Bratislava - Devín

www.devin.sk

Devín is one of the smallest districts of Bratislava, the eponymous castle lies at the confluence of the Danube and Morava. From the center of Bratislava it is 10 km away. The village with a castle is situated on the place where the Danube entries Devín gate.

We can get to urban parts of the city from Bratislava by public transportation from the bus station Mlynské Nivy, the main railway station and airport, MR Stefanik. The nearest railway station is in Devínska Nová Ves 5 km away.

Access to Devín is also possible on water. Landing on the Danube offers seasonal shipping lines from the center of Bratislava and from the Austrian Hainburg. Local recreational navigation is also conducted on a short section of Lower Morava. Banks of the Danube and Morava are used for boating also. Popular is a boat trip to the ruins of Devín and to the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, with a break at Devín.

The first written documents of Devín are from 1237, and known under the name "Villa Thebyn", but due to the development of crafts and the strategic position it already had a character of town in 1428.

Devin is well known thanks to its redcurrant wine production, which started in 1922 by Alois Sonntag, vineyards on its territory were first mentioned in 1254.

Sights:

-      Devín Castle - The castle stands on a huge rock cliff above the confluence of the rivers Danube and Morava. The castle mound for its strategic location was inhabited since Neolithic times, especially at the Celtic time - the early Iron Age. During the blossoming period of Roman empire, there was a Roman outposts guard station. The castle in the period of Great Moravia was one of the main strongholds against the expansion of the Frankish Empire - a major economic and military center. After the end of Great Moravia Devín lost its strategic position. In the 13th century, during the Austro-Hungarian Monarch its importance slowly started to grow. The castle in the 15th century was owned by the Garay family, and was rebuilt in gothic style. The castle is from 1961 a National cultural monument.

-      Church of Saint Cross – Virgin Mary - originally a Gothic Roman Catholic church from the 14th century, during renovations in the 18th century got some Baroque and Classical acquired traits.

-      In the centre of Devín is a manor house, dating from the mid of 17th century. It was used as a Jesuit monastery and later a brewery. Today it is private property.

The municipality of Devín has a post office, library, cinema, culture houses, playground, catering outlet centers, hotels lower and higher categories, food shop and several souvenir shops.