In Bratislava, even the statues and street signs wouldn’t be properly dressed without a hat to top things off.
Čumil (The Watcher) by Viktor Hulik
This cheeky fellow with the practical hat is a Man at Work apparently, though some say he’s there to get a view up passing skirts!
This dapper man with the top hat was a real Bratislavan inhabitant, Ignác Lamár, with something of a sad story. The grandson of a famous clown of the same name, he is said to have been inspired by his ancestor’s example to bring happiness to the streets of the city. However, his own life was full of sadness – his fiancee died in a concentration camp in World War II and it seems he never recovered from this trauma. Thereafter, he wandered the streets in top hat and tails, greeting women with the words “I kiss your hand” in German, Hungarian and Slovak and received free food from several of the city’s cafes.
Schöne Náci (Handsome Ignác)
This Napoleonic soldier with the oversized hat, leans on the back of a bench in Hlavné Námestie.
Napoleonec by Juraj Meliš
Over in Hviezdoslavovo Square, you’ll find Hans Christian Andersen surrounded by characters from his stories. He visited Bratislava, then known as Pressburg, in 1841 and declared the city to be a fairytale in itself.
Hans Christian Andersen by Tibor Bártfay
Even the man in the street pedestrian signs sports a smart hat.
Finally, to cap off this post, I have a giant cardinal’s hat for you: a cast iron black hat measuring 180 cm in circumference and weighing 150 kg, looming over the Old Town atop the Primate’s palace.
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 16 May 2015
Travel with Intent 
I should have visited Bratislava, I wear hats all the time!
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You still have time
On Mon, May 25, 2015 at 7:52 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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I posted the bishop’s hat this week!! And I loved those statues in Bratislava too!!!
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What a coincidence! They are fun aren’t they
On Sun, May 17, 2015 at 1:54 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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Brilliant images!
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Glad you like them
On Sun, May 17, 2015 at 11:19 AM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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Great take on the theme, and fun too!
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and I thought I read on another blog that you were not sure if you had any hats to share? well it looks like you did just what the traveling woman does so well – grabbed these unique artsy shots – and still laughing at ” though some say he’s there to get a view up passing skirts” ha!
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Oh, a brilliant response to the challenge Debbie. I have seen most of these photos as my OH has visited Bratislava several times, but I never went with him unfortunately.
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It’s the perfect place for a short visit – manageable size and some great architecture.
On Sat, May 16, 2015 at 11:47 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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Great pictures, and some of them quite funny aswell.
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It’s nice to see something a bit different
On Sat, May 16, 2015 at 11:07 PM, Travel with Intent wrote:
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