Bratislava Coronation Days 2018

We shall commemorate the glourious past of Bratislava this year with a series of events, lasting from 23 to 30 June 2018. Together with Austria and Hungary, Bratislava will take part in celebrating the 301th anniversary of the birth of Maria Theresa, one of the most famous people in the history, who was crowned in Bratislava in 1741.

Let yourself immerse in the rich royal history during the Bratislava Coronation Days and enjoy  the coronation of Maximilian II Habsburg. In addition to this program, you can go sightseeing or join historical tours of the city under the baton of the Guild of Old Martial Arts and Crafts. You can also enjoy the Coronation Concert in St. Martin’s Cathedral of the Bratislava City Choir.

Take part in period coronations and “Become a Royal” yourself at the Coronation Photo Video Point at the ground floor of Michael’s Gate. Michael’s Gate was an integral part of the coronation route followed by the kings who were crowned in Pressburg as they left the city to where they would take their oath. The Coronation Photo Video Point is where you will find rooms with period furnishings and an authentic 3D model of the historical city marking the route coronation processions took. You can make an image and upload a video of yourself in period costume with the coronation insignia and become a part of a historical exposition. You can record both a photograph and video displaying a scene from the coronation and then print or share it with your friends through e-mail.

Under the auspices of the Municipality of the Capital City of Bratislava, and in cooperation with municipal institutions Bratislava Culture and Information Center (BKIS), Bratislava Tourist Board, Bratislava City Gallery, Bratislava City Museum, The Bratislava City Library, Bratislava City Archive, the city of Bratislava prepares varied programme of different genres for diverse audiences with the coronation theme.

Residents and visitors to the city will be able to enjoy the coronation atmosphere through cultural events, theater performances, concerts of sacred music, worship, period music and games.

Those interested in finding out more about the history of the coronation will be able to receive regular guided tours in English, German and Hungarian organized by the Bratislava Tourist Board’s Tourist Information Center. The route will tour the most important sites associated with the ceremony of coronation of Hungarian rulers and their wives. It will also be the opportunity to learn more about the places associated with the reign of Maria Theresa during which Bratislava went through an unprecedented economic and cultural boom. Furthermore, you will be able participate in an encryption game replicating the coronation route during which the participants move from task to task with the use of QR codes.

PROGRAM OF THE EVENT

Download the program (pdf).

21.6.2018 – Thursday – Preparation for the Coronation Week

• Walks through the streets of Old Town with the representatives of the Guild of Old Martial Arts and Crafts

 Start: 5 PM

Route:  Primate’s Square- Main Square – Kostolná Street – Primate’s Square – Uršulínska Street – Laurinská Street – Panská Street – Rybárska Gate – Hviezdoslav Square – Ventúrska Street – Sedlárska Street – Main Square

22.6.  at 16.30h, 25.6. at 17:00h, 26.6. at 17:00, 29.6. at 17:00

Route:  Primaciálne námestie – Hlavné námestie – Kostolná ulica –Primaciálne námestie – Uršulínska ulica – Laurinská ulica – Panská ulica – Rybárska brána – Hviezdoslavovo námestie – Ventúrska ulica – Sedlárska ulica – Hlavné námestie

• The Bratislava City Archive – Markova 1, Bratislava – Petržalka

The Open Day in the Bratislava City Archive will celebrate the festive moments of the city’s past. On Friday’s afternoon, June 22, 2018 a thematic program for invited schools is to be held in the Archive; from 1 PM onward the Archive will be accessible to the public as well. The Archive staff will present and comment on the selected documents from Archive’s collections (municipal privileges, town books, rare prints). The youngest visitors can enjoy a variety of creative workshops.

Moreover, the group of historical archery Dvor Anjou will entertain guests with demonstrations of bow shooting and medieval casting, visitors can enter a variety of interesting competitions.

Programme: 9 AM – 1 PM – programme for invited schools

1 PM – 3 PM –   exhibition of the selected documents from Archive’s collection

Demonstrations of bow shooting and medieval casting by the group of historical archery Dvor Anjou and a variety of interesting competitions for visitors during the whole day at the Archive.

Middle Ages in the Archive- creative workshops for the youngest visitors

 23.6.2018: Programme: 9 AM – 3 PM  exhibition of the selected documents from Archive’s collection

10 AM – 1 PM lectures on “Eating and Drinking Habits as Captured in Historical Documents“

Programme by the group of historical archery Dvor Anjou, bow shooting competition, demonstrations of period clothes and casting throughout the day.  Middle Ages in the Archive- creative workshops for the youngest visitors.

• The Opening Ceremony of the Coronation Photo-Video Point

Ceremonial opening: 22.6., 4:30 PM
Place: St. Mchael’s Tower

Performance of the Guild of Old Martial Arts and Crafts.

