Once a Roman border fortress, Bratislava became the capital of the 7th century Kingdom of Samo, the first ever Slavic state. A cultural melting pot throughout its history, Bratislava was the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom from 1536 to 1783, and its heritage shows its unique blend of Slavic (Slovak), Hungarian, and German influence.

As Czechoslovakia collapsed, Bratislava became the capital of Jozef Tiso's fascist Slovak Republic. Of the major Slavic cities under German hegemony, Bratislava has suffered the least, allowed to continue its steady development into a modern industrial city. Whether this shall lead to permanent success or come crashing down, only time--and Germany--can tell.