The Danube Bastion in Komárom has reinvented itself as a hands-on heritage hub, expanding its offer with exhibitions on river navigation and riverside crafts. The fortified complex, upgraded as a tourism magnet on the banks of the Danube at 2900 Komárom, Duna-part 1, now houses Danube, Ships, Crafts (Duna, hajók, mesterségek), opened in 2013, and a connected showcase of traditional trades along the river. Visitors can step into the world of fishing, gold panning, and ship carpentry, exploring tools, stories, and techniques that defined life along Central Europe’s great waterway.
The Gold Panning craft exhibition anchors this living history experience, spotlighting how prospectors once swirled silt and gravel to tease out glittering flecks by hand. Displays walk you through the method, materials, and the unforgiving conditions people endured to make a living from the river. Nearby rooms broaden the lens: fishing practices that fed towns for centuries and the wooden backbone of shipping, built by master shipwrights who read the currents as closely as they read timber.
Practical information is refreshingly straightforward. The casemates stay cool even in peak summer heat, so dress in layers suited to the season, wear comfortable closed-toe shoes, and bring a flashlight. Heed Danger of Accident! (Balesetveszély!) and Forbidden! (Tilos!) signs and avoid risky spots. Children under 12 should remain under supervision at all times. First aid and basic medicine are available at the ticket offices.
Photography and private filming are allowed across the forts, but pick up a photo or camera ticket at the cashier before you start shooting. Any commercial use of images of the fortress or its parts requires permission from Monostori Fortress Nonprofit Ltd. (Monostori Erőd Nonprofit Kft.), the rights holder. To help you navigate, free guides in Hungarian and other languages are available on-site, and Komárom–Komárno maps at the main entrance make crossing between forts on the Danube’s right and left banks easy.
When To Go
The Gold Panning exhibition runs in weekly blocks throughout 2026, starting March 3–8 and continuing without interruption: Mar 10–15, Mar 17–22, Mar 24–29, Mar 31–Apr 5, Apr 7–12, Apr 14–19, Apr 21–26, Apr 28–May 3, May 5–10, May 12–17, May 19–24, May 26–31, Jun 2–7, Jun 9–14, Jun 16–21, Jun 23–28, Jun 30–Jul 5, Jul 7–12, Jul 14–19, Jul 21–26, Jul 28–Aug 2, Aug 4–9, Aug 11–16, Aug 18–23, Aug 25–30, Sep 1–6, Sep 8–13, Sep 15–20, Sep 22–27, Sep 29–Oct 4, Oct 6–11, Oct 13–18, Oct 20–25, Oct 27–Nov 1, Nov 3–8, Nov 10–15, Nov 17–22, and Nov 24–29 — all in Komárom. Organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs, especially during festivals, arts, and sports events, when special event pricing applies. Parts of the fortress may be closed for film shoots or corporate events; check on-site or online before buying tickets.
Make a Day of It
A leisure park in Puskaporosi Major, a short drive from Komárom, offers a sprawling green escape to relax, recharge, and play. At the Danube Bastion’s Port Reception Lounge, grab coffee, cappuccino, tea, mineral water, or soft drinks during official opening hours; from March to October, enjoy the terrace in good weather or the indoor lounge when it turns. Free up your hands, plan your route, and let the Danube’s craft heritage do the rest.
