History
The first fortress in Novozámok was built by the Archbishop of Esztergom Pavol Várday in order to protect the territories belonging to the Archbishopric of Esztergom after the occupation of Esztergom by the Ottomans.
The second, modern Renaissance fortress was built in marshy terrain on the right bank of the Nitra River in the years 1573-1580. The new fortress was designed by Italian architects Ottavio and Giulio Baldigarovci. The fortress had a regular hexagonal floor plan with massive earring bastions for artillery. The walls were surrounded by a wide moat, which was connected to the Nitra River. The nobleman Fridrich Žerotín had military supervision over the construction of the fortress. Nové Zámky became the center of anti-Turkish defense in western Slovakia in the 16th and early 17th centuries. After its completion, Nové Zámky was considered one of the best fortresses of the Habsburg monarchy. The importance of the fortress is also evidenced by several Ottoman attacks, which the fortress survived for half a second century. During the Fifteen Years' War (1593-1608), Nové Zámky and its surroundings ravaged Crimean Tatars and the troops of Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha. In 1663, the Novozámok Fortress became the target of an Ottoman army expedition led by the Grand Vizier, Pasha Ahmed Köprülüm. The defense of Nové Zámky was weakened by the ill-considered action of the commander of the Nové Zámky fortress, Count Adam Forgách, who wanted to prevent the Ottoman army from crossing the Danube by destroying the pontoon bridge, but underestimated the strength of the Ottoman army and suffered a heavy defeat. This ill-considered action by Adam Forgách subsequently weakened the defense of the Nové Zámky fortress. Grand Vizier Ahmed Köprülü arrived at the walls of the Nové Zámky fortress in mid-August 1663 and within a few days, on August 18, he began conquering the fortress. The first weeks of conquering the fortress were not successful for the Ottomans. The Novozámocká garrison successfully resisted the Ottoman attacks for several weeks. Fights for the Nové Zámky fortress culminated in the second half of September 1663. After the explosion on the bastion of Friedrich's bastion, the garrison in Nové Zámky was forced to surrender and on September 24, 1663 it hung a white flag.
Grand Vizier Ahmed Köprülü Pasha declared Nové Zámky the center of a new province - Eyalet-i Uyvar. Kurd Mehmed became the first viceroy of Nové Zámky. Shortly after his death, he became the new viceroy of Pasha, Sarah Hussein. The Ottomans sought to secure income from the payment of taxes and benefits in kind from their subjects. The city and its surroundings under Ottoman rule suffered greatly. It was not until July 7, 1685 that Charles of Lorraine and Colonel Heisler began military actions against Nové Zámky. They surrounded the fortress, and when the Grand Vizier Pasha Ibrahim besieged Esztergom at the beginning of August 1685, Field Marshal Caprara remained below Nové Zámky. Caprara secured the fords across the Nitra River so that the Ottoman crew would not be helped. Caprara focused on shelling the bastions and the inner fortress, while the grocery store and the Franciscan church burned down. Imperial troops penetrated to the walls and on August 19, 1685 occupied the fortress. The castle was liberated after 22 years of Ottoman rule. Unfortunately, most of the monuments after the Turks were destroyed.
In 1691, Archbishop Juraj Szécsényi issued a privileged charter, which promoted Nové Zámky to a town. Nové Zámky also played an important role in the uprising of František Rákóczi II. The fate of General Ladislav Ocskaya, who betrayed the Kurucs, is also associated with Nové Zámky. Adam Jávorka, a lieutenant in the Nové Zámky castle disguised as a beggar, captured him. The military court convicted Ocskaya and executed him on January 3, 1710 in Nové Zámky. Today, the place of execution is marked on the paving of the Main Square with a memorial plaque. The castle was last repaired in 1705 under the supervision of Duke Bercsényi (its epitaph is still on the facade of the Franciscan monastery). At the order of Charles III. in 1724-1725 the Nové Zámky castle was demolished. This ended his 150-year strategic-historical role. To this day, most bastions have a distinctive form that allows their location to be identified.