Not far from the Bratislava Old Town, located at the street Mýtna ulica, one would easily find a building of the Slovak Radio, called the Pyramid – something extraordinary and worth seeing. Locals also like to name the Pyramid “the building of the century”, since its project began in 1967 and was completed in 1983, with regular broadcasting starting only in March 1985. It is one of the Bratislava’s dominant architectural features, constructed at a time when socialist realism was the major art form in Slovakia.

Architects of this project were Štefan Svetko, Štefan Ďurkovič, and Barnabáš Kissling and from the architecture point of view, the building is extraordinary and an amazing original. When it comes to the Pyramid, the logic is quite simple – you love it or you hate it. However, as a fun fact, we need to admit that the building was listed as one of the thirty ugliest buildings on the planet, despite the fact that we find it quite delightful and stand behind the fact that the quirkiness of it adds to the interest of the city. Nevertheless, both local and international architectural circles today acknowledge the building’s positive value.
The building is constructed in the shape of an upside-down pyramid on a steel frame. In reality, it is actually constructed out of the two pyramids, with the inner pyramid containing broadcast equipment and recording studios. The total height of the building to the top of its antenna is 80 meters. In Slovakia, it was awarded Building of the Century in the category of Community Structures.

We have to admit that the building truly is one of the most controversial structures in Bratislava. Its uniqueness has attracted many of its fans and many who strongly dislike it. The building was not designed just to amaze, but also to allow disruption-free recording and to maximize office space without turning the building into a high-rise. It truly is a remarkable building and it is impossible to deny its impressive architectonic composition.