St Martin's Cathedral is Bratislava's Gothic main church, standing at the western edge of the Old Town just below the castle hill. Between 1563 and 1830 it was the coronation church of the Kingdom of Hungary, and a gilded replica of the Hungarian royal crown still sits on top of its 85-metre spire.
St Martin's Cathedral at a glance
- Where: Rudnayovo námestie, on the western edge of the Old Town, between the castle hill and the line of the old city walls.
- Built: from 1311; consecrated in 1452, with new chapels and other additions into the 16th century.
- Tower: 85 metres, rebuilt in neo-Gothic style after a lightning fire in 1833 to a design by Ignác Feigler senior.
- What it is today: an active Catholic church, a national cultural monument since 2002 and the backdrop of the yearly Coronation Festival.
- Time needed: 30–45 minutes inside, plus a few minutes outside to find the crown on the spire and the crowns in the pavement.
From town church to coronation church
A Romanesque church dedicated to the Holy Saviour stood on this site from 1221. Work on the present Gothic church began in 1311 and dragged on for more than a century, slowed by money problems and by the Hussite wars, until it was consecrated in 1452. The building was part of the town's defences: its western front incorporates a stretch of the city wall, and remains of the fortifications survive at its southern end.
After the Ottomans defeated Hungary at Mohács in 1526 and went on to take Buda, Pressburg, as Bratislava was then called, became the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary. On 8 September 1563 Maximilian II was crowned here, and St Martin's kept that role until the coronation of Ferdinand V on 28 September 1830. Eleven Hungarian kings and queens and eight royal consorts were crowned in this church, among them Maria Theresa on 25 June 1741. When lightning set the tower on fire in 1833, it was rebuilt, and in 1847 the gilded crown was placed on top.
What to look for
- The crown on the spire: a gilded copy of the Crown of St Stephen, more than a metre across, resting on a gilded cushion at the very top of the tower. It was restored in 2010.
- Donner's St Martin: the lead sculpture by the Baroque artist Georg Raphael Donner, installed in 1744, shows the saint on horseback cutting his cloak in half to share with a freezing beggar.
- The list of the crowned: a board on the north wall inside names the kings, queens and consorts crowned here. It is known to be incomplete.
- The Chapel of St John the Almsgiver: a Baroque chapel from the 1730s, paid for by Archbishop Imre Esterházy and probably designed by Donner.
- The crowns in the pavement: small gilded crowns set into the streets trace the coronation route that the newly crowned kings took through the town.
- The city wall: walk round the outside of the church to see where the remains of the medieval fortifications meet its walls.
A motorway on the doorstep
The cathedral's closest neighbour is the busy approach road to the Most SNP bridge over the Danube. Around 1970 the Communist government cleared much of the old quarter below the castle to build it, including the synagogue that had stood beside the cathedral for centuries. A memorial on Rybné námestie now marks the site. The vibrations from heavy traffic are a real problem for the old church, which has been under restoration in stages since 1997.
Tips for your visit
- This is a working church. Avoid walking around during Mass, and expect the nave to be closed to visitors during weddings, which are common on Saturdays.
- For the best view of the crown on the spire, climb a little way up the steps towards the castle and look back down at the tower.
- Look for the small crowns in the pavement outside and follow them towards Hlavné námestie to walk the coronation route yourself.
- Combine the cathedral with the castle: the steps up the hill start a short walk from the church.
Nearby
- Bratislava Castle: the square, four-towered castle on the hill above, with wide views over the Danube and the city.
- Michael's Gate: the only surviving gate of the medieval town walls, at the northern end of the Old Town.
- Hlavné námestie: the main square with the Maximilian Fountain and the Old Town Hall, on the old coronation route.
- Most SNP: the bridge with the saucer-shaped restaurant on its pylon, right beside the cathedral; its footpath gives a good view back to the church and castle.
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. St Martin's Cathedral is one of the stops, along with the Blue Church of St Elizabeth.
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.