Fiľakovský hrad
History
The stone castle of Fülek in Hungarian and in Slovakian: Fiľakovský hrad was built on the rim of the crater of an extinct volcano, probably from the 13th century onwards, on the site of an earlier wooden fortification. Its name first appeared in a royal charter of 1246, when King Béla IV confiscated it from its then-lord because of his acts of violence. Around 1321, the castle was also inhabited by Matthew Csák, but in 1438 it became the property of Queen Elizabeth, who reinforced the walls. In 1453, King Sigismund leased it to the Perényi family, but in 1483 King Matthias seized it from them. After the Battle of Mohács, the then castellan, Ferenc Bebek, strengthened the fortifications so thoroughly that the Turks were only able to capture the castle in 1554 through betrayal.
Records from a few years later state that at that time the castle housed 49 janissaries, 177 cavalry soldiers, and 89 azabs (infantry), later joined by another 56 topchis (artillerymen). From there, the Turks plundered surrounding villages and mining towns for decades. In 1584, it is said that as many as two thousand Christians were sold into slavery at the Fülek marketplace. Emperor Rudolf’s troops, with the help of Miklós Pálffy’s soldiers, only managed to recapture Fülek Castle in 1593. The hajdús of István Bocskai, even when allied with janissaries, failed to besiege it, but in 1615 it was destroyed by fire. After its reconstruction, its lords alternately supported Bethlen, Prince George I Rákóczi, or successive Habsburg rulers.
From 1657, the chief captain was István Koháry, who was forced to face the overwhelming forces of Imre Thököly and his Turkish allies. In 1682, after two weeks of desperate fighting, the defenders surrendered the castle against Koháry’s will. The Turks then blew it up, and although parts were gradually restored, its historical role had ended. In 1651, based on the plans of Italian military engineer Alessandro da Vedano, the old Fülek Castle was expanded with two pentagonal bastions and a 6-metre-thick wall equipped with loopholes and cannons. To defend the lower areas, two circular bastions were also built, surrounded by a 10-metre-deep moat with a drawbridge.Style
Its most recent restoration began in the 1970s. The so-called Bebek Tower, the Clock Tower, and the cannon emplacements in the middle castle were restored, as were some of the wooden stairways. Since 1993, an exhibition of archaeological finds has been open to visitors, and in 1999 a nature trail was created, presenting both the history and natural features of the castle hill. The oldest part of the castle, containing buildings more than 800 years old, is in poor technical condition. In recent years, falling stones have posed a danger to the streets below.Famous residents
ccording to some sources, during the Mongol invasion the castle was owned by a certain Fulko (whose name perhaps not coincidentally resembles “Fülek”). Allegedly, Fulko lured those fleeing the Tatars into the castle with the sound of bells, then robbed and murdered them. On hearing this, King Béla IV confiscated the castle, sentencing Fulko to trial by combat—an ordeal by which his guilt or innocence would be decided. Fulko, however, killed his jailers, escaped, went into hiding, and eventually committed suicide.Renovation
Over the years, Fülek has managed to secure more than €705,000 in funding for the restoration of the upper castle, but the total project cost exceeds €767,000. The shortfall is now being partly covered by the Slovak Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization, which has granted €100,000 under the Slovakia Program.
As part of the restoration works, several significant architectural elements will be reconstructed, preserved, and restored. The project includes the renovation of the Hajdú Tower, the passage leading to the upper castle (currently closed due to its poor condition), the Clock Tower, the eastern part of the Romanesque palace, and the former mill in the courtyard of the upper castle.
One of the greatest attractions of the restoration will be the construction of a lookout point in the 16th-century Clock Tower. This tower has never before been open to the public, so the project represents not only a milestone in heritage conservation but also an important step for tourism. Once completed, visitors will be able to admire the historic town and its surroundings from a new perspective.
The investment not only serves to preserve Fülek’s past but also contributes to the future cultural and touristic development of the region.
