The Main Square (Hlavné námestie) is the historic heart of Bratislava's old town and remains one of the best preserved medieval squares in Central Europe. The square is framed by a mix of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings, and anchored at its centre by the 1572 Roland Fountain. The fountain traditionally marked the spot where formal city measurements began — a convention common in central European market towns.
The Old Town Hall on the north side of the square is one of the oldest secular buildings in Slovakia. Its tower has a 15th-century cannonball still embedded in the wall, fired by Napoleon's army during the 1809 siege. The building now houses the City Museum. The Maximilian Fountain in front of it is one of the few Renaissance fountains still standing in Slovakia.
In December, the square hosts the Bratislava Christmas Market — one of the most atmospheric in the region, with mulled wine stalls, craft vendors, and a large tree. The square is pedestrianised and livelier in the evening, when the surrounding cafes fill up.