Presidential palace and garden
Presidential palace, also known as a Grassalkovich palace, was built in 1760 as a summer residence of Count Anton Grassalkovič. Soon, the palace became the centre of a societal life and was visited by the Empress Maria Theresa. After the reconstruction in 1996, the palace became the official residence of Slovak President. It is not open for the public, only during the special events. In front of the building there is a fountain in a shape of the Earth as a symbol of freedom. Nowadays the palace is guarded by the Honor guard of president, similar to the well-known Queen’s Guard in London.
Presidential garden
Behind the palace opens a huge garden built in a French style. A copy of an Empress Maria Theresa statue stays here and a fountain called "Youth" has been built here. The garden is open to the public during the opening hours and is a great place for summer activities, walks and relax. Many outdoor events take place here.
An interesting point about this garden is, that many famous politicians planted trees here as a sign of friendship and cooperation with Slovakia.
| Jan – Mar | 10:00 – 19:00 |
|---|---|
| Apr - May | 10:00 – 20:00 |
| Jun – Sep | 8:00 – 22:00 |
| Oct – Dec | 10:00 – 19:00 |
Get there on foot
The presidential palace and its garden are located near the city center, well accessible by walking. Leave the city center by going thorough Michael’s gate and continue straight forward. Palace is located not more than 500m from here. If you are on the Obchodná street, you just need to turn "up" to the Poštová street, use the underpass and you will find yourself directly on the Hodžovo námestie square.
Get there by public transport
As Hodžovo námestie is one of the most important squares in the city center, all the bus and trolleybus lines go through here. The stop is called Hodžovo námestie.
If using a tram, the closest stop is called Poštová.
Get there by car
As the palace is located in the city center, there is always a problem with parking. During a working day, it is almost impossible to find a place to park around there, but usually after 17:00 or during the weekends there are some free parking spots in the nearby streets (Palisády or Tolstého).
The paid parking place is located right under the Tatrabanka bank called Tatracentrum. One hour costs 2,50€ and is located right at "Hodžovo námestie 4" street.