Religion in Slovakia

incl. tips where to pray in Bratislava

Slovak people are mostly religious people and religion surely has its place in their personal lives. Or at least compared to the Czech Republic, where people are among the least religious and it is considered one of the most atheistic countries (which is rather strange, given the long shared history of both countries). However, religion in Slovakia must in no way be linked to political issues, as stated in the Constitution. Freedom of religion and belief are guaranteed, as is the right of everyone to change religion or belief.

Religion in Slovakia - overview

According to the 2021 Slovak census, the majority of the country's population believes in a Christian God (about 68 % of the population - divided into various Christian churches with a massive majority of the Roman Catholic Church). Atheism was claimed by 23 % of people, which is still lower than in the Czech Republic, although this is a significant increase compared to data from previous years, when only 13 % claimed no faith.
The remaining part is fragmented between different faiths (Buddhism, Judaism, Islam...) or did not disclose their religion in the survey.

Religion in Bratislava

In general, the Bratislava region has the highest proportion of non-religious population, almost 40 %.Otherwise it is a predominantly Christian city, with the majority of the population being Roman Catholic. However, there are also Protestant and Orthodox Christians as well as a growing number of Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists. The city is home to many churches and synagogues.

Where to pray in Bratislava

Christians

Since the majority of Slovak believers are Catholic, finding a Catholic church in Bratislava is really not difficult. You will probably come across many of them while wandering around the city.

The largest, oldest and most significant church in Bratislava is the St. Martin's Cathedral. It is also the seat of the Archbishop of Bratislava. The cathedral is open for visitors and also hosts daily masses.

Tip: If you're looking for an unusual experience, try going to St. Elizabeth's Church in the Old Town, also known as the "Blue Church", which is known for its quirky blue-colored facade and Art Nouveau architecture.

If you are a non-Catholic Christian, Bratislava will probably not disappoint you either. There are plenty of Christian churches around the city, just find the perfect one for you.

Jewish community

Overall, Bratislava has a small but active Jewish community. There is only one Jewish synagogue in Bratislava (just search for “Ortodoxná synagóga“). It still serves as a place of Jewish worship and also includes a community museum, which is open during the summer tourist season. Moreover, in Bratislava there is Chabad of Bratislava, a Jewish community center that offers various cultural and educational activities and events for the local Jewish community, for both adults and children. Also Chatam Sofer Memorial could be a captivating experience for you.

Islam

When it comes to Islam, Slovakia doesn't recognize this religion as an official religion in the country. Therefore, Slovakia (so not even Bratislava obviously) is the only state of the European Union that doesn't have any official mosque. However, there is a minority of Muslims that have special community houses rented for the purposes of meeting and praying, e.g. Islamic centre Cordoba).

In conclusion

We have mentioned only a few of the most widespread religions in Europe and their sacred temples. If you haven't found your faith here, it doesn't mean that you won't find anyone with similar ideas in Bratislava, maybe even a temple or at least a community. It just takes a little searching.