Bratislava ranks amongst the youngest capital cities of Europe and, at the same time, amongst the cities with a rich history dating back more than two thousand years. The position of the city at the very heart of Europe on the banks of the river Danube predestined Bratislava to become a trade crossroads, and the centre of many diverse cultures. First traces of a permanent settlement are related to the later Stone Age. However, the real doors to history are opened by the Celtic tribe of Boyds in the 2nd century BC , who established a significant power and defensive centre in the territory. This centre earned fame through the minting of coins – of which ‘staters’ marked with the sign ‘Biatec’ are the best known. Bratislava then, along with Vienna, Budapest, Paris and other European metropoles, stands on the foundations of a Celtic settlement.