The position of Bratislava right at the very heart of Europe on the banks of the River Danube predestined the city to become a crossroads and destination point for trade routes, as well as a hub of various cultures. The first traces of a permanent settlement are associated with the late Stone Age.
The real door to history, however, did not open until the arrival of the Boii Celtic tribe to Bratislava in the 2nd century BC, as they established a strategic power centre here with defensive function. They were famous also for the minting of coins, the most well-known of which are the gold Stater coins with the inscription Biatec. Bratislava therefore, just like Vienna, Budapest, Paris and other major European cities, stands on the foundations of a Celtic settlement.
The Official Website of the City of Bratislava
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