Pécs, Hungary
Facts about Pécs:
Pécs (German Fünfkirchen) is located 200 km south of Budapest and is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya County, situated at the foot of the Mecsek Mountains, near the Croatian border. Pécs is one of the larger cities of Hungary with a population of around 160 000.
How to get there?
By plane to Budapest, Pécs is an easy 3 hour train ride from Budapest's Keleti (Eastern) train station.
By car:
History
Settlements existed here in prehistoric times, but the city's history really began with Sopianae, a Celtic town developed by the Romans and later raised to be the capital of the new province of Pannonia Valeria. Made an epicospal see by king Stephen, the town - known as Quinqua Ecclesiae or Fünfkirchen (Five Churches) - became a university centre in the Middle Ages. The first university in Hungary was founded here in 1367 by king Louis I the Great. After the battle at Mohács Pécs came under Ottoman rule that lasted more than 150 years. Under Turkish occupation (1543-1686) its character changed radically, and its Magyar/German population was replaced by Turks and their Balkan subjects. Devastated during its "liberation", the city slowly recovered thanks to local viticulture and the discovery of coal in the mid-eighteenth century.
Pécs
Pécs was called Sopianae in Roman times and was an important center of early Christendom. The Early Christian Cemetery, consisting of the triple and six-apsed chapels, the so-called Jar ornamented Tomb Chamber, and the Ancient Christian Mausoleum, with its wall paintings, was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 2000.
Pécs has many attractions. Domed Turkish mosques, a slim minaret, and a lot of well-preserved masterpieces of Muslim architecture can be found here. To continue the list, the town hosts the factory and Museum of the sophisticated Zsolnay ceramics, the fantastic paintings of Csontváry Kosztka Tivadar, and decorative patterns of Victor Vasarely. Along the streets almond trees blossom in early spring, and the pleasant atmosphere of restaurants and coffee houses gives the feeling that you are in the Mediterranean.
This 2000-year-old city at the southern foot of Mount Mecsek, has been a bishop's headquarters since 1009. Beautiful churches and a great number of Museums await visitors. The road to the top of the hill is surrounded by the steep streets and charming houses of old Pécs called "Tettye". The panorama is stunning from the 1730 feet high Misina mountaintop. Hikers walking along the sign-posted tourist paths of the Mecsek's Park Forest enjoy tasting the famous local wines in the evening. In the bazaar, an antique fair is held on the first weekend of each month, a flee-market and a livestock fair on each weekend. There are many cultural opportunities for visitors: performances of the National Theatre of Pécs, the Ballet of Pécs, the Bóbita Puppet Theatre for children and adults, and various other musical events, concerts and festivals.
Some sightseeing in Pécs
The city boasts some fine examples of Islamic architecture, several wonderful museums and galleries, and the biggest market in western Hungary. It is also a base for exploring Siklós, Szigetvár and Mohács, further south, and the Mecsek Hills above the city.
Main Square Seat of the County Council
- The Mecsek hills: Take a trip to the Mecsek mountains and visit the TV Torony (litt. Television tower). Luscious green hills beautiful nature. Great views into the valley below.
- The medieval bastion called the Barbicon. It is a round stone bastion built in the 16th century with a circle framed gate. Some of the old city wall remain.
- The Pasha Memi's bath: there are many traces of Turkish presence in the town of Pécs.
Panorama View
Belváros: (City Center)
- Synagogue built in 1865. Its carved and stuccoed interior is beautiful but haunting, emptied by the murder of over 4000 Jews now listed in a Book of Remembrance - ten times the number that live in Pécs today.
- Zsolnay Fountain. Polychromatic, metallic-looking glazes typify local Zsolnay ceramics; the bulls' heads on the fountain are modeled on a gold drinking vessel from the "Treasure of Attila".
- Széchenyi tér, the city's main square at the top of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca.
Synagogue Széchenyi Square and City Council Turkish remains
Main Church Ferencesek utcája TV tower
Széchenyi tér: (Main Square)
- Pécsi Gallery: contemporary artwork
- The Archaeological Museum covers the history of the region from prehistoric times to the Magyar conquest
- The Mining Museum
Káptalan utca:
- The Zsolnay Museum at no. 2: vases, plaques and figurines from the Zsolnay Ceramics Factory
- The Vásárely Museum exhibits Op-Art canvases by Viktor Vásárely.
