Visit Komárno in Slovakia, Home of The Courtyard of Europe

Komárno is a town on the River Danube in Slovakia and is a pleasant place for a day out. The principal attraction in Komárno is the Courtyard of Europe; however, it seemed incomplete and a bit uncared for in places.

Despite that, it was a pleasant place to visit and a fantastic concept. I’m glad I visited Komárno for a day out while in the area. Later in the week, I revisited for a different sort of travel mission.

Getting to Komárno in Slovakia

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There are many ways to reach Komarno depending on where you are travelling from. They have a train station and buses that travel to the city. You can find out all available options on the Omio.com website.

A bit differently, I took the train from Győr to Komárom, then walked across the River Danube. Crossing the Erzsébet Bridge was a pleasant walk, with some splendid views of the River Danube.

What is the Courtyard of Europe?

Europe Place, AKA The Courtyard of Europe, is behind Klapka Square in the former backyard of the Zichy Palace in Komárno. Local architects conceived the houses and the square. They wanted to bring Europe together in one place through architecture. The architects designed 44 buildings, each of them representing the typical architecture of a given European country. They opened the square with 41 buildings completed in December 2000.

When you visit, you can identify each house’s nationality by spotting a small copper plate above the entrance. Sadly, some had disappeared by the time I visited. However, a map helped you work out which was which.

Things to See in The Courtyard of Europe

Some highlights of visiting the Courtyard of Europe in Komarno. This included seeing the contrast in architectural styles from around Europe. The differing colours and shapes of windows and roofs were very noticeable.

The Spanish House

The most eye-catching building for me in the courtyard was the colourful Spanish house. The house is on the corner of the square, highlighting its unique shapes.

Music Pavillion

In the front part of the courtyard, there is a copy of the music pavilion that originally stood in front of the New Fortress in English Park.

The Main Fountain

In the centre of the courtyard, a beautiful fountain enhanced the view of the site’s edges. Many statues surrounded it, along with places to sit and enjoy the weather.

Peace Bell Tower

The wooden construction in front of the German house is called the Peace Bell Tower. If you look closely, you can see they made its base from pieces of tombstones to symbolise timelessness.

German House

The commemorative plaque on the wall of the German house says that the town’s first synagogue was in that building. It is now basically a bar with an antique store in the basement.

France House – Kút Café

The France House in the Courtyard of Europe is also the Kút café, a nice place to visit for refreshments. It’s basically a cute French-style coffee shop overlooking most of the square.

Republic of Ireland House

The Republic of Ireland’s architecture is also a cliché, represented by the Black Cat Irish Pub. The Black Cat Irish Pub was closed during my visit, so I sadly couldn’t test their beers.

Gates

The Courtyard of Europe in Komarno is accessible via a few gates at the edges. Some of these are rather nifty and look great. One of them reminded me of Prague’s towers. They all seemed to have information boards to read about the courtyard.

Other European-Style Houses

The square features over 40 architectural styles, which is fascinating to see. These are photos of some buildings in the courtyard.

Other Things to See or Do in Komárno, Slovakia

In addition to the Courtyard of Europe, there are other things to see or do while visiting Komárno, one of many nice places to visit in Slovakia.

Komarno Fortress

The Komarno fortress is a complex of fortresses the Austro-Hungarian Empire used to fortify the Danube. It dates back to the 16th century, when it defended the Habsburg border against the Ottoman Empire. The fortress saw action in 1594 and repelled 100,000 men.

The fortress is a short walk from the town centre, and you can walk around the edge to see the fortification. You can also arrange tours of the fortress. However, it was closed during my visit, so I saw it from the outside. Another similar fortress is on the other side of the Danube in Komárom, Hungary. This one reminded me of the Alba Carolina Citadel in Romania, especially its walls and gates. The sites’ historical importance means they are on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list.

Námestie generála Klapku

A cool place to visit is Námestie generála Klapku, which is home to some impressive buildings and statues. The square is tree-lined and offers brilliant shade on warm days, just like the locals seem to do.

