted by nationalists seeking claimed an area of the country for
independence from Austria, and led themselves, while the Bosnian Serbs
the radical Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip created Republika Srpska (the Serb
to assassinate the Austro-Hungarian Republic) within the borders of Bosnia
heir Franz Ferdinand and his wife in and Herzegovina. The army of the
Sarajevo in 1914. It was this event Republika Srpska, and, to a lesser
extent, the Croatian army, carried
KEY DATES IN THE BOSNIA AND out ethnic cleansing in the form of
HERZEGOVINA HISTORY mass exterminations and deportations.
AD 445 The region is conquered by Ostrogoths In 1995, the Dayton Agreement
1189 Signing of the Kulin Ban Charter brought an end to the conflict by
trade agreement between Bosnia creating a single Bosnian state made
and Dubrovnik
up of two entities, a Muslim-Croat
1377 Bosnia becomes a kingdom under
King Tvrtko I federation holding 51 per cent
1463 The Ottomans conquer Bosnia of the country and a Serb republic
and Herzegovina holding the remaining 49 per cent.
1908 Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia Despite sharing a common
and Herzegovina
government, Bosnia’s ethnic
1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated,
sparking World War I
groups still cooperate poorly.
1918 Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes part of the
kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
1945 Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes part of a new There are three official languages
federal Yugoslavia spoken in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
1990 Collapse of Yugoslav regime Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.
1992 Bosnia and Herzegovina is recognized as an With a multi-ethnic composition,
independent country
the country’s cultural heritage is
1995 Dayton peace accord signed by Croatia, Serbia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina diverse. Orthodox Christianity and
2006 Constitutional amendment for EU integration Islam have combined with Austro-
rejected in Parliament Hungarian and Catholic traditions
to create a unique culture.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 487
Exploring Bosnia
and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a wealth of fascinating
towns to explore as well as stunning natural beauty. The
capital, Sarajevo, is one of Europe’s most lively cities, yet
retains an old-world charm. To the south lies Mostar,
with its atmospheric medieval centre, while to the
northwest Jajce enjoys a picturesque location above
two waterfalls. The country’s rail network is poorly con-
nected, but its roads are in reasonably good condition.
Although most towns are served by buses, car hire
provides greater flexibility.
Sights at a Glance
1 Sarajevo pp488–93 4 Bihać The well-preserved medieval fortress
2 Travnik 5 Mostar pp496–7 dominating the town of Travnik
3 Jajce 6 Međugorje
CROATIA
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SARAJEVO
16
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17
Tomislavgrad Hrasnica Višegrad

Motorway
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Church of St James in the central square at Međugorje

1 Sarajevo
Founded by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century,
the vibrant capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina was at
the centre of the longest siege in modern European
history. Between 1992 and 1995, it lost over 11,000 of
its citizens in the Bosnian War. Today, Sarajevo is home
to a population of nearly half a million people and a
massive reconstruction effort has returned the city to
its former glory. Its bustling streets are now lined with
designer boutiques, trendy bars and cafés catering to
the influx of visitors, while the 16th-century Old Town
(Baščaršija) offers laid-back charm. Scattered through-
out the city are mosques, synagogues and Catholic
and Orthodox churches, a reflection of Sarajevo’s
Sebilj Fountain in the Old Town’s
complex history and rich cultural diversity.
main market
T I TA
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Sights at a Glance
1 Old Town 6 Long Bazaar and Brusa Bazaar
0 metres 200
2 City Hall and National Library 7 Latin Bridge
8 Emperor’s Mosque 0 yards 200
3 Archangel Michael and
9 Franciscan Church
Gabriel Orthodox Church
of St Anthony
and Museum 0 Ashkenazi Synagogue
4 Old Synagogue Key
q National Art Gallery
and Jewish Museum w National Museum Major sight / Place of interest
5 Gazi Husrev Bey’s Mosque e History Museum Pedestrian street

SARAJEVO 489
Getting Around
The compact city centre and the Old Town are easily
visited on foot. The pedestrianized Ferhadija runs
through the heart of the city. Efficient tram and bus
services cover the whole city and are a reliable
way of getting around. Taxis are plentiful and fairly
inexpensive; taxi stands can be found all over the
city and operate 24 hours a day.
Decorative arch, Ashkenazi Synagogue

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View of Sarajevo, set on the banks of the Miljacka river

The atmospheric Old Town market lined with old buildings and shops
1 Old Town careful restoration over 18 years, 3 Archangel

Baščaršija largely funded by the EU, and Michael and Gabriel
reopened in 2014. When it first
Baščaršija. Map E2.
opened in 1896, the building was Orthodox Church
originally designed to resemble a and Museum
A labyrinth of cobbled streets, grand palace, featuring elaborate Stara pravoslavna crkva i muzej
the Old Town is known as arched windows, a decorative Mula Mustafe Bašeskije 59.
Baščaršija after its main market, rooftop crenellation and a first floor Map E2. Open 8am–5pm daily.
which has been a trading place balcony. The Czech architect &=
since the 16th century. In the Alexander Wittek, responsible for
centre of the market stands the the building’s construction, visited Built below ground level
Moorish-style Sebilj Fountain, Cairo for inspiration but committed and hidden behind stone
built in 1753 on the orders suicide before its completion. walls, the Archangel Michael
of Mehmed Paša Kukavica, Although its magnificent and Gabriel Orthodox Church
governor of Bosnia and patron Moorish façade survived the war is thought to rest on the
of fine architecture. relatively unscathed, the interior, foundations of a 5th-century
Reminiscent of an Arabian which housed the National church. However, its current
souk, the market’s narrow Library, was completely gutted appearance dates back
streets, lined with small shops, by fire during shelling. The to 1734.
offer an intriguing choice of library’s irreplaceable repository The cramped interior is
authentic souvenirs. Local of Bosnian written culture was supported by wooden columns
cuisine can be sampled in any almost completely destroyed. and dominated by a wonderful
of the grill or pie shops and gilt iconostasis. Intricately carved,
Turkish-style coffee houses as it features colourful 17th-century
well as at the Morica Han (see icons by local master painters
p501), an ancient Ottoman as well as others added in 1734.
inn with a shaded courtyard. Religious artworks by 19th-
century artists adorn the walls.
2City Hall and The neighbouring museum,
opened in 1890, is one of
National Library Bosnia’s oldest, and displays
Vijećnica
the church’s treasures in smartly
Obala Kulina Bana. Map F2. renovated surroundings.
Among the exhibits are
One of the city’s most striking 17th-century gold- and silver-
works of architecture, the build- plated icons by Russian, Greek
ing that once served as Sarajevo’s and Cretan master painters,
Town Hall became the National along with a rare copy of
Library after World War II. Damaged the Sarajevo Nomocanon
during the Bosnian War, this Entrance to the Orthodox Church and (a book of church and secular
impressive structure underwent Museum, marked by an icon laws) and valuable churchware.
SARAJEVO 491
4 Old Synagogue damage from shelling, though

and Jewish it has since been restored.
Museum Gazi Huzrev Bey also funded
Velika avlija i muzej jevreja the construction of a children’s
religious maktab (school)
Velika Avlija bb. Map E2. Tel (033) 535 within the complex and an
688. Open 10am–6pm Mon–Fri (4pm advanced madrasa (school)
mid-Oct–mid-Apr), 10am–3pm Sun. opposite, with an intricately
& ∑ muzejsarajeva.ba
decorated arched entrance.
The administrative building
Built in 1850, the Old to the west of the courtyard is
Synagogue long served notable for its imposing clock
as the centre of Sarajevo’s tower. Built in 1697, the tower
vibrant Jewish community. measures lunar time and shows
The majority of Sarajevo’s Jews precisely when the sun sets.
were Sephardis, descended
from the Jews of Spain and 6 Long Bazaar
Portugal who were expelled
from the Iberian Peninsula in the
and Brusa Bazaar
1490s. Bosnia’s Ottoman rulers Dugi bezistan i Brusa bezistan
gave them refuge, valuing their Kundurdžiluk 10, Baščaršija. Map E3.
expertise in banking and trade. Open 15 Apr–15 Oct: 10am–6pm (till
The interior once featured 4pm mid-Oct–mid-Apr) Mon–Fri,
arched balconies, but the build- Ornate entrance to Gazi Husrev Bey's 10am–3pm Sat. &
ing was plundered during World Mosque, commissioned in 1531
War II and used as a Jewish Sarajevo’s largest covered
prison during the Holocaust, Adzem Esir Ali was brought in market, the Long Bazaar, was
when Sarajevo’s Jewish pop- to design what was to be the built in 1542 on the orders
ulation of 12,000 was reduced region’s grandest mosque. This of Governor Gazi Husrev Bey.
by 85 per cent. The synagogue’s was achieved by combining a The massive stone structure
restoration in 1965 was timed series of domes with a 45-m is covered by a vaulted ceiling
to coincide with the celebration (148-ft) minaret, and by illumi- and once housed 52 shops
of 400 years of Jewish presence nating the interior with over selling goods imported from all
in Bosnia, when it became a 50 windows. Elaborate calli- over Europe and the Ottoman
museum of Jewish history. graphic quotations from the Empire. The bazaar lies near
It was then badly damaged Koran adorn the walls and thick Kundurdžiluk Street, which also
after repeated shelling during Oriental rugs, gifted by visiting leads to the Gazi Husrev Bey
the Bosnian War, but was rulers, cover the floor. Mosque commissioned by
renovated in 2003. The mosque’s spacious the governor 12 years earlier.
The museum’s collections, courtyard is dominated by an The nearby Brusa Bazaar was
which include some rare ancient chestnut tree and con- built in 1551 by the Ottoman
manuscripts, document the tains two domed mausoleums General Grand Vizier Rustem
thriving Jewish culture in as well as a beautiful marble for trading in Bursa silk from
the region up until the Holocaust. fountain used by worshippers Turkey. Its eight cupolas and
for their ritual ablutions. The rough stone walls were damaged
5 Gazi Husrev mosque was, however, a key by shelling, but since its
target during the Bosnian War reconstruction it has been
Bey’s Mosque and, despite its 2-m (7-ft) thick used as an ethnographic
Gazi Husrev-begova džamija walls, suffered extensive and historical museum.
Sarači 18. Map E2. Tel (033) 532 144.
Open 1 May–30 Sep: 9am–noon,
2:30pm–4pm & 5:30pm–7pm daily.
Closed during Ramadan. =
∑ vakuf-gazi.ba
Regarded as one of the finest

examples of Ottoman Islamic
architecture in the world, this
stunning old mosque with its
five-arch porch and multiple
domes was commissioned in
1531 by Gazi Husrev Bey, who
governed Bosnia between 1521
and 1541. Persian architect Hand-decorated shell and mortar cases on sale in the bazaars
of architect Josip Vancaš,

while his colleague Karlo
Panek built the monastery,
which houses a superb
collection of ancient religious
literature and works of art.
The church’s Neo-Gothic
façade is dominated by its
43-m (141-ft) tower, while
the interior is brightened
by colourful stained-glass
windows. In 2005, the
Archbishop of Canterbury
gave an Anglican Eucharist
service here as part of an
The historic Latin Bridge over the Miljacka river initiative to build bridges
between communities of
7 Latin Bridge Abdülmedcid to accommodate different faiths.
Latinska ćuprija the expanding congregation.
The interior is decorated with
Obala Kulina Bana. Map E3.
simple floral motifs. 0 Ashkenazi
Before the Bosnian War drew Behind the Emperor’s Synagogue
the world’s attention to Sarajevo, Mosque’s imposing stone Aškenaska sinagoga
the city was best known for a walls are tranquil gardens and
Hamdije Kreševljakovića 59. Map D3.
series of events that sparked a pleasant courtyard centred Open 8am–7pm daily.
World War I. On 28 June 1914, around an intricately designed
the Bosnian Serb nationalist fountain, where worshippers In 1959, most of the functions
Gavrilo Princip assassinated gather for ritual ablutions of the Old Synagogue (see p491)
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and before prayer. were transferred to the Ashkenazi
his wife Sofia as they stopped Synagogue, a grand Moorish-
near a bridge over the Miljacka style edifice built in the early 20th
river during an official visit. Princip 9 Franciscan Church century. Today, the synagogue
was considered a national of St Anthony is the main cultural and religious
hero by Bosnian Serbs, and his Franjevački samostan Svetog Ante centre for the city’s 700
footsteps were marked in the remaining Jews.
Franjevačka 6. Map E3. Tel (033) 236
pavement, a memorial was 107. Open 8am–6pm daily. 5
built nearby and the bridge ∑ bosnasrebrena.ba
was renamed in his honour, q National
until the recent war when Constructed in 1912 during Art Gallery
Bosnian Serbs turned against Austro-Hungarian rule, Umjetnička galerija
the city. St Anthony’s Church and
Zelenih Beretki 8. Map E3.
Today, there is little the neighbouring Franciscan Open noon–8pm Tue–Sat. &
acknowledgement of Princip’s monastery were designed by
infamous deed other than a prominent Czech architects. Standing opposite the leafy
brass plaque and an exhibition The church was the last work Alije Izetbegovića park, the
in the adjacent Sarajevo Museum, eclectic National Art Gallery
with displays of Sarajevo during hosts both permanent and
the Austro-Hungarian period. temporary exhibitions and
The historic bridge has now occasional jazz performances.
been renamed Latin Bridge. The building’s façade is still
pockmarked with bullet holes
despite its restoration following
8Emperor’s the Bosnian War.
Mosque Founded in 1946, the
Careva džamija gallery has over 4,500 works,
including some by several
Obala Isa-bega Isakovića. Map E3.
prominent 20th-century
Bosnian artists, paintings from
Built in 1566, during the reign the early Yugoslavian and
of Suleiman the Magnificent, Austro-Hungarian periods and
the Emperor’s Mosque is one a collection by the Swiss painter
of Sarajevo’s main holy sites Ferdinand Hodler. The highlight
and was enlarged in the Splendidly illuminated exterior of the of the gallery’s absorbing icon
19th century under Sultan Emperor’s Mosque collection, displayed in the
SARAJEVO 493
deliberate historic statement.

The museum and its collection
were almost completely
destroyed during the devastating
Bosnian War.
The building is currently
open to the public, but its
original collection of 400,000
artifacts has been reduced to
a one-room display entitled
“Bosnia and Herzegovina
through the Centuries”, consist-
ing mainly of documents and
old photographs. The museum’s
main attraction is the “Surrounded
Monolithic entrance to the History Museum Sarajevo” presentation on the
first floor, to which Sarajevans
central foyer, is the striking e History Museum have contributed objects, photo-
Virgin Hodegetria, painted by Istorijski muzej graphs and documents relating
Montenegrin iconographer to their personal experience of
Zmaja od Bosne 9. Map A3. Tel (033)
Tudor Vuković in 1568. the war. The result is a powerful
210 416. Open summer: 9am–7pm
yet understated exhibition which
Mon–Fri, 10am–2pm Sat & Sun;
winter: 9am–4pm Mon–Fri, 9am–
gives an invaluable insight into the
w National Museum 1pm Sat & Sun. & ∑ muzej.ba
siege. The struggle for sur vival
Zemaljski muzej is illustrated through home-
The battered façade of this made weapons used to defend
Zmaja od Bosne 3. Map A3. Tel (033)
668 027. Closed for renovations.
modernist concrete building, the city, improvised lamps to
∑ zemaljskimuzej.ba with its broken, weed-covered combat the lack of electricity
steps and bullet-scarred walls, and editions of the Sarajevo
First opened in 1888 and gives an impression of aban- newspaper printed every day
located in its current imposing donment that seems like a to boost people’s morale.
building since 1913, the
National Museum is regarded
as Bosnia’s oldest museum.
Inside, the Archaeology
Department has many exhibits
from the Stone Age to the
Middle Ages. The most intriguing,
however, are the stećci (tomb-
stones) which adorn the front
garden. Bosnia’s most legendary
symbol, these monumental
tombstones first appeared
between the 12th and the
15th centuries and thousands
are scattered across the country. Interior of the poignant Tunnel Museum
Many are covered with
engravings of animals, plants Tunnel Museum
and obscure symbols linked
The nondescript rural home of the Kolar family in Butmir, on
to the region’s early Slavic
the outskirts of Sarajevo, was the scene of the biggest clandestine
culture. Other highlights supply operation during the siege. The house, which was within
include the priceless Sarajevo the free territories (land defended by Sarajevans), is now the Tunnel
Haggadah (see p35), a richly Museum. It is situated over the entrance to the 800-m (2,625-ft)
illustrated 14th-century book long tunnel dug under the nearby UN-administered airport in 1993,
which includes one of the first which was the city’s only constant supply route throughout the
depictions of the world as siege. The tunnel took six months of manual digging to complete
a sphere. Also on display is and was repeatedly targeted by Bosnian Serb forces. Today, only a
an array of national costumes section of it remains, but it is enough to give an impression of the
from the 19th century in the cramped and dangerous underground journey an average of 4,000
Ethnographic Department. Sarajevans made daily, each carrying around 50 kg (110 lbs) of food
The Natural History collection and supplies into Sarajevo. It was also used by the first president
has been depleted as a result of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegović. Guided tours of
of damage during the the tunnel are available from 9am until 4pm daily.
Bosnian War.
2 Travnik fortified citadel was founded

95 km (59 miles) NW of Sarajevo.
in the 14th century. It served
* 33,000. @ as the capital of the Bosnian
Kingdom before succumbing
Dwarfed by the lush green twice to the Ottomans: first in
mountains to which it owes 1463 and again in 1527. From
its name, Travnik is overlooked then on, Jajce remained part
by the medieval 15th-century of the Ottoman Empire until
Travnik Fortress (Travnička the Austro-Hungarians took
tvrdava). It is famous as the over in 1908.
birthplace of the Nobel Prize- The idyllic position of this small
winning novelist Ivo Andrić, town on a hillside above the
who immortalized the town mighty Pliva Waterfalls belies its
in his book, Bosnian Chronicle. disturbing recent history. Before
The fortress and the surround- the Bosnian War, Jajce was a
ing Old Town, perched on steep peaceful multi-ethnic town, but
slopes with dramatic views, in May 1992, most of its Bosnian
were built and strengthened Detailing on the façade of the Many Serb residents fled in fear of
during the reign of Bosnian Coloured Mosque, Travnik Croat aggression. In October
kings in the early 15th century. 1992, the army of Republika
In 1463, the fortress fell to the The mountain reaches a height Srpska responded by heavily
Ottomans (see p486), who of 1,943 m (6,375 ft) at Paljenik, bombarding the town, forcing
coveted its commanding its highest peak. The surround- the Bosnian Croat and Muslim
position and built a mosque, ing highlands are still populated population out. Croat forces
of which only the minaret by shepherds but the threat recaptured the town in 1995,
remains. The interesting of landmines means that hiking causing the Serb population
Archaeological and Ethnographic should not be attempted with- to flee once more. Though much
Museum in the complex presents out experienced local guides. of the damage to the town has
an eclectic display of local finds since been repaired, few of its
as well as regional costumes. + Travnik Fortress original Bosnian Serb residents
From the heights of the Old Old Town. Open 8am–8pm daily. have returned.
Town, the minaret of the Many &= One of the town’s oldest
Coloured Mosque (Šarena U Many Coloured Mosque sights is the ruined St Mary’s
džamija) is clearly visible. Bosanska ulica. Open 8am–7pm daily. Church (Crkva sv Marije), which
Originally constructed in 1757 dates back to the 12th century
and rebuilt after a fire in 1815, and was used as a Franciscan
the mosque stands above a 3 Jajce monastery in the 14th century.
covered bazaar. Its interior is 137 km (85 miles) NW of Sarajevo.
The last Bosnian queen, Katerina
decorated with floral patterns. * 31,000. @ Kotromanić, added St Luke’s
One of the best-developed Tower to the church building but
ski resorts in Bosnia, Babanovac The town of Jajce – meaning fled with the saint’s relics when
lies 28 km (17 miles) north of egg – takes its name from the the Ottomans conquered the
the town, on Mount Vlašić. egg-shaped hill upon which its region and converted the church
The picturesque town of Travnik, with its towering minarets

into a mosque. Nearby are some

catacombs that were carved out
in the early 1400s. It is widely
believed that they were used as a
chapel and crypt for the family of
Duke Hrvoje Vucović, a powerful
Bosnian feudal leader. Adjoining
the church are the remains of
a 4th-century Roman temple
dedicated to the god Mithras.
Beyond the church looms
Jajce’s sturdy medieval Bear
Tower (Medvjed kula). The tower,
impenetrable in its day, boasted
6-m (20-ft) thick walls in places
and could only be reached by a
ladder. In recent years, a ground
level entrance has been added. The impressive Pliva Waterfalls, set amidst lush forests below Jajce
Access to the tower, the cata-
combs and the Roman temple forces between 1992 and 1995. stands St Anthony’s Church,
can be arranged by staff at the The siege was finally broken which was turned into the
nearby information office. when Croatian forces partici- current Fethija Mosque by the
The spectacular 20-m (66-ft) pating in Operation Storm Ottomans in the 16th century.
high Pliva Waterfalls, below pushed for ward to join their The lovely countryside
the town at the confluence Bosnian allies. around Bihać is notorious
of the Pliva and Vrbas rivers, The Captain’s Tower for being densely mined.
are a popular attraction. The (Kapetanova kula), in the Hiking and mountain biking
river’s superb canyons make Main Square, is one of the trips, though possible, should
it a perfect spot for rafting. town’s few remaining medieval not be undertaken without
fortified buildings. The tower experienced local guides.
R St Mary’s Church was turned into a prison when
Svetog Luke. the Austro-Hungarians took P Captain’s Tower
control and continued to ulica 5 Korpusa 2.Tel (037) 229 743.
P Bear Tower
function as such until 1959; Open Mon–Fri 10am–8pm. &
Svetog Luke. Open 9am–7pm daily.
& n ulica Svetog Luke. since then it has housed the U Fethija Mosque
Regional History Museum’s well- ulica 5 Korpusa.
presented collection. Behind it Open 7am–7pm daily.
4 Bihać
281 km (175 miles) NW of Sarajevo.
* 78,000. @
Situated on the Una river, the

picturesque town of Bihać is
renowned for the pleasant fish
restaurants that line its river
banks. Medieval Bihać was
one of the last Bosnian towns
to fall into Ottoman hands,
finally succumbing in 1592.
After spending the next three
centuries as a border fortress
on the Austrian-Ottoman Whitewater rafting on the rapids of the Vrbas river
frontier, Bihać was absorbed
into the Austro-Hungarian Rafting
Empire in 1878. The town was Stunning mountain landscapes along with captivating waterfalls
heavily bombarded in World have made Bosnia a popular destination with adventure sports
War II after Josip Broz Tito, who enthusiasts. The waters of the Vrbas, Drina, Tara, Una and Neretva
later became the president of rivers offer such an extensive range of rafting and kayaking
Yugoslavia, made it the centre experiences that the World Rafting Championship was held here
of his anti-Fascist movement. in May 2009. The remarkable UNESCO-protected Tara river canyon,
Bihać’s majority Bosnian Muslim the second deepest in the world, offers some of the most intense
population was subjected to and challenging rafting in Europe.
a three-year siege by Serbian
5 Mostar conflict are the souvenir salt

cellars fashioned from empty
Located on the banks of the Neretva river, Mostar has shell cases. In the heart of the
been the political, cultural and economic cornerstone of Old Town is the 16th century
Herzegovina since Turkish rule. Once the provincial capital Kriva Ćuprija (crooked bridge),
the oldest single-arch stone
of the Ottoman Empire, the town suffered more severely bridge in Mostar. It was built
than any other during the Bosnian War. In 1992, it came under by the Turkish architect, Ćejvan
attack from the Yugoslav People’s Army, dominated by Serbs. Ketoda, in 1566. Near Kriva
The Croats and Muslims joined forces to expel them, but in Ćuprija are the Hamam and
1993, these two ethnic groups turned against each other Tabhana Turkish baths. Despite
and occupied opposing sides of the Neretva river, creating being severely damaged during
the war, the place is still worth
a racial divide that still exists. Today, the popular Old Bridge visiting, especially for the gorgeous
(Stari most), symbolizes Mostar’s pre-war glory. views of the Neretva river and
the Old Bridge from its terrace.
P Old Bridge
Mostar’s symbolic centrepiece,
the elegant stone Old Bridge
(Stari most) spans the Neretva
river, connecting the two sides
of the Old Town. Built by Mimar
Hajruddin in the 16th century,
during the reign of the Ottoman
ruler Suleiman the Magnificent,
the bridge reaches a maximum
height of 21 m (69 ft). Despite
being recognized by UNESCO
The narrow cobbled streets of Mostar’s Old Town as a World Heritage Site, the
bridge became the focus of target
P Old Town a walking tour, the area can practice for Croatian soldiers
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, easily be explored in a day. during the Bosnian War and was
the historic Old Town (Stari grad) The Kujundžiluk Bazaar, with its completely destroyed in November
is the main attraction of Mostar rambling streets of small shops 1993. Reconstruction began soon
with its grand Turkish houses and cafés, is charming, and the after the war ended and the
and the Old Bridge. Ideal for only reminders of the 1990s renovated bridge, which is an
Mostar Town Centre

1 Old Town Railway and Bus Stations
750 m (820 yards)
2 Old Bridge
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exact replica of the original, was VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

opened to the public in July 2004.
The Old Bridge is a popular Practical Information
spot, especially during summer, 139 km (86 miles) SW of Sarajevo.
when visitors jostle for space to * 128,000. n Dr Ante
catch a glimpse of daring local Starcevica bb, (036) 355 090.
∑ hercegovina.ba
men who collect money from
onlookers before jumping off Transport
the bridge. This traditional diving £@
competition is usually held in July.
and traditional tools alongside

archaeological discoveries and a
display outlining Mostar’s history.
U Karadjoz-Beg Mosque
Kujundžiluk. Open 9am–9pm daily.
On the eastern side of Mostar Statue of the Virgin Mary on Apparition
stands the most significant exam- Hill, Međugorje
ple of sacred Islamic architecture
in Herzegovina. Built in 1557, 6 Međugorje
this mosque (Karadžozbegova 169 km (105 miles) SW of Sarajevo.
džamija) is typical of Ottoman * 5,000. @ ∑ medjugorje.org
architecture, with a marble foun-
tain and an madrasa (Islamic The village of Međugorje, in the
Mostar’s landmark Old Bridge, spanning school) in the courtyard. Its southern part of Herzegovina,
the Neretva river interior was once adorned with is regarded as Bosnia’s most
floral motifs, of which only famous Catholic pilgrimage site.
E Herzegovina Museum fragments remain. The slender The small parish owes its
Bajatova 4. Tel (036) 551 602. minaret offers sweeping views reputation to a series of
Open 8am–4pm Mon–Fri, 10am– over Mostar and its environs. reported visions of the Virgin
noon Sat. & ∑ muzejher Mary. The “Queen of Peace”,
cegovine.com P Bišćević House as locals refer to her, was
Founded in 1950, the eclectic Bišćevića. n (036) 580 275. initially witnessed in 1981 by
Herzegovina Museum (Muzej Open 9am–6pm daily. & six children. Crowds of eager
Hercegovine) is housed in the The delightful 17th-century pilgrims gathered to see the
residence of Džemal Bijedić, Bišćević House (Bišćevića kuća), is apparition, but it was only
former head of the Yugoslav a fine example of Turkish design. visible to the children, who
government. Built in an Oriental Partially supported by tall stone were reportedly told ten
style with a porch and a columns, the interior of the house secrets about the future of the
courtyard, the building was features segregated living quarters planet. Today, over 20 million
established to promote the and period furnishings. The building people have visited the site
literary and cultural history enjoys a lofty position on the and numerous independent
of Herzegovina. It exhibits a eastern bank of the Neretva river sightings have been recorded.
variety of regional costumes and offers fine views over the town. However, the Vatican has never
acknowledged the apparitions
and dismisses the claims.
A blue cross stands on the
mountain, now called Apparition
Hill, where the first sighting
took place.
Also worth visiting is the
impressive Church of St James,
in the heart of the town.
Completed in 1969, this is the
gathering place for worshippers
and holy masses are regularly
held here in many languages.
Southwest of the town
stands Mount Križevac, on top
of which an 8-m (26-ft)high
cross was planted in 1934 to
commemorate the 1,900th
Elegant interior of the Karadjoz-Beg Mosque anniversary of Christ’s death.
Practical & Travel Information Facilities for the Disabled

Public awareness about
Bosnians are traditionally hospitable people and will often the needs of travellers with
go out of their way to help visitors. Visitor information centres disabilities is poor in Bosnia
with English-speaking staff are rare outside big towns. With and Herzegovina. Only hotels
and restaurants in major towns
the increasing influx of visitors, accommodation is now readily
have facilities for the disabled.
available in most towns. The country’s good network of
trains and buses ensures easy travel, although a lack of sleeper
carriages means that overnight train journeys can be exhausting. Banking and Currency
It is most convenient to travel by car but drivers need to be The official currency of Bosnia
aware of the danger of landmines. Hiking is also a great way is KM (2 KM is approximately
€1). Banks will usually exchange
to explore the countryside, but not without a guide. traveller’s cheques and major
currencies. In small towns
When to Visit and Mostar. The Sarajevo and villages, credit cards
The best time to visit Bosnia and Tourist Information Centre are less likely to be accepted
Herzegovina is in summer, when and Mostar Tourist Information and ATMs are scarce, so visitors
days are warm and evenings Centre are well equipped and should carry enough cash
pleasant. In general, summer have brochures covering the for their journey.
is from June to September, whole country. Smaller towns
although in Herzegovina, it have tourist association offices,
begins earlier in May. Bosnia but have unreliable opening Communications
experiences severe cold winters, hours and staff are unlikely to Many city hotels and coffee
while in Herzegovina they are speak English. shops offer free Wi-Fi to guests.
relatively mild. For skiers, the Public telephones require phone
best time to visit Bosnia is cards, which are sold in post
from January to March. Health and Security offices or newspaper kiosks.
Visitors are advised to get
vaccinated against tetanus,
Documentation hepatitis A, diphtheria and polio Landmines
All European Union (EU), US prior to travel. Public health One of Bosnia’s biggest safety
and Canadian citizens can enter clinics are best avoided as private concerns for both locals and
Bosnia without a visa for up to clinics offer better medical care. visitors are the landmines laid
90 days, on a valid passport. The Emergency Medical Service during the Bosnian War, which
Other nationalities should apply in Sarajevo is open to visitors cover an estimated four per
to their nearest embassy for a and has good doctors, while cent of the country. Mine
visa. Visitors are required to in Mostar, the Clinical Hospital clearance has been ongoing
register with the police on Mostar also has good medical since 1995, but the sheer
arrival, but hotels will arrange care. In case of any emergency danger of the work, combined
this automatically. it is advisable to contact the with lack of funding and alleged
relevant embassy. misappropriation of funds,
Crime against visitors is has unfortunately hampered
Visitor Information virtually non-existent, although progress. Although the densely
Bosnia’s only official tourist visitors should be wary of pick- populated areas have been
information offices with English- pockets, especially in trams cleared, there is a real danger
speaking staff are in Sarajevo and trains. of unexploded mines in open
countryside and isolated
buildings. The roads have
The Climate of Bosnia SARAJEVO been largely cleared, but the
and Herzegovina possibility of roadside mines
26/79
The south and west of Bosnia means that drivers should
° C/F avoid pulling over on to rough
as well as Herzegovina, has a 15/59 16/61
13/55 or unmarked ground. Hikers
Mediterranean climate with long,
hot summers and mild, wet 6/43 need to take special care and
3/37
winters. In the north and east, 0°C 5/41 should consult Sarajevo’s
32°F
-4/25
much of the country has warm Tourist Information Centre
summers and cold winters, before setting out and are
5 hrs 9 hrs 4 hrs 2 hrs
with snow at higher altitudes strongly advised to take a
benefiting ski resorts close to 64 71 103 66 professional guide. Bosnia’s
Sarajevo and Mount Vlašic. mm mm mm mm Mine Action Centre has up-
Sarajevo averages 20° C (68° F) in month Apr Jul Oct Jan to-date information on the
summer and -1° C (30° F) in winter. current situation, as does
the UK Foreign Office.
Arriving by Air and overnight trains run north plentiful and often accept
Sarajevo International from Sarajevo to Zagreb and credit cards. Major car rental
Airport, 12 km (7 miles) Ploče in Croatia. The southern firms at Sarajevo Airport include
southwest of the city, is the only line from Sarajevo via Mostar to Budget, Rent a Car Minell and
international airport with daily Ploče, in Croatia, is the country’s Thrifty, as well as Hertz, Avis
flights. It is worth noting that most scenic route. Bosnia is now and more. Those travelling in
the airport is prone to fog in accessible with an InterRail ticket, their own car will need registra-
winter, which can cause flight but not yet with Eurail. Sarajevo tion documents, Green Card
cancellations or delays at short Train Station is easily accessible insurance and an EU or inter-
notice. Mostar’s airport has from the downtown area. national driving licence. Snow
weekly flights to Dubrovnik in chains are essential for winter
Croatia, and caters to charter travel. Drivers should ensure
flights travelling to Međugorje. Travelling by Bus that they carry a dual language
BH Airlines connects Sarajevo The country has a reliable bus road map as most of the road
with many European cities such network with daily services signs in Republika Srpska –
as Amsterdam, Vienna, Frankfurt, covering the whole country. one of the two main political
Zurich and Copenhagen. International buses run daily divisions of the country –
Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, from Sarajevo to Ljubljana, are in Cyrillic.
Air Serbia, Adria Airways, Kotor, Belgrade, Zagreb and
Pegasus, Scandinavian Airlines Dubrovnik. Eurolines operates
and Croatia Airlines have regular coaches from Sarajevo to Outdoor Activities
flights to Munich, Vienna, Koeln, other European cities through Before Bosnia’s natural
Zagreb, Stuttgart, Belgrade, the Bosnian bus company beauty was marred by
Budapest, Ljubljana, Istanbul, Centrotrans. Reservations can landmines, it was a paradise
and Stockholm. be made through Eurolines for hiking, mountain biking,
offices abroad. climbing and rafting. None
of these activities are now
Rail Travel recommended without a
Bosnia’s rail network suffered Travelling by Car local professional guide.
severe damage during the Travelling by car is the most Both Green Visions and the
Bosnian War. Its services are convenient form of transport Encijan Mountain Association
still limited and journeys are in Bosnia. It is safe to drive all promote sustainable develop-
slow, as the routes tend to around the country, although ment, providing internationally
be circuitous. Mainline connec- the usual landmine warnings qualified guides and running
tions with neighbouring about not straying off the road organized wilderness trips in
capitals have been introduced apply. Petrol stations are areas that are clear of mines.
DIRECTORY
Embassies Emergency Arriving by Air Travelling by Bus
Numbers
United Kingdom Austrian Airlines Centrotrans
Ambulance ∑ aua.com Tel (033) 464 045.
Tina Ujevića 8, Sarajevo. ∑ eurolines.ba
Tel 124. Air Serbia
Tel (033) 444 429.
Fire ∑ airserbia.com
∑ ukinbih.fco.gov.uk Travelling by Car
Tel 123. Adria Airways
United States Police ∑ adria.si Budget
1 Robert C. Frasure St, Tel 122. Tel (033) 766 670; (063)
BH Airlines 047 968. ∑ budget.ba
Sarajevo. Tel (033) 704 ∑ bhairlines.ba
000. ∑ sarajevo. Health and Rent a Car Minell
Security Croatia Airlines Tel (033) 881 188.
usembassy.gov ∑ croatiaairlines.com ∑ rentacarminell.net
Clinical Hospital
Mostar Lufthansa Thrifty
Visitor ∑ lufthansa.com Tel (033) 760 645.
Tel (036) 336 500.
Information Pegasus
∑ thrifty.ba
Emergency Medical
∑ flypgs.com
Mostar Tourist Service Outdoor Activities
Information Centre Kolodvorska 14, Sarajevo. Sarajevo Airport
Tel (033) 611 111. ∑ sarajevo-airport.ba Green Visions
Tel (036) 580 275. ∑ greenvisions.ba
∑ hercegovina.ba Scandinavian Airlines
Landmines ∑ flysas.com Encijan Mountain
Sarajevo Tourist Association
Mine Action Centre ∑ pkencijan.com
Information Centre ∑ bhmac.org Rail Travel
Tel (033) 580 999. UK Foreign Office Sarajevo Train Station
∑ sarajevo-tourism.com ∑ fco.gov.uk Tel (033) 655 330.
Where to Stay
Hotel Safr  Price Guide
Sarajevo B&B/Guesthouse Map F2 Prices are based on one night’s stay in
ul. Jagodića 3, 71000 high season for a standard double room,
Hostel Franz Ferdinand  Tel (033) 475 040
Hostel Map E2 ∑ hotelsafir.ba  under 100 KM
Jelića 4, 71000 Smart intimate hotel just  100–160 KM
 over 160 KM
Tel (033) 834 625 uphill from the Baščaršija
∑ franzferdinandhostel.com offering neat en suites with
Smart, crisply decorated hostel wooden floors. Built on the ruins of a Turkish
on the edge of the Baščaršija, bath, in the centre of the Old
with a choice of cubicle-style Town, this hotel offers sauna
dorm beds or comfortable facilities and smartly-
history-themed doubles. Rest of Bosnia and furnished rooms.
Herzegovina
Traveller’s Home  MEĐUGORJE: Villa Petra 
Hostel Map E3 BIHAĆ: Ada  B&B
Ćumurija 4, 71000 Resort Bijakovići Podbrdo bb, 88266
Tel 70 242 400 Put 5. Korpusa bb, 77000 Tel 63 994 499
∑ myhostel.ba Tel (037) 318 100 ∑ villapetra-medjugorje.com
Stylishly restored Austro- ∑ aduna.ba Pleasant family house set
Hungarian building with parquet Lovely riverside complex with in the Herzegovinian countryside,
floors, fully equipped kitchen and great scenery and comfortable within walking distance of the
a good mix of dorms and private rooms located in the pleasant main pilgrimage sites.
rooms. countryside just outside Bihać.
MOSTAR: Pansion Villa Sara 
Garni Hotel Konak  Hostel
B&B/Guesthouse Map E2 DK Choice Lacina-Šaša Rogina 4, 88000
Mula Mustafe Bašeskije 54, 71000 BIHAĆ: Kostelski Buk  Tel (036) 555 940
Tel (033) 476 900 Resort ∑ villasara-mostar.com
∑ konak.ba Kostela bb, 77000 Well-run establishment
Small friendly setup with Tel (037) 302 340 offering a mix of dorms and
neat en suite rooms that ∑ kostelski-buk.com double rooms, with bathroom
have wooden floors and Located near a popular riverside and kitchen facilities on
contemporary comforts. spot characterized by waterfalls each of its four floors.
Centrally located near the and foaming waters, this hotel
pedestrian zone, a short offers bright and romantic rooms MOSTAR: Bevanda 
distance from the Old Town. Local walks, a modest animal Luxury
park and riverside restaurant Stara Ilička bb, 88000
Mejdan Motel  ensure that there's plenty to do. Tel (036) 332 332
B&B/Guesthouse ∑ hotelbevanda.com
Mustaj-pašin mejdan 11, 71000 Sophisticated 5-star
Tel (033) 233 563 JAJCE: Stari Grad  hotel with opulently
∑ mejdanmotel.com Historic furnished rooms, fitness
Despite the motel tag, this Svetog Luke 3, 70101 facilities and a garden
is an intimate guesthouse Tel (030) 654 006 restaurant with delightful
in the Old Town offering neat ∑ jajcetours.com water fountains.
rooms at an attractive price.
MOSTAR: Muslibegović
Hotel Astra  House 
Business Map E3 Historic
ul. Zelenih Beretki 9, 71000 Osman Dikića 41, 88000
Tel (033) 252 100 Tel (036) 551 379
∑ hotel-astra.co.ba ∑ muslibegovichouse.com
Located centrally, this hotel Once home to an Ottoman-
with an impressive interior era aristocrat, this beautifully
also has on-site sauna and preserved building is both
conference facilities. a museum and hotel. Its
Efficient staff. atmospheric rooms provide
all modern comforts.
Hotel Colors Inn 
Design TRAVNIK: ABA Motel 
Koševo 8, 71000 Business
Tel (033) 276 600 ulica Šumeće 166, 72270
∑ hotelcolorsinnsarajevo.com Tel (030) 511 462
Between the train station and ∑ aba.ba
the Old Town is this smart At the foot of forested
modern place with stylish, hills, the recently built ABA
contemporary, colour-themed offers spotless rooms, good
rooms and a bright relaxing Impressive façade of the Muslibegović service and sumptuous
breakfast area. House in Mostar buffet breakfasts.

Price Guide
Sarajevo Prices are based on a three-course meal
Buregdžinica Bosna 
Bosnian Map F2  under 30 KM
Bravadžiluk 11, 71000  30–60 KM
 over 60 KM
Tel (033) 538 426
This sparsely furnished
fast-food bar excels in the JAJCE: Stari Grad 
flaky pastries that occupy an Bosnian
important place in Bosnian Svetog Luke 3, 70101
cuisine. Choose between burek Tel (030) 654 006
(minced meat), krumpiruša A cosy hotel restaurant with an
(diced potato), sirnica (cheese) excellent choice of regional
and zeljanica (spinach specialities, including spicy stews
and cheese). and freshwater fish dishes.
MOSTAR: Ćevabdžinica
DK Choice Tima-Irma 
Ćevabdžinica Željo  Balkan grill
Balkan grill Map E3 Onešćukova bb, 88000
Kundurdžiluk 19, 71000 Unique interiors of Karuzo Tel 062 958 539
Tel (033) 447 000 in Sarajevo Local staples such as ćevapi,
Full of football-related pljeskavice (grilled meat patties)
memorabilia and named Sedef  and sudžukice (spicy sausages)
after the local team Željezničar Bosnian Map D3 served in a cosy interior or on
(Željo for short), this small Ferhadija 16, 71000 the outdoor terrace.
cafe-restaurant is one of the Tel (033) 200 588
best places in town to sample Excellent family-run eatery MOSTAR: Hindin Han 
ćevapi, the local fast-food in a warm, atmospheric space, Balkan grill/Seafood
speciality – small spicy cylinders serving fresh salads, high-quality Jusovina bb, 88000
of ground lamb and beef, which grilled meats and traditonal Tel (036) 581 054
are grilled and sandwiched in a soups and stews. Enjoy large portions of grilled
somun (springy flat bread). meats, fresh salads and Adriatic
Karuzo €€€ seafood in a traditional house
Vegetarian/Seafood Map D2 that has a balustraded terrace
Dveri  Dženetića Čikma bb, 71000 overlooking the river.
International Map E2 Tel (033) 444 647
Prote Bakovića 12, 71000 This cosy restaurant with MOSTAR: Kriva Ćuprija 
Tel (033) 537 020 bench seating and nautical bric- International
With a vast menu extending a-brac has a seasonally changing Onešćukova 23, 88000
from steak to seafood risottos menu of creative vegetarian Tel (036) 360 360
and even the odd tandoori, cuisine as well as sushi Choose from dining on the large
Dveri is a small and cosy and seafood. terrace or indoors under a ceiling
restaurant artfully decorated with wooden beams. The restaurant
with hanging bunches of Morica Han  has a large menu comprising
garlic, corn-cobs and Bosnian Map E2 roast meats, seafood, freshwater
potted plants. Sarači 77, 71000 fish, pizza and pasta.
Tel (033) 236 119
Kibe  Housed in a 16th-century han MOSTAR: Kulluk 
Bosnian (merchants’ inn), this appealing Bosnian/International
Vrbanjuša 164, 71000 restaurant serves traditional Kurluk 1, 88000
Tel (033) 441 936 Bosnian meats and stews in a Tel (036) 551 716
This hillside restaurant quiet cobbled courtyard. Rising above street level with
with great views of the city, a cobbled terrace overlooking
is known for its traditional the Neretva river, Kulluk serves a
Bosnian meat menu, broad range of Bosnian dishes
ncluding some hearty Rest of Bosnia and alongside decent pizza and
stews and roasts. Herzegovina Adriatic seafood.
Mala Kuhinja  BIHAĆ: Kostelski Buk  TRAVNIK: Plava Voda 

International Seafood Seafood
Tina Ujevića 13, 71000 Kostela bb, 77000 Ulica Šumeće bb, 72270
Tel (033) 841 076 Tel (037) 302 340 Tel 061 798 040
Creative European–Asian The quality menu at this smart Enjoy local trout, grilled meats
fusion food with menus tailored hotel restaurant that has a large and traditional Bosnian desserts
to your dietary needs. Great terrace overlooking the Una river, such as hurmašica (sticky, syrupy
steak, seafood and wok-fries. includes Adriatic seafood, local buns) served on a large riverside
The daily specials are freshwater fish and traditional terrace at the eastern end
excellent value. syrupy desserts. of town.
MONTENEGRO
Famous for its idyllic Adriatic coastline, Montenegro is enormously popular with
those looking to plant beach umbrellas or moor their luxury yachts, though this
small and newly independent country has far more to offer. Venetian-flavoured,
fortified towns line the coast, while national parks protect the best of its
abundant and largely unspoilt natural beauty.
Montenegro’s mountains have a strong presence there until the split

long provided a buffer between this of their empire in the 4th century AD,
small country and its neighbours. when the Byzantines wrested control
To the north lies Serbia; to the west, of the region. Meanwhile, Slavic Serb
Bosnia and the coastal sliver of and Croat tribes settled in the west
Croatia. However, despite an eventful and developed a Slavic state, which
and frequently war-ravaged past, was recognized by the Byzantine
Montenegro has attracted a steady Empire. In 1189, the Serbian ruler Stefan
flow of visitors since the 1970s. Its Nemanja conquered Montenegro –
lush forests, glacial lakes, waterfalls known at the time as Duklja – and
and mountains offer rewarding renamed it Zeta. Upon the collapse
opportunities for rafting, caving, of the Serbian Empire in the late 14th
climbing, skiing and hiking. century, two powerful local tribes, the
Balšić and the Crnojević, took control
History of Zeta. The Balšić held much of the
The region now known as Montenegro coast, while the Crnojević occupied
was settled as early as the Stone Age. the mountainous interior. Under threat
However, its complex history begins from the advancing Ottoman Empire
in the 6th century BC with the Illyrians. in the 15th century, Stefan Crnojević
During the Illyrian Wars of the 3rd (r. 1451–65) forged a defensive alliance
century BC, the Romans conquered with the Venetians, who occupied
much of the territory and maintained most of the coast. However, by 1496
The serpentine Crnojević river, Lake Skadar National Park

A stretch of Slovenska Beach, one of Budva’s most popular attractions
much of the region had succumbed

to the Ottomans. At this time Cetinje
was established as capital of Crna
Gora (Montenegro), the mountainous
interior region. Due to the difficult
terrain, the Montenegrins were left
largely to their own devices, while
the Ottomans focused on taking
control of strategic coastal towns.
Following an unsuccessful allegiance
with Russia against the Ottomans
in 1710, Montenegro came under
frequent attack by the Turks. Sporadic Đukanović supporters holding his portrait, 2006 rally
conflicts continued until 1878, when
the Berlin Congress recognized it whose eventual defeat led to the
as an independent state. Allied with creation of Tito’s Federal Republic
Serbia during World War I, Montenegro of Yugoslavia, in which Montenegro
was soon occupied by Austria-Hungary. was one of six republics.
In 1918, Montenegro joined the Following the break up of
new kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Yugoslavia (1991–95), Montenegro
Slovenes, losing much of its identity sided with Serbia in attacks on
in the process. During World War II, Bosnia and Croatia. However, in
the country was occupied first by 1996 President Mizo Ðukanović
the Italians and then the Germans, began to slowly move away from
Serbian tutelage, beginning the
KEY DATES IN MONTENEGRIN move towards full Montenegrin
HISTORY independence.
AD 395 Roman Empire divided into two: Serbia and On 26 May 2006, a referendum
Montenegro are part of Byzantine Empire finally established Montenegro
1015 Duklja develops into a Serb-controlled as a sovereign state.
principality
1189 Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja conquers Duklja Language and Culture
and renames it Zeta
1496 Cetinje established as the capital of the interior
Montenegrins speak Serbo-Croatian
region of Crna Gora (Montenegro) and officially use both the Latin and
1667 A devastating earthquake hits the Adriatic Cyrillic alphabets. There is little to
coast, destroying Kotor culturally differentiate Montenegrins
1800s Prince Petar I seeks Russian support in the from Serbians as they have been
struggle against the Ottomans
intermarrying for centuries; variations
1876–8 Montenegro wins freedom from a shrinking
in traditions are most pronounced
Ottoman Empire
between the communities of the
1918 Montenegro joins the newly formed kingdom
of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, accepting the Serbian Ottoman-influenced coast and those
royal family as its new monarchs of the interior.
1941 Mussolini occupies Montenegro with plans to Right up until the last century,
absorb it as an Italian protectorate elaborate regional costume played
2006 Montenegrins vote in a referendum for an important role in the cultural
independence from Serbia
life of the interior communities; it
2007 Montenegro signs a membership agreement
with the EU was a custom to be buried in full
2012 Montenegro begins accession negotiations traditional dress. Colourful festivals
with the EU are still a regular feature of
Montenegrin life.
MONTENEGRO 505
Exploring Montenegro
Montenegro is dominated by towering peaks that
provide a stunning backdrop to the sparkling blue
Adriatic and the sandy beaches that line the country’s
coastline. Its capital is the Ottoman-influenced city of
Podgorica, dotted with mosques, cafés and restaurants.
Among the other cities of interest is Kotor, located on
Montenegro’s most beautiful bay. Getting around is
easy as the bus service is extensive, although sporadic
inland. A railway line runs from Bar to Podgorica, and
on to Belgrade.
Sights at a Glance
1 Podgorica 7 Herceg Novi
2 Lake Skadar National Park 8 Kotor Venetian buildings along the cobbled streets of
3 Bar 9 Lovćen National Park the Old Town, Budva
4 Ulcinj 0 Cetinje
5 Budva q Ostrog Monastery pp512–3
6 Tivat w Durmitor National Park
0 kilometres 25
0 miles 25
Gradac
BOSNIA Pljevlja
AND
HERZEGOVINA
Mratinje Durmitor
National Park
Trsa Kovren
Plužine
Žabljak Durdevića Tara SE RBIA
Goransko
Nedakusi
Piv
Gornja
Ta
Bijelo Polje
ra
a
Bukovica
18
Ravna Rijeka
Šavnik
Mojkovac
2
Jasenovo Polje Redice Crni Vrh Berane Rožaje

Rastovac 2
Kolašin
Lim
6 Nikšić 9
2
Lake KOSOVO
ra
Vilusi Andrejevica
Ta
Slansko Ostrog
18
Grahovo
Monastery
Zet
Plav
a
CROATIA Kruševice Danilovgrad Gusinje

Risan Spuž Vusanje
Mo
rač Medun
Igalo Tivat a
Herceg Novi Kotor PODGORICA ALB ANIA
i ca
Liješnje
Ribn
Cetinje
Lovćen National Park Tuzi
Rijeka
Crnojevića 2 Golubovci
Budva Vranjina
Virpazar
Sveti Stefan Lake Skadar
Petrovac Godinje
National Park
Adriatic Sutomore Murići
Sea
Bar Veliki Ostros Key
Bari Major road
Krute Vladimir
Valdanos Minor road
Ulcinj Donji Štoj
Railway

during World War II. However, 2 Lake Skadar

some remnants of its Ottoman National Park
past remain. In the Old Town Skadarsko jezero
Square is the 30-m (98-ft) high
18th-century Turkish Clock Tower 25 km (16 miles) S of Podgorica.
@ from Podgorica. n Vranjina
(Sahat Kula) while the Muslim
Island, close to Virpazar, (020) 879 103;
quarter houses the renovated
Centre for Protection and Research of
16th-century Glavatovići and Birds in Montenegro, Piperska 370A,
Osmanagića mosques. (067) 245 006. ∑ nparkovi.me
To the north of the Ribnica
river, the New Town’s City Located in the Zeta Skadar
Museum (Muzeji i galerije valley and surrounded by
Podgorice) houses absorbing picturesque mountains, the
archaeological and ethnographic 400-sq-km (154-sq-mile) Lake
collections. Further north is the Skadar is the Balkan Peninsula’s
Impressive Millennium Bridge over the 11th-century St George’s Church largest lake and is split between
Morača river, Podgorica (Crkva Sv Ðorđa), with frescoes Albania and Montenegro. In
depicting the life of St George. 1983, two-thirds of the lake on
1 Podgorica Podgorica’s finest building, the Montenegro side was desig-
* 180,000. k £ @ n Slobode King Nikola’s former Winter nated as a national park. The
47, (020) 667 535. ∑ podgorica.travel Palace contains the Modern lake is fed by around 50 under-
Art Gallery (Centar Savremene water springs and is home to
Podgorica initially developed as Umjetnosti) with a collection about 264 bird species, such
an important centre for trade; of ethnographic art from Africa as great white herons,
the first official mention of it and Asia among other Caspian terns, black-
was in 1326. The city thrived exhibits. Nearby is the headed gulls, Griffon vul-
during medieval times but then Orthodox Cathedral tures, Dalmatian pelicans and
succumbed to the Ottomans of the Resurrection of white-tailed eagles. It
who occupied it as a defensive Christ, which boasts also has about 40 spe-
citadel for four centuries. In 1878, 17 Russian bells; the Dalmatian pelican, cies of fish including
the city was integrated into largest, at 11 tonnes Lake Skadar mullet, carp, eel and
Montenegro and it flourished (12 tons), is the heaviest chub. The northern
economically and culturally for in the Balkans. and eastern shores of the lake
several decades. Podgorica are characterized by marshlands
suffered in the 20th century, E City Museum which are scattered with yellow
however, due to intensive Marka Miljanova 4. Tel (020) 242 543. water lilies in spring.
bombing during World War II and Open noon–8pm Tue–Fri, 9am–2pm The lake’s islands are also
severe economic decline during Sat & Sun. & = home to many monasteries and
the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s. R St George’s Church churches, some dating back
Today, Montenegro’s capital has ulica 19 Decembar. Open 7am–8pm to the 11th century; there are
a handful of minor sights that can daily. 5 several ruined medieval
be explored in a day. The most fortresses as well.
E Modern Art Gallery
striking structure and a symbol The visitors’ centre in
Ljubljanska ulica BB. Tel (020) 225 043.
of 21st-century progress is the Vranjina can arrange boat
Open 4–9pm Mon–Fri.
140-m (459-ft) long Millennium trips around the park and
Bridge (Most Milenijum) across R Orthodox Cathedral of the to the monasteries as well
the Morača river. The city’s Old Resurrection of Christ as fishing permits. It also
Town, south of the Ribnica river, ulica Georga Vašingtona. offers general information on
was almost entirely destroyed Open 7:30am–7pm daily. 5 Montenegro’s national parks.
The magnificent Lake Skadar National Park, home to numerous species of flora and fauna
For hotels and restaurants see p517 and pp518–9
MONTENEGRO 507
3 Bar once the Old Town’s

70 km (43 miles) S of Podgorica.
largest cathedral. The
* 16,000. £ @ g n Obala 13 Ottomans rebuilt it
Jul bb, (030) 312 912. ∑ bar.me as a mosque in the
17th century, but
The beautiful coastal town today only its found-
of Bar is the country’s only ations remain. Also
international port, with ferries worth visiting is the
from Italy docking three times restored Church of
a week. St Venerada, used for
However, the star attraction is music recitals, and the
the Old Town (Stari Bar), situated old Bishop’s Palace,
4 km (2 miles) inland on a rocky which houses a small
plateau at the foot of Mount museum of the Old
Rumija. Founded in the 6th Town history. The 2,000-year-old olive tree near Bar’s Old Town
century, the town was ruled by A more compre-
Byzantines, Serbs and Venetians hensive museum collection 4 Ulcinj
before becoming part of the can be found in the Homeland 95 km (59 miles) S of Podgorica.
Ottoman Empire from 1571 to Museum (Zavičajni muzej) on * 11,000. @ n ulica 6 Novembra,
1878. It was gradually abandoned the seafront in the New Town (030) 412 595. ( Fri. ∑ ulcinj.travel
in the early 20th century after (Novi Bar). It is located in the
being destroyed during the 19th-century summer residence The southernmost city on the
War of Liberation (1878) and of King Nikola, who used the Montenegrin coast, Ulcinj is
suffering two catastrophic mansion to receive guests from thought to be one of the oldest
explosions in 1882 and 1912. abroad. The town is also famous trading settlements in the
Archaeological and restoration for its numerous olive trees. Adriatic. Its Old Town (Stari grad)
work begun in the 1950s was According to legend, locals was mentioned as early as the
set back by another earthquake were unable to marry until they 6th century BC, when it was
in 1979 which again devastated had planted at least ten olive home to a Greek colony. Its
the Old Town. trees. One, in particular, is naturally defensive position atop
Today, many of the Old Town’s believed to be over 2,000 years a rocky peninsular made for an
buildings and sections of its old and can be found near the ideal vantage point over the
walls have been restored and are Old Town. sheltered harbour and was
used as a summer venue for reinforced by mighty walls,
cultural events. The 12th-century E Homeland Museum rendering it virtually impene-
St George’s Church was built Šetalište Kralje Nikole. trable to attack over the cen-
on the ruins of the 9th-century Tel (030) 314 079. Open 9am–2pm & turies. However, it succumbed to
St Theodor’s Church and was 6pm–8pm daily. & = the Serbs, then the Venetians,
and, finally, the Ottomans in 1571
before its integration into the
new Montenegrin state in 1880.
Today, the Old Town has been
restored following widespread
damage caused by the 1979
earthquake. The Old Town
Museum (Zavičajni muzej) occu-
pies many buildings on Slave’s
Square (trg Robova). Its archaeo-
logical collection, housed in a
16th-century Renaissance
church, includes marble Turkish
One of the remote beaches in Ulcinj tombstones, medieval coins and
a variety of pottery specimens.
Montenegro’s Best Beaches Traditional costumes are on
Between Bar and Ulcinj, endless stretches of fine sandy beaches display in the neighbouring
merge with the clear blue waters of the Adriatic. To the west of Bar, 6th-century Bishop’s Palace, while
and only accessible by sea, is the Kraljičina (Queen’s) Beach, favoured the 15th-century Balšić Tower is
by Queen Milena, wife of King Nikola. To the east is the 1-km (0.5-mile) used for temporary exhibitions.
long Crvena (Red) Beach named after its unusual red sand. The Veliki
Pijesak (Great Sand) Beach between Bar and Ulcinj or the 13-km E Old Town Museum
(8-mile) long Velika Plaža (Great Beach) east of Ulcinj are the most Stari grad. Tel (030) 421 419.
isolated beaches. Naturists can also visit the beach at Ada Bojana, a Open May–Sep: 7am–noon &
small island at the end of Velika Plaža. 3pm–8pm daily; Oct–Apr: 7am–2pm
daily. & =
The Budva Museum (Muzej

Budve) on the Old Town
Square (Starogradski trg)
houses a fascinating display
of archaeological artifacts,
many of which were uncov-
ered after the upheaval of
the 1979 earthquake. They
include Roman glassware
and an engraved 5th-century
Illyrian helmet. Smaller
ethnographic and historical
exhibitions are displayed
on the upper floors of
the museum.
Standing next door is
Budva’s walled town with the striking tower of St Ivan’s Catholic Church St Ivan’s Catholic Church
(Katolička Crkva Sv Ivana),
5 Budva century. Budva stayed under notable for its prominent
67 km (42 miles) SW of Podgorica.
Venetian control until 1797, tower. Dating from the 7th
* 17,000. @4 n Mediteranska 4, when it fell into Austrian hands; century, this is the town’s
(033) 402 814. ∑ budva.travel it did not join Montenegro until oldest church, although the
the Allied defeat of the Austro- design was modified following
With its fantastic beaches, islands Hungarian Empire in 1918. a severe earthquake in
and bays, the enchanting town Perched on a rocky 1667. Its simple
of Budva has become extremely bluff and overlooked façade conceals an
popular. One of the oldest urban by picturesque interior with a
settlements on the Montenegrin mountains, Budva’s fine array of
coast, the town was successively atmospheric Old 17th-century
conquered by Greeks, Romans, Town (Stari grad) Painted arch, Church of St Mary Venetian icons
Serbs and various feudal rulers still has a distinct as well as the
before the Venetians gained Venetian flavour. Devastated by 12th-century Madonna of
control in 1442. They strength- an earthquake in 1979, it has Budva icon, believed to have
ened its existing defences and been painstakingly restored. miraculous curative powers.
managed to resist the Ottoman Today, its enchanting alleys open The small Franciscan Church
expansion that absorbed the on to charming squares filled of St Mary (Crkva Svete
neighbouring towns of Bar, Ulcinj with shops, bars and restaurants Marije), tucked away in the
and Podgorica in the 16th enlivened by street performers. southwest corner of the town,
has a distinctive triple-arched
bell tower. Founded in the 9th
Sveti Stefan century, it is now used to host
Built on a rocky island to the south of Budva, Sveti Stefan appears occasional cultural events.
to float dreamily on the turquoise waters of the Adriatic. The island’s A short distance out to sea is
natural beauty, combined with ancient stone houses converted into the sloping St Nikola’s Island.
luxury apartments, earned it a reputation in the 1970s and 80s as Boats shuttle back and forth
an exclusive summer resort. Once a haven for medieval pirates and during the summer allowing
fishermen resisting the Ottomans, it became the summer retreat visitors to climb to the island’s
of royalty, such as Queen Elizabeth II and Hollywood stars such as summit at 120 m (395 ft), laze
Sophia Loren and Sylvester Stallone. The Yugoslav Wars abruptly on its sandy beaches or visit
curtailed its popularity. It remained closed for almost 15 years the small St Nikola Church.
before reopening in 2009 as an exclusive Aman Resort hotel.
E Budva Museum
Petra I Petrovića 11, Stari grad.
Tel (033) 453 308. Open May–Sep:
8am–10pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr:
10am–8pm Tue–Fri, 10am–5pm Sat &
Sun. & =
R St Ivan’s Catholic Church
Strarogradski trg.
Open 7am–7:30pm daily. 5
R Church of St Mary
The fairy tale island resort of Sveti Stefan Stari grad, southeast wall.
Open 8:30am–6pm daily.

