When I first arrived in Eger, I fell in love with its cobblestone streets and quaint cafés. From the main town square, you can see the Eger Castle sitting just above the city, surrounded by Baroque buildings and winding roads. After living in Eger for two months, it still feels like a time capsule to me as I bike along the old paths to my university. Many of the Hungarian cities I have visited share a similar atmosphere, especially the capital, Budapest. The Kingdom of Hungary was established in 1000 AD, but it has since undergone many changes. Since its founding, Hungary has been under the rule of both the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, and it fought on the losing sides of both World War I and World War II. Hungary’s history is complex, a fact that Hungarians continue to grapple with today.
Eger is most famous for defending against the Ottoman Army during the Siege of Eger in 1552. The Hungarian Army, led by István Dobó, defended Eger from the attack using the Egri Vár (Eger Castle) as its stronghold. While the city fell to the Ottomans in 1596, the Siege of Eger is a source of pride for Hungarians. There’s a legend that the Ottoman Army saw the Hungarians drinking “bull’s blood,” giving the Hungarians superhuman powers.