Cafes and bars also overlook Námestie generála Klapku, most with outdoor seating. They built the square on the site of a pond that formed the moat of the medieval city. They added the iconic town hall in 1875, which is a fantastic building to see.

Dôstojnícky pavilón

A rather cool place to visit and have a mooch is the Dôstojnícky pavilón. ‘The Dôstojnícky pavilón’ translates to ‘the Officer’s Pavilion’ in English. The building is stunning and, at the entrance, looks somewhat like a Tudor castle.

The key feature to explore is the courtyard with chairs, statues, and a water feature. There is also a stage for events with some cool mirrors inside the Dôstojnícky pavilón.

Thermal pool Komárno

A relaxing place just outside the old town is Thermal Pool Komárno. Thermal Pool Komárno is, as it says on the tin, a place for swimming in thermal waters. They have both indoor and outdoor pools for visitors to enjoy. My bad, I forgot my swimwear when I was in town and would have loved it. You can find out all about tickets, options and opening times on their website.

Erzsébet Bridge

Walking across the River Danube on the Erzsébet Bridge is pleasant. You get to see what this section of the river is all about, including dockyards and the town’s skyline. I walked across the bridge to reach Komarno; however, I would have crossed if I hadn’t.

On the banks, at the Slovak end of the bridge, sunbeds and chairs are positioned to admire the view and catch some rays.

St Andrew’s Cathedral

When walking across the bridge towards Komarno, the most noticeable thing was the spires of the Church of Saint Andrew. Thus, I had to seek it out. Unfortunately, it was closed during my visit; however, you can peek through the windows. You can find the cathedral on Palatinova Street near the Danube Museum.

Originally, the Jesuits built the church between 1749 and 1756. However, it collapsed in a 1763 earthquake. They then stuck to the original plans and rebuilt it in the Baroque style. They completed the rebuild in 1771.

Then the “Great City Fire” in 1848 almost completely destroyed it. They then rebuilt the church again in 1860. Eventually, in 2018, they granted the church the title of Basilica Minor. Overall, it’s a pleasant building to see; however, it’s probably best not to try visiting on a Monday.

Danube Museum

Another thing to do while in Komarno is to visit the Danube Museum. The Danube Museum is in a rather pretty building which used to be the Palace of Culture near the city’s main church. They completed the building in 1913. The museum covers lots of topics, including Hungarian culture in Slovakia, art and Roman-era history. The museum tells the story of the Danube town and nearby area from prehistoric times onwards.

Trojičný stĺp

Trojičný stĺp, or Trinity Column, is a pretty monument in a beautiful town square with lots of flowers. Most of the centrally located bars and restaurants overlook this area. This is the oldest statue in Komarno and dates back to 1815. It was erected after the great plague and coincides with the Rakoczi uprising. The monument depicts the Virgin Mary, various saints, and the Holy Trinity. It’s well worth having a look when sightseeing in the town.

Visit The Water Tower

Another thing to see when sightseeing is visiting the Water Tower of Komárno. You can see the water tower from the bridge over the Danube and other points of the city. This encouraged me to have a look up close. The tower is in a pleasant park with benches in the shade and a children’s play area. The water tower is the third oldest in Slovakia, and it was completed in 1902. Anyway, it’s nice to see them exploring the city and wanting to find the highest point.

Vaprio Vape Shop

I revisited Komarno to visit the town’s vape shop, as the stuff in Hungary just doesn’t cut it. Vaprio is in the town centre and stocks lots of options, including flavoured nicotine salts, something not available in Hungary. I’ve used Vaprio before while visiting Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.

Galéria Limes

Galéria Limes is a local art gallery based in a church building that shows contemporary art. It features interesting paintings and art made with other media. They also periodically host cultural events. You can find out about these on their website.

See Various Statues And Memorials

Komarno has various statues and memorials to see when sightseeing, some of which piqued my interest.