- The Nemes Museum at no. 5 honours the surrealist Endre Nemes (1909-85)
- The Ferenc Museum showcases work by Martyrs Ferenc (1899-1986), an early exponent of non-figurative painting.
Mecsek Mountains
The Mecsek Mountains are ideal for excursions and a popular area for lovers of rural tourism. The air is fresh in the high mountains, the protected flowers are colorful and the food is tasty in the villages around the highest point of the range, Mount Zengõ. The fantastic rock formations of Mount Jakab that display doll-like shapes, the Melegmányi valley with its series of waterfalls, the ancient horse-chestnut forest blooming in June, the European-chestnut orchard at Zengõvárkony, the arboretums of Kisújbánya and Püspökszentlászló, as well as the hiker's path among waterfalls of Óbánya Valley are favorite destinations for ramblers.
Orfû and Lake Pécsi
In the idyllic valley of Mecsek Mountain, around the Orfû lake, there are swimming pools, recreational camps, water sport services and fishing opportunities. Lake Pécsi is ideal for fishing. You can ride horses in the surrounding area. The 19th century water-mill museum is also worth a visit.
Abaliget
The region's only stalactite cave can be found in Abaliget. There are interesting rock and stalactite formations along the half-mile pathway and the cave is renowned for its climatic healing properties. The lake at the entrance of the cave is ideal for boating and fishing.
Pécsvárad
The Benedictine Abbey and Monastery in Pécsvárad was founded in 1000. Bishop Astrik, who brought home the Crown of King St. Stephen, a gift from the Pope in Rome, was the first abbot. He helped the King to establish church and state in 11th century Hungary. The Fortress of Pécsvárad, built in the 13th century upon the monastery, is one of the most important medieval monuments of Hungary. The old tower of the fortress is currently a hotel. The Fortress Museum is located in the 18th century castle. The near-by Lake Dombay is a lovely place to visit all year round.
Harkány
Harkány, less than 25 kilometres from the city of Pécs, has been an internationally renown healing location for the last 200 years. According to local legend, the devil ploughed up the Mount of Szársomlyó, and water full of sulphur broke out of the ground. This is the only water in the world that contains sulphide ions in gaseous form. Thermal water and mud treatment are offered in the tubs and pools of the Harkány medicinal and recreational pools where hydro- and electrotherapy treatment is given under trained medical supervision. The medicinal waters of Harkány are recommended as a drinking cure in the follow-up care for all kinds of rheumatism and stomach disorders. The open air swimming pool and bathing complex with water sport and children's pools has become a popular recreation spot for families.
Siklós
The fortress of Siklós, in the southernmost town of the country, is one of the best preserved medieval castles of Hungary. This fortress preserves priceless objects from every epoch of its history, beginning in 1294: windows of the Romanesque age, the most ornate balcony and a castle chapel from the 14-15th century Hungarian Gothic. The castle, enlarged in the 18th century, houses the stonework exhibition and the Pécs Glove Manufacturing Museum. Every year, the popular International Symposium of Ceramics is held in the former Franciscan Monastery. Another famous place of pilgrimage is the twin-towered Baroque Franciscan church in the near-by village of Máriagyûd.
Villány-Siklós Wine Road
The Villány-Siklós Wine Road in this ancient wine country was the first such to be developed in Hungary. It connects-through eight towns and villages-the 18-miles of vineyards spread out over a vast area. The wine culture of this region can be studied in the Wine Museum. The October Red Wine Festival that is held once every two years introduces the popular Villány wines: Blue Port, Merlot, Kékfrankos and Cabernet. You can study the fossilized remains of 240-million-year-old animals in the former lime mine, on the Church Hill of Villány. Szársomlyó with its interesting rock formations (at Nagyharsány, 3 miles from here) is a protected region of rare plants and animals that exist only here.
Mohács
Mohács, at the South-Danube gateway of the country, is the home of the spectacular Hungarian folk tradition of "Busó Halloween"- a merry carnival to bury the winter and welcome the spring with horrifying masks, designed to frighten the Ottoman Turks that occupied Hungary. The blackest day in Hungarian history, the battle in 1526 called the 'Mohács tragedy', when the young king Lajos II and about 20 thousand Hungarian soldiers were killed, took place here and led to 150 years of Turkish rule. The Byzantine-style memorial church of the battlefield was erected on the town's central square. In the Museum of Kanizsai Dorottya you can trace the history of the town and the Mohács battle. Another exhibition shows the arts and crafts of this multi-ethnic town.