Hodžovo námestie
Encyclopedia
Hodžovo námestie is a major square in Bratislava
, the capital of Slovakia
. The square is located at the edge of Old Town
, in front of the Slovak Presidential Palace
, some 5 minutes walking distance from the historical city center
. It is considered to be the center of Bratislava (although Main Square
is also considered to be the center) and it is the place of almost all of the foreign states visits.
A fountain called Earth - planet of peace is the centerpiece of the square, serving as one of the most common meeting points in the city. There is a vehicle underpass under this square as well as an underpass for pedestrians with shops and fast-food built in the 1970s (renovated sometime in the 21st century). Landmarks on this square include the Rococo
/late Baroque
Grassalkovich Palace
from the 18th century and former Hotel Forum, an example of post-modern architecture in Bratislava. Hodžovo Square serves as an important public transport
hub in the city. At the beginning of the 21st century new construction dramatically changed the look of this historical square.
. During communist era the square was called Mierové námestie.
/late Baroque
summer palace with a French garden. It was built in 1760 for Count Antal Grassalkovich, a Hungarian noble serving as the head of the Hungarian Chamber (a sort of ministry of economy and finance for the Kingdom of Hungary
), by architect Anton Mayerhofer. It features many beautiful rooms and an impressive staircase.
The building became a center of Baroque musical life in Pozsony (Pressburg) and an important part of social life in the city as well. During the 1939–1945 period, the palace was the seat of the clero-fascist
president of the First Slovak Republic Jozef Tiso
.
During the Communist era, it was first (after 1945) the seat of the Council of Commissioners, then in 1950, the building was turned into the "Klement Gottwald House of Pioneers and Youth" (Dom pionierov a mládeže Klementa Gottwalda), which was an activity center for Bratislava's schoolchildren called pioneers at that time. After its reconstruction in the early 1990s, on 30 September 1996 the palace became the residence of Slovakia's president. Its once-large gardens are now a public park.
. It includes a public sidewalk on the ground floor connecting Palisády Street
with Panenská Street with Staromestská Street and it also contains a heavily-used public transport bus stop and entrance into the pedestrian underpass below Hodžovo Square.
The structure was planned since 1993 and its construction was delayed several times. The building had to include the entrance to the underpass under the square and coincide with its renovation. The building's investor was I.P.R. Slovakia, a Slovak-Cypriot
company. Construction started in October 2004, when traffic restrictions took place in the form of blocking the rightmost driving lane at the square (coming from Štefánikova Street), blocking the major busy street for an astonishing 3 years, until August 2007. The building was completed in 2008, but without finishing the pedestrian underpass. Reconstruction of the unerpass was carried out by the Astoria Passage company, a sister company of the Astaria Palace building investor, to which the underpass was rented out for 10 years. After the long delayed opening of the underpass, it was found out that the escalator
was making loud noises. Moreover, the underpass remained much the same as when built under socialist realism, with one exception being a significant reduction of space to make more room for small shops. This also meant that there was still no escalator
leading to the Presidential Palace
and the whole underpass remained off limits to the handicapped, although special platform elevators for the handicapped have later been installed in November 2009.
In place of the building, there was formerly the square itself, meaning mostly empty space consisting of a busy bus stop. In the upper part of the space, there was the entrance to the pedestrian underpass and air conditioning vents blowing hot air in the winter, allowing for people to get some warmth when waiting for their evening or night buses. The area also contained benches to sit while waiting for the bus and consitituted a logical ending of the square from its side. Because of this structure, the bus stop shrunk several times and it is now prone to draft, as cold wind sometimes blows through the narrow passages of the Astoria Palace ground floor.
. The ground floor includes a small shopping gallery and a supermarket, the first underground floor features cafes and restaurants.
After its construction, the building is considered to have changed the square drastically. Even years after its construction, when all of the space around the square has been used, the Tatracentrum building dominates the Hodžovo Square. The structure's aesthetics is also considered unpleasant and unsuited for its location in the historical center of Bratislava. Consequently, the building is hated by many inhabitants of the Slovak capital. Upper floors of the building offer unique views of the square, but except for the ground floor and underground floors, the building is inaccessible to the public.
The building is U shaped, its main entrance is situated towards the square, the hotel parter is facing Poštová Street and a small square (forum) is facing Obchodná Street.
In 2004, the building was sold by the Slovak republic to the Dutch
company Myria Assets for 425 million Slovak crowns. Today, the hotel is called Crowne Plaza.
stop next to Tatracentrum, more specifically its extension over the pedestrian underpass mouth towards Poštová Street. Since its construction, the space contained benches to sit while waiting for a trolleybus and some greenery. Except for additional sitting space, it was used by citizens of Bratislava to disperse a little bit at an often crowded public transport stop and it allowed for pleasant views over the busy Poštová Street.
