These articles were published in the Spectacular Slovakia travel guide, published annually by The Slovak Spectator since 1996. The latest editions can be obtained from our online shop.


Čuňovo and Rusovce

By James Thomson

    The rafting centre near Čunovo.
 The rafting centre near Čunovo.
 Photos by James Thomson

The wider Danube region beyond Bratislava has a variety of places worth visiting, some of them old and some of them quite new. Perhaps most notable among the newcomers is the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, near the village of Čunovo.

The right bank

Built in a stunning position, on a slim peninsula which juts out into the river from the south bank, the museum was opened in 2000. As well as a light-filled gallery displaying contemporary art, its ample gardens are used to exhibit modern sculpture. Walking around the park, with the river - here at its widest extent - all around is as close to setting sail as you will get without boarding a boat.

But if that's what you fancy, the nearby Čunovo rafting centre is a good place to start. It's a world-class facility, with a series of white-water courses. Novice kayakers are trained on flat water before being unleashed on the channels, which can be adjusted for different levels of difficulty. The advantage for learners is that unlike rafting in the wild, there are no hidden rocks or obstacles - and changing rooms, and even a hotel, are nearby. All the gear you need can be hired at the centre.

Next to the road between the museum and the rafting centre is a grey stone memorial to the five crewmembers of a British Royal Air Force Wellington bomber shot down over the river in October 1944. It was unveiled in 2003, 59 years to the day after their deaths.

    The remains of the Roman miltary camp of Gerulata, in the modern-day village of Rusovce.
 The remains of the Roman miltary camp of Gerulata, in the modern-day village of Rusovce.
 Photos by James Thomson

Between Čunovo and Bratislava is Rusovce, the site of an ancient military camp which once formed part of the Limes Romanus, the Romans' transcontinental defensive line (see also 'Holding the line', in the section on Nitra Region). The camp, known by the Romans as Gerulata, housed 112 cavalrymen and has been partly excavated. The remains are open to the public from April to October, and the adjoining visitor centre contains some of the artefacts found during the dig, including collections of unusual painted stonework and rare coins.

These articles and related information were published in Spectacular Slovakia 2009, which you can obtain from our online shop.

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