Saint Martin's Days, marking the feast of one of Bratislava's patron saints (Saint Martin, which is celebrated on November 11), are due to liven up Bratislava's centre this coming weekend. The festival will begin by the blessing of new wine at the Saint Ladislaus's Chapel in the Primate's Palace on Friday afternoon. The square in front of the palace will then host until Saturday evening a tasting of the best of this year's wines from the boroughs of Rača, Vajnory and Devín. Wine-growing traditions in Bratislava go back 3,000 years, as the area used to be known for centuries as Slovakia's most noted wine region.
Several curious legal prescriptions were linked to the Saint Martin's Day in Bratislava in the past. For example, wine could be served in the city's cellars even during the so-called 'Bannzeit', when all other Bratislava wine-growers were prohibited from selling wine. Meanwhile, wine was served in the underpass of the Old City Hall, at the Franciscan monastery in the centre and at the so-called Apostolic Cellar in Green House, which was ceremonially visited on the day by the mayor and councillors to taste new wine.
