THE CIVIC association Fundament intends to reconstruct the ruins of the most northerly castle in the former Ottoman Empire in part of Rimavská Sobota named Sobôtka and create an archaeological park. Currently, the vicinity of the 16th century Ottoman fortress is thickly overgrown with grass and waste has been illegally dumped at the site. Fundament has rented the land from the town for a symbolic price of one Slovak crown.
“We intend to study, save and re-use the area that holds the ruins of the most northerly Turkish castle of the Ottoman Empire. The final form will be an archaeological park and leisure venue for all future generations of visitors from our town, the wider region and tourists,” Štefan Hajdú, the head of Fundament, told the TASR newswire. When the weather gets better, activists and volunteers will start removing the illegal waste dumps, and cleaning the premises. “In the research, we will cooperate closely with experts from the Gemer-Malohont Museum,” Hajdú added.
The former Ottoman fortress should be accessible to visitors within three years, along with workshops for craftsmen and a big farm at which visitors can taste medieval cuisine and home-made products. Fundament wants to build a comprehensive tourist cluster to include castle tournaments.
