sk sk

Bratislava coronations – 400th anniversary of the coronation of Ferdinand II

€100 gold collector coin

The obverse of the coin
The reverse of the coin

In 1536, after the occupation of vast parts of the Hungarian kingdom by the Ottomans, Bratislava (then Pressburg) became the new capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and it also served as the coronation city. Between 1563 and 1830, eleven Hungarian rulers were crowned there. This status led to intensive development in the city. Ferdinand II became the fourth ruler from the House of Habsburg to hold his coronation ceremony here on 1 July 1618. The elite of the aristocracy and clergy met in the metropolis on the River Danube and the city held spectacular celebrations, processions and feasts that culminated on the day of the coronation. Ferdinand II (1578-1637) was one of the most prominent figures in 17th-century Europe. Besides the Hungarian royal title, he was also the Czech king and the Holy Roman Emperor. He played a significant role in the re-Catholicisation of Central Europe.