Danube Cruise #13 About Bratislava, Slovakia and UFO Bridge

Bratislava Castle in the Distance

Today's blog about our Viking River cruise up the Danube River (#13) takes you to Bratislava, Slovakia! This is the second stop on our journey, and it was filled with interesting sights. In this blog you'll learn some facts about Slovakia and its Capital city, Bratislava, and the famous "UFO Bridge!"  Read on!

Slovakia is in the PINK!

ABOUT SLOVAKIA - Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Solvakia  joined the European Union in 2004.Before 1993, Solvakia was part of Czechoslovakia. There now are 5 1/2 million residents,m 85% Catholic, 20% Protestant.

HOW BIG IS THE COUNTRY?- Slovakia's territory spans about 18,919 square miles (49,000 square kilometers) and is mostly mountainous. It's about; 4/5ths the Size of West Virginia in the U.S. (which is about 24,087 square miles);

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A Square in Bratislava

WHAT IS BRATISLAVA, THE CAPITAL CITY KNOWN FOR? - Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is set along the Danube River by the border with Austria and Hungary. It’s surrounded by vineyards and the Little Carpathian mountains, crisscrossed with forested hiking and cycling trails. The pedestrian-only, 18th-century old town is known for its lively bars and cafes. Perched atop a hill, the reconstructed Bratislava Castle overlooks old town and the Danube.

WHAT IS THE UFO BRIDGE?

UFO bridge up close

The UFO bridge, or "Most SNP," commonly referred to as Most Slovenského národného povstania Bridge is a road bridge over the Danube in Bratislava. 
WORLD'S LARGEST- It is the world's longest bridge to have one pylon and one cable-stayed plane!
COMMEMORATION - It was built in honor of the 1944 resistance movement against the Nazi forces. 
ABOUT THE "UFO" PART - The very retro-futuristic SNP Bridge was inspired by the optimistic futurism of the 1960s,

UFO bridge from a distance

evident from the flying saucer-shaped structure at the top of the bridge’s only pylon. The UFO structure actually houses a restaurant reached using an elevator and offers a beautiful panoramic view of Bratislava.
STATISTICS -
Height: 278′ 0″
Total length: 1,413′
Opened: August 26, 1972
Location: Bratislava
Construction started: 1967
Architects: Jozef Lacko, Ladislav Kušnír, Arpád Tesár, Ivan Slamen

A street in Bratislava

NEXT: STORMING BRATISLAVA CASTLE !