In 2006 a company named Alto Invest was supposed to start construction here. The Old Town construction office postponed the construction permission until December 31, 2011. Plans were changed several times. Currently, the building should have 3 floors. The whole area was fenced and access was prohibited to the public since mid-2010. However, the construction has not started yet.
Despite running out of space around the square, head architect of Bratislava Štefan Šlachta is the proponent of another building placed directly inside the small square at the place of trolleybus stop opposite Tatracentrum. The building should be a little smaller than Grassalkovich Palace
. There are no current plans to construct this building.
es, night bus
es and trolleybus
es stop here.
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, the capital of Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. The square is located at the edge of Old Town
Old Town, Bratislava
The Old Town of Bratislava is the historic center and one of the boroughs of Bratislava, in the Bratislava Region of Slovakia. It is coextensive with the smallest Slovak administrative district by area, Bratislava I. It contains the small, but preserved medieval city center, Bratislava Castle and...
, in front of the Slovak Presidential Palace
Grassalkovich Palace
The Grassalkovich Palace is a palace in Bratislava and the residence of the president of Slovakia. It is situated on Hodžovo námestie, near the Summer Archbishop's Palace....
, some 5 minutes walking distance from the historical city center
Bratislava Fortifications
The Bratislava fortifications are the system of fortifications of the city of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, of which one gate and two sections of walls remain today. Most of the medieval fortification system was demolished in the year 1775 by the order of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria,...
. It is considered to be the center of Bratislava (although Main Square
Hlavné námestie (Bratislava)
Hlavné námestie is one of the best known squares in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is located in the Old Town and it is often considered to be the center of the city....
is also considered to be the center) and it is the place of almost all of the foreign states visits.
A fountain called Earth - planet of peace is the centerpiece of the square, serving as one of the most common meeting points in the city. There is a vehicle underpass under this square as well as an underpass for pedestrians with shops and fast-food built in the 1970s (renovated sometime in the 21st century). Landmarks on this square include the Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
/late Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
Grassalkovich Palace
Grassalkovich Palace
The Grassalkovich Palace is a palace in Bratislava and the residence of the president of Slovakia. It is situated on Hodžovo námestie, near the Summer Archbishop's Palace....
from the 18th century and former Hotel Forum, an example of post-modern architecture in Bratislava. Hodžovo Square serves as an important public transport
Public Transport in Bratislava
Public transport in Bratislava is the biggest public transport network in Slovakia. It is managed by Dopravný podnik Bratislava, a city-owned company. The transport system is known as Mestská hromadná doprava . The history of public transportation in Bratislava began in 1895, with the opening of...
hub in the city. At the beginning of the 21st century new construction dramatically changed the look of this historical square.
Name
The square is currently named after a Slovak priest and politician Michal Miloslav HodžaMichal Miloslav Hodža
Michal Miloslav Hodža was a Slovak national revivalist, Protestant priest, poet, linguist, and representative of the Slovakian national movement in 1840's as a member of "the trinity" Štúr - Hurban - Hodža...
. During communist era the square was called Mierové námestie.
Grassalkovich Palace
The building is a RococoRococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
/late Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
summer palace with a French garden. It was built in 1760 for Count Antal Grassalkovich, a Hungarian noble serving as the head of the Hungarian Chamber (a sort of ministry of economy and finance for the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
), by architect Anton Mayerhofer. It features many beautiful rooms and an impressive staircase.
The building became a center of Baroque musical life in Pozsony (Pressburg) and an important part of social life in the city as well. During the 1939–1945 period, the palace was the seat of the clero-fascist
Clerical fascism
Clerical fascism is an ideological construct that combines the political and economic doctrines of fascism with theology or religious tradition...
president of the First Slovak Republic Jozef Tiso
Jozef Tiso
Jozef Tiso was a Slovak Roman Catholic priest, politician of the Slovak People's Party, and Nazi collaborator. Between 1939 and 1945, Tiso was the head of the Slovak State, a satellite state of Nazi Germany...
.
During the Communist era, it was first (after 1945) the seat of the Council of Commissioners, then in 1950, the building was turned into the "Klement Gottwald House of Pioneers and Youth" (Dom pionierov a mládeže Klementa Gottwalda), which was an activity center for Bratislava's schoolchildren called pioneers at that time. After its reconstruction in the early 1990s, on 30 September 1996 the palace became the residence of Slovakia's president. Its once-large gardens are now a public park.
Astoria Palace
Astoria Palace has 7 floors above ground and it includes mostly administrative (office) space, its main tennant being Ernst & YoungErnst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
. It includes a public sidewalk on the ground floor connecting Palisády Street
Palisády Street
Palisády Street is a major street in Bratislava's Old Town connecting Hodžovo námestie and Bratislava Castle in the Slovakia's capital. The street is served by public transport trolleybusses...
with Panenská Street with Staromestská Street and it also contains a heavily-used public transport bus stop and entrance into the pedestrian underpass below Hodžovo Square.
