Petržalka (Hungarian: Ligetfalu, German: Engerau) is the largest city part of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Situated on the right riverbank of the river Danube, it houses approximately 130,000 inhabitants.
Characteristics
Currently, Petržalka is connected with Bratislava by five bridges, and is the most densely populated place in Slovakia and also in Central Europe. It is in most part a residential area with most people living in blocks of flats, the so-called paneláks. Most of the apartment blocks in Petržalka were built during the Socialist period of Czechoslovakia and are seemingly identical. For this reason, many residents refer to the neighbourhood as the "concrete jungle."
Important institutions include the Economic University, the Incheba congress and exposition centre and the Petržalka train station operating traffic to and from Vienna.
History
Historical records about Petržalka exist from 1225. In 1866, Petržalka had 594 inhabitants and 103 houses.
Petržalka became permanently connected with the town of Bratislava in 1891, when the first railway bridge had been built. Before this date only wooden bridges existed, but they were often damaged by frost and floods.
In 1938, Petžalka was annexed by fascist Germany on the basis of the Munich agreement, but after WWII was returned to Czechoslovakia.
In 1946 Petržalka officially became a part of Bratislava.
External links
- The Official Petržalka Website. (in Slovak)
- Facts about Bratislava-Petrzalka
- Pope John Paul II visits Petrzalka (Vatican document)