Malinovo – Little Danube, Riparian Forest and Cultural Heritage

Malinovo is surrounded on three sides by the Little Danube and its branches, which form a large arc around the village. Strips of riparian forest run along both banks of the river. In Malinovo, the Little Danube offers ideal conditions for fishing, water tourism, as well as cycling and hiking. The village thus combines waterside landscape experiences with a remarkably dense succession of a manor house, park, churches, chapels and historical details.

Waterscape and Nature Trail

A manageable way to explore Malinovo on foot is the Náučný poznávací chodník educational trail. The easy route leads through the built-up area of the municipality, features eight information panels and can be completed in less than an hour. The restored Mária Chapel stands behind the church at the edge of the fields and forms the final stop on the educational trail. The walk therefore ends not merely at an information panel, but at a historical destination in its own right. At the Žilip site, the reconstructed wooden-boat attraction Malodunajská loďka is also available for younger visitors.

Manor House, Water Fortress and Landscape Park

The Malinovo manor house stands on the foundations of a medieval water fortress with three towers and a moat. This complex protected the crossing over the Little Danube to Žitný ostrov. In the 17th century, Archbishop Szelepcsényi converted the manor house into a château; after a Neoclassical renovation in the 19th century, it acquired its present appearance. The east wing contains a chapel dating from 1677. It was built in the late medieval Renaissance style and served as a church until 1953.

The manor house includes an English landscape park covering just under five hectares. More than 200 native and foreign tree species grow there. The park complements the architectural history of the manor house with a distinctly landscaped aspect: within a small area, you encounter traces of the former water fortress, the later château form and a great variety of trees.

Churches, Bells and Chapels

St. George’s Church was built from 1869 to 1872 as a Neo-Gothic crypt chapel for the Apponyi family. It retains its original high altar with an 18th-century statue of Saint George made of red marble. The Juliana bell hangs in the tower. It weighs 400 kg and was cast by József Pozdech in Wiener Neustadt.

Further testimonies can be found at various points throughout the village. In the cemetery, a restored group of statues of Saint John of Nepomuk dating from 1739 stands in a glazed chapel. Next to the small park is a late Neoclassical bell tower built by János Putz in 1862; its smaller bell is still operational. These structures give the walk through Malinovo several distinct historical stops, rather than limiting the village’s history to a single manor house.

Cultural Life and Connection to Bratislava

The local Csemadok organization is committed to preserving and reviving traditional folk customs. It also organizes around 15–18 of its own cultural and social events each year. For travel planning, it is relevant that Malinovo is served by a regional IDS-BK bus route connecting it with Bratislava via Ivanka Pri Dunaji and Zálesie.

More Places to Choose From

Other entries in this selection of places: Bernolákovo, Kaplna, Senec, Hamuliakovo, Miloslavov and Tomášov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Senec.