The Primate's Palace (Primaciálny palác) is the pale pink neoclassical palace on Primaciálne námestie, just behind the Old Town Hall in Bratislava. It was built as the winter residence of the archbishops of Esztergom, the primates of Hungary, and today it is the seat of the city's mayor. In its Hall of Mirrors, Napoleon's France and Austria signed the Peace of Pressburg in 1805.
The Primate's Palace at a glance
- Where: Primaciálne námestie in the Old Town, directly behind the Old Town Hall and a minute from the Main Square.
- Built: 1778–1781 (some sources give 1777 as the start), for Archbishop József Batthyány.
- By: the architect Melchior Hefele.
- What it is today: the seat of the Mayor of Bratislava; the city council meets in the Hall of Mirrors, and the state rooms are open to visitors as part of the Bratislava City Gallery.
- Time needed: 10 minutes for the façade and courtyard, about an hour if you go inside.
From archbishop's residence to city hall
From 1563 to 1830 Pressburg, today's Bratislava, was the coronation city of the Kingdom of Hungary, and after Esztergom fell to the Ottomans in 1543 the archbishops of Esztergom also kept a residence here. Archbishop József Batthyány had the architect Melchior Hefele build this palace as his winter residence between 1778 and 1781. With its pediment, columns and restrained pink-and-white façade, it is one of the finest neoclassical buildings in the city.
Two moments of European history happened inside. On 26 December 1805, after Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz, the Peace of Pressburg was signed in the Hall of Mirrors; it ended the War of the Third Coalition and led to the end of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1848 King Ferdinand V signed the April Laws here, which created the first responsible Hungarian government. In 1903 the city bought the palace, and during the reconstruction that followed, workers found six English tapestries hidden behind the wallpaper of the room next to the Hall of Mirrors.
What to look for
- The cardinal's hat: on top of the pediment sits Batthyány's coat of arms in metal, crowned with a red cardinal's hat. The city gives its weight as about 150 kg.
- The pelican: the coat of arms on the roof also shows a pelican feeding its young with its own blood, an old Christian symbol of sacrifice.
- The Hall of Mirrors: the white and gold reception room where the 1805 treaty was signed. A bust of Emperor Francis I stands on the staircase next to it.
- The tapestries: six panels woven in the 1630s at the royal Mortlake workshop near London, telling the tragic love story of Hero and Leander. They are the best-known treasures of the palace.
- The courtyard: walk in through the main gate to see a fountain with St George fighting the dragon in the middle of the inner yard.
The tapestries behind the wallpaper
Nobody knows for certain why the tapestries ended up behind wallpaper. They had once belonged to the 17th-century archbishop György Szelepcsényi, but how and when they were covered up is not recorded. The story they tell is the Greek legend of Leander, who swam across the Hellespont every night to his beloved Hero, guided by the lamp in her tower, until a storm blew out the light and he drowned; Hero then threw herself into the sea.
Tips for your visit
- Step back into the square to see the whole façade and the cardinal's hat: from right under the walls, the roof is hard to see.
- The courtyard is usually open even when the state rooms are not, so look in when you pass. Inside, the palace is still a working town hall, so keep your voice down near offices and on council days.
- Combine it with the Old Town Hall: you can walk from the Main Square through the town hall courtyard and come out right in front of the palace.
Nearby
- Old Town Hall: Bratislava's oldest town hall, with a tower and the city museum, right next door.
- Main Square (Hlavné námestie): the square with Roland's Fountain and the Napoleonic soldier on a bench, a minute's walk away.
- Franciscan Church: one of the oldest churches in the city, just across Františkánske námestie.
- St Martin's Cathedral: the coronation church of the Hungarian kings, a few minutes' walk to the west.
See Bratislava with World City Trail
Our Bratislava scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 31 minutes of walking. It includes the Blue Church and St Martin's Cathedral, where Hungarian kings were crowned.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Bratislava.
Play the Bratislava scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Bratislava →
Play the outdoor escape game in Bratislava →
Facts checked in October 2026.