Interesting facts

Interesting facts about the system of fortifications in Komárno

  • The outer perimeter of the whole system including the fortresses in SR and MR: 15,5 km
  • Built-up area of preserved and existing elements of the fortification system in SR: about 465 000 m2 almost 50 ha
  • Length of the Palatine and Vah Lines (from Bratislava Gate to Battery XI): 6,5 km
  • Length of communication – artillery galleries – corridors in the fort walls in the Palatine Line: 3,5 km
  • Total area of the Central Fortress (Old and New): 132 170 m2 over 13 ha
  • Length of the Central Fortress (from the tip of the western bastion – Statue of Stone Virgin to the tip of the eastern bastion of the Old Fortress): 750 m
  • The total area of the New Fortress: 98 410 m2 almost 10 ha
  • Length of underground passage in bastion Madonna in the New Fortress: 300 m
  • Building of army barracks in the New Fortress
    • built-up area: 10 840 m2 over 1 ha
    • length of the building: over 500 m
    • number of rooms: 210 (2 floors)
  • The total area of the Old Fortress: 33 760 m2 almost 3,5 ha
  • Built-up area in the Old Fortress (bastions and curtains): 21 600 m2 over 2 ha
  • Number of rooms (casemates) in the Old Fortress: 110 + shooting passages and communications
  • Area of the big courtyard of the Old Fortress: 11 800 m2 over 1 ha
  • Location of the main entrance of the fortress (Leopold Gate): 47°45´15,9´´N 18°08´03,5´´E
  • Capacity of the whole system of fortifications in the 19th century: 200 000 soldiers

Parts of the fortification system on the left bank of the River Danube (SR):

  • Old Fortress – 5 bastions
  • New Fortress – originally 5 bastions – today Crownwork
  • Vah Bridgehead – originally 4 bastions and 6 reduits
  • Palatine Line – 5 bastions
  • Váh Line – 2 bastions and 4 batteries, plus the Envelope

Parts of the fortification system on the right bank of the River Danube (HU):

  • Danube bridgehead (Star Fort)
  • Fort Sandberg (Fort Monostor)
  • Fort Igmand

Important historical data regarding the system of fortification

  • 1241 – 1242

    The castle of Komárno withstands the Tartar invasion

  • 1265

    City rights granted by King Bela IV in his charter

  • 1440

    King Ladislaus V was born in the castle on 22 February

  • 1458 – 1490

    During the reign of King Matthias The Corvinus, the castle serves as a summer residence of the king

  • 1526

    The battle at Mohács – The beginning of Turkish rule in Hungary

  • 1546

    The building of the present Old Fortress in Komárno upon the orders of Emperor Ferdinand I started on 23 March

  • 1557

    Finished the building of the bastion type fortress (Old Fortress)

  • 1570

    The flood in the town destroyed the walls of the Fortress.

  • 1572 – 1592

    Reconstruction of the destroyed Fortress.

  • 1585

    Building of the two palisades. St. Nicholas (later St. Philip) on the east side of the Váh River and St Peter on the south side of the River Danube.

  • 1594

    Unsuccessful siege of the fortress by the Turks.

  • 1663 – 1673

    King Leopold I orders the building of the New Fortress according to the plans of Franz Wymes.

  • 1699

    The Treaty of Karlowitz is signed – the Fortress loses its significance.

  • 1745

    Privileges of free royal town are donated to Komárno by Maria Theresa in her charter.

  • 1763

    Earthquake in Komárno. The town is in ruins.

  • 1782

    The territory of the Fortress becomes the town’s property.

  • 1783

    Earthquake in Komárno – the Fortress is in ruins.

  • 1800

    14 June – the battle of Marengo. The victory sealed the success of Napoleon’s Italian campaign forced Austria to peace negotiations.

  • 1805

    2. December – the Battle of Austerlitz, the French army, commanded by Emperor Napoleon I, decisively defeated the Russian and Austrian troops.

  • 1807

    Visit of Francis II to Komárno in order to see the Fortress, arrival of military officers from Vienna in order to survey the castle and the surrounding land.

  • 1808

    Renovation of the Old and New Fortresses – rebuilding of the New Fortress into crownwork

  • 1809

    Palatine Joseph conducts the building of the temporary defence line (Palatine Line), consisting of six bastions

  • 1810

    The huge building of barracks erected in the New Fortress

  • 1815

    Military headquarters built in the New Fortress

  • 1827 – 1939

    Rebuilding of the Old Fortress – a system of casemates was formed in the walls of the fortress

  • 1839 – 1847

    Re-building the Palatine line (consisting of five bastions) from stone and bricks

  • 1844

    Building of Bratislava Gate, which forms part of the Palatine Line

  • 1848 – 1849

    Revolutionary years in Hungary

  • 1849

    After the battle at Világos, on 27 September, General Klapka hands over the fortress in Komárno to the Austrians under favourable conditions

  • 1871

    The building of Fort Monostor (Sanberg) is finished

  • 1871 – 1877

    Building of Fort Igmánd (last plan for the fort dates back to 1874)

  • 1876

    Komárno is destroyed by flood

  • 1877

    The whole system of fortifications is completed

  • 1918

    The fall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy– The Czechoslovak Army started to use the Fortress

  • 1968 – 1990

    The Central Fortress is used by the Soviet Army

  • 1979

    Purposeful rehabilitation of the buildings in the area of the fortification system, starting with the reconstruction of Bastion VI

  • 1991

    The Central Fortress is taken over by the Czechoslovak Army and consequently used by the Slovak Army from 1993

  • 2002

    The system of fortifications at the confluence of the Danube and Váh Rivers in Komárno (SR) and Komárom (HU) is on the preliminary list of World Cultural Heritage UNESCO

  • 2003

    The Central Fortress is purchased by the Town of Komárno from the Ministry of Defence SR and the Fortress definitively ceases to be used for military purposes

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