A Date with the City: From Townswoman to University

26 March 2022, Saturday, 2:00 PM
with Katarína Čatlošová

The history of schools in Bratislava today has more than a thousand years of history. Initially, the developing lower education system was briefly supplemented by the first university in the 15th century thanks to Matthew Corvinus. The period of Reformation and subsequent re-Catholicization efforts also influenced the establishment of church schools. Some of them have survived to this day, after certain changes. Among the teachers who have most elevated the education of Bratislava students is clearly Matej Bel, the rector of the Evangelical Lyceum.
In general, however, the level of schools differed significantly from the quality of teachers. It was not until the school reform of Maria Theresa brought a unified system of teaching. Several school institutions wandered through various buildings in the city and sometimes ended up in surprising places. School desks were also located in Bratislava Castle for a while, and Anton Bernolák spent his student years here. Even the premises of today's Comenius University were not originally intended for students.
What was the purpose of the Comenius University building? Why did Anton Bernolák study at Bratislava Castle? How did Matej Bel teach his students Latin? You will learn all about this on a tour of Bratislava schools.