The Hungarian fort in Komárom is the "Gibraltar" of the Danube.

The system of historic forts is situated in and around the “twin” towns of Komárom, Hungary, and Komárno, Slovakia on opposite banks of the Danube River.

At the era of Béla IV – after the Mongol invasion of Hungary – a stone-castle was built, then in the 15th century – during the reign of Mátyás Hunyadi – authentic palaces, magnificent renaissance buildings were founded in Komárom.

After Buda became captured by the Turkish, Ferdinand I decreed the castle of Komárom’s fortification. Pietro Ferabosco drew up the plan of the so-called Old Fortress in compliance with the modernest castle-architectural principles.

The real ordeal of the Old Fortress was in 1594, when Grand Vizier Sinan with his one hundred thousand persons army, after capturing Tata then Győr, proceeded against Komárom. The castle held on valiantly and repulsed the superior forced Turkish army. The town – albeit burnt down nearly to the ground during the siege and its preparations – was rebuilt again. The new bastion, the New Fortress was built by taking into consideration the modernest Italian and French fortification experience. The building complex was finished in 1673.

Komárom became the fifth biggest town – in number of inhabitants - of the country in the 18th century.

At the beginning of the 19th century during the Napoleon wars Vienna came under fire as well and in 1809 the imperial court had to escape, the emperor Ferenc I (Francis I) and the king took refuge in - that time with feverish haste fortified - Komárom.

From 1827 began the modernization and interior alteration of the Old Fortress and lasted till 1839.

The forts have not been attacked in the recent wars of the 20th century, and therefore they make a suitable location for more peaceful messages and functions: museums, conference centers, sites for cultural events and art exhibitions, crafts training, non-profit workshops, art studios, memorials, and other services related to culture and tourism. As has been shown by visitors arriving from all over the world, the main attraction is and always will be the historic character of the forts themselves, qualities that are unique, intrinsic and authentic despite their current neglected state.

The building complex of the Monostor Fortress was built between 1850 and 1871. Its dimension equals with the global inside area of the Old and New Fortress. During its construction sometimes a few hundred bricklayers and a few thousand workers worked on the erection of walls and earthworks. First the walls had to be built, then they had to be made dissapear from the sight of the enemy and its artillery. The this goal proposing earthworks necessitated enormous financial and human efforts. The Star-Entrechment was built in paralell with these works, which remarkably strengthened the fortress system.

In 2000 the Fortress of Monostor Military Culture Center Non-Profit Company brought into being by the organizations financed by state budget assumed the maintenance of the fortress. The Non-Profit Company attained a whole series of programs in time passed by and its long-term plans allude to the gradual and complete rehabilitation of the fortress. They plan that the Fortress of Monostor preserves its in Europe unique 19th century atmosphere, fits the requirements of the protection of historic buildings and assures primariness of fostering the military traditions.

The exhibition arranged in the Museum of Military History is on show from 1998, which displays the military history of the fortress from the 15th century. The fortresses of Komárom were put on the candidate list of the historic buildings of the Hungarian World Heritage on 1st December, 2000.

Source:

Fort Monostor - Komárom