Komarno

About

Settled in the Middle Ages at the confluence of the Váh and Danube rivers, Komarno was actually a single town in Hungary until the 20th century, when the border of the newly formed Czechoslovakia cut the town in half. Today, Hungarians still make up the majority of the population of this Slovak town. The town’s ‘Courtyard of Europe’ is an arresting mish-mash of colors and styles, and makes for a perfect place to relax and photograph this architectural oddity. The city also has its fair share of historical buildings, such as the 18th century Serbian church. The port city is also home to the largest fortress in Slovakia. Well, technically a defensive line made up of several fortresses, which is on the list to become a UNESCO site. Across the river, on the Hungarian side of the city, Fort Monostor is the largest modern fortress in central Europe. Now a museum, the fort houses the "Europe Gate" - a sculpture made from light-transmitting concrete that commemorates Hungary joining the EU.