Grassalkovich Palace

Grassalkovich Palace
Grasalkovičov palác
General information
Type	Palace
Location	Old Town, Bratislava
Country	Slovakia
Coordinates	48°08′57″N17°06′28″E

Grassalkovich Palace

TheGrassalkovich Palace(Slovak:Grasalkovičov palác,Hungarian:Grassalkovich-kastély) is apalaceinBratislava,Slovakia, and the residence of thePresident of Slovakia.It is situated onHodžovo námestie,near theEpiscopal Summer Palace.The building is aRococo-lateBaroquesummer palace with aFrench garden.

History

President George W. Bush and Slovak former President Ivan Gašparovič in Grassalkovich Palace during theSlovakia Summit 2005

The building was finished in 1760, byarchitectAndrás MayerhofferforHungarian aristocratAntal Grassalkovichof Croatian descent, a close friend ofMaria Theresa.Antal was then President of the Royal Hungarian Chamber (quasi-Minister of Finance), and as such he needed an apartment in the capital (sincePozsonywas the capital ofHungaryuntil1848). It features many rooms and an impressive staircase. The chapel is decorated with frescoes by Joseph von Pichler.

The building became a center ofBaroquemusical life inPozsony.Joseph Haydnpremiered some of his works here. Count Grassalkovich also had his orchestra and his "colleague", PrinceEsterházy,used to "lend" him his favorite conductor,Haydn.Grassalkovich wasMaria Theresa'svassal,so the palace was used for various balls and parties of theHabsburgroyal court.For example, it was Haydn who conducted the orchestra when Maria Theresa's daughter marriedAlbert of Sachsen-Teschen,then governor of the Kingdom of Hungary (seeBratislava Castle).Ľudovít Štúris said to have declared his love to Adela Ostrolúcka for the first time during a ball organized byArchdukeStephen Francis Victor (Buda14 September 1817 –Menton19 February 1867), son of the Palatine, Joseph. The last owners of the palace before the end ofAustria-Hungarywere ArchdukeFrederick of Teschenwith his wifeIsabella of Croy-Dülmen.After that, the building stood empty for years. After theTreaty of Trianon,it was first used again as the personal residence of thefascistJozef Tiso,leader of theSlovak Republicbut from 1919 the palace was occupied by the Territorial Military Command.

During the 1939–1945 period, the palace was adapted by Emil Bellušand became the seat of the President of theFirst Slovak Republic(i.e. ofJozef Tiso). During theCommunistera, it was first (after 1945) the seat of the Council of Commissioners (also styled Corps of Plenipotentiaries), which was a quasi-government of Slovakia withinCzechoslovakia.In 1950, the building was turned into the "Klement GottwaldHouse of Pioneers and Youth "(Dom pionierov a mládeže Klementa Gottwalda), which was an activity center for Bratislava's schoolchildren, all of whom were so-calledpioneersat that time. The schoolchildren caused extensive damage to the palace, and the necessary restoration only became possible following the transition from Communism in late 1989 with theVelvet Revolution.

The restoration of Grassalkovich Palace during the early 1990s was overseen by the inauguralFirst Lady of Slovakia,Emília Kováčová.Following its restoration, the palace became the residence of Slovakia's president on 30 September 1996. Its once-large gardens are now a public park, complete with a statue of Bratislava-born composerJan Nepomuk Hummel.

The Grassalkovich Palace