MONTENEGRO 509
6 Tivat
80 km (50 miles) W of Podgorica.
Igalo’s Healing Mud
* 8,000. k @ n Palih Boraca 8, The town of Igalo, close to Herceg Novi, is
(032) 671324. ∑ tivat.travel famed for the healing Igaljsko blato (Igalo
mud) found on its beach. First documented
Situated on the Bay of Kotor, by an Austro-Hungarian physician in the 19th
Tivat has emerged as a major century, a spa treatment centre was built
tourist attraction, where visi- here, which now operates as a spa hotel
tors promenade along the (see p542). Visitors can also treat themselves
beachfront beneath palm for free by sunbathing on the beach with its Visitor undergoing mud
trees as expensive yachts therapeutic mud. therapy
cruise in and out of
the marina.
Wealthy aristocrats from Austro-Hungarian Clock
Kotor were among the first to Tower (Sahat Kula) has
build their summer residences been a symbol of the town
here in the Middle Ages. The ever since.
Buća-Luković Summer Palace King Tvrtko left his mark
(Vila Buća-Luković) on the by constructing the Forte
seafront was once the seasonal Mare Castle on the seafront,
home of the Bućas, one of the while the Ottomans added
wealthiest families of Kotor. The to the defences with the
palace’s stone tower and small Bloody Tower (Kanli Kula). The
Baroque church date back to latter gained its gruesome
the 15th century. The moniker following its conver-
Renaissance building is now Evening stroll along the broad promenade sion to an infamous prison
used for cultural performances in Tivat during Turkish rule. In the
and exhibitions throughout 1950s, part of the tower was
the summer. turned into a summer amphi-
North of the town centre, 7 Herceg Novi theatre with the Adriatic as
the Town Park is a pleasant its backdrop.
retreat shaded by cypress, * 11,000. @ n Jova Dabovića 12,
In the heart of the Old Town
eucalyptus and oleander trees. (031) 350 820. ∑ hercegnovi.travel is the Church of the Archangel
The small Island of Flowers, Michael (Crkva Sv Arhanđela
connected to the mainland Founded in the 14th century Milaila), completed in 1911.
by a narrow isthmus, is home by the Bosnian King Tvrtko, It harmoniously combines
to the partially excavated ruins Herceg Novi fell to the Romanesque and Islamic
of the Monastery of Archangel Ottoman Empire shortly after architectural features,
Michael, founded in the 13th 1483. Following two centuries exemplified by the central
century by Benedictine monks. of intermittent battles, the cupola flanked by minaret-
Venetians took power in like turrets. Inside is a fine
P Buća-Luković Summer Palace the late 17th century and marble iconostasis made
Nikole Ðurkovića br. 10. Tel (032) 674 stayed until 1797. The Austro- by Croatian masons.
591. Open summer: 8am–1pm & Hungarians then took over
noon–7pm daily; winter: 8am–1pm & until 1918, when the town P Bloody Tower
4pm–11pm Mon–Fri. & - = was finally absorbed into Stari grad. Open 8am–8:30pm daily.
Montenegro. The 19th-century R Church of the
Archangel Michael
trg Belavista. Open 8am–8:30pm daily.
The seaward bastion of Forte Mare Castle, Herceg Novi

Mist-covered hills forming a backdrop to Lovćen National Park
8 Kotor was trading as far afield as century Chapel of St Spiridon.

India and northern Europe. On the other side of town is
* 6,000. @ n Stari grad, (032) 325 In 1979, after being hit by an the Romanesque St Tryphon’s
947. ∑ tokotor.com earthquake, Kotor was desig- Cathedral (Katedrala Sv Tripuna),
nated a UNESCO World Heritage one of only two Catholic cathe-
Located amidst breathtaking Site. Today, the Old Town (Stari drals in Montenegro. Its most
mountain scenery at grad) is filled with precious treasure is St Tryphon’s
the tip of Kotor Bay’s visitors admiring skull, which was brought to Kotor
furthest inlet, the the labyrinthine from Constantinople in 809 and
medieval town of streets that connect kept in a silver casket. Other
Kotor is encircled by its squares, ancient valuable items include a superb
ancient and imposing churches and 15th-century engraved silver
walls. Built between splendid palaces. altar screen depicting Christ on
the 9th and 14th cen- Forming part of a throne surrounded by saints.
turies, the walls stretch the western wall is
for 5 km (3 miles) and the 17th-century R St Luke’s Church
are up to 15 m (42 ft) Duke’s Palace, trg Bokelijske Mornarice, Stari grad.
thick and 20 m (66 ft) The 17th-century clock facing the town’s Open 8am–8pm daily.
high. Thanks to these tower in Kotor 1602 clock tower. R St Tryphon’s Cathedral
defences, Kotor with- Built in Renaissance trg Ustanka Mornara, Stari grad.
stood two Ottoman sieges, style, it stands adjacent to the Tel (032) 322 315. Open 9am–
in 1537 and 1657. 15th-century armoury and 6pm daily.
During Roman times, the was intended to house
town (then known as Acruvium) military offices.
was so well hidden that it The only building to escape 9 Lovćen National
escaped the devastating damage by the earthquake was Park
barbarian raids that brought the single-nave St Luke’s Church Nacionalni park Lovćen
down the Roman Empire. Its (Crkva Sv Luke), with both
navy was also a formidable Orthodox and Catholic altars. Its @ from Podgorica. n Bajova 2,
force; by the 18th century it brightest features are the Cretan Cetinje, (041) 231 570. ∑ nparkovi.me
had a fleet of 300 ships and icons within the small 18th-
Inaugurated in 1952, Lovćen
National Park is the second
smallest of Montenegro’s five
national parks. Covering an area
of 62 sq km (24 sq miles), it
includes protected areas of
ancient pine and beech forests
that are home to over 200
species of birds and about 1,300
species of flora. The park is
dominated by the twin peaks
of Mount Lovćen. At the top of
Jezerski Vrh (1,657 m/5,436 ft),
Mount Lovćen’s second-highest
peak, is the mausoleum of the
Montenegrin poet and ruler
Aerial view of Kotor’s sea-facing Old Town Petar II Petrović Njegoš.
MONTENEGRO 511
0 Cetinje qOstrog
39 km (24 miles) W of Podgorica. Monastery
* 16,000. @ n (041) 230 250. Manastir Ostrog
∑ cetinje.travel
See pp512–3.
Once the capital of Montenegro,
Cetinje exudes an inescapable
air of faded grandeur. Podgorica wDurmitor
replaced the town as capital in National Park
1946 but despite the loss of its Nacionalni park Durmitor
official status, it is still considered
140 km (87 miles) N of Podgorica.
to be the country’s historic cen- @ from Podgorica. n ulica Jovana
tre; it was here that King Ivan Cvijića, (052) 360 228.
Crnojević established the capital ∑ nparkovi.me
of the old Zeta kingdom in the Façade of the imposing 18th-century
15th century. Pretty houses line Cetinje Monastery Designated a national park
the streets and low rocky hills in 1952 and a UNESCO World
frame the town on all sides. Highlights include the Heritage Site in 1980, Durmitor
The most significant building death mask of the legendary National Park takes in a vast
here, the Cetinje Monastery Albanian ruler Karo Mahmud expanse of spectacular
(Cetinjski Manastir), was con- Pasha Busatlija. On the first scenery. One of the oldest
structed in 1701 to replace floor is the museum’s absorbing protected areas in Montenegro,
the 15th-century Crnojević collection of 19th- and 20th- it is situated on a 1,500-m
Monastery. As the seat of century Montenegrin and (4,920-ft) high plateau, from
Montenegro’s religious leader, Yugoslavian art. which numerous peaks rise
Vladika, the monastery attracted to heights of about 2,500 m
the country’s influential figures Cetinje Monastery (8,200 ft).
and functioned as the unofficial Cetinje BB. Tel (041) 231 021. Known for its glacial lakes,
capital and centre of organized Open 8am–6pm daily. & = waterfalls and crystal-clear
resistance against the Ottomans. rivers, the park has a broad
E Njegoš Museum
Today, the monastery is best range of flora and fauna,
trg Kralja Nikole, Biljarda. Tel (041) 230
known for possessing what is including mountain maple,
310. Open 9am–5pm daily.
believed to be St John the Baptist’s Bosnian iris, edelweiss,
&=
right hand, a tiny fragment of Montenegrin bellflower, and
the original Holy Cross, and for E Montenegrin National bears, wolves, golden eagles
its Treasury Museum. Exhibits History Museum and white-headed vultures.
in the museum include unique Novice Cerovića 7, Vladin Dom. It is also famous for its 400-
religious manuscripts dating Tel (041) 230 310. Open 9am–5pm year-old black pine forest with
back to the 13th century and daily. & = trees up to 50 m (165 ft) tall.
decorative 16th-century crosses
painstakingly carved with
miniature biblical scenes.
Next to the monastery is
Biljarda, a castle-like, single-storey
palace, built in 1838 for Petar II
Petrović Njegoš. Surrounded by
a wall with towers, the palace
now functions as the Njegoš
Museum (Njegošev muzej),
where visitors can see many of
the king’s personal possessions,
including period furniture and
a billiard table.
Nearby is the Montenegrin
National History Museum
(Istorijski muzej Crne Gore),
housed in the Government
House (Zetski Dom), which was
built in 1910 to accommodate
government offices and the
national assembly. On the
ground floor is the History
Museum, which exhibits a vast
array of Turkish war trophies. The superb mountain range around Durmitor National Park
q Ostrog Monastery
Manastir Ostrog
Founded by St Basil in the 17th century, Ostrog
Monastery was built into a sheer cliff face high above the
Zeta river to guard it from the Ottomans. It comprises two
complexes: Lower Monastery, which houses the administra-
tive buildings, including the abbot’s residence, and the
Upper Monastery, which contains two cave-churches –
the Chapel of the Honourable Cross and the Church of
the Presentation of the Virgin Mary. Montenegro’s most
important place of pilgrimage, Ostrog has been associated
with many healing miracles, attracting Catholic, Christian
and Muslim pilgrims.
St Trinity Church
Part of the Lower Monastery
complex, St Trinity Church is over
200 years old. Its barrel-vaulted
interior is covered with intricate
frescoes in gold and turquoise,
which have been restored
over time.
. Upper Monastery
Completely rebuilt in the 1920s following a devastating
fire, the Upper Monastery provides accommodation for
Ostrog’s 15 monks. The narrow corridors are decorated
with lovely, colourful icons and mosaics.
Lower Monastery
Lower Monastery
The 18th-century Lower Monastery stands
beside St Trinity Church in the valley below
the Upper Monastery.
MONTENEGRO 513
. St Basil’s Relics
The Church of the
Presentation of the Virgin
Mary houses St Basil’s
bones. Pilgrims start
Podgorica. Tel (020) 811 040.
gathering here from early
in the morning, eager to
5 7am daily. 8 Note: The
catch a glimpse of the
Lower Monastery offers small
holy relics and in the hope
single-sex dorm rooms, while
of witnessing a miracle.
the Upper Monastery offers free
accomodation for pilgrims in
the courtyard for a maximum
of three days.
Transport
@ from Podgorica.
. Chapel of the Honourable Cross

Nestled in the rock face above the Church of the Presentation
is the Chapel of the Honourable Cross. The walls of the chapel
feature splendid frescoes by the 17th-century painter Radul,
depicting scenes from the life of Christ and venerated saints.
St Basil’s Relics
St Basil
One of the Orthodox Church’s
most revered saints, St Basil
founded the Ostrog Monastery
in 1667 and remained here
until his death in 1671. It was
at Ostrog that he forged his
reputation as a miracle-worker
– a healer of the physically and
mentally afflicted. The saint
also assisted in the renovation Vaulted Candle Room
of numerous monasteries, a Hundreds of flickering votive candles
Portrait of St Basil, patron saint practice forbidden by the fill the atmospheric vaulted Candle
of Ostrog Turkish rulers of the time. Room; its frescoes are barely visible
beneath the soot.
Practical & Travel Information clinics are not open to

visitors and it is better to go
With the years of Communism and the recent Yugoslav Wars to private hospitals where
firmly behind it, tourism has picked up in Montenegro. There the standard of care is high
are plenty of tourist information centres across the country, and the doctors speak English.
Private clinics and hospitals
although the staff may not be fluent in English. Public expect cash payment even
transport is good with frequent bus services connecting most for minor treatment; visitors
towns, and additional minibus shuttles operating along the are advised to have their
coast during summer. The country’s only passenger railway own health insurance. Well-
line runs from Bar to Podgorica, from where it continues north known hospitals in the capital
include As Mediph and Kbc.
to Belgrade. Those intent on exploring the more remote
Pharmacists sell over-the-
interior regions and the beautiful countryside are best counter medicines and can
advised to rent a vehicle. advise on minor ailments.
People need to be wary of
tick bites, especially when
When to Visit Visitor Information camping or hiking, and
A good time to visit the country The National Tourism seek immediate medical
is during spring and autumn: Organization of Montenegro assistance if bitten.
late March to late June, and is quite helpful, and there are Montenegro has a low crime
between September and several informative tourist rate and travellers are unlikely
October. July and August are websites, as well as Podgorica’s to encounter anything more
the best months for those free In Your Pocket guide, which serious than pickpocketing and
seeking sunshine and crowds, also has its own website. There petty theft. It is safe for women
however this is high season, are tourist offices in all the main travellers to walk alone at night,
so room prices can be high. towns. These offer free maps but they should exercise caution
and brochures and can provide in lonely spots.
information on hotels and local
Documentation attractions, although not all staff
Citizens of the European members speak English. Smaller Facilities for the Disabled
Union (EU), Switzerland, towns also have good sources There is little public awareness
Norway, Iceland, Israel, the of information, but again, not of the needs of the disabled
US, Canada, Korea, Singapore, necessarily in English. There is, in Montenegro although
Australia and New Zealand however, a 24-hour tourist upmarket hotels and popular
can enter Montenegro with information helpline in English. beach resorts may cater for
a valid passport for up to travellers with disabilities. In
90 days without a visa. Podgorica, most pedestrian
Those needing visas should Health and Security crossings have sloped kerbs
apply directly to the Visitors are advised to carry and the main crossings are
Montenegrin Embassy in any medical prescription equipped with sound
their respective country. and essential medicines signalling systems.
Visitors are required to register with them when travelling
with the police within 24 hours to Montenegro. They also
of their arrival; this is usually need to be vaccinated against Banking and Currency
arranged by the hotel soon diphtheria, tetanus and polio The euro has been the country’s
after arrival. prior to travel. Generally, public official currency since 2002.
ATMs can be found in all but the
smallest towns. Credit cards are
The Climate of PODGORICA accepted in many large hotels,
Montenegro 29/84 restaurants, shops and petrol
The coast of Montenegro stations. Banks are usually open
° C/F 21/70 21/70
19/66 from 8am to 5pm Monday to
enjoys a Mediterranean
climate with long, hot summers 12/54 Saturday, and will exchange
9/48 9/48
and short, wet winters. Summer cash and traveller’s cheques.
3/37
temperatures average 28° C 0°C
32°F
(82° F) and drop to around 8° C
(46° F) in winter. Inland, the 11
Communications
7 hrs 6 hrs 4 hrs
mountainous regions average hrs Public payphones are very rare
22° C (72° F) in summer and - 98 38 230 163 in Montenegro, so it is best to
3° C (27° F) in winter, with mm mm mm mm head to a post office to make
heavy snowfall. month Apr Jul Oct Jan a call. Phone cards, such as
MonteCards, for use in phone
booths, can be purchased
MONTENEGRO 515
in post offices as well as flights to Podgorica. Travelling by Bus

newspaper kiosks. However, Croatia Airlines connects Public and private transport
these are usually expensive. Dubrovnik (Čilipi) to major companies run an efficient
Using a local SIM card from European cities. network of buses, boosted by
mobile phone providers such minibus shuttles in the summer.
as T-Mobile, Telenor and M:tel Tickets for local buses can
is the cheapest way to stay Arriving by Sea be purchased on board. The
connected. These can also be Those with private yachts can country’s more remote mount-
bought from kiosks, and work head for the marinas at Herceg ainous regions are connected
out cheaper than landlines. Novi, Kotor, Budva and Bar, by bus, but services are limited
International calls are best which all offer basic services. and timetables should be
made in post offices. Most Montenegro Lines run three checked in advance. Tourist
towns have Internet cafés and ferries daily from Bar to Italy. information offices can provide
many hotels and restaurants details of bus routes.
are free Wi-Fi spots.
Rail Travel
Two trains a day, including Travelling by Car
Arriving by Air a sleeper, make the 11-hour Reckless local drivers present the
Podgorica and Tivat both journey from Belgrade to greatest danger on Montenegro’s
have international airports. Bar, along what is considered roads. They frequently harass
Tivat is the best choice for to be one of the most specta- slower vehicles and overtake on
those visiting the coast. Visitors cular railway lines in the blind corners. Lights should be
can also use Dubrovnik’s Čilipi world. Completed in 1979, kept on at all times, seat belts
airport, which is only 25 km the Montenegrin section should be worn in the front and
(16 miles) northwest of Herceg carries passengers across drunken driving should be
Novi. The Budget airline, Ryanair, the Mala Rijeka viaduct, the avoided. Drivers need to carry an
has flights from Stansted to highest in the world at 200 m international or EU licence, the
Podgorica. Montenegro is (656 ft), through the 6-km registration documents of their
well served by national carriers. (4-mile) Sozina tunnel, and vehicle and Green Card insurance.
Montenegro Airlines offers past a succession of dramatic Car hire is available at both
flights from London to Tivat rocky mountains. The railway Podgorica and Tivat airports
and thrice weekly direct flights journey from Belgrade to as well as through city rental
from Podgorica to London. Podgorica takes 10 hours. agencies such as Delta and
Serbia’s Air Serbia has indirect Euro Rail also offers trips Meridian – and should be booked
flights from Rome, London, via Vienna, Budapest and in advance during high season.
Paris, Frankfurt and Budapest Belgrade to Montenegro. Taxis, which are metered, are
to Podgorica and Tivat, while Detailed timetables are reasonably cheap, and can be
Slovenia's Adria Airways available on their website, ordered by phone. Most companies
offers indirect European Montenegro Railways. have English-speaking operators.
DIRECTORY
Documentation Visitor Health and Ryanair
Council of Europe
Information Security ∑ ryanair.com
Novaka Miloševa 6, National Tourism As Mediph Arriving by Sea
Podgorica. Organization of Slobode 4, Podgorica.
Tel (020) 230 819. Montenegro Tel (020) 231 800. Montenegro Lines
Rimski trg 47, Vektra ∑ montenegrolines.
Embassies Kbc net
81000 Podgorica. Podgorica bb, Podgorica.
Croatia Tel (020) 235 155. Tel (020) 412 412. Rail Travel
Vladimira Četkovića 2, ∑ montenegro.travel
Podgorica. Arriving by Air Montenegro Railways
In Your Pocket
Tel (020) 269 760. ∑ zcg-prevoz.me
∑ inyourpocket.com Adria Airways
United Kingdom ∑ adria.si Travelling by Car
Ulcinjska 8, Podgorica. Emergency
Air Serbia Delta
Tel (020) 618 010. Numbers
∑ airserbia.com ∑ rentacar-delta.com
∑ gov.uk/government/
Ambulance Croatia Airlines
world/montenegro Meridian
Tel 124. ∑ croatiaairlines.com
United States ∑ meridian-rentacar.
Ljubljanska bb, Podgorica. Fire Montenegro com
Tel (020) 225 417. Tel 123. Airlines
∑ podgorica. Police ∑ montenegroairlines.
usembassy.gov Tel 122. com
Shopping & Entertainment windsurfing, sailing, skiing,

paragliding and snowboarding.
There is no shortage of things to buy or places to shop in The Diving Association of
Montenegro. Painted icons, foodstuffs, such as olives and Montenegro can provide
cheeses, and embroidered tablecloths make interesting gifts. information for scuba divers.
The nightlife in Podgorica is vibrant, although it tends to fizzle
out in the coastal towns during the off-season. Many festivals
DIRECTORY
take place throughout the year, of which the Carnival of Kotor Theatre
is perhaps the most colourful. The countryside is perfect for Budva City Theatre
outdoor pursuits such as rafting through some of the world’s 13 Jul, Zgrada BSP, Budva.
deepest canyons as well as mountain biking and hiking. Tel (033) 402 934.
∑ gradteatar.me
Markets Theatre Montenegrin National

Most towns have their own fruit Theatre lovers should Theatre
ulica Stanka Dragojevića br. 18.
and vegetable markets. At the check what is on at the
Podgorica. Tel (020) 664 082.
market in Bar, women still dress Montenegrin National Theatre, ∑ cnp.me
in traditional outfits. In Kotor, the which hosts international
daily market on the seafront is a performances. In summer, Nightlife
great spot to buy fresh vegetables Budva City Theatre organizes
and fish. It is also the place to drama, exhibitions and L’Ombelico
find inexpensive tablecloths and poetry readings. Hercegovačka 85, Podgorica.
hand-made lace curtains. Tel (067) 201 790.
∑ lombelico.me
Nightlife Nice Vice
Gifts and Souvenirs Podgorica has numerous wine ulica Slobode 82, Podgorica.
Wooden toys and utensils are bars, clubs and cafés that stay Tel (020) 230 394.
sold in the markets of most towns, open till late. Porto Club, with Porto Club
as is hand-made lace. Colourful local DJs, L’Ombelico, with great ulica Stanka Dragojevića 34,
icons and other religious knick- live music, and Nice Vice, are Podgorica.
knacks can be bought from some of the most popular. Tel (067) 330 888.
church and monastery shops. The coastal towns cater to
Traditional folk-music CDs visitors during summer with Festivals
make good souvenirs and are mainstream clubs and bars;
available in most gift shops. Budva is also known for its Carnival of Kotor
∑ tokotor.com
all-night club scene.
Petrovac Jazz Festival
Food and Drink ∑ petrovacjazzfestival.tripod.
For olive products, it is worth Festivals com
visiting the Olive Museum in Budva’s open-air Petrovac Sunčane Skale
Bar’s Old Town. Honey from Jazz Festival takes place in ∑ suncaneskale.org
the Durmitor region, where the last week of August, while
bees graze on heather and wild Herceg Novi hosts the Sunčane Outdoor Activities
flowers, is also particularly good. Skale pop-music festival in July.
Montenegro has a thriving Kotor celebrates the Carnival Anitra Travel
Atrium, Njegoševa 12, Nikšić.
wine industry and its red wine, of Kotor, a colourful procession
Tel (040) 402 598.
vranac, is well known, as are of masked troupes through ∑ tara-grab.com
krstač, crmničko, cabernet and the Old Town, at the end
chardonnay. Local brandies of July. Diving Association of
such as šljivovica (made from Montenegro
plums) and loza (made from Tel (067) 508 009.
grapes) are also popular. Outdoor Activities ∑ mdiving.org.me
Numerous agencies organize Dragon Surf Club
a wide range of outdoor acti- Ulcinj. Tel (069) 640 800.
Jewellery vities. Anitra Travel and Eco ∑ dragonproject.net
Podgorica’s Zlatarska (gold) street Tours both arrange hiking, Eco Tours
is lined with several jewellery biking, climbing, rafting, jeep Kolasin.
shops, and the town of Ulcinj is safaris, horse riding, skiing and Tel (020) 086 700.
famous for the work of its gold- paragliding. The Pelikan Surf ∑ eco-tours.co.me
smiths. Budva’s Old Town is Club organizes windsurfing
Pelikan Surf Club
crammed with trinket shops. on Lake Skadar, while the
Tel (069) 077 869.
Also, worth buying is delicate Dragon Surf Club in Ulcinj
silver filigree jewellery. offers courses in kitesurfing,
W H E R E TO S TAY 517
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Prices are based on one night’s stay in
Podgorica Rest of Montenegro high season for a standard double room,
Hotel Evropa € BAR: Hotel Princess €€€ € under €75
B&B Resort €€ €75 to €150
€€€ over €150
Orahovoačka 16, 81000 Jovana Tomaševića 59, 85000
Tel (020) 623 444 Tel (030) 300 100
∑ hotelevropa.co.me ∑ hotelprincess.me This atmospheric hostel, located
Many en suites at this pleasant Located on a superb beach, this in a restored medieval building,
B&B have a sloping attic ceiling. 4-star resort hotel has spacious offers dorms, private doubles and
and well-equipped rooms, triples and a relaxing café-bar.
Montenegro Hostel € swimming pool and tennis courts.
Hostel KOTOR: Cattaro €€
Đečevica 25, 81000 BUDVA: Astoria €€ Historic
Tel 69 039 751 Boutique Stari Grad 232, 85330
∑ montenegrohostel.com Njegoševa 4, Stari Grad 85310 Tel (032) 311 000
Conveniently located for bus and Tel (033) 451 110 ∑ cattarohotel.com
train, Montenegro has comfortable ∑ budva.astoriamontenegro.com Occupying what was once the
social areas, doubles and dorms. Chic, intimate hotel with a Rector's Palace, Old Town Hall and
fantastic location within the walls Town Guard, this 4-star has sea
Bojatours €€ of the Old Town. Elegantly battle pictures adorning its walls.
Value furnished rooms with superb sea
Kralja Nikole 10, 81000 views. KOTOR: Vardar €€€
Tel (020) 623 349 Boutique
∑ bojatours.me BUDVA: Šajo €€€ Stari Grad 476, 85 330
Elegant rooms with parquet Resort Tel (032) 325 084
floors, floral rugs and a minibar. Jadranski put bb, 85310 ∑ hotelvardar.com
Tel 86 460 243 Intimate hotel combining antique
Hotel Kerber €€ ∑ sajohotel.com stonework and modern facilities.
Value With high standards of service
Novaka Miloševa 6, 81000 Šajo offers plentiful facilities TIVAT: Pine Hotel €€
Tel (020) 405 405 that include a sauna, gym and Resort
∑ hotelkerber.me pleasant garden restaurant. Obala Pine bb, 85320
Well-equipped, bright, clean Tel (032) 671 255
rooms above a shopping centre. CETINJE: Sport In € ∑ htpmimoza.me
Budget The aptly named Pine Hotel is
Obilića bb, 81250 located on a seafront lined with
DK Choice Tel (041) 234 630 pine trees, the large terrace of its
Hotel Podgorica €€€ ∑ hotel-sportin-cetinje. cafe–restaurant facing the sea.
Luxury host22.com Prim and comfortable rooms.
Svetlane Kane Radević 1, 81000 Sparsely furnished neat
Tel (020) 402 500 en suites as well as triples ULCINJ: Velika Plaža €
∑ hotelpodgorica.co.me and quads in a pre-World War I Resort
Built in the 1960s, this stunning stone building. Velika Plaža bb, 85360
hotel on the riverbank, blends Tel (030) 431 131
modern architecture with the KOTOR: Old Town Hostel € ∑ velikaplaza.com
natural environment. Rooms Hostel Located near the beach, Velika
Stylish furnishings and some Stari Grad 284, 85339 Plaza is a pleasant resort that
have a terrace facing the river. Tel (032) 325 317 offers a choice of hotel rooms
∑ hostel-kotor.me and self-catering bungalows.
ULCINJ: Dvori Balšića €€€

Luxury
Stari Grad, 85360
Tel (030) 421 457
∑ hotel-dvoribalsica-montenegro.
com
This magnificent stone building
that was once a royal palace, has
opulently furnished rooms with
wooden ceilings. Great views of
The pool at the charming Hotel Princess in Bar the sea too.

Imanje Knjaz €€€ Price Guide
Podgorica International Prices are based on a three-course meal
Mareza bb, 81000 for one, half a bottle of wine, including
Carine Centar € Tel 67 765 800
International Elegant out-of-town restaurant € under €20
Ulica Slobode 43, 81000 with beautiful garden, cooking €€ €20 to €40
€€€ over €40
Tel (020) 402 400 up lavish meat and fish dishes
Centrally located, this based on royal-court recipes
restaurant is popular with the from Montenegro, Serbia, Russia pasta dishes and substantial
locals. Choose between indoor and beyond. salads. Decent desserts too.
and outdoor seating to enjoy
the vast inexpensive spread with Three Centuries €€€ BUDVA: Hotel Mogren €€
Balkan grills, pizzas and pastas International Seafood
together with a handful of Bul svetog Petra Cetinjskog 1, 81000 Mediteranska 1, 85310
vegetarian options. Tel (020) 402 500 Tel (033) 451 102 Closed Nov–April
Stylish restaurant in Hotel Excellent place to sample Adriatic
Lanterna € Podgorica boasts a Modernist squid, octopus and shells, as well
Italian decor, a riverside location, and a as quality fish grilled or baked to
Marka Miljanova 41, 81000 well-presented menu of local your specifications. On the main
Tel 67 069 020 and Mediterranean dishes. square right beside the walls of
Pizzas come out of a wood the Old Town.
stove, and the pastas and grilled-
meat dishes are served in BUDVA: Konoba Stari Grad €€
generous portions here. The Rest of Montenegro Seafood
intimate restaurant, located Njegoševa 12, 85310
right in the heart of Podgorica, BAR: Kaldrma €€ Tel 63 225 410
is in Mediterranean-style with Montenegrin Characterful Old Town tavern
low lighting and exposed Stari Bar, 85354 serving squid risottos, seafood
stonework. Tel 85 341 744 pasta and grilled fish alongside
Stone house in the hilltop tasty steaks, accompanied
Per Sempre €€ settlement of Stari Bar, serving frequently by live music.
Italian food typical of inland Montenegro:
Vojvode Maše Đurovića 2/10, 81000 slow-roast meats, stews and lots BUDVA: Lim €€
Tel (020) 220 066 of vegetables. Balkan Grill/Seafood
Upmarket but by no means Slovenska obala bb, 85310
expensive Italian cuisine, with BUDVA: Garden Café € Tel 69 023 957
carpaccio starters, silky risottos International This beachside restaurant with
and a choice of meat or fish. Mediteranska bb, 85310 a large terrace shaded by palm
Attractive lounge–terrace. Tel (033) 452 090 trees, serves grilled meats, fresh
Tree-shaded café-restaurant just seafood and classy cocktails.
Pod Volat €€ outside town, featuring plenty of
Balkan Grill/Montenegrin salads, light Montenegrin dishes BUDVA: Jadran Kod Krsta €€€
Trg Vojvoda Bećira Osmanagića 1, as well as toasted sandwiches Balkan Grill/Seafood
81000 and pastries. Obala bb, 85310
Tel 69 666 622 Tel 69 030 180
Centrally located stone BUDVA: Sambra € Seafront restaurant with almost
building with contemporary Italian four decades of experience in
timber-beam interior and Trg Palmi, 85310 serving a vast range of seafood
pleasant outdoor seating. Tel (033) 451 308 and local grill standards such as
Serves an excellent array of Shaded patio in the Old Town pljeskavice (various ground meats
grilled and roast meats. serving authentic thin-crust pizzas, shaped into a patty), ćevapčići (a
type of kebab) and liver.
CETINJE: Kole €€
International
Crnogorskih Junaka 12, 81250
Tel 69 035 716
Just outside the Old Town, this
smart restaurant with a big
outdoor terrace, provides quality
platters of grilled and roast
meats as well as Adriatic fish.
Vast wine list.
CETINJE: Vinoteka €€
International
Njegoševa 103, 81250
Tel (041) 679 936
Local cheeses and hams
Tall palms trees outside Hotel Mogren, Budva together with steak, pasta
and pizza mains at this inviting

restaurant that also has a
comprehensive selection
of local and international wines.
HERCEG NOVI: Kafana pod

Lozom €
International
Trg Nikole Đurkovića 18, 85340
Tel (031) 322 880
Popular café-restaurant slightly
uphill from the seafront. Choose
from grilled meats, seafood
dishes and traditional stews.
HERCEG NOVI: Konoba Feral €

Seafood
Šetalište 5 Danica 47, 85340 Picturesque setting of the Konoba Ćatovića Mlini, Kotor
Tel 88 322 232
With a pleasant stone building, KOTOR: Galion €€€ seafood and a lot more.
a small shaded terrace and a International Home-baked bread and cakes
checked-tablecloth interior, Feral Šuranj bb, 85330 for sale.
is a perfect setting for inexpensive Tel (032) 325 054
grilled fresh fish and grilled Stylish glass pavilion on TIVAT: Ponta Veranda €
scampi, and seafood platters. Kotor's harbourfront offering Balkan Grill/Seafood
refined Mediterranean fare Šetalište Seljanovo 9, 85320
HERCEG NOVI: Konoba with a strong emphasis on Tel 67 563 985
Krušo €€ local fish. Great seafood pasta Friendly family-run place north
Seafood and risotto options too. of town with a vast range of
Šetalište 5 Danica, 85340 Balkan staples, from grilled meats
Tel (031) 323 238 KOTOR: Konoba Ćatovića to bean stew, stuffed peppers
Enjoy spicy seafood stews, fresh Mlini €€€ and local seafood.
grilled fish or roast squid at this Seafood
restaurant that is adorned with Morinj bb, 85338 TIVAT: Vino Santo €€
fishing nets, maritime memorabilia Tel (032) 373 030 Seafood
and offers great views of the sea On the shore between Kotor Krtoli bb, 85320
from its terrace. and Herceg Novi, in an old Tel 67 851 662
stone building with a beautiful South of Tivat beyond the airport,
HERCEG NOVI: Mali terrace, this elegant restaurant this elegant eatery draws gourmets
Raj €€€ specializes in fresh fish, home- with its superbly baked fish,
International cured hams and home-grown fruits-de-mer and scampi cooked
Norveška 21, Igalo vegetables. Served with the in all manner of delicious guises.
Tel (031) 331 138 family's own wine.
Located in Igalo, just west of ULCINJ: Durante €€
Herceg Novi, the elegant Mali Raj, LAKE SKADAR: Pelikan € Seafood
meaning 'Little Paradise', serves Seafood Ada Bojana, 85360
the best of Adriatic seafood, Virpazar, 81305 Tel 67 231 620
Central European schnitzels and Tel (020) 711 107 Waterside restaurant that
Balkan grills and roasts. Cosy family-run restaurant on makes the most of the local
the shores of the lake, offering catch. It offers superb fish soup,
KOTOR: Scala Santa € freshly caught fish, smoked carp seafood risottos and mixed-
Seafood and roasted eel, accompanied seafood grills.
Stari Grad, 85330 by home-baked breads.
Tel 69 290 512
In a characterful Old Town OSTROG: Kolibe Bogetići €€€ DK Choice
building featuring exposed Montenegrin ULCINJ: Miško €€€
stone and quirky bric-a-brac, Ostrog, 81400 Seafood
this restaurant serves quality Tel 67 888 189 Ada Bojana, 85360
grilled fish and plenty of Adriatic While this rather garish Tel (069) 022 868
staples such as seafood risottos pavilion on the road to Ostrog This scenic restaurant on
and fried squid. monastery may not win any Bojana island, south of Ulcinj,
prizes for architecture, diners is immensely popular with
KOTOR: Le Bastion €€€ can expect first class food that locals and tourists alike. Locally
International includes local specialities such caught Adriatic fish is the main
Sari Grad 517, 85330 as baked veal and lamb. attraction, prepared many
Tel (032) 322 116 ways – on the open grill, baked
This elegant restaurant that is TIVAT: Konoba Koliba € in an oven or cooked with wine
located right in the heart of the Balkan Grill/Seafood and herbs. Squid, octopus and
Old Town has an atmospheric Peraška 6, Seljanovo, 85320 shrimp broaden the menu, and
terrace, which complements the Tel (032) 671 886 there's a good choice of local
excellent menu comprising Using fresh local ingredients, wines. The pleasant terrace is an
Mediterranean salads, grilled this traditional restaurant ideal spot to laze on over lunch.
meats and fresh fish. offers grilled meats, excellent
SERBIA
Lying at the crossroads of Europe, Serbia’s history goes back to the Neolithic
era. Settled by Slavs in the 6th century, the country was home to a thriving
civilization in the Middle Ages, and many of the surviving churches and
monasteries from the period are UNESCO-protected today. Serbia’s natural
forests, pristine mountain lakes and karst rock formations add to its stunning
natural beauty.
Situated at the heart of the Balkan History

Peninsula, Serbia has played a central The establishment of a Serb state dates
role in the history and culture of South back to the early 13th century, when the
Eastern Europe. A turbulent past has rulers of the Raška region (modern-day
produced a nation that seems uncertain Novi Pazar) established a kingdom
about the future, but is rarely lacking in with an autonomous church. The state
cultural pride. reached its zenith under Stefan Dušan
At the crossroads of history, Serbia’s (r. 1331–46), who conquered territories
population of just under 7.5 million is in modern-day Macedonia and Greece.
composed of various ethnic groups. The However, Serbian power declined with
majority are Orthodox Christian Serbs, the arrival of the Ottomans in the Balkans.
although the northern province of Although the epic Battle of Kosovo
Vojvodina is home to a large number of (1389) held them at bay for a while, the
Catholic Hungarians, alongside small constant conflict weakened the state
numbers of Slovaks, Romanians and and, after 70 years of resistance, Serbia
Croats. In addition, there are significant fell to the Ottomans, ushering in four
numbers of Muslim Bosnjaks, who are centuries of foreign occupation. In the
mostly concentrated in the southeast. late 17th century, Habsburg victories
View of the 15th-century Nebojša Kula on the Sava river, Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade
Famous townhall of Subotica town, Serbia.
aspirations of people throughout

the Balkans. The collapse of the
Habsburg Empire in 1918 led to
the creation of the kingdom of Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes (later renamed
Yugoslavia). However, the lack of a
common Yugoslav identity resulted
in the collapse of the country when
Germany attacked it in April 1941.
In Serbia, resistance groups formed
around the Serbian-nationalist Četnik
Movement, and the pan-Yugoslav
Massacre of Serbs, First Balkan War, 1912 Partisans led by Communist Josip Broz
Tito. In 1945, Tito established a federal
over the Ottomans persuaded Yugoslavia composed of six republics.
thousands of Serbs to leave their The ethnically mixed Serbian regions
homelands in Kosovo and seek a of Vojvodina and Kosovo were made
new life in the Habsburg-controlled into autonomous provinces. After the
region of Vojvodina, in the north of death of Tito in 1980, Serbians launched
the country. This went on to become a campaign to regain control of these
the centre of education and culture. regions. This upsurge of Serbian national
A series of uprisings against the sentiment was perceived as a threat by
Ottomans in 1830 led to the creation the other Yugoslav republics, and both
of a Serbian principality. This was Slovenia and Croatia chose to break
upgraded to the status of a kingdom away from Yugoslavia in 1991. In 1999,
in 1878, and became the focus of the an Albanian insurgency was answered
by a Serbian crackdown, leading to the
KEY DATES IN SERBIAN HISTORY NATO bombardment of Serbia.
AD 600 Serb tribes settle in the Balkans Throughout the 1990s Serbian politics
1219 Saint Sava establishes the Serbian was controlled by the Nationalist-
Orthodox Church Communist Slobodan Milošević. He fell
1345 The Serbian Empire under Stefan Dušan from power in 2000, leading to a process
reaches its height
of democratization. Serbia is currently a
1389 Serbs and Ottoman Turks fight at the
Battle of Kosovo
parliamentary democracy, with hopes
1459 Serbia conquered by the Ottoman Empire
of joining the EU.
1690 Austrian-controlled Vojvodina is settled by
Serbs from Kosovo
1804 First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Turks Serbian is a Slavic language, related
1869 Principality of Serbia gains independence closely to Bosnian and Croatian and
1912–13 Serbia expands its territory during the more distantly to Russian, Polish and
Balkan Wars Czech. It is traditionally written in
1918 Serbia becomes part of the kingdom of Serbs, the Cyrillic script.
Croats and Slovenes
Traditional song and dance
1945 Serbia becomes part of the Communist-ruled
Yugoslav Federation play an important part in Serbia’s
1980 Serbs campaign to regain Vojvodina rich folk culture. The Roma community
and Kosovo has greatly influenced its musical
1991 Slovenia and Croatia leave Yugoslavia heritage, and visitors may come
1999 NATO bombards Serbia across their energetic brass bands
2008 Kosovo declares its independence from Serbia at weddings and village fêtes
throughout the year.
SERBIA 523
Exploring Serbia
Serbia’s lively capital, Belgrade, stands at the centre
of the country’s transport network. Beyond the capital
are a number of impressive cultural monuments as
well as picturesque towns. North of Belgrade are the
flatlands of Vojvodina, home to the city of Novi Sad
and its riverside fortress as well as the border town
of Subotica, while to the south are the Sopoćani
and Studenica monasteries. Travelling by bus is the
preferred choice of transportation; trains are crowded
and can get delayed.
Sights at a Glance HUNGARY

1 Belgrade pp524–31 Busy pavement cafés on Zmaj Jovina ulica,
Subotica Palić
2 Novi Sad Novi Sad
Vo j v o d i n a
22
3 Subotica Bezdan
7 Ada
A1
4 Despotovac Sombor
Tisa
5 Studenica Monastery
6 Niš Srbobran
CROATIA Bač Zrenjanin
7 Novi Pazar
Bačka
8 Sopoćani Monastery Palanka Novi Sad
Danube Plandište
Ruma
A1
Batajnica Uljma
21
A3 ROMANIA
Šabac BELGRADE
Sava
19
Požarevac Kladovo
Loznica
22
24 Kučevo
Lajkovac Mladenovac
4 Petrovac Klokočevac
BOSNIA
D Valjevo
AND Ljig Res
ava Negotin
rin
HERZEGOVINA
21
a
Kragujevac Despotovac
0 kilometres 75
Užice Čačak
Paraćin 5
0 miles 75 5 Zaječar
Studenica BULGARIA
Arilje
25
Monastery
A1
Priboj Knjaževac
5
22
Kruševac
Prijepolje Kapaonik Niš Nis
Raška
av
Prokuplje
a
Pirot
Novi Pazar Kuršumlija
8
Sopoćani Dimitrovgrad
Monastery Leskovac
MONTENEGRO Devil’s Grdelica
Town
KOSOVO Vladičin Han
A1
Vranje
Bujanovac
MACEDONIA
Key
Motorway
Major road
Railway
The highly revered Studenica Monastery, above the Raška valley International border

1 Belgrade
The capital of Serbia since 1840, Belgrade, today
with a population of approximately 1.8 million
CA
people, has been a site of strategic importance for RA
DU
a succession of imperial rulers. Over the second ŠA
NA
half of the 19th century it gradually took on the
appearance of a modern European metropolis,
B U L E VAR
K A L EM EG D A N
although the magnificent Kalemegdan Fortress PA R K
bears eloquent witness to its turbulent past.

Situated between the main fortress and
VOJ
Kalemegdan Park is the Old Town (Stari grad),
VOD
with remnants from Ottoman times. Today, Knez
E B
Mihailova is the centre of social and commercial
OJ
life in the city. A long, pedestrianized street lined
O
STARI
V
IĆ
with handsome 19th-century buildings, it is busy
A
with shoppers and strollers throughout the day
and night. RI
SK
A
PA
P A KN
V
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Sights at a Glance
ĆE
IS
JI
G
SK
RA
KA
VO
RI
1 Kalemegdan Fortress
PR
PA
A
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TR
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G
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pp526–7
KN AR
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EZ KO
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N
2 Fresco Gallery
SIMIĆA
ZA
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Sav
3 Vuk and Dositej Museum
A
BR
IV
IN
A
4 Ethnographic Museum
a
RÐE
Z A D A RS K A TOPLIČ IN VEN
AC
POP LU K I N A
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5 Palace of Princess Ljubica MA

VA
RŠA
LA
A
C
6 Orthodox Cathedral
7 Skadarlija
8 St Mark’s Church Brankov
BRANKO
VA
9 Nikola Tesla Museum Most
OVIĆA
CRN
Key OGOR
KRSMAN E
0 The Royal Compound

BRAC
KA
Major sight / Place of interest MAR
q St Sava’s Church KRALJEVIĆ A
w Museum of Yugoslav History Pedestrian street

A
ČK
KA
A
V
e Zemun Motorway
RA
O
G
CE
Đ
ER
Major road
H
RĐ
Stari
Savski TELEZNIČKA
EV
Minor road Most

A
Railway
Bus
Station
Belgrade
Central
Getting Around
Central Belgrade is easily explored
on foot, with the lively Knez Mihailova
serving as the main route from the
city centre to the Kalemegdan Fortress.
Attractions outside the city centre can
be reached by tram, bus or trolleybus.
Taxis are reasonably priced, although
those booked in advance (hotel recep-
tionists can make the call) are cheaper
than those flagged down on the
street. Driving in the city can be
stressful due to heavy traffic, bad
Intricate stonework detail, Fresco Gallery roads and limited parking.

BELGRADE 525
Danube
Greater Belgrade
13
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DUN
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MIKE ALASA be 10
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Veliko Ratno
A
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10
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1 Kalemegdan Fortress
Kalemegdanska tvrđava
Dominating the confluence of the Sava and Danube
rivers, the Kalemegdan Fortress (kale meaning “fortress”
and meydan meaning “field”) was one of the most
Nebojša Kula
fought-over strategic points in South Eastern Europe.
It was first settled by the Celts, then refortified by
Serbia’s medieval rulers and expanded during the
Ottoman and Austrian occupations, evolving into an
extensive complex of buildings blending various
architectural styles. Today, it is Belgrade’s most popular
park, offering fine views of the Danube from its bastions.
Nebojša Kula
Also known as the
“daredevil tower”, this
15th-century hexagonal
structure was used
as a dungeon under
the Ottomans.
. The Victor
One of the best-known
works by the Croat sculptor
Ivan Meštrović (see p471),
The Victor (Pobednik)
was erected in 1928
to honour the tenth
anniversary of the
end of World War I.
Military Museum
Built in 1929, the Military
Museum resembles a
medieval fortress. Tanks,
cannons and World
War II machinery
are on display.
BELGRADE 527
. Chapel of Sveta Petka

Built in 1937, this chapel stands on the site
of a sacred spring associated with St Petka,
patron saint of families. The spring is
Kalemegdan. Map C2.
believed to have miraculous powers. It is
n (011) 262 0685.
thought that St Petka’s relics were kept in a
Military Museum: Tel (011) 334
church here during the Middle Ages.
3441. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun.
Nebojša Kula: Closed for
restoration. Sahat Kula: Open
10am–5pm daily. & 7
∑ beogradskatvrdjava.co.rs
Transport
@
. Zindan Gate
This 15th-century
fortified gate was used as
a zindan (dungeon) by
the Ottomans. There are
good views of the
Danube from its two
barrel-like towers.
KEY
1 Emperor Karl VI Gate, a

triumphal arch, was built by the
Austrians to celebrate the capture
of Belgrade in 1718.
2 Leopold Gate, on the east side of
the fortress, was built in honour of
Austrian Emperor Leopold I, who
held Belgrade briefly in the 1680s.
3 The Cvijeta Zuzoric Art
Pavilion, used for high-profile art
exhibitions, was named after a cele-
brated poet and beauty from
16th-century Dubrovnik.
4 Sahat Kula, a distinctive clock
tower, was built by the Austrians in
the 18th century.
5 Struggle by Simeon Roksandić
(1874–1943), a Serbian sculptor,
depicts a naked fisherman wrestling
with a snake.
Ivan Meštrović’s
Memorial to France
Meštrović’s sculpture, which
depicts a bathing figure, was
built in honour of the French
troops who played a major role
in liberating Serbia in 1918.
2 Fresco Gallery
Galerija fresaka
Cara Uroša 20. Map D2. Tel (011) 262
1491. Open 10am–5pm Tue, Wed &
Fri, noon–8pm Thu & Sat, 10am–2pm
Sun. &
Displaying copies of some of

the remarkable medieval paint-
ings that adorn the churches
and monasteries in Serbia, the
Fresco Gallery provides a stun-
ning visual introduction to the
Orthodox Christian culture that
thrived in the region before the
Ottoman occupation. In the Traditional folk costumes on display in the Ethnographic Museum
14th century, Serbia was at the
forefront of religious art, blend- The museum occupies one of 4Ethnographic
ing traditional Byzantine styles the oldest houses in Belgrade. Museum
with a new style of realistic, Featuring oriel windows and Etnografski muzej
emotional portraiture. In par- terracotta tiles, it is a fine example
ticular, New Testament scenes of the Levantine-style houses Studentski trg 13. Map D2.
Tel (011) 328 1888. @ 31, 28, 29, 41.
from the monastery churches that characterized the city
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 9am–2pm
of Studenica (see p534) and in the early 19th century.
Sun. & = ∑ etnografskimuzej.rs
Sopoćani (see p535) are repro- The ground floor houses
duced here to great effect. There a display devoted to Dositej The Ethnographic Museum
are also many paintings from the Obradović (1742–1811), a offers a colourful and infor-
monastery of Kosovo-Metohija widely travelled educator who mative introduction to Serbia’s
and frescoes from the 14th-cen- opened Serbia’s first high school rich folk traditions. It is housed
tury foundation at the Orthodox here in 1808. The first floor holds in the former Belgrade Stock
monastery of Dečani. Visitors can personal effects and manu- Exchange, a stark piece of
also view scale models of many scripts relating to Vuk Stefanović Functionalist architecture
of the churches in which the Karadžić (1787–1864), who is built in 1934. The ground floor
frescoes can be found, which regarded as one of the most hosts interesting temporary
helps to place the paintings in influential figures in modern exhibitions on various themes,
their architectural context. Serbian history and culture. often featuring items on
Born into a simple, peasant loan from foreign museums.
family, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić The permanent collection
3Vuk and Dositej spent much of his life compiling begins on the first floor with
Museum traditional songs and stories, a display of traditional Serbian
Vukov i Dositejev muzej amassing a huge body of textiles. The highlight here
Serbian folk literature that still is a collection of vividly
Gospodar Jevremova 21. Map D2.
Tel (011) 262 5161. @ 26.
exerts a profound influence coloured woollen carpets
Open 10am–5pm Tue, Wed & Fri, over the nation’s culture. He was from the east Serbian town
noon–8pm Thu, 10am–2pm Sun. & also a linguist, responsible for of Pirot, decorated with a rich
standardizing Serbian grammar, reper toire of geometric, floral
The Vuk and Dositej Museum and publishing dictionaries and and zoomorphic symbols.
honours two of Serbia’s most books that set the standard for There are also examples of
important language reformers. language teachers in his day. the vertical looms on which
such carpets were hand-
woven, alongside the beautifully
carved preslice (distaff ) used
to spin the wool, each adorned
with sun and star motifs.
The top floor displays
traditional folk costumes
as well as examples of
19th-century urban dresses,
top hats and umbrellas.
There are also intricate
scale models of village
farmsteads and re-creations
of typical urban and rural
Reproduction of a fresco from the Orthodox Cathedral, Fresco Gallery house interiors.
BELGRADE 529
5 Palace of Princess
Ljubica
Konak Kneginje Ljubice
Kneza Sime Markovića 8. Map C3.
Tel (011) 263 8264. Open 11am–5pm
Tue, Wed & Fri, 10am–6pm Thu,
11am–8pm Sat, 10am–4pm Sun. &
Situated a short distance from

Belgrade’s Orthodox Cathedral,
this former royal residence is
the finest surviving example of
Ottoman-Serbian architecture
from the early 19th century.
It was built for Prince Miloš
Obrenović in 1830, but he Visitors enjoying a stroll through the cobbled streets of Skadarlija
preferred his forest-fringed
residence in Topčider Park 6 Orthodox entrance lie the tombs of
southwest of the city centre, Cathedral cultural reformers Dositej
and left this building to his Saborna crkva Obradović and Vuk Karadžić.
wife, Princess Ljubica, and Opposite the cathedral, on
their children Milan and Mihail. Kneza Sime Markovića 3. Map C3. Kralja Petra, is the Café of the
The exterior is Oriental in Tel (011) 263 6684. Open 7am–8pm Question Mark (Kafana “?”),
appearance, with bay windows daily. 5 built in 1823 and the oldest
protruding from the upper Built in 1837 on the orders of functioning tavern in the city.
floors and slender minaret-like Prince Miloš Obrenović and It was originally called the
chimneys emerging from the dedicated to the Archangel Café at the Cathedral, but the
roof. Inside is a display Michael, the church authorities objected to
of traditional Balkan Orthodox Cathedral the name, leaving the owner
decorations, with the is a blend of Neo- to hang the “?” sign above the
ground floor divanhane Classical and door as a symbol of protest.
(reception room) Baroque styles.
containing a raised Inside, the gilded
platform carpeted iconostasis carved 7 Skadarlija
with brightly coloured by Dimitrije Petrović Skadarska
Oriental rugs. Cushioned bears several tiers of
Skadarska ulica. Map E3.
benches, charcoal icons. In front of it is @ 2, 5, 10, 79.
braziers, Turkish coffee a casket containing
jugs and tables inlaid Mosaic, Orthodox the bones of Prince Centred on a cobbled street,
with mother- of-pearl Cathedral Lazar, who was killed Skadarlija was early 20th-cen-
re-create the semi- during the Battle of tury Belgrade’s bohemian quar-
European, semi-Levantine lifestyle Kosovo in 1389. This battle ter, where artists and poets
enjoyed by the Serbian elite of ended in stalemate and the would gather for a night of
the period. The top-floor rooms province of Kosovo has held wine and song. Crowded with
house a collection of 19th- special importance in Serbian cafés and restaurants, it is one
century furniture and portraits national consciousness ever of the city’s hot spots for dining
of the Serbian Royal Family. since. Outside the main and carousing.
Skadarlija’s history as a hub for
nightlife dates back to the 1880s,
when Czech entrepreneur Ignat
Bajloni established a brewery at
the end of the street. A host of
inns opened up in the vicinity
and a regular clientele of artists
and writers began to meet here.
Today, Skadarska ulica is still
atmospheric, with most of
the restaurants retaining their
traditional furnishings.
Further down the street stands
an Ottoman-style fountain, a
replica of the Sebilj Fountain
(see p490) in the Baščaršija
Oriental façade of the Palace of Princess Ljubica district of Sarajevo.
8 St Mark’s Church
Crkva Svetog marka
Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra 17.
Map E4. Tel (011) 323 1940. @ 25, 26,
27, 32. 5
Completed in 1940, St Mark’s

