Celtic from Bratislava
from 15. 12. 2016 to 31. 12. 2025
Grand Opening of the Exhibition
After the success of the exhibition "The Etruscans from Perugia", which was visited by over 30,000 visitors at Bratislava Castle more than a year ago, we are now opening the exhibition Celtic from Bratislava. This reciprocal exhibition took place in July 2016 in the Italian city of Perugia, which has been a partner city of Bratislava since 1962. "The exhibition proves that both cities have maintained long-standing trade relations," said the Vice Mayor of Culture from Perugia about the exhibition. Visitors to the Slovak National Museum - Historical Museum can see the Celtic from Bratislava exhibition from December 14, 2016, to October 1, 2017, in the basement of Bratislava Castle.
More than 2,000 years ago, the area of Bratislava was home to a Celtic city – an oppidum, larger than the later medieval city. In the city center, archaeologists found a wealth of objects and artifacts from this period. The finds at Bratislava Castle, in particular, are evidence of the wealth of the oppidum. Foundations of buildings discovered on the castle hill show signs of luxury beyond the regional norms. The inhabitants of these houses called upon Roman craftsmen to build residences similar to those in Italy. Research in recent years has provided new insights not only into the history of Bratislava but also into the broader context of the central Danube region. The Celts introduced inventions that were unknown until then to the territory of Slovakia, such as making pottery on a potter's wheel instead of by hand, the use of scissors, and rotary millstones. They were skilled metalworkers and artists. Celtic coinage marked the beginning of coin minting in Slovakia, which is why the Biatec coin from Bratislava is also a symbol of the National Bank of Slovakia.
The Celtic from Bratislava exhibition offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the past, into the times when the Celts lived in the area of the city. It represents the first known ethnic group in Slovakia by name. In addition to numerous findings (such as treasure hoards of coins) and the interesting concept of the exhibition, visitors have the chance to see part of the remains of ancient architecture from the 1st century BC in the underground space beneath the courtyard of Bratislava Castle. The exhibition also features a children’s section with interactive tasks. The preparation and realization of the exhibition were financed through a Priority Project by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak National Museum - Historical Museum in Bratislava.
Points of Interest
The first Celts entered the Central Danube region in the second half of the 5th century BC. According to Caesar, oppida were fortified settlements with an urban character, serving as administrative and cult centers of Celtic society. The geographical location at the crossroads of trade routes made the establishment of an oppidum in Bratislava inevitable. The Celts had their own mint in Bratislava. The most common inscription on the coins is BIATEC. Increasingly, scientific circles are accepting that the location of Carnuntum, first mentioned in 6 AD in the report by Velleius Paterculus, referred to Bratislava at that time. The border of the Roman Empire was firmly established along the Danube at the turn of the eras (27 BC – 14 AD) under Emperor Augustus.
