Bastion Barbican

The Barbican Bastion is located on the territory of the ancient city of Pécs in southwestern Hungary. You can get there from Budapest by train, which will take about 3 hours. The architectural monument serves as an observation deck, from the top of which a wonderful view of the city opens. Thanks to this attraction, Pécs is called the cultural capital of Europe in society.

Device

The Barbican Bastion is a fortification structure widespread in the Middle Ages in Europe, which was supposed to protect the entrance to the main fortress. Usually the barbican was connected to the fortress by a special fortified passage. It is believed that there are fewer than 10 barbicans in Europe, one of which survives in Pecs, Hungary. The Hungarian Barbican Bastion is built in the form of a round tower; this is the most common type of defensive structure, allowing all-round defense from an enemy besieging the stronghold. Such a tower allowed the defenders to suddenly attack the attackers from the rear, bypassing them along the perimeter of the structure. An additional advantage was that even a small garrison could successfully defend itself for a long time. The spacious area at the top was intended for storing projectiles and was one of the centers for repelling enemy attacks. Here you can clearly see the loopholes at the top and the loophole windows in the walls.

History

The round tower of the Barbican Bastion is practically the only thing left of the ancient medieval fortress. Built in the Gothic style, it is one of the symbols of the city of Pécs. The tower is located in the northwestern sector of the highest protective wall surrounding the center of the ancient city. According to historians, the fortress was built to protect against attacks by the Ottoman Turks on the initiative of Bishop Györð Szatmáry. The construction is also associated with the visit of General Pavel Kinishi in 1498. At that time, the construction of defensive structures was carried out throughout the southern side of the city, from where an enemy attack was most likely expected. The bastion was part of the fortification system of the bishop's castle, protected the clergy and residents of the area, and withstood several sieges. However, in 1526 the city was first captured by the Turks, and in 1543 Pécs came under Ottoman rule for 143 years. The city was liberated from Turkish rule in 1686.

Bastion Barbican today

In modern times, the fortress lost its military and defensive significance, and a period of relative peace began. In this regard, repair work in the building was not carried out until the 19th century; the defensive complex gradually collapsed until it fell into a deplorable state.

Most of the dilapidated buildings were demolished in the 60s of the 20th century, but the old Barbican was well preserved. A full restoration of the remains of the fortress was carried out only at the end of the 20th century. But the Barbican Bastion still remains the most attractive point for visiting tourists, offering an unforgettable view of the ancient city.