The Biatec Monument near Michael's Gate is a large sculpture based on the Celtic coins that were minted in the Bratislava area around 60 BC. The coins depict a stylised portrait that archaeologists have identified as Biatec, a Celtic tribal leader. The coins are among the finest Celtic artistic productions found anywhere in Europe.
The monument is one of several unusual public artworks in the old town that reward paying attention as you walk. The Biatec design also appears on Slovakia's two-euro coin — a detail that makes the obscure Celtic name surprisingly recognisable.
The area around Michael's Gate where the monument stands was part of the Roman limes — the frontier fortification zone that separated the Roman Empire from the barbarian territories to the north. Roman military camps were located in what is now the old town and in Rusovce to the south.