Szigetvar Fortress

In 1566 Suleiman the Magnificent brought an army estimated in the tens of thousands against a garrison of around two and a half thousand at Szigetvar under Miklos Zrinyi. The siege lasted a month; the sultan died in his tent before it ended, a death concealed from his own army; and when the last inner castle burned, Zrinyi led the survivors out through the gate in a charge that killed them all. The event became foundational in both Hungarian and Croatian national memory, and it is written about in a Baroque epic by Zrinyi's great-grandson. The fortress survives with bastions, a mosque built inside it during the Ottoman century, and a museum. A friendship park outside commemorates both sides.

What's there

• The 1566 siege ground - bastions of the fortress that held for a month.
• An Ottoman mosque inside the walls - built during the occupation.
• The Hungarian-Turkish friendship park - a memorial to both sides.
• The Zrinyi story - the final charge that ended the defence.

When to go

April to October. Two to three hours. Anniversary commemorations fall in early September. Museums close on Mondays.

Good to know

The fortress is much reduced and partly rebuilt; the interest is historical rather than architectural. Displays are dated. The town is small and quiet with limited food. The site of Suleiman's tomb is outside town and only recently excavated.

Nearby

Pecs is east; the Croatian border lies south.

Key facts