The structure was planned since 1993 and its construction was delayed several times. The building had to include the entrance to the underpass under the square and coincide with its renovation. The building's investor was I.P.R. Slovakia, a Slovak-Cypriot
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
company. Construction started in October 2004, when traffic restrictions took place in the form of blocking the rightmost driving lane at the square (coming from Štefánikova Street), blocking the major busy street for an astonishing 3 years, until August 2007. The building was completed in 2008, but without finishing the pedestrian underpass. Reconstruction of the unerpass was carried out by the Astoria Passage company, a sister company of the Astaria Palace building investor, to which the underpass was rented out for 10 years. After the long delayed opening of the underpass, it was found out that the escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
was making loud noises. Moreover, the underpass remained much the same as when built under socialist realism, with one exception being a significant reduction of space to make more room for small shops. This also meant that there was still no escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
leading to the Presidential Palace
Grassalkovich Palace
The Grassalkovich Palace is a palace in Bratislava and the residence of the president of Slovakia. It is situated on Hodžovo námestie, near the Summer Archbishop's Palace....
and the whole underpass remained off limits to the handicapped, although special platform elevators for the handicapped have later been installed in November 2009.
In place of the building, there was formerly the square itself, meaning mostly empty space consisting of a busy bus stop. In the upper part of the space, there was the entrance to the pedestrian underpass and air conditioning vents blowing hot air in the winter, allowing for people to get some warmth when waiting for their evening or night buses. The area also contained benches to sit while waiting for the bus and consitituted a logical ending of the square from its side. Because of this structure, the bus stop shrunk several times and it is now prone to draft, as cold wind sometimes blows through the narrow passages of the Astoria Palace ground floor.
Tatracentrum
Project by Ľubomír Závodný, Matej Siebert, Radomil Kachlík, Peter Vavrica in 1999-2001 Construction started in November 1999 and finished in December 2001. Total occupied space is 3647 meters squared. The building has 8 floors above ground and it includes 343 parking spaces (127 restricted and 216 accessible to the public). The building serves as the headquarters of Slovak bank Tatra bankaTatra banka
Tatra banka is a commercial bank in Slovakia. It was founded in 1990 as the first private bank in Slovakia. It took the name of the former bank, established in 1885, but not its assets. It started financial operations in December 1991....
. The ground floor includes a small shopping gallery and a supermarket, the first underground floor features cafes and restaurants.
After its construction, the building is considered to have changed the square drastically. Even years after its construction, when all of the space around the square has been used, the Tatracentrum building dominates the Hodžovo Square. The structure's aesthetics is also considered unpleasant and unsuited for its location in the historical center of Bratislava. Consequently, the building is hated by many inhabitants of the Slovak capital. Upper floors of the building offer unique views of the square, but except for the ground floor and underground floors, the building is inaccessible to the public.
Former hotel forum
This post-modern hotel building was finished in 1989. The project is by Julián Hauskrecht and others (Boris Džadoň, Štefan Ďurkovič, Juraj Herman, Dušan Krepop, Ján Poláček, Pavol Suchánek) with additional input into the interior design by Alain Marcot and Slobodanka Dragovičová.The building is U shaped, its main entrance is situated towards the square, the hotel parter is facing Poštová Street and a small square (forum) is facing Obchodná Street.
In 2004, the building was sold by the Slovak republic to the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
company Myria Assets for 425 million Slovak crowns. Today, the hotel is called Crowne Plaza.
Future construction
After the building of Astoria Palace, the last place on the square where a structure can be placed is the trolleybusTrolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
stop next to Tatracentrum, more specifically its extension over the pedestrian underpass mouth towards Poštová Street. Since its construction, the space contained benches to sit while waiting for a trolleybus and some greenery. Except for additional sitting space, it was used by citizens of Bratislava to disperse a little bit at an often crowded public transport stop and it allowed for pleasant views over the busy Poštová Street.
In 2006 a company named Alto Invest was supposed to start construction here. The Old Town construction office postponed the construction permission until December 31, 2011. Plans were changed several times. Currently, the building should have 3 floors. The whole area was fenced and access was prohibited to the public since mid-2010. However, the construction has not started yet.
Despite running out of space around the square, head architect of Bratislava Štefan Šlachta is the proponent of another building placed directly inside the small square at the place of trolleybus stop opposite Tatracentrum. The building should be a little smaller than Grassalkovich Palace
Grassalkovich Palace
The Grassalkovich Palace is a palace in Bratislava and the residence of the president of Slovakia. It is situated on Hodžovo námestie, near the Summer Archbishop's Palace....
. There are no current plans to construct this building.
Access
The square serves as an important public transport hub in Bratislava. Both busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es, night bus
Night bus
A night bus service or owl service is a public transport bus service which operates through the night time hours. Many cities operate such services, either in addition to or in substitution for ordinary daytime bus services or rapid transit rail services which may shut for maintenance or due to...
es and trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es stop here.