The Blue Church in Bratislava
To see a fairy-tale church, you don’t have to go to Disneyland. St. Elizabeth’s Church, commonly known as the Blue Church, Smurf Church, or Cake, is a must-see when visiting Bratislava.
Located a little farther from the historical center of the old town and surrounded by newer buildings, the Blue Church can easily be overlooked by a first-time visitor. But once you find your way towards it, it will blow your mind. This glaring gem of Hungarian Art Nouveau (secessionist) style stands out among other churches in Bratislava.
History of the Church of St. Elizabeth
Designed by a renowned Hungarian architect, Edmund Lechner, this roman-catholic Church will astonish you not only by its sky-blue color but also by the rich oriental and mosaic decorations that, to many, resemble an icing on a cake.
This Catholic Church was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Initially, the façade was painted in light pastel colors, and it was only later that the Church got its characteristic blue color. The exterior is decorated with precisely detailed decorative blue majolica tiles, indigenous to Slovakia. With its height of 36.8 meters (120.7 feet), the clock tower has a cylindrical shape, very unusual for Slovak roman-catholic churches.
The Church was consecrated to St. Elizabeth, a saintly daughter of Andrew II of Hungary, allegedly born in Bratislava and a patron saint of Hungary. This popular figure is omnipresent in the Church – right above the main entrance, there is a round Italian mosaic portraying St. Elizabeth. She is giving alms to the poor while holding a bouquet of roses that, according to a legend, she turned into bread and gave to the poor and sick. Her reliquary is located at the main altar. The interior, also in the dominant blue and white color, was decorated with statues.
The Blue Church in Bratislava
The Hungarian secessionist style can also be seen in the nearby Gymnázium on Grösslingová Street. Both were designed by Budapest architect Edmund Lechner and built in the early twentieth century.
Both the interior and exterior of the Church are painted in shades of pale blue and decorated with blue majolica; even the roof is tiled with blue-glazed ceramics. The structure incorporates a 36.8-meter (120.7 feet) round tower.
The best Instagram spot
The Blue Church is also famous among the locals, as the long waiting list for weddings and christenings suggests. It became one of the most distinctive landmarks of Bratislava, and nowadays, it can also be admired in a miniature form in Brussels’ Mini-Europe park.
On a sunny day, the Church is the same color as the baby-blue sky. Definitely one of the best Instagram spots in Bratislava!