The first was the Statue of St Stephen, which is in a small park after crossing the bridge over the Danube. Nice baroque buildings surround the park, including a handy fast-food place. The statue features St Stephen, the first Hungarian king, on horseback. It’s a relatively new statue, built in 2009.

Overlooking the fortress in the town is a statue of Béni Egressy. Béni Egressy was one of the defenders of Komarno Fortress during the Hungarian National Liberation War in 1848/49. The memorial was erected on the 170th anniversary of the war. Overall, it’s a nice bronze statue to see, and views of the fortifications are great from here.

The City Liberation Memorial is in Park M.R. Štefánika, a pleasant place for a mooch. The memorial was built to remember those who helped to liberate the city. The statue is a group of people carrying a heavy block of stone.

Enjoy The City Parks

When sightseeing, I enjoyed wandering through and relaxing in the city’s parks. Two of the most notable were Park Anglia and Park M.R. Štefánika. Both had nice places to sit and enjoy the city’s chilled nature.

Tourist Information Centre

The tourist information centre is a good place to find unique things to do nearby. It’s in the town centre and a handy place to buy tickets and find out about events in the city.

Bars & Restaurants in Komarno in Slovakia

I visited Komarno twice and tried a few bars and restaurants in town, including traditional Slovak cuisine and beer. I found better value outside the Courtyard of Europe, with great prices for Slovakian beers and food. Some bars only accepted cash; thus, finding a free ATM is useful.

Hubert Restaurant & Pension

For a cheap lunch in Komarno, I chose Hubert Restaurant & Pension. Hubert Restaurant & Pension is a minute away from the entrance to the Courtyard of Europe. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and I chose the outdoor seating. They offer Slovakian beer options, including Zlatý Bazant, which was delicious.

For lunch, they have a set menu with 5 different Slovakian dishes to choose from, which rotate daily. For starters, everyone gets the soup of the day (self-service), then you choose your main, served at the table. I chose the Bryndzové Halušky, a cheesy potato dumpling dish topped with bacon.

Overall, Hubert Restaurant & Pension was a great place for lunch and good value. I enjoyed 2 courses and 2 beers for under 9 euros, which was great.

Kisház a Bar

Behind the Galeria Limes art gallery is a neighbourhood bar, Kisház. Kisház has a wonderful selection of beers and a friendly vibe despite a massive language barrier. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and you can smoke inside or outside. The beer at Kisház was the cheapest that I enjoyed while visiting.

KÁVY SVETA

When visiting the town, it would have been rude not to get a beer with a view. For this, I visited KÁVY SVETA, which overlooks Námestie generála Klapku. It seemed like a cool coffee shop that served beer. Their outdoor seating was in the shade and had splendid views of Komarno’s pretty architecture. Unfortunately, they only had Belgian beer, not Slovakian options.

Viking Pub

In the centre of town is another pleasant place to stop for refreshments, Viking Pub. Viking Pub has both indoor and outdoor seats, and it has a Viking theme with statues and memorabilia. As the weather was pleasant, I opted to enjoy the street views from the front of the pub.

They serve a variety of regional Slovak and Czech beers here, and it was all table service. The staff was friendly, despite the language barrier. Knowing the local word for beer always comes in handy. Overall, a nice place to rest the legs while sightseeing in the town.

Is Komarno & The Courtyard of Europe in Slovakia Worth Visiting?

Komarno in Slovakia is a pleasant place to spend time, with a few interesting things to see. The Courtyard of Europe was nice; however, it was hard to tell what was what and felt incomplete. The buildings were nice to see; however, they seemed very touristy without the tourists. Hospitality in Komarno was great, and food and drink prices were good outside the courtyard.

Overall, I think it’s well worth visiting if you are passing through or staying nearby. I could have filled a few days while travelling slowly, including some R&R at the thermal baths. If you’re visiting for a day trip, don’t go on a Monday if you want to see the fortress, museums, and galleries.