Call for Tenders ON THE OCCASION OF THE 500th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF MOHÁCS 
For the purpose of creating "the central memorial of the battle" design competition

I. Organizer of the Tender

Danube-Drava National Park Directorate (hereinafter referred to as the Organizer).

Cooperating professional partner: Faculty of Music and Visual Arts, University of Pécs

II. Title of the Tender

ON THE OCCASION OF THE 500th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF MOHÁCS For the purpose of creating "the central memorial of the battle" design competition

III. Objective and Subject of the Tender

According to the provisions of Government Decree No. 1159/2023 (IV. 27.) on the necessary measures for the dignified commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács and the preparations for related developments, the establishment of the central memorial of the battle on the Mohács plain falls within the framework of the "Mohács 500" Program developments. According to the Government Decree, this development is carried out by the Issuer of the Tender, the Duna-Dráva National Park Directorate.

The subject of this tender is the design of a submission suitable for further planning regarding the central memorial of the battle on the Mohács plain.

Central Memorial of the Battle of Mohács in 1526

Historical Background

The planned facility is intended to commemorate the 1526 Battle of Mohács. New scientific findings significantly nuance the image of Mohács that has been handed down through the centuries. Sultan Suleiman, the leader of the Ottoman Empire at its peak, aimed to conquer the known world, and one stop on this plan was the Kingdom of Hungary.

In the Battle of Mohács, alongside the Hungarians, several thousand Polish and Czech soldiers fought, as well as numerous Austrian, German, and Croatian soldiers. With their help, it was possible to field an army of 27,000, which in terms of composition and equipment was on par with Europe’s leading armies. Contrary to the general belief, it was not a poorly organized and outdated army that stood on the Mohács plain. In fact, it can be considered one of the largest contingents of the 16th and 17th centuries, whose weaponry was also considered modern. However, it is a fact that the 60-70,000-strong Turkish army, which was perhaps the best-equipped and organized force of the era, fundamentally determined the balance of power against the 27,000 Hungarians and their allies. This great power superiority on the Turkish side was generally true of European conditions in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the armies of the states involved in the confrontation could not always compensate for it with heroic endurance. This also happened in Mohács in 1526, and beyond its strategic consequences, it had an infinitely severe and dramatic impact not only on the Kingdom of Hungary but on all of Central Europe.

Despite all this, it is justified to recognize "the great national endurance" in the sacrifices of the participants alongside "the great national tragedy." The upcoming 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács can be a symbol of national reverence, heroism, and Central European cooperation.

The jubilee celebration will be held on August 29, 2026. Among numerous programs, a notable event on this day will be the unveiling of the sculpture composition erected for the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács.

The purpose of this call for proposals is to select a sculptural composition of high artistic quality that appropriately reflects the ideals of heroic perseverance and the enduring significance and importance of the solidarity of Central European peoples.

IV. Location of the Planned Sculpture Composition

The site comprises two plots of land in the outskirts of Mohács, with parcel numbers 078/7 and 078/8, each covering an area of 5000 m² (see: attached site plan).

Environment:

The location is a large, flat, unobstructed area adjacent to the road, surrounded by arable fields. During the creation process, planning must also include ensuring the memorial's accessibility for visitors by designing parking areas that can be reached from the road and considering the visual impact.

V. Nature of the Tender and Scope of Participants

The tender is anonymous and international, primarily announced through relevant professional organizations in Central European countries. Any creator with relevant artistic achievements in sculpture and architecture can participate.

At the same time, the organizer of the tender invites the following sculptors to participate in the call for proposals: 

• Alem Korkut 

•  Imre Berze 

• Péter Gálhidy 

• Norbert Kotormán 

• Gergely Mészáros 

• Péter Menasági 

• Neven Bilic 

• Dóra Palatinus 

• Zsuzsa Tóth 

The following individuals are not eligible to participate in the competition: 

• Anyone involved in the decision-making process of the Evaluation Committee, 

• Close relatives of members of the Evaluation Committee, 

• Anyone who, in the past two years, has been an employer, workplace supervisor, subordinate, or co-author of a member of the Evaluation Committee. 

