Szigetvar

The town of Szigetvar is located west of the Danube, in southern Hungary, at a 35-kilometers distance from the city of Pecs. The town sits on the banks of a stream, which frequently flooded the area before the water flow was controlled. The fort was built on a higher post in the swampy land, around 1420. The next two centuries saw extension and further fortification, and the fort became a major military stronghold after the battle against the Turks was lost at Mohacs.
Today, a monument in the Turkish-Hungarian Friendship Park features the statues of Miklos Zrinyi (leader of the Hungarian army defending the fort) and Szulejman (leader of the attacking Turkish troops) next to each other. The fort hosts a museum. Additional local sights include a Baroque-style Roman Catholic Church, converted from a Turkish mosque, the Salamon-mansion, the Polak-castle, and the Szigetvar Medicinal Spa.