Mentényi Klára szerk.: Műemlékvédelmi Szemle 2004. A Kulturális Örökségvédelmi Hivatal tájékoztatója (Budapest, 2004)
MŰHELY - Tolnai Gergely: A komáromi erődrendszer műemléki szemmel
The fortification complex was formed in the second half of the 19 th century, but its origins are reaching back to the 11 th century. As early as the 11 th century the town was a centre of local administration and on the place of the later fortress an earthwork of wooden construction was built for its defence. This was replaced by a fortification made of stone about which not much was known as it was pulled down in the 16 th century and on the earlier representations the building could not be identified to serve as a source for them. On the place of this medieval fortification was a new Italian type fortress - the so called Old Fortress - built by the plans of Pietro Ferabosco from 1540 on and later of Urban Süeß between 1572 and 1582. An exterior defence line was built already in the 16th century First it had a stockade construction but later it was rebuilt of stone. In the course of the 17 th century it was pulled down together with the greater part of the town and around the old fashioned Old Fortress a modern one was built. This new defence fortification built between 1663-1673 got the name of New Fortress. The bridge-head fortifications on the right bank of the Danube and the left bank of Vag-Danube were also built in the 16th century and they were modernized in the 17 th century. During the anti Ottoman wars the fortress had an extremely important role: the shortest and easiest wartime road, the Danube was closed and supervised by it. Contrary to the constant Ottoman threats and raids the fortress complex had never been occupied. The great earthquakes of 1763 and 1783 had seriously damaged the walls of both the Old- and New fortresses and because of this and the favourable military situation the treasury considered the reconstruction and further maintenance of the fortresses unnecessary. The garrison troops were sent away and the surrounding territory was divided up among the inhabitants, the buildings were auctioned in sale. In 1807, as a result of Napoleonic wars the military leadership in Vienna decided to fortify the fortress of Komárom. The territory sold was expropriated and with the help of military and civilian workers the former fortifications were reconstructed and the fortress complex was enlarged. This time six closed earthworks were built on the Csallóköz part and the posts connecting them, later seven main posts and fourteen outposts were built at the Újszőny side. Following the 1809 French attack against Vienna an advanced earthwork complex was built on the right side of the Danube along the Conco brook from Ács through Nagyigmánd to Kisigmánd, on the line Nagyigmánd - Csép - Tárkány. After the end of Napoleonic wars the military leadership still wanted to continue the modernization and further building of the fortress. According to modern needs the Oldand New fortresses were reconstructed, the ramparts pulled down, the roofs covered with a thick layer of earth. On the courtyard of the Old fortress all the remaining buildings were pulled down with the exception of one, the barracks and stores were removed to the rebuilt casemates (between 1827-1839 104 vaulted rooms were formed). Behind the walls of the New fortress a new, two-storied barracks complex was built, finished in 1810, the adjoining headquarters building was finished by 1815, with its exterior walls forming a kind of second defence line.