Church is an architectural trib-
ute to Serbia’s medieval build-
ers, being largely based on the
14th-century monastery church
of Gračanica in Kosovo. With its
cluster of green domes and
striped red-and-ochre stone-
work, it is a more exuberant Section of the permanent exhibition space inside the Nikola Tesla Museum
piece of work than the original,
and features an angular modern 9Nikola Tesla demonstrated to the public
belfry. Laid out beneath a 52-m Museum at Madison Square Gardens
(171-ft) high cupola, the interior Muzej Nikole tesle in New York in 1898.
of the church is comparatively
bare, which draws attention to Krunska 51. Map F5.
a glittering mosaic of the Last Tel (011) 243 3886. v 7, 12. @ 26, 0 The Royal
Supper set in the iconostasis. 27. Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & Compound
8 = ∑ tesla-museum.org
Set against the south wall of the Kraljevski dvorovi
nave is the sarcophagus of
Dedinje. Map F2. Tel (011) 306 4000.
Serbia’s greatest medieval ruler, Born to Serb parents in the Lika n Makedonska 5. Open Apr–Oct:
Tsar Dušan. region of Croatia, Nikola Tesla 11am & 2pm Sat & Sun. & 8
Southeast of the church (1856–1943) was one of the ∑ royalfamily.org
stretches Tašmajdan Park engineering geniuses of the
(Tašmajdanski park), named Modern Age, carrying out Comprising two palatial villas
after a quarry from the Ottoman pioneering work in the fields of and a landscaped park, the Royal
period; Tašmajdan means “stone X-rays, radio transmission and Compound was built by King
quarry” in Turkish. Today, its leafy remote-control devices. One of Aleksandar of Yugoslavia in the
promenades attract a lot of his greatest achievements was 1920s. It is located in Dedinje, a
visitors. A few steps west of the demonstrating how electricity hilly suburb southwest of the
church is Serbia’s Parliament could be transmitted in the form centre. After the monarchy was
Building (zgrada Parlamenta), of alternating currents, a system abolished by a referendum in
stormed in October 2000 by now used around the world. 1947, the compound was used
protesters demanding the Tesla is also credited with by the then Yugoslav president
overthrow of the then pre- being one of the co-inventors Tito, and more recently, by the
sident, Slobodan Milošević. of the radio, even though his Serbian Nationalist-Communist
The entrance to this Classical- Italian rival Guglielmo Marconi leader Slobodan Milošević. After
style building features striking was the first to succeed in the fall of Milošević, the Royal
sculptures of muscular figures demonstrating the technology Family returned to Dedinje, and
wrestling to control struggling in action. Despite spending the compound now serves as
horses, the work of the 19th- most of his adult life in North their home. The main royal
century Croatian sculptor America, Tesla requested that residence has an entrance
Toma Rosandić. his ashes be brought to hall decorated with copies
Belgrade after his of medieval Serbian frescoes
death; this memorial and a splendid dining room
museum was decked in Flemish tapestries.
established to The basement is decorated in
house them. The Muscovite style, with motifs
display provides an from Russian folk art adorning
informative overview its vaulted ceilings.
of Tesla’s life and On the other side of the
work, with labels in park stands the White Palace
Serbian and English. (Beli Dvor), originally built by
There are scale Aleksandar for his sons; it now
models of his contains the royal art collec-
laboratories, together tion. Highlights include paint-
with a replica of the ings by Poussin and Canaletto
remote-control led as well as Rembrandt’s Portrait
Detail on the exterior of St Mark’s Church boat he first of a Young Man.
BELGRADE 531
q St Sava’s Church w Museum of

Hram svetog save Yugoslav History
Krušedolska 2a. Map F2. @ 9, 10. 14. Muzej istorije Jugoslavije
31, 33, 39, 47, 48. Open 7am–7pm Botićeva 6. Map F2.
daily. ∑ hramsvetogsave.com Tel (011) 367 1296.  40, 41. @ 94.
Dedicated to St Sava, the Serbian Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. & 7
∑ mij.rs
prince and holy man who is
regarded as the founder of
the Serbian Orthodox Church, One museum not to be missed
St Sava’s Church is the largest while in Belgrade: the Museum
working Orthodox church in of Yugoslav History actually
the world. It is the result of a comprises three entities. The
Herculean building project that centrepiece of the complex is
has lasted several decades and is the House of Flowers (Kuća
still in the process of completion. Cveća), the former president
The location of the church is Josip Broz Tito’s tomb. Communist The striking Millennium Tower in
considered sacred, as it was here leader Tito led partisan forces Gardoš, Zemun
that the saint’s remains were during World War II and was the
ritually burned by the Ottomans architect of the federal Yugoslav e Zemun
in 1595 after being seized from state that emerged from the Map E1. @ 15, 84, 704, 706.
the Mileševa Monastery in ashes of the war. He served as the n Zemun Tourist Centre, Zmaj
southwest Serbia. dictator of Yugoslavia from 1945 Jovina 14, (011) 219 2904.
Begun in the 1930s, until his death on 4 May 1980.
construction was halted mid- The House of Flowers keeps Sprawled along the west
way with the onset of World a fascinating collection of bank of the Danube, 4 km
War II and only resumed Tito memorabilia, (3 miles) from central Belgrade,
in 1984. The basic including a range of lies the suburb of Zemun.
structure of the church gifts presented to him Unlike the rest of Belgrade,
is now in place. It is by foreign dignitaries. Zemun was part of the Austro-
styled on the Byzantine An adjacent building Hungarian Empire from the late
cross-in-square model, houses the 25th May 17th century until World War I,
with a central dome Statue of Tito, 25th Museum, where the and retains the pleasant atmos-
flanked by four half- May Museum former leader’s Rolls phere of a small central
domes. Faced with Royce and a collection European town.
white-coloured marble plates, it of batons used in the annual The most interesting part
has a luminous appearance. The “Relay of Youth”, held on Tito’s of Zemun is Gardoš, an area of
interior, still unfinished, covers official birthday (25 May), are dis- steep cobbled alleyways on a
an area of 3,650 sq m (36,288 sq played. The Old Museum houses hillside overlooking the river.
ft) and boasts a capacity of ethnographical displays from the Presiding over Gardoš from the
10,000 worshippers. former Yugoslavia. top of the hill is the Millennium
Tower (Milenijumski kula), a red-
brick monument built by the
Hungarians in 1896 to celebrate
the 1,000-year anniversary of the
creation of their state. From
the foot of the tower, there is
a wonder ful view of central
Belgrade, and key landmarks
such as the Kalemegdan
Fortress (see pp526–7) and St
Sava’s Church are clearly visible.
Zemun’s other attraction is
Kej Oslobođenja (Freedom
Quay), a foot-and-cycle path
that runs along the banks of
the Danube and is popular with
strollers on Sunday afternoons.
This is also the heart of Belgrade’s
nightlife due to the long line
of rafts moored here, most of
which have been turned into
restaurants, bars, pubs
Monumental structure of St Sava’s Church and clubs.
E Museum of Vojvodina
Dunavska 35. Tel (021) 420 566.
Open 9am–7pm Tue–Fri, 10am–6pm
Sat & Sun. ∑ muzejvojvodine.org.rs
Located in the pedestrian zone,
this museum (Muzej Vojvodine)
displays Neolithic pottery and
tools unearthed in the region.
There is also a wealth of finds
from the Roman city of Sirmium
(now Sremska Mitrovica), just
west of Novi Sad, which served
as Emperor Galerius’s capital city
in the late 3rd century. The
ethnographic diversity of
Freedom Square, the spacious hub of Novi Sad Vojvodina emerges through a
colourful display of Serb,
2 Novi Sad monarchy. Looming over the Hungarian and Slovak cos-
74 km (46 miles) N of Belgrade.
eastern end of the square is the tumes. There are also painted
* 300,000. £ @ n Bulevar Neo-Gothic St Mary’s Cathedral wooden chests and brightly
Mihajla Pupina 9, (021) 421 811; Ulica (crkva sv Marije), the city’s main decorated ceramics in a range
Modene 1, (021) 661 7343. _ EXIT Catholic church and the of traditional folk designs.
Festival (Jul). ∑ turizamns.rs principal venue for Hungarian
and Croatian-speaking masses. P Petrovaradin Fortress
On the north shore of the The church’s plain interior Petrovaradinska tvrđava.
Danube river, Novi Sad is the stands in remarkable contrast Open 8am–5pm Tue–Sun.
administrative centre of the to its colourful stained-glass City Museum: Tel (021) 643 3145.
Vojvodina region. The town owes windows, made by Czech and 8 9am–5pm (except Mon).
its existence to the strategically Hungarian masters. ∑ museumns.rs
located Petrovaradin Fortress on Stretching northeast from A short walk east of central
the south bank of the river. Forti- the cathedral, Zmaj Jovina Novi Sad, Petrovaradin
fied since Roman times, Petro- ulica is distinguished by Fortress (Petrovaradinska
varadin was turned into an several two-storey build- tvrđava) stretches along
impregnable garrison by the ings painted in pastel hues the high ground on the
Austrians in the 18th century, of yellow, ochre and south bank of the Danube
and the civilian settlement of turquoise. At the end river. Occupied first by the
Novi Sad grew up by its side. of the street stands the Romans, then medieval
Largely populated by Serbs 19th-century Bishop’s St Mary’s Hungarians and Ottoman
fleeing from the Ottoman Palace, designed by Cathedral Turks, the fortress itself
Empire, the town soon became Vladimir Nikolić in a variety dates from the arrival of
a major centre of Serbian of architectural styles. Just around the Austrians in 1692. Eager to
religion, culture and learning. the corner is the Orthodox consolidate their rule over
The first ever Serbian-language Church of St George, dating from Central Europe, they saw
theatre was founded here in 1742, which features a Rococo Petrovaradin as the focal point of
1861, and the key literary and iconostasis and vivacious Art their southern defences and set
cultural society, Matica Srpska, Nouveau stained-glass windows about building a fortress so
moved here from Budapest in by local artist Paja Jovanović. formidable that the Ottomans
1864. Modern Novi Sad houses would be dissuaded from ever
the cultural institutions of taking up arms against Austria
Vojvodina’s Hungarian, Slovak, again. The resulting stronghold
Romanian and Rusyn (a comprised a star-shaped pattern
different ethnic group to the of bastions and trenches, with
Russians) communities. over 15 km (9 miles) of under-
ground galleries to house
P Pedestrian Zone 30,000 defending troops.
A cluster of pedestrianized Positioned high above the
streets constitutes the centre of river, the central citadel offers
Novi Sad. At their heart is the magnificent views of Novi
Freedom Square (trg Slobode), Sad from its ramparts. Inside,
dominated by Ivan Meštrović’s many of the barrack blocks
statue of Svetozar Miletić, a have now been converted
19th-century politician and into artists’ workshops and
lawyer who fought for the rights Monument to Serbian statesman Svetozar galleries, with atmospheric
of Serbs within the Habsburg Miletić at Freedom Square cafés and restaurants.
SERBIA 533
function as a savings bank. Just

round the corner from Korzo,
the Likovni Susret Gallery
(galerija Likovni Susret), covered
in brightly coloured tulip motifs
is an Art Nouveau gem. Built by
architect Ferenc Rajhl to serve
as a family home in 1904, it now
hosts changing exhibitions of
contemporary art.
View of Petrovaradin Fortress across the Danube river, Novi Sad Environs
Located 8 km (5 miles) east of
Petrovardin’s former arsenal Komor and Jakab’s flamboyant Subotica, the lakeside settle-
(topovnjača) is now occupied architectural style. Mixing ment of Palić was developed
by the City Museum (Gradski red brick with green and yellow as a health resort in the mid-
muzej), home to a fine collect- tiling and topped with a cluster 19th century, and is now a
ion of period furnishings, of plump domes, it is an popular spot for sunbathing
porcelain and fine arts. Guided extraordinarily striking building. and swimming in summer.
tours of the underground Set in one corner of the Here, too, is an ensemble of
galleries (podzemne vojne synagogue enclosure is a mon- buildings designed by Komor
galerije) offer the chance to ument honouring Subotica’s and Jakab, blending Art
explore a subterranean warren 4,000-strong Jewish population, Nouveau style with Hungarian
of gun positions and transported to Nazi death folk motifs. A cone-shaped
ammunition dumps. camps in July 1944. vodotoranj (water tower),
Every July, Petrovaradin The nearby Municipal attached to a gateway of the
becomes the venue for the Museum (Gradski muzej) lakeside park, is among them.
famous EXIT Festival (see p538), houses a colourful ethnogra- The town’s most distinctive
a four-day celebration of rock phic collection rich in traditional building, however, is the
and pop that draws between Hungarian and Croatian Womens’ Beach (Ženski štrand),
150,000 and 190,000 revellers costumes, and a display of an all-timber waterside pavilion
from all over Europe. African folk artifacts collected resembling Transylvanian
by famous local explorer Oskar village huts.
Vojnić. East of the main square,
3 Subotica the pedestrianized Korzo is E Municipal Museum
full of fine buildings from the trg Sinagoge 3. Tel (024) 555 128.
178 km (111 miles) N of Belgrade.
pre-World War I period. Most Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sat. &
* 150,000. £ @ n trg Slobode 1,
(024) 670 350. _ Palić Film Festival remarkable is the richly deco- E Likovni Susret Gallery
(mid-Jul). ∑ visitsubotica.rs rated apartment house at No. 4. Park Ferenca Rajhla 5. Tel (024) 553
The beehive symbol on its 725. Open 8am–7pm Mon–Fri,
Located close to the Hungarian façade reveals its former 9am–1pm Sat.
frontier, Subotica is a typical
multicultural border town
with a mixed community of
Hungarians, Serbs and Croats.
First documented in the late
14th century as a free-trading
post, the town is known for its
Art Nouveau architecture, of
which the monumental Town
Hall (Gradska kuća) on the
main square is an outstanding
example. Designed in 1908 by
architects Marcell Komor and
Dezső Jakab, it is rich in
Hungarian folk motifs, with
colourfully patterned roof tiles,
oriole windows and decorative
floral designs adorning
the façade.
North of the main square, at
Synaogue square (trg Sinagoge)
stands Subotica’s Synagogue
(Sinagoga), which showcases Subotica’s main square, graced by Art Nouveau buildings
5 Studenica
Monastery
135 km (84 miles) S of Belgrade. Tel (036)
536 050. @ from Belgrade. Open 5am–
8pm daily. 5 ∑ manastirstudenica.rs
Nestled in a wooded valley,

Studenica Monastery is regarded
as the spiritual heartland of the
Serbian Orthodox church. It was
founded in the late 12th century
by Prince Stefan Nemanja,
founder of the medieval Serb
Fortifications at the serene Manasija Monastery, Despotovac state, who became a monk in
1196. The monastery later
4 Despotovac decorated with scenes from served as a base for his son
130 km (81 miles) SE of Belgrade. *
the gospel, while depictions of Sava, the first archbishop of the
33,000. @ from Belgrade. n Cerska Old Testament prophets adorn Serbian Church and the nation’s
3, (064) 264 5986. ∑ despotovac.rs the cupola. patron saint.
Surrounded by a horseshoe-
Located in the Resava valley 30 Environs shaped ring of buildings,
km (19 miles) east of the main The Resava Cave (Resavska the main monastery is a
Belgrade-Niš Highway, the town Pećina), one of Serbia’s most dra- Byzantine-style basilica
of Despotovac is renowned for matic karst features, is situated decorated with a profusion
the spectacular medieval 20 km (12 miles) southeast of of Romanesque details,
Manasija Monastery (manastir Despotovac. Formed by seeping notably floral swirls and animal
Manasija), also known as water over an estimated 80 motifs. Inside are some of the
Resavska after the local river. million years, the cave features most splendid frescoes in
Founded by Despot Stefan rock formations. An 800 m the Balkans, in which portraits
Lazarević in 1418, the (2,625 ft) stretch of the of the holy family, saints and
monastery is cave is accessible via apostles combine Byzantine
surrounded by forti- a staircase. Highlights formality with the realism of
fications, including include the Beehive Western European art.
11 castellated towers. Hall, characterized On the northern side of the
Inside are some of Detail of fresco, by beehive-shaped monastery compound stands
Serbia’s finest 15th- Manasija Monastery stalagmites, and the the smaller King’s Church
century frescoes. The Crystal Hall, which takes (Kraljeva Crkva), built in 1314
west wall has a portrait of its name from its chandelier- by Stefan Nemanja’s great-
Stefan Lazarević wearing gold- like stalactites. grandson King Uroš II Milutin.
embroidered robes, while the Among several brilliantly
north and south walls are cov- T Resava Cave executed frescoes are a joyous
ered with friezes of warrior- Tel (035) 611 610. Open Apr–Nov: Birth of the Virgin on the north
saints wielding weapons. 9am–5pm daily. & wall, and portraits of Serbian
Higher up, the walls are ∑ resavskapecina.rs rulers in the south chapel.
Well-preserved complex of the Studenica Monastery, of special significance to the Serbian Orthodox faith
SERBIA 535
as a warning. It originally contain-

ed 1,000 skulls, but just 60 remain.
Environs
Djavolja Varoš (Devil’s Town),
about 90 km (56 miles) west of
Niš, is so named for 202 eerie
rock formations caused by
centuries of erosion.
P Tower of Skulls
Bulevar Dr Zorana Đinđica. Tel 822
2228. Open 9am–8pm Tue–Sun.
Equestrian monument to the Liberation St Peter’s Church in Novi Pazar, the oldest
of 1878, Niš 7 Novi Pazar church in Serbia
270 km (168 miles) S of Belgrade.
6 Niš * 120,000. @ n 28 Novembar 27,
Environs
Around 25 km (16 miles) north-
235 km (146 miles) SE of Belgrade. (020) 338 030. ∑ tonps.rs
* 250,000. £ @ n Voždova 7 east of Novi Pazar, Kopaonik
(018) 523 118. ∑ visitnis.com Situated in mountainous territory National Park lies in a pictur-
in southwest Serbia, Novi Pazar esque plateau surrounded by
The town of Niš has an ancient was founded in the mid-15th high mountain peaks, and is
pedigree. Believed to be the century as a way-station on the popular with skiers and hikers.
birthplace of Emperor Constan- Dubrovnik-Constantinople
tine the Great, it was also an caravan route. The town centre
important Roman trading post. still has some Ottoman-era 8 Sopoćani
Conquered by the Ottomans in buildings and plenty of mosques. Monastery
1386, Niš became a part of the Highlights include the many- 287 km (178 miles) S of Belgrade.
modern Serbian state in 1878. domed Isa Beg Hammam (Isa- @ from Novi Pazar.
Today it is Serbia’s third begov hamam), a 15th-
largest city and centres century bath house Located on a hill surrounded by
around the pedes- beside the Raška river. mountains, the monastery of
trianized Kralja Milana North of the river is the Sopoćani was founded in 1263
Square, where there is Lejlek Mosque, built a by King Uroš I, the grandson of
an equestrian monu- century later, with its Stefan Nemanja. The monastery
ment dedicated to the arched portico over- church is a three-aisled
liberators of 1878. looked by a minaret. Romanesque basilica made
North of the square, a The area around from blocks of stone. The nave is
bridge leads across the Detail from the Tower Novi Pazar was once covered with frescoes painted
Nišava river towards the of Skulls the heartland of the by masters from Constantinople,
18th-century Tvrđava medieval Serbian state with a fine Dormition of the
(Fortress) built by the Ottoman and is dotted with ancient Virgin filling the west wall. Also
Turks, which is now the town churches and monasteries. in the nave are the tombs of
park. Entered via the Istanbul North of the centre stands the Uroš I and his Venetian mother
Gate (Stambul Kapija), the park 9th-century St Peter’s Church Anna Dandolo. The narthex
contains some Ottoman (Petrova Crkva), the original seat contains more frescoes, with
buildings, including a domed of the bishops of Ras and the superb portraits of Uroš and his
bath house and the 15th-cen- oldest surviving church in Serbia. son Dragutin.
tury Mosque of Bali Beg, which
now serves as an art gallery.
South of the main square, the
Copper-workers’ Alley (Kazandžijsko
Sokače) preserves some 19th-
century craft workshops. About
3 km (2 miles) east of the centre
stands the Tower of Skulls (Ćele
Kula), a gruesome monument
dedicated to the origins of the
Serbian Uprising of 1809, when
insurgents blew themselves up
to avoid capture by the Turks. The
Ottomans built a tower studded
with the victims’ heads to serve Evocative fresco of Dormition of the Virgin, Sopoćani Monastery
Practical & Travel Information mid-summer. Serbia is generally

a safe country in which to travel,
Serbia has largely missed out on the tourism boom enjoyed by and the only likely dangers are
other countries in Eastern and Central Europe, and facilities for petty theft and pickpocketing.
visitors are a little less predictable than elsewhere in the region. Visitors should keep their
valuables out of sight in crowded
However, tourist information is available in the most popular areas or while using public
destinations, and banks, post offices and public transport ticket transport services. They should
offices are efficient. There is a good network of rail and road also avoid leaving their bags
services reaching all parts of the country, although standards unattended on trains.
of comfort in trains and buses vary widely.
When to Visit Visitor Information Few of Serbia’s public transport
Serbia has a continental climate The country is still in the process facilities, museums or tourist
that is prone to seasonal of developing a tourist information attractions have been adapted
extremes. Spring, early summer infrastructure. Many smaller for wheelchair users. Pavement
and early autumn are the best destinations may lack tourist ramps are being introduced
times both for sightseeing and information of any kind. However, in central Belgrade, but their
for catching regional festivals. cities such as Belgrade, Niš and provision elsewhere in Serbia is
Temperatures can be very high Novi Sad, have professional tourist erratic. Hotels offering facilities
in August, while in mid-winter, information centres with English- for the disabled are mostly in
they can drop to below freezing speaking staff. These cities are the four- and five-star bracket
for long periods of time. Heavy also well signposted, making it and command high prices.
snow can hamper transport in easy to tour the main sights on
rural areas. Many museums foot. Most towns in Serbia have
have shorter opening hours official websites with information Banking and Currency
from October until March and given in English, though these Banks and menjačnica
may stay closed on weekends. are not updated regularly. The (exchange bureaus) offer better
The skiing season is generally National Tourism Organization exchange rates than hotels and
from December to March. of Serbia and the Tourist travel agencies. Banks are open
Organization of Belgrade have from 8am to 5pm Monday to
informative websites. Friday and from 8am to 2pm
Documentation on Saturday.
Citizens of the EU, US, ATMs are widespread in towns
Canada, Australia and New Health and Security and cities. However, not all
Zealand only need a valid No special vaccinations are accept the full range of plastic
passport to visit Serbia for required for visiting Serbia. Minor cards. If the logo of the card is
up to 90 days. For more ailments can be dealt with by not displayed on the ATM, the
information about visas or visiting a apoteka (pharmacy) machine will reject the card.
extended stays, visitors where over-the-counter Major international credit cards
should contact the Serbian medication is available. Each are accepted in central shops as
Embassy or Consulate in city has one or more centrally well as restaurants in Belgrade
their home country before located pharmacies that stay and other bigger cities. If travel-
travelling, or check the website open 24 hours. Air quality in ling in small towns or rural
of the Serbian Ministry of the capital, Belgrade, is poor areas, it is a good idea to carry
Foreign Affairs. especially in mid-winter and sufficient cash to cover major
items such as hotel bills as well
as lesser expenses.
The Climate of Serbia BELGRADE The currency of Serbia, the
Winters are cold and wet 28/82 dinar (RSD or din), is rarely
with heavy snow. Summers available in banks or exchange
° C/F 18/64 17/63 18/64 bureaus outside the country.
are rarely oppressively hot,
although it can get quite humid However, there are exchange
7/45 8/46
in Belgrade during August. facilities at Belgrade’s airport,
3/37
May, June and September are 0°C train and bus stations and at
-3/27
the perfect months to visit in 32°F road border crossings.
terms of weather, although May 10
6 hrs 3 hrs 2 hrs
and June are also the wettest. hrs
Early to mid-October is still 54 61 55 47

Communications
warm, and excellent for cultural mm mm mm mm Serbia’s telephone network is
and outdoor activities. month Apr Jul Oct Jan straightforward and easy to
use, and there is mobile phone
coverage almost everywhere in
SERBIA 537
the country. Public telephones international trains include a DIRECTORY

use Halo cards (Halo Plus cards buffet car, passengers should
for international calls), which purchase provisions before Documentation
can be purchased from travelling. Both local and Intercity Serbian Ministry of Foreign
newspaper kiosks and post trains are crowded and can be Affairs
offices. Wi-Fi is readily available late. Tickets and information on ∑ mfa.gov.rs
everywhere, including most rail travel throughout the
hotels and cafés as well as an country is available on the Visitor Information
increasing number of public Serbian Railways website. National Tourism
spaces, such as the main square Organization of Serbia
∑ serbia.travel
in Novi Sad.
Post offices stay open from 8am Travelling by Bus Tourist Organization of
Belgrade
to 7pm Monday to Friday and Bus travel is the most popular Tel (011) 306 1314.
from 8am to 3pm on Saturday. form of public transport in ∑ tob.rs
Serbia. The Belgrade Bus Station
is the central bus station that Embassies
Arriving by Air serves most destinations in the Australia
Air Serbia, from London country. Fast Intercity services 8th floor, Vladimira Popovića
Heathrow airport, and Wizz Air, link the main centres as well as 38–40, Belgrade.
from Luton airport, offer direct rural destinations. Many buses Tel (011) 330 3400.
flights from the UK to Belgrade. may be old, especially in the rural ∑ serbia.embassy.gov.au
There are no direct flights from south of the country, and are Canada
North America or Australasia to unlikely to be air conditioned. Kneza Miloša 75, Belgrade.
Tel (011) 306 3000.
Belgrade, although most travel Each town or city has a ∑ serbia.gc.ca
agents will offer a one- or two- central bus station with clearly
United Kingdom
stop flight to Belgrade, changing displayed timetables (polasci Resavska 46, Belgrade.
at a major European airport such means departures, dolasci Tel (011) 264 5055.
as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London means arrivals). Tickets should ∑ gov.uk/government/world/
or Vienna. be purchased in advance and serbia
Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla usually include a seat reservation. United States
Airport is 18 km (11 miles) When buying a ticket, passen- Bul. Kneza Aleksandra
Karađorđevica 92, Belgrade.
north of the city at Surčin. Local gers are also given a zěton Tel (011) 706 4000.
bus number 72 runs from the (token) which provides access to ∑ serbia.usembassy.gov
airport to the city centre every the relevant departure platform.
30 minutes from about 5am Both Belgrade and Novi Sad Emergency Numbers
until midnight. There is also have daily international services Ambulance, Fire & Police
the faster, more expensive, to Zagreb, Sarajevo and in the Tel 112.
A1 line, which runs every 30 summer months, to Dubrovnik
minutes up to Slavija Square. and Split. The Bulgarian capital Arriving by Air
Sofia can be reached twice a day Air Serbia
from Niš. Bul. Umetnosti 16.
Rail Travel Tel (011) 311 2123.
Rail travel in Serbia is slightly ∑ airserbia.com
cheaper than bus travel, but Travelling by Car Nikola Tesla Airport
journey times are slower and A valid international driving Surčin, Belgrade. Tel (011) 209
departures less frequent. There license is required to drive legally 4444. ∑ beg.aero
is a useful international service in Serbia. Insurance policies from Wizz Air
∑ wizzair.com
from Belgrade to Zagreb, with countries that have signed the
one departure per day, and to Vehicle Insurance Convention Rail Travel
Budapest, with two departures are valid. However, citizens of
per day. The 10-hour train trip other countries must purchase Serbian Railways
∑ zeleznicesrbije.com
from Belgrade to the an insurance policy when enter-
Montenegrin capital Podgorica is ing Serbia. The European Green Travelling by Bus
one of South Eastern Europe’s Card vehicle insurance is now
classic journeys, taking in breath- valid in Serbia. Well-maintained Belgrade Bus Station
Zeleznicka 4.
taking mountain scenery and autoput (highways) run from Tel (011) 263 6299.
spectacular viaducts. The train Belgrade to Niš, Novi Sad and ∑ bas.rs
for the trip departs twice daily. Subotica. Tolls are payable on
Train carriages on international these roads. Cars can be hired Travelling by Car
services are clean and plush. The from service providers Budget Budget
rolling stock used on domestic and Hertz. Headlights should be ∑ budget.rs
journeys is often old and less kept on at all times. The use of Hertz
comfortable, and toilets may be mobile phones is forbidden, as ∑ hertz.rs
filthy. As few domestic or is drinking and driving.
Shopping & Entertainment DIRECTORY

Serbia’s high streets have modern shops selling branded Crafts and Souvenirs
goods, however, traditional open-air markets where an array Beoizlog
of fresh foodstuffs and craft items are available are a big draw. trg Republike 5, Belgrade.
Tel (011) 328 18 59.
The country has a lively outdoor drinking culture, with cafés
and alfresco bars particularly popular during the spring and Ethnographic Museum
Studentski trg 13, Belgrade.
summer months. The capital, Belgrade, has a thriving music Tel (011) 328 1888.
and theatre scene with the season usually running from
Mamut
October to June. A busy schedule of music festivals takes Cnr Sremska and Knez Mihailova,
over in the summer, with Novi Sad’s EXIT festival drawing Belgrade. Tel (011) 639 060.
the biggest crowds.
Food and Drink
Crafts and Souvenirs pop and world music acts. The Rakia Bar and Gift Shop
In Belgrade, the main upmarket Belgrade Music Festival in Terazije 42, Belgrade.
shopping area is along Terazije October brings top classical Zeleni Venac
and Knez Mihailova Streets. Open- performers, while the Belgrade Jug Bogdanova bb, Belgrade.
air stalls along the main avenue Dance Festival, held in April,
in Kalemegdan Park (see pp526–7) features international dancers. Music and Festivals
in Belgrade display traditional Serbia’s biggest summer rock and Belgrade Dance Festival
Serbian handicrafts such as carpets, pop event, the EXIT Festival, takes ∑ belgradedancefestival.com
opanke (leather slippers), painted place in Novi Sad’s Petrovaradin
Belgrade Music Festival
gourds and shoulder bags deco- Fortress (see p532–3). In August, ∑ bemus.rs
rated with folk motifs. A good the Guča Trumpet Festival, sees
selection of items is also available Serbia’s best brass bands perform. Belgrade Philharmonic
at the Ethnographic Museum. The Kustendorf Film and Music Orchestra
Tel (011) 328 2977. ∑ bgf.rs
For postcards, guidebooks, T-shirts Festival in January features top
and other souvenirs, head for the actors and directors. EXIT Festival
Beoizlog gift shop. The multimedia ∑ exitfest.org
store Mamut has a selection of Guča Trumpet Festival
English-language books and Theatre ∑ guca.rs
music, and also sells guidebooks For classical drama in the Serbian Kustendorf Film and Music
and maps. language, both the National Festival
Theatre and the Yugoslav ∑ kustendorf-filmandmusic
Drama Theatre offer quality festival.org
Food and Drink productions. Novi Sad is the National Theatre
The Zeleni Venac market in home of the Serbian National Francuska 3, Belgrade.
Belgrade is a good place to Theatre, while Subotica has a Tel (011) 328 1333.
pick up dried red paprika, dedicated Hungarian-language
Sava Centre
scented honey and herbs. The theatre, the Dezső Kosztolányi
Milentija Popovića 9, Belgrade.
Serbian national drink, rakija Theatre. The Belgrade Tel (011) 220 6000.
(brandy), comes in several International Theatre Festival
varieties although šljivovica (BITEF), in September, is the Theatre
(plum brandy) and lozovača leading festival of contemporary
(grape brandy) are the most theatre in South Eastern Europe. BITEF Theatre Festival
∑ bitef.rs
common. Rakija and other spirits
can be bought at supermarkets Dezső Kosztolányi Theatre
throughout Serbia, although Bars and Clubs Subotica. ∑ kosztolanyi.org
Rakia Bar and Gift Shop outlets Many of Belgrade’s fanciest bars Serbian National Theatre
have a larger range of products. are located along Strahinjića Bana. Pozorišni trg 1, Novi Sad. Tel (021)
Nearby is Skadarlija (see p529), 662 1411. ∑ snp.org.rs
whose restaurants and cafés Yugoslav Drama Theatre
Music and Festivals preserve the atmosphere of the Kralja Milana 50, Belgrade.
Serbia’s national opera and 1920s and 30s and feature live ∑ jdp.co.rs
ballet companies are based at music. In spring and summer,
the National Theatre in Belgrade. nightlife shifts to the splavovi (rafts) Bars and Clubs
The Belgrade Philharmonic that line the banks of the Sava
Plastic
Orchestra performs most weeks and Danube rivers. A popular one Tel (064) 640 3956.
in the Kolarac Hall. Sava Centre is Povetarac, which plays rock
is the venue for musicals, variety music. Also famous for electronic Povetarac
shows and visiting symphony music are nightclubs such Tel (065) 475 5115.
orchestras as well as major rock, as Plastic.
W H E R E TO S TAY 539
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Belgrade Prices are based on one night’s stay
in high season for a standard double
room, inclusive of service charges
Green Studio Hostel  and taxes.
Hostel Map C4  under 7,500 din
Karađorđeva 61, 11000  7,500–15,000 din
 over 15,000 din
Tel (011) 218 5943
∑ greenstudiohostel.com
Mix of dorm rooms, self-contained This conveniently located
doubles and triples opposite hotel has comfortable rooms,
Belgrade's train and bus stations. each with Internet access
and reasonable desk space.
Palace Hotel 
Historic Map C3 NOVI SAD: Hostel Sova 
Topličin venac 23, 11000 Imposing façade of Square Nine Hostel
Tel (011) 218 5585 in Belgrade Ilije Ognjanovića 26, 21000
∑ palacehotel.co.rs Tel (021) 661 5230
Centrally located elegant hotel ∑ hostelsova.com
with rooms decorated in mood- DK Choice En suite double rooms
enhancing creams and reds. Le Petit Piaf  and multi-bed dorms in an
Boutique Map E3 apartment building near Novi
Majestic  Skadarska 34, 11000 Sad's pedestrianized centre.
Historic Map D3 Tel (011) 303 5252
Obilićev venac 28, 11000 ∑ petitpiaf.com NOVI SAD: Ile de France 
Tel (011) 328 5777 Charming hotel located in the B&B
∑ majestic.rs restaurant-packed Skadarlija Cara Dušana 41, 21000
Dating from the 1930s, the district, just round the corner Tel (021) 636 2382
hotel retains a few Art Deco from the pubs of Strahinjića bana. ∑ iledefrance.co.rs
touches. Good mid-range Rooms are decorated in warm Friendly place with bright rooms
choice near the cultural and colours and come with TV, safe that have wooden floors and
shopping spots. and Internet access. The hotel also modern bathrooms. The owner
offers smart two-person suites is French-speaking.
Moskva  with living room and kitchenette.
Historic Map D4 NOVI SAD: Leopold I 
Terazije 20, 11000 Historic
Tel (011) 364 2071 Square Nine  Petrovaradinska tvrđava bb, 21000
∑ hotelmoskva.rs Boutique Map D2 Tel (021) 488 7878
Landmark hotel blending Art Studentski trg 9, 11000 ∑ leopoldns.com
Nouveau details with green Tel (011) 333 3500 Situated in the heart of the
Gothic spires, tastefully combines ∑ squarenine.rs Petrovaradin Fortress, Leopold I
old-style furnishings and modern Centrally located boutique hotel comes with plush rooms and
fittings in its rooms. with elegant rooms, swanky bags of period atmosphere.
bathrooms and spa centre.
Travelling Actor  SUBOTICA: Hotel Gloria 
B&B Map D2 Business
Gospodar Jevremova 65, 11000 Dimitrija Tucovića 2, 24000
Tel (011) 323 4156 Rest of Serbia Tel (024) 672 010
∑ travellingactor.rs ∑ hotelgloriasubotica.com
Rooms are small but comfortable NIŠ: My Place  Intimate hotel just off the
and well-equipped in this intimate Boutique main square offering chic
B&B located in the picturesque Kej 29. Decembar bb, 18000 coffee-and-crimson rooms
Skadarlija district. Tel (018) 525 555 each with a minibar, desk
∑ hotelmyplace.com and free Wi-Fi access.
Hyatt Regency  Striking riverside building
Luxury with crisp rooms featuring SUBOTICA: Hotel Patria 
Milentija Popovića 5, 11070 a Jacuzzi. Business
Tel (011) 301 1234 Đure Đakovića 1a, 24000
∑ belgrade.regency.hyatt.com NOVI PAZAR: Hotel Tadž  Tel (024) 552 320
Expect high levels of comfort Business ∑ hotelpatria.rs
and service at this hotel that Rifata Đurđevića 79, 36300 Centrally located 6-storey hotel
is located amid the modern Tel (020) 311 904 with tastefully furnished rooms
blocks of Novi Beograd. ∑ hoteltadznd.com and modern bathrooms.

Radost Fina Kuhinjica  Price Guide
Belgrade International Map C3 Prices are based on a three-course meal
Pariška 3, 11000 for one, half a bottle of wine, including
Proleće  Tel 060 603 0023 cover charge, service and tax.
Serbian Map D3 Artfully restored old house  under 2,500 din
Vuka Karađžića 11, 11000 offering creative vegan cuisine  2,500–5,000 din
 over 5,000 din
Tel (011) 263 5436 featuring Indian, Thai and
Few other restaurants in the city Mediterranean flavours. Don’t
offer so wide a fare at such low miss its delicious desserts, El Hispano 
prices. Range includes grills, smoothies and shakes. Spanish Map D3
soups, stews and salads. Popular Obilićev venac 27/11, 11000
with students from the nearby Salaš  Tel (011) 262 8685
Fine Arts Academy. International Spanish home cooking served
Sinđelićeva 34, Zemun, 11080 with haute-cuisine panache, in
Smokvica  Tel (011) 219 0324 an elegant old villa with parquet
International Map D2 Quaint and cosy restaurant floors. Seafood is the speciality.
Kralja Petra 73, 11000 in the Gardoš district, serving
Tel 069 446 4056 a combination of Serbian and Homa 
With its Minimalist design Central-European cuisine: International
and retro furniture serving as the ćuretina s mlincima (turkey Žorža Klemansoa 19, 11000
backdrop, Smokvica offers a with baked shards of pasta) Tel (011) 328 6659
global menu of snacks and is a speciality. Creative fusion cuisine with
mains that have Mexican and Mediterranean, South American
Mediterranean influences. Šaran  and South Asian elements, and
Seafood innovative desserts in a modern
To je to  Kej oslobodđenja 53, Zemun, 11080 Minimalist setting.
Balkan Grill Map E3 Tel (011) 618 235
Bul Despota Stefana 21, 11000 Occupying a historic one-storey Ima Dana 
Tel (011) 323 1299 house beside the Danube Serbian Map E3
Simple diner specializing in footpath, Šaran (The Carp) Skadarska 38, 11000
Sarajevo-style ćevapi (grilled specializes in local freshwater Tel (011) 323 4422
minced-meat kebabs), usually fish, although there is plenty Choose from a sizeable menu of
served with a somun flat-bread of Adriatic seafood and Balkan traditional Balkan dishes at this
bun and a generous helping meat dishes on the menu. eatery that is counted amongst
of kajmak (buttery cheese). the oldest restaurants in the
Dva Jelena  Skadarlija quarter.
Kafana Question Mark  Serbian Map E3
Balkan Grill Map C3 Skadarska 32, 11000 Lorenzo & Kakalamba 
Kralja Petra 6, 11000 Tel (011) 723 4885 International Map F4
Tel (011) 236 5421 Its location has been a landmark Cvijićeva 110, 11000
The oldest café in Belgrade, the in the bohemian Skadarlija Tel (011) 329 5351
Question Mark first opened in district since 1832. The 'Two Quality cuisine based on the
1826 and has changed little in Stags' offers classy grilled- traditions of Tuscany and Eastern
the intervening period, offering meats and steaks in a wood- Serbia, with pastas, risottos, pizzas,
simple local standards such as panelled setting, frequently and rustic stews cooked in
grilled meats served in home- with live music. earthenware pots. The extravagant
baked bread. interior is a colourful mix of
Italian and Serbian folk art.
DK Choice Madera 
Manjež  Serbian Map E4
International Map E5 Bul Kralja Aleksandra 43, 11000
Svetozara Markovića 49, 11000 Tel (011) 323 1332
Tel (011) 362 1111 Eternally popular restaurant
Located beside Manjež beside Tašmajdan Park exuding
Park, this comfortable old-world elegance. The menu
restuarant is popular with covers the Serbian repertoire
both stylish youth as well as from humble ćevapčići right up
intelligentsia from the older to Karađorde Steak (veal stuffed
generation. It strikes a nice with ham and cheese).
balance between Serbian
and international fare. The Tri Šešira 
traditional favourites at Serbian Map E3
include mućkalica (meat in a Skadarska 29, 11000
rich and spicy paprika sauce) Tel (011) 724 7501
and prebranacc (baked beans), Named after a shop sign that
although there is plenty once hung above the door,
by way of fancier fish and 'Three Hats' offers quality grills
steak dishes. Delicious pasta served at Salaš and roast meats in an elegantly
in Belgrade maintained wood-panel interior.
Zaplet 
International
Kajmakčalanska 2, 11000
Tel (011) 240 4142
With atmospheric lighting and
loud music, this restaurant is
popular with the affluent and
fashionable. Serves global fare,
from Serbian grilled snacks to
modern European fusion.
Rest of Serbia
NIŠ: Kafana Sinđelić 
Serbian
Trg republike bb, 18000
Tel (018) 512 548
Comfortable restaurant in a
19th-century house with a big Outdoor seating at Zak in Novi Sad
garden. Its meat-heavy menu
includes lamb, steaks and a serving an imaginative range of SUBOTICA: Majkin Salaš 
delicious mućkalica (spicy stew). large-size pizzas. Plenty of choice International
for vegetarians. Atile Jožefa 79, Palić 24413
NIŠ: Nišlijska Mehana  Tel (024) 753 276
Balkan Grill NOVI SAD: Pivnica Gusan  Traditional paprika-flavoured
Prvomajska 49, 18000 Balkan Grill stews served in an old-style
Tel (018) 511 111 Zmaj Jovina 4, 21000 farmstead interior filled with
One of the liveliest places for a Tel (021) 425 570 vintage furniture, or in the
night out in Niš, this restaurant In the basement of what once courtyard with a vine trellis.
features folksy tableware, was a cinema theatre, this
traditional wallhangings and enjoyable beer hall serves SUBOTICA: Bosscaffe 
the Serbian repertoire of grilled hearty, simple grilled-meat International
meat dishes. dishes and substantial Matije Korvina 7–8, 24000
salads. Tel 065 655 1111
NIŠ: Stara Srbija  Popular café–restaurant inside
Balkan Grill NOVI SAD: Bela Lađa  a glass-walled pavilion. Serves
Trg republike 12, 18000 International good pizzas, decent steaks and
Tel (018) 521 902 Kisačka 21, 21000 fish, alongside a tempting array
Popular main-square eatery Tel (021) 661 6594 of cakes and pastries.
serving grilled mincemeat snacks Charmingly old-fashioned
and skewer kebabs, alongside restaurant serving hearty SUBOTICA: Gostiona
some more sustantial veal, fish grilled-meat dishes with all the Gurinović 
and steak dishes. trimmings. There is a strong list Serbian
of wines from southeastern Bajski put 32, 24000
NOVI PAZAR: Ras  Europe as well as an excellent Tel (024) 554 934 Closed Sun
Serbian choice of Serbian brandies. A 10-minute walk from the main
Novi Pazar bb, 36300 square, this folksy place with a
Tel (020) 361 578 NOVI SAD: Plava Frajla  beautiful garden offers quality
Just outside town on the road to International north-Serbian cuisine, with
Tutin, Ras offers grilled meats Sutjeska 2, 21000 goulash, roast lamb and duck,
and locally caught trout in folksy Tel (021) 613 675 and local wines to wash it down.
wooden buildings surrounded Tucked into the side of
by a park. a large shopping centre,
the eccentrically-decorated DK Choice
NOVI SAD: Astal Saren  "Blue Lady" features checked SUBOTICA: Riblja Čarda 
Balkan Grill tablecloths and chairs Seafood
Mite Ružića 2, 21000 hanging from the ceiling. Obala Lajoša Vermeša,
Tel (021) 528 004 The menu covers everything Palić, 24413
Traditional grilled-meat and from Serbian grilled-meat Tel (024) 755 040
sausage dishes served in dishes to Hungarian- Popular out-of-town
generous portions, over a influenced goulashes. destination near the shore of
checked-tablecloth affair in lake Palić, ideal for sampling
what looks like a rustic living NOVI SAD: Zak  local fish dishes. The house
room setting. International speciality, riblji paprikašš (fish
Šafarikova 6, 21000 stew rich in paprika), is usually
NOVI SAD: Kuća Mala  Tel (021) 447 565 served with locally made pasta
Italian European–Asian fusion similar to tagliatelle. Dine in
Laze Telečkog 4, 21000 cuisine featuring plenty of the pretty dining room with
Tel (021) 422 728 seafood and some exquisite exposed timbers, or outdoors
An intimate, homely place with desserts, served in a chic on the terrace facing the lake.
touches of surreal design inside, interior with live piano music.
ROMANIA
Although the country is unlikely ever to disassociate itself from the myth of Dracula,
in recent years Romania has certainly managed to shake off its Communist-era
image of grey uniformity. Beyond its prettily restored historic towns and cities
lie breathtaking mountains and scenes of rural tranquillity that have changed
little for generations.
Bordered by Ukraine to the north, History

Bulgaria to the south and Serbia The earliest evidence of human
and Hungary to the west, Romania settlement in Romania is from the
has long been torn between its Neolithic period around 5,000 BC.
neighbours, particularly during Thracian tribes arrived in the first
the 18th and 19th centuries millennium BC, followed by Greeks,
when the Russians and Austrians who settled along the Black Sea coast
waged war against the Ottoman in the 7th century BC. The expanding
Empire on Romanian soil. Roman Empire conquered the region
Despite its turbulent history, in the 1st century AD and named
Romania has retained much of it Dacia.
its traditional culture and a visit Subsequent centuries saw
there is an extremely rewarding Dacia gradually split into three
experience. In Transylvania, the principalities – Transylvania, Moldavia
country’s largest region, medieval and Wallachia – which were ruled
castles neighbour modern ski resorts. by feudal leaders throughout the
To the northeast, Bukovina is home Middle Ages. Neighbouring Hungary
to beautiful monasteries, and to the conquered and controlled Transylvania
south, Bucharest, the ancient capital in the 10th century and by the 13th
of Wallachia, has superb museums century the principalities and their
and gardens. neighbours fought together to fend
The spectacular snow-laden Făgăraş Mountains, Transylvania

The popular medieval Bran Castle
off the relentless Ottoman Empire.

As the Ottoman grip weakened in the
19th century, Moldavia and Wallachia
united to form the independent state
of Romania in 1862. Carol I was
made king of a constitutional
monarchy in 1866 and full indepen-
dence was declared in 1877.
Fighting with the Allies in World
War I brought the reward of unification
with Transylvania in 1918, only to
be lost again at the beginning of
World War II, prompting Romania
to take sides with Germany in the
hope of regaining its territory.
Romania changed sides towards Romanians protesting against Nicolae Ceauşescu, 1989
the end of the war, ensuring the
final return of Transylvania. in 1965, he was succeeded by
In 1947, the Communist Party, Nicolae Ceauşescu (1918–89). However,
with the support of Soviet troops, Ceauşescu indulged in several grand
forced King Michael I (r. 1927-30, projects which consumed the nation’s
1940-7) to abdicate and declared resources, leading to a massive economic
Romania a People’s Republic. crisis. In 1989, a series of violent
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (1901–65) demonstrations culminated in the
was the first leader of the single- resignation and subsequent execution
party dictatorship; upon his death of Ceauşescu. Since 1990, the country
has been ruled by a succession
KEY DATES IN ROMANIAN HISTORY of democratic governments.
AD 101 Romans conquer and colonize Dacia In 2004, Romania joined NATO
1003 Hungarian king Stephen conquers and on 1 January 2007, it became
Transylvania a member of the European Union.
1456–1476 Vlad the Impaler brutally resists
invading Ottoman forces Language and Culture
1526 Transylvania wins independence
Romanian is the country’s official
from Hungary
1600 Michael the Brave unifies Wallachia, Moldavia
language, although Hungarian
and Transylvania for a single year is spoken by the large Hungarian
1683 Transylvania is absorbed into the minority in Transylvania.
Habsburg Empire The fascinating ethnographic
1878 Treaty of Berlin recognizes the principalities museums scattered around the
of Moldavia and Wallachia as the independent
state of Romania country provide an insight into
1918 Transylvania is unified with Romania Romania’s rich cultural heritage.
following World War I It has a diverse history of rural
1941 Romania joins Germany to fight the Allies traditions involving music, dance
under the dictatorship of Marshall Ion Antonescu
and ritual. These are still preserved
1947 Communists force King Michael to abdicate;
in towns and villages where most
Romania is proclaimed a People’s Republic
1989 Following a bloody revolution, Romania
people have practised Orthodox
becomes a democratic republic Christianity for centuries, while
2004 Romania joins NATO the large, modern cities are very
2007 Romania becomes a member of the EU much on a par with many of
their European counterparts.
ROMANIA 545
Exploring Romania
With plenty of historic sites, Bucharest offers a rich
taste of Romanian culture. Just north of the capital, in
the foothills of the mighty Carpathian Mountains, are the
medieval town of Braşov and Bran Castle, while further
north, Suceava makes a good base for the Bucovina
Monasteries Tour. The delightful towns of Sighişoara and
Sibiu lie to the southwest the Carpathians. An extensive
yet slow network of railways connects many main towns
and Bucharest has a bus service to most towns and
villages across the country. The seaside resorts are best
reached by bus or taxi from Constanţa.
The scenic tree-lined drive to Peleş Castle,
Sights at a Glance southeastern Transylvania
1 Bucharest pp546–54 9 Târgu Mureş
2 Braşov 0 Cluj-Napoca pp564–5
3 Bran Castle pp556–7 q Bucovina Monasteries
4 Peleş Castle pp558–9 Tour p566
5 Curtea de Argeş w Suceava
6 Sibiu e Constanţa
7 Timişoara r Danube Delta
8 Sighişoara pp562–3
0 kilometres 100
0 miles 100
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Motorway
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Herăstrău Park and Lake,

Museum of Old West Art
1 Bucharest 2 km (1 mile)
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1 Palace of Parliament pp548–9 U
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Fountains in Unity Square, with the Palace of Parliament visible in the distance

BUCHAREST 547
Around Herãstrãu Lake
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Piaţa Getting Around

A PO
B U L EVA R D U L
Unirii
S TO
There is usually heavy traffic on the

LI
PIAŢA
UNIRII roads during the day, making travelling
BULEVAR DUL UNIRII
by car, taxi or bus tortuously slow. Sites of
interest are spread widely across the city,
so rather than walk it is a good idea to
use the comprehensive metro system,
which is clean, cheap and safe. However,
metro maps and signs can be confusing.
Taxis are cheap, but visitors should be
wary of being overcharged.

548 SOUTHERN EASTERN EUROPE
1 Palace of Parliament
Palatul Parlamentului
Towering over the western end of Bulevardul Unirii, the
Palace of Parliament is the second-largest administrative
building in the world, next to the Pentagon. Covering
an area of 33 ha (82 acres), this colossal structure has
15 floors, 5 of which are underground. President Nicolae
Ceauşescu ordered its construction in 1983, clearing
a large area of historic Bucharest to make way for the
The grand chandelier in the Palace Theatre
project. The Romanian government continued the
project after his death and in 1997 moved the Chamber
of Deputies there, followed by the Senate in 2005.
. Alexandra Ioan Cuza Hall

(Sala Alexandru Ioan Cuza)
One of the palace’s many elegant KEY
rooms, the auditorium was intended
for international meetings. The room 1 Nicolae Bălcescu Hall, an
opens on to a central balcony with imposing conference hall, has pink
sweeping views of Bulevardul Unirii. Transylvanian marble pillars adorned
with gilt Corinthian capitals.
2 The 100-m (328-ft) corridor, the
longest in the building, is separated
by three sets of enormous sliding
Nicolae Ceauşescu (1918–1989) wooden doors.
3 IIC Bratianu Hall, a venue for
Romania’s former president, Nicolae Ceauşescu, joined the
international conferences, features
Romanian Communist Party at the age of 14. He rose to ministerial
floor-to-ceiling marble panelling.
level following the Communist takeover in 1947 and succeeded
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej as First Secretary of the Party in 1965. 4 The 137-seat Senate, Romania’s
During his leadership, he earned the Upper House, was moved here in
respect of Western governments, but 2005 from Palatul Senatului in
his megalomaniac vision of devel- Revolution Square.
opment caused immense suffering to 5 The National Museum of
the Romanian people. By the 1980s, Contemporary Art hosts temporary
poverty was rife and food and fuel exhibitions of contemporary art
shortages were crippling the country, from Romania and abroad in its
giving rise to the Romanian opulent halls.
Revolution of December 1989. On 6 The palace was constructed
25 December, Ceauşescu and his exclusively from Romanian building
Ceauşescu at his last session of the wife were tried by a military court materials, including locally
party congress and executed. quaried marble.