The Coronation Photo-Video Point in the St. Mchael’s Tower is accessible FREE of charge during the Bratislava Coronation Days on June 22 – 29, 2018 except Mondays:
Sat – Sun 11 AM – 6 PM
Tue – Fri 10 AM – 5 PM

• Blaufränkisch Festival – Primate’s Square 1, Bratislava

Start: 22.6., 5 PM

Opening ceremony hosted by the Mayor of Bratislava, Ivo Nesrovnal
Opening of the barrel of Blaufränkisch, wine loved by Maria Theresa, free wine tasting of Blaufränkisch, vendor stands and booths, wine tasting (winegrowers from Bratislava).

Also on 23. and 24.6. at 10:00-20:00

• Bratislava City Museum

“Last minute” making of aristocratic clothes

Only for individual visitors!

Time and date: 1 PM – 2:30 PM, 22.6.
Place:  Old Town Hall Courtyard
Making of aristocratic clothes for individuals from semi-fabrics and insignias for the coronation ceremony.

Children’s coronation parade – seeing is more than reading

Enrolment (parade and competition), competition number assignment:  3:15 PM at St. Martin’s Chapel (at Bernolák’s memorial)

Meeting of all participants in costumes:  4 PM at St. Martin’s Chapel
Arrival to the parade, getting into the line: 4:15 PM
Start of the parade: 4:30 PM
Route: St. Martin’s Chapel, Vydrická Gate, Panská Street, Ventúrska Street, Michalská Street, Zelená Street, Franciscan Church, Old Town Hall – Old Town Hall Courtyard.

The final stage of the event at the Old Town Hall Courtyard with the demonstration of the coronation, evaluation of the competition, award ceremony.

• Juraj Hrčka and Danubius Octet Singers

Time and date: 3 PM, 22.6.
Place: Main Square – large stage

Coronation Afternoon with Mozart

Readings from Mozart’s correspondence, W.A.Mozart’s arias, cantatas and men’s choirs (Freemasons theme).

Cast:

Juraj Hrčka – spoken word
Hans-Jörg Gaugelhofer – tenor (Austria)
Jaroslav Pehal – bass
Danubius Octet Singers – men’s octet
Oksana Zvineková – piano
Daniel Simandl – conductor 

• In the Footsteps of the Coronation

22., 23., 24., 29.6. 2018

Thematic tours in Slovak, English and German, free of charge.

The tour will take you to the most important places of coronation ceremonies of the Hungarian monarchs and their wives.

Tours in Slovak

Time: 5 PM
Meeting point: at the Vienna Gate, the Bratislava Castle

Tours in English and German

Time: 3 PM
Meeting point: at the well on the Primate’s Square

• The Opera Aeterna I.

22., 23., 24.6.

Time: 7: 30 PM
Place: the courtyard of the Albrecht’s House, Kapitulská 1 (in case of bad weather – Klarisky Concert Hall)

Johann Adolf Hasse: Marc´Antonio e Cleopatra, Serenata á due voci (Drama per Musica) for soprano, alt, orchestra and string orchestra basso continuo (1725)

theatrical opera performance

Cast:
Musica aeterna
version by Peter Zajíček, artistic director
soloists: Martina Masaryková, soprano (Cleopatra)
             Jarmila Balážová,  alt (Marc Antonio)
directed by: Tomáš Surý, set and costumes by Anna Revická, Tomáš Surý

• The Bratislava City Library, Literature Quiz with Dado Nagy, a special edition of the quiz dedicated to Bratislava and books on its history

Time and date: 6 PM, 22.6.
Place: Summer Reading Room at the Red Crayfish, Michalská 26

You can test your knowledge of books and Bratislava with Dado Nagy, a promoter of good literature. Short extracts from books, lots of fun and prizes for winners!
Music guest: flute quartet Dvesto3kvartet

Free entry.

• Bratislava City Library

Bratislava’s cemeteries

Time and date: 6 PM, 22.6.
Place: Summer Reading Room at the Red Crayfish, Michalská 26

Host: Dado Nagy, guitar: Martin Nováček.

Historians, authors (Viera Obuchová – Ondrej Cemetery, Stories from the History of Bratislava, Cemetery at the Goat Gate, The Story of the Nedbalka Gallery, etc., Štefan Holčík – Bratislava a Hundred Years Ago and Today, Cemetery at the Goat Gate, Primate’s Palace, Bratislava Castle, etc.) and experts on Bratislava will talk about the history of funeral ceremonies and cemeteries of Bratislava.

