1936 On the Continent

Slavkov, better known as Austerlitz. Then there is the Rajhradsky Monastery with its fine collections, while 2½ hours by train from Brno is the castle of Pernstjn, a well preserved medieval castle which belonged to one of the aristocratic families of Moravia. Near Brno there are also several old towns which are worth visiting. In particular I would mention Olomouc, Teland, perhaps strangest of all, Štramberk, with the ruins of an old castle. In striking contrast to these survivals from bygone times there is the up-to-date town of Zlin with the most modern boot factory in the world. Here you can buy the very best footwear at astonishingly low prices.
Moravian Scenery
    Moravia is rich also in fine natural scenery. The most fertile parts of the province are the plains in the south which produce grapes and other fruit in great abundance.The best time to visit them is in the spring when they are full of blossom or in the autumn when the harvest is at hand. Those who are fond of boating and fishing will find the River Dyje very much to their liking, particularly in its upper course. In its lower reaches the river flows more sluggishly, but on the other hand it abounds here in all kinds of water fowl.
    The capital of Slovakia, the southern part of the Republic, is Bratislava, known to the Germans as Pressburg and to the Magyars as Pozsony. It is a town with a very chequered past and many of the events which occurred within its walls had decisive effects upon the destinies of empires. Nevertheless, until the Czechoslovak Republic was established it continued to be a comparatively small town. Within the last twenty years, however, it has nearly doubled in size, and is becoming more and more important as a cultural centre. It is the seat of a Slovak University, and it has a fine theatre and opera house. It is also of considerable business importance as a large harbour upon the huge waterway of the Danube.
Seeing Bratislava
    Our best starting-point for a ramble through Bratislava is the Michael’s Gate near the railway station. This gate is one of the remains of the old fortifications, and from it we make our way to Masaryk Square. In Michael Street is the Chapel of St. Catherine, the interior of which is Gothic. In Masaryk Square is the Town Hall, which was Gothic in its beginnings but which took generations to build. The road past its tower, containing a medieval torture chamber with a large collection of implements of torture, leads to the Primate’s Palace, dating from the end of the eighteenth century and containing a fine central hall, the chief decorative features of which are six gobelins from the seventeenth century. In the vicinity of the Masaryk Square there are still a few buildings left from the hey-day of Bratislava, and in the centre stands the Roland’s Well, a Renaissance piece of work. The continuation of this square is the Franciscan Square, the most noteworthy landmark of which is the Chapel of St. John famous for its wood carvings in the monastery passages. The museum in the monastery is worth visiting chiefly on account of the specimens of folk-ceramics which itcontains. If we now return to our main route we shall reach the cathedral, which also underwent many modifications during the six centuries of its growth, and which for nearly three centuries was the place where the kings of Hungary were crowned. We then pass on through the picturesque “Jewish Street” and arrive at the castle. This vast brick edifice is the most conspicuous in the whole town. Its foundations were laid more than a thousand years ago by a war-like Czech ruler named Betislav, and as time went on it became a fortress which dominated the Danube waterway. After inspecting it we can walk out on to the wonderful terraces and admire the Danube, and the adjoining region. And before returning to the centre of the town, we ought to take a stroll along the Danube embankment at least as far as the Government Buildings.
    Here let me add that if you need any further information about Bratislava, you will obtain every possible assistance at the Tourist Bureau in the Savoy-Carlton, the largest hotel in the town. And, indeed, I would strongly advise you not to be satisfied with a mere ramble through Bratislava. It is a town of particular interest to the visitor from Western Europe, for in many respects it may be regarded as the first gateway to the Near East. The people here are more animated and excitable than those in the western part of