The exhibition takes us back to 1526, when the Battle of Mohács (29 August 1526) changed Europe for the next centuries. It will talk about the heroic deeds that made the Hungarian nobles famous. But it will also look at the members of the Apponyi family – although they were not military heroes, they were successful diplomats who always stood faithfully by the king and the crown.

However, there are two sides to every coin – so it will also look at the benefits that contact between these two civilizations brought to the Apponyi Library. Did you know that it was the Ottomans who first brought coffee to Vienna and later to Hungary and founded the first coffee shops in Buda?

The Ottoman expansion resonated in Slovak literature for centuries to come – that’s why it will also show visitors rare 16th-century prints as well as works of Romanticism with anti-Turkish themes. Vedutas from the 16th century will show battles – especially sieges of manors – on the Slovak territory.

The exhibition will last from 2 March until 31 March 2026. The Slovak National Library is looking forward to seeing you!

More information: https://snk.sk/novinky/aponiovci-v-sluzbach-koruny