On Tuesday the Batthyány Lajos Foundation officially launched the first volume of a four-part series dedicated to the history of the Castle District, focusing on the Ottoman period between 1526 and 1686. The announcement was made by Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees Tamás Dezső, who outlined the series’ ambition to chronicle the Castle District’s extensive past through four distinct periods. Future volumes will address the history of the area prior to 1526, the years between 1686 and 1848, and the period extending to the present day.
Produced with the professional cooperation of the Budapest History Museum, the publication is crafted to meet the highest academic standards while remaining accessible to the general public. Tamás Dezső emphasized that the richly illustrated volume was created with rigorous scholarly input, ensuring its appeal to both professional historians and interested lay readers alike.
In his address, Mayor of the Castle District László Böröcz highlighted the district’s unique role as a guardian of Hungary’s built heritage and a living embodiment of national memory. He underscored the importance of collaborative thinking to preserve and pass down these cultural values, reaffirming the municipality’s commitment to supporting local historians, artists, cultural organizations, and initiatives that strengthen the Castle District’s historical legacy.
Director General of the Budapest History Museum László Csorba reflected on the complex emotional relationship Hungarians have with the Ottoman period, noting that subsequent historical developments have reinterpreted this era, adding new layers of meaning that reshaped the understanding of the past.
He commended the volume for successfully synthesizing the intricate mosaic of the Castle District’s history through the work of exceptional researchers. These scholars, he observed, not only build upon existing scholarship but also contribute their own insights, thereby creating a cohesive narrative. Csorba described the district’s history as a grand story composed of countless smaller, interconnected stories.
The book was formally introduced in a roundtable discussion featuring its authors, Adrienn Papp, a historian, archaeologist, and expert in Turkic studies, and historian and Turkologist Balázs Sudár. The discussion was moderated by Head of Communications at the Batthyány Lajos Foundation and editor of the series Péter Bakodi.
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