When else can you enter for free the hall where the laws of Slovakia are made, and then walk through the offices of the head of state? On Sunday, August 30, on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Slovakia, the Presidential Palace and the National Council (Slovak parliament) will hold a joint open house day. Entry to all locations is free, no registration is required — just come.
What and where to see
The Presidential Palace on Hodžovo námestie (Hodža Square) will open at 9:30 AM and receive visitors until 5:30 PM. Inside, they will show representative halls where official receptions of the head of state and constitutional acts take place. Due to reconstruction of the back yard, the accompanying program this year was moved to the front yard and the square itself, reports the Office of the President of the Slovak Republic (SR).
The Parliament on Námestie Alexandra Dubčeka (Alexander Dubček Square) will open the meeting hall where deputies pass laws, as well as the representative rooms of Bratislava Castle. As last year, both events are synchronized, so it is quite possible to visit two key state institutions of the country in one day — event details are on the National Council website.
In previous years, the program in parliament included demonstrations of military, police, and fire equipment, dog handler shows, and meetings with deputies on the Western terrace of Bratislava Castle, writes Teraz.sk. The detailed program of this year's day will be published by the Office of the President closer to the date on their social media.
How to plan the day
Both locations are in the center of Bratislava, a few minutes' walk from each other. A logical route: in the morning — the palace on Hodžovo námestie (Hodža Square), then walk uphill to the parliament and Bratislava Castle. On open house day, crowds traditionally gather, so it is better to allow time for queues at the entrance.
If you plan a weekend in the capital, more events and activities are collected in our event calendar.
