Information
Landmark: Török Kori MinaretCity: Eger
Country: Hungary
Continent: Europe
Török Kori Minaret, Eger, Hungary, Europe
Overview
In Eger, Hungary, the Török Kori Minaret rises in pale stone against the sky, standing as one of Central Europe’s best-preserved and most striking relics of the Ottoman era.It’s a lasting reminder of the Ottomans’ architectural and cultural mark on Hungary, built when their rule stretched over the land in the 1500s and 1600s, its domes still catching the afternoon light.The minaret rose in the early 1600s, probably between 1596 and 1660, when Ottoman rule settled over Eger after their win at the Battle of Mezőkeresztes.The adhan rang out, calling the faithful to prayer at the nearby mosque.After the Ottomans left in 1687, many Islamic buildings vanished under the hammer and dust.The minaret survived intact, standing as one of Hungary’s few remaining traces of Ottoman religious design.Built from warm, reddish-brown sandstone, it rises in a slender cylinder topped with a sharp spire, reaching 40 meters-Europe’s northernmost minaret.Near its peak, a narrow circular balcony once held the muezzin calling out over the town, and inside, 97 winding stone steps climb toward that airy perch.Climb the narrow, winding staircase-its stone cool to the touch-and you’ll reach the top, where Eger stretches out in every direction: the castle’s towers, rows of Baroque facades, and vineyards fading into the hills.A slender crescent moon crowns the minaret, a graceful mark of its Ottoman past.No longer a place of worship, it now draws visitors as both a historic monument and a striking city landmark, preserved through careful 20th-century restoration.You’ll find it in the heart of downtown, just a short walk from the castle and Minorite Church, with a small entrance fee helping keep its intricate details intact.It’s more than a relic from the past-it’s a silent witness to a time when the call to prayer and church bells echoed through the same streets.If you’re in Eger, don’t miss the minaret-it rises like a slender stone needle against the sky and offers a vivid glimpse into Hungary’s Ottoman past.
