The Coronation Route through Bratislava's old town follows the path taken by Hungarian monarchs during their coronation ceremonies from 1563 to 1830. When the Ottoman occupation of Buda forced the court to relocate, Bratislava became the de facto capital of Hungary for nearly three centuries. Nineteen kings and queens were crowned here, including several Holy Roman Emperors.
The route is marked by golden crowns set into the cobblestones of the old town streets — follow them from St Martin's Cathedral along Coronation Road (Korunovačná cesta) through the old town to the site of Coronation Hill, now largely built over near the SNP bridge. The markers are subtle enough to miss entirely if you're not looking, but worth seeking out.
At the coronation ceremonies, the monarch would process from St Martin's Cathedral to Coronation Hill, ride a horse to the summit, and strike a sword toward the north, south, east, and west to symbolise the defence of the kingdom. The crowd in the streets below would be showered with gold and silver coins. The last coronation, of Ferdinand V in 1830, was one of the most elaborate.