BUCHAREST 549
Calea 13 Septembrie 1.
Map C5. n (021) 311 3611.
Open 10am–4pm daily. & 8
- = ∑ cdep.ro The National
Museum of Contemporary Art:
Tel (021) 318 9137.
Open 10am–6pm Wed–Sun.
& ∑ mnac.ro
Transport
. Unification Hall (Unirii Hall)
@ 136, 385.
The largest room in the building, this hall has walls 15 m (49 ft) high,
ornate marble columns and an immense glass ceiling. The two marble
panels at either end of the room were intended to contain portraits of
Nicolae and his wife Elena.
. Palace Theatre
(Sala CA Rosetti)
Marble pillars, ornate
balconies and a gigantic
central chandelier adorn
this circular theatre. However, it
has only been used for
meetings because it
lacks a backstage area.
Assembly Hall (Camera Deputaţilor)

Topped by a stunning glass dome, the
Assembly Hall has, since 1997, been
home to the 332-seat Chamber of
Deputies, Romania’s Lower House.
2National History 4Stavropoleos

Museum Church
Muzeul Naţional de Istorie Biserica Stavropoleos
Calea Victoriei 12. Map E4. Tel (021) Str Stavropoleos 4. Map E4.
315 8207. @ 336, 601. Open Apr–Oct: Tel (021) 313 4747. @ 336, 601.
10am–6pm Wed–Sun; Nov–Mar: 9am– Open daily. ∑ stavropoleos.ro
5pm Wed–Sun. & = ∑ mnir.ro
Built in 1724 for the first
Phanariot ruler, Nicolae
Housed in a late 19th-century Mavrocordat, this church
Neo-Classical building that ser- has remained intact ever
ved as the headquarters of the since, despite renovation
Romanian Postal Service until work carried out in the 20th
1970, the eclectic National century. Four columns support
History Museum offers a great the brilliant Byzantine-style
introduction to Romania’s past. arched porch and a series
The museum’s well-presented Ornamental brickwork on the 16th-century of framed icons adorn the
exhibitions are spread over 60 Old Court Church church’s façade. The interior,
rooms. The central hall holds an dominated by an 18th-century
enormous replica of the original 3 Old Court Church gilt iconostasis, features
Trajan’s Column in Italy. A base- Biserica Curtea Veche detailed biblical scenes
ment vault houses Romania’s from floor to ceiling.
Str Franceza 25–31. Map E4.
National Treasury, with jewellery @ 116. Open daily.
Next door is a small
and gold dating from the 14th monastery complex, which
century BC. The highlights of The lovely Old Court Church, was added to the church
this collection are the beautiful with its striped brick tower in the early 20th century
gold earrings from the Hellenistic and ornamental niches, is one and accommodates an
period (3rd–4th century BC) of Bucharest’s oldest churches. active community of nuns
and the legendary Pietroasele Founded in the 16th century, today. The nuns maintain a
Treasure, also known as The it has undergone several reno- valuable library of Byzantine
Hen and her Golden Brood, vations following fires and manuscripts and a museum
discovered by peasants in earthquakes, but has retained collection of icons and frescoes.
the Buzău region in 1837. The its original design. It was here Some of these priceless
treasure is thought to have that the Wallachian princes frescoes were rescued from
belonged to the Goths. Its 12 were crowned between the the numerous churches
surviving pieces include brooches 16th and the 19th centuries. that were torn down by
inlaid with semi-precious stones, The interior is blackened Communist leader Nicolae
a sacrificial dish engraved with from years of candle smoke, Ceauşescu to make way
images of gods, a 12-sided however, parts of the superb for his grandiose scheme
ceremonial goblet and several murals and frescoes are for the rebuilding of
intricate necklaces. still visible. Bucharest’s centre.
Byzantine motifs and intricate iconography in Stavropoleos Church

BUCHAREST 551
balcony of this block that donations, the impressive

Ceauşescu gave his last speech Romanian Athenaeum is
to a gathering of 80,000 people home to the George Enescu
on 21 December 1989, just a Philharmonic Orchestra. The
few days after thousands were concert hall is encircled by
killed by police in Timişoara a 3-m (10-ft) high fresco
(see p561). Surprised by shouts depicting glorious moments
of “murderer” and Timişoara”, in Romania’s history. The
the dictator famously faltered auditorium, with plush red
on live television. The crowd velvet chairs beneath a lavish
seized on his weakness and dome featuring stucco sculptures
tried to storm the building. of mythological creatures,
Ceauşescu’s minister of def- can seat up to 600 people.
ence, General Vasile Milea,
was executed on the spot for
refusing to order his troops
to open fire on the protestors.
Ceauşescu himself fled
Colourful onion domes of the Bucharest in a helicopter from
Russian Church the roof of the building but
was executed shortly thereafter.
5 Russian Church Today, a huge marble needle
Biserica Rusă stands opposite the building
and forms the centrepiece of
Str Ion Ghica 9. Map E4. @ 336, 601.
Open daily.
a memorial to the thousands
killed during the revolution.
The imposing Russian Church, The only other reminder of
with its seven onion domes, the event is the bullet-scarred
has stood opposite Bucharest façade of a building to the
University since 1909 when it left of the square, which now
was commissioned by Russian houses government offices.
Tsar Nicholas II to serve the Detail in the Neo-Classical colonnade of the
Russian Embassy’s staff. Its Roman Athenaeum
splendid yellow brick façade 7 Romanian
is decorated with floral motifs Athenaeum
and mosaics featuring images Ateneul Român
8George Enescu
of saints. Intricate details such
Benjamin Franklin 1–3. Map E3.
Memorial Museum
as fish head guttering add to Muzeul Naţional George Enescu
Tel (021) 315 0024. @ 131, 182, 301,
its appeal. A portrait of St Nicholas 330. Open for concerts. Box office: 141 Calea Victoriei. Map D3. Tel (021)
stands over the entrance. 2–4pm daily. & 318 1450. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun.
Entered through a narrow & ∑ georgeenescu.ro
passage, the church’s interior Designed by French architect
is lit by candles, which have Albert Galleron and completed The magnificent 20th-
blackened the murals over in 1888 with the help of public century Cantacuzino Palace
the years. In 1992, the church was the one-time residence
became the official chapel of of Romania’s most illustrious
the academic community, but composer, conductor and
has remained open to visitors. musician, George Enescu.
Enescu resided here briefly
after his marriage to Princess
6Communist Party Maria Cantacuzino in 1939, but
Headquarters the opulent Baroque palace
Partidul Comunist Român was too much for him and he
chose to live with his wife in
Piaţa Revolutiei. Map E3. @ 300.
the servants’ quarters behind
Closely associated with the the building instead. After
downfall of Nicolae Ceauşescu, his death in 1955, the palace
the General Secretary of the became the George Enescu
Communist Party, Revolution Memorial Museum. Three of
Square (Piaţa Revolutiei) its stunning rooms feature
is overlooked by buildings an array of musical scores,
which once housed Romania’s manuscripts, photographs
Communist Party Headquarters. Façade of the historic Communist and memorabilia related to
It was from the first floor Party Headquarters the musician’s life and works.
9 Royal Palace
and National
Art Museum
Palatul Regal şi Muzeul
Naţional de Arta
Calea Victoriei 49–53. Map D3.
Tel (021) 313 3030. @ 178. Open
May–Sep: 11am–7pm Wed–Sun; Oct–
Apr: 10am–6pm Wed–Sun. & 8 =
∑ mnar.arts.ro
An imperial residence since
the mid-19th century, the
Royal Palace has undergone
several renovations during
its lifetime. King Carol I (see
p558) was responsible for
much of the current layout,
redesigned in 1906. Further
reconstruction took place
after a catastrophic fire in Transylvanian biblical icons on stained glass, Museum of Art Collections
1926 and heavy bombing in
World War II. Its location next 0 Museum of Art 19th-century French furniture
to Revolution Square led to Collections and tapestries.
further damage from gunfire Muzeul Colecţiilor de Arta
in December 1989.
Calea Victoriei 111. Map D3. Tel (021)
Housed in the north wing
212 9641. @ Open May–Sep:
q Storck Museum
of the palace, the National Art Muzeul de Arta Frederic Storck şi
11am–7pm Wed–Sun; Oct–Apr:
Museum was opened in 1950 Cecilia Cutescu-Storck
10am–6pm Wed–Sun. &
to house the royal family’s art
Str V Alecsandri 16. Map D2. @
collection. It closed in 1989 Housed in a Neo-Classical
following the revolution when mansion with a surprisingly
as many as 1,000 artworks were unassuming interior, the Built in 1913 by sculptor
damaged, but reopened after Museum of Art Collections and architect Frederick
complete renovation. The has an intriguing variety of Storck, this museum contains
Gallery of Romanian Art includes exhibits, of which the dazzling numerous works of art created
sculptures by world-renowned 17th-century gilt icon of Jesus or collected by Storck and his
sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi Christ is the undisputed high- wife Cecilia. Delightful murals
and paintings by artist Nicolae light. An impressive with floral and
Grigorescu. The European Art range of Romanian feminine motifs
Gallery, spread over 15 rooms, artwork by masters cover the walls of
boasts works by masters such as such as Nicolae the central rooms,
Rubens, Rembrandt, El Greco, Grigorescu, Ştefan which took Cecilia
Tintoretto and Monet. Luchian and Nicolae four years to paint.
Tonitza occupies the Other pictures by
ground floor. On the Cecilia include
first floor, a display of Carpet, Museum of Art seascapes painted
traditional glass Collections at the family villa
Transylvanian icons, in Balchik (now in
remark able for their bright Bulgaria), portraits and still
colours and simplicity, can be lifes. Particularly impressive
seen alongside the Oriental among Storck’s sculptures,
collection, comprising which are exhibited next to
15th-century Chinese porce- his wife’s work, are the bronze
lain, 19th-century Japanese pieces inspired by Rodin.
crockery, statues and a pretty Several rooms are furnished
wooden cupboard inlaid with with lovely ceramic stoves
mother-of-pearl, as well as decorated with floral and bird
Iranian ceramics and Turkish motifs painted by Karl Storck,
rugs. The same floor has a Frederick’s father, who was
selection of antique European the first Romanian teacher
treasures which includes of sculpture in the Fine Arts
Visitors at the Royal Palace and Austrian silver ware, colourful Academy of Bucharest. There
National Art Museum Bohemian crystal and is also a small exhibition of
BUCHAREST 553
medieval religious objects

collected during the
couple’s travels.
w Museum of the
Romanian Peasant
Muzeul Ţăranului Roman
Str Şoseaua Kiseleff 3. Map C1.
Tel (021) 317 9661. @ 300.
∑ muzeultaranuluiroman.ro
Housed in a red-brick edifice

built in 1906, the Museum of the
Romanian Peasant was intended
as a celebration of the country’s Replica of a typical Romanian house at the Village Museum, Herãstrãu Park
traditions at a time when
industrialization was beginning worth a visit. Also of interest the notice of invading tribes.
to alter the rural face of Romania. are the handmade wooden However, the highlights of
With around 100,000 exhibits, chairs collected from villages the museum are the oak
the collection covers the regions around the country, displayed houses from Maramureş
of Romania. It includes mock- on the first floor. county, which have beautifully
ups of craftsmen’s workshops, a carved hunting and animal
19th-century classroom and scenes on their gateways.
numerous colourful traditional e Herăstrău Park The museum shop stocks an
costumes. The highlight, how- and Lake excellent range of souvenirs.
ever, is an enormous wooden Parcul Herăstrău
18th-century windmill, which
Str Kiseleff 32. Map F1. @ Village r Museum of Old
has been reconstructed on the Museum: Tel (021) 317 9110.
ground floor alongside a mas- Open 9am–7pm (till 5pm Mon). West Art
sive spiked dărstă (carding & ∑ muzeul-satului.ro Muzeul de Arta Veche Apuseana
comb), which was used to
Str Dr Minovici 3. Map F1.
prepare wool for spinning. Bucharest’s largest park Tel (021) 665 7334. @
A room at the back con- was created in the 1930s Closed for renovations. &
tains a replica of an under King Carol II after
Orthodox church, hung several marshes in the This charming red-brick Tudor-
with icons dating back to area were drained. style house was built in the
the 17th century. Located to the north of 1930s for Dumitru Minovici,
The Communism the city, the park is popular who made his for tune in the
Exhibition, which has today with walkers, oil industry and became an
paintings and Costume display, cyclists, roller-bladers avid art collector. The house
memorabilia relating Museum of the and joggers. Regular contains a collection of
to Romania’s former Romanian Peasant boat trips traverse European art dating back to
Communist leaders, is the lake and smaller the 16th century and is fur-
boats are available for nished with antiques and
individual hire. Swiss stained-glass windows.
Herãstrãu is also home
to one of Europe’s oldest
museum parks, the Village
Museum. Inaugurated in 1936,
it comprises a wonderful
collection of reconstructed
rural dwellings and work-
shops. The buildings represent
architectural styles from all
over the country and range
from 19th-century wood-tiled
houses to wooden windmills
and thatched Transylvanian
cottages with beautifully
painted window frames.
The grand building of the Museum of the There is even a half-buried Passenger boat cruising on the calm waters
Romanian Peasant house, designed to escape of Herăstrău Lake
Hiking in the Făgăraş Mountains

Part of the Carpathian Mountains, the beautiful Făgăraş range offers some of
Romania’s most thrilling hiking routes, reaching heights of up to 2,544 m (8,346 ft).
A combination of incredible views, glacial lakes, waterfalls, spruce forests, wildlife
and hospitable shepherds ensures that a trip here is an unforgettable experience.
However, the mountains are notorious for abrupt changes in weather, so inexperi-
enced hikers are advised to join a group or hire a local guide. Severe winters restrict
the hiking season to a few months between July and October.
Dianthus alpinus,
commonly known as
Alpine pinks, bloom
in late spring. They
can be found growing
above 2,000 m (6,561 ft)
in the Făgăraş
Alpine regions.
Glacial lakes, many at altitudes above 2,000 m

(6,561 ft), are scattered throughout the
mountains. Balea is the highest at 2,034 m
(6,673 ft), and offers panoramic views as well
as a lakeside mountain hut.
Mountain huts, or cabanas, are available

on the northern side of the Făgăraş ridge,
offering crackling log fires, dormitory beds
and simple food. However, hikers intending
to climb further south will need to carry
camping equipment.
Transfăgărăşan, Romania’s highest road,

crosses the Făgăraş Mountains and connects
the regions of Transylvania and Wallachia as
well as the towns of Sibiu and Piteşti. The road
has five tunnels; the longest is 884 m (2,900 ft).
Moldoveanu is Romania’s highest peak at

2,544 m (8,346 ft). The country boasts a total
of eight peaks over 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
Hiking routes in this region are well marked and easy to

follow. However, all hikers should carry essential items such
as maps, a compass, a first-aid kit, adequate food and water
supplies, waterproofs and strong walking boots.
ROMANIA 555
2 Braşov displaying traditional

168 km (104 miles) N of Bucharest.
costumes from the
* 253,200. £ @ n Piaţa Sfatului, region and some anti-
(0268) 419 078. ∑ ghid-brasov.ro que European and
Oriental ceramics.
Founded by German settlers This is also the place
in the 13th century, Braşov to see Romania’s
quickly grew into one of the largest collection of
region’s leading defensive and paintings by Nicolae
commercial centres, thanks to Grigorescu, one of the
its position on the southwestern forefathers of modern
border of Transylvania. Today, Romanian art.
this city is one of the most- Of the city’s ancient
visited places in Romania. fortifications, the most
Facing the Main Square (Piaţa striking is the south-
Sfatului) and built into a line of eastern Ekaterina Gate,
Baroque buildings is the façade with a pointed central
of the intriguing 19th-century tower surrounded by
Orthodox Cathedral. Built in four corner watch The Episcopal Church, Curtea de Argeş
Byzantine style, the church is towers. For superb
noteworthy for its beautiful views of Braşov, a cable car and later became the capital
frescoes. In the centre of the ascends to the summit of the of Wallachia. Its most famous
square stands the 15th-century forested 995-m (3,264-ft) high building is the Episcopal
Town Hall, which now houses Tampa Hill. Church, built in 1512 on a
the History Museum. It has an 2-m (7-ft) high stone platform
excellent collection of archae- R Orthodox Cathedral within the grounds of Curtea
ological, medieval and modern Piaţa Sfatului 3. de Argeş Monastery. Its elab-
history exhibits. Dominating Open 9am–6pm. orate design features two
the southwestern corner of the E History Museum domes and a pair of cupolas
square is Transylvania’s largest Piaţa Sfatului. with slanting narrow windows
Gothic building, the Black Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. set atop a box-like building
Church, built in the 14th century. & adorned with tiers of niches
Originally named St Mary’s, it and arabesque motifs.
R Black Church
came to be known as the Black According to legend, the
Curtea Johannes Honterus 2.
Church after a fire in 1689 Open 10am–7pm Mon–Sat, noon–
chief architect, Manole, was
blackened its walls. The church 7pm Sun (Winter: 10am–3pm Mon– forced to entomb his wife in
contains Romania’s heaviest bell, Sat, noon–3pm Sun). & the walls of the church to keep
weighing 6.3 tonnes (6.9 tons) the building from collapsing;
as well as its biggest organ. u Temple Synagogue popular belief at the time held
Two streets south of the Black Str Poarta Schei 27. that ghosts were required to
Church is the imposing Viennese Open 9am–4pm Mon–Fri. keep buildings from falling
and Art Nouveau style Temple E Art and Ethnographic down. Upon completion of the
Synagogue, built in 1899. In the Museum building, the church’s patron,
north of the city is the Art and B-dul Eroilor 21. Open 10am–6pm Radu Negru, left Manole and his
Ethnographic Museum, Tue–Sun (9am–5pm in winter). & fellow workers stranded on the
∑ muzeulartabv.ro roof to ensure they never built a
greater church. The whole group
fell to their death attempting to
3 Bran Castle fly using wooden wings made
from the roofing shingles.
See pp556–7.
Not far from the town centre
and to the north is one of
Wallachia’s oldest churches. Built
4 Peleş Castle
in the 14th century, the Princely
See pp558–9. Church is located within the
13th-century complex of the
Court de Argeş. Its original
5 Curtea de Argeş frescoes have been restored.
150 km (93 miles) NW of Bucharest.
R Episcopal Church
* 33,000. £ @
B-dul Basarabilor. Open summer:
The small town of Curtea de 8am–8pm daily; winter: 8am–5pm.
View of the Gothic Black Church and Tampa Argeş began as the 13th-cen- R Princely Church
Hill, Braşov tury capital of Argeş county Court de Argeş. Open 8am–6pm daily.

3 Bran Castle
Castelul Bran
Perched on a rocky bluff, Bran Castle was built in the 13th
century and first used as a defence against the Ottomans.
Although the ruler of Wallachia, Vlad Ţepeş, better known
as Dracula, never lived here, it is believed that he was briefly
imprisoned here by the Hungarians. In more recent times,
the castle was the favourite summer residence of Queen
Marie (granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England), who
refurbished the entire building and had electricity installed.
Known today as Dracula’s Castle, it is now a museum
dedicated to the history of the Romanian Royal Family.
Queen Marie’s Music Saloon and Library

Dark wooden floors and rustic furniture create an inviting
atmosphere in this attic room. The largest room in the castle,
it became Queen Marie’s music room and housed her
German harmonium.
The Inner Yard Well

Converted into an elevator in 1921, this
60-m (197-ft) deep well led to a passage
that opened out into a park in the valley.
KEY
1 The castle’s highest tower was . Chapel of

built in the early 20th century as a Prince Mircea
decorative feature. This chapel is dedicated
2 The dining hall was used to Queen Marie’s first child,
by Queen Marie to entertain royal who died of typhus in 1916
guests. The massive wooden dining at the age of three. The
table is ornately carved with centrepiece is a dazzling gilt
mythical images. iconostasis brought from
Mount Athos in Greece.
ROMANIA 557
. Gothic Room VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Distinctly Gothic in style, this vaulted
room is furnished with sculptures and Practical Information
furniture dating back to the 14th 195 km (121 miles) NW
century. Among these is the 16th- of Bucharest.
century wooden sculpture of St Anne. Tel (0268) 237 700.
Open Check website for
timings. & 8 =
∑ bran-castle.com
Transport
@ from Braşov.
. Queen Marie’s
Bedroom
Decorated in Art Nouveau
style, the queen’s bedroom
contains several pieces
of furniture she commis-
sioned herself, including
a rosewood Italian
Baroque bed and an
armchair adorned with
carved vultures.
Secret Passages
Some of the
castle’s 60 rooms
are connected by
a network of under-
ground passages,
which were used
either for hasty
evacuations or to
bring in food supplies
in times of siege.
Râşnov Fortress
Situated halfway between the towns of Braşov and Bran, Râşnov Fortress overlooks the
small town of Râşnov from a hilltop. Founded in the 13th century by Teutonic knights,
the fortress served as a refuge for the people
of Râşnov during times of seige. The central
courtyard contains a 143-m (469-ft) deep
well, dug to supply drinking water to the
inhabitants. A museum within the complex
displays armour and various finds uncovered
during excavations, among them a skeleton
Râşnov Fortress sitting on a hilltop now encased beneath a glass floor.
4 Peleş Castle
Castelul Peleş
An extravagant palace built by King Carol I to serve as his summer

residence, Peleş Castle is among the most impressive palaces in
Europe. Built between 1873 and 1883 and redesigned in 1914, the
castle stands in a vast forested park tucked away among the low
hills of the Carpathian countryside. The German Neo-Renaissance
façade recalls a fairy tale castle with its sharp Gothic profile and
decorative woodwork. The interior design of its 170 rooms was
overseen by King Carol I's wife Elisabeth and features lavish
furnishings, ornate woodcarvings and numerous artworks. One
of the last royal palaces to have been built in Europe, it was the
first to be supplied with electricity, central heating and a lift.
Statue of King
Carol I
A towering
statue of King
Carol I, by Italian
sculptor Raffa-
ello Romanelli,
overlooks
the park.
KEY
1 The walls of the French

Passage are adorned with two
valuable early 20th-century
tapestries featuring Cleopatra
and Marc Antony.
2 The Renaissance-style dining
room contains an exquisite set of
silverware and Rosenthal crockery. Its
stained-glass windows are framed by
intricately carved columns of walnut
and ash.
3 The abundance of carved
woodwork on the building
is typical of the German Neo-
Renaissance style.
4 The Large Armory Hall has a
fascinating collection of over 3,500
items dating back to the 15th
century, including weapons from
Japan, Persia, India and Turkey.
5 King Carol’s office is lined with
walnut panelling and portraits of the
royal family. . Florentine Hall
6 The Music Room was The bright Murano glass chandeliers and Palanazzo
occasionally used for literary marble fireplace provide a wonderful contrast to the
evenings; its teak furniture was a gift dark ebony wall cabinets. Venetian mirrors reflect the
from the Maharajah of Kapurthala. ceiling paintings, which are reproductions of works
by the Flemish artists van Eyck and Rubens.
ROMANIA 559
. Theatre Room VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Originally designed as a
theatre, this room was
turned into a cinema in
1906. The highlight is
Bucharest. Tel (0244) 311 496.
the Art Nouveau wall
Open summer: 11am–5pm Tue,
frieze painted by Gustav
9am–5pm Wed–Sun; winter:
Klimt in 1894 and
11am–5pm Wed, 9am–5pm Thu–
elegantly framed
Sun. & 8 = ∑ visit.peles.ro
with cream and
gilt mouldings. Transport
@ from Bran.
. Hall of Honour
The castle’s main entrance
incorporates a striking three-
storey display of Viennese walnut
carvings that decorate the spiral
staircase and arched balconies
overlooking the Reception
Hall. Light floods into the hall
from the 16-m (52-ft) high
sliding glass roof.
Library
Among the king’s collection of
over 10,000 books are 40 novels
written by Queen Elisabeth under
the pseudonym Carmen Sylva. One
of the beautifully carved book
cases conceals a secret passage
leading to the royal bedroom.
6 Sibiu who governed

Transylvania between
* 154,000. k £ @ n Str S. 1774 and 1787. The
Brukental 2, (0269) 208 913. grand façade bears
∑ sibiu.ro Brukenthal’s medieval
coat of arms above the
Founded in the 1190s, Sibiu ornate entrance. The
is one of Romania’s most charm- interior, with plush halls,
ing cities. Its historic centre stucco ceilings and
is filled with medieval, steep- embossed wallpaper,
roofed houses with attic now houses Romania’s
windows and the narrow streets oldest museum – the
lead into wide open squares National Brukenthal
surrounded by the colourful Museum. This holds
façades of renovated mansions Transylvania’s finest art
and churches. collection as well as
The first recorded mention of Romanian and Western
the city dates back to the 12th works, including some Houses and shops lining a street in Sibiu
century, when the region by Romanian artists
received two waves of Saxon such as Nicolae Grigorescu (see and archaeological finds.
settlers who had obtained p552), Theodor Pallady and the Just a few streets away on Huet
privileges from the Hungarian Abstractionist Hans Mattis Square (Piaţa Huet) is the five-
rulers controlling Teutsch. The palace towered Evangelical Cathedral,
Transylvania at the time. library holds over whose exquisitely tiled spire
In 1241, invading Tatars 280,000 volumes as can be seen from all over town.
prompted Sibiu’s well as a priceless col- Constructed over an original
residents to raise lection of manuscripts. 14th-century Roman church,
fortifications. Successive The nearby History the cathedral has a regal Gothic
centuries saw the city Museum is housed in interior and contains the tombs
walls enlarged and an elegant 15th-cen- of local nobles.
strengthened, even- tury Gothic building Situated in a dense forest
tually transforming it Tiles, Evangelical that served as Sibiu’s just outside Sibiu is the
into an impenetrable Cathedral Town Hall for 500 years Museum of Traditional Folk
citadel. In the 15th until 1948. The collection Civilization, Romania’s largest
century, Sibiu’s craftsmen formed was moved here from the outdoor museum. Over 300
some of Europe’s first guilds Brukenthal Palace in 1984 after replicas of traditional dwellings
and the city developed into a the Town Hall’s restoration. A are scattered throughout the
prosperous trading centre. secluded gateway leads into its 101-ha (250-acre) complex,
In recent years, the Old cobbled courtyard overlooked which can be explored either
Town has benefited enormously by balconies festooned with on foot or in the comfort
from European Union (EU) colour ful flowers. The ancient of a horse-drawn carriage.
funding, and Sibiu served as doors at the museum entrance Buildings include Dutch-
European Capital of Culture open on to a surprisingly mod- style windmills, farmhouses,
in 2007. Dominating the vast ern interior with original vaulted wooden churches and
Large Square (Piaţa Mare) is an ceilings. Smartly lit glass cases traditional inns.
imposing Baroque palace built display an absorbing collection
for Samuel von Brukenthal, of old coins, medieval weaponry E National Brukenthal Museum
Piaţa Mare 4-5. Tel (269) 217 691.
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun (Wed–Sun
in winter). & 8 =
∑ brukenthalmuseum.ro
E History Museum
Str Mitropoliei nr 2. Tel (269) 218 143.
Open 10am–6pm Wed–Sun. =
∑ brukenthalmuseum.ro
R Evangelical Cathedral
Piaţa Huet 1. Open 9am–5pm Mon–
Sat, 11am–5pm Sun.
E Museum of Traditional
Folk Civilization
Calea Rasinari. Tel (0269) 242 599.
Open 10am–6pm (Winter: 9am–
The cobbled courtyard of the National Brukenthal Museum, Sibiu 5pm). ∑ muzeulastra.ro

ROMANIA 561
7 Timişoara
* 310,000. £ @ n Str Alba Iulia
2, (0256) 437 973.
Located close to the border of

Serbia and Hungary, Timişoara
claims to have been the first city
in Europe to introduce electric
street lighting, the first in
Romania to have a public water
supply and one of the first in
the world to have had horse-
drawn trams. The Baroque Roman Catholic Cathedral on Unity Square, Timişoara
In the 14th century, Timişoara
was a part of Hungary and the Nearby is its best museum, impressive Baroque cathedrals,
heavily fortified town became a the Banat Museum, which has both constructed in the late
focal point of resistance against excellent regional, historical, 18th century, stand here; to
invading Ottoman forces. The archaeological and natural the west is the grand Serbian
Ottomans conquered it in 1551 history exhibitions. Founded Orthodox Cathedral; to the
and it remained a military in 1872, it has been located in east the Roman Catholic
stronghold until the Habsburg Hunyadi Castle (Castelul Huniade) Cathedral. Located in another
Empire forced them out in 1716. since 1948. This Venetian-style 18th-century building, just
The town was then completely castle was constructed in the off Unity Square, is the
rebuilt and the historic centre 15th century and is thought to Memorial Museum of the
owes much of its present-day be Timişoara’s oldest building. 1989 Revolution which docu-
appearance to its Austrian con- To the south of Victory Square ments events around the
querors. When Timişoara finally is the extravagant 20th-century uprising with original video
became part Orthodox Cathedral, footage, photographs, military
of Romania in with 11 towers uniforms and newspapers.
1920, it was still of differing sizes, The adjoining chapel has
dominated by ethnic each covered with been dedicated to
Hungarians and patterned mosaic the revolution.
Germans, but most of tiles. The striped brick-
them left following the Detail, Banat work is reminiscent of E Banat Museum
end of World War II. Museum both Byzantine and Piaţa Huniade 1,
Today, Timişoara has a Moldavian church Castelul Huniazilor. Tel (0256) 491 339.
majority population of ethnic architecture. A memorial to the Open 10am–4pm Mon–Sat.
Romanians and is venerated as victims of 1989 stands in front & = ∑ muzeulbanatului.ro
the city that sparked events to mark the protests that took
R Orthodox Cathedral
leading to the overthrow of place in and around the church.
Piaţa Victoriei. Open daily.
Nicolae Ceauşescu in December To the north of the square
1989 (see p548). is Unity Square (Piaţa Unirii), E Memorial Museum of the
Victory Square (Piaţa an expansive space lined with 1989 Revolution
Victoriei), scene of the tragic elaborate Austro-Hungarian Str Emanuil Ungureanu 8.
events that saw police open fire mansions. In the 18th century, Tel (0256) 294 936.
on peaceful protesters in 1989, it was used as a major commer- Open 9am–5pm daily.
is now the city’s thriving hub. cial and ceremonial site. Two
The 1989 Revolution

In December 1989, Romania’s
Communist regime was toppled by
the most violent revolution in Eastern
Europe at the time. The catalyst was a
minor protest against the eviction of
an ethnic Hungarian anti-Ceauşescu
priest, László Tőkés, on 16 December.
Around 1,000 lives were lost when
police opened fire on demonstrators
and the military was called to suppress
Ecstatic crowds after the the unrest. It culminated with the exe-
overthrow of the regime cution of Ceauşescu on 25 December. The 11-spired Orthodox Cathedral near
Victory Square, Timişoara
8 Sighişoara
Perched high on a hill above the Târnava Mare river, Sighişoara
was founded in the 12th century by German merchants and
craftsmen who had been invited by the king of Hungary to settle
in the region and defend its borders. The settlement grew into a
major Transylvanian town but was almost abandoned following
a devastating fire in 1676. Most of the buildings today date
from the town’s subsequent rebuild. The Old Town is one of
Europe’s few remaining inhabited medieval citadels, and is now
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sentenced around it are a
number of towers, many of which belonged to the town guilds;
of the 14 towers originally built, 9 have survived. Clustered The Gothic Venetian House, at the corner of
behind the fortified walls is an ensemble of 17th-century build- Museum Square
ings whose fading façades enhance the citadel’s period charm.
murals inside the house,
discovered during renovations,
R Monastery Church depict a figure bearing
Piaţa Muzeului. Open daily. some resemblance to the
Originally part of a 13th- infamous ruler.
century Dominican monastery, The ground floor is now
this Gothic church (Biserica an interesting medieval-
Manastirii Dominicane) themed restaurant while
has been Lutheran since the first floor is home
1556. Its present appear- to the Museum of
ance dates back to the Weapons, which is
late 17th century, when closed on Mondays.
it was rebuilt following
the Great Fire; the Baroque P Venetian House
organ was installed in Piaţa Muzeului.
1680. Its interior walls Located on the corner
are decorated Sign outside of Museum Square
Symbolic wooden figures on the with 300-year-old Dracul’s House (Piaţa Muzeului), the
13th-century Clock Tower Anatolian rugs. Venetian House (Casa
Venetian) was once a mayoral
P Clock Tower P Vlad Dracul’s House residence. Built in the 16th
Piaţa Muzeului 1. Tel (265) 771 108. Str Cositorarilor 5. Tel (265) century, it is named for its
Open 9am–4pm Tue–Sun. & = 771 596. Open 10am–3:30pm Venetian Gothic stone window
Built over the main gate in the Tue–Sun. 0 10am–11pm daily. frames, which were added
13th century, the Clock Tower Casa Vlad Dracul (Vlad during renovations in the 19th
(Turnul cu Ceas) is the dominant Dracula’s House) is said to be century. Today, the house is used
feature of the citadel. Designed the birthplace of Vlad Tepes, by the German Evangelical parish
as a defensive structure, its thick the Wallachian ruler who was and the German Democratic
lower stone walls made it notorious for his methods Forum, founded in 1989, which
difficult for enemies to attack. It of punishment and an inspira- represent the town’s remaining
housed the town council offices tion for Dracula. Some of the German residents.
until 1550. The fifth and sixth
floors, as well as the clock, were
added at the beginning of the
17th century. At midnight every
day one of seven wooden
figures, symbolizing day and
night, emerges from the clock
to face the town. The tower was
destroyed by the Great Fire of
1676 and rebuilt in subsequent
years. Today, it is occupied by
the History Museum and a small
Museum of Torture, which
includes among its exhibits a
ladder that was used to roast
people alive. Sighişoara Monastery Church seen across a cluster of rooftops
ROMANIA 563
P Shoemakers’ Tower P Tailors’ Tower VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Str Manastirii. Str Manastirii.
At the northernmost point of the This twin-arched 14th-century Practical information
citadel stands the 16-m (52-ft) tower (Turnul Croitorilor) is one 300 km (170 miles) NW
high Shoemakers’ Tower (Turnul of three entrances to the citadel. of Bucharest.
Cizmarilor), built in 1594. The The upper part of the tower was * 26,370.
_ Sighişoara Medieval
unusual hexagonal structure destroyed in the 1676 fire but
Festival (Jul), Inter-ethnic
incorporates a watchtower over was restored in 1935. Known as
Cultural Festival (Aug).
the Old Town. There was once the Rear Gate, it was once
an identical watchtower on the defended by massive wooden Transport
tower’s opposite side, from doors secured with iron bars, £@
where guards could survey and a small army of 30 tailors
the surrounding area. Although belonging to Sighişoara’s
it retains much of its original oldest guild.
appearance, the tower’s main
entrance and windows have P Furriers’ Tower
been modified in recent years Str Manastirii.
to accommodate a radio station The 15th-century Furriers’ Tower
and a newspaper office. (Turnul Cojocarilor) is one of the
smallest of the nine surviving
towers. It is linked to the Butchers’
Tower by an ancient gateway
through which shepherds once
took cattle out to pasture.
R Church on the Hill Distinctive arches of the 14th-century

Str Scolii. Open 10am–6pm daily. & Tailor’s Tower
Reached by a 400-year-old
covered wooden staircase, the of the original interior murals
striking 14th-century Gothic were discovered. The church’s
Church on the Hill (Biserica din centrepiece is the 16th-century
Deal) stands high above the altarpiece of St Martin, which
citadel. Initially a Catholic church, depicts scenes from the saint’s
it has since become part of the life. It originally belonged to the
German Evangelical parish. Monastery Church and was
During renovations between transferred here after Russian
Shoemakers’ Tower, offering a vantage 1992 and 2003, its plain white Cossacks stole the original silver
point over the Old Town façade was rebuilt and some altar in 1601.
Sighişoara Town Railway and

Bus Stations
1 km (0.6 mile)
Centre Tâ
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va
1 Clock Tower Shoemakers' Mar
e
2 Monastery Church Tower STR
AD
S TR ADA Z . BOIU A M
I
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3 Vlad Dracul’s House VITEA
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4 Venetian House
LUI
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5 Shoemakers’ Tower
TÂ
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6 Tailors’ Tower
STR
STR
Tailors' Tower
House on
7 Furriers’ Tower
MORII
PIAŢA the Rock

CETAŢII
8 Church on the Hill Venetian House
Hirsch House Monastery

N
N Church
PA
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Clock TR O
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NT
SC
Dracul's CT
A Tower
R
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Furriers’ GO
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S T R A D A T U R NU LU I
GA
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Butchers’
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Tower
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Staircase
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Church on Tinsmiths'
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the Hill Tower

1
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PIAŢA R
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0 metres 100
0 yards 100

9 Târgu Mureş 0 Cluj-Napoca

* 143,939. k £ @ n Str G Enescu Now Romania’s third largest city, Cluj-Napoca began life as a
2, (0365) 404 934. ∑ cjmures.ro Roman colony, although it was abandoned in the 3rd century.
Cluj was refounded in the Middle Ages by the Hungarians, who
Although it currently lies
within Romania’s borders,
brought in Saxon immigrants to boost regional trade. Periods
the city of Târgu Mureş has of Ottoman and Austrian rule followed, and not until 1918 did
always had a strong Hungarian the town become part of Romania. In recent history, the 1989
influence and for many centuries revolution saw violent demonstrations here, resulting in many
was known by its Hungarian deaths. Today, Cluj-Napoca retains an air of small-town charm,
name Marosvásárhely. It was
and its wide pedestrianized streets are lined with 19th-century
ceded to Hungary for four
years during World War II and buildings connected by narrow alleys and courtyards.
for 15 years, was an autonomous
Hungarian province under E Art Museum
Communist rule. Today, Piaţa Unirii 30. Tel (0264) 596 952.
half of its population is Open 10am–5pm Wed–Sun. &
ethnically Hungarian. ∑ macluj.ro
Târgu’s most striking Housed in the 18th-century
building, the Palace of Culture, Baroque Bánffy Palace, the
stands right in the heart of the museum’s (Muzeul de Arta)
city. Built between 1911 and collection is dominated by the
1913, its main attraction is the works of French-influenced
Mirror Hall, with 12 stained- artists of the 19th and 20th
glass windows depicting centuries. Among them are
Hungarian folklore. The art Romanian masters Nicolae
gallery within the palace Exterior of the Gothic St Michael's Church Grigorescu, Theodor Pallady
exhibits works by famous on Unity Square and Ştefan Luchian.
Romanian painters. Classical
concerts take place inside E Ethnographic Museum R Orthodox Cathedral
the palace every Thursday. of Transylvania Piaţa Avram Iancu.
East of the city centre is the Str Memorandumului 21. Open daily. 5
Teleki-Bolyai Library, where Tel (0264) 592 344. Open 9am–5pm Built between 1923 and 1933,
the Transylvanian chancellor, Tue–Sun. & 8 ∑ muzeul- this monumental cathedral
Count Samuel Teleki, opened etnografic.ro (Catedrala Ortodoxa), with its
the region’s first library in 1802. Founded in 1922, this massive central dome, domi-
Today, it holds over 200,000 museum (Muzeul de Etnografie nates Avram Iancu Square. The
ancient volumes, manuscripts din Transilvania) features a highlight of its opulent interior
and other documents. large collection of Transylvanian is a huge gilt iconostasis com-
ethnographic objects. Housed prising 18th- and 19th-century
P Palace of Culture in the 16th-century Reduta icons illustrating the life of
Str G Enescu 2. Open 9am–4pm Tue– Palace, exhibits include traditional Christ. In front of the church
Fri, 9am–1pm Sat & Sun. & costumes, brightly patterned is a modernist statue of Avram
P Teleki-Bolyai Library rugs and agricultural tools and Iancu, a 19th-century Romanian
Str Bolyai 17. Open 9am–4pm Tue–Fri, pottery that date back 300 nationalist who led the 1848
9am–1pm Sat–Sun. & years. The museum also has an revolt against the unification of
outdoor section with full-size Transylvania and Hungary.
replicas of rural dwellings and
village churches.
R St Michael’s Church
Piaţa Unirii. 5
With a spire over 76 m
(249 ft) high, this Gothic
church (Biserica Sfântul
Mihail) towers over the city.
Its austere interior is adorned
with stained-glass windows
featuring a portrait of St
Michael, a graceful cream and
gilt altar and a superbly carved
Broad and attractive pedestrianized streets pulpit decorated with doves, Entrance to the Art Museum in the Bánffy
in Târgu Mureş angels and biblical characters. Palace, Unity Square
ROMANIA 565
Bucharest. * 305,600.
n B-dul Eroilor 6-8, (0264) 452
244. _ Transylvanian Film
Festival (Jun). ∑ visitcluj.ro
Transport
k 7km (4 miles) NE of centre.
£@
The brightly painted National Theatre and Opera

are located just outside the
F National Theatre is the largest university in city centre on a hillside park.
and Opera Romania. It started off as a It has six greenhouses filled
Piaţa Stefan cel Mare 24. Tel (0264) Jesuit Academy but was later with equatorial and tropical
597 175. ∑ operacluj.ro closed down when Romanians plants, including specimens
Opened in 1906, the National were denied education in their from Japan, as well as flora
Theatre and Opera (Teatrul language and taught in Hungarian from all over Romania.
National si Opera) started as a instead. After the country’s
Hungarian theatre. The majestic liberation, two universities u Synagogue
building was designed by Austrian were established to provide Str Horea 21. Tel (0264) 596
architects Ferdinand Fellner and education in both languages. 600. Open varies, call
Hermann Helmer, and it has In due course, the institutions in advance.
been home to the Romanian were merged and adopted a Built in the late 19th century,
theatre and opera since 1918. name inspired by the Romanian this is the city’s main syna-
Its striking Art Nouveau lobby scientist Babeş and Hungarian gogue (Sinagogă Neologă),
leads into a grand auditorium mathematician Bolyai. Today, topped with four silver onion
seating up to 1,200 people. the university has a student domes. It has had a chequered
Regular national and international population of 45,000 with history, first attacked in 1927
performances take place here. 21 faculties. by the Romanian fascist
organization, the Iron Guard,
P Babeş-Bolyai University Y Botanical Gardens and then during World War II.
Mihail Kogalniceanu nr1. Tel (0264) Str Bilaşcu. Open 9am–7pm daily. It has now been restored to its
405 300. ∑ ubbcluj.ro &7 original design and serves as a
Founded in 1581, this Opened in 1920, the Botanical Holocaust memorial for the
(Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai) Gardens (Gradina Botanica) city’s small Jewish community.
Cluj-Napoca
Synagogue
City Centre Railway and
Bus Stations
250 m (275 yards)
Airport
PIAŢA Market 7 km (4 miles)
STR
1 km (0.6 mile) MIHAI VITEAZUL

1 Ethnographic Museum
STRADA
C U Z A VO DA RIE
MB
REG
of Transylvania TIP OG RA FIE CE

STRADA I PIAŢA DE
21
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VICTORIEI
2 St Michael’s Church Hungarian I - DUL 1989
History SSA B
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3 Art Museum
Museum of ADA Orthodox
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Transylvania Cathedral
Parc
4 Orthodox Cathedral PIAŢA
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Central Pharmacy
OR
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Museum MA
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5 National Theatre IU L IU R
LU
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and Opera MU STR CAL
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AN St Michael's ILO R
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6 Babeş-Bolyai University OR Church DE

RO and Opera
EM B LV
STR
S T R AD A H
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7 Botanical Gardens SS R
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Reformed
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CU
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Botanical
Gardens
XE

q Bucovina Monasteries Tour

The painted churches of Bucovina, a hilly region
in northwestern Moldavia, were the illustrated
Bibles of their time. Most were constructed during
the reign of Stephen the Great (1457–1504), who
welcomed Bulgarian and Serbian Orthodox
Christian monks seeking refuge from the Ottoman
Empire. After each victory against the Ottomans,
Stephen commissioned a church to be built. Petru
Rareş, his son, continued the tradition. Their beauty
Sucevita Monastery, the last church to be built
and rarity has earned the monasteries UNESCO before the Ottoman invasion
World Heritage Site status.
5 Putna
The most important
4 Sucevita
Vicovu monastery in the region,
Founded in the late 16th century,
de Jos Putna was ransacked in the
this church is famous for its
17th century but has since
Ladder of Virtue mural, which Voitinel been restored. Stephen, two
depicts monks trying to climb to
of his wives, and his sons
heaven with the help of Christ
Petru and Bogdan are all
and his angels.
buried here.
Marginea
3 Moldoviţa Solca
Rebuilt in 1532, the
painted walls here
incorporate references
to the encroaching Vatra Cacica
Ottoman Empire. Moldovitei
Key Frumosul
Tour route
Suceava
Minor road 30 km (19 miles)
Vama
Walking trail Gura
Railway route
Humorului
Frasin
2 Voronet
This fortified monastery was
built in 1488 to celebrate a
victory against the Turks. The
mural of The Last Judgement
on its southern wall is notable Tips for Drivers
for its skilful incorporation of
Starting point: Humor.
Moldavian folk motifs.
Length: 204 km (127 miles).
Getting there: Suceava is
1 Humor 440 km (273 miles) N of Bucharest
Founded in the 15th century 0 km 5 on the E85 Highway.
and rebuilt in 1530, the exterior The monasteries are generally
0 miles 5
walls of this small church feature open from 7am–5pm daily.
impressive murals.

ROMANIA 567
w Suceava
* 107,000. £ @ n Str Stefan cel
Mare 23, (0230) 551 241.
Once the powerful capital of

Moldavia, Suceava has long
since faded from glory. Today,
the town serves as a base for
visitors who want to explore
the marvellous monasteries in
the Bucovina region.
Suceava Fortress, on a hill
overlooking the town, is the The scattered ruins of ancient Tomis, Constanţa
most impressive sight here.
Built during the reign of Petru I e Constanţa of King Carol I, it is Romania’s
Muşat and occupied by a 223 km (139 miles) E of Bucharest.
largest mosque. The plain interior
succession of powerful rulers, it * 301,200. k £ @ n B-dul is brightened by a vast Persian
resisted a number of seiges and Tomis 221, (0241) 488 600. carpet, a gift from the Ottoman
remained unconquered when ruler, Sultan Abdul Hamid. One
the Ottoman Empire ordered its Romania’s main port and fifth of the biggest Turkish carpets in
destruction. Only the ruins of largest city, Constanţa is also one Europe, it measures 144 sq m
the citadel are visible today. of the oldest cities in Romania. (1,550 sq ft). There are fine views
Closer to the town centre, Known as Tomis in the 5th cen- of the city from the 47-m (154-ft)
the colourfully tiled tury BC, Constanţa high minaret.
roof of the Mirăuţi started off as a Greek
Church of St George colony. It was then con- E Tomis Mosaic Museum
can be seen rising quered by the Romans Piaţa Ovidiu 12. Open 8am–8pm daily
above the surrounding around 20 BC and was (10am–6pm in winter). & =
pine trees. Founded renamed Constanţa by ∑ ghidulmuzeelor.cimec.ro
by Petru I Muşat in Detail in the the Roman Emperor U Mahmudiye Mosque
about 1390, this is the Mahmudiye mosque Constantine the Great. Str Arhiepiscopiei 5. Open 9:30am–
town’s oldest church Today, all that remains 9:30pm daily. & =
and was once used for the of the city’s glorious past is an
coronations of Moldavia’s princes. uninspiring array of unmarked
It was here that Stephen the Roman walls, columns and r Danube Delta
Great was crowned as prince of fragments of statues in the
223 km (139 miles) E of Bucharest.
Moldavia. Some of the original Archaeological Park on Bulevardul 4 from Tulcea. n Str Gariii 26,
murals can still be seen. Republicii. More interesting is Tulcea, (0240) 519 130. 8 Navrom
the Tomis Mosaic Museum, boat tours from Tulcea.
+ Suceava Fortress housing a colourful 800-sq-m ∑ navromdelta.ro
Dealul Cetătii. Open 9am–6pm (9,149-sq-ft) mosaic floor from
daily. & Tomis’s 4th-century Roman Covering an area of 4,142 sq km
R Mirăuţi Church of St George
forum. A short walk from the (1,599 sq miles), the Danube
museum is Mahmudiye Mosque. Delta, a biosphere reserve, is the
Str Mirăuţi. Open daily.
Built in 1910 during the reign largest and best-preserved delta
in Europe. A UNESCO World
Heritage Site, it is home to a
variety of wildlife including wolves,
wild cats and around 300 bird
species and 150 species of fish. The
starting point for exploring
the reserve is Tulcea, located at the
tip of the delta. From here, five
ferries a week make the 3-hour
journey to Sulina, once a
bustling port. The town’s old
lighthouse, built in 1870, is
now a history museum detailing
Sulina’s heyday as the head-
quarters of the European Danube
Commission (1856–1938).
Sulina’s vast 40-km (25-mile)
The old lighthouse in the coastal town of Sulina, Danube Delta beach is also worth a stroll.
Practical & Travel Information are not always high, so

visitors are advised to take
Romanians are generally polite and hospitable and will often out medical insurance to cover
go out of their way to help, especially in rural areas where private treatment. There have
foreign visitors are less common. The country’s substantial been no instances of malaria in
Romania, but mosquitoes can be
size makes it a formidable area to explore. Public transport is a problem around the Danube
adequate, but slower than using a car and although car hire Delta in summer; repellent
is reasonably priced and cuts down journey time, it exposes is recommended. Stray dogs
travellers to the perils of Romania’s reckless drivers. There are are a major problem in all of
numerous airports around the country and those wishing Romania's cities, and if you
are unfortunate enough to be
to see as much as possible in a short space of time should
bitten you will need an anti-
consider taking domestic flights, which connect the most rabies shot. For medical
important places of interest. emergencies, it is best to go to
the Emergency Clinic Hospital
When to Visit Visitor Information in Bucharest or in Braşov.
Spring and autumn are Most cities have at least Violent crime against visitors
the best seasons to visit rudimentary tourist information is non-existent in Romania, but
Romania, with warm, sunny centres, but visitors usually tend pickpockets can be a problem
days and cool nights. The to rely on guide books, tourist on crowded public transport
capital, Bucharest, becomes websites or local English-language in Bucharest and other cities.
unbearable in summer, when publications such as In Your Travellers are advised to be
most residents escape to Pocket, which provides up-to- vigilant and keep their valuables
the coast or the hills, where date listings and is distributed at in a money belt or bag. When
temperatures are 10–15 bars, restaurants and hotels for travelling on overnight trains,
degrees lower. The months Bucharest, Braşov and Sibiu. The doors to sleeping compart-
of September and October guide also has a free website. City ments should always be locked
are the best time to go maps can be found at bookshops, and bags guarded.
hiking in Transylvania. kiosks and petrol stations. Most
tourist destinations have privately
run travel centres that provide Facilities for the Disabled
Documentation brochures; they can also arrange Public awareness of the needs
Since Romania’s accession car rental and hotel reservations. of the disabled is low, but has
to the European Union (EU) improved in recent years. Hotels
in January 2007, EU citizens in bigger cities are more likely to
no longer require a visa and Health and Security have facilities than smaller hotels.
can enter the country with Although no vaccinations are
a valid passport or identity officially required for travel to
card. Citizens of the US, Canada, Romania, it is recommended that Banking and Currency
Australia and New Zealand can visitors are immunized against The Romanian currency is the
stay in Romania for up to 90 tetanus, hepatitis A, diphtheria leu. Although most foreign cur-
days without a visa, provided and typhoid as well as polio. rencies can be exchanged at
they show a valid passport. Medical services are free of banks, exchange bureaus and
Citizens of other countries charge to EU citizens carrying larger hotels, euros and dollars
such as Ukraine, Moldova and their European Health Insurance are preferred. Traveller's cheques
South Africa require a visa. Card (EHIC). However, standards are accepted only at major
banks and hotels in the bigger
cities and towns. Banks are
The Climate of Romania BUCHAREST open from 9am to 5pm
The country has hot, dry 29/84 Monday to Friday.
summers with temperatures ATMs can be found in most
° C/F 18/64 18/64 places, but are less common in
soaring up to 35° C (95° F) 16/61
in June and July. Autumn is the more remote areas; visitors
5/41 6/43 to these places are advised to
cool but dry, and beautiful 1/34
0°C carry sufficient cash. Similarly,
when the fields and trees 32°F -1/30
credit cards can be relied upon
are colourful. Winters can 11 only in larger hotels, restaurants,
be bitterly cold, with tempera- 6 hrs 5 hrs 2 hrs
hrs petrol stations and shops.
tures dipping as low as -8° C 59 53 29 46
(18° F) in January. Snowfalls mm mm mm mm
usually start in mid-December month Apr Jul Oct Jan
Communications
and continue until March. Public telephones can be
found across the country,
ROMANIA 569
and are operated with a Rail Travel and Târges Mureş. Minibuses
Telekom card sold at post Most international and domestic also leave for various destinations
offices such as the Bucharest trains arrive and depart from around the country from opposite
Main Post Office and at news- Bucharest’s Gara de Nord, which Gara de Nord. Tickets for local
paper kiosks. Mobile phones lies north of the centre. There buses, trams and trolleybuses
with roaming will function are three classes of Romanian can be bought at street kiosks
everywhere, but those visitors train – Intercity is the quickest and should be validated once on
staying longer in the country and most comfortable; InterRegio board. In Bucharest, an Activ Card
are advised to buy a local pre- tend to stop more frequently; (similar to London's Oyster Card)
paid SIM to reduce the cost Regio trains are slow, uncomfor- is required. It can be bought at
of calls. table and best avoided. The first ticket kiosks next to major stops.
Romania has one of two categories require seat
the fastest average internet reservations. Domestic train
speeds in the world, and free, tickets can be bought online Travelling by Car
fast Wi-Fi is ubiquitous in all in advance at the website Driving in Romania is an unsettling
venues - from hotels to cafés - bilete.cfrcalatori.ro, run by the experience, as Romanian drivers
in the cities, most towns and Romanian railway company are very impatient, relying on
even villages. CFR. The Romanian train tailgating and frequent use of
timetable is online at infofer.ro. horns to intimidate other road
Visitors can book international users. In rural areas, horses and
Arriving by Air tickets through the agency carts are a major hazard, partic-
Bucharest's Henri Coandă Wasteels, which has offices in ularly at night when they may not
(Otopeni) airport is located Bucharest and Braşov. have lights. Drivers are required
16 km (10 miles) from the city to carry an EU or international
centre. It is served by a wide licence, Green Card insurance
range of airlines from all over Travelling by Bus or its equivalent and vehicle
Europe, but there are no direct Instead of a central bus station, registration documents. Car hire
flights from destinations such Bucharest has six smaller bus is available in most towns and
as the US or Canada. Visitors stations located around the edges cities. Major rental companies
should note that international of the city. Of these, Filaret Bus are: Avis, Europcar and Hertz.
flights from the UK, Germany Station serves Thessaloniki, Athens Taxis are also plentiful in
and Italy also serve Bacau, and southeastern Romania; bigger towns and cities.
Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Iasi, Bucureşti Militari serves northern However, passengers should
Sibiu, Targu Mures and destinations including Sibiu; insist on the meter being used,
Timisoara airports. C&I Bus Terminal serves Braşov or agree on a fare in advance.
DIRECTORY
Documentation Emergencies Wizz Air Filaret Bus Station
∑ wizzair.com 1 Gara Filaret Square,
∑ mae.ro/en Ambulance, Police Bucharest.
Tel 112. Tel (021) 336 0692.
Embassies and Rail Travel
Consulates Health and
CFR
Travelling by Car
Australia Security
∑ cfr.ro Avis
34e Titu Maioresću St, Emergency Clinic B-dul Theodor Pallady 51,
Bucharest. Hospital Wasteels Bucharest.
Tel (21) 319 0229. Calea Floreasca 8, Tel (21) 210 4344.
Tel (021) 317 0369.
Bucharest. ∑ avis.ro
United Kingdom ∑ wasteels.ro
Tel (021) 599 2300.
24 Jules Michelet, Europcar
Calea Bucureşti 25-27,
Bucharest. Travelling by Bus Str. Grigore Mora 17,
Braşov.
Tel (21) 201 7200. Bucharest.
Tel (0268) 320 022.
Bucureşti Militari Tel (21) 310 1797.
United States
Communications ∑ europcar.ro
B-dul Liviu Librescu 4–5, Valea Cascadelor 1,
Bucharest. Hertz
Bucharest Main Post Bucharest.
Tel (21) 200 3300. Piata Montreal 10,
Office
Tel (0725) 939 939. Bucharest.
St Matei Millo 10,
Visitor Information Bucharest.
Tel (21) 407 8200.
C&I Bus Terminal ∑ hertz.ro
∑ romaniatourism.
com Arriving by Air Splaiul Unirii 60,
In Your Pocket TAROM Bucharest.

