Bratislava’s Brutalist & Communist Architecture: Relics of a Concrete Era I.

The article explores the best of Bratislava brutalism. It also covers some additional communist buildings. I decided to divide them into two categories. The ones located in or near the old city center and the ones standing further away. This article covers the first group.

Hotel Kyjev

Hotel Kyjev, situated on Kamenné Námestie in the center of Bratislava, makes an impression that it does not belong to its surroundings. It was built in 1973 and one of its designers, Ivan Matušík, got the idea from Danish architect Arne Jacobsen and his SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Both buildings are similar, but not only from the outside. Take a look inside, and you will find a turning staircase. Critics heavily criticized both buildings. Some stated that the SAS Hotel resembles a box of cigarettes while building Hotel Kyjev with the shopping mall Prior. They needed to destroy historical buildings.

The hotel’s striking brutalist structure, raw concrete facade, and rigid geometry articulate functionalist design. With 65 meters and 15 floors, it is one of the tallest in Bratislava. The interiors, mostly the lobby and the entrance, were originally decorated in a retro-futuristic 1970s aesthetic.

OD Prior

The construction of the shopping center OD Prior took place between 1964 and 1968. It was open on 20. November 1968. It was the first shopping mall in the former Czechoslovakia. Ivan Matúšik is its author. The building was unique because it had the first escalators in Slovakia. They could move around 6000 people in an hour. On one of its walls is a big clock designed by Jaroslav Kočiš. Right in front of the building in the open space lies the first building rock in a triangle shape with carved words PRIOR.

Residential Building Medená

A brutalist building with a yellow accent can be found on Medená Street, just a few steps from Kamenné Námestie and near Comenius University. The building consists of terraces with supporting columns. Its authors are two architects – Ján Hauskrecht and Štefan Svetko. The 60s were years of loosening social atmosphere filled with enthusiasm. Such tendencies slowly made their way into the art world and architecture. This residential building is expressing them. The first people to live in it were in 1974.

UFO Tower

People built a UFO Tower within 6 years, between 1967 and 1972. You can access it by car or public transport on the SNP bridge or from the old city center (Hviezdoslavovo Square). Architect J. Lacko and engineer A. Tesár are its authors. The tower is 85 meters above the earth. There is an observation deck and a restaurant at the top. Inside is a lift capable of carrying 10 people at a time.

SNG

The SNG extension building is controversial due to its contrast with the old historical buildings. From a conceptual point of view, the extension is an excellent addition to the former SNG building and military quarters. Its author is architect Vladimír Dedeček.

Slovak Radio

The Slovak Radio building is an upside-down pyramid finished in 1983 and in use since 27 March 1985. Its authors are Štefan Svetko, Štefan Ďurkovič, and Barnabáš Kissling. According to sources, the building was built in an era when architecture started to free itself from ideological oppression while following pre-war tradition.

On the ground floor, there is a gallery space open to the public. The first notable exhibition, New Slovak Image, took place in 1988. Beside the gallery, there is a concert hall, recording studios, and even the biggest organ in Slovakia in one room.

Freedom Square

Freedom Square lies near Kollárové Square and Obchodná Street. In medieval times, people grew grapes there. The square came to life around the 17th century, together with the first summer palace for the archbishop. During socialism, the square had the name Gottwaldovo Námestie or Gotko with the aim of expressing honor to communist president Klement Gottwald. There also used to stand a big statue 6 meters high of the president with workers. The square is home to the most enormous fountain in Bratislava – Družba, nine meters high metal plastic shaped as flowers in the center.

Train Station

The central train station in Bratislava lies between the Old and New Town zones on Franz Liszt Square. People built the first train building in 1848. The creators added two more in the following years. Many inhabitants of the capital city consider the train station one of the town’s most ugly buildings.

Inside are even some artworks. Above the prominent cornice of the second station building, the artwork “Winged Wheel” rises. In the vestibule of the historic reception building, there is a large-scale fresco in the style of socialist realism, spanning the entire width of the wall above the entrance to the platform and the underpass.

If you have some extra time, also stop by the Bratislava Vinohrady train station. The building may seem simple—a Brutalist cube with large glass windows—but it’s worth a visit. Combined with the striking outdoor staircase, it offers a perfect example of Bratislava Brutalism.

National Council

The National Council building stands right next to the historical castle. You can reach it with a tram 44 or 47 from Hoďžovo Square. People started to construct it in 1986, but it was in 1994 that the first politicians came to work. There were three authors – architects behind it – Ľ. Jendreják, P. Puškár and J. Šilinger.

A monumental  5-meter-high bronze statue named “Welcoming” by artist Jan Kulich stands in front of the building. Just a few meters away is a fountain with a memorial to Alexander Dubček.

Inside is a big entrance hall, a conference room without windows, and an underground flow with dining and workshop spaces. There is also a gallery with 230 artworks, including 7 paintings by Albín Brunovský.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Slovakia building on Staromestká Street in Bratislava is a prime example of postmodern Bratislava Brutalism. Designed by architect Vladimír Dedeček, it is a functional and aesthetic landmark. The six-story structure has been used since 1991 and features distinctive angular facades and large windows framed in light-colored sandstone and prefabricated concrete. Inside, the building houses several courtrooms and offices, with artworks like stained glass by Ferdinand Hložník and a relief by Alexander Trizuliak adding to its cultural value. This striking building stands as a symbol of both architectural ambition and judicial authority.

This article covers Bratislava Brutalism and communist-era buildings in Bratislava’s city center, but there’s more to explore. Check out Part II, where I’ll dive into remarkable structures beyond the downtown area.