ČERVENÉHO RAKA
Michalská 26 Bratislava
Today's Reading Room at ČERVENÉHO RAKA belonging to the City Library of Bratislava is located in the former defensive moat of the city of Bratislava, which was created around the middle of the 14th century as an important element of the city's passive defense system. To this day, the remains of the defensive walls can be seen from the reading room. In times of peace, the aforementioned ditch was used for various public purposes. From the middle of the 16th century until 1778, in the western part of the moat there was a shooting range of the Society of Archers, which was founded in 1526. Shooting was done from a covered building that stood by the gate towards the west, where wooden painted targets stood by the protective wall. More than 200 wooden painted targets are stored in the Municipal Museum in Bratislava. The shooting range was later moved to Vydrická brána, then to Štefánikova Street, and in the 20th century to Petržalka, part of Staré háje. Summer festivities were also held in the moat. In 1750, a wooden theater was built east of the gate for the Italian theater company led by Master Pilotti. In 1961, the space was modified for the needs of the summer reading room, and various cultural and social events are regularly held here. The space, which belongs to the administration of the City Library, forms a small green oasis in the historical center of Bratislava with landscaped and maintained greenery.
