I completely lucked out with the timing of my visit to Bratislava, Slovakia. When I arrived earlier that week the town was quiet and I had the chance to wander around and explore with fewer tourists than I’d expected and had no idea that I’d arrived to see one of Slovakia’s biggest festivals during the weekend, the yearly Coronation Festivities in the historic section of town!
For the last 8 years, during the first weekend in September, Bratislava reenacts the crowning of an Austro-Hungarian King or Queen. There were 11 kings and 8 queens crowned in Bratislava between 1563 and 1830 and each year a different one is honored.
This event starts on the Saturday before with a fair and actors in period costume entertaining people in the Old Town. There’s a bunch of food, arts & crafts, as well as rides and games for kids and even some adults… attempting to walk on the stilts was a lot of peoples favorite (and it really is as hard as it looks!).
This year they commemorated the 1647 coronation of 13 year old King Ferdinand IV (played by a Slovakian child actor whose name I unfortunately didn’t catch) accompanied by his mother, Anna Maria Queen of Hungary (played by dancer Ivana Surovcová) and his father, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III (played by actor Filip Tůma).
The coronation parade started at the Bratislava Castle and the ceremony took place in Hviezdoslavovo Square in front of the National Theatre where after the long procession and ceremony, the Archbishop of Esztergom placed St. Stephen’s Crown on the head of the young prince declaring him future king. The festivities go well into the evening long after the impressive fireworks display above the Old Town Square.
If you’re interested in seeing the commemoration, I’d suggest getting a good spot early, it was packed by the time I arrived so I had so wiggle through a bit for a decent view. It was definetly interesting to see, the costumes were absolutely beautiful and getting a peek into a part this cities past was a wonderful surprise.
Interesting notes:
If you’re wondering as I was why the prince was getting coronated while his father was still alive, I found out that it was common for the 17th-century Habsburgs for the King to pass on the Hungarian crown to his heir in preparation for his succession. Sadly though Ferdinand IV never did become the next Holy Roman Emperor as he died 3 years before his father.
Another interesting thing to note is that this year the coronation was not quite historically accurate since Anna Maria actually died in 1646, a year before her son’s coronation. The city decided to take artistic liberty since the couple playing King Ferdinand IV’s parents are very popular here and felt it would make a better show. I have to admit, it was interesting seeing an outfit as ornate as the one the Queen was wearing even if it wasn’t quite true to history.
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Sounds like the festival was thoroughly enjoyable!
I may have to go see that some day.
It really was interesting to see!