St. Michael’s Tower

St. Michael’s Tower is the only one of the four gates that were originally built within the old city walls, that was preserved. It is locally known as the Michalská gate. In the 14th century, it was finally finished. It was called after the Gothic church of St. Michal, which was located before the fortification but was destroyed in the 16th century due to incursions by Turkish troops.

The church was located in the area before the stronghold. Since its establishment, it has undergone numerous expansions up to the 18th century, when it took on its definitive form. This occurred just a few decades before the majority of the city’s defences were taken down.

One of the most recognisable features of the Old Town is the onion-shaped roof that sits atop the gate tower. The villa district in the hills, the city’s rooftops and towers, and the hilltop castle are all visible from the balcony, which features a panoramic view of the area.

A time capsule from 1758 can be found in the statue’s head. Its contents include documents from the 18th and 19th centuries, currency or bills of exchange from the period after the devaluation of currency following the state’s bankruptcy, the relics of nine saints sealed in sacred wax, copper plates, the names of members of the so-called wider and narrower city council, and a piece of paper written in German that lists the names of the makers of the helmet truss. The public got to vote on what should be added to the mailbox during its restoration in 2023.

Under the gate is a zero-kilometer scale with world sides that illustrates the geographic distance between Bratislava and other major cities across the world.