Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and the country's largest city. Bratislava is the political, cultural and economic centre of Slovakia. Bratislava is picturesquely situated on both banks of the Danube, at the base of the outlying spurs of the Lesser Carpathians, in a position of strategic importance near the Devín Gate. The area includes a picturesque old town centre. It is home to several universities, museums, theatres, galleries and other important economic, cultural, and educational institutions.
The historic center is characterized by many baroque palaces. The Grassalkovich Palace (built around 1760), for example, is now the residence of the Slovak president, and the Slovak government now has its seat in the former Archiepiscopal palace, the former summer residence of the archbishop of Esztergom.
Most historical buildings are concentrated in the Old Town. Bratislava's Town Hall is a complex of three buildings erected in the 14th–15th centuries and now hosts the Bratislava City Museum. Michael's Gate is the only gate that has been preserved from the medieval fortifications, and it ranks among the oldest of the town's buildings.
One of the most conspicuous buildings of the town is the Bratislava Castle situated on a plateau 82 m above the Danube. The castle hill site has been inhabited since the transition period between the Stone and Bronze ages and has been the acropolis of a Celtic town, part of the Roman Limes Romanus, a huge Slavic fortified settlement, and a political, military and religious centre for Great Moravia. Another castle is Devín Castle (now in ruins) in the borough of Bratislava-Devín. It is one of the most important Slovak archaeological sites, and contains a museum dedicated to its history. Yet another castle, built in 1813 and turned into an English Gothic style castle in the late 19th century, is situated in the borough of Bratislava-Rusovce, otherwise known for ruins of Roman Gerulata settlements.
The Slovak National Museum has its headquarters in Bratislava on the riverfront in the Old Town, along with the Natural History Museum, which is one of its subdivisions. The Bratislava City Museum is the oldest museum in continuous operation in Slovakia. The Slovak National Gallery offers the most extensive network of galleries in Slovakia.
