Pécs, often called Hungary’s “Mediterranean” city, has so much to offer! The city and its surroundings is perfect for families with small children, art lovers and nature enthusiasts alike. On top of all that, Pécs will deservedly be the European Capital of Culture in 2010. To help you discover what there is to see in and around Pécs we recommend a handful of sightseeing trips.
Discovering Pécs
The compact city centre boasts as many as 26 museums and galleries and some are must-see! A perfect place to start from is Szent István Square, where there is much to inspect in the square itself and ever more within within walking distance.
One of the most famous is the old Christian cemetery, which opens from one of the corners of the beautiful, shaded Szent István Square. This cemetery goes back to Roman times, when the city was called Sopianae, the Christian community here in the 4th century created graves, chapels, grave chambers and mausoleums in its cemetery—the largest and the most diverse group of buildings that can be seen outside Italy today. Along with the Basilica, the Bishop's Palace, the Prebendal Archives, the ruins of the medieval university and the Dome Museum, this group of buildings, surrounded by ancient chestnut trees, beautifully illustrates the Roman-Christian origins of Pécs. (This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.)
Széchenyi Square is the pulsating heart of Pécs, with the City Church named after Gasi Kasim, regarded as a Pécs symbol, located in its centre. This unique building with its green cupola was built as a mosque between 1543 and 1546 and has been functioning as a Catholic church ever since the Turks were driven out of Hungary.
The southern end of the square opens onto Király Street, a pleasant pedestrian area with attractive cafés and shop windows. The street opening from the northern end of the square houses a museum dedicated to the work of the great graphic artist and painter Victor Vasarely (1908-1997), who donated many of his works to Pécs. The museum opened in 1976 and its exhibit tracks a truly rich oeuvre. There is so much to see in Káptalan Street that it might well be called “museum street.”
The former Major Provost Palace offers an exhibition on the Zsolnay porcelain manufactry and the history of its founding family. Dating from 1324, the palace is probably the oldest building in Pécs. The building also houses an exhibition of works donated by the sculptor Amerigo Tot (1909-1984) to Pécs.
Another museum in this neighbourhood presents nearly the full oeuvre of the great original of Hungarian painters, Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry (1853-1919).
One should not leave Pécs without getting an insight into how Zsolnay porcelain, the most marketable of all the products made in Pécs, is made. With a richly deserved world-wide reputation, guided tours can be arranged in advance for small groups to see the various production phases such as glazing and hand painting.
Around Pécs
Only 25 kilometres to the south of Pécs, Harkány is the most significant health tourism centre in south-western Hungary, which attracts visitors seeking health, renewal and relaxation from all the four quarters of the world. Harkány has long been dubbed the Mecca of Arthritis because of its natural features, its waters and its gorgeous environs. The thermal water found here, rich in alkali hydrogen carbonate and sulphur, has a unique composition that cannot be found anywhere else in Europe.
The unique distinction of the castle in nearby Siklós is that it has always been inhabited and has thus been maintained in outstanding condition. The castle dates from the 12th century and its current appearance goes back to the 18th century. It carries various style features ranging from Romanesque to Baroque and its finest elements are Gothic. The Barbican, the round gate tower at the entrance of the castle today and the bridge leading up to it were built in Renaissance times. The predominantly Baroque palace houses a prison museum, a stone collection, and a museum presenting the history of glove manufacturing in Pécs.
Máriagyüd is a part of Siklós. Its double tower church attracts attention to the legendary shrine from afar. The church’s interior is richly decorated and staggeringly beautiful. The hill has a Calvary with ceramic bas-reliefs made at the Pécs Zsolnay factory, illustrating the stations of the Cross. The Holy Well is located to the east of the church. Pilgrims have traditionally carried its water in “Gyüd bowls.” Religious festivities are held here each year on Whit Sunday and other major Catholic holidays. Máriagyüd attracts some 500,000 visitors per year.
To the east is Villány, the most famous village in the Siklós-Villány wine region. With its wines now regaining their former glory, Villány merits a visit on its own. The best time to visit is during the vendage season but Villány and its breathtaking surroundings on the Villány hillside have lots to offer throughout the year. A double row of impressive wine cellars opens onto the main street. The wine cellars, built in a uniform scheme and style, present a standardised and orderly image to visitors. The changing light during the day lends the cellars different hues as the hours pass. A number of wine makers are headquartered here. The cellars attract visitors from the nearby city and wine lovers from hungary and abroad. The cellars offer high quality service and a combination of wine tasting and restaurant meals. Wine pilgrims choose their wines according to production year and brand, but the committed connoisseur also wants to know exactly which part of the wine growing area a given sample comes from. In fine weather, the cellar row gets busy and becomes a real social centre. Allow yourself time to enjoy a good dinner with fine red wine here!
