Eger Castle

Eger Castle (Egri vár) is a fortress in the Hungarian town of Eger. In the 16th century it belonged to the system of border fortresses meant to shield Europe from further Ottoman expansion. Its high point came in 1552: about 2,000 defenders withstood the siege by a Turkish army of nearly 40,000 men. Sebestyén Tinódi Lantos sang of the victory, and Géza Gárdonyi's novel Egri csillagok (English: The Eclipse of the Crescent Moon) and its film adaptation made it a fixed part of Hungarian memory. The castle is considered a National Memorial Site.

The Hungarian army used the site until 1957; before that only the casemates and tunnels were open to the public. Since 1958 the museum has carried the name István Dobó Castle Museum. Exhibits include the Varkoch Gate, the dungeon, the history of the castle, the Heroes' Hall and the ruin garden with the round church.

The casemates beneath the castle, hewn from solid rock, are only partly open. Access is through the Dark Gate in the eastern part of the complex; displays on how the castle developed and videos using modern technology accompany the visit. Check exhibitions and opening hours beforehand.