∑ inyourpocket.com ∑ tarom.ro Tel (021) 330 8132.
Shopping & Entertainment such as tocăniţă are worth

trying. Sarmale is a delicious
From small, busy markets to upmarket malls, Romania offers dish made of stuffed vine or
great shopping opportunities. Bucharest is by far the best cabbage leaves, which is found
place for most shopping needs. However, towns and villages all over the Balkans.
Romania is one of the world’s
often sell regional crafts and produce not found elsewhere. largest producers of plums and
Bucharest is also the entertainment capital, hosting a wide turns most of its harvest into
range of classical music concerts, theatre, opera and ballet the enormously popular, and
while the ever-expanding number of bars and clubs contribute potent ţuică (plum brandy).
to a lively nightlife. The country’s wealth of natural beauty Wine is also produced in large
quantities; the sweet moldavian
makes it very attractive to outdoor enthusiasts. Its mountains
grasă and tămâioasă are two of
cater for all hiking levels, with well-marked routes for the best wines in the country.
experienced walkers as well as organized trips. Romania has a reputable beer
brewing industry. Ciuc and Ursus
are the most popular brands.
Opening Hours Antiques
Local shops usually open The Lipscani area of Bucharest,
from 9 or 10am to around 6 between Unity Square and Books and Music
or 8pm on weekdays. Larger University Square, is known for its For English-language books
department stores stay open numerous antique and second- in Bucharest, visitors should
all day on Saturdays, while hand shops, and is the best place head for either Nautilus, which
most shopping malls open to hunt for rarities and obscure has a particularly good range
from 10am to 10pm daily. Communist memorabilia. of fiction, or the Anthony Frost
Food shops open from 8am English Bookshop. Those in
to 8pm Monday to Sunday.. search of traditional Romanian
Gifts and Souvenirs folk music should try Bucharest’s
Some of the best souvenirs can Village Museum shop or Muzica
Markets be found at the outdoor Village in the city centre. The huge
Most towns have daily Museum and the Museum of the Sony Music Centre in the Unirii
fruit and vegetable markets Romanian Peasant (see p553) in Shopping Centre has a good
which offer an intriguing Bucharest; both stock a range selection of mainstream music.
insight into local life. Bucharest’s of original crafts. Romartizana,
main markets are at Piaţa in Bucharest, also has a good
Obor and Piaţa Amzei. In selection of crafts, and there Listings
rural areas, weekly markets are several small shops selling Şapte Seri is Bucharest’s
are often colour ful affairs, with glassware, porcelain and hand- best free weekly events guide.
traders arriving in horsecarts crafted crystal clustered around Written in a mixture of English
from outlying areas, bringing the courtyard of Curtea and Romanian, its website
home-grown produce and, Sticlarilor. Textile weaving is has a full English-language
sometimes, crafts such popular across the country; version. In Your Pocket
as wooden utensils and embroidered rugs, folk costumes, Bucharest provides compre-
embroidered shawls. tablecloths and wall hangings are hensive entertainment listings.
found in most souvenir shops. Those who understand
Reproductions of religious icons Romanian can consult B24.
Malls are also worth looking out for.
Bucharest has a host of Several high-end jewellery
shopping malls ranging from shops such as Cellini are loca- Nightlife
the country’s largest, Afi Palace ted along Bucharest’s B-dul The country’s nightlife is best
Cotroceni, with 300 shops Magheru and B-dul Balcescu. experienced in Bucharest, where
and a 20-screen cinema, to The bigger shopping malls hundreds of clubs and bars
the central Unirii Shopping also stock jewellery. cater to every taste and budget.
Centre, which was the city's Popular clubs with live music
biggest department store include Club A and Mojo. Larger
during Communist times. Food and Drink towns and cities with a sub-
These tend to sell well-known Romanian cuisine is noted stantial population of students,
clothing brands at prices for its ciorba (soup), which is such as Braşov, Timişoara and
similar to other European cities. traditionally made with ciorba Cluj-Napoca, also offer good
Bigger towns such as Timişoara, de burta (tripe), ciorba de nightlife. In summer, numerous
Braşov and Constanţa also perisoare (meatballs) or ciorba de seasonal clubs and bars open in
have large modern malls. legume (vegetables). Main dishes Constanţa to entertain the influx
Iulius Mall Timişoara has lack variety and tend to consist of both Romanian and foreign
an ice rink during winter. of grilled meat, but spicy stews visitors to the coast.
ROMANIA 571
Theatre Festivals Outdoor Activities

Bucharest is home to the In June every year, Bucharest’s The country’s most popular
country’s modern National Village Museum holds a ski resort, Poiana Braşov, is
Theatre with regular plays Traditional Crafts Fair with located 12 km (7 miles) south
in Romanian. Many smaller participants from all over of Braşov. Its runs range from
theatres are scattered around the country. Bucharest of easy to medium levels and
the city and occasionally Old, in July, is a celebration ski equipment can be hired
feature foreign-language of the city as it was in the on site. The season lasts
productions. 19th century, involving a from December until March.
street procession in tradi- Romania’s abundance of
tional costume with horse- mountainous terrain offers
Classical Music drawn carriages. endless possibilities for hikers,
and Opera The atmospheric Sighişoara who usually head for the
The Romanian Athenaeum Medieval Festival, which well-marked paths in the
in Bucharest is the best place takes place in the last week Făgăraş range. Bird-watchers
to catch per formances by the of July, is certainly worth should visit the Danube
world class George Enescu visiting. Local culture is Delta, which attracts numer-
Philharmonic Orchestra, which celebrated at folk festivals ous species of rare birds;
plays most days of the week. throughout August – the bird-watching boat trips
Opera fans should visit the Romanian Folk Art Festival is can be arranged through
Bucharest National Opera, one of the biggest. Sibiu hosts various agencies in Tulcea.
Opera Braşov or Cluj-Napoca an International Jazz Festival Travel Maker organizes
National Opera, which stage in May. If visiting in late October, mountain biking, bird-
both opera and ballet. Timişoara Halloween in Transylvania, watching, hiking, horse
and Constanţa also host revolving around Count riding, caving and rafting
regular performances. Dracula, is not to be missed. trips all over Romania.
DIRECTORY
Malls Books and Music Theatre Festivals
Anthony Frost National Theatre Bucharest of Old
Afi Palace Cotroceni
English Bookshop ∑ http://ro.earlymusic.
Bulevardul Bălcescu 2,
Bulevardul Vasile Milea 4, Calea Victoriei 45, ro
Bucharest.
Bucharest. Bucharest.
Tel (021) 314 7171. International Jazz
Tel (021) 311 5138.
Festival
Iulius Mall Timişoara ∑ anthonyfrost.ro
Classical Music ∑ sibiujazz.ro
Str Aristide Demetriade Muzica and Opera Sighişoara Medieval
nr. 1, Timişoara. Calea Victoriei 41–43,
Festival
Bucharest. Bucharest National ∑ sighisoara-medieval.
Unirii Shopping Tel (021) 313 9674. Opera ro
Centre Nautilus Bulevardul Kogalniceanu
Str Arh. Ion Mincu 17, Traditional Crafts Fair
Piaţa Unirii 1, 70, Bucharest.
Bucharest. ∑ muzeul-satului.ro
Tel (021) 314 6980.
Bucharest. Tel (021) 222 5030. ∑ operanb.ro Outdoor
∑ nautilus.ro
Gifts and Cluj-Napoca National
Activities
Souvenirs Listings Opera Travel Maker
In Your Pocket Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare 24, Str. Elena Vacarescu 9,
Cellini Bucharest Cluj-Napoca. Tel (0264) Bucharest.
∑ inyourpocket.com 597 175. ∑ operacluj.ro Tel(021) 232 03 31.
Bulevardul N Bălcescu 16,
∑ bucharestcitytour.
Bucharest. Şapte Seri Opera Braşov com
∑ sapteseri.ro Str Bisericii Romane Nr.
Tel (021) 312 2202. Poiana Braşov
51, Braşov.
Curtea Sticlarilor Nightlife Tel (0268) 417 866.
Tel (0268) 419 380. ∑ poiana-brasov.com
Str Selari 9–11, Bucharest. Club A ∑ opera-brasov.ro
Str Blănari 14,
Tel (021) 314 3228. Romanian
Bucharest.
Tel (021) 313 5592. Athenaeum
Romartizana
Mojo Str Franklin 1–3,
Calea Victoriei 16–20,
Str Gabroveni 14, Bucharest.
Bucharest. Bucharest. Tel (021) 315 2567.
Tel (021) 313 14 65. Tel (760) 263 496. ∑ fge.org.ro
Where to Stay
Price Guide
Prices are based on one night’s stay in
 under 300 lei
 300–600 lei
 over 600 lei
Close to the seafront, this is a

small but delightful hotel. The
restaurant terrace overlooks
the beach.
SIBIU: Felinarul 
Hostel
Str Felinarului 8, 550183
Tel (0269) 250 282
Lavish lobby at the Athenee Palace, Bucharest ∑ felinarulhostelsibiu.ro
This boutique hostel in a historic
house offers two dorms and one
Bucharest Rest of Romania double, healthy breakfasts and
plenty of genuine hospitality.
Andy Hotel  BRAŞOV: Casa Wagner 
Boutique Historic
Str Witing 2 Piaţa Sfatului 5, 500031 DK Choice
Tel (021) 300 30 50 Tel (0268) 411 253 SIGHISOARA: Casa
∑ andyhotels.ro ∑ casa-wagner.com cu Cerb 
Smart modern hotel near the A 15th-century building in the Historic
railway station with immaculate, main square with large rooms Str Scolii 1, 545400
well-equipped en suites. Doubles featuring exposed beams and Tel (0265) 774 625
with shared facilities also available. period furnishings. ∑ casacucerb.ro
Housed in one of Sighisoara's
Funky Chicken  BRAŞOV: Villa Prato  oldest buildings, the Casa cu
Hostel Map D3 Boutique Cerb (House of the Stag) is
Str Gen. Berthelot 63 Str St O. Josif 2, 500041 located in the centre of the Old
Tel (021) 312 1425 Tel (0268) 473 371 Town. This delightful historic inn
∑ funkychickenhostel.com ∑ villaprato.ro features barrel-vaulted ceilings,
Crammed into several rooms of a Wonderfully restored villa with exposed brick walls, woodwork
residential block, this lively hostel well-equipped and spacious and plenty of period-style
offers dorms and private rooms. rooms. Enjoy views of the Old furniture. Rooms are neat and
Town over breakfast served in well-equipped. Attic rooms are
Rembrandt  the conservatory. particularly charming.
Boutique Map E4
Str Smardan 11 CLUJNAPOCA: Capitolina 
Tel (021) 313 93 15 Business SUCEAVA: Continental
∑ rembrandt.ro Str Victor Babes 35, 400012 Suceava 
Exquisite town house in the old Tel (0264) 450 490 Business
city centre offering luxurious ∑ hotel-capitolina.ro Str Mihai Viteazul 4–6, 720042
rooms and a great breakfast. Smart hotel with spacious and Tel (0372) 304 904
well-equipped rooms, fitness ∑ continentalhotels.ro
Athenee Palace  centre and conference facilities City centre hotel with comfortable
Historic Map E3 just a few minutes from various rooms and a good buffet breakfast.
Str Episcopei 1–3, 10092 shopping and cultural sites.
Tel (021) 303 3777 TIMIŞOARA: Timişoara 
∑ hiltonbucharest.com CLUJNAPOCA: City Plaza Business
Once the hotbed of international Hotel  Str Marasesti 1–4, 300086
espionage, this member of the Spa Tel (0256) 498 852
Hilton chain is as comfortable and Str Sindicatelor 9–13, 400029 ∑ hoteltimisoara.ro
well-run as you would expect. Tel (0264) 450 101 Relaxing, casual hotel in the heart
∑ cityhotels.ro of the city with spacious rooms
Golden Tulip  In a quiet part of town, this that offer good views.
Luxury Map D3 modern hotel offers fully
Calea Victoriei 166, 10096 equipped rooms, spa, swimming TULCEA: Delta 
Tel (021) 212 5558 pool and event facilities. Resort
∑ goldentulipbucharest.com Str Isaccei 2, 820169
Superbly located on the main CONSTANŢA: Hotel Voila  Tel (0240) 514 720
boulevard, the hotel offers Boutique ∑ hoteldelta.eu
contemporary rooms. Superb Str Callatis 22, 900744 With a Danube riverfront location,
views from the breakfast room Tel (0241) 508 004 this tourist complex offers 3-star
on the top floor. ∑ hotelvoila.ro and 4-star sections.

Occupying a handsome 16th- Price Guide
Bucharest century house, this restaurant Prices are based on a three-course meal
offers an imaginative choice of for one, half a bottle of wine, including
Vatra  Mediterranean and classic French
International Map D4 cuisine. Excellent wine list.  under 70 lei
 70–140 lei
Strada Actor Ion Brezoianu 19, 010131
 over 140 lei
Tel (021) 315 8375 CLUJNAPOCA: Baracca 
Folksy restaurant near Cismigiu Italian
Park with traditional grilled meats, Str Napoca 8a, 400009 Reasonably priced restaurant in a
skewer-kebabs and stuffed vine Tel (0732) 155 177 500-year-old wine cellar serving a
and cabbage leaves. Try the Italian-leaning international broad selection of traditional
papanasi (cottage cheese fritters). cuisine in a smart restaurant that Transylvanian fare, frequently
features exposed brick walls, with live music.
wooden floors and enormous
DK Choice shell-shaped lampshades. SINAIA: Cuţitu’ de Argint 
Caru cu Bere  Romanian
Romanian Map E4 CLUJNAPOCA: Via  Aleea Peleşului 2, Sinaia 106100
Str Stavropoleos 5, 30081 International Tel (0241) 555 571
Tel (021) 313 7560 Str Inocenţiu Micu Klein 6, 400087 Sit at the long wooden tables
Built in 1899, the atmospheric Tel 264 593 220 of this eatery that resembles a
Caru cu Bere has retained much Quality food fusing local, Asian medieval inn, to enjoy hearty
of its original appearance, and Mediterranean influences portions of the roast meats.
featuring a high-vaulted ceiling, served in an 18th-century house
stained-glass windows, ornate that blends original features with SUCEAVA: Latino 
wooden balustrades and intricate modern furnishings. Refined European
floral murals. The menu covers desserts and a long wine list. Str Curtea Domneasca 9, 720042
everything in the Romanian Tel (0230) 523 627
culinary pantheon from simple CONSTANŢA: Manarola  Good pizza and steaks are
grilled snacks to extravagant Seafood the main attractions, although
platters of roast meat. Own- Portul Tomis, 900744 European classics such as Duck å
brewed beer is a real treat. Tel (0722) 100 193 l'Orange and Tafelspitz boiled beef
Superb seafood right by the sea also feature on the menu.
in Constanta’s Tomis Harbour.
Trattoria il Calcio  Reserve in advance for a TARGU MUREŞ:
Italian Map E3 table outside. Concordia 
Strada B Franklin 1–3, 10287 Mediterranean
Tel (0732) 528 140 SIHGIŞOARA: Casa Vlad Dracul  Piaţa Trandafirilor 43, 540053
Housed in a delightful 19th- Romanian Tel (0265) 260 602
century building opposite the Str Cositorarilor 5, 545400 Refreshingly modern in design
Royal Palace, the trattoria serves Tel (0256) 771 596 and international in its cuisine,
an excellent choice of well- In the 15th-century house, the Concordia offers superb steaks,
prepared pizza and pasta dishes. alleged birthplace of Vlad the and Mediterranean salads.
Impaler, this straightforward
The Artist  restaurant with a theatrically TIMIŞOARA: Harold's 
European Map E5 Gothic flourish serves meaty International
Str Nicolae Tonitza 13 Romanian staples. Aleea Studenţilor 17, 540053
Tel (0728) 31 88 71 Tel (0256) 496 335
Considered among Romania’s SIBIU: Crama Sibiul Vechi  Classy spot in the student
leading fine dining restaurants. Romanian campus area, with wide choice
The seasonal menu features A. Papiu Ilarion Str 3, 550178 of Chinese, Romanian and
only the best of local produce. Tel (07380) 210 461 Mexican fare.
Rossetya 
Romanian
Str Dimitrie Bolintineanu 9, 21061
Tel (031) 805 9199
Cuisine based on traditional
19th-century Romanian recipe
books. The broad-ranging menu
covers duck, pork and lamb as
well as vegetarian choices.
Rest of Romania
BRAŞOV: Casa Hirscher 
French/Mediterranean
Piaţa Sfatului 12–14, 500025
Tel (0268) 410 533 Diners at Caru Cu Bere in Bucharest
BULGARIA
Bulgaria’s stunning scenery and Mediterranean climate have made it one of
Europe’s best tourist destinations. Though famous for its Black Sea beaches and
scintillating ski resorts, it offers the visitor many further rewards through the
sheer diversity of its natural beauty spots, archaeological sites and picture-
postcard villages.
With its warm climate and fertile soil, was falling under the Thracians,
Bulgaria has attracted settlers from who established tribal states across
ancient times and remnants of former Bulgaria, Romania and northern Greece.
civilizations can be found everywhere, By AD 50, however, the Romans had
from prehistoric burial grounds to taken control of the region. The Roman
Ottoman mosques. Among its natural Empire was split in the 5th century and
attributes, its sandy beaches are Bulgaria became part of the eastern
captivating and the mountains Byzantine half. Migrating Slav tribes
provide scope for hiking and skiing. were allowed to settle and live
The country’s proud folk heritage peacefully throughout the region.
contrasts with its recent transformation The Bulgars, a Turkic tribe from
into a modern European nation, Central Asia, crossed the Danube
making Bulgaria a vibrant and in 681 and soon fused with the Slavs
invigorating destination. already living there, creating the
Bulgarian nation. Bulgarian power
History reached its peak under Tsar Simeon
Archaeological discoveries have (r. 893–927), who extended the borders
shown that Neolithic people were almost as far as Constantinople.
living in the region as early as 5500 BC. However, a Byzantine resurgence
By 1000 BC, South Eastern Europe halted further expansion.
The colourful Rose Festival celebrations in central Bulgaria

Early spring in Rila National Park
The Ottoman Turks conquered

Bulgaria in the 1390s and ruled it for
almost 500 years, cutting the country
off from Western Europe and weakening
its language and culture.
An upsurge of Bulgarian culture
known as the National Revival took
place in the 19th century, and young
patriots planned a revolt. The so-called
April Rising began in 1876 but was
quashed by the Ottomans. Outraged
by the massacre that took place, public
support in Russia and Western Europe
took up the Bulgarian cause. Russia
declared war on the Ottomans in April Bulgarian soldiers during the Second Balkan War, 1913
1877, resulting in the creation of an
independent Bulgarian state. The Ottomans but disagreed on how
new Bulgaria was initially intended to divide their conquests. Bulgaria
to include Macedonia as well but declared war on Serbia and Greece
this was prevented by the European but was defeated in the Second
powers at the Congress of Berlin Balkan War of 1913.
in 1878. In 1941, two years after the
Eager to force the Ottomans out outbreak of World War II, Bulgaria
of Macedonia, Bulgaria was drawn joined Germany. However, it switched
into an alliance with Serbia and Greece. sides in 1944, hoping in vain to head
In the First Balkan War of 1912, the off an invasion by the Soviet Red
three Balkan states defeated the Army. Supported by the Soviets,
the Bulgarian Communists staged
KEY DATES IN BULGARIAN HISTORY a coup and ruled the country for
1000–800 BC The Thracians begin to form the next 45 years.
powerful tribal states in Bulgaria The Communist regime
AD 50 Thracian lands are captured by the Romans disintegrated in 1989 but economic
681 The Bulgars conquer the land south of the collapse soon followed. Bulgaria’s
Danube entry into the EU in 2007 marked
930 Rila Monastery is founded by St Ivan of Rila a new phase in the country’s voyage
1393 The Ottomans seize the capital of Bulgaria from post-Communist chaos to
1830 The National Revival gains momentum, political and economic stability.
bringing with it a flowering of the arts
1876 The April Rising Language and Culture
1877–8 The Russo-Turkish War ends in defeat for The country’s official language is
the Ottomans
Bulgarian, a Slavonic language related
1912–13 First Balkan War against the Ottomans
to Serbian, Russian and Croatian. It is
1913 Second Balkan War
written in the Cyrillic script, although
1915–18 Bulgaria joins World War I on the
German side
Roman lettering is sometimes used
1944 Bulgarian Communists, supported by the
on public signs.
Soviet Red Army, seize power With heritage playing a highly
1946 Bulgaria becomes a republic visible role in Bulgarian society, religious
2004 Bulgaria joins NATO holidays, saints’ days and folk festivals
2007 Bulgaria becomes a member of the EU form the backbone of Bulgaria’s
festive calendar.
BULGARIA 577
Exploring Bulgaria
Few capitals bear the imprint of history as clearly as Sofia,
Bulgaria’s largest city. Roman masonry juts from the walls
of its churches, while fragments of Byzantine fortifications
survive in pedestrian subways. To the south of bustling and
sophisticated Sofia are fascinating highland villages such
as Bansko and Borovets and the monasteries of Rila and
Bachkovo; to the east, on the Black Sea, are the coastal
towns of Varna and Nesebûr and the Golden Sands resort;
while all over the country, medieval fortresses stand as
reminders of Bulgaria’s illustrious history. The country’s rail
network links all the major towns and cities, while rural
Bulgaria is accessible by local bus. Taxis can also be used
for long-distance journeys, if arranged in advance.
Wooden houses along a street in the Old
Sights at a Glance Town, Sozopol
1 Sofia pp578–85 8 Plovdiv pp594–5 y Nesebûr
2 Rila Monastery pp586–9 9 Koprivshtitsa pp596–7 u Burgas
3 Rila National Park 0 Veliko Tûrnovo pp598–601 i Sozopol
4 Borovets q Varna pp602–603
5 Bansko w Stone Forest
6 Melnik e Golden Sands
7 Bachkovo Monastery r Kaliakra
pp592–3 t Sunny Beach
Silistra
Vidin
21
ROMANIA Ruse
Lom
7
2
Dobrich 29
5
Kaliakra
1
Pleven
ûr
3 Razgrad
Isk
Montana Shumen A2
Ya n
tra Golden Sands

Vratsa 4
SERBIA
3
1 4 Stone Varna
8
Sevlievo
5 Veliko Tûrnovo Forest
Black Sea
9
Troyan Gabrovo
A2
SOFIA Sliven
6
Karlovo 6 Sunny Beach
Pernik A1 A1 Nesebûr
A1
Koprivshtitsa Kazanlûk 66
Samokov 8
Kyustendil Stara Zagora lia Sozopol
Rume Burgas
6
Tundzha
Borovets Plovdiv
9
5
Rila Monastery
8 Dimitrovgrad
Blagoevgrad Rila National
Park Haskovo A1
Bansko
Bachkovo
8
TURKEY
MACEDONIA Sandanski
Me
Monastery
sta
1
a Kûrdzhali
Melnik Ard
GREECE
0 kilometres 100
0 miles 100
Key
Motorway
Major road
Railway
The popular beach at Golden Sands near Varna, on the Black Sea coast International border

1 Sofia
With a population of over one million people, Sofia
was founded more than 7,000 years ago and has
been the capital of Bulgaria since 1879. Today, the
city’s historic centre bears witness to the diverse
cultural influences that have shaped the country.
Orthodox churches and an Art Nouveau synagogue
are evidence of its rich religious heritage, while
Roman, medieval and Ottoman-era buildings serve
as reminders of the city’s ancient origins. Adding
to the city’s grandeur are the monumental public The magnificent Aleksandûr Nevski
Memorial Church
buildings from the Communist period, appearing
U IL
in the downtown squares and junctions. Beyond
SA M
the city centre, residential suburbs are broken up
TS A R
V
LO
Railway Station
by attractive swathes of green parkland and the NOV
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1 km (0.6 mile)
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looming presence of Mount Vitosha.
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Central Market
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Major road Sveta Sofia
P LO S H TA D
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Serdika N E Z AV I S I M O S T
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0 kilometres 10
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Key

SOFIA 579
Sights at a Glance Getting Around

1 Church of Sveta Nedelya The city centre is easy to explore on foot,
2 Sofia Synagogue although visitors may need public transport
3 Archaeological Museum to reach some outlying museums. An efficient
4 National Art Gallery tram network covers the city centre and the
5 Natural History Museum inner suburbs, while buses and trolleybuses
6 Russian Church are a convenient way of reaching Sofia’s outer
7 Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial fringes. Taxis are numerous and inexpensive, and
Church see pp582–3 the single metro line runs across the city from
8 Church of Sveta Sofia northwest to southeast, connecting a handful
9 National Gallery of Foreign Art
of sites of interest.
0 National History Museum
q Mount Vitosha
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3 Archaeological
Museum
Археологически Музей
ul. Saborna 2. Map D4. Tel (02) 988
2406. v 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18. q Serdika.
Open May–Oct: 10am–6pm daily;
Nov–Apr: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. &
- museum annexe. ∑ naim.bg
Many of Bulgaria’s finest

Thracian, Roman and medieval
treasures are preserved in
Sofia’s Archaeological Museum
(Arheologicheski Muzei). The
building, once the Grand
Mosque (Buyuk Dzhamiya),
was built in 1494 and con-
Church of Sveta Nedelya, one of Sofia’s most important places of worship verted into the present
museum in 1894. The former
1 Church of Sveta healing powers, are kept in prayer hall, a cube-shaped
Nedelya a wooden casket beside the space beneath nine graceful
Църква “Света Неделя” iconostasis. The church was domes, perfectly complements
rebuilt between 1856 and an open-plan display of Greek,
pl. Sveta Nedelya. Map C4. Tel (02) 1863, but was almost completely Roman and medieval sculpture.
987 5748. Open 7am–6pm daily.
destroyed in 1925, when The side rooms are devoted to
q Serdika. v 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18. ^
Communist extremists a superb sequence of
Set on an island in central bombed it during a treasures. Highlights
Sofia, the Church of Sveta funeral service include a finely
Nedelya (Tšurkvata Sveta attended by Tsar crafted Golden
Nedelya) was built on the site Boris III. The Burial Mask belong-
of a 10th-century church and arcades on ing to a Thracian
has long been one of the city’s the north side chieftain of the 5th
principal places of worship. It and the gilt iconos- century BC, a
serves as the seat of the bishops tasis remain intact. Golden Burial Mask, bronze helmet and
of Sofia and has now been Frescoes executed Archaeological Museum a delicate golden
given a cathedral status. in the 1970s and a laurel wreath found
During the Ottoman period marble floor added in the near Plovdiv (see pp594–5).
it was known as the Church of 1990s give the interior a The ground floor features
Sveti Kral – the Blessed King – contemporary look. Roman finds, including finely
because it held the relics of carved tombs, while the first
Stefan Urosh II Milutin, a 14th- floor holds a host of valuable
century Serbian ruler who 2 Sofia Synagogue medieval icons and lavishly
defeated the Bulgarian emperor, Софийска Синагога decorated pottery.
Mihail Shishman. The bones,
ul. Ekzarh Iosif 16. Map C3. Tel (02) 983
believed to have miraculous 5085. v 1, 7, 18, 20, 22. q Serdika. 4 National
Open 9am–4pm Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm
Sat, call in advance. Art Gallery
Национална Художествена
One of the largest in Europe, Галерия
this synagogue (Sofĭska
pl. Knyaz Aleksandûr Batenberg 1.
sinagoga) can hold as many
Map D4. Tel (02) 980 3325. v 1, 7, 20,
as 1,300 people. Designed by 22. q Serdika. Open 10am–6pm
Austrian architect Friedrich Tue–Sun. & Ethnographic Museum:
Grünanger and completed in Tel (02) 988 4191. Open 10am–6pm
1909, it has a brass chandelier Tue–Sun. & =
weighing over 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).
The interior also has some The imposing National
exquisite Moorish mosaics, Art Gallery (Natsionalna
painted pillars and scalloped Hudozhestvena Galeriya)
arches. A Jewish Museum of occupies the west wing of
History tells the history of the the former royal palace. Built
Jews in Bulgaria. The museum in 1873 for Sofia’s Ottoman
Detail of the ornate Moorish exterior of the opens erratically so a visit rulers, it was adapted for the
Sofia Synagogue may not always be possible. monarchs of independent Bulgaria
SOFIA 581
after 1877. The building’s palatial 6 Russian Church

character persists. Many of Руска Църква
the exhibition halls have pre-
bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 3. Map E4.
World War I parquet floors Tel (02) 986 2715. v 20, 22, 23.
and intricate stucco ceilings. q Sveti Kliment Ohridski.
Bulgarian fine art grew out Open 7:30am–6pm daily. ^
of the icon-painting workshops
of the 19th century, and the The Church of St Nicholas the
gallery’s exhibition appropriately Miracle-Worker (Tsurkva Na Sveti
begins with works by the greatest Nikolai Chudotvorets), popularly
of all Bulgarian religious artists, Entrance to the four-storey Natural known as the Russian Church,
Zahari Zograf (see p586). His History Museum is the most striking building in
series of realistic portraits shows Sofia. It was built in 1914 to serve
great psychological insight and 5 Natural History the city’s Russian community.
effectively launched Bulgarian Museum Modelled on 16th-century
painting on a modern Национален Пpиpoдoнayчeн Muscovite churches, it boasts
European course. Музей a cluster of gilt domes, one of
The gallery’s collection traces which thrusts skywards at the
the development of Bulgarian bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 1. tip of a pea-green spire. The
Map E4. Tel (02) 987 4195. @ 9, 94,
painting. Highlights include a porch, with a steeply pitched
280, 306. v 20, 22, 23. q Serdika.
room devoted to the work of roof covered in bright green
Open 10am– 6pm daily. Closed 1 Jan,
local Impressionists, and that tiles, exudes a fairy tale charm.
3 Mar, 25 Dec. & =
of Bulgarian painters of the ∑ nmnhs.com The church’s interior, covered
interwar generation, in which with frescoes derived from 17th-
modernist styles are fused The Natural History Museum century paintings in Moscow and
with traditional native themes. (Natsionalen Prirodonauchen Yaroslavl, reveals the influence
Foremost among them are Muzei) is devoted to European of exotic Eastern styles on
Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora, fauna and geology. The display Russian art. A door on the west
Zlatyu Boyadzhiev and begins by charting the develop- side of the church leads down
Tsanko Lavrenov. Exhibitions ment of rocks and crystals to the crypt, the resting place of
of contemporary art are through the ages. Archbishop Serafim, leader of the
often held in the gallery’s The upper floors exhibit Russian Church in Bulgaria from
ground floor rooms. mammals, birds and reptiles, 1921 to 1950. Serafim’s reputation
The Ethnographic Museum including the Caroline parrot, for anti-Communism and his
(Etnografski Muzei) in the east which is now extinct, as well kindness made him popular with
wing has a fascinating collec- as bearded vultures, cranes Sofians. Such is his enduring
tion of traditional Bulgarian and tamarin monkeys. Live spiritual stature that his tomb is
costumes. It also mounts tem- snakes and rodents are kept believed to be capable of
porary exhibitions devoted to in glass enclosures on the working miracles. As a result, a
aspects of Bulgarian folklore. staircases. The museum regular stream of worshippers can
The museum shop offers a shop sells decorative stones be seen visiting the tomb to place
range of traditional craft items. and crystals. prayers beside his sarcophagus.
Traditionally painted icons in elaborate gilt frames adorning the iconostasis in the Russian Church
7 Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial Church

Храм-паметник “Александър Невски”
Crowned with a cluster of gilt domes, the Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial

Church (Hram-pametnik Aleksandûr Nevski) was built in stages between
1882 and 1924 to commemorate Russia’s military contribution to the
War of Liberation of 1877–8. It is named after one of Russia’s most
revered medieval rulers, Prince Aleksandûr Nevski of Novgorod
(1220–63), who defeated the Teutonic knights on the frozen
waters of Lake Peipsi in Estonia in 1242. Modelled on Russian
Neo-Byzantine churches, it is built in pale Bulgarian limestone.
The solemn interior is bathed in amber light, enhanced by the
glow of hundreds of flickering candles.
Exterior of the Church

The church’s domes are its
outstanding feature. While
the central dome and belfry
are gold-plated, the others
are plated with copper,
which has developed a
green hue.
Entrance to
the crypt
. Icon Gallery in Crypt

With icons dating from the 12th
to the 19th centuries and several
delicately carved iconostases, Main entrance
this gallery contains the richest
collection of religious art
in Bulgaria.
KEY
1 West window Mosaic of Christ

2 Gold-plated dome This mosaic of Christ, with arms outstretched, fills
the tympanum over the portal’s central arch.
SOFIA 583
Dome Fresco
The dome fresco depicts God VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
the Creator, with the Christ
Child on his knee, looking down
pl. Aleksandûr Nevski. Map F4.
on the congregation. The frescoes
Main Church: Tel (02) 988 1704.
were painted by Russian and
Open Nov–Feb: 7am–6pm daily;
Bulgarian artists.
Mar–Oct: 7am–7pm daily. Icon
Gallery in Crypt: Tel (02) 981 5775.
Open 10am–5:30pm Tue–Sun.
Closed 1 Jan, 3 Mar, 25 Dec. &
5 9:30am Sun, 8am & 5pm
daily (liturgy).
Transport
@ 9, 280, 306.  1, 4, 9, 11.
q Sveti Kliment Ohridski.
. Iconostasis
The marble, onyx and alabaster
iconostasis features carvings of
grapes, palms and peacocks.
The icons include portraits of
Christ and the Virgin.
Tsar’s Throne
Built for Tsar Ferdinand
Clusters of Candles (r. 1887–1918), the throne is
Visitors to the church buy guarded by stone lions and
candles at the entrance crowned by a marble canopy.
and light them as a Behind it is a portrait of the
symbol of prayer. tsar and his wife.
8 Church of arches is completely devoid

Sveta Sofia of ornamentation. Some
Църква Света София fragments of mosaic from
a 4th-century church can
pl. Aleksandûr Nevski. Map E4.
be seen on the floor of the
Tel (02) 987 0971.  9. v 20, 22, 23.
south aisle.
Open 9am–7pm. ^
Outside the church, beside
The origins of Sofia’s oldest the south wall, is the Tomb of
surviving Christian church the Unknown Soldier, which
go back to the 6th century. It commemorates the thousands
was built on the site of two of Bulgarian soldiers who died
4th-century churches outside during World War I. The
the city walls. The spot was also monument is guarded by
the town graveyard of Serdika, a stately bronze lion.
as Sofia was known in ancient
times. The church remained
9 National Gallery
Sofia’s principal cemetery church
well into the Middle Ages. of Foreign Art Main entrance to the National Gallery of
During the Second Bulgarian Национална галерия за Foreign Art
Kingdom (1185–1396), the чуждестранно изкуство
church became the seat of pl. Aleksandûr Nevski. Map F4. Tel (02) individuals or by countries allied
the city’s bishop. The city 980 7262. @ 9, 280, 306.  1, 2, 4, to the ruling Communist regime
itself, known in Bulgarian as 11. q Sveti Kliment Ohridski. at that time. On the ground
Sredets, gradually took the Open 11am–6pm Mon, Wed–Sun. & floor are outstanding collections
church’s name, which means 8 ∑ foreignartmuseum.bg of African tribal sculpture and
Holy Wisdom. After the Ottoman Japanese woodblock prints.
conquest, the church became The pristine white building Upstairs, a display of 19th- and
a mosque, but was abandoned behind the Aleksandûr Nevski 20th-century paintings includes
when an earthquake struck Memorial Church (see pp582–3) a pastel drawing by Renoir, a
in 1858. houses the National Gallery lithograph by Picasso and some
The church takes the form of of Foreign Art (Natsionalna animated sketches by Eugène
a three-aisled Byzantine-style Galeriya za Chuzhdestranno Delacroix. Thematic exhibitions
basilica. The interior is lofty, calm Izkustvo). It opened in 1985 and are often held in the basement,
and peaceful, and the beautiful comprises gifts made to the where a barrel-roofed late-
brickwork of the walls and Bulgarian state, either by private Roman tomb is on display.
The building itself is a modern
reconstruction of the State
Printing House of 1883, one of
post-Liberation Bulgaria’s finest
Neo-Classical buildings, which
was destroyed by Allied
bombing raids in 1944.
0 National History
Museum
Национален Исторически
Музей
ul. Vitoshko Lale 16, Boyana. Map A5.
Tel (02) 955 4280. @ 63, 111. v 2.
Open Nov–Mar: 9am–5:30pm (last
ticket 4:45pm) Tue–Sat; Apr–Oct:
9:30am–6pm (last ticket 5:30pm) Tue–
Sat. & Free last Mon of the month.
8 - = ∑ historymuseum.org
Bulgaria’s largest collection of

historic artifacts is located 7 km
(4 miles) from the centre of Sofia.
It has a delightful setting in the
foothills and showcases remark-
able objects. The collections are
displayed chronologically over
Lion guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Church of Sveta Sofia three floors. The building was
SOFIA 585
once a Communist Party

palace, so touring the vast
rooms is interesting in itself,
just to see how Communist
leaders lived.
On the first floor, the prehistory
section features a clay figure
called the Earth Mother statue,
found near Tûrgovishte in
northeastern Bulgaria. Just 14 cm
(5.5 in) high, it is believed to be
about 6,500 years old. Other
highlights include the 3rd-cen-
tury BC Thracian gold treasures
from Panagyurishte in western
Bulgaria, which consist of eight
richly decorated gold rhytons
(drinking vessels).
The second floor of the
museum includes displays from
the 6th millenium BC to the late Magnificent view of Cherni Vruh, Vitosha’s highest point
19th century AD. Displays cover
artifacts from the Neolithic, q Mount Vitosha region. The 14th-century
Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages, Витоша Dragalevtsi Monastery, set
jewellery and treasure from the in deep forest just above the
12 km (7 miles) S of Sofia.
Thracian and Greek settlements Map A5. @ 98 to Dragalevtsi;
suburbs, contains stunning
as well as manuscripts from the 122, 123 to Simeonovo: all from 15th-century frescoes.
7th to the 14th centuries, Hladilnika Bus Terminus (on tram Chairlifts and cable cars run
including the richly decorated route no. 10). n (02) 988 5841. from Dragalevtsi and Simeonovo,
Tzar Ivan Alexzander's Gospel. ∑ park-vitosha.org providing excellent views over
The third floor of the museum Sofia. The summit of Cherni Vruh
is devoted to modern history, Rising above Sofia’s southern is about an hour’s walk from
with military uniforms, hardware suburbs, the granite massif Aleko, or a 30-minute walk above
and theatrical memorabilia. It of Mount Vitosha provides the last stop of the highest
also houses a collection of Bulgaria’s capital with an easily chairlift, when they are running.
traditional costumes from all accessible recreation area. On the western side of Mount
over Bulgaria, including metal The top of the mountain is Vitosha lies Zlatni Mostove,
pafti (belt buckles) embossed relatively smooth, making it which features the spectacular
with animals, figures of saints the ideal terrain for easy hikes. Stone River, a popular natural
and abstract designs. Cinema Acres of beech forest cover the attraction with huge, smooth
posters and other exhibits taken lower slopes, while spruce and boulders deposited by a glacier
from the world of entertain- pine predominate further up. in the last Ice Age.
ment and popular culture are The mountain’s highest point,
part of the display devoted to the 2,290-m (7,500-ft) Cherni
20th-century life. Vruh (Black Peak), is surrounded
by a plateau covered in
grassland, juniper bushes and
bogs. Protected since 1934,
Vitosha provides a safe, natural
habitat for martens, deer,
wild boar and, occasionally,
brown bears.
Vitosha’s main recreational
centre, connected to the city
by road and within easy reach
of the summit, is Aleko. Built in
1924, the mountain hut here is
a popular starting point for
hikers in summer; in winter, it
becomes the centre of a busy
ski scene. The pleasant suburbs
of Dragalevtsi and Simeonovo,
Fresco of the Last Judgment, National nestling in the foothills, make a Unusual Stone River at Zlatni Mostove,
History Museum good base for exploring the Mount Vitosha
2 Rila Monastery
Рилски манастир
Established in the 10th century by St Ivan of Rila, Rila

Monastery (Rilski manastir) is Bulgaria’s most impressive
example of National Revival architecture. Generously
supported by successive kings, the monastery flourished
until Ottoman raids destroyed it in the late 15th century.
While the Russian Church sponsored its renovation, Rila’s
monks played a crucial role in preserving Bulgaria’s Rila Monastery, situated in the northwestern
language and history during the most repressive periods Rila Mountains
of Ottoman rule. Devastated by fire in 1833, the monastery
was rebuilt with funding from wealthy Bulgarians intent
on cultivating national pride at a time of great hope for
liberation from the Ottomans.
Arcades
The murals in the arcades vividly
depict sinners thrown into an
apocalyptic vision of Hell. This
contrasts with the arcades’ graceful
structure of arches, slender
columns and blind cupolas.
Church of the Nativity

The exquisite Church of the Nativity,
which stands proudly in the middle of
Rila Monastery’s courtyard, is the largest
monastic church in Bulgaria. Its exterior
is a busy but harmonious confection of
stripes, curved domes and arches set at
different levels. It is worth spending some
time exploring the outside before entering
the main body of the church. Entrance to
church
. Murals
Magnificent murals adorn
the church walls, illustrating
characters and episodes
from the Bible. Zahari
Zograf, Bulgaria’s greatest
19th-century painter, is the
only one of the artists
responsible to have
signed his work.
BULGARIA 587
. Holy Relic of St Ivan

A silver casket holds
the nation’s holiest
relic: the preserved left
hand of St Ivan of Rila. In
Tel (359) 7054 2208.
the 16th century, the right
hand was taken on a tour
^ in main church. 5 6am &
of Russia to raise funds for
5pm Mon–Fri, 8am & 6pm Sat,
the monastery.
Sun & public hols. 0 - = _
Easter (Mar–Apr), Feast Day of
St Ivan of Rila (19 Oct). ®
∑ rilamonastery.pmg-
blg.com
Transport
@ from Sofia.
. Iconostasis
This masterpiece was created by a team
of woodcarvers working under Atanas
Telador between 1839 and 1842. The
10-m (33-ft) wide iconostasis, covered
in gold leaf, is elaborately decorated
with complex carvings of stylized floral
elements, symbolic human and animal
images, biblical scenes and wild animals.
Grave of Tsar Boris

The heart of Tsar Boris III,
who was allegedly
poisoned by the Nazis
in 1943 for saving Bulgarian
Jews, is buried here.
St Ivan of Rila
The medieval hermit St Ivan of Rila
(880–946) retreated into the Rila
Mountains to escape what he believed
to be the moral decline of society. He
was venerated both for his wisdom
KEY
and as a healer, and was persuaded by
1 The arcades are decorated his followers to establish a monastery.
with some of the finest murals. After his death, pilgrims came to view
St Ivan of Rila, patron saint his remains, which were believed to
2 The three main cupolas
contain murals of the Holy Trinity. of Bulgaria possess curative powers.
Exploring the Rila Monastery

Deep in the heart of a forest reserve, Rila Monastery has an
imposing external presence. The entire complex is ringed by
mighty walls, giving it the outward appearance of a fortress.
Visitors usually enter through the Dupnitsa (Western) Gate,
crossing over ancient stone slabs worn smooth by pilgrims’
feet. Several floors of wooden balconies enclose the court-
yard and the central Church of the Nativity, with Hrelyo’s
Tower to one side. To the right of the Dupnitsa Gate is the
Treasury Museum, located in the south wing. The north wing,
to the left of the gate, contains the old kitchen and leads to
the Samokov (Eastern) Gate, which conceals the entrance
to the Monastery Farm Museum and leads out to a cluster
of restaurants and souvenir shops. The beautiful intricate carvings on
Raphael’s cross
best painters. The biblical scenes

Church of the Nativity that cover the walls are brightly Treasury Museum
Construction of the Church of painted and show an attention The museum collection includes
the Nativity began in 1835, two to detail that was the hallmark of about 20 miniature crosses,
years after the monastery had the National Revival movement. jewelled silver boxes containing
been devastated by fire. It was Among the many artists respon- ancient Bibles, a ruby-encrusted
carried out by 19th-century sible were Zahari Zograf and his communion cup and other
master builder Petûr Ivanovich, brother Dimitûr, of the Samokov church silver. The highlight,
who had previously worked school of icon painters, which however, is Raphael’s Cross. Just
on Mount Athos in Greece. developed in a town near Sofia. 81 cm (32 in) high, the cross
The church’s design was The walls are also filled with bears a series of biblical scenes
intended to be innovative and delightful displays of icons, carved with needles, each one
original, as befitted the National some produced by 19th-cen- enclosed in silver-plated frames
Revival period. For the interior, tury artists from Samokov and no larger than a fingernail. The
emphasis was placed on spatiality Bansko (see p591). Others date work, completed in 1802, took
so as to draw worshippers into from much earlier. On the left- 12 years and cost the monk
the centre of the building. The hand side of the church, usually Raphael his eyesight.
three large domes were posi- hidden away in a wooden The lower floor has varied
tioned to allow maximum light drawer, is the serene exhibits, including a 2-m (6-ft)
to fall on the spectacular gilt 12th-century Icon of the Virgin. long musket and several
iconostasis, while keeping the rest A chapel on the right of the swords and pistols. Nearby
of the interior in sombre darkness. church contains a smaller icon- is a collection of books from
The murals on the inner walls are ostasis and the simple grave the monastery library. The
also typical of the period and of Tsar Boris III, marked with oldest dates back to the
were executed by the country’s a plain wooden cross. 10th century and is written
on parchment in the Glagolitic
script of the old Slavonic
languages. Also on display
is the Suchava Tetra, a large
Bible produced in 1529.
Its embossed gold and enamel
cover depicts Christ on the
cross, with the four evangelists
watching from each corner.
Several other ancient Bibles
are on show below some
extravagantly jewelled icons.
A neighbouring glass case
is filled with a selection of
19th-century gold church
plate. At the far end of the
room is a 14th-century ivory-
inlaid bishop’s throne that
belonged to the original
The Church of the Nativity, the courtyard’s dominant feature monastery church. Alongside
BULGARIA 589
Rila Monastery Plan

1 Western Entrance
(Dupnitsa Gate)
2 Church of the Nativity
3 Hrelyo’s Tower
4 Monastery Kitchen
5 Oven
6 Monastery Farm Museum
7 Eastern Entrance
(Samokov Gate)
8 Treasury Museum
9 Public Toilets
0 Icon Exhibition
q Ethnographic Museum
Key
See pp586–7
Rila Monastery Complex
are the skilfully carved original hollow logs once used as

doors from Hrelyo’s Tower and sewage pipes. A 19th-century Around Rila Monastery
a pair of 14th-century icons of see-saw water pump used for The Chapel of St Ivan of Rila
St Ivan of Rila. fire fighting demonstrates the and the dark cave where he
precautions taken after the fire spent the last part of his life
that devastated the monastery are an hour’s walk north of
Monastery Complex in 1833. The enormous domed the monastery and worth
In contrast to the monastery’s brick oven that takes up most of visiting to see the surrounding
stern exterior, the courtyard the next room is an impressive countryside. Visitors can
is light and open. An elegant sight. Like the huge pots and clamber through the narrow
tracery of red, white and black cauldrons of the old kitchen, opening of the cave ceiling, a
striped arches deftly frame and the giant wooden ladles challenge once presented to
more than 300 monks’ cells, on display in the adjoining visiting pilgrims: it is said that
mirroring the façade of the room, the oven’s great size was only the pure of heart can
Church of the Nativity. essential to provide sufficient get through.
Hrelyo’s Tower, the food for the hundreds of monks About 7 km (4 miles)
monastery’s oldest surviving and pilgrims at the monastery. northeast of the monastery
structure, was built by Hrelyo The kitchen ceiling curves into is Kiril Meadow, an attractive
Dragoval, a feudal lord, in 1334. a huge blackened chimney that leafy green picnic spot with
A small chapel on the top floor, tapers elegantly through the cafés and a few places offering
with 14th-century frescoes, four floors of the north wing. accommodation.
is occasionally open to the
public. Today, access to this
mini-fortress is via wooden
steps but originally there
was a removable stepladder.
An intriguing section of the
north wing contains the
Monastery Farm Museum,
which is entered via the old
guard house, off Samokov Gate.
Here, muskets used by the
guards are displayed alongside
their red and white uniforms,
which have metal breastplates
featuring a portrait of St Ivan
of Rila and the monastery. Next
door is a bare-walled room that
houses the monastery’s water-
powered mill, with a display of The 14th-century Hrelyo’s Tower, in the monastery courtyard
restaurants, ski shops and

souvenir stalls. During the
winter season, visitors crowd
the ski runs and lifts by day,
and then move on to the
bars and clubs for late-
night partying.
The resort also offers a
wide range of summer activities,
including pony trekking,
motorized safaris, hiking and
abseiling, most of which can
be arranged through the large
hotels here. One option is to take
the main gondola up to Yastrebets,
a peak that rises to the height
of 2,369 m (7,775 ft), from where
hikers can follow a path to the
Musala refuge before climbing
View of Mount Malyovitsa, Rila National Park to the lofty summit of Musala,
the highest peak in the Balkans.
3 Rila National Park and Malyovitsa at 2,729 m Alternatively, the Sitnyakovo
Национален парк Рила (8,953 ft). One of the most Express, a chairlift that operates
popular hiking trails follows only on weekends, whisks
85 km (53 miles) S of Sofia. @ from
Sofia, Samokov. ® campsites, and
the Seven Lakes – a series of visitors up to the highest point
chalets can be booked via Bulgarian small glacial lakes set amidst among the Sitnyakovo ski runs,
Tourism Union, (02) 987 3409 / 987 beautiful scenery. Formed by from where a path leads back
6941. ∑ panparks.org melted glaciers, the lakes are down to Borovets.
set at ascending levels. A set The resort has one other
Bulgaria’s largest national park of glacial pools, located below highlight: the captivating
is located in the Rila Mountains, Mount Musala, are also Bistritsa Palace. This was built
the highest range in the Balkan popular with hikers. as a hunting lodge for Ferdinand,
peninsula. The source of several the prince of Bulgaria in the late
Balkan rivers, the massif derives 19th century, making Borovets
its name from the Thracian 4 Borovets the country’s oldest mountain
word rula, meaning “abundance Боровец resort. It is sometimes possible
of water”. Its dense forests of to tour the impressive interior,
spruce, fir and Macedonian pine @ which features luxurious
are home to wolves, bears, boar, Victorian fittings and elaborate
Balkan chamois and suslik Located just below the majestic Samokov woodcarving.
(ground squirrels) as well as the peaks of the Rila Mountains,
rare wallcreeper and the Alpine Borovets is one of Bulgaria’s P Bistritsa Palace
chough. No fewer than 57 major ski resorts, clustered with 3 km (2 miles) from central Borovets.
endemic plant species, including large hotel blocks and lines of Tel (0750) 32710. Open 9am–
the divine primrose, Rila pansy wooden huts housing bars, 4:30pm. &
and Bulgarian avens, also
thrive here.
The national park is home
to two forest reserves. Created
in 2000, the Rila Monastery
Forest Reserve covers more than
270 sq km (104 sq miles) around
Rila Monastery (see pp586–9).
The Parangalitsa Reserve, on
the southwestern slopes of the
Rila Mountains, was established
in 1933 to preserve some of
Europe’s oldest spruce forests.
It is now a protected UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve.
A network of hiking trails
criss-crosses the park, reaching
the spectacular peaks of
Musala, at 2,925 m (9,596 ft), Ski lesson in Borovets, one of Bulgaria’s major ski resorts
BULGARIA 591
The remarkable Nikola of Melnik was destroyed during

Vaptsarov House-Museum the Second Balkan War of 1913,
stands on the corner of a however, and its remaining
square of the same name. This Greek residents left. Today,
was the childhood home of Melnik is officially Bulgaria’s
Vaptsarov, a poet who was smallest town, but it continues
executed for anti-Fascist to attract visitors, who come
activities, and the museum to admire the intriguing rock
contains his possessions. features and taste the famous
Bansko’s surburbs, mostly wine that is still produced by
filled with hotels, reflect its a few local families.
recent development into a ski Most of Melnik’s attractions
resort and weekend retreat. are at the top of a hill
overlooking the town. The
History Museum is housed
6 Melnik in a building located right
Мелник next to the Despot Slav hotel.
The museum is a branch of
182 km (113 miles) S of Sofia. * 385.
Painting with inscription in the Church of @ from Sofia. ∑ melnik-gb.eu
the Regional History Museum
Sveta Troitsa, Bansko of Sandanski. It has a fine
Once a thriving centre of collection of exhibits on
5 Bansko wine-making and a major display including terracotta
Банско focus of Balkan trade, the wine vessels, regional
enchanting town of Melnik costumes and photographs.
* 8,500. £ @  n pl. Nikola is tucked away in a valley Further on is Kordopulov
Vaptsarov, (0749) 885 80. _ Pirin formed by rocky hills House, a superb example
Sings (Aug, even years). crowned with pyramidal of early National Revival
∑ bansko.bg sandstone formations. architecture in which
Wine has been Melnik’s Western and Oriental
The small mountain town major export since the motifs are combined on
of Bansko lies just below the 13th century, when it a grand scale. The interior
jagged peaks of the Pirin had tax-free trade with features a central salon
Mountains. Founded in the 9th Dubrovnik (see pp434– and an Ottoman-style
century, it remained obscure 40). During this period, Bottle of wine from raised seating area.
until the 19th century, when the despot Aleksei Slav Kordopulov House Downstairs is a small
its prospering merchants began made Melnik the capital mehana (tavern)
to fund the building of churches of his principality, funding the connected to a labyrinthine
here. Famous as the birthplace construction of monasteries wine cellar.
of 19th-century scholar Neofit and churches in the vicinity.
Rilski, the town is also closely After the Ottoman conquest, E History Museum
associated with Bulgarian Melnik fell into decline, but its Pashovata Kûshta.
nationalism. Another of its famous fortunes revived in the 19th Open 9am–noon, 1–5pm daily.
sons is Father Paisii, whose semi- century, when the town’s Greek P Kordopulov House
nal work Slavo-Bulgarian History population began to prosper Kordopulov House.
provided the impetus for the from exporting wine and Open 9am–7:30pm daily.
beginnings of the National Revival. tobacco. Much of the town &0=
Bansko’s historic centre
consists of a labyrinth of
cobbled streets running
between high stone walls,
which conceal 19th-century
timber and stone houses.
In the Old Town stands the
massive Church of Sveta
Troitsa. Construction began
in 1832 but the bell tower was
added in 1850. Its carved wood
interior contains an intricately
designed iconostasis. Behind
the church, along ulica Pirin,
stands the Neofit Rilski House-
Museum, former home of Rilski,
revered as the founder of
modern education in Bulgaria. Melnik and its square konak, the Town Hall during Ottoman rule
7 Bachkovo Monastery
Бачковски манастир
At the foot of Rhodope Mountains lies Bachkovo

Monastery (Bachkovski manastir), the second largest
monastery in Bulgaria after Rila Monastery (see pp586–9).
It was founded in 1083 by Grigori and Abbasi Bakouriani,
Georgian brothers who were commanders in the Byzantine
The Ossuary
Army. In the 13th century, the monastery was sponsored Located away from the main
by Tsar Ivan Asen II and his successor Ivan Aleksandûr. monastery complex, the ossuary
Destroyed by the Ottomans in the 16th century, it is the only surviving part of the
was restored by the 17th century. Today, its serene 11th-century monastery.
courtyards are filled with trees and drinking fountains,
and, thanks to its architecture and frescoes, it has
been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
. Last Judgment
In the porch of the Church of Sveti Nikola
is a fresco of the Last Judgment by Zahari
Zograf, with sinners falling into the
fires of Hell.
Church of Sveti Nikola

A door to the left of the main
courtyard leads to the Church
of Sveti Nikola, which was
built in 1834. It contains
frescoes by Zahari Zograf and
other renowned painters.
Fresco in the Dome

The dome of the
Church of Sveti Nikola is
decorated with a fresco
of Christ Pantocrator,
encircled by exquisitely
painted portraits of saints.
BULGARIA 593
Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa

This 17th-century church is VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
richly decorated with frescoes.
Themes include the Devil
30 km (19 miles) S of Plovdiv.
addressing Christ from the
Tel (093327) 277.
mouth of a monster, and
Death shadowing an angel.
compulsory for Refectory. = ®
Transport
@ from Plovdiv and Asenovgrad.
. Iconostasis
The Church of
Sveta Bogoroditsa
also contains a highly
ornate 17th-century
gilt iconostasis, which
Devotees gather here to kiss gleams in the soft
the silver-plated Icon of the light of hundreds of
Virgin, painted in 1310. flickering candles.
Main entrance
Procession of the
Miraculous Icon
The refectory wall on the left
Ayazmoto
of the courtyard bears the
largest panoramic wall painting
in Bulgaria. Painted by Alexi
Atanasov in 1846, it depicts the
annual procession of the Icon of
the Virgin on 15 August, the day
of the Assumption of the Virgin.
After Orthodox Easter, the icon
is carried to Ayazmoto.
Ayazmoto
The nearby hills shelter a
chapel near a locality known
as Ayazmoto. The Icon of the
Virgin was once hidden here
from the Ottomans.
. Refectory
A solid stone table and wooden
benches stretch the length of
the 17th-century refectory.
The vaulted ceiling is covered Procession of the miraculous Icon of the
with frescoes by pupils of Virgin Mary
Zahari Zograf.
8 Plovdiv supported by four columns, and

trompel’oeil pillars adorn the
Пловдив façade. The symmetrical interior
Situated along the two banks of the Maritsa river, Plovdiv is layout is typical of National
Revival architecture. Hristo
Bulgaria’s second largest city after Sofia. Settled as early as the
Danov, founder of organized
7th millennium BC, the city was held by the Romans between book publishing in Bulgaria,
the 1st and 4th centuries. It rose to economic power in the lived here from 1868 until
14th century under the Ottomans, becoming a centre of the his death in 1911.
Bulgarian National Revival in the 19th century when wealthy
E State Gallery of Fine Arts
citizens built ornamented houses. In 1885, Plovdiv became
ul. Sûborna 14a. Open 9:30am–12:30pm,
part of Bulgaria. Today, it is a pleasant city, with a pedestrianized 1–5:30pm Mon–Fri, 10am–12:30pm,
centre, mosques, churches, Roman ruins and National Revival 1–5:30pm Sat, Sun. & free on Thu.
mansions. An architectural reserve, the Old Town consists of This gallery has a vast collection
steep cobbled streets lined with museum-houses and galleries of 19th- and 20th-century
all the way up to Nebet Hill, from where there are stunning Bulgarian paintings. Solemn
views over the city. 19th-century portraits hang
alongside idyllic pastoral scenes
and some vibrant works by
Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistor. Large,
bold canvases on the second
floor represent more recent
Bulgarian painting. Among the
works here is The Fire (1977) by
Svetlin Rusev, in which a figure
walks away from a furnace
carrying a glowing ember into
the darkness.
P Hipokrat Pharmacy
ul. Sûborna. Open 10am–5pm Mon–Fri.
The fascinating Hipokrat
The well-preserved Roman Theatre, still used for performances Pharmacy has been preserved
virtually as it was when it was a
T Roman Stadium work in 1972. It was built in the working pharmacy. It is lined
pl. Dzhumaya. 2nd century AD, when Roman with wooden drawers and
Crumbling marble terraces and Plovdiv (Trimontium) was at its contains bottles and jars neatly
columns, oddly incorporated height, and formed part of the labelled in Latin.
into the concrete foundations acropolis. Today, the theatre is
of modern Plovdiv, are almost used for plays and concerts. E Icon Museum
all that remains of the city’s ul. Sûborna 22. Open 9.30am–12:30pm,
once huge Roman stadium. R Church of Sveta 1–5:30pm Mon–Fri, 10am–12:30pm,
Built in the 2nd century AD, it Bogoroditsa 1–5:30pm Sat, Sun. & free on Thu.
could seat 30,000 spectators. ul. Saborna 6. Open 7:30am–6:30pm This interesting museum is
daily. 5 home to a valuable array of
R Church of Sveta Marina The imposing Church of Sveta
ul. Dr Vulkovich 7. Bogoroditsa has a distinctive
The present church was pink and blue bell tower which
built in 1783 on the site of was added with Russian assistance
a 16th-century church. It is in 1880, after the Liberation. Its
renowned for its iconostasis, murals echo the mood of the
which is decorated with tiny late 19th century. They depict
figures painted by various Bulgarian Orthodox saints
artists including Zahari Zograf. alongside leaders of the
Liberation movement.
T Roman Theatre
ul. Hemus. Open 9am–5:30pm P Hristo Danov House
daily. & ul. Mitropolit Paisii 2. Open 9am–
This impressive amphitheatre, noon, 2–5pm Mon–Fri. &
set in the hillside overlooking Built on Taxim Hill (Taxim Tepe)
the city and the Rhodope and approached up steep steps,
Mountains beyond, was dis- Hristo Danov House overlooks The State Gallery of Fine Arts, in an
covered during construction Plovdiv. Its arched gable is imposing Neo-Classical building
BULGARIA 595
15th- and 16th-century icons VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

collected from churches
under threat during the Practical Information
Communist years. 145 km (90 miles) SE of Sofia.
* 339,000. n pl. Tsentralen 1
P Hindliyan House (032-620 229). ( daily. _ Folk
ul. Artin Gidikov 4. Open 9am–5pm Festival (Aug), Intl Fair (May, Sep).
Mon–Fri. & Transport
This elegant house, its pale k 12 km (7 miles) S of centre.
blue outer walls decorated £@v
with floral motifs, looks on to
a peaceful courtyard garden.
It was built between 1835 and E History Museum
1840 for Stepan Hindliyan, a Room in Nedkovich House, built for a textile pl. Sûedinenie 1. Tel (032) 229 409.
wealthy Armenian merchant. trader in 1863 Open 9:30am–5pm Mon–Sat (until
The interior has murals depict- 6pm Oct–Mar) & Thu (free
ing the European cities that he hammam with a marble floor, entrance). 7
visited. The house also has a and a domed ceiling with tiny Housed in what was intended
windows. The first-floor salon to be eastern Rumelia’s new
has a stunning panelled ceiling parliament building, the museum
and a marble fountain. documents the reunification of
Plovdiv with Bulgaria in 1885.
P Nedkovich House Exhibits include declarations,
ul. Tsanko Lavrenov 3. weaponry, uniforms and
Open 8:30am–4:30pm Mon–Fri. & photographs of soldiers.
This grand house is a fine
example of National Revival U Imaret Mosque
architecture. An interesting ul. Han Kubrat.
feature is the courtyard struc- Dating from 1445, this is one
ture with a window to the street of more than 50 mosques built
called the klyukarnik (gossip in Plovdiv during the Ottoman
room), where the inhabitants period. Imaret means “shelter for
could drink tea and chat. The the homeless”, and this was the
rooms contain many original mosque’s original function. Its
furnishings, imported from square walls support a central
Icon of Sts Cyril and Methodius in the East and West to blend dome and a minaret with
the Icon Museum European and oriental styles. unusual zigzag brickwork.
Plovdiv City Centre

