The old anti-Turkish fortress situated on a strategic natural refugium at the confluence of the rivers Váh and Danube on the crossroads of the merchant roads was built in the place of an old fortified castle between 1546-1557. This first construction in the European inland areas fortified by bastions was supposedly based on the idea of an Italian fortification expert P. Ferrabosco. At the time of its origin it was the most perfect part of the anti-Turkish defence system in our territory. It also resisted the attack of hundreds of thousands of Ottoman soldiers in 1594. In the 17th, century in relation to the strengthening of the anti-Turkish defence line of fortresses after the fall of Nové Zámky in 1663-4, it was extended by another fortress. Works performed according to the designs of F. Wymes were completed in 1673. They connected the New fortress with the old one by a bridge over a fosse. The massive fortification system with an earthwork structure reinforced by a brick layer had a total of five bastions. An entrance through Ferdinand´s gate protected by a wide fosse was placed between the southern and western bastion. After the Turks were defeated in 1683 the fortress lost its strategic significance. Earthquakes and insufficient maintenance of the objects due to the lack of interest of the army resulted in its slow devastation. Fundamental change and an impulse for new construction activities resulted in the construction of the western wing of the New fortress, spacious military quarters and a command building, as well as the reconstruction of the casemates in the Old fortress came with the threat of the Napoleon wars. Even in the 20th century the fortress was used for military purposes and a fundamental change happened after the departure of Soviet troops at the beginning of the 90s of the 20th century. In the 21st century the municipality bought the unused Old and New fortress from the army. It has gradually repaired its neglected and devastated parts and has made this unique monument accessible for cultural-social purposes.
Heritage > National cultural monuments