• Bratislava City Library

Petronela Križanová: The Story of a Forgotten Bookstore. Anton Löwe  

Time and date: 6 PM, 28.6.
Place: Summer Reading Room at the Red Crayfish, Michalská 26

Cast: the author, Petronela Križanová, of the publishing house Detail, the art historian Henrieta Gábrišová, the host Dado Nagy
Music guests: Vlado Križan –guitar, Pavol Matej – violin, Henrich Novák – dobro, Adam Gábriš – guitar

The presentation of a new professional monograph dedicated to book culture and the history of publishing and bookshop practice focuses on a burgess Anton Löwe (* 1744 – † after 1814) who was a bookseller, publisher and printer in Bratislava active during the period of Hungarian enlightenment.
After many years of research into the history of book trade, cultural history of Slovakia and the history of communication, the author analyzes the marketing strategies of publishing houses and bookshops, their involvement in European book trade networks, and also addresses the sale and distribution of banned literature.
The main partner of the project Let’s Read Slovak Literature is the Slovak Art Council.
Entry free.

• Coronation tour of Maximilian II. Habsburg – Remembering the First Coronation in Bratislava

Time and date: 3 PM, 24.6.

Route: the Bratislava Castle, Palisády, Zámocká Street, Kapucínska Street, Hurban Square, St. Michael’s Gate, Michalská Street, Ventúrska Street, Pánska Street, Rybárska Street, Main Square, Radničná Street, Laurinska Street, Rybárska Street, Main Square.

Cast:  Tostabur, Žoldnieri, Saltarello, Fringia, Gathilion, Banderium, Adorea, Ursus, Elijana, Havrani, Equites Corone Spineae, Thurzovi drabanti

• Royal Knights Tournament

Time and date: 6 PM, 24.6.

Come and enjoy history, horses and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient times.

• Coronation concert

Time and date: 7 PM, 24.6.
Place: St. Martin’s Cathedral

Georg Friedrich Händel: Coronation Anthems, HWV 258 for choir and organ
Joseph Haydn: Te Deum – Hob. XXIII no. 2 for choir and organ dedicated to the Empress Maria Theresa
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Coronation Mass KV 317 for soloists, choir and organ
Cast: The Bratislava City Choir and soloists
Ladislav Holásek  –  conductor
Peter Mikula –  organ

• Bratislava Coronation in the European Context – Those Crowned and Almost Crowned

Conference on the occasion of the Bratislava Coronation Days
Time and date: 10 AM till 1:30 PM, 25.6.
Place: Mirror Room of the Primate’s Palace

Programme:

10 AM        Address by the Deputy of Bratislava’s Mayor, MUDr. Iveta Plšeková
10:10 AM   Elijana costume studio: Maria Theresa’s clothes showing
10:20  AM PhDr. Iva Kvetanová, PhD.: Fresco of Maximilian II’s Coronation in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence
10:40  AM PhDr. Štefan Holčík: Pressburg during Coronations
11:00  AM PhDr. Michal Bada, PhD.: Sacral Dimension of Bratislava Coronations
11:20 AM – 11:30 AM Break
11:30   AM PhDr. Miroslav Musil, PhD.: Crowned Heads
11:50  AM PhDr. István Soós: “Who Has Not Seen It Can Barely Imagine It”. The Coronation Celebration of 1830 in Bratislava.
12:30   PM PhDr. Mátyás Gödölle: Images of the Last Royal Coronation in Bratislava.
1:05 PM      Discussion and the end of the conference

• An Unusual Historical Fashion Show from the Renaissance Period

Costume studio Elijana

Time and date: 5 PM, 26.6.
Place: Main Square – large stage

An unusual historical fashion show full of costumes with comments on fashion and clothes during the reign of Maximilian II. and other European kings.

• Urban Conservation Institute

Guided tour of the city walls

Time and date: 10 AM and 2 PM, 26.6.
Meeting point: Old Town Hall Courtyard
Topic: the development of the city walls with a focus on the western section
Guide: PhDr. Zuzana Zvarová (UCI)- head of the research

• Bratislava City Gallery

Time and date: 2 PM, 27.6.
Place: Mirbach Palace, Bratislava City Gallery, Františkánske Square 11

Programme for seniors

SECRETS OF THE ART: FERDINAND II.

Ferdinand II. was the sixth monarch crowned in Bratislava. The crowning ceremony took place on July 1, 1618. The curator of the BCG Jana Luková will talk about typical features and characteristics of this monarch and how the Thirty Years War changed his rule. The lecture together with a screening is part of the programme of Bratislava Coronation Days 2018.

Entry: 1,50 € (only for seniors), without advanced booking

• MUCHA QUARTET – musica_litera – Hummel in Bratislava

Time and date: 7 PM, 29.6.
Place: Main square – large stage

Music by Mucha Quartet, spoken word by Matúš Krátky.

Mucha Quartet will present the works of the native of Bratislava, Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837), whose 240th anniversary of the birth will be celebrated this year, as well as the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), one of Hummel’s teachers in Vienna. The actor Matúš Krátky will present texts illustrating Hummel’s life and his visits to Bratislava.