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STEPHAN Railway Station
STAMBOLOV 1.5 km (1 mile)
KOV
Bus Station Airport

1 km (0.6 mile) 12 km (7 miles)

9 Koprivshtitsa
Копривщица
Considered one of Bulgaria’s most attractive towns due to its
many fine National Revival houses, Koprivshtitsa was founded
in the 14th century. It was originally a rich centre of cattle farm-
ing. Under Ottoman rule its citizens were granted autonomy
in return for collecting taxes on behalf of the Ottoman Empire.
In the early 19th century, Koprivshtitsa’s prosperity attracted
kûrdzhali (bandits), who plundered and torched the town on
several occasions. It was during the ensuing period of recon-
struction that its colourfully painted wood and stone houses
were built. Koprivshtitsa was also the home of several of Kableshkov House, elegant home of the
Bulgaria’s leading revolutionaries, and it was here that the leader of the April Rising
momentous April Rising of 1876 (see p576) was declared.
Bloody Letter, written in the blood
of the revolutionaries’ first Turkish
P Debelyanov House church that was destroyed by the victim. The house was built in 1845
ul. Dimcho Debelyanov. Tel (07184) kûrdzhali. Surrounded by thick to a symmetrical design, the
2077. Open May–Oct: 9:30am– stone walls, it was built slightly central salons on both floors
5:30pm Tue–Sun; Nov–Apr: 9am–5pm sunken into the ground so flanked by identical rooms. The
Tue–Sun. & as to comply with Ottoman central bay on the upper floor
This delightful house regulations governing the has stepped windows and a
set above the town was height of Christian churches. decorated ceiling.
the birthplace of the The three-storey bell tower
Symbolist poet Dimcho was added in 1896. The P Bridge of the First Shot
Debelyanov, who was church’s interior is plain, ul. Pûrva Pushka.
killed in action in World but it has a superb A hallowed site in Bulgarian
War I. The house con- iconostasis by wood- history, this humpbacked bridge
tains personal posses- carvers of the Tryavna in a quiet location southwest of
sions, such as books, School. Some of its icons the town centre is the spot
photographs and were painted by Zahari where the first Turk was killed
paintings, including a Zograf. Tragically, the during the April Rising.
portrait of the poet by Statue in the garden of church’s original murals
Georgi Mashev. Debelyanov House were replaced by newly P Lyutov House
painted icons in the ul. Nikola Belovezhdov 2. Tel (07184)
R Church of Sveta course of misguided renovation. 2138. Open May–Oct: 9:30am–
Bogoroditsa 5:30pm Wed–Mon; Nov–Apr:
ul. Dimcho Debelyanov 26. P Kableshkov House 9am–5pm Wed–Mon. &
Open irregular hours. 5 ul. Todor Kableshkov 8. Tel (07184) Designed by master craftsmen
The blue-walled Church of Sveta 2054. Open May–Oct: 9:30am–5:30pm from Plovdiv in 1854, Lyutov
Bogoroditsa played a memorable Tue–Sun; Nov–Apr: 9am–5pm House features a huge curved
role in Bulgarian history. On 20 Tue–Sun. & gable, symmetrical layout and
April 1876, its bell rang out to This imposing building was the decorative features of Plovdiv
announce the beginning of the home of Todor Kableshkov, leader architecture. In 1906, it was
April Rising. The church was built of the April Rising. He declared acquired by Petko Lyutov, a local
in 1817 on the site of an earlier the start of the uprising with his merchant. The central salon has
an elliptical vaulted ceiling edged
with murals of the cities that Lyutov
visited. The rooms on either side
are furnished with Ottoman-style
benches and European furniture.
On the ground floor is an exhibi-
tion of 18th- and 19th-century
rugs, made in Koprivshtitsa.
P Oslekov House
ul. Gereniloto 4. n (0885) 743 657.
Open 9:30am–5:30pm Tue–Sun
(9am–5pm winter). &
This house was built in 1856 for
The Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa, whose bell proclaimed the April Rising the wealthy merchant, Nincho
BULGARIA 597
Oslekov. Due to space restrictions, consists of two separate VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

it is asymmetrical, but is otherwise buildings. The winter quarters
typical of the National Revival were constructed in 1810, Practical Information
style, with separate winter while the summer house, 110 km (68 miles) E of Sofia.
and summer quarters. Murals built over the main entrance, * 3,000. n pl. 20 April, (07184)
depict places Oslekov visited was added in 1835. Lyuben 2191. ( Fri. _ Re-enactment
while on business. Views of Karavelov was a prolific writer, of the April Rising (1–2 May), Intl
Folk Festival (every five years, next
European cities decorate the publisher and fervent revolu-
in summer 2015).
façade, while on the walls of tionary, responsible for
∑ koprivshtitza.com
the Red Room are paintings publishing two newspapers
of mansions and the original in Bucharest. The printing press Transport
symmetrical plan for the house. is on display here in the winter £@
quarters along with some
P Karavelov House of the publications he put
bul. Hadzhi Nencho Palaveev 39. together with fellow
Tel (07184) 2191. Open 9:30am– revolutionaries.
5:30pm Wed–Mon. &
Home to one of the National P Benkovski House
Liberation movement’s key ul. Georgi Benkovski 5. Tel (07184)
ideologists, Karavelov House 2030. Open 9:30am–5:30pm Wed–
Mon (9am–5pm winter). &
Georgi Benkovski, who was born
as Gavril Hlutev, became a
revolutionary in Romania. He
returned to Koprivshtitsa in 1875
to form the legendary “winged”
cavalry detachment that rallied
support from local villages
during the April Uprising. This
was the Hlutev family home
and the rooms contain his View of Koprivshtitsa from the
revolutionary flag, Winchester Benkovski monument
rifle and personal photographs.
The veranda has a replica of above the house portrays
one of the cherry-tree cannons a cloaked Benkovski astride a
The pretty painted façade of the used in the uprising. The granite leaping horse looking over his
Oslekov House monument on the hillside shoulder to rouse his rebel army.
Koprivshtitsa Town
Centre Railway Station its
a
ln
12 km (7.5 miles) po
1 Debelyanov House To
P E TÂ R
D I MC HO D E B E LYANO V
2 Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa Debelyanov

ZHI
House
3 Kableshkov House
LK
Karavelov
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Oslekov House
4 Bridge of the First Shot House
Apriltsi
5 Lyutov House Mausoleum
N I LO PLAZA BL
6 Oslekov House RA 20 APRIL VD
GA
UL
7 Karavelov House
HA
D
ZH
8 Benkovski House Cemetery

I
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Church of Sveta
C
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Bogoroditsa
BE
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Kableshkov
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S
Lyutov
PU
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I
Bridge of Station
A
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the First Shot

Village
PU
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IKO LA
UL N Narodno-
chitalishte
To p
0 metres 100
ol
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a
House

0 Veliko Tûrnovo R Church of Sveti Nikolai

ul. Vûstanicheska 43, Varusha quarter.
Велико Търново Open 8am–7pm daily. 5
With a picturesque hillside setting, fine architecture and a Kolyo Ficheto’s design for this
wealth of historic sights, Veliko Tûrnovo is one of Bulgaria’s church features a simple stone
most beautiful cities. Tall, narrow houses teeter on sheer exterior and a red-tiled roof.
The iconostasis, with dragons,
cliffs that rise high above the meandering Yantra river, eagles and a central sun motif
while to the east are the ruins of the majestic fortress of lighting the church’s gloomy
Tsarevets (see pp600–601). The city has a proud history as interior, is a stunning example
the mighty capital of the Second Kingdom (1185–1393), of the work of the Tryavna
and later as the seat of liberated Bulgaria’s first National School, Bulgaria’s oldest school
Assembly. By day, Veliko Tûrnovo bustles with a mix of of icon painting. The bishop’s
throne has an allegorical
locals, students and visitors. After dark, the focus switches carving of a dragon (Turkey)
to the city’s lively bars and clubs. attacking a lion (Bulgaria) that
is being suffocated by a snake
P House of the cobbled streets are now (the Greek-speaking priesthood).
Little Monkey occupied by souvenir shops
ul. Vûstanicheska 14. Closed to selling local craft items. P Asenevtsi Monument
the public. Asenevtsi Park.
This house, one of many in Veliko Unveiled in 1985 to mark the
Tûrnovo designed by the great 800th anniversary of the foun-
local architect Kolyo Ficheto, ding of the Second Bulgarian
dates from 1849. It is set on a Kingdom, this monument
hillside, with the ground floor features a mighty sword, with
accessible at street level, and the figures of Asen, Petûr, Ivan
entrances to the two upper Asen II and Kaloyan, the four
floors at the rear. It features a pair tsars who ruled the kingdom
of bay windows, attractive red- from 1185 to 1241. The monu-
and-white brickwork, and a tiny ment is an excellent point from
statue of a monkey that gives which to admire the city’s old
the house its name. houses, precariously perched
An outdoor café in Samovodska Charshiya, on the cliffs opposite.
P Samovodska Charshiya Varusha quarter
Varusha quarter. E Art Gallery
In the 19th century, R Church of Sts Cyril and Asenevtsi Park. Tel (062) 938 951.
Samovodska Charshiya Methodius Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & 8
developed into a thriving ul. sv sv Kiril i Metodi, Varusha quarter. Nov–Feb: 10am–5pm.
bazaar, with stalls, workshops Open 8am–7pm daily. 5 Bulgarian paintings of the 19th
and a caravanserai for visiting Built by Kolyo Ficheto in 1860, and 20th centuries make up
merchants. It is located in this church lost its dome and this fine collection. Charcoal
the pleasant historic Varusha belfry during an earthquake in landscapes by Boris Denev fill
quar ter of the city, which rises 1913. A curved wooden balcony much of the ground floor, while
steeply above the Old Town. at the back of the church was the upper rooms hold works by
The attractive stone houses designed for the segregation of Dimitûr Kazakov, with sharply
that line the bazaar’s narrow female worshippers. outlined figures in abstract
compositions. Some monu-
mental works are Veliko Tûrnovo
in the Past (1981) by Naiden
Petkov and People Say Goodbye
to Patriarch Evtimii (1969) by
Svetlin Rusev.
P Sarafkina House
ul. Gen. Gurko 88. Tel (062) 635
802. Open 9am–noon & 1–6pm
Tue–Sat. &
With stone walls below and
whitewashed walls above,
shuttered windows and a tiled
roof, this house is typical of the
city’s 19th-century domestic
Church of Sveti Nikolai, built by the 19th-century architect Kolyo Ficheto architecture. It was built in 1861
BULGARIA 599
was a gold ring and seal bearing VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

the name Kaloyan, suggesting
that these may be the remains Practical Information
of Tsar Kaloyan. The gold seal of 220 km (137 miles) NE of
Tsar Ivan Asen II is displayed Sofia. * 85,000. n ul. Hristo
under a magnifying glass in an Botev 5, (062) 622 148.
∑ velikoturnovo.info
adjoining room. Downstairs are
finds from the Roman city of Transport
Nikopolis ad Istrum; the ruins £@
Luxurious interior of Sarafkina House lie 20 km (12 miles) north of
Veliko Tûrnovo.
for Dimitûr Sarafkina, a wealthy Built by Kolyo Ficheto for
banker, and is set on sheer cliffs the city’s Ottoman governor in
above the river. The wood- 1872, this vast edifice became
panelled interior displays Western- Bulgaria’s first parliament
style furniture as well as family building after the Liberation.
photographs and period outfits. It holds a copy of the new
state’s first constitution, signed
E Archaeological Museum in 1879, as well as a huge
ul. Ivanka Boteva 2. Tel (062) 601 528. collection of material relating
Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm Tue–Sun, to the revolt against
noon–6pm Mon; Nov–Mar 9am–5pm Ottoman rule.
Tue–Sun, noon–5pm Mon. &
The courtyard of this building E Modern History Museum
is littered with Classical columns Fine arcades of the grand old pl. Sûedenenie 1. Tel (062) 623 847.
and busts. Although several Archaeological Museum Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat. &
artifacts were stolen in 2006, Housed in a former prison,
most of this absorbing collection E Museum of the National the museum’s exhibits cover
remains in place. The centrepiece Revival and Constituent the Balkan Wars and Bulgaria’s
is a replica of a burial site, Kaloyan’s Assembly role in World War I. A display
Grave. It was discovered in 1972 pl. Sûedenenie 1. Tel (062) 629 821. recalls the life of one of the
near the Church of the Forty Open Apr–Oct: 9am–6pm Wed–Mon, most popular Bulgarian prime
Martyrs in the Asenova quarter noon–6pm Tue; Nov–Mar 9am–5:30pm ministers, Stefan Stambolov,
(see pp600–601). On the skeleton Wed–Mon, noon–5:30pm Tue. & who was born in Veliko Tûrnovo.
Veliko Tûrnovo City Centre

1 House of the Little Monkey Church of
Sts Cyril and
2 Samovodska Charshiya
3 Church of Sts Cyril and Methodius
Methodius
V VARUSHA
EY KO
4 Church of Sveti Nikolai

QUARTER
SLAV
K IRIL
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Slaveykov
5 Asenevtsi Monument
A
Samovodska
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House
ZH
K A
MEDN Charshiya
RAF
6 Art Gallery
KA R A D
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RSK
IP
A V Û S TA N I CH E
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Church of
OG
SKA
7 Sarafkina House PL. P. R. Sveti Nikolai
TIP
SLAVEYKOV House of the

N.
Little Monkey
8 Archaeological Museum
T
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Monument ST
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PAN
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9 Museum of the National Revival to the Hanged N KO
SK
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GÛ R
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and Constituent Assembly GE
N. A
PL.
G. KIRKOV
G K R AY B R E Z H N A M
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BO
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O
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VELCHOVA
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Asenevtsi
O
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D
N Monument Church of SS
Ya
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Bus Station RU Konstantin

nt
ET
5 km (3 miles) SK Asenevtsi & Elena

CH
ra
O
V GE
EV
Park
I
ZH
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Stambolov
D
Sarafkina
A
YA N Bridge Art
HR
GÛ
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TSAR
RK
IST
VA
KI
OLIYS
O
MB Tsarevets &
O
ZO
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BO
2 km (1 mile) Museum Quarter

AR
TE
ND
Museum of the National Revival

V
SA
and Constituent Assembly

EK
AL
Modern History
0 metres 100 Museum
0 yards 100

Veliko Turnovo: Tsarevets & Asenova Quarter

Царевец и Асенова Махала
The hilltop fortress of Tsarevets occupies a . Light Show

commanding position on a rocky hill that is A fantastic light show,
with a soundtrack, takes
almost completely encircled by the Yantra place almost every night
river. It was a sought-after vantage point from in summer. Waves of colour
the 4th millennium BC and in 1186, Tsar Petûr light up the fortress, and
made it the capital of the Second Bulgarian the spectacle culminates
with fireworks and the
Kingdom. When the kingdom fell to the ringing of bells.
Ottomans in 1393, Tsarevets was reduced
to rubble. Only a few buildings have been
completely restored. Below the walls of
Tsarevets and straddling the banks of the
river, lies the Asenova Quarter. For centuries
it was inhabited by a community of artisans
and clerics, but they left after a devastating
earthquake in 1913.
Church of St George
Constructed in 1616, the church
contains badly damaged and heavily
restored frescoes of Orthodox saints.
To Veliko
Tûrnovo
Main Gate
Asenova Gate
Reconstructed in 1976, this
three-storey gate tower was
used by the inhabitants of
the Asenova Quarter.
KEY
1 The Church of the Forty

Martyrs, built in 1230,
commemorates Ivan Asen II’s
victory over the Byzantines. . Baldwin’s Tower
Named after
2 The Church of the Dormition, Emperor Baldwin of
dedicated to the Dormition of the Constantinople, who
Virgin, was built in 1923. was held here in the
3 Church of Sts Peter and Paul 13th century, this
dates from the 13th century and is tower guarded the
notable for its openwork capitals, southernmost point of
frescoes of the two saints, to whom the hilltop. Earlier, it was
it is dedicated, and a depiction of known as the Frenk Hisar
the pietà. Gate, and defended the
merchants’ quarter.
BULGARIA 601
Church of St Demetrius
This church is dedicated to St Demetrius,
patron saint of the Second Bulgarian
Kingdom. Restored medieval frescoes
Tsarevets. Tel (062) 638 841.
decorate its interior.
Nov–Mar: 9am–5pm daily. &
last Thu (free entrance). 8 (062)
638 841. = Light Show: on all
national holidays.
Rock of Execution
At the northernmost point of the fortress, the
Rock of Execution juts out above sheer cliffs,
with the Yantra river far below. It was from
here that traitors and criminals were pushed
to their deaths.
. Royal Palace
Built in the 12th century, the Royal
Palace was an enclosed complex
with a central courtyard. Now
partially reconstructed, it has
modern concrete staircases
enabling visitors to climb up
for magnificent views of
Patriarchate the surroundings.
At the hill’s highest point is
the 13th-century Church of the
Patriarchate. Defended by thick
walls, it was once part of the
patriarch’s residential complex. 0 metres 50
Striking modern murals
adorn the interior. 0 yards 50
q Varna Upstairs, traditional costumes

are on display, along with the
Варна
re-creation of a typical farmer’s
With wide pedestrianized boulevards and a sandy beach, house used by the Gagauz, a
Varna has the tranquil air of a coastal resort, despite being a Turkish-speaking Christian
people who settled on the Black
centre of commerce and Bulgaria’s third largest city. As Varna’s Sea coast in the 12th century.
remarkable Archaeological Museum shows, the city’s history
goes back to the 5th millennium BC. In the 6th century BC, it R Church of the Assumption
was settled by Greeks. The thriving colony fell to the Romans ul. Han Krum 19. Tel (052) 633 925.
in the 1st century BC, but retained its role as one of the Black Open 7:30am–6pm Mon–Sat,
10am–6pm Sun. 5
Sea’s key ports. Varna became part of Bulgaria in the 8th
This small church, built in 1602,
century. It was taken over by the Ottomans in 1393, but after is set below ground level, in
the Liberation of 1878 it rapidly grew to become the bustling accordance with the orders given
modern city, port and resort that it is today. by the Ottoman rulers that
churches should be no higher
E Archaeological Museum Church in Sofia (see pp582–3), than a man on horseback, lest
bul. Maria Luiza 41. Tel (052) 681 011. this cathedral was built to they outshine mosques. The
Open Summer: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; commemorate the Russian attractive wooden bell tower was
Winter: 10am–5pm Tue–Sat. & 8 soldiers who died in the fight for added after the Liberation. The
- = ∑ amvarna.com liberation from Ottoman rule. church contains Varna’s oldest
Over 100,000 ancient artifacts Funded by Varna’s citizens icon, a brilliant 13th-century
discovered in and around and designed by Russian depiction of the Virgin.
Varna fill this museum. It architect Maas, it was
was founded in 1888 by completed in 1886. The
the Czech archaeologist interior is covered with
Karel Škorpil, who pioneered over-life-size murals
the exploration of Bulgaria’s painted under Russian
ancient past. The collection supervision in 1949, and
is housed in 40 rooms the vast iconostasis and
on two floors. The most splendid bishop’s throne are
intriguing section is that the work of master craftsmen
devoted to Varna’s necropolis, from Macedonia.
west of the modern
city. It contains some Archaeological E Ethnographic
stunning gold items. The Museum exhibit Museum
upper floor has pottery, ul. Panagyurishte 22. A surviving section of the Roman Thermae
weaponry and religious art Tel (052) 630 588. Open May–Oct: baths complex
from the medieval period. 10am–5pm daily; Nov-Apr: 10am–
5pm Tue–Sat. & = T Roman Thermae
R Cathedral of the Housed in a fine 19th-century ul. Han Krum. Tel (052) 600 059.
Assumption National Revival-style house, this Open May–Oct: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun;
pl. sv sv Kiril i Metodi. Tel (052) 613 is one of Bulgaria’s largest ethno- Nov–Apr: 10am–5pm Mon–Fri. &
005. Open 8am–6pm daily. 5 = graphic museums. The ground A monument to the ingenuity
The second-largest place of floor is devoted to farming, with of Roman architects, this massive
Christian worship in Bulgaria after a wide array of tools for harvesting, public baths complex covers
the Alexandûr Nevski Memorial beekeeping and viniculture. over 7,000 sq m (75,000 sq ft). It
was built in the 2nd century AD
for what was then the Roman
city of Odessos. Although in
ruins, enough of the complex is
intact to give an idea of Roman
bathing habits. The exorbitant
amount spent on the baths
caused their steady decline in
the 3rd and 4th centuries.
E City History Museum

ul. 8 Noemvri 3. Tel (052) 632 677.
Constructed in 1851, this
building is one of Varna’s oldest
Iconostasis made by Macedonian craftsmen, Cathedral of the Assumption surviving houses. The museum
BULGARIA 603
440 km (273 miles) E of Sofia.
* 343,500. ( daily. _ Varna
Summer (Jul–Sep).
Transport
k 8 km (5 miles) N of centre.
£@v
The torpedo boat, Drûzhki at the entrance of the Navy Museum, Varna below the Sea Gardens is Varna’s
long, sandy beach. Lined with
traces the history of Varna from Y Sea Gardens outdoor restaurants, cafés and
the late 18th century, when it Aquarium: Tel (052) 632 066. bars, it is ideal for lazy days of
was a neglected coastal town, Open May–Sep: 9am–8pm daily; swimming and sunbathing. After
to the mid-20th century, when Oct–Apr: 9am–5pm daily. & 8 dark, the beach is one of the
it became a major port and ∑ aquariumvarna.com Black Sea’s liveliest spots, with
popular seaside resort. Planetarium: Tel (052) 684 441. Open clubs open until the small hours.
Mar–Oct: 5pm, 6pm Tue–Sat, Nov–Feb:
E Navy Museum 5pm Tue–Fri. 8 shows for pre-booked P Evksinograd Palace
groups only. & Dolphinarium: Tel (052)
bul. Primorski 2. Tel (052) 632 018. Tel (052) 393 140. Open 10am–3pm
302 199. & 8 shows during summer
Open Summer: 10am–6pm Mon–Fri, only for pre-booked groups
at 10:30am, noon, 3:30pm, 5pm. -
Wed–Sun; Winter: 9am–5:30pm of 5 or more. Closed July & Aug.
= ∑ dolphinarium.festa.bg
Tue–Sat. & Located 8 km (5 miles) from
The prize exhibit of the Navy Begun in 1862, this urban central Varna, the spectacular
Museum is the torpedo boat park was designed by Czech Evksinograd Palace, built for
Drûzhki (Intrepid) displayed landscape architect Anton Prince Aleksandûr Batenberg I,
outside the museum. In 1912, Novak, with trees and plants was completed in 1886, and
during the First Balkan War, the from Bulgaria and around the served as the summer residence
Drûzhki secured the Bulgarian Mediterranean. Among its for Bulgarian royalty until the
navy’s only victory in the conflict flowerbeds and shaded paths are Communists came to power in
when it sank a large Turkish several family-friendly attractions, 1944. It was designed by famous
cruise ship. including an Aquarium with Viennese architect Rumpelmeyer
The museum itself holds stingrays, a Planetarium and and its gardens were laid out by
exhibits relating to navigation a Dolphinarium with regular French landscape designers in
on the Black Sea starting from shows conducted in four the 19th century. Today, the
the 6th century BC. languages. Stretching out palace is still a state property.
Varna Town Centre

Varna Airport Evksinograd
1 Archaeological Museum SOFIA 8 km (5 miles) I Palace
RN Archaeological
BO Museum V
2 Cathedral of SA LO
AN
BUL
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the Assumption
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8 Sea Gardens YA
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City History
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Railway Station
200 m (220 yards)

w Stone Forest
Побитите камъни
420 km (260 miles) E of Sofia. @
As the name suggests, the

famous Stone Forest (Pobiti
kamûni) is a cluster of tree-like
stone columns. Spread over a
barren landscape, they stand
together in 7 groups of more
than 300 each. Some of them
are 6 m (20 ft) high and up to
9 m (30 ft) in circumference.
The stones are believed to
be 50 million years old and
their origins have long been the
subject of scientific speculation. Beach at Golden Sands, one of Bulgaria’s most popular resorts
Among the numerous theories
advanced by experts, it is sports facilities for children. r Kaliakra
generally agreed that they were The resort has a wide range of Калиакра
formed when separate layers of restaurants and bars and offers
520 km (323 miles) E of Sofia. @ from
chalk merged through a layer of a variety of water sports. Varna. Open 10am–7pm daily. & 0
sand. Some scientists, however, -=
still support the theory that they Environs
are fossilized remnants of an About 7 km (4 miles) inland from Meaning “fine nose” in Greek,
ancient forest. Golden Sands is the Aladzha Kaliakra is a rocky promontory
Monastery. The hermits who that extends 2 km (1 mile) into
settled here in the 6th century the sea. Locals attribute the
cut dozens of cells and chambers reddish colour of its limestone
into the limestone cliff, and cliffs to the blood of the many
evidence of Stone Age dwellers people who died in battles for
has also been discovered. The control of this strategic point.
caves are now linked by sturdy Kaliakra is now an extensive
metal steps, but the monks archaeological site, occupied
accessed them by scrambling by the ruins of a grand fortress
up and down perilous ledges, dating back to the 4th century
using footholds that are still BC. It was successively held by
visible in the cliff face. Greeks, Romans, Bulgarians
A museum at the entrance and Ottomans. According to
displays earlier models of the legend, 40 maidens tied their
monastery, alongside ancient hair together and jumped into
Massive tree-like pillars of the relics, including artifacts the sea here to escape a worse
50-million-year-old Stone Forest dating from around 5000 BC fate at the hands of invading
discovered in a Chalcolithic Ottoman soldiers. The spot
necropolis on the outskirts affords stunning views of the
e Golden Sands of Varna. imposing cliffs around the coast.
Златни пясъци
455 km (283 miles) E of Sofia. @ from
Varna.  ∑ goldensands.bg
Bulgaria’s second largest coastal

resort after Sunny Beach, Golden
Sands (Zlatni pyasâtsi) certainly
lives up to its name. Wooded
hills, which are part of the
Golden Sands Nature Park, slope
down towards the sea, rimmed
by an almost continuous line
of newly built hotels. The beach
itself is an unbroken 3.5-km
(2-miles) long stretch of fine
white sand. The areas behind
the beach feature well-tended
gardens, outdoor pools and Ruins of the 4th-century BC fortress at Kaliakra
BULGARIA 605
t Sunny Beach
Слънчев бряг
@ from Burgas. 
∑ sunnybeach.bg.com
Established in the 1960s, Sunny

Beach (Slûnchev Bryag) was one
of Bulgaria’s first coastal resorts.
It is now the country’s largest,
and it continues to expand in
all directions. Palatial hotels,
apartment blocks and Socialist- Ruins of the Old Metropolitan Church, Nesebûr
era leisure complexes stretch
out behind a beach 8 km outstanding array of icons, well as works by modern
(5 miles) long. gold jewellery and architectural Bulgarian painters, including
Sunny Beach has earned Blue elements. There is also an local artists.
Flag status in view of its high Ethnographic Museum.
environmental standards and Environs
is particularly popular with Outside Burgas is Lake Poda, a
families and visitors on package u Burgas haven for rare birds and plants.
holidays. The resort offers a Бургас Managed by the Bulgarian
range of water sports, as well Society for the Preservation of
as a multitude of shops. * 200,300. k £ @  ( daily. Birds, the lake and its environs
∑ burgas.bg are internationally important.
y Nesebûr Burgas had its heyday in the

Несебър 19th century, when it enjoyed i Sozopol
an economic boom based on Созопол
* 8,700. @ from Sunny Beach, Burgas craftsmanship and the export
and Varna (in summer). ( daily. of grain. It has benefited from * 5,750. @ from Burgas. 
recent refurbishment and has ( daily. _ Apollonia Arts Festival
Set on a rocky peninsula, several fine churches (first 10 days in Sep). ∑ sozopol.com
Nesebûr was first settled by and museums.
Thracians, but it was in the The Church of Sts Cyril With sandy bays to the north
13th and 14th centuries that and Methodius was designed and south, Sozopol stands on
it reached its commercial and by Ricardo Toskanini, an Italian a peninsula jutting out into the
cultural zenith. Today, it is a architect who strongly influenced Black Sea, its cobbled streets
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Burgas’s architecture in the lined with pretty old houses. One
and tends to become very early 20th century. of the First Bulgarian Kingdom’s
crowded in summer. Nearby, the Ethnographic major ports, it remained an
The beautiful Old Town is Museum contains a good important centre of shipbuilding,
packed with historic houses collection of traditional costumes, commerce and fishing until it
and attractive churches, many while the Archaeological Museum was overtaken by Burgas in the
in Byzantine style. Among the has a small but captivating 19th century.
churches, the Old Metropolitan display of items dating back The collections in the
Church, founded in the 5th 10,000 years. The town’s Art Archaeological Museum
century, is the largest and oldest. Gallery has some fine 18th- document Sozopol’s long history,
Although it is in ruins, it is still and 19th-century icons as including Greek pottery and
the focal point of the Old Town, some fascinating figurines from
and a popular meeting point the ancient Greek necropolis.
and concert venue. In the 15th Most of the town’s medieval
century, it was supplanted by churches were destroyed in
the New Metropolitan Church, the Ottoman period, but later
which has a breathtaking interior examples remain, including
densely covered in 16th- to the 15th-century Church of
18th-century frescoes, as well Sveta Bogoroditsa, with
as an ornate bishop’s throne elaborate wooden iconostases,
and a wooden pulpit. The and the Church of Sveti Zosim,
Archaeological Museum with icons by the famous artist
provides a fascinating insight Dimitar of Sozopol. Sozopol
into Nesebûr’s long history, also hosts the Apollonia
with fine Thracian and medieval Elegant façade of the Church of Sts Cyril and Arts Festival, one of Bulgaria’s
collections, including an Methodius, Burgas foremost cultural events.
Practical & Travel Information visitors should make sure that

they have adequate medical
With fine cities, beautiful beaches and ski resorts, Bulgaria insurance for private care in
is a mecca for sun-seekers and winter sports enthusiasts alike. case of more serious problems.
Travelling to the country is relatively easy, with frequent Every major town has a duty
pharmacy with an emergency
flights and trains from most European countries. Although counter that is open 24 hours
domestic travel may not be as quick and easy as in other a day. However, it may be
European destinations, there are no serious obstacles, and difficult to find one with
Bulgarians are helpful and courteous towards foreign visitors. English-speaking staff.
Although Bulgaria has a low
crime rate, petty theft can be
When to Visit Publicity Centre in Sofia, which a problem in major towns
Bulgaria is an attractive is run by the Bulgarian Tourism and cities and in tourist spots.
destination all year round. On Authority and provides infor- To minimise the risk of being
the Black Sea coast, the main mation on the whole country. targeted, take basic precautions
holiday season runs from May to There are also some privately and keep documents, money
September, peaking in July and run regional information centres, and credit cards hidden from
August when temperatures are mostly in those areas popular view at all times; keep valuables
at their highest and the beaches with hikers and skiers, and in in the safe in your hotel room
fill with holidaymakers. Bulgaria’s towns such as Bansko (see p591) and beware of pickpockets in
historic cities, with their churches, and Koprivshtitsa (see pp596–7), crowded areas.
museums and art galleries, are which attract visitors on account
rewarding places to visit at any of their historic and cultural
time of the year. interest. Visitor information Facilities for
centres in such places sell maps the Disabled
of the local area and can offer Few public buildings, shops
Documentation advice on accommodation and visitor attractions in
To enter Bulgaria, citizens of in the vicinity. Bulgaria are adapted for
European Union (EU) countries Surprisingly, given its wheelchair users. Pavements
do not need a visa but must show popularity with holiday-makers, everywhere are uneven and
a valid passport or ID card. Citizens there are very few tourist informa- unramped, many museums are
of Australia, Canada, New Zealand tion centres on the Black Sea coast. in older buildings without lifts,
and the US do not need a visa For details of local and access to archaeological
for a stay of less than 90 days. attractions and tourist excur- sites is also very difficult.
Nationals of other countries sions, and advice on local Most of Sofia’s five-star
should check current regulations restaurants, visitors should hotels are wheelchair-
with the Bulgarian Embassy or enquire at the reception desks accessible, and they all also
consulate in their country. of their hotels, or go to a have rooms that have been
privately run travel agency specially adapted for use
in the nearest town or city. by disabled guests.
Visitor Information
The availability of visitor
information in Bulgaria differs Health and Security Banking and Currency
greatly from one region to Basic medical advice is Bulgarian towns and cities
another. A useful resource is available at pharmacies but, are well serviced by banks,
the National Information and as hospitals are under funded, and automatic cash machines
can be found outside most
major high-street branches.
The Climate of Bulgaria SOFIA Credit cards are increasingly
Bulgaria lies in two overlapping 25/77 accepted in high-end hotels,
climate zones – continental and restaurants and luxury shops,
Mediterranean – characterized ° C/F 16/61 16/61 17/63 but are not widely used else-
by warm, dry summers and where. Most transactions,
8/46
cold winters. Temperatures in 5/41 from paying for a stay in a
2/36 hostel to buying souvenirs,
summer, between June and 0°C
32°F -4/25 are usually made in cash.
September, average between
17° C (63° F) and 24° C (75° F). In 6 10 5 2 The currency of Bulgaria is
winter, between December and hrs hrs hrs hrs the lev, which is divided into
February, they rarely rise above 61 68 65 36 100 stotinki. As leva are not
6° C (43° F) but may drop to - mm mm mm mm widely available outside
1° C (30° F). Bulgaria, visitors will need to
month Apr Jul Oct Jan
withdraw currency on their
arrival to the country.
BULGARIA 607
Communications London, Amsterdam or Frankfurt, Travelling by Bus

Bulgaria’s national telephone then taking a connecting flight Bus services in Bulgaria are
and postal systems are reason- to Bulgaria. operated by several national and
ably efficient, although the Bulgaria’s largest airport is Sofia regional bus companies. Most
postal service is a little slower Airport, which serves the capital. towns and villages are accessible
than in some Western European It has convenient transport con- by bus. Intercity bus routes
countries. Visitors will have nections with the city centre, which connecting Sofia with major
no trouble finding an Internet is about 10 km (6 miles) to the west. towns and cites depart several
café, even in small towns. Much of western and central times a day. Buses on these routes
Visitors can avoid high Bulgaria is easily accessible from are modern, with comfortable
call charges by buying a pre- Sofia. For visitors heading for the seats and air conditioning.
paid SIM card from a Bulgarian Black Sea coast, there are budget Tickets can be bought from
mobile phone operator, enab- flights to Varna Airport and counters at bus stations, but
ling them to make calls to local Burgas Airport. not on the buses themselves.
numbers at Bulgarian rates On intercity routes, advance
during their stay. reservations are advisable. Tickets
Rail Travel and information on bus travel
The total cost of travelling to throughout Bulgaria is available
Arriving by Air Bulgaria by train is likely to be from Sofia Central Bus Station.
Sofia is well served by direct higher than by air. It may also
flights from other European be difficult to buy one ticket all
countries. Bulgaria Air, the the way from Western Europe Travelling by Car
national carrier, has daily to Bulgaria. From Continental Exploring Bulgaria by car is
scheduled flights to Sofia from Europe, the main routes to an attractive option, as it gives
Gatwick Airport in London, Bulgaria are from Budapest to greater freedom and allows
Amsterdam, Paris and other Sofia via Belgrade or Bucharest. visitors to explore more remote
European capitals. British The country’s rail network is areas of the country that may
Airways also provides scheduled operated by the Bulgarian State not be well served by public
flights to Sofia from Heathrow Railways (Bulgarska durzhavna transport. However, visitors
Airport in London. The low-cost zheleznitsa, or BDZ). Train tickets should bear in mind that motor-
airlines easyJet and Wizz Air can be purchased at station ways are few, and that road
offer flights to Sofia, Varna and ticket offices. Reservations are conditions often leave much
Burgas from the UK and parts of advisable for visitors travelling to be desired. Road signs on
Central Europe. Direct flights to between Sofia and the Black Sea main intercity trunk roads are in
Bulgaria from North America and coast during summer. The best Cyrillic and Roman scripts. Cars
other non-European countries sources of information on train can be hired from reliable service
are rare. Most intercontinental travel to Bulgaria are Rail Europe providers such as Avis, Budget
routes involve flying to either and Trainseurope. and Europcar.
DIRECTORY
Documentation Emergency Gatwick Airport Trainseurope
∑ mfa.bg/en
Numbers ∑ gatwickairport.com ∑ trainseurope.co.uk
Ambulance Heathrow Airport Travelling by Bus

Embassies and Tel 150.
Consulates ∑ heathrowairport.bg
Sofia Central Bus
Emergency Calls
United Kingdom Tel 112. Sofia Airport Station
∑ centralnaavtogara.
ul. Moskovska 9, Sofia.
Fire ∑ sofia-airport.bg
Tel (02) 933 9222. bg
Tel 160.
∑ukinbulgaria.fco. Varna Airport
Police ∑ varna-airport.bg
Travelling by Car
gov.uk
Tel 166.
United States Avis
Wizz Air
ul. Kozyak 16, Sofia. Arriving by Air Tel (02) 826 1100.
∑ wizzair.com ∑ avis.bg
Tel (02) 937 5100.
∑ bulgaria.usembassy. British Airways Budget
∑ britishairways.com Rail Travel
gov Tel (02) 870 0001.
Bulgaria Air Bulgarian State ∑ budget.bg
Visitor ∑ air.bg
Railways Europcar
Information Burgas Airport ∑ bdz.bg Tel (02) 981 4626.
∑ burgas-airport.com ∑ europcar.bg
Bulgarian Tourism
Authority easyJet Rail Europe
∑ bulgariatravel.org ∑ easyjet.com ∑ raileurope.com
Shopping & Entertainment also carry a wide selection of

Bulgarian wines. While Bulgarian
Bulgaria has a wealth of shops, malls, open-air markets Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
and stalls selling everything from Bulgarian-made soaps to are on a par with red wines from
rakiya (fruit brandy). In every town centre there is a market, elsewhere in Europe, domestic
varieties, such as Melnik from the
its stalls stacked with fruit, vegetables and flowers, and street southwest, have a much more
kiosks with meticulously arranged trays of dried fruit, nuts distinctive character. The highest
and sweets. The country’s classical music, ballet and theatre quality wines are those produced
season runs from the beginning of October to the end of by leading wineries such as
June, when orchestras, opera and ballet companies perform Todoroff and Damyanitza. These
at venues in Sofia and other major towns, and theatre are available in stores throughout
the country. Bottles of rakiya
companies stage productions of classical and contemporary (grape or plum brandy) make
plays. Bulgaria’s summer folk festivals also provide an very good gifts. Bottles marked
opportunity to see the country’s vigorous folk culture. otlezhala (matured) are likely to
be of superior quality.
Opening Hours Traditional Bulgarian textiles
In major towns, cities and include vividly patterned kilims Nightlife
holiday resorts, shops open from (carpets) hand-woven on vertical Central Sofia is packed with clubs
10am to 8pm from Monday to looms by the womenfolk in and bars, many of which have
Saturday, and often later during highland villages. Other highland designer interiors and attract an
the summer season. In Sofia and crafts include guberi (fleecy rugs), equally style-conscious clientele.
towns along the Black Sea coast, and kozyatsi (tufted goat-hair rugs). Motto, which serves cocktails
shops also open on Sundays, Brightly coloured blouses, delicately and food in a trendy lounge-bar
closing at various times embroidered with folk motifs, are atmosphere, is typical of Sofia’s
between 2 and 6pm. usually also of high quality. contemporary bar scene. There
Bulgaria is a major producer is also a growing number of
of attar of roses, an essential oil pubs, of which McCarthy’s is
Markets extracted from the damask rose, one of the longest-established.
Every town in the country has which is used all over the world Dance clubs are informal
an open-air market, where fresh in perfumes and beauty products. and inexpensive, with long-
fruit and vegetables and a great Locally made soaps, skin creams standing venues such as
variety of Bulgarian cheeses and and eau de cologne made from Yalta and Mascara attracting
sausages are sold. Bulgarian attar are available from international DJs and a
Several of Bulgaria’s most pharmacies and supermarkets young crowd.
picturesque outdoor markets throughout the country. Other
sell not only fresh produce, items to look out for include
clothing and household goods traditional copper pots and coffee Music, Theatre and Dance
but also handicrafts. The liveliest sets, and hand-painted copies Bulgaria has a fine tradition
of these are the daily Zhenski of Orthodox icons. of classical music and tickets
Pazar in Sofia, the daily market Souvenirs can be found in for concerts are very reason-
in Varna and the Sunday market stalls and small shops ably priced. The Bulgarian
morning market in Bansko. in tourist resorts across the Philharmonic Orchestra,
The daily Bric-à-Brac Market country. Specialist outlets sell- which performs weekly at the
in front of the Aleksandûr Nevski ing fine handicrafts include the Bulgaria Concert Hall in Sofia,
Memorial Church in Sofia is Ethnographic Museum Shop is the country’s most presti-
the best place for antiques, old in Sofia. Shops in Veliko Tûrnovo gious orchestra. Plovdiv, Varna
postcards, and Communist-era are also good places to pick up and Burgas also have good
medals and militaria. good-quality items made by symphony orchestras. Many
local crafts workshops. of Bulgaria’s best ensembles
and soloists perform at Varna
Handicrafts Summer International
High-quality craft items are Food, Wine and Rakiya Festival in July.
abundant at Bulgaria’s souvenir The most famous Bulgarian Local bands playing rock and
stalls, with ceramics, embroidery speciality is yogurt, considered jazz standards are a frequent
and traditional textiles among the very healthy due to a rare feature of bars and clubs in the
most popular tourist buys. Pottery bacteria found only in Bulgaria. cities and holiday resorts. Rock
from the central Bulgarian town of Sirene (salty white cheese) and and pop stars perform at the
Troyan, decorated with flowing kashkaval (cheese made from National Palace of Culture in
patterns in bright colours, is a cow’s milk) are also some Sofia. International jazz musi-
favourite Bulgarian souvenir, and is good buys available in most cians gather for the Varna
available throughout the country. supermarkets. Most food shops International Jazz Festival in
BULGARIA 609
early August, and the Bansko translations seldom provided. in Bulgarian. Modern multiplex
Jazz Festival in mid-August. However, many are based on cinemas with comfortable seats
Every sizeable town and city improvisation and movement and high-quality sound are
in Bulgaria has at least one rather than text, so they are common in Sofia. Outside the
theatre. Sofia’s leading theatre, accessible even to non- capital, cinemas tend to be old-
the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Bulgarian speakers. fashioned and badly ventilated.
is the base for Bulgaria’s best The leading opera and Both in Sofia and elsewhere,
actors and directors. Modern ballet companies in the country cinema tickets are inexpensive.
plays are also put on by the operate under the aegis of the
Sofia Drama Theatre, the Aleko National Opera and Ballet
Konstantinov Satirical Theatre, Sofia. The Plovdiv Opera and Folk Festivals
and Tears and Laughter, Sofia’s Philharmonic Society, Stara Performances of traditional
oldest theatre. Zagora Opera and Varna Opera folk music and dancing
The Sfumato Theatre and Philharmonic Society are are an important feature
Workshop is well known the best regional companies. of the Bulgarian calendar.
internationally for putting on Information and tickets for The leading folk festival,
contemporary and avant-garde most cultural events in Sofia held in Koprivshtitsa, is the
plays. However, the main festival are available from the National International Folk Festival,
for challenging modern drama Palace of Culture. at which folk dancers and
is Scene at the Crossroads, musicians from all over
which takes place in Plovdiv Bulgaria perform. This takes
in mid-September. Modern drama Cinema place every five years on a
also forms part of Sozopol’s New Hollywood blockbusters meadow outside the village.
Arts Festival, in early September. and other international films The Folklore Days Festival,
For visitors from other countries, reach Bulgaria a month or two a smaller gathering featuring
the main disadvantage is that after their release elsewhere. local folk singers and dancers,
almost all performances are in They are screened in their is held in central Koprivshtitsa
Bulgarian with simultaneous original language, with subtitles in mid-August each year.
DIRECTORY
Markets Motto National Palace Stara Zagora Opera
ul. Aksakov 18, Sofia. of Culture M M Kussev 30, Stara
Bric-à-Brac Market Tel (02) 987 2723. Zagora. Tel (042) 622 431.
pl. Aleksandûr pl. Bulgaria 1, Sofia, Tel
∑ motto-bg.com ∑ stateopera-
Nevski, Sofia. (02) 916 6300. ∑ ndk.bg
Yalta starazagora.com
Zhenski Pazar bul. Tsar Osvoboditel 20, Plovdiv Opera and Tears and Laughter
bul. Stefan Stambolov, Sofia. Tel (02) 980 1297. Philharmonic Society ul Rakovski 127, Sofia.
Sofia. ∑ yaltaclub.com
Tel (032) 625 553. Tel (02) 987 5895.
Handicrafts Music, Theatre ∑ ofd-plovdiv.org Varna International
and Dance Jazz Festival
Ethnographic Scene at the
Museum Shop Aleko Konstantinov Chaika 50-D-47, Varna.
Crossroads
pl. Aleksandûr Batenberg Satirical Theatre Tel (052) 302 322.
ul. Stefan Karadzha 26, Tel (032) 630 476. ∑ vsjf.com
1, Sofia. Tel (02) 989 5010;
989 6416. Sofia. Tel (02) 988 1060. ∑ scenatepe.com
Varna Opera and
Bansko Jazz Festival Sfumato Theatre Philharmonic Society
Food, Wine Vaptsarov Square, Bansko.
Workshop pl. Nezavisimost 2, Varna.
and Rakiya ∑ bansko-jazz.com Tel (052) 665 022.
ul. Dimitar Grekov 2, Sofia.
Damyanitza Bulgaria Concert Hall ∑ operavarna.bg
Tel (02) 944 0127.
∑ damianitza.bg ul. Aksakov 1, Sofia.
∑ sfumato.info Varna Summer
Tel (02) 987 7656.
Todoroff International Festival
∑ todoroff-wines.com Ivan Vazov National Sofia Drama Theatre ∑ varnasummerfest.
Theatre bul. Y Sakuzov 23a, Sofia. org
Nightlife ul. Dyakon Ignatii 5, Sofia.
Tel (02) 944 2485.
Tel (02) 811 9227. Folk Festivals
Mascara ∑ nationaltheatre.bg ∑ sofiatheatre.eu
bul. G. S. Rakovski 113, Folklore Days Festival
Sofia. Tel 886 272 272. National Opera and Sozopol’s Arts ∑ folklore-bg.com
Ballet Sofia
Festival International Folk
McCarthy’s Irish Pub Dondukov Bul. 30, Sofia.
ul. Alabin 29A, Sofia. Tel (02) 987 1366. Tel (02) 980 7833. Festival
Tel (89) 995 3243. ∑ operasofia.bg ∑ apollonia.bg ∑ varnafolk.org
Where to Stay
Sofia Plaza €€€ Price Guide
Sofia Luxury Prices are based on one night’s stay in high
season for a standard double room, inclusive
bul. Hristo Botev 154
Art Hostel € Tel (02) 813 7912 of service charges and taxes. Breakfast is
∑ hotelsofiaplaza.com included, unless otherwise specified.
Hostel
ul. Angel Kanchev 21a Conveniently located for the city’s € under €35
€€ €35 to €70
Tel (02) 987 0545 historic and cultural sites. Chic
€€€ over €70
∑ art-hostel.com rooms and apartment suites.
Full of art with a charming
garden and communal kitchen.
DK Choice
There’s even a bar-gallery Rest of Bulgaria
for exhibitions. PLOVDIV: Renaissance €€
BACHKOVO: Djamoura € Guesthouse
Bulgari €€ Guesthouse pl. Vuzrazhdane 1
Value Map B3 ul. Osvobozhdenya 74 Tel (032) 266 966
ul. Pirotska 50 Tel (03327) 2320 ∑ renaissance-bg.com
Tel (02) 831 0060 ∑ djamura.com Decorated in traditional 19th-
Located in one of Sofia’s Cosy rooms and suites in a century style, this hotel on the
oldest shopping areas. Rooms restored house, next to Bulgaria’s fringes of the Old Town offers
are neatly decorated and have second-largest monastery. rooms with period furniture
TV and desk space. and hand-painted walls.
BANSKO: Kempinski Grand
Scotty's Boutique Hotel €€ Hotel Arena €€€
Boutique Map C3 Luxury KOPRIVSHTITSA:
ul. Ekzarh Yosif 11 ul. Pirin 96 Tryanova Kûshta €
Tel (02) 983 6777 Tel (0749) 88888 Guesthouse
∑ scottyshotel.biz ∑ kempinski-bansko.com ul. Gereniloto
Elegantly transformed block that Plush five-star hotel with Tel (07184) 3057
has themed rooms decorated in service matching its fantastic All-wooden house with comfortable
bright colours and kitschy fabrics. mountain views. Perfect for rooms that feature traditional
ski-lovers. fabrics and pine furniture.
Grand Hotel Sofia €€€
Luxury Map D5 BOROVETS: Rila €€€ VELIKO TÛRNOVO:
ul. Gûrko 1 Luxury Hikers Hostel €
Tel (02) 811 0801 Tel (07503) 2295 Hostel
∑ grandhotelsofia.bg ∑ rilaborovets.com ul. Rezervoarska 91
Leading full-service hotel with Bulgaria's largest ski hotel Tel (0889) 691 661
majestic rooms and efficient service. right next to the slopes, ∑ hikers-hostel.org
offers elegant rooms and Quirky wooden furniture. The
Sheraton Sofia Hotel superb facilities. summer terrace has great views.
Balkan €€€
Luxury Map C4 MELNIK: Litova Kûshta €€ BURGAS: Bulgaria €€
pl. Sveta Nedelya 5 Guesthouse Boutique
Tel (02) 981 6541 Tel (07437) 2313 ul. Aleksandrovska 21
∑ sheratonsofia.com ∑ litovakushta.com Tel (056) 841 291
Sheer opulence, complete Hotel built upon an ancient ∑ bulgaria-hotel.com
with chandeliers, grand wine cellar; rooms with Sophisticated 17-storey building
rooms with plush furnishings hand-painted borders and with fantastic views of Burgas.
and more. wood ceilings.
SOZOPOL: Orion €€
Guesthouse
ul. Vihren 28
Tel (0550) 23193
∑ hotel-orion.net
A modest establishment with ten
rooms and six apartments.
DK Choice
VARNA: Graffit Gallery €€€
Boutique
bul. Knyaz Boris I 65
Tel (052) 989 900
∑ graffithotel.com
This stylish building holds four
floors of chic rooms, each floor
in a different colour. Luxurious
rooms and bath
bathrooms,
rooms, spa
centre and gym.
Picturesque setting of the luxurious Kempinski Grand Hotel Arena in Bansko

