Siklós

The most prominent landmark of Siklós is its castle, with an 18th-century exterior, and considered one of the best-preserved castle fortresses in Hungary. The city is also notable for its Ottoman-era and religious monuments. In Roman times, a military settlement called Serena was established here. The fortress is first mentioned in written records in 1294.

Siklós Castle and the town lie southwest of Pécs, about 30 kilometers away, at the meeting point of the plains stretching to the Drava River and the Villány Hills, built on a hill that rises from the lowlands. The history of the castle and the town are closely intertwined. The region’s natural beauty and the large, well-preserved castle complex make Siklós a well-known destination throughout Hungary. The town, once known as Soklos, is first mentioned in the 12th century, while the castle itself appears in records in the 13th century.

The earliest official document referencing the town dates back to 1190. Since then, Siklós has been the seat and estate center of some of the most prominent families in Hungarian history. Its first known lords were members of the Siklósi family, succeeded in the late 14th century by the ambitious Garai family, who held the estate for nearly a century. Ownership then changed hands several times. During King Matthias’s reign, his son John Corvinus was the lord of Siklós. In 1515, the town came under the control of another notable family when the king granted it to Imre Perényi, the palatine of Hungary.

In 1543, the Turks captured Siklós after a three-day siege, at the same time they occupied nearby Pécs. Following the recapture of Buda, the liberation of southern Transdanubia began. Afterward, General Caprara was given the castle and planned to transform it into a massive baroque fortress—a project completed in the 18th century. In 1873, the castle was purchased by Lajos Benyovszky, a lawyer from Bratislava. During the world wars, both the town and the castle lost their former significance and Siklós lost its status as a market town. Only with the removal of the border zone and the construction of the cement factory in nearby Beremend did the town regain momentum, and in 1977 it was granted city status.

In addition to the castle prison and lapidarium, Siklós Castle also hosts a wax museum featuring characters from the popular Hungarian TV series Captain of Tenkes, and another dramatic museum displaying the instruments of torture from feudal Hungary. Seasonal exhibitions, programs, and numerous cultural events await visitors year-round.