VI. Responsibilities of the Evaluation Committee and its Members

The competition consists of a single round. The evaluation and judgment of the submitted entries, which includes consideration of the cost of incorporating the sculpture composition, are carried out by a professional jury (evaluation committee). The jury ranks the entries and makes a recommendation for the winner. If, for any reason (financial, technical, or regulatory), the realization of the artwork ranked first becomes impossible, the preparation for the realization of the next artwork in the ranking must proceed. If the Evaluation Committee deems it necessary for making a decision, there is an option to hold consultations with the creators of the three selected artworks before the final decision is made. 

The work of the jury is not public. The location of the evaluation: Faculty of Music and Visual Arts, University of Pécs (7622 Pécs, Zsolnay Vilmos út 16.).

Chair of the Evaluation Committee:

János Hargitai – Member of Parliament, Ministerial Commissioner responsible for tasks related to the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács 

Co-Chair of the Evaluation Committee:

Ádám Szabó – Sculptor, Hungarian University of Fine Arts 

Members of the Evaluation Committee: 

Tihomer Matijevic – Sculptor, Academy of Arts and Culture, Osijek 
Rudolf Kocsis – Sculptor, West University of Timișoara, Timișoara 
Sándor Dévényi – Architect, Hungarian Academy of Arts 
Bence Vadász – Architect, Hungarian Academy of Arts 
István Lukáts – Chief State Architect, Baranya County Government Office 
Gábor Pávkovics – Mayor, Municipality of Mohács 
Béla Bagó – Chief Architect, Municipality of Mohács 
András Horváth – Architect, South-Transdanubian Chamber of Architects 
Dr. Szabolcs Varga – Historian, Institute of History, Faculty of Humanities 
Szabolcs Závoczky – Director, Danube-Drava National Park Directorate

VII. Content and Formal Requirements for the Artwork

• The sculpture composition must be placed within the designated area indicated on the provided site plan.
• Taking into account the site conditions, the applicant determines the size and material of the sculpture composition.
• Due to the outdoor nature of the sculpture composition, its material and structural solutions must be durable, ensuring its long-term use.
• A total budget of HUF 200,000,000 is allocated for the complete realization – including design, construction, installation, transportation, and permitting costs – based on a government decision, to be made available to the Municipality of Mohács.
• The submitted application must include the following:
  • a 1:10 scale model of the sculpture composition and/or at least three views integrated into the environment
  • Visual designs should include presentations corresponding to different seasons and times of day
  • a description of the artwork, with detailed budget
  • the location point(s) marked on the scaled site plan
  • plans for the immediate surroundings of the sculpture composition
  • the completed provided data sheet enclosed in a sealed envelope, marked with a pseudonym only on the outside.
• The memorial's surroundings require the construction of 15 car parking spaces and 2 bus parking spaces within the available area. Therefore, the applicant must also plan this section of the site in relation to the memorial and consult with an architect and landscape designer. The cost of constructing the parking area is separate from the sculpture composition and does not need to be included in the applicant's project budget.

The Organizer, along with the publication of the call for applications, will also publish a document titled "Declaration of Use" for the applicants. The applicant is required to complete the declaration with their details, sign it, and return four original copies to the address specified by the issuer by 12:00 noon on February 28, 2025, if they accept the terms of the call for applications and wish to participate in the competition.

VIII. Evaluation Criteria for Decision Making - Beyond Representing Intellectual Content and Conceptual Background:

• Artistic composition providing a unique appearance
• Integration into landscape or natural environment
• Technical feasibility
• Realistic budget

IX. Answering Applicant Questions

Applicants may submit their questions related to the competition until 17 February, 2025, 12:00 noon to the following email address: mohacs500@pte.hu

X. Method of Submission of Entries

By submitting their entry, the applicant simultaneously accepts the conditions set forth by the Organizer in the competition announcement.

Entries must be submitted as 1 package, in sealed and intact packaging, either personally or via courier service. Even when using a courier service, the responsibility for submitting the entry lies with the applicant. Only the pseudonym of the entry should be indicated on the package; no other markings are allowed. The package will be assigned an arrival number upon receipt.

Only the pseudonym should be indicated on the entry and its attachments. The applicant's personal information must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the entry.