Sidoniya €€€ Price Guide
Sofia International Prices are based on a three-course meal
ul. Slavovitsa 51a
Boyansko Hanche € Tel (0893) 688 884 cover charge, service and tax.
Bulgarian Imaginative fusion of modern € under €25
pl. Sborishte 1 European and Bulgarian cuisine, €€ €25 to €40
€€€ over €40
Tel (02) 856 3016 with the menu changing regularly.
A folk-style restaurant offering
the full range of Bulgarian cuisine The Chefs €€€
and a sprinkling of international International
steak and chicken dishes. Lake Pasarel
Tel (0896) 723 222 Closed Mon,
Tue, Wed, Thu
DK Choice Award-winning, weekend-only
Pod Lipite €€ restaurant, 17 km (10.5 miles)
Bulgarian southeast of town. Offers European
ul. Elin Pelin 1 cuisine combining inventiveness
Tel (02) 866 5053 and flair. Menu changes daily.
Just across the road from the
Borisova Gradina Park, “Under the
Limes” perfectly re-creates the
atmosphere of a 19th-century Rest of Bulgaria
country tavern with its wood-
beamed interior and delicious BACHKOVO: Djamoura €
home cooking. The emphasis is Bulgarian
on grilled and oven-baked meats. ul. Osvobozhdenie 74 Casual and comfortable seating at Veda
Tel (03327) 2320 House, Plovdiv
Great place for grilled meats,
Sushi Bar €€ excellently cooked local trout RILA MONASTERY:
Japanese and vegetarian dishes. Drushliavitsa €€
ul. Ivan Denkoglu 18 Bulgarian
Tel (02) 981 8442 BANSKO: Obetsanova Tel (0888) 278 756
Chic, but by no means too formal, Mehana €€ With hearty Bulgarian dishes and
Sushi Bar offers a huge choice of Bulgarian freshly caught trout dominating
expertly prepared sushi. pl. Vazrazhdane 1 its menu, this restaurant offers a
Tel (0878) 555 611 fine dining experience.
Gioia €€€ Converted from an old National-
Italian Map D3 Revival-style house into a tavern. KOPRIVSHTITSA:
ul. Tsar Samuil 60 Serves Bansko specialities. Dyado Liben €€
Tel (02) 986 0854 Bulgarian
Exquisite Italian fare in an intimate MELNIK: Mencheva Kûshta € ul. Hadzhi Nencho Palaveev 47
setting. Excellent fresh pasta, veal Bulgarian Tel (07184) 2109
cutlets and a list of fine fish dishes. Tel (07437) 339 This romantic restaurant in a
An old house with a distinct beautifully restored mansion
L’Etranger €€€ character; the perfect place to offers a short but excellent menu
French Map D3 sample traditional dishes. of grilled meats.
ul. Tsar Simeon 78
Tel (02) 983 1417 PLOVDIV: Veda House € VELIKO TÛRNOVO: Yantra €€€
Upscale family-run bistro serving Vegetarian International
well-made dishes, from simple ul. Georgi Benkovski 50 ul. Opalchenska 2
quiches to full meals. Tel (032) 622 760 Tel (062) 600 607
Two-storey café–restaurant known One of the town’s best, this
Maraia Fusion €€€ for tasty vegetarian dishes, leaf capacious restaurant offers an
International teas and home-made biscuits. excellent choice of Bulgarian
ul. G.S. Rakovski 123 and international cuisine.
Tel (02) 980 6260
Mixing the informality of a diner DK Choice SOZOPOL: Rusalka €€
with haute cuisine standards, this PLOVDIV: Art Café Seafood
upscale option serves an imaginative Filipopolis €€€ ul. Milet 36
range of European-Asian dishes International Tel (0550) 23047
alongside excellent sushi. ul. Suborna 29 Waves crash against rocks directly
Tel (032) 624 851 below Rusalka, which offers
Shades of Red €€€ More of a restaurant, this café amazing seafood, pasta and pizza.
International Map D5 has an elegant interior and an
ul. Gûrko 1 oudoor terrace with sweeping VARNA: Garibaldi €€
Tel (02) 811 0811 views of modern Plovdiv. The Italian
Classy restaurant attached to the mains menu has competently ul. Tsar Osvoboditel 9
Grand Hotel Sofia, offers a wide handled steaks, duck and Tel (052) 604 080
variety of Mediterranean and freshwater fish.
freshwater This majestic restaurant is just the
French dishes. place for great Italian cuisine.
612 GENERAL INDEX
General Index
Page numbers in bold refer to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Tallinn) Aquarius Club (Zagreb) 480, 481
main entries 13, 109 Aqueduct (Salona) 451
Alexandriinskiy Theatre Arch of Sergii (Pula) 463
A (St Petersburg) 163 Archaeological Museum (Burgas) 605
A-Galerii (Tallinn) 118, 119 Ali, Adzem Esir 491 Archaeological Museum (Nesebûr) 605
A38 (Budapest) 376, 377 Alighieri, Nicolò 471 Archaeological Museum (Pécs) 363
Aachen, Hans von 230 All Estonian Song Festival 100 Archaeological Museum (Pula) 463
Abádszalók (Lake Tisza) 372 All Saints’ Church (Blato) 445 Archaeological Museum (Sofia) 580
Abbey Treasury (Korčula) 444 All Saints’ Church (Korčula) 444 Archaeological Museum (Split) 447, 450
Abbeys see Monasteries and Convents dell’Allio, Domenico 474 Archaeological Museum (Varna) 602
Abdul Hamid, Sultan 567 Alpár, Ignác 343 Archaeological Museum (Veliko
Abdülmedcid, Sultan 492 Alpinium Juliana (Triglav Tûrnovo) 599
Abercrombie & Kent 21 National Park) 418 Archaeological Museum (Zadar) 459
Abraham’s Sacrifice (Rembrandt) 150 Altmann & Kühne (Vienna) 389 Archaeological Museum
Academic Capella (St Petersburg) 163 Amadeus (film) 243, 251 (Zagreb) 445, 473
Academy of Fine Arts (Gdańsk) 213 Amber jewellery, Poland 218, 219 Archaeology Museum (Wrocław) 203
Accommodation see Hotels Amber Line (Rīga) 94, 95 Archangel Michael and Gabriel
Acrobats (Ferenczy) 344 American (airline) 20, 21 Orthodox Church and Museum
Adalbert, St 240 Ammende Villa (Pärnu) 112–13 (Sarajevo) 490
Adami, Carlo 329 Ámos, Imre 345 Archbishop of Canterbury 492
Adamson-Eric 108 Amphitheatre (Pula) 36, 463, 481 Archbishop’s Palace (Kromĕříž) 275
Admiralty (St Petersburg) 13, 143, 146, Amphitheatre (Salona) 451 Archbishop’s Palace (Trnava) 300
147, 158, 159 András II, King of Hungary 334 Archbishop’s Palace (Veszprém) 354
Adria Airways 425, 499, 515 András III, King of Hungary 321 Archbishop’s Palace (Zagreb) 470
Adventures Abroad 21 Andreotti, Paolo 438 Archdiocesan Museum (Wrocław) 200
Aeroflot 21, 161, 315 Andrew II, King 294, 474 Archdiocese Museum (Poznań) 207
Afi Palace Cotroceni Andrić, Ivo 494 Architecture Museum (Wrocław) 202
(Bucharest) 570, 571 Andropov, Yuriy 133 The Archives of the War Ministry
Agharta Jazz Centrum (Prague) 283 Angla windmills (Saaremaa Island) 111 (St Petersburg) 144
Agnes, St 247 Anitra Travel (Nikšić) 516 Aréna (Bratislava) 317
Air Canada 20, 21 Anna Cave (Bükk National Park) 367 Aréna Rīga 94, 95
Air France 217, 375, 479 Anna Dandolo, Queen 535 The Ark, Old-New Synagogue
Air Serbia 499, 515, 537 Anna Ivanovna, Duchess of Courland 89 (Prague) 249
Air Slovakia 315 Anna, Margit 345 Armorial Hall (Winter Palace) 155
Air travel 20–21 Anna, Tsarina 130 Arneri Castle (Korčula) 445
Bosnia and Herzegovina 499 Anna Vasa 208 Árpád, Prince 321, 337, 350, 359
Bulgaria 607 Anna Nova (St Petersburg) 162, 163 Arsenal (Hvar) 454
Croatia 479 Ännchen of Tharau (Klaipėda) 64 Art Galleries see Museums
Czech Republic 281 Anneli Viik (Tallinn) 118, 119 and Galleries
Estonia 116–17 Antal, Károly 339 Art Nouveau Rīga 94, 95
Hungary 375 d’Anthès (French officer) 138, 157 Artists’ Hill (Sigulda) 90
Latvia 93 Anthony Frost English Bookshop The Artist’s Studio (Vermeer) 385
Lithuania 69 (Bucharest) 570, 571 Artists’ Union Exhibition Hall
Montenegro 515 Anthony of Padova, St 369 (Vilnius) 70, 71
Moscow and St Petersburg 161 Anthony’s Shaft (Idrija) 412 Arts Square (St Petersburg) 158
Poland 217 Antikvariát Pražský Almanach (Prague) Artus Court (Gdańsk) 214
Romania 569 282, 283 As Mediph (Podgorica) 514, 515
Serbia 537 Antique Centre (St Petersburg) 162, 163 Ascension (Koloszvári) 348
Slovakia 315 Antiques Asenevtsi Monument
Slovenia 425 Czech Republic 282 (Veliko Tûrnovo) 598
Vienna 388–9 Estonia 118 Asenova Gate (Veliko Tûrnovo) 600
airBaltic 69, 93, 117 Hungary 376 Ash Pond (Auschwitz II) 199
Ajka Crystal (Budapest) 376, 377 Latvia 94 Ashkenazi Jews 34, 247
Aken, Hans von 107 Lithuania 70 Ashkenazi Synagogue
Aladzha Monastery (Bulgaria) 604 Moscow and St Petersburg 162 (Sarajevo) 489, 492
Albertina (Hofburg Complex) 382 Poland 218 Asimov Tower (Dubrovnik) 439
Aleko Konstantinov Satirical Theatre Romania 570 Asociácia Informačných Centier
(Sofia) 609 Slovakia 316 Slovenska (AICES) 314, 315
Aleksandûr Batenberg I, Prince 603 Antykwariat Daes (Wrocław) 218, 219 Asparuh, Khan 37
Aleksandûr Nevski, Prince Anželika Cholina Dance Theatre Aspazija see Rozenberga, Elza
of Novgorod 582 (Vilnius) 71 Aspazija House (Jūrmala) 86
Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial Church Apáca utca (Pécs) 362 Assembly Hall (Palace of Parliament,
(Sofia) 395, 578, 582–3 Apollon Gay Club (Bratislava) 316, 317 Bucharest) 549
Aleš, Mikoláš 242, 245, 266 Apollonia Arts Festival (Sozopol) 605 Assembly Hall (Wrocław University) 200
Alexander I, Tsar 147 Apor, Vilmos 351 The Assembly of the Olympic Gods
State Apartments (Hofburg The Apostles Peter and Paul (El Greco) 153 (Rubens) 230
Complex) 384 Apotheosis of Gdańsk (Blocke) 214 Assumption of the Virgin (Titian) 348
Alexander II, Tsar Apotheosis of St Charles Borromeo Astorka Theatre (Bratislava) 317
assassination of 154, 157 (Rottmayr) 387 Astronomical Clock (Prague) 10, 245
White Hall (Winter Palace) 155 Apparition Hill (Međjugorje) 497 At the Red Lobster (Bratislava) 295
Alexander III, Tsar 109 The Appearance of Christ to the People Atanasov, Alexi 593
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Ivanov) 140 Ateneum (Warsaw) 218, 219
(Tallinn) 109 Applied Arts Museum (Poznań) 205 Atlantis (Tartu) 118, 119
Archbishop’s Palace (Kromĕříž) 275 Applied Arts Museum (Vilnius) 54–5 ATMs 18
Church on Spilled Blood (St April Rising of 1876 596 see also Banking and Currency
Petersburg) 157 Apted, Michael 139 Atrium Music Club (Balatonfüred) 377
Alexander, King of Yugoslavia 530 Aquariums Attila the Hun 321
Alexander Column (St Petersburg) 147 Dubrovnik 439 Auditorium, National Theatre
Alexander Hall (Winter Palace, St Piran 411 (Prague) 255
Petersburg) 155 Varna 603 Augustinčić, Antun 470
GENERAL INDEX 613
Augustinerkirche (Vienna) 382, 384 Bansko 577, 588, 591 Belgrade Bus Station 537
Augustinian Monastery (Brno) 277 hotels 610 Belgrade Church and Museum of
Augustus III, King of Poland 178 restaurants 611 Serbian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Art
Augustyn Locci the Elder 177 Bansko Jazz Festival 609 (Szentendre) 344–5
Aukso Avis (Vilnius) 70, 71 Baptism of Christ (Hamzić) 438 Belgrade Dance Festival 538
Aula (Vilnius) 70, 71 “Baptism on the Savica” (Prešeren) 416 Belgrade International Theatre Festival
Auracom 69 Bar 507, 516 (BITEF) 538
Auschwitz 196–9, 341, 363 hotels 517 Belgrade Music Festival 538
Auschwitz I 196–7 restaurants 518 Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra
Auschwitz II 198–9 Barcsay, Jenő 346 538
Austrian Airlines 20, 21, 69, 161, 315, Barcsay Collection (Szentendre) 346 Bellotto, Bernardo 178
388, 389, 479, 499 Bars and Pubs Bely, Andrei 136
Austrian Museum of Applied Arts Bulgaria 608 Bely House-Museum (Moscow) 136
(Vienna) 387 Croatia 480–81 Benedictine Church (Sopron) 352
Autobusni Kolodvor Zagreb 479 Czech Republic 283 Benekit v.o.s. (Bratislava) 316
Autobusová Stanica Bratislava 315 Estonia 118 Benetović, Martin 455
Autoosta 93 Hungary 377 Benkovski, Georgi 597
Ave Sol (Rīga) 95 Latvia 94 Benkovski House (Koprivshtitsa) 597
Avenue Mall (Zagreb) 480, 481 Lithuania 70 Benois, Alexandre 159
Avis 23, 217, 281, 479, 569, 607 Montenegro 516 Beoizlog (Belgrade) 538
Ayazmoto 593 Moscow and St Petersburg 162 Bergl, Johann 340
Poland 218 Bernardine Church and Monastery
B Romania 570 (Wrocław) 202
Babanovac 494 Serbia 538 Berrecci, Bartolomeo 193
Babenberg Dynasty 381 Slovakia 316 Bey, Gazi Husrev 491
Babeş-Bolyai University (Cluj-Napoca) Slovenia 426 BH Airlines 499
565 Barth, Wilhelm 213 Bicycles see Cycling
Babino Polje 443 Bartók, Béla 322 Big Fountain of Onofrio
Bábkarska Bystrica (Puppet Festival) Basil III 139 (Dubrovnik) 434
317 Basil, St 513 Big Square (Hradec Králové) 260
Bacciarelli, Marcello 178 relics (Ostrog Monastery) 513 Bihać 495
Bachkovo Monastery 592–3 Basilian Monastery (Vilnius) 57 hotels 500
hotels 610 Basilicas restaurants 501
restaurants 611 Basilica of St Procopius (Třebíč) 274 Bijedić, Džemal 497
Baer, Karl Ernst von 115 Esztergom Basilica (Esztergom) Bilešu Paradīze (Rīga) 95
Bajloni, Ignat 529 343, 348 Birkenau see Auschwitz II
Bakony Regional Folk House Euphrasian Basilica (Poreč) 37, 464–5 Biron, Ernst Johann 88, 89
(Veszprém) 355 St Anne’s Basilica (Liepāja) 87 Bišćević House (Mostar) 497
Bakouriani, Abbasi 592 St George’s Basilica and Convent Biševo 453
Bakouriani, Grigori 592 (Prague) 229, 230–31 Bishop’s Castle (Saaremaa Island) 111
Bakst, Léon 159 St Stephen’s Basilica (Budapest) 338, Bishop’s Complex (Salona) 450
Balaton Festival 358 376, 377 Bishop’s Palace (Eger) 368, 370
Balaton Museum (Keszthely) 358 Bassano, Leandro da 454, 455 Bishop’s Palace (Győr) 351
Balatonberény 356 The Bather (Renoir) 473 Bishop’s Palace (Novi Sad) 532
Balatonfenyves 356 Baths (Salona) 450 Bishop’s Palace (Pécs) 362
Balatonföldvár 357 Batthyány, Josef (Archbishop) Bishop’s Palace (Székesfehérvár) 350
Balatonmáriafürdő 356 293, 294 Bishop’s Residence (Euphrasian
Balatonszemes 357 Battle of Grünwald (Matejko) 48, 183 Basilica) 464
Baldwin, Emperor of Constantinople 600 Battles see by name Bistritsa Palace (Borovets) 590
Baldwin’s Tower (Veliko Turnovo) 600 Bażanka, Kacper 189 Bites Blūza Klubs (Rīga) 95
Bálint Balassa Museum Beaches Bix (Vilnius) 70, 71
(Esztergom) 349 Beach (Peter and Paul Fortress) 144 Black Church (Braşov) 555
Ballet see Dance Jūrmala 86 Black Madonna of Częstochowa 340
The Ballets Russes 159 Liepāja Beach 87 Black Tower (České Budĕjovice)
Balti Jaam (Tallinn) 117 Montenegro 507 270–71
Baltic Beach (Curonian Spit National Sunny Beach 605 Blacksmiths’ Museum (Klaipėda) 64
Park) 66 Bear Tower (Jajce) 495 Blaise, St 434, 438
The Baltic Times 119 Beethoven Frieze (Klimt) 387 Blato (Korčula) 445
Ban Berislavic (Meštrović) 457 Beethoven, Ludwig van 158 Blaž of Trogir 444
Banat Museum (Timişoara) 561 Behrens, Peter 147 Bled 416–17
Banking and Currency 19 Beit Bella Synagogue (Tallinn) 34 hotels 428
Bosnia and Herzegovina 498 Béla III, King 474 map 417
Bulgaria 606 Hungarian National Gallery 328 restaurants 429
Croatia 478 tomb of (Mátyás Church, Bled Castle (Bled) 396, 416
Czech Republic 280 Budapest) 331 Bled Island (Bled) 416–17
Estonia 116 Béla IV, King 326, 343, 471 Bled Rafting 427
Hungary 374 Béla Tower (Mátyás Church, Blocke, Abraham van den 214
Latvia 92 Budapest) 330 Blocke, Izaak van den 212, 214
Lithuania 68 Royal Palace (Visegrád) 347 Bloody Sunday (1905) 147
Montenegro 514 St Stephen’s Cathedral Bloody Tower (Herceg Novi) 509
Moscow and St Petersburg 160 (Székesfehérvár) 350 Blue Line 479
Poland 216 Béla Tower (Mátyás Church, Blue Note Club (Poznan) 218, 219
Romania 568 Budapest) 330 Bninski, Bishop Andrzej 206
Serbia 536 Bélapátfalva 366 Boat travel 23
Slovakia 315 Belgrade 395, 524–31 Croatia 479
Slovenia 424 airport 537 Estonia 117
Vienna 388 hotels 539 Latvia 93
Ban’s Palace (Zagreb) 468 itinerary 11 Lithuania 69
Banská Bystrica 306 map 524–5 Montenegro 515
puppet festival 317 restaurants 540–41 Moscow and St Petersburg 161
restaurants 319 Belgrade, Battle of 344 Poland 217
614 GENERAL INDEX
Bogapott (Tallinn) 118, 119 Bravo (Pärnu) 118, 119 Bulgars 37

Bogdányi Utca (Szentendre) 345 Bread Cutter (Kovács) 346 Bulić, Frane 450
Bogišić, Baltazar 441 Brewery Museum (Plzeň) 267 Bullo, G B 260
Bohemian Switzerland see České Brezhnev, Leonid 133 Bull’s Blood Wine 368, 371
Švýcarsko Bric-à-Brac Market (Sofia) 608, 609 Burgas 605
Bojnice Castle 304–5 Bridge of the First Shot airport 607
hotels 318 (Koprivshtitsa) 596 hotels 610
Bokar Fort (Dubrovnik) 439 Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising Burggarten and Volksgarten
Boleslav II, Prince 223, 230 (SNP) see SNP Bridge (Hofburg Complex) 384
Bołesław II the Bold 207 British Airways 161, 217, 375, 388, 389, Burgtheater (Vienna) 386, 389
Bołesław III Wrymouth 204 607 Bursztynowa Komnata (Gdańsk) 218
Bolesławiec (Warsaw) 218, 219 Brno 276–7 Busatlija, Karo Mahmud Pasha 511
Bollè, Hermann 470 hotels 284 Buses 23
Bolshoy Theatre (Moscow) 162, 163 map 277 Bosnia and Herzegovina 499
Bonadura, Cristoforo the Elder 206 Brodvėjus (Vilnius) 71 Bulgaria 607
BonBon (Tallinn) 118, 119 Brokof, Ferdinand 231, 236 Croatia 479
Bonino of Milan 440 Brokof, Maximilian 246 Czech Republic 281
Bonnie and Clyde (Tallinn) 118, 119 The Bronze Horseman (statue) 13, 146 Hungary 375
Bookshops Brotherhood of Blackheads 107 Lithuania 69
Romania 571 Brožík, Václav 254 Montenegro 515
Slovenia 426 Bruegel, Pieter the Elder Poland 217
Bordon, Paris 438 Hunters in the Snow 385 Romania 569
Borház (Budapest) 376 St John the Baptist’s Sermon 342 Serbia 537
Boris III, Tsar 580 The Seasons 385 Slovenia 425
grave of (Rila Monastery) 587, 588 The Tower of Babel 385 Busterminal Erdberg (Vienna) 388, 389
Bořivoj, Prince 230 Brukenthal, Samuel von 560 Butchers’ Market (České Budéjovice)
Born, Max 200 Brunsberg, Heinrich 206 270
Borovets 577, 590 Brusa Bazaar 491 Buxhoevden, Albert von (Bishop) 80
hotels 610 Bryullov, Aleksandr 147, 155 Buzsák 357
Bory, Jeno 350 Bryullov, Karl 146
Bory Castle (Székesfehérvár) 350 BTH Tourinform 374, 375
Boschetus, Juan 454 Buća-Luković Summer Palace C
Bosnia and Herzegovina 484–501 (Tivat) 509 C&I Bus terminal (Bucharest) 569
history 485–6 Bucharest 546–53 Caesar, Julius 278
hotels 500 hotels 572 Caesar Fountain (Olomouc) 278
language and culture 486 itinerary 12 Caesarea Gate (Salona) 450–51
map: Exploring Bosnia and map 546–7 Café Amigo (Tallinn) 119
Herzegovina 487 restaurants 573 Café Kút (Bratislava) 316, 317
restaurants 501 Bucharest Main Post Office 569 Café of the Question Mark
travel 498–9 Bucharest National Opera 571 (Belgrade) 529
Bosnian War 486, 488, 490, 496 Bucharest of Old 571 Cage of Disgrace (Levoča) 308
Botanical Gardens (Cluj-Napoca) 565 Bucovina Monasteries Tour 566 Čák, Matúš 304
Botticelli, Sandro 183 Bucureşti Militari 569 Calasanctius, St Joseph 364
Boucher, François 153 Budapest 28, 166–7, 321, 324–43 Calvinist Reformed College
Boutique Croata (Zagreb) 480, 481 airport 375 (Debrecen) 372
Bovec 413, 414 hotels 378 Camesina, Albert 387
Boyadzhiev, Zlatyu 581 itinerary 13 Cankar, Ivan 406
Božidarević, Nikola 441 map 324–5 Cankar Memorial Room (Ljubljana) 406
Brač 447, 452–3 restaurants 379 Cankarjev Dom (Ljubljana) 426, 427
hotels 482 Street-by-Street map: Gellért Hill Canova, Antonio 153, 182
map 452 332–3 Čapek, Josef 261
restaurants 483 Street-by-Street map: The Royal Caporetto, Battle of 412, 414
Brace Radić Square (Split) 446 Palace 326–7 Captain’s Tower (Bihać) 495
Brahe, Tycho 246 Budapest History Museum 13, 328 Car rental and travelling by car 23
Bran Castle (Romania) 33, 542, 556–7 Budget (car rental) 23, 281, Bosnia and Herzegovina 499
Brâncuşi, Constantin 552 499, 537, 607 Bulgaria 607
Brandl, Petr Budget travel agencies 20, 21 Croatia 479
Cathedral of the Holy Ghost (Hradec Budva 502, 505, 508 Czech Republic 281
Králové) 260 hotels 517 Estonia 117
Church of the Assumption of the restaurants 518 Hungary 375
Virgin Mary (Hradec Králové) 260 Budva City Theatre 516 Latvia 93
Church of St James (Prague) 246 Budvar Brewery (České Budĕjovice) Lithuania 69
Prague Castle Picture Gallery 230 271 Montenegro 515
Brandt, Willy 182 Budyń, Jacek 179 Poland 217
Braşov 8–9, 555 Buffalini, Andrea 438 Romania 569
hotels 572 Bükk Mountains 366–7 Serbia 537
restaurants 573 Bükk National Park 366–7 Slovenia 425
Bratislava 290–99 Bukovac, Vlaho 441 Cardinal Cesi’s Garden in
airport 315 The Croatian Renewal 472 Rome (Cleve) 234
hotels 318 Buldus, Bishop 371 Carmelite Church (Warsaw) 180
map: Exploring Bratislava 290–91 Bulgaria 27, 574–611 Carnival of Kotor 516
restaurants 319 history 575–6 Carol I, King of Romania 395, 544, 558
Street-by-Street map: Old Town hotels 610 Mahmudiye Mosque (Constanţa) 567
292–3 language and culture 576 Peleş Castle 558–9
Bratislava Castle 295, 299 map: Exploring Bulgaria 577 Royal Palace (Bucharest) 552
Bratislava Jazz Days 317 restaurants 611 statue of 558
Bratislava Main Train Station 315 shopping and entertainment 608–9 Carol II, King of Romania 553
Bratislava Music Festival 317 travel 606–7 Carolinium (Prague) 243
Bratislavská Informačná Služba (BIS) Bulgaria Air 607 Carpaccio, Vittore 410, 459
314, 315 Bulgaria Concert Hall (Sofia) 608, 609 Portrait of a Man 444
Braun, Matthias Bulgarian Philharmonic Orchestra 608 Carpe Diem (Hvar) 481
St Luitgard 241 Bulgarian State Railways 607 Carpe Diem (Rīga) 95
Thun-Hohenstein Palace (Prague) 236 Bulgarian Tourism Authority 606, 607 Carriage Museum (Keszthely) 360
GENERAL INDEX 615
Casa del Havana (Bratislava) 316, 317 Catenaci, Jan 204, 206 Cathedrals (cont.)
Casagrande, Marco 368 Cathedral Square (Vilnius) 54 St Michael’s Cathedral
Casimir IV, King of Poland 53 Cathedrals (Veszprém) 354
Casimir, St 53 Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Tallinn) St Nicholas’s Cathedral (České
Church of St Casimir (Vilnius) 58 13, 109 Budéjovice) 271
Vilnius Cathedral 45 Cathedral of the Annunciation St Nicholas’s Cathedral (Ljubljana)
Casino Aladins (Rīga) 94, 95 (Moscow) 129, 131 402, 404
Častá 299 Cathedral of the Archangel (Moscow) St Peter’s Cathedral (Pécs) 362
Castle Gate and Museum 129, 131 St Stephen’s Cathedral
(Veszprém) 354 Cathedral of the Assumption (Székesfehérvár) 350
Castle Museum (Klaipėda) 64 of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Zagreb) St Tryphon’s Cathedral (Kotor) 510
Castle Park (Cēsis) 91 467, 470 St Vitus’s Cathedral (Prague) 10, 38,
Castle Square (Prague) 231 Cathedral of the Assumption 228, 232–3
Castle Theatre (Český Krumlov) 273 (Koper) 410 St Wenceslas Cathedral
Castles and Fortresses 32–3 Cathedral of the Assumption (Olomouc) 279
Arneri Castle (Blato) 445 (Moscow) 126, 129, 130–31 Stephansdom (Vienna) 10, 386
Barbican and City Walls (Warsaw) 177 Cathedral of the Assumption Vilnius Cathedral 52–3
Bishop’s Castle (Saaremaa Island) 111 (Varaždin) 474 Catherine I, Empress
Bled Castle (Bled) 398, 416 Cathedral of the Assumption Kadriorg Palace (Tallinn) 109
Bojnice Castle 304–5 (Varna) 602 Summer Palace (St Petersburg) 156
Bokar Fort (Dubrovnik) 439 Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer Catherine II, Empress 89, 124
Bory Castle (Székesfehérvár) 350 (Moscow) 138–9 The Bronze Horseman 146
Bran Castle 33, 542, 556–7 Cathedral of the Holy Ghost (Hradec Classical Art 152
Bratislava Castle 295, 299 Králové) 260 French and English Art 153
Castle of the Teutonic Cathedral of St Anastasia (Zadar) 459 The Hermitage 148–9
Knights (Toruń) 209 Cathedral of St Bartholomew St Catherine’s Church (Pärnu) 112
Devín Castle 299 (Plzen) 268–9 Summer Garden (St Petersburg) 156
Eger Castle 370–71 Cathedral of St Domnius (Split) 449 Cava, Onofrio della 434, 438
Fort of St John (Dubrovnik) 437, 439 Cathedral of St Euphemia Caves
Forte Mare Castle (Herceg Novi) 509 (Rovinj) 463 Anna Cave (Bükk National Park) 367
Fortifications on the Wawel (Krakow) Cathedral of St John the Baptist Cave (Predjama Castle) 409
190, 191 (Maribor) 422 Postojna Caves 408–9
Jurisics Castle (Kőszeg) 353 Cathedral of St John the Baptist Resava Cave (Despotovac) 534
Kaiserhaus Castle (Poznań) 207 (Trnava) 302–3 Riežupe Sand Caves (Kuldīga) 86
Kalemegdan Fortress (Belgrade) 11, Cathedral of St John the Baptist Škocjan Caves 410
33, 395, 526–7 (Wrocław) 200 Subalyuk Cave 367
Kamerlengo Castle and St Mark’s Cathedral of St John (Warsaw) Cavtat 392–3, 441
Tower (Trogir) 457 176, 178 Ceauseşcu, Nicolae (President) 41, 544,
Karlštejn Castle 32 Cathedral of St Lawrence (Trogir) 456 546, 548, 561
Kaunas Castle 62 Cathedral of St Mark (Korčula Communist Party Headquarters
Klaipėda 64 Town) 444 (Bucharest) 551
Krumlov Castle (Český Krumlov) 273 Cathedral of St Mary the Great Palace of Parliament (Bucharest)
Ljubljana Castle 403, 404 (Rab) 462 548–9
Lower Castle (Vilnius) 54 Cathedral of St Stephen (Hvar) 454 Stavropoleos Church (Bucharest) 550
Malbork Castle 32, 209 Cathedral of St Vitus (Rijeka) 462 Çelebi, Evliya 334
Maribor Castle 422 Cathedral of Sts Peter and Celetná Ulice (Prague) 243, 246
Mikulov Castle 275 Paul (Brno) 276 Cellini (Bucharest) 570, 571
Museum of Weapons and Town Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul Cemeteries
Fortifications (Bratislava) 295 (Kaunas) 62–3 Municipal Cemetery (Varaždin) 475
New Castle (Sigulda) 90 Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul Old Jewish Cemetery (Prague) 250
Outer Walls (Salona) 450 (St Petersburg) 145 Remu’h Cemetery (Krakow) 195
Peleş Castle 395, 545, 558–9 Dome Cathedral (Rīga) 12, 80 Central Eastern Europe 166–391
Peter and Paul Fortress (St Dubrovnik Cathedral 11, 436, 438–9 map 168–9
Petersburg) 13, 144–5 Eger Cathedral (Eger) 368 Central European Time (CET) 16
Petrovaradin Fortress (Novi Sad) 532–3 Evangelical Cathedral (Sibiu) 560 Central Market (Rīga) 94, 95
Prague Castle 222, 228–9 Győr Cathedral 351 Central Market Hall (Budapest)
Predjama Castle 409 Krakow Cathedral 11, 184, 376, 377
Przemysław Castle (Poznań) 205 190, 192–3 Central Railway Station (Rīga) 93
Ptuj Castle 423 Orthodox Cathedral (Belgrade) Centromerkur Building (Ljubljana) 405
Râşnov Fortress 557 11, 529 Centrotrans 499
Red Stone Castle 299 Orthodox Cathedral (Braşov) 555 Cepelia (Poland) 218, 219
Revelin Fort (Dubrovnik) 439 Orthodox Cathedral (Cluj-Napoca) Ceramics
Rīga Castle 12, 80–81 564, 564–5 Czech Republic 282
Royal Castle (Warsaw) 174, 176, 178 Orthodox Cathedral (Timişoara) 561 Hungary 376
Sárvár Castle 353 Orthodox Cathedral of the Ceresola, Venerio 329
Spiš Castle 310–11 Resurrection of Christ Černigoj, Avgust 406
Suceava Fortress (Suceava) 567 (Podgorica) 506 Cēsis 91
Toompea Castle (Tallinn) 109 Poznań Cathedral 207 hotels 96
Trakai Island Castle 33, 46, 60–61 St Barbara’s Cathedral restaurants 97
Travnik Fortress 487, 494 (Kutná Hora) 258–9 České Budéjovice 270–71
Trsat Castle (Rijeka) 462 St Basil’s Cathedral (Moscow) 38, 45, map 271
Tsarevets (Veliko Turnovo) 33, 600–601 132, 134–5 České Dráhy (ČD) 281
Tvrđa Fortress (Osijek) 32, 39, 476 St Elizabeth’s Cathedral (Košice) 312 České Švýcarsko 168, 262–3
Tvrdalj (Stari Grad) 455 St George’s Cathedral (Piran) 411 Český Krumlov 225, 272–3
Tvrđava (Niš) 535 St Isaac’s Cathedral (St Petersburg) hotels 284
Upper Castle (Spiš Castle) 311 125, 146 map 273
Upper Castle (Vilnius) 49, 54 St James’s Cathedral (Rīga) 81 restaurants 285
Vajdahunyad Castle (Budapest) 343 St Joseph’s Cathedral (Liepāja) 87 Český Porcelán (Prague) 282, 283
Varaždin Castle (Varaždin) 474 St Martin’s Cathedral (Bratislava) Cetinje 511
Walls (Dubrovnik) 434 296–7 hotels 517
Wawel Royal Castle (Krakow) 190, St Martin’s Cathedral (Spišská restaurants 518
193, 208 Kapitula) 310 Cetinje Monastery (Cetinje) 511
Znojmo Castle (Znojmo) 274 St Mary’s Cathedral (Novi Sad) 532 Četri Balti Krekli (Rīga) 94, 95
616 GENERAL INDEX
Cézanne, Paul 138, 153 Churches (cont.) Churches (cont.)

Chagall, Marc 138 Assumption of the Virgin Mary Piarist Church and School
Chain Bridge (Budapest) 166–7, 338 (Trnava) 301 (Kecskemét) 364
Chapels Augustinerkirche (Vienna) 382, 384 Preobraženska Church
Castle Chapel (Spiš Castle) 311 Belgrade Church (Szentendre) 344–5 (Szentendre) 345
Central Chapel of the Intercession Benedictine Church (Sopron) 352 Princely Church (Curtea de Argeş) 555
(St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow) 135 Bernardine Church and Monastery Rock Church (Gellért Hill,
Chapel of the Blessed Virgin (Lost (Wrocław) 202 Budapest) 333
Wawel Exhibition, Krakow) 191 Black Church (Braşov) 555 Russian Church (Bucharest) 551
Chapel (Bojnice Castle) 304 Blagoveštenska Church Russian Church (Sofia) 581
Chapel of the Entry of Christ into (Szentendre) 344 St Adalbert’s Church (Krakow) 186
Jerusalem (St Basil’s Cathedral, Carmelite Church (Warsaw) 180 St Anne (Warsaw) 180
Moscow) 135 Church of the Visitation (Warsaw) 181 St Anne’s Basilica (Liepāja) 87
Chapel of the Honourable Cross Dome Cathedral (Rīga) 80 St Anthony (Kobarid) 414
(Ostrog Monastery) 513 Dominican Church of Our Lady of St Barbara (Krakow) 187
Chapel of the Iverian Virgin Victory (Vác) 347 St Bernard (Rab) 462
(Resurrection Gate, Moscow) 132 Dominican Monastery and Church of St Blaise (Dubrovnik) 11, 436, 438
Chapel of Prince Mircea (Bran the Sacrifice of the Virgin (České St Casimir (Vilnius) 56, 58
Castle) 556 Budéjovice) 270 St Catherine (Gdańsk) 212
Chapel of St Cyprian (St Basil’s Dormition (Veliko Turnovo) 600 St Catherine (Pärnu) 112
Cathedral, Moscow) 134 Episcopal Church (Curtea de Argeş) St Catherine (Zagreb) 469, 472
Chapel of St George (Ljubljana) 404 555 St Claire (Wrocław) 201
Chapel of St Ivan of Rila (Rila Forty Martyrs (Veliko Turnovo) 600 St Demetrius (Veliko Turnovo) 601
Monastery) 589 Franciscan Church (Bratislava) St Donat (Zadar) 458
Chapel of St John the Almsgiver 293, 294 St Elizabeth (Pärnu) 101, 112
(St Martin’s Cathedral, Bratislava) 296 Franciscan Church (Keszthely) 358 St Elizabeth (Wrocław) 203
Chapel of St Wenceslas (St Vitus’s Franciscan Church (Ljubljana) 405 St Francis (Split) 446
Cathedral, Prague) 233 Franciscan Church of the St George (Kaunas) 62
Chapel of Sveta Petka (Kalemegdan Annunciation (Ljubljana) 402 St George (Podgorica) 506
Fortress) 527 Franciscan Church of St Anthony St George (Ptuj) 423
Festetics Palace chapel (Keszthely) 361 (Sarajevo) 492 St George (Veliko Turnovo) 600
Gizella Chapel (Veszprém) 354 Great Catholic Church St Giles (Prague) 251
Hofburgkapelle (Hofburg Complex) (Kecskemét) 364 St Helen (Trnava) 301
382, 384 Great Reformed Church St Hyacinth Church (Warsaw) 179
Sacristy and Votive Chapel (Debrecen) 372 St Ignatius (Prague) 255
(Euphrasian Basilica, Poreč) 464 on the Hill (Sighişoara) 563 St Ivan’s Catholic Church (Budva) 508
St Anne’s Chapel (St Martin’s Holy Cross (Blato) 445 St Jacob (Trnava) 300
Cathedral, Bratislava) 291, 297 Holy Cross (Brno) 276 St James (Kőszeg) 353
St Jan Sarkander Chapel Holy Cross (Osijek) 476 St James (Levoča) 289, 308
(Olomouc) 278 Holy Cross (Warsaw) 181 St James (Međugorje) 487
St Michael’s Chapel (Košice) 312–13 Holy Cross (Wrocław) 200 St James (Osijek) 477
Sternberg Chapel (Cathedral of Holy Spirit (Lake Bohinj) 421 St James (Prague) 243, 246–7
St Bartholomew, Plzeň) 269 Holy Spirit (Tallinn) 13, 104, 106 St Jerome (Blato) 445
Zygmunt Chapel (Krakow Cathedral) Holy Trinity (Hrastovlje) 411 St John (Lake Bohinj) 421
173, 193 Holy Trinity (Kaunas) 62 St John (Tartu) 114
Charlemagne 287 Holy Trinity (Liepāja) 87 St John (Vilnius) 55
Charles Borromeo, St 387 Holy Trinity (Trnava) 300 St John the Baptist (Trogir) 457
Charles IV, Emperor 38, 223, 230, 251 Holy Trinity (Varaždin) 475 St John the Baptist (Varaždin) 474–5
Charles Square, Prague 255 Inner City Parish Church St Luke (Kotor) 510
Church of Our Lady of the Snows, (Budapest) 339 St Maciej (Wrocław) 201
Prague 254 Inner City Parish Church (Pécs) 363 St Mark (Belgrade) 530
Karlovy Vary 264 Jesuit Church (Bratislava) 293 St Mark (Zagreb) 466, 469, 471
Karlštejn Castle 32, 256, 257 Jesuit Church (Košice) 313 St Martin (Warsaw) 176
Charles XII, King of Sweden 100 Jesus’s Heart Church (Kőszeg) 353 St Mary (Budva) 508
Charles, Archduke of Styria 412 Karja Church (Saaremaa Island) 111 St Mary (Krakow) 11, 186, 188–9
Charles Bridge (Prague) 10, 240–41 Karlskirche (Vienna) 39, 380, 387 St Mary (Gdańsk) 213
Charles Ferenczy Museum King’s Church (Studenica St Mary (Jajce) 494
(Szentendre) 344 Monastery) 534 St Mary (Karlštejn Castle) 257
Charles Square (Prague) 255 Mátyás Church (Budapest) 13, 326, St Mary (Poznań) 206
Charnel House (Kobarid) 414 330–31 St Mary (Toruń) 208
Chekhov, Anton 339 Minorite Church (Eger) 369 St Mary (Zagreb) 470
Cherni Vruh (Mount Vitosha) 585 Mirăuţi Church of St George St Mary Magdalene
Chevra Kadisha 341 (Suceava) 567 (Karlovy Vary) 264
Chocolate Museum (St Petersburg) Monastery Church (Sighişoara) 562 St Mary Magdalene (Wrocław) 202
162, 163 Most Sacred Heart of Jesus St Mary of the Rocks (Lopud) 441
Choral Synagogue (Vilnius) 34 (Poznań) 204 St Maurice (Olomouc) 278
Christ on the Cross (Bassano) 454 Nativity (Rila Monastery) 586, 588 St Michael (Brno) 277
Christ in Majesty (Klodt) 146 New Metropolitan Church (Nesebûr) St Michael (Cluj-Napoca) 564
Christian Museum (Esztergom) 348–9 605 St Michael (Olomouc) 278
Churches Niguliste Church (Tallinn) St Michael (Osijek) 476
Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial Church 13, 105, 107 St Nicholas (Prague) 238–9
(Sofia) 395, 578, 582–3 Old Court Church (Bucharest) St Nicholas (Trnava) 300
All Saints’ Church (Blato) 445 12, 545, 550 St Nicholas (Trogir) 457
All Saints’ Church (Korčula Town) 444 Old Metropolitan Church St Olav (Tallinn) 108
Archangel Michael and Gabriel (Nesebûr) 605 St Pauline Church (Pécs) 363
Orthodox Church (Sarajevo) 490 Our Lady (Strahov Monastery, St Peter (Novi Pazar) 535
Archangel Michael (Herceg Novi) 509 Prague) 236 St Peter (Piran) 411
Ascension of the Virgin Mary (Banská Our Lady before Týn (Prague) St Peter (Rīga) 12, 78, 83, 84
Bystrica) 306 10, 242, 246 St Sava (Belgrade) 531
Assumption (Bled Island) 416–17 Our Lady of the Snows St Saviour (Dubrovnik) 434
Assumption (Varna) 602 (Olomouc) 278 St Theresa (Vilnius) 57
Assumption of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of the Snows (Prague) 254 St Trinity Church (Ostrog
(Hradec Králové) 260 Our Lady of Spilica (Vis) 453 Monastery) 512
GENERAL INDEX 617
Churches (cont.) Climate (cont.) Croatian Ministry of Foreign and

St Vincent (Wrocław) 201 Serbia 536 European Affairs 478, 479
St Vitus (Český Krumlov) 272 Slovakia 314 Croatian Museum of Naïve
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Trsat Slovenia 424 Art (Zagreb) 472
(Rijeka) 462 Vienna 389 Croatian National Theatre (Osijek) 477
on Spilled Blood (St Petersburg) Clinical Hospital Mostar 498, 499 Croatian National Theatre
123, 157 Clock Museum (Klaipėda) 64–5 (Varaždin) 475
Stavropoleos Church (Bucharest) Clock Tower (Dubrovnik) 438 Croatian National Theatre (Zagreb)
12, 550 Clock Tower (Ljubljana) 404 472, 481
Sts Cyril and Methodius (Burgas) 605 Clock Tower (Podgorica) 506 Croatian National Tourist Board 478, 479
Sts Cyril and Methodius (Veliko Clock Tower (Sighişoara) 562 Croatian Railways 479
Tûrnovo) 598 Cloth Hall (Krakow) 11, 169, 186, 187 The Croatian Renewal (Bukovac) 472
Sts Cyril and Methodius (Zagreb) 468 Club A (Bucharest) 570, 571 Crooked Tower (Toruń) 208
Sts Mary Magdalene and Stanisław Club Privé (Tallinn) 118, 119 The Crown Treasury and Armoury
(Poznań) 204 Cluj-Napoca 564–5 (Krakow) 190
Sts Peter and Paul (Krakow) 170, 189 hotels 572 Crucifix (Stoss) 188
Sts Peter and Paul (Karlovy Vary) 265 restaurants 573 Crucifix and Symbols of the Evangelists
Sts Peter and Paul (Osijek) 477 Cluj-Napoca National Opera 571 (Veneziano) 440
Sts Peter and Paul (Veliko Coach travel Crvena (Red) Beach 507
Turnovo) 600 Estonia 117 Crypt (Church of the Holy Cross,
Sts Wenceslas, Stanisław and Dorothy Latvia 93 Brno) 276
(Wrocław) 203 Moscow and St Petersburg 161 Crypt (Vilnius Cathedral) 53
Sveta Bogoroditsa (Bachkovo Slovakia 315 CSA see Czech Airlines (CSA)
Monastery) 593 Vienna 389 Csontváry Museum (Pécs) 362
Sveta Bogoroditsa (Koprivshtitsa) 596 Cometta, Dominik 273 Csontváry, Tivadar Kosztka 328, 362
Sveta Bogoroditsa (Plovdiv) 594 Commandant’s House (Peter and Paul Cuba Libre (St Petersburg) 162, 163
Sveta Marina (Plovdiv) 594 Fortress) 144 Cultur-Comfort Central Ticket Office
Sveta Nedelya (Sofia) 580 Communications 18–19 (Budapest) 377
Sveta Sofia (Sofia) 584 Bosnia and Herzegovina 498 Cultural Historical Museum
Sveta Troitsa (Bansko) 591 Bulgaria 607 (Dubrovnik) 438
Sveti Nikola (Veliko Tûrnovo) 598 Croatia 478 Cultural Information Centre (Krakow) 219
University Church (Budapest) 340 Czech Republic 280–81 Curie, Marie see Skłodowska-Curie, Maria
University Church of the Blessed Estonia 116 Curie, Pierre 179
Name of Jesus (Wrocław) 201 Hungary 374–5 Curonian Spit National Park 27,
Votive Church (Szeged) 373 Latvia 93 47, 49, 66–7
Vytautas Church (Kaunas) 63 Lithuania 68–9 hotels 72
Cinema City Flóra (Prague) 282, 283 Montenegro 514–15 map 66–7
Cinemas Moscow and St Petersburg 160–61 restaurants 73
Bulgaria 609 Poland 216 Currency see Banking and Currency
Czech Republic 282 Romania 568–9 Curtea de Argeş 555
Hungary 376 Serbia 536–7 Curtea Sticlarilor (Bucharest) 570, 571
Cione, Nardo di 305 Slovakia 315 Customs regulations 17
Čipiko Palace (Trogir) 456 Slovenia 424 Estonia 116
Císařský Dum (Plzeň) 266 Vienna 388 Latvia 92
City Gallery (Bratislava) 295 Communist Party Headquarters Lithuania 68
City Hall and National Library (Bucharest) 551 Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion
(Sarajevo) 490 Concentration camps (Kalemegdan Fortress) 527
City Hall Tower (Krakow) 11, 186, 187 Auschwitz I 196–7 Cycling, in Slovenia 427
City History Museum (Varna) 602–3 Auschwitz II 198–9 Cyril, St 37, 240, 468
City Museum (Bratislava) 294 Liberation of the camps 199 Czartoryska, Princess Izabella 189
City Museum (Novi Sad) 533 Concert Hall (Postojna Caves) 409 Czartoryski Museum (Cracaow) 189
City Museum (Podgorica) 506 Concord Square (Český Krumlov) 272 Czech Airlines (CSA) 20, 21, 69, 281, 315
Čiurlionis, Mikalojus Konstantinis 40, 63 Congress Palace (Vilnius) 71 Czech Republic 222–85
Civic Museum (Korčula) 444 Constanţa 567 history 223–4
Civic Museum (Trogir) 456 hotels 572 hotels 284
Clark, Adam 338 restaurants 573 language and culture 224
Clark, William Tierney 338 Constantine the Great, Emperor 535, 567 map: Exploring the Czech Republic 225
Classical art, the Hermitage Contal Travel 21 restaurants 285
(St Petersburg) 152 Continental 20, 21 shopping and entertainment 282–3
Classical Music Convents see Monasteries and Convents travel 280–81
Czech Republic 282–3 Conversion chart 17 Czech Switzerland see České Švýcarsko
Lithuania 71 Copernicus, Nicolaus 181, 208 Czigler, Gyŏzŏ 342
Poland 219 Copernicus House (Toruń) 208 Czóbel, Béla 344
Romania 571 Corvus (Bratislava) 316, 317 Czóbel Museum (Szentendre) 344
Slovenia 426 Council Chamber (Levoèa) 309
Classical Riding School (Lipica) 412 Council of Europe 515 D
Claudius, Emperor 463 Council of Trent 368 D4 (Bratislava) 316, 317
Cleve, Henrick van, Cardinal Cesi’s Count Olivares (Velázquez) 153 Dach, Simon 64
Garden in Rome 234 Cox, James 149 Dacia 543
Cleve, Joos van 206 Crafts see Handicrafts Dailes Theatre (Rīga) 95
Climate 16 Crnojević river 503 Dalibor Tower (Prague Castle) 229
Bosnia and Herzegovina 498 Crnojević, Stefan 503 Dalmatinac, Juraj 438
Bulgaria 606 Croatia 26, 430–83 Damajan, Deodatus 251
Croatia 478 history 431–2 Damyanitza (Bulgaria) 608, 609
Czech Republic 280 hotels 482 Dana-Bohemia (Prague) 282, 283
Estonia 116 language and culture 432 Dance
Hungary 374 map: Exploring Croatia 433 Bulgaria 608–9
Latvia 92 restaurants 483 Croatia 481
Lithuania 68 shopping and entertainment 480–81 Estonia 119
Montenegro 514 travel 478–9 Hungary 376–7
Moscow and St Petersburg 160 Croatia Airlines 479, 499, 515 Latvia 94–5
Poland 216 Croatian Historical Museum Moscow and St Petersburg 162–3
Romania 568 (Zagreb) 468 Poland 219
618 GENERAL INDEX
Dance of Death (John of Kastav) 411 Dmitry, Tsarevich (son of Ivan the Eberle, Jakob 264
Dance Macabre (Notke) 38, 107 Terrible) 129 Eckerö Line 117
Dannenstern House (Rīga) 83 Dobó, István 370 Eco Tours (Kolasin) 516
Danov, Hristo 594 Dobó Bastion (Eger Castle) 370 Ecolines 93, 117, 161
La Danse (Matisse) 151 Dokkoló (Budapest) 377 Edvard Grieg and M. K. Čiurlionis
Danube Delta 567 Dolac Market (Zagreb) 470, 480, 481 Festival 71
Danube Museum (Esztergom) 349 Doll and Waxwork Museum Eesti Muusikafestivalid 119
Danube river 321 (Keszthely) 359 Eger 368–71
Dark Corridor (The Winter Palace) 155 Dolphinarium, Sea Gardens (Varna) 603 hotels 378
Dawe, George 155 Dom Farfora (Moscow) 162, 163 map 369
Dayton Agreement 41, 486 Doma Antikvariāts (Rīga) 94, 95 restaurants 379
Dead Dunes (Curonian Spit National Dome Cathedral (Rīga) 12, 80 Egon Schiele Centre (Český
Park) 67 Dominic, St 440 Krumlov) 272
Deák, Ferenc 338 Dominican Church of Our Lady of Eisenstein, Mikhail 40
Debelyanov, Dimcho 596 Victory (Vác) 347 Elaphite Isles 440–41
Debelyanov House (Koprivshtitsa) 596 Dominican Monastery (Dubrovnik) 11, Elelson, Zalman 84
Debrecen 372 437, 440 Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria
Debrecen Jazz Festival 377 Dominican Monastery (Stari Grad) 455 (Winterhalter) 384
Dĕdeček, V 298 Dominican Monastery (Tallinn) Elizabeth II, Queen 508
Déjà Vu (Tallinn) 118, 119 105, 107 Elizabeth, Empress 112
Delacroix, Eugène 584 Dominican Monastery and Church of Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary 332
Delta (car rental) 515 the Sacrifice of the Virgin (České Elizabeth, Queen of Romania 558
Delta Airlines 20, 21, 375, 388, 389 Budéjovice) 270 Elizabeth, Tsarina 154
Demetrius, St 601 Dominican Museum (Dubrovnik) 440 Embarrassing Proposal (Watteau) 153
The Demon (Lermontov) 140 Domodedovo (Moscow) 161 Embassies and Consulates
Demon Seated (Vrubel) 140 Domšaitis, Pranas 65 Bosnia and Herzegovina 499
Denev, Boris 598 Don Giovanni (Mozart) 251, 386 Bulgaria 607
DenRus 160, 161 Donner, George Raphael 444 Croatia 479
Depo (Rīga) 94, 95 Dorffmaister, István 353 Czech Republic 281
Deposition (Trogiranin) 462 Dorffman (Moscow) 162, 163 Estonia 117
Déri, Frigyes 372 Dormition of the Virgin (Sopoćani Hungary 375
Déry, Tibor 323 Monastery) 535 Latvia 93
Desa, Duke 442 Dorotheum (Prague) 282, 283 Lithuania 69
The Descent of the Holy Ghost Dorothy, St 203 Moscow and St Petersburg 161
(Notke) 106 Dostoevsky, Fyodor 147 Poland 217
Despotovac 534 Dracula see Vlad Tepeş Romania 569
Devil’s Museum (Kaunas) 63 Dracula’s Castle see Bran Castle Serbia 537
Devín Castle 299 Dragalevtsi Monastery Slovakia 315
Dezsó, Laczkó 355 (Mount Vitosha) 585 Slovenia 425
Dezsó Kosztolányi Theatre Dragon Surf Club (Ulcinj) 516 Vienna 388
(Subotica) 538 Dragoval, Hrelyo 589 Emergency Clinic Hospitals (Romania)
Diaghilev, Sergey 159 Drašković Palace (Varaždin) 474 568, 569
Dialling codes 18 Drava river 423, 476 Emergency Medical Service (Sarajevo)
The Diamond (Postojna Caves) 408 Dreyer, Johann Benjamin 214 498, 499
Diana Viewpoint (Karlovy Vary) 265 Drink see Food and Drink Emergency numbers
The Diary of a Madman (Gogol) 147 Driving license 23, 93, 117, 281 Bosnia and Herzegovina 499
Diderot, Denis 147 Druga Godba (Ljubljana) 426, 427 Bulgaria 607
Dientzenhofer, Christoph 238, 239 Drûzhki (Intrepid) 603 Croatia 479
Dientzenhofer, Kilian Ignaz 238, 239 Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary Czech Republic 281
Church of St Mary Magdalene 322, 338 Estonia 117
(Karlovy Vary) 264 Dubrovnik 30, 433, 434–40, 442 Hungary 375
Kinský Palace (Prague) 242 airport 479 Latvia 93
Minorite Church (Eger) 369 hotels 482 Lithuania 69
Dientzenhofer family 239 itinerary 11 Montenegro 515
Dietrich, Josef 270 map 435 Moscow and St Petersburg 161
Dimitrov-Maistora, Vladimir 581, 594 restaurants 483 Poland 217
Diocletian, Emperor 37 Street-by-Street map: Old Town Romania 569
emblem of 449 436–7 Serbia 537
Palace of (Split) 448–9 Dubrovnik Summer Festival 481 Slovakia 315
Dionysios of Syracuse 453 Ducal Palace (Trakai Island Castle) 61 Slovenia 425
Dionysius (icon painter) 131 Ducal Palace (Vilnius) 54 Vienna 388
Disabled People’s National Council Đukanović, Mizo (President) 504 Emihls Gustavs Chocolate (Rīga) 94, 95
(Poland) 216, 217 Duna-Ipoly National Park (Hungary) 347 Emperor Karl VI Gate (Kalemegdan
Disabled travellers 17 Dunes, Shifting 67 Fortress) 527
Bosnia and Herzegovina 498 Dürer, Albrecht 342 Emperor’s Mosque (Sarajevo) 492
Bulgaria 606 Durmitor National Park Encijan Mountain Association 499
Croatia 478 (Montenegro) 511 Enescu, George 551
Czech Republic 280 Durunger, Hans 213 Engineer’s House (Peter and Paul
Estonia 116 Dušan, Stefan 521, 530 Fortress) 145
Hungary 374 Dutch art, and the Hermitage 153 Engler, Michael 278
Latvia 92 Dutch Windmill (Latvian Ethnographic English art, and the Hermitage 153
Lithuania 68 Open-Air Museum) 85 English Gardens (Festetics Palace) 360
Montenegro 514 Dvorzsák, Ede 342 Entertainment see Shopping and
Poland 216 Działyński Palace (Poznań) 205 Entertainment
Romania 568 Dzintara Galerija (Rīga) 94, 95 Eötvös, Baron József 338
Serbia 536 Dzintara Muzejs (Rīga) 94, 95 Episcopal Church (Curtea de
Slovakia 314–15 Argeş) 555
Slovenia 424 E Erdödy, Toma Bakac 470
Vienna 388 Ea Haere Ia Oe (Gauguin) 151 Erkel, Ferenc 338
Distant Chords (Meštrović) 447 Early Christian Mausoleum (Pécs) 362 Erkel Theatre (Budapest) 376, 377
Divadelná Nitra Festival (Nitra) 317 East Slovak Museum (Košice) 313 Erpet Bohemia (Prague) 282, 283
Diving Association of Montenegro 516 easyJet 20, 21, 93, 117, 217, 281, 425, ESSE Jazz Club (Moscow) 162, 163
Djavolja Varoš (Devil’s Town, Serbia) 535 479, 607 Estates Theatre (Prague) 251, 283
GENERAL INDEX 619
Esterházy, Bishop Károly 368 Fat Mo’s (Budapest) 376, 377 Folk Art, Hungary 376
Esterházy, Count Miklós 302 Father and Son Statue (Tartu) 115 Folk Festivals
Esterházy family 342, 351 Fazola, Henrik 368–9 Bulgaria 609
Esterházy Palace (Fertőd) 351 Feigler, I, Jr 298 Estonia 119
Estonia 98–121 Fellner, Ferdinand 208, 264, 265, 298, Slovakia 317
history 99–100 364, 472, 565 Folk Music
hotels 120 Fellner, Jakab 354 Croatia 481
language and culture 100 Felső-Borovnyák 367 Poland 219
map: Exploring Estonia 101 Felsőtárkány 366 Folk-Folk (Bratislava) 316, 317
restaurants 121 Feniks Store (Wrocław) 202 Folkart Centrum (Budapest) 376, 377
shopping and entertainment 118–19 Feodosius (monk) 131 Folkart Kézművesház (Budapest) 376, 377
travel 116–17 Ferdinand I, Emperor 321 Folkloorifestival (Vŏru) 119
Estonian Air 117 Ferdinand II, Emperor 230, 237 Folklore Days Festival (Koprivshtitsa,
Estonian History Museum (Tallinn) 106 Church of St Giles 251 Bulgaria) 609
Estonian Maritime Museum Executions in the Old Town Folly, Róbert 355
(Tallinn) 108 Square 244 Fontaine, Pierre 206
Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 116 Ferdinand II, King of Aragon 34 Fontaine Palace (Liepāja) 94, 95
Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Ferdinand III 247 Fontana, Giovanni 146
Design (Tallinn) 108 Ferdinand, Tsar 583 Fonyód 357
Estonian Music Academy (Tallinn) 119 Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music Food and Drink
Estonian National Museum (Tartu) 115 (Budapest) 376, 377 Bulgaria 608
Esztergom 348–9 Ferenc Liszt Airport (Budapest) 375 Croatia 480
map 349 Ferenc Nádasdy Museum (Sárvár) 353 Czech Republic 282
Esztergom Basilica (Esztergom) 348 Ferenczy, Károly 344 Estonia 118
Esztergom Castle Festival 348 Fernkorn, Dominik 470 Hungary 376
Ethnographic Collection (Koper) 410 Ferramolino, Antonio 439 Latvia 94
Ethnographic Museum (Belgrade) 11, Ferrari, Pompeo 204 Lithuania 70
528, 538 Ferries see Boat travels Montenegro 516
Ethnographic Museum (Sofia) 581 Ferry Terminal (Rīga) 93 Moscow and St Petersburg 162
shop 608, 609 Fertő-Hanság National Park 352 Poland 218
Ethnographic Museum (Varna) 602 Fertőd 351 Romania 570
Ethnographic Museum (Wrocław) 203 Festetics, György 359, 361 Serbia 538
Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania Festetics, Kristóf 361 Slovakia 316
(Cluj-Napoca) 564 Festetics Palace (Keszthely) 358, 360–61 Slovenia 426
Etnobutik Mara (Zagreb) 480, 481 Festival of Dubrovnik 438 Vienna 389
Etnogalerija Skrina (Ljubljana) 426, 427 Festivals see also Restaurants
Eugene Onegin (Pushkin) 157 Croatia 481 The Foreign Book Store (Moscow)
Eugene of Savoy, Prince 327, 382 Estonia 100 162, 163
Euphemia, St 463 Montenegro 516 The Foreign Ministry (Moscow) 136
Euphrasian Basilica (Poreč) 37, 464–5 Poland 219 Forest Trails (Curonian Spit National
Euphrasius, Bishop 464 Romania 571 Park) 67
Eurail 22, 23 Serbia 538 Forman, Miloš 251
Euro, the 19 Slovenia 426 Former Kaiser District (Poznań) 207
Eurolines 23, 93, 117, 281, 388, 389 Feszl, Frigyes 339, 341 Former Synagogue (Hradec Králové) 261
Euromed 160, 161 Fialka, Olga 344 Former Synagogue (Košice) 313
Europcar (car rental) 23, 569, 607 Ficheto, Kolyo 598, 599 Förster, Ludwig 341
Europe avenija (Osijek) 476 Fidlovaćka (Kajetán Tyl) 251 Fort of St John (Dubrovnik) 437, 439
European art, the Hermitage 153 The Field Marshals’ Hall (The Winter Forte Mare Castle (Herceg Novi) 509
European Commission 68, 69 Palace) 155 Fortifications on the Wawel (Krakow)
European Danube Commission 567 Fighting Giants (Platzer) 228 190, 191
European Health Insurance Card Filaret, Patriarch 130 Forum (Salona) 451
(EHIC) 216 Filaret Bus Station (Bucharest) 569 Forum (Zadar) 458
European Medical Centre 160, 161 Filharmonia Baltycka (Gdańsk) 219 Fountain of the Three Rivers of Carniola
European Rail Passes (Eurail) 375 Films see Cinemas (Ljubljana) 403, 405
European Union (EU) 16, 41 Finnair 69, 93, 117 Fragonard, Jean Honoré,
Europebyair 21 Finta, József 339 The Stolen Kiss 153
Euzebiusz, Canon 340 Fioravanti, Aristotele 130 Franchioli, Enrico 159
Evangelical Cathedral (Sibiu) 560 Fiorentino, Francisco 193 Francis I, Emperor 294, 408
Evksinograd Palace (Varna) 603 The Fire (Rusev) 594 Francis, St 477
Executioner’s Bastion (Košice) 313 Firentinac, Nikola 454, 457 Franciscan Church (Bratislava) 293, 294
Executions in the Old Town Square Firewatch Tower (Sopron) 352 Franciscan Church (Keszthely) 358
(Prague) 244 Firework Display at the Castel Franciscan Church (Ljubljana) 405
Exhibition of Antique Machinery Sant’Angelo (Wright) 153 Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
(Jūrmala) 86 First Balkan War (1912) 576 (Ljubljana) 402
EXIT Festival (Novi Sad) 533, 538 First Serbian Uprising 39 Franciscan Church of St Anthony
Exodus 21 Fischer von Erlach, Johann Bernhard (Sarajevo) 492
Expedia 21 39, 246, 276, 387 Franciscan Monastery (Dubrovnik) 435
Explore 21 Fischer von Erlach, Josef Franciscan Monastery (Hvar) 454–5
Expresszó Club (Budapest) 377 Emanuel 343, 384 Franciscan Monastery and Church of
“Fishing and Fishermen’s Conversation” the Assumption (Plzeň) 266–7
(Hektorović) 455 Franciscan Museum (Dubrovnik) 435
F Flagellation of Christ (Tintoretto) 230 Franciscan Square (Bratislava) 291, 292
Fabrique (Moscow) 162, 163 U Flekű (Prague) 255 Frangeš-Mihanović, Robert 476
Fabritius, Carel 183 Flemalle, Master of 153 Franja Partisan Hospital (Idrija) 412
Faceted Palace (The Kremlin, Moscow) Flemish art, and the Hermitage 153 Frankopan, Martin 462
129, 131 Florentine Hall (Peleş Castle) 558 Franz Ferdinand, Archduke 40, 486, 492
Fadrusz, János 326 Florian Gate (Krakow) 187 Franz Joseph I, Emperor 275, 322,
Făgăraş Mountains 543 Fly Niki 388, 389 386, 405
hiking in 554 Fő Square (Keszthely) 358 Museum of Applied Arts (Budapest) 340
Falconet, Etienne 146 Fő Square (Szentendre) 344 Naturhistorisches Museum (Vienna)
Falconi, Giovanni Battista 189 Fokine, Mikhail 159 385
Falcon’s Nest (České Švýcarsko) 262 Fold Bastion Waxworks State Apartments (Hofburg Complex,
Fat Margaret Tower (Tallinn) 13, 108 (Eger Castle) 370 Vienna) 383, 384
620 GENERAL INDEX
Franz Joseph II, Emperor 288 German Railways (Deutsche Great Synagogue (Plzeň) 266
Convent of St Agnes 247 Bahn) 22, 23 Great Theatre (Warsaw) 219
Museum of West Slovakia Geza, Prince 350 El Greco 473
(Trnava) 301 Gheorghiu-Dej, Gheorghe 544, 548 The Apostles Peter and Paul 153
Strahov Monastery 236 Ghetto Uprising of 1943 (Warsaw) 182 Head of Christ 235
Frederick, King of Bohemia 230 Gift shops Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) 342
Fredro, Aleksander 203 Croatia 480 National Art Museum (Bucharest) 552
Freedom Square (Brno) 276 Montenegro 516 Green House see Holocaust Museum
Freitag, Rudolf 215 Poland 218 Green Visions 499
French art, and the Hermitage 153 Romania 570 Griboedov (St Petersburg) 162, 163
Fresco Gallery (Belgrade) 524, 528 Serbia 538 Grieži (Rīga) 94, 95
Freud, Sigmund 35, 387 Slovenia 426 The Griffin’s Talons 215
Freud Museum (Vienna) 387 Vienna 389 Grigorescu, Nicolae
Friazin, Marco Bon 130 Giordano, Luca 153 Art and Ethnographic Museum
Friedrich III 384 Giovane, Palma il 441, 452 (Braşov) 555
Friends (Prague) 283 St Diego 454 Art Museum (Cluj-Napoca) 564
Frycz, Karol 187 St Francis receiving the Stigmata 454 Museum of Art Collections
Fugger, Anton 299 Virgin and Saints 454 (Bucharest) 552
Fuggers family 299 Giovanni, Pietro di 441 National Art Museum and Royal
Furriers’ Tower (Sighişoara) 563 Gizella, Queen 354 Palace (Bucharest) 552
Fürstenberg, Bedřich (Archbishop) 279 Gizella Chapel (Veszprém) 354 National Brukenthal Museum
Glacial lakes (Făgăraş Mountains) 554 (Sibiu) 560
G Glass Grohar, Ivan 40
Gagarin, Yuriy 41, 133 Czech Republic 282 Groppelli, Marino 436
Galeria Krakowska (Krakow) 218, 219 Hungary 376 Gross, Friedrich 202
Galerii Kaks (Tallinn) 118, 119 Glass of Lemonade (Terborch) 153 Grossschmidt, H 112
Galerija Idrijske Čipke Glaubitz, Jan Krzysztof 55 Grünanger, Friedrich 580
(Ljubljana) 426, 427 Gočár, Josef 246, 260 Grünwald (Žalgiris), Battle of 47
Galerija Rogaška (Ljubljana) 426, 427 Gode, L’udovit 293 Guča Trumpet Festival 538
Galleries see Museums and Galleries Gödöllő 346 Gucci, Santi 193
Galleron, Albert 551 Godunov, Tsar Boris 130 Gučetić, Ivan 440
Gameren, Tylman van 179, 182 Gogh, Vincent Van 153 GUM (Moscow) 133
Gan, David 250 Gogol, Nikolai 139, 158 GUnaGU (Bratislava) 317
The Garden of Eden (Savery) 235 The Diary of a Madman 147 Gurowski, Władysław, Grand
Gardens see Parks and Gardens Malaya Morskaya Ulitsa 147 Marshal of Lithuania 205
Gariūnai (Vilnius) 70, 71 The Nose 147 Gustav II Adolph, King of
Gartner, Jakub 300 Gold Drawing Room Sweden 112, 114
Gas Chambers and Crematoria (Winter Palace) 155 Győr 351
(Auschwitz I) 196 Gold Hall (Rundāle Palace) 88 Györgyi, Dénes 358
Gate 1 21 Golden Chapel (Poznań Cathedral) 207 Gypsy Theatre (Moscow) 163
Gate of Hercules (Pula) 463 Golden Gate (Palace of Diocletian,
Gates of Dawn (Vilnius) 57, 58–9 Split) 449
Gateway Travel 21 Golden Hall (Bojnice Castle) 304 H
Gatwick Airport 607 Golden Portal (St Vitus’s Cathedral, Haffner, Jean Georges 209
Gauguin, Paul 151 Prague) 233 Hahn, Hermann 212
Ea Haere Ia Oe 151 Golden Sands 577, 604 Hajós, Alfréd 372
The Great Buddha 138 Golden Unicorn Pharmaceutical Hajruddin, Mimar 496
Gauja National Park 27, 75, 90–91 Museum (Kőszeg) 353 Hala Targowa (Gdańsk) 218, 219
map 90–91 Goldfish (Matisse) 138 Halės Market (Vilnius) 70, 71
Gazi Husrev Bey’s Mosque Goldmark, Karl 358 The Hall of St George (The Winter
(Sarajevo) 491 Goncharova, Natalya 138 Palace) 155
Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque/Inner City Gorbachev, Mikhail (President) Hamam and Tabhana Turkish Baths
Parish Church (Pécs) 363 41, 76, 123 (Mostar) 496
Gdańsk 210–15 The Goreljek Peat-Bog Nature Trail Hamlets (Rīga) 95
hotels 220 (Triglav National Park) 419 Hamvay, Ferenc 346
map 210–11 Gorky, Maxim 133, 139 Hamzić, Mihajlo 438
restaurants 221 Gorky Park (film) 139 Handicrafts
Gdańsk Crane 213 Gorky Park (Moscow) 139 Bulgaria 608
Gdańsk Ferry Terminal 217 Gorodetskiy, Prokhor 131 Croatia 480
Gediminas, Grand Duke 54 Gostinyy Dvor (St Petersburg) 162, 163 Czech Republic 282
Gellért, Bishop (St) 332, 339 Gothic Library (The Winter Palace) 155 Estonia 118
Gellért Hill (Budapest) 332–3 Gothic Room (Bran Castle) 557 Latvia 94
Street-by-Street map 332–3 Gotovac, Tomislav 473 Lithuania 70
Gellért Hotel and Baths Complex Goya y Lucientes, Francisco de 342 Moscow and St Petersburg 162
(Budapest) 333, 334–5 Graff, Johann Michael 89 Poland 218
General Staff Building Grand Ducal burial vault (Peter and Serbia 538
(St Petersburg) 147 Paul Fortress) 144 Slovakia 316
Generalić, Ivan, Woodcutters 472 Grand Hotel (Sopot) 209 Slovenia 426
Genialistide Klubi (Tartu) 118, 119 Grassalkovich I, Antal 346 Handke, Christoph 200
Genocide and Resistance Research Great Armoury (Gdańsk) 213 Hanging Gardens
Centre of Lithuania 59 The Great Buddha (Gauguin) 138 (The Hermitage) 149
George of Brandenburg, Prince 474 Great Capitals 28–9 Hannibal, Abram 157
George Enescu Memorial Museum Great Catholic Church Harley Davidson (Bratislava)
(Bucharest) 551 (Kecskemét) 364 316, 317
George Enescu Philharmonic Great Guild Hall (Tallinn) 106 Hasenauer, Karl von 385, 386
Orchestra 551 Great Hall of the Philharmonia Hauptman House (Ljubljana) 405
George, St 132 (St Petersburg) 163 Hauser, Eduard 477
George the Warrior, St 129 Great Kremlin Palace (The Kremlin) Hauszmann, Alajos 327
Georgikon Farm Museum 125, 128 Havel, Václav 253
(Keszthely) 359 Great Mill (Gdańsk) 212 Havel Market (Prague) 282, 283
Gerlachovský Štít (Tatra Great Reformed Church Haydn, Joseph 351
Mountains) 307 (Debrecen) 372 Haydn Festival 351
German art, and the Hermitage 153 Great Synagogue (Budapest) 34, 341 Head of Christ (El Greco) 235
GENERAL INDEX 621
Health and Security 17 Hipokrat Pharmacy (Plovdiv) 594 House of Craftsmen (Liepāja) 87
Bosnia and Herzegovina 498 Historic Cities 30–31 House of the Golden Sun
Bulgaria 606 Historical Museum (Krakow) 187 (Wrocław) 202
Croatia 478 Historical Museum (Moscow) 132 House of Hungarian Wines (Budapest)
Czech Republic 280 Historical Museum of Poznań 376, 377
Estonia 116 (Poznań) 205 House of the Little Monkey (Veliko
Hungary 374 History 36–41 Tûrnovo) 598
Latvia 92 see also countries by name House of Master Pavol of Levoča
Lithuania 68 History Museum (Braşov) 555 (Levoča) 308
Montenegro 514 History Museum (Melnik) 591 House of the Nuns of Trebnica
Moscow and St Petersburg 160 History Museum (Plovdiv) 595 (Wrocław) 201
Poland 216 History Museum (Sarajevo) 493 House of Palinka (Budapest) 376, 377
Romania 568 History Museum (Sibiu) 560 House of the Seven Electors
Serbia 536 History Museum (Trakai Island (Wrocław) 202
Slovakia 314 Castle) 61 Hradec Králové 260–61
Slovenia 424 History Museum of Latvia (Rīga Castle) map 261
Vienna 388 80–81 Hradec Králové Research Library 261
Heathrow Airport 607 History Museum of Lithuania Minor Hrastovlje 411
Hebenstreit, József 340 (Klaipėda) 64 Hrelyo’s Tower (Rila Monastery) 589
Hefele, Melchior 293 Hitler, Adolf 64 Hristo Danov House (Plovdiv) 594
Esterházy Palace 351 Hlavná (Košice) 312 Hrvatska Kuća Materina prića (Zagreb)
Primate’s Palace 294 Hlavné Námestie (Bratislava) 292 480, 481
Hegedûs, Ármin 334 Hlutev, Gavril see Benkovski, Georgi Hrvoje’s Tower (Split) 446
Heinsch, Jan 246 Hodler, Ferdinand 492 Hummel, Johann Nepomuk 293
Hektorović, Petar 454, 455 Hofburg Complex (Vienna) 10, 382–4 Humor 566
Hektorović Palace (Hvar) 454 Exploring the Hofburg Complex 384 Hungarian Disabled Association
Helikon Palace Museum (Festetics Hofburgkapelle (Hofburg Complex) 374, 375
Palace) 360 382, 384 Hungarian National Gallery (Budapest)
Hell Hunt (Tallinn) 118, 119 Höhne, Anton 205 13, 327, 328, 344
Hell’s Gate (Auschwitz II) 198 Holiday Innn Vilnius 71 Hungarian National Museum
Helmer, Hermann Höller, Carsten 473 (Budapest) 328, 340
Croatian National Theatre Holocaust Museum (Vilnius) 59 Hungarian National Tourist Office
(Varaždin) 475 Holy Cross Chapel (Karlštejn 374, 375
Croatian National Theatre Castle) 256 Hungarian Open-Air Museum
(Zagreb) 472 Holy Cross Church (Blato) 445 (Szentendre) 346
József Katona Theatre Holy Relic of St Ivan (Rila Monastery) Hungarian Photography Museum
(Kecskemét) 364 587 (Kecskemét) 364
Karlovy Vary Theatre 264 Holy Spirit Church (Tallinn) 13, 104, 106 Hungarian Theatre (Kosiče) 316, 317
Market Colonnade (Karlovy Vary) 264 Holy Trinity Church (Hrastovlje) 411 Hungary 320–79
National Theatre and Opera (Cluj- Holy Trinity Church (Liepāja) 87 history 321–2, 323
Napoca) 565 Holy Trinity Church (Trnava) 300 hotels 378
Park Spring Colonnade Holy Trinity Column (Olomouc) 278 language and culture 322–3
(Karlovy Vary) 265 Holy Trinity Monument map: Exploring Hungary 322–3
Slovak National Theatre 298 (Kecskemét) 364 restaurants 379
Wilam Horzyca Theatre (Toruń) 208 Holy Trinity Square (Budapest) 329 shopping and entertainment 376–7
Hemingway (Split) 481 Holy Trinity Square (Trnava) 300 travel 374–5
Henry IV of Poland 200, 201 Homage to Prague (Špillar) 252 Hunters in the Snow (Bruegel) 385
Hen’s Foot Tower (Wawel Royal Homeland Museum (Bar) 507 Hurt, Jakob 115
Castle) 193 Homo Novus (dance festival) 95 Hus, Jan 38, 224, 242
Herăstrău Park and Lake Hörger, Anton 329 Hvar 447, 454–5
(Bucharest) 553 Horowitz, Aaron Meshulam 250 hotels 482
Herceg Novi 509 Hortobágy 373 map 454–5
restaurants 518 Hortobágy Máta Stud Farm restaurants 483
Herend (Budapest) 376, 377 (Hortobágy) 373 Hvar Town 454
Herle, Simon 214 Hortobágy National Park 373 Hybrydy (Warsaw) 218, 219
The Hermitage 13, 45, 148–55 Hotel Bristol (Warsaw) 180
collections 150–51 Hotels
gallery guide 150 Bosnia and Herzegovina 500 I
map: Exploring the Hermitage Bulgaria 610 I Love You (Rīga) 94, 95
Collections 150–51 Croatia 482 Iancu, Avram 564
Heroes’ Gate (Kőszeg) 353 Czech Republic 284 Icon of the Archangel Michael
Heroes’ Square (Budapest) 341 Estonia 120 (Cathedral of the Archangel) 131
Hertz (car rental) 23, 217, 479, 537, 569 Hungary 378 Icon Gallery (Korčula) 445
Herzegovina Museum (Mostar) 497 Latvia 96 Icon Gallery in Crypt (Aleksandûr
Herzen House-Museum (Moscow) 137 Lithuania 72 Nevski Memorial Church, Sofia) 582
Herzer Palace (Varaždin) 475 Montenegro 517 Icon Museum (Plovdiv) 594–5
Herzog, Fülöp 342 Moscow 164 Iconostasis
Herzog, Roman 179 Poland 220 Aleksandûr Nevski Memorial Church
Hetzel, Henryk 213 Romania 572 (Sofia) 583
Hevelius, Jan 212 St Petersburg 164 Bachkovo Monastery (Bulgaria) 593
High Synagogue (Krakow) 195 Serbia 539 Rila Monastery 587
Hiiu Folk Festival (Hiiumaa) 119 Slovakia 318 St Basil’s Cathedral (Moscow) 135
Hiking Slovenia 428 Identity cards 16
Făgăraş Mountains 554 Vienna 390 Idrija 412
Slovenia 427 Houdon, Jean-Antoine 151 Igalo, Healing Mud 509
Hild, János 339 House at the Good Shepherd Ignatius of Loyola, St 255
Hild, József 338, 339, 368 (Bratislava) 295 IIC Bratianu Hall, Palace of Parliament
Hildebrandt, Franz Anton 298 House of the Black Madonna (Bucharest) 548
Hildebrandt, Johann Lucas von 202 (Prague) 246 Illusion (Tartu) 118, 119
Hill of Witches (Curonian Spit National House of Blackheads (Rīga) 12, Illyria 36
Park) 67 74, 82, 84 Ilonka 326, 329
Hindliyan, Stepan 595 House of Blackheads (Tallinn) 13, Imaret Mosque (Plovdiv) 595
Hindliyan House (Plovdiv) 595 104, 107 Imperial Baths (Karlovy Vary) 264
622 GENERAL INDEX
Imperial House (Plzeń) 266 J Kaczyńsky, Lech 41

