Szeged commemorates the victory of Nándorfehérvár

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Szeged is once again commemorating the glorious Hungarian military victory at Nándorfehérvár – today Belgrade. It stopped the expansion of the Turkish Empire for a hundred years. They commemorate the triumph in the Franciscan monastery of Szeged and on the Mátyás Square through an informative presentation, war games, dance shows and children’s programs, on the weekend.

The Christian Hungarian armies led by János Hunyadi inflicted a devastating defeat to the armies of the Turkish sultan II. Mehmed on the 22nd July 1456. According to Hungarian tradition, the noon bell in the Christian world recalls the victory of Nándorfehérvár ever since. In 2011 the parliament declared the 22nd July the Day of Remembrance of the Nándorfehérvár Triumph.

In 2006, on the 550th anniversary of the Nándorfehérvár triumph, the staff of the Culture House of the Franciscan Friary brought the event to life, which commemorates the victory of János Hunyadi over the Turks. Their intention was to honor, besides our unfortunately great number of national mourning days, also our glorious victories.

In the summer of 1456, crusaders marching south under the lead of St. John of Capistrano stopped at the Franciscan friary of Szeged, on today’s Matthias Square. Thus, through the Memorial Days’ location, there is also a direct link to the historical event.

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Programs

The series of programs start on Friday afternoon at the Franciscan Monastery. Here they show how the Hungarians and the Balkan peoples preserved the memory of János Hunyadi and King Matthias in their folklore. On Saturday morning people gather in downtown of Szeged, on Klauzál square. Then they go to the Franciscan church and monastery, accompanied by drummers and stilt-walkers. Here they find a craft fair, a juggling playhouse, a children’s joust, a squire school, a turul game show, archer education and logic games.

Visitors can admire the outfits and weapons at close proximity. They can experience what it was like in the camps of the black army in the Matthias era. The members of the Lionheart Order of Knights host a war and dance show, concerts. Puppet-shows and tales are awaiting the children. The winner of the contest of strong people will be the Kinizsi of Szeged. The series of programs is closed by the show of fire-jugglers in the evening.