The issuer will provide an opportunity to submit the competition entries on February 24, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon and on February 28, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon during working hours (monday-thursday: 8:00-16:00, friday: 8:00 - 12:00).

The submission location for the entries: University of Pécs, Faculty of Arts, Dean's Office (7622 Pécs, Zsolnay Vilmos Street 16. Phone: +36-30-316-4612, +36-72-501-500/extension 22814).

Deadline for submitting the entries: February 28, 2025, by 12:00 noon.

The evaluation of the entries will take place between March 3 and March 14, 2025.

Applicants who do not submit their entries by the established deadline or do not comply with the required submission conditions will be excluded from the competition by the Organizer.

XI. Amount of Honorarium for Applicants

Among the actual participants who submit entries, the Organizer, through the Collaborating Professional Partner, undertakes to pay the following honorarium to the first three placed applicants:

1st place: gross 2,000,000 HUF

2nd place: gross 1,000,000 HUF

3rd place: gross 600,000 HUF

The Organizer reserves the right to award a Special Prize, with an honorarium of gross 400,000 HUF, which will be paid by the professional partner involved in the project.

Invited applicants who submit their entries according to the conditions of the competition announcement will receive an invitation fee of 200,000 HUF per person, which will also be paid by the professional partner involved in the project.

The applicant who:

• does not return the "Usage Declaration" (as defined in point VII of the competition announcement), completed and signed by them, by the deadline, or
• returns it but
• does not submit an entry to the competition, or
• submits the entry after the established deadline for submission, as defined in the competition announcement, or
• submits the entry, but it does not meet the formal and content-related requirements outlined in the competition announcement,

may be excluded from the competition by the issuer or the professional jury, and will not be entitled to receive the honorarium.

XII. Intellectual Property Rights Related to Artistic Works

By signing the declaration specified in point VII of the competition announcement, the applicant agrees that the model of the sculptural composition, the description of the artwork, the detailed budget, the visual design(s) of the sculptural composition, and the plans for the pedestal(s) and the immediate surroundings of the sculptural composition (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "submission") can be used by the Organizer in events related to the tender and in the media. This usage may include, among other things, printed documents—such as books or brochures—and presentations at exhibitions, on websites, in videos, DVDs, or on television.

Based on the declaration specified in point VII of the competition announcement, the applicant irrevocably agrees that they transfer their property rights related to every element of their submission (particularly the sculptural composition model, the artwork description, the detailed budget, the visual design(s) of the sculptural composition, the plans for the pedestal(s) and the immediate surroundings of the sculptural composition) exclusively, without territorial or time limitations, in a way that allows the transfer of usage rights to third parties, covering all forms of use, to the Danube-Dráva National Park Directorate, the University of Pécs, the Municipality of Mohács, and the Municipality of Nagyharsány (the beneficiaries of the usage rights).

The applicant transfers their property rights to the submission, as an original work, free of charge and without compensation, to the beneficiaries of the usage rights. The beneficiaries of the usage rights, as stated above, have the authority to use the submissions, but they are not obligated to actually use them. Granting the usage rights does not affect the applicant's personal rights related to the submission as an artwork.

XIII. Announcement of Results, Presentation of Entries

The award ceremony is planned to take place at the end of March 2025 in the city of Mohács, where the submissions will be presented. The participants will receive a separate invitation via email for the award ceremony. The competition issuer will decide on the winning submission and the future course of the competition. Submissions that do not win can be collected within three months following the award ceremony. After this period, they will be destroyed.

XIV. General Provisions

Applicants are advised that the Organizer reserves the right to make changes to the competition announcement within the framework of legal provisions applicable to competitions.

The Organizer, or the Municipality of Mohács, reserves the right to declare the competition unsuccessful. There is no right of appeal against the decision of the competition.

Pécs, 5 November, 2024

Szabolcs Závoczky

Director

Duna-Dráva National Park Directorate

Attachments: 

1) Planned site plan for the Mohács memorial 

2) Planned site of the Mohács memorial – orthophoto 

3) Data sheet for pseudonym identification for the Mohács Battle central memorial 

4) Authorization of usage rights for Mohács 500