Imperial Porcelain Factory Kadriorg Palace (Tallinn) 13, 109
(St Petersburg) 162, 163 J.& L. Lobmeyr (Vienna) 389 Kafka, Franz 35, 231
Imperial Room, Archbishop’s Palace Jaanipaev (festival, Estonia) 100 Kaiserhaus Castle (Poznań) 207
(Kromĕříž) 275 Jäckel, Matthäus 272 Kajetán Tyl, Josef 251
Importanne Centar (Zagreb) 480, 481 Jackson, Thomas G 459 Kalanta, Romas 63
Imre Ámos/Margit Anna Museum Jadrolinija 23, 479 Kalemegdan Fortress (Belgrade) 11, 33,
(Szentendre) 345 Jagiełło, Grand Duke 171 395, 521, 526–7
In Your Pocket (Bucharest) 568, 569, Jagiełłonian Dynasty 171 Kalemegdan Park (Belgrade) 524
570, 571 Jajce 394, 494–5 Kalev (Estonian folk hero) 109
In Your Pocket (Podgorica) 514, 515 hotels 500 Kaliakra 604
In Your Pocket (Poland) 218, 219 restaurants 501 Kaļķu Vārti (Rīga) 94, 95
Infanta (Velasquez) 385 Jakab, Dezső 533 Kaloyan, Tsar 599
Inner City Parish Church Jakopić, Rihard 40 Kaloyan’s Grave (Veliko Tûrnovo) 599
(Budapest) 339 Jakovali Hassan Mosque (Pécs) 363 Kameleon Store (Wrocław) 202
Jakubowicz, Isaak 195 Kamenice Gorge (České Švýcarsko) 262
Institute of Marine Biology (Rovinj) 463
Jama Michalika (Ulica Floriańska , Kamerlengo Castle and St Mark’s Tower
Insurance, travel 17
Krakow) 187 (Trogir) 457
InterCity (Poland) 217
Jan Hus Monument (Prague) 242 Kampor (Rab) 462
International Centre of Graphic Arts
Jan Paukert Delicatessen and Wine Bar Kamsetzer, Jan Chrystian 207
(Ljubljana) 406
(Prague) 282, 283 Kanada (Auschwitz II) 199
International Clinic MEDSI 160, 161 Jannsen, Johann Valdemar 113
International Driving Permit (IDP) 23 Kandinsky, Vasily 138
Jannsen, Lydia Emilia Florentine see Kanuti Gildi Saal (Tallinn) 119
International Folk Festival Koidula, Lydia
(Koprivshtitsa) 609 Karadžić, Vuk Stefanović 528, 529
János Kmetty Memorial Museum Karadžozbegova Mosque (Mostar) 497
International Historic Fencing Festival (Szentendre) 344
(Slovakia) 317 The Karaim of Trakai 61
Janošíkove Dni (Terchova) 317 Karavelov, Lyuben 597
International Jazz Festival (Sibiu) 571 Japanese Garden (Margaret Island) 343
International Music Festival(Rīga) 95 Karavelov House (Koprivshtitsa) 597
Jazz Café (Bratislava) 316, 317 Karja Church (Saaremaa Island) 111
International Student Identity Card Jazz Garden (Budapest) 376
(ISIC) 16–17 Karl VI, Emperor 387
Jelena, Queen 446 Karlova Ulice (Prague) 251
Internet services 18 Jelovšek, Franc 472
see also Communications Karlovy Láznĕ (Prague) 283
Jelovšek, Kristof Andrej 472 Karlovy Vary 264–5
Ipatievskaya Chronicles 123 Jerusalem of Lithuania 59
Ippolito d’Este, Archbishop of hotels 284
Jesuit Church (Bratislava) 293 map 265
Esztergom 371 Jesuit Church (Košice) 313
Ippolito Gate and Bornemissza Bastion restaurants 285
Jesuit Church (Warsaw) 176 Karlovy Vary Theatre (Karlovy Vary) 264
(Eger Castle) 371 Jesus’s Heart Church (Kőszeg) 353 Karlskirche (Vienna) 39, 380, 387
The Iron Forge (Wright) 153 Jet2.com 281 Karlštejn Castle 32, 256–7
Iron Gate and the Clock Tower (Palace Jetřichovice (České Švýcarsko) 263 Karma Bar (Moscow) 162, 163
of Diocletian, Split) 448 Jewellery shops Karnitz, Valentyn von 213
Iron Maiden (České Budéjovice) 271 Croatia 480 Karsavina, Tamara 159
Isa Beg Hammam (Novi Pazar) 535 Montenegro 516 Kaštelet (Split) 447
Isaak’s Synagogue (Krakow) 195 Poland 218 Kasy ZASP (Warsaw) 219
Isabella, Queen of Castile 34 Jewish Culture 34–5 Katariina Gild (Tallinn) 118, 119
Island of Rabbits see Margaret Island Jewish Culture Festival (Krakow) 35 Katona, József 364
Istállós-kő 367 Jewish Museum (Great Synagogue, Katzke, Gustav 64
Italian art, and the Hermitage 153 Budapest) 341 Kaubamaja (Tallinn) 118, 119
Itineraries 10–13 Jewish Museum (Prague) 35 Kaufman, Ludwik 182
Belgrade 11 Jewish Museum (Sarajevo) 491 Kaunas 62–3
Bucharest 12 Jewish Quarter (Budapest) 341
airport 69
Budapest 13 Jewish Quarter (Maribor) 423
hotels 72
Dubrovnik 11 Jewish Quarter (Prague) 248–50
map 62–3
Krakow 11 Jewish Tombs 194
restaurants 73
Prague 10 Jewish Town Hall (Prague) 247
Kaunas Castle (Kaunas) 62
Rīga 12 Jews, eminent 35
Kauser, József 338
St Petersburg 13 John of Kastav 38
Kavos, Albert 159
Tallinn 12–13 John of Luxembourg, King 244
Kazakov, Dimitûr 598
Vienna 10–11 John Nepomuk, St 241
Kazakov, Matvey 139
Iulius Mall Timişoara 570, 571 John Paul II, Pope
Kazimierz District (Krakow) 11, 194–5
Ivan I, Grand Prince 123 Gates of Dawn 59
Street-by-Street map 194–5
Ivan III, the Great 124, 131 St Jan Sarkander Chapel
Kazimierz the Great 194
Ivan Aleksandûr, Tsar 592 (Olomouc) 278
Kaziuko Crafts Fair (Vilnius) 58
Ivan Asen II, Tsar 592, 599, 600 St Nicholas Cathedral
Kbc (Podgorica) 514, 515
Ivan Crnojević, King 511 (Ljubljana) 402, 404
Kecskemét 364–5
Ivan Gate (Peter and Paul Fortress) 144 Zagreb Cathedral 470
Jovanović, Paja 532 map 365
Ivan the Great Bell Tower (Moscow) restaurants 379
126, 129, 130 József Katona Theatre (Kecskemét) 364
The Judgement of Solomon (Schöpf ) 270 Kej Oslobođenja (Zemun) 531
Ivan of Rila, St 587 Keleti Pu Station (Budapest) 375
Monastery Farm Museum (Rila Jugendinformation Wien 388
Junčić, Matej 441 Kellner, Jakab 368
Monastery) 589 Kermer, F. 260
Jurisics, Captain Miklós 353
Rila Monastery 586–7 Kertész, André 364
Jurisics Castle (Kőszeg) 353
Ivan the Terrible 38, 91, 124 Keszthely 358–61
Jurisics Museum (Kőszeg) 353
Cathedral of the Annunciation 131 hotels 378
Jurkovič House (Brno) 277
St Basil’s Cathedral 134 map 359
Jūrmala 77, 86
Ivan Vazov National Theatre (Sofia) 609 hotels 96 Ketoda, Cevjan 496
Ivanov, Aleksandr, The Appearance of restaurants 97 KGB Cells Museum (Tartu) 115
Christ to the People 140 Justice (Firentinac) 457 KGB Museum (Vilnius) see The Museum
Ivanovich, Petûr 588 of Genocide Victims
Ivantsarevich (Moscow) 162, 163 Kingdom of Heaven (Kracker) 368
Izdbieński, Bishop Benedykt 207 K King’s Church (Studenica
Izetbegović, Alija 493 Kableshkov, Todor 596 Monastery) 534
Izmaylovo Market (Moscow) 162, 163 Kableshkov House (Koprivshtitsa) 596 Kinský Palace (Prague) 242
GENERAL INDEX 623
Király utca (Pécs) 363 Košice 312–13 L

Kiril Meadow (Rila Monastery) 589 hotels 318
Kis-Balaton 356 map 313 Laczkó Dezső Museum (Veszprém)
Kiss, György 337 restaurants 319 355
Kiss, István 343 Kosovel, Srećko 406 Lady with an Ermine (da Vinci) 189
Kiss, Pál 372 Kosovo, Battle of 344, 345, 521, 529 Laima (Rīga) 94, 95
Kissing Students Fountain Kossak, Wojciech 201 Laisves Aleja (Kaunas) 63
(Tartu) 114 Kossuth Lajos utca (Eger) 368–9 Lake Ăraiši 91
Kits, Elmar 115 Kossuth utca (Keszthely) 358 Lake Balaton 321, 356–7, 358, 372
Kittenberger, Kálmán 355 Kőszeg 353 Lake Bled (Slovenia) 416–17
Klaipėda 64–5 Kotĕra, Jan 260, 261 Lake Bohinj 399, 414, 419, 420–21
hotels 72 Kotor 2–3, 505, 510 hotels 428
map 65 hotels 517 Lake Fertő 352
restaurants 73 restaurants 518–19 Lake Galvė 61
Klaipėda State Drama Theatre 71 Kotowski, Adam 179 Lake Poda 605
Klaipėda State Sea Port 69 Kotowski, Małgorzata 179 Lake Skadar National Park 503, 506
Klamerus, Władysław 182 Kotromanić, Katerina (Bosnian restaurants 519
Klausen Synagogue (Prague) 250 queen) 494 Lake Tisza 372, 373
Klemperer, Otto 338 Kott, Otto 353 Lakeside Walk (Trakai Island Castle) 60
Klimt, Ernst 264 Koul, J 266 The Lamentation of Christ (Monaco) 234
Klimt, Gustav Kovács, Margit 346, 351 Land Gate (Korčula Town) 444
Beethoven Frieze 387 Kozma, Lajos 339 Land Gate (Trogir) 456
Karlovy Vary Theatre 264 Kozolec 421 Landmines, in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Leopold Museum (Vienna) 385 Kracker, Johann Lukas 239 498–9
Peleş Castle 559 Kingdom of Heaven 368 Landscape at Szentendre (Barcsay) 346
Secession Building (Vienna) 386 Minorite Church (Eger) 369 Landscape with Good Samaritan
KLM 93, 161, 315, 375 Von Krahl Baar (Tallinn) 119 (Rembrandt) 189
Klodt, Pyotr 146, 147, 156 Von Krahl Theatre (Tallinn) 119 Landscapes 26–7
The Klovićevi dvori (Zagreb) 469 Krakow 30, 169, 170, 184–95 Lang, Adolf 312
Klykov, Vyacheslav 133 hotels 220 Langenberg, Franz 477
Kmetty, János 344 itinerary 11 Languages
Kmieliauskas, Antanas 55 map 184–5 Bosnian 486
Kmita, Bishop Piotr 191 restaurants 221 Bulgarian 576
Kneeling Female Nude (Schiele) 385 Street-by-Street map: Kazimierz Croatian 432
Knez Mihailova (Belgrade) 524 District 194–5 Czech 224
Knifer, Julije 473 Street-by-Street map: Main Market Estonian 100
Knights’ Hall (The Hermitage) 150 Square 186–7 Hungarian 322
Knights’ Hall of the Imperial Palace Street-by-Street map: The Wawel Jewish 35
(Karlštejn Castle) 257 190–91 Latvian 76
Kniling, B 303 Krakowskie Przedmieście (Warsaw) Lithuanian 48
Kobarid 413, 414 180–81 Montenegrin 504
restaurants 429 Street-by-Street map 180–81 Polish 172
Kobencl, Ivan 409 Kraljićina beach 507 Romanian 544
Kociol Artystyczny (Krakow) Kranjska Gora 414–15 Russian 124
218, 219 hotels 428 Serbian 522
Kohl, John Frederick 238 restaurants 429 Slovakian 288
Koidula, Lydia 113 Kraus, Anton 312 Slovenian 398
My Country is My Love 113 Krejću, J 252 Lantai, Lajos 330
Kolár, Jiri 261 The Kremlin (Moscow) 42–3, 128–9 The Last Judgement (Memling) 215
Kolbe, H 112 Street-by-Street map 128–9 Last Judgement (Zograf ) 592
Kolbe, Maksymilian 197 Kreutzwald, Friedrich Reinhold 113 Laszlo, St 351
Koločep (Elaphite Isles) 440–41 Krewo, Treaty of 171 Laterna Magika (Prague) 283
Koloszvári, Tamás 348 Kriva Cuprija (Mostar) 496 Latin Bridge (Sarajevo) 492
Komedie Theatre (Prague) 283 Križanke (Ljubljana) 407 Latino Club Fuego (Dubrovnik) 481
Komiža (Vis) 453 Kromĕříž 275 Latrán (Český Krumlov) 272–3
Komor, Marcell 533 Krumlov Castle (Český Krumlov) 273 Latvia 27, 74–97
Kontakt Theatre Festival (Toruń) 208 Krupskaya Fabrika (St Petersburg) history 75–6
Konventa Sēta (Rīga) 83 162, 163 hotels 96
Konzerthaus (Vienna) 389 Krylov, Ivan 156 language and culture 76
Koov, K 112 Kućma, Wincenty 179 map: Exploring Latvia 77
Kopaonik National Park (Serbia) 535 Kukavica, Mehmed Paša 490 restaurants 97
Koper 410 Kuldīga 86 shopping and entertainment 94–5
Kopernik, Mikołaj 208 hotels 96 travel 92–3
Koprivshtitsa 596–7 restaurants 97 Latvian Culture Vortal 95
hotels 610 Kuldīga District Museum (Kuldīga) 86 Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air
map 597 Kulikovo, Battle of 123 Museum 85
restaurants 611 Kult (Moscow) 162, 163 Latvian Music Information Centre 95
Korana river 461 Kumu Art Museum (Kadriorg Palace, Latvian National Opera 95
Korčula 444–5 Tallinn) 13, 41, 109 Latvian National Theatre 95
hotels 482 KUNSTHALLE wien (MuseumsQuartier Latvian Tourism Development
map 444–5 Wien, Vienna) 385 Agency 92
restaurants 483 Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna) 11, Latvian War Museum (Rīga) 81
Korčula Town (Korčula) 444 385 Latvia’s 1st Rock Café (Liepāja) 94, 95
Korczak, Janusz 182 Kupa Synagogue (Krakow) 194 Latvijas Balzams (Rīga) 94, 95
Kordopulov House (Melnik) 591 Kupecký, Jan 230 Latvijas Bite (Rīga) 94, 95
Kornati National Park (Croatia) 458 Kuressaare (Saaremaa Island) 110 Lavrenov, Tsanko 581
Kőröshegy (Lake Balaton) 357 Kurpiai (Klaipėda) 71 Lazar, Prince 345, 529
Korzo (Rijeka) 433 Kurzeme Peasants’ Homestead Lazarević, Stefan 534
Korzo (Subotica) 533 (Rīga) 85 Lean, Mae 65
Kosárek, Adolf, Summer Countryside Kustendorf Film and Music Festival 538 Lechner, Ödön 339, 340
with Chapel 229 Kutná Hora 258–9 Lenin, Vladimir Ilyich 40, 124, 132, 147
Košćec, Franjo 475 hotels 284 Lenin Mausoleum (Moscow) 132, 133
Kościuszko, Tadeusz 191, 193 Kysela, František 232 Lenkom Theatre (Moscow) 162, 163
624 GENERAL INDEX
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport 116, 117 Ljubljana (cont.) Madonna on a Crescent Moon 80
Lent (Maribor) 423 map 400–401 Madonna of Gdańsk 213
Lent Festival (Maribor) 426, 427 restaurants 429 Madonna of Mercy (Vilnius) 58
Lenuci, Milan 472 Street-by-Street map: Ljubljana Old Madonna of Ołobok 207
Leopold I, Emperor 200 Town 402–3 Madonna of Toporc 328
Leopold, Master 259 Ljubljana Bus Station 425 Mäetamm, Marko 115
Leopold Gate (Kalemegdan Ljubljana Castle 403, 404 Maggi, Baldassare 272
Fortress) 527 Ljubljana Summer Festival 407, Magyar Államvasutak (MÁV) 375
Leopold Museum (Vienna) 385 426, 427 Magyars 37
Lermontov, Mikhail 140 Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre Mahler, Gustav 338
Lesenyei, Márta 333 424, 425 Mahmudiye Mosque (Constanţa) 567
Levoča 308 Ljubljana Train Station 425 Mail services 18
hotels 318 Ljubljanica Riverbank 403 see also Communications
restaurants 319 Lobkowicz Palace (Prague Castle) 229 Main Guard House (Dubrovnik) 438
Liberation Monument (Budapest) Lobnoe Mesto (Moscow) 132 Main Market Square
324, 332 Logarska Dolina 415 (Krakow) 11, 186–7
Libraries Loggia of the Bell (Dubrovnik) 438 Main Market Square (Wrocław) 202
Festetics Palace (Keszthely) 360, 361 Loggia and Clock Tower (Trogir) 457 Main Square (Maribor) 422–3
Gothic Library (The Winter Lokrum (Dubrovnik) 440 Main Square (Olomouc) 278
Palace) 155 Lomnický Štít (Tatra Mountains) 307 Main Town Hall (Gdańsk) 214
Hradec Králové Research Library 261 Long Bazaar (Sarajevo) 491 Maisel, Mordechai 247, 249
National Library (Sarajevo) 490 Longcase Clock (Gdańsk) 215 Maisel Synagogue (Prague) 249
National and University Library Lopud (Elaphite Isles) 440, 441 Māksla XO (Rīga) 94, 95
(Ljubljana) 407 Lord’s Coffin of Garamszent Benedek, Mala Galerija (Rijeka) 480, 481
Pannonhalma Abbey 350 Christian Museum (Esztergom) Malachite Room (Winter Palace,
Peleş Castle Library 559 348–9 St Petersburg) 154
Philosophical Hall (Strahov “Lost Wawel” Exhibition (Krakow) 191 Malaya Morskaya Ulitsa (St Petersburg)
Monastery) 236 LOT Polish Airlines 20, 21 13, 147
Queen Marie’s Music Saloon and Lotrščak Tower (Zagreb) 468, 472 Malbork 32, 209
Library (Bran Castle) 556 Lotz, Károly 337 hotels 220
Raczyński Library (Poznań) 206 St Peter’s Cathedral (Pécs) 362 restaurants 221
Teleki-Bolyai Library (Târgu St Stephen’s Basilica 338 Malczewski, Jacek 183, 206, 207
Mureş) 564 State Opera House 338 Malevich, Kazimir 40, 147
Theological Hall (Strahov The Woman Bathing 328 Maliy, Petrok 130
Monastery) 26–37 Louis I the Great, King 312 Malta International Drama Festival
Liepāja 87 Louis II Jagiełło, King 288 (Poland) 219
hotels 96 Louis XIV, King 246 Malyshev, Ignatiy 157
restaurants 97 Lounge 24 (Tallinn) 118, 119 Malyy Theatre (Moscow) 162, 163
Liepāja Beach 87 Lovćen National Park 510 Mamut (Belgrade) 538
Liepāja Museum 87 Löw, Rabbi 250 The Man in Seat 61 22, 23
Liepaja Theatre 95 Lower Esztergom 349 Manasija Monastery (Despotovac) 534
Lietuvos Geležinkeliai 69 Lower Monastery (Ostrog Mangoldt, Franz Josef 200
Līgatne Education and Recreation Monastery) 512 Many Coloured Mosque (Travnik) 494
Centre (Gauja National Park) 91 Lubrański Academy (Poznań) 206–7 Maps
Ligeti, Miklós 341 Lubrański, Jan (Bishop) 207 Auschwitz I 196–7
Light Show (Veliko Turnovo) 600 LÚČ Vydavatelské Družstvo Auschwitz II 198–9
Likovni Susret Gallery (Subotica) 533 (Bratislava) 316, 317 Belgrade 524–5
Lime Lounge (Pärnu) 118, 119 Lucas Cranach the Elder 153 Belgrade: Kalemegdan
Line of Life (Bely) 136 Lucerna Palace (Prague) 253 Fortress 526–7
Linen & Amber Studio (Vilnius) 70, 71 Luchian, Štefan 552, 564 Bled 417
Lion Gate (Budapest) 326 Lucić, Hannibal 454 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Exploring
Lipica 412 Ludmila, Princess 230 Bosnia and Herzegovina 487
Lipica Stud Farm (Lipica) 412 Ludmila, St 229 Brač 452
Lipizzaner horses 366, 412 Lueger, Erazem 409 Bratislava 290–91
Liptovský Hrádok 306 Lufthansa 69, 93, 117, 217, 281, 315, Bratislava: Old Town 292–3
Liptovský Mikuláš 306 375, 479, 499 Brno 277
Lisco 93 Luitgard, St 241 Bucharest 546–7
Liszt, Franz 322, 338, 339, 362 Lukačić, Ivan 446 Bucovina Monasteries Tour 566
Lithuania 27, 46–73 Luke, St 462 Budapest 324–5
history 47–8 Lumbarda (Korčula) 445 Budapest: Gellért Hill 332–3
hotels 72 Lurago, Anselmo 239 Budapest: The Royal Palace 326–7
language and culture 48 Lurago, Carlo 255, 260 Bükk National Park 366–7
map: Exploring Lithuania 49 Luttringer, Andreas 292 Bulgaria: Exploring Bulgaria 577
restaurants 73 Luzhkov, Yuriy 138 Central Eastern Europe
shopping and entertainment 70–71 Lyceum (Eger) 368 at a Glance 168–9
travel 68–9 Lydia Koidula Museum (Pärnu) 113 České Budéjovice 271
Lithuanian National Drama Theatre 71 Lyutov, Petko 596 České Švýcarsko 262–3
Litomĕřice, Master of 247 Lyutov House (Koprivshtitsa) 596 Český Krumlov 273
The Litta Madonna (da Vinci) 150 Croatia: Exploring Croatia 433
Little Princess (Marton) 339 Curonian Spit National Park 66–7
Little Quarter (Malá Strana) (Prague) M Czech Republic: Exploring the Czech
237–40 M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum Republic 225
Little Quarter Square (Prague) 237 (Kaunas) 63 Dubrovnik 435
Liviko (Tallinn) 118, 119 M. R. Štefánika Airport (Bratislava) 315 Dubrovnik: Old Town 436–7
Living Museum of Arts and Crafts M. S., Master, The Visitation 328 Eger 369
(Buzsák) 357 Maailm (Tartu) 118, 119 Estonia: Exploring Estonia 101
Livonian Wars 99, 107 Maas (Russian architect) 602 Esztergom 349
Liznjek House (Kranjska Gora) 414 McCarthy’s Irish Pub (Sofia) 608, 609 Gauja National Park 90–91
Ljekama Aligheri (Zagreb) 471 Macho Pub (Balatonfüred) 377 Gdańsk 210–11
Ljubica, Princess 529 Madernieks, Jūlijs 84 Hradec Králové 261
Ljubljana 30, 40, 397, 400–407 Madonna of Bártfa 328 Hungary: Exploring Hungary 322–3
airport 4256 Madonna and Child (Master of Hvar 454–5
hotels 428 Flemalle) 153 Kalemegdan Fortress 526–7
GENERAL INDEX 625
Maps (cont.) Maps (cont.) Matveev, Andrey 158

Karlovy Vary 265 Warsaw 174–5 Mátyás Church (Budapest) 13, 326,
Kaunas 62–3 Warsaw: Krakowskie Przedmieście 330–31
Kecskemét 365 180–81 music and dance 376, 377
Keszthely 359 Warsaw: The Old Town 176–7 Mátyás Corvinus, King of Hungary 38,
Klaipėda 65 Wrocław 200–201 321, 322, 347
Koprivshtitsa 597 Zagreb 466–7 Mátyás Church 330
Korčula 444–5 Zagreb: the Upper Town 468–9 Mátyás Fountain 329
Kornati National Park 458 Marconi, Guglielmo 530 Royal Palace (Budapest) 327
Košice 313 Marconi, Henryk 182, 183 Mátyás Fountain (Budapest) 326, 329
Krakow 184–5 Marconi, Leonard 203 Mátyás Király Museum (Visegrád) 347
Krakow: Kazimierz District 194–5 Margaret, Princess of Hungary 343 Mauelbertsch, F A 275, 350, 351
Krakow: Main Market Square 186–7 Margaret Island (Budapest) 340, 343 Maurice, St 84, 107
Krakow: The Wawel 190–91 Margit Kovács Ceramics Collection Maurus Martyr, St 464
Lake Balaton 356–7 (Szentendre) 346 Mavrocordat, Nicolae 550
Latvia: Exploring Latvia 77 Maria Alexandrovna, Tsarina 159 Maximilian Fountain (Bratislava) 292
Lithuania: Exploring Lithuania 49 Maria Cantacuzino, Princess 551 Maximilian of Habsburg, Archduke 440
Ljubljana 400–401 Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum Maya (Tolmin) 427
Ljubljana: Old Town 402–3 (Warsaw) 179 Mayerhoffer, András 340, 344, 364
Maribor 422 Maria Stransky (Vienna) 389 Mayor’s Salon (Prague) 252
Mljet 442–3 Maria Theresa, Queen Mažvydas, Martynas 65
Montenegro: Exploring Montenegro Bishop’s Palace (Eger) 368 MEDEM 160, 161
505 Burgtheater (Vienna) 386 Medgyaszay, István 354, 355
Moscow 126–7 The Royal Palace (Budapest) 327 Medical treatment 17
Moscow: Old Arbat 136–7 Városliget (Budapest) 342 see also Health and Security
Moscow: The Kremlin 128–9 Maribor 399, 414, 422–3 Međjugorje 497
Moscow and St Petersburg: Exploring hotels 428 hotels 500
Moscow and St Petersburg 125 map 422 Meer, Willem van der 212, 214
Mostar 496 restaurants 429 Meinl am Graben (Vienna) 389
North Eastern Europe at a Glance 44–5 Maribor Castle and Regional Museum Meissner, Jakob 208
Olomouc 279 (Maribor) 422 Meissner Palace (Toruń) 208
Osijek 477 Marie, Queen of Romania 556, 557 Melnik 591
Pärnu 113 Mariinskiy Theatre, St Petersburg hotels 610
Pécs 363 159, 163 restaurants 611
Plitvice Lakes National Park 460–61 Maritime and Historical Museum of the Melnikov, Konstantin 137, 138
Plovdiv 595 Croatian Litoral (Rijeka) 462 Melnikov, Viktor 138
Plzeň 267 Maritime Museum (Dubrovnik) 439 Melnikov House (Moscow) 137, 138
Poland: Exploring Poland 173 Maritime Passenger Terminal (St Memling, Hans, The Last
Poznań 204–5 Petersburg) 161 Judgement 215
Prague 226–7 Marjan Peninsula (Split) 447 Memorial Museum of the 1989
Prague: Old Town 242–3 Market Colonnade (Karlovy Vary) 264 Revolution (Timişoara) 561
Prague: Prague Castle 228–9 The Market (Ljubljana) 402, 404–5 Mendelsohn, Erich 202
Putting Eastern and Central Europe Markets Menshikov, Prince 146
on the Map 14–15 Bulgaria 608 Menshikov Palace (St Petersburg)
Rail network see inside back cover Croatia 480 146, 156
Rīga 78–9 Czech Republic 282 Mentzendorff House (Rīga) 83
Rīga: Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Estonia 118 Merchant’s house (Krakow) 187
Museum 85 Hungary 376 Meridian 515
Rīga: Town Hall Square 82–3 Latvia 94 Messerschmidt, Franz Xaver 298
Romania: Exploring Romania 545 Lithuania 70 Meštrović, Ivan 434, 471
Saaremaa Island 110–11 Montenegro 516 Ban Berislavic 457
St Petersburg 142–3 Moscow and St Petersburg 162 Distant Chords 447
St Petersburg: Peter and Paul Fortress Poland 218 Memorial to France (Kalemegdan
144–5 Romania 570 Fortress) 527
Salona 451 Serbia 538 Meštrović Gallery (Split) 446–7
Sarajevo 488–93 Slovakia 316 Meštrović Gallery (Zagreb) 469, 471
Serbia: Exploring Serbia 523 Slovenia 426 Milesi Palace (Split) 446
Sighişoara 563 Markus, Géza 364 Monument of Bishop Gregory
Slovakia: Exploring Slovakia 289 Martek, Vlado 473 of Nin 475
Slovenia: Exploring Slovenia 399 Martin of Tours 350 Račić Mausoleum (Cavtat) 441
Sofia 578–9 Martinelli, Antonio 270 Statue of Svetozar Miletić 532
South Eastern Europe at a Glance Martinelli, G 298 The Victor 526
394–5 Martinov, Petar 438 The Well of Life 472
Split 447 Marton, László 339 Meštrović Foundation 471
Szentendre 345 Martos, Ivan 134 Meštrović Gallery (Split) 446–7
Tallinn 102–3 The Martyrdom of St Thomas Meštrović Gallery (Zagreb) 469, 471
Tallinn: Around Town Hall Square 104–5 (Rubens) 235 Metelkova Mesto (Ljubljana) 426, 427
Tartu 114 Marulić, Marko 446 Methodius (monk) 37
Tatra Mountains 306–7 Marzio, Galeotto 329 Methodius, St 240
Triglav National Park 418–19 Mascara (Sofia) 608, 609 Metric System 17
Triglav National Park: Lake Bohinj Maso di Bartolomeo 440 Metro (St Petersburg) 162, 163
420–21 Massys, Quentin 206 Meyerhoffer, Andras 346
Trnava 301 Matejko, Jan Michael, Archangel
Trogir 457 Battle of Grünwald 48, 183 Archangel Michael and Gabriel
Varaždin 475 Cloth Hall (Krakow) 187 Orthodox Church and Museum 490
Varna 603 Raczyński Palace (Rogalin) 207 Cathedral of the Annunciation
Veliko Tûrnovo 599 Matejko House (Krakow) 187 (Moscow) 131
Veszprém 355 Matisse, Henri 138, 153 Cathedral of the Archangel
Vienna 381 La Danse 151 (Moscow) 131
Vilnius 50–51 Goldfish 138 Michael’s Gate (Bratislava) 295
Vilnius: Town Hall Square to the Gates Matkov Kot (Logarska Dolina) 415 Orthodox Cathedral (Belgrade) 529
of Dawn 56–7 Matk’s Tub (Logarska Dolina) 415 Michael I, King 544
Vis 453 Matsche, Franz 264 Michael the Brave, Prince 39
626 GENERAL INDEX
Michael’s Gate (Bratislava) 292, 295 Monasteries and Convents (cont.) Moscow 29, 42–3, 126–41
Michałowicz, Jan 207 Bucovina Monasteries Tour 566 airport 161
Michelozzi, Michelozzo 434, 439 Carmelite Monastery (Székesfehérvár) history 123–4
Michetti, Nicola 109 350 hotels 164
Mickiewicz, Adam 57, 180 Cetinje Monastery (Cetinje) 511 map 126–7
Mieszko I 171, 207 Church and Monastery of St James map: Exploring Moscow and
Mihail Shishman, Emperor 580 (Osijek) 477 St Petersburg 125
Mihkli Farm Museum (Saaremaa Convent of St Agnes (Prague) 247 restaurants 165
Island) 110 Dominican Monastery and Church of shopping and entertainment 162–3
Mikhailovsky Theatre the Sacrifice of the Virgin (České Street-by-Street map: The Kremlin
(St Petersburg) 163 Budèjovice) 270 128–9
Mikkel, Johannes 109 Dominican Monastery (Dubrovnik) travel 160–61
Mikkel Museum (Kadriorg Palace) 109 11, 437, 440 Moscow Arts Theatre 162, 163
Mikulov 275 Dominican Monastery Moscow Conservatory 162, 163
Mikulov Castle (Czech Republic) 275 (Stari Grad) 455 Moscow Metro 40
Milea, Vasile (General) 551 Dominican Monastery (Tallinn) Moser (Prague) 282, 283
Milena, Queen 507 105, 107 Mosques
Milesi Palace (Split) 446 Dragalevtsi Monastery (Mount Bali Beg (Niš) 535
Miletić, Svetozar 532 Vitosha) 585 Emperor’s Mosque (Sarajevo) 492
Military Museum (Kalemegdan Franciscan Monastery Fethija Mosque (Bihać) 495
Fortress, Belgrade) 526 (Dubrovnik) 435 Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque
Military Museum (Warsaw) 183 Franciscan Monastery (Hvar) 454–5 (Sarajevo) 491
Mill Spring Colonnade (Karlovy Vary) Franciscan Monastery and Church of Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque (Pécs) 363
264–5 the Assumption (Plzeň) 266–7 Imaret Mosque (Plovdiv) 595
Millenium Bridge (Podgorica) 506 Manasija Monastery (Despotovac) Jakovali Hassan Mosque (Pécs) 363
Millennium Monument (Heroes’ 534 Karadžozbegova Mosque
Square, Budapest) 341 Monastery of St Mary (Mljet) 442 (Mostar) 497
Millennium Tower (Zemun) 531 Novodevichiy Convent Lejlek Mosque (Novi Pazar) 535
Miller, Edward 360 (Moscow) 139 Mahmudiye Mosque (Constanţa) 567
Milna (Brač) 452 Ostrog Monastery (Montenegro) Many Coloured Mosque (Travnik) 494
Miloš Obrenović, Prince 529 394, 512–13 Mossoviet Theatre (Moscow) 162, 163
Milošević, Slobodan (President) Pannonhalma Abbey (Hungary) 350 Mostar 484, 496–7
522, 530 Rila Monastery (Bulgaria) 586–9 hotels 500
Mimara, Ante Topić 473 St George’s Basilica and Convent map 496
Mimara Museum (Zagreb) 473 (Prague) 229, 230–31 restaurants 501
Minaret (Eger) 369 St George’s Convent (Prague Mostar Tourist Information
Minćeta Tower (Dubrovnik) 435 Castle) 229 Centre 498, 499
Mindaugas, Duke 47 Sanctuary of Our Lady of Trsat Motorcycle Museum (České
Mine Action Centre 498, 499 (Rijeka) 462 Budéjovice) 271
Minin, Kuzma 132, 134 Sopoćani Monastery (Serbia) 535 Motto (Sofia) 608, 609
Minorite Church (Eger) 369 Strahov Monastery (Prague) 236–7 Mount Musala 27
Minovici, Dumitru 553 Studenica Monastery (Serbia) Mount Triglav 394419
The Mint (Peter and Paul Fortress) 144 523, 534 Mount Vitosha (Sofia) 578, 585
Miošić, Andrija Kaćić 453 Monastery Church (Sighişoara) 562 Mount Vogel 414, 420, 421
MIR Travel Company 160, 161 Monastery Farm Museum (Rila Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 251
Mirage (Pärnu) 118, 119 Monastery) 589 Mozart Memorial (Vienna) 383
Mirăuţi Church of St George Money 18–19 Mucha, Alfons 40, 254
(Suceava) 567 see also Banking and Currency Municipal House (Prague) 243, 252
Mirbach, Emil 295 Montenegrin National History Museum St Vitus’s Cathedral (Prague) 232
Mirbach Palace (Bratislava) 291, 292, 295 (Cetinje) 511 Mucha Museum (Prague) 254
Mister Bigg Pub (Győr) 377 Montenegrin National Theatre 516 Mud Therapy see Igalo’s Healing Mud
Mlada, Princess 231 Montenegro 26, 502–19 Munch, Edvard 65
Mladinska Knjiga Konzorcij (Ljubljana) beaches 507 Municipal Cemetery (Varaždin) 475
426, 427 history 503–4 Municipal House (Prague) 40, 243,
Mljet 442–3 hotels 517 252–3, 282, 283
Mljet National Park 442 language and culture 504 Municipal Museum (Subotica) 533
Mobile phones 18 map: Exploring Montenegro 505 Municipal Theatre (Trnava) 300
see also Communications restaurants 518–19 Munkácsy, Mihály 328
Mocker, Josef 256 shopping and entertainment 516 Museums and Galleries
Moćvara (Zagreb) 480, 481 travel 514–15 1812 Gallery (Winter Palace) 155
Modern Art Gallery (Hradec Králové) Montenegro Airlines 515 Academy of Fine Arts I(Gdańsk) 213
260–61 Montenegro Lines 515 Applied Arts Museum (Poznań) 205
Modern Art Gallery (Podgorica) 506 Montenegro Railways 515 Applied Arts Museum (Vilnius) 54–5
Modern History Museum (Veliko Montferrand, Auguste de 146, 147 Archaeological Museum (Burgas) 605
Tûrnovo) 599 Monument of Bishop Gregory of Nin Archaeological Museum
Modern Hungarian Gallery (Pécs) 362 (Meštrović) 475 (Nesebûr) 605
Modesty (Augustinćić) 470 Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Archaeological Museum (Pécs) 363
Mohács, Battle of 38, 287, 321 Workers (Gdańsk) 211 Archaeological Museum (Pula) 463
Moholy-nagy, László 364 Monument to the Heroes of the Archaeological Museum (Sofia) 580
Mojo (Bucharest) 570, 571 Ghetto (Warsaw) 175, 182 Archaeological Museum (Split)
Moldoveanu peak 554 Monument to the Liberation of 1878 447, 450
Moldoviţa 566 (Niš) 535 Archaeological Museum (Varna) 602
Möller, Anton 212, 213 Monument to the Victims of June 1956 Archaeological Museum (Veliko
Molli, Clemente 177 (Poznań) 207 Tûrnovo) 599
Molly Malone’s (Tallinn) 118, 119 Monument to the Warsaw Uprising Archaeological Museum (Zadar) 459
Molnár, Pál 339 (Warsaw) 179 Archaeological Museum
Monaco, Lorenzo, The Lamentation of Moravian Gallery (Brno) 277 (Zagreb) 473
Christ 234 The Morning of the Execution of the Archaeology Museum (Wrocław) 203
Monasteries and Convents Streltsy (Surikov) 141 Archangel Michael and Gabriel
Aladzha Monastery (Bulgaria) 604 Moró Antik (Budapest) 376, 377 Orthodox Church and Museum
Augustinian Monastery (Brno) 277 Morozov, Ivan 138 (Sarajevo) 490
Bachkovo Monastery (Bulgaria) Mosaic of Christ (Aleksandûr Nevski Archdiocesan Museum
592–3 Memorial Church, Sofia) 582 (Wrocław) 200
GENERAL INDEX 627
Museums and Galleries (cont.) Museums and Galleries (cont.) Museums and Galleries (cont.)
Archdiocese Museum (Poznań) 207 Ethnographic Museum of Margit Kovács Ceramics Collection
Architecture Museum (Wrocław) 202 Transylvania (Cluj-Napoca) 564 (Szentendre) 346
Art and Ethnographic Museum Exhibition of Antique Machinery Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum
(Braşov) 555 (Jūr

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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

Reprinted with revisions 2012, 2015 Practical & Travel

The information in this

Hungary 320 Serbia 520

View of Drava riverfront, Maribor, Slovenia

Trakai Island Castle,

Russian coat of arms,

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

A locator map shows where the region lies in

cover indicates the 14 country and

opportunities to relax on the beach. Inland, rugged

The map here highlights Ljubljana

the most interesting cities,

three sections, such as South Jajce (see pp494–5), the Dubrovnik

Eastern Europe. picturesque hilltop town famous

Belgrade (see pp524–31),

SLOVAKIA are among the most beautiful religious

Landlocked at the heart of Central at the head of an alliance of Franks

486 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 487

that triggered World War I. Bosnia

lists the numbered Depiction of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand

Serbs and later Croats who did not

resisted by nationalists seeking claimed an area of the country for 4 Derventa

Vakuf Petrovac 5 Lukavac

Sarajevo in 1914. It was this event Republika Srpska, and, to a lesser 4

KEY DATES IN THE BOSNIA AND

out ethnic cleansing in the form of Bosansko

Donji Vakuf Vlasenica

In 1995, the Dayton Agreement

AD 445 The region is conquered by Ostrogoths Glamoč

brought an end to the conflict by

1189 Signing of the Kulin Ban Charter Vogošća

Key Livno Prozor Pale Rogatica

up of two entities, a Muslim-Croat Tomislavgrad Hrasnica Višegrad

Country Map 1377 Bosnia becomes a kingdom under

1463 The Ottomans conquer Bosnia Railway Posušje

and Herzegovina holding the remaining 49 per cent.

For easy reference, sights in

1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated, Gacko

each country are numbered sparking World War I

1918 Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes part of the Neum

and plotted on a map. The

black bullet numbers indicate independent country

banks of the Ljubljanica river, Ljubljana’s Old Town

important parts of each contains one of the best-preserved ensembles of

sightseeing area. studded piazzas add to its elegant character. Narrow

552 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE BUCHAREST 553 G

Built in 1913 by sculptor

This charming red-brick Tudor-

today with walkers,

Known today as Dracula’s Castle, it is now a museum

museums have colour-coded

ﬂoorplans to help one ﬁnd the

visitor should miss. Râşnov Fortress

For hotels and restaurants see p572 and p573

and January, with 18 hours

Tallinn Bus Station

Discovering Eastern and

DISCOVERING EASTERN AND

(p440) for quiet cloisters and

city centre. From here stroll

need to know about Latvia’s

Old Town and its surroundings.

Putting Eastern and Central