Drégely Castle

Welcome, intrepid traveler, to the dense, silent forests of the Börzsöny mountains. The hike up to this peak is demanding, with mud and grime underfoot, winding through beautiful, triumphant oak trees. …

We stand now at the remnants of the outer defensive walls. Look down the steep, treacherous slope you just climbed. …

Move inward toward the collapsed section of the eastern wall. Upon receiving Szondi's defiant refusal, Ali Pasha unleashed the fury of the Ottoman war machine. …

We have now reached the highest point of the ruins, the core of the inner keep. This is where the grim arithmetic of the siege reached its conclusion. …

Direct your gaze toward the valley below. When the dust finally settled and the last Hungarian defender lay dead, the Turkish soldiers found the body of Captain Szondi. …

Step away from the center of the keep and observe the ruins as they exist today. For centuries after the siege, Drégely Castle was left abandoned, a cursed and broken place. …

Find a quiet spot to sit on the ancient walls and look out across the valley. Why does Drégely matter? …

As you begin your descent down the steep, muddy path, leaving the dragon's lair behind, take one final look up at the jagged silhouette of Drégely Castle against the sky. We have traveled back to July fifteen fifty two, stood…