Places to Visit and Things to Do in Pécs, Hungary

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A few years ago I spent one month in Budapest studying Hungarian. Every weekend I visited a different place. Though I found all of them pretty, I think Pécs is Hungary’s most beautiful city. It’s a fascinating place, where architecture and nature blend perfectly. There are so many places to visit and things to do in Pécs that I returned several times. Pecs should be on everyone’s bucket list!

Pécs is quite multifaceted, hosting early Christian monuments, a beautiful mosque, a basilica, a synagogue, and even cool contemporary architecture. However, the city’s most important site is the fabulous Zsolnay Cultural Quarter. This is where the Zsolnay family produced world famous ceramics for ages.

Pecs Hungary

What is Pécs Like

Pécs has a unique Old Town. You can observe Pécs’ Early Christian heritage from several points. However, the best place to admire the city is from the St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral Basilica from 11th Century. Do not forget to check it out; it is one of Hungary’s most impressive churches.

The main square is Széchenyi square, where you will see the Old Mosque of Pasha Quasim, converted nowadays into a catholic church. Nevertheless, the city does have a mosque: the nearby Jakovali Hassan. The Pécs City Hall and the Baranya County House are two other fantastic buildings on the main square.

Szechenyi Square Pecs

How to Get to Pécs

The easiest and most comfortable way to get to Pécs is with a train. The journey from Budapest takes 3 hours. As soon as you exit the city, all you see are fields. Bring a book and relax. You can take any of the eight trains that leave from Budapest Keleti Station.

If you are coming from Osijek, you have to take a local train to Beli Manastir, and another one from there to Pécs. You can check the train schedules here. There is no direct connection from Serbia, so you should reach Szeged first, and then take a bus to Pécs.

Pecs Train Station

Where to Stay in Pécs

To fully enjoy Pécs, the hidden gem of Hungary, you should spend a night or two. Our favorite hotel in Pécs is the Hotel Palatinus City Center, a lavish art nouveau palace. Hungary’s most celebrated artists played here, including Bela Bartók.

Two other great options downtown are the Adele Boutique Hotel and the Minaret Residence & Relax. If you rather stay in a rural atmosphere, go to upper Pécs and stay in Bagolyvár Hotel. This unique hotel features cool architecture, a small vineyard, and great views.

Hotel Palatinus

Things to See and Do in Pécs

Early Christian Heritage

Of all the things to do in Pécs, a visit to its Early Christian sites is a must. Romans founded Pécs in the second century AD. By the 4th Century the area, called Sopianae, was an important Christianity center in the Roman Province of Pannonia. They built a series of tombs, burial chambers, chapels and mausoleums.

Excavations began two centuries ago and have revealed the largest collections of sepulchral monuments in Central Europe. The murals are especially interesting, showcasing the art of an ancient civilization. UNESCO included the Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs in its list of the World Heritage Sites in 2000.

Early Christian Heritage of Pecs

St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral Basilica

Built during the reign of Stephen I, the original St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral Basilica dates back to the 11th Century. The building we see today is from 1880 and combines gothic, renaissance, romanticism, rococo, and classicism elements. If you think the exterior is cool, wait until you go inside.

Walls are painted in gold, blue and red in what some call organized chaos. The altar with frescoes by Hungarian artists is especially interesting. Do not forget to go all the way up one of the towers. It is a steep climb, but the views are sure worth the trouble.

Pecs Cathedral

Mosque of Pasha Quasim

Built in the middle of the 16th Century, the Mosque of Pasha Quasim is the best example of Ottoman architecture in Hungary. According to many, the mosque was as beautiful as the famous Yavuz Selim Mosque in Istanbul. The Ottoman reign over Pécs lasted for almost 200 years.

Of course, most temples were converted into Catholic places of worship as soon as they left. In fact, the Pasha Quasim Mosque became the Candlemas Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary we can see today in 1702. The octagonal drum under a dome is the only thing that remains from the original structure. The minaret was destroyed in 1766.

Mosque of Pasha Quasim

Jakovali Hassan Mosque

The Jakovali Hasan Pasha Mosque is an early 17th Century mosque that is still in use today. It’s a relatively simple structure with a squared base and a large dome. The mosque was once a church and a hospital. Since 1960 is back to being a mosque.

Today, it’s open to prayers two times a week, and in the meantime it works as a museum. We highly suggest visiting as you will get an insight into 17th Century ottoman architecture. Since it’s somewhat off the beaten path, you might be the only visitor.

Jakovali Hassan Mosque

Pécs Synagogue

The Great Synagogue of Pécs is the only surviving synagogue in town. Opened in 1869, this wonderful masterpiece was made to show the progressive views of the local Jewish Neolog community. It’s a great example of the so-called Hungarian romantic style which incorporates Neo Moorish elements.

The main façade is divided into three volumes with the central one standing out for its large clock and the tablets with the 10 commandments. The interior is impressive too, with the seating area made of traditional Slavonian oak. After World War II, the Jewish community almost completely vanished from Pécs. Fortunately, the synagogue still remains in use.

Pécs Synagogue

City Walls

The City Walls used to surround Pécs in the Middle Ages. These stone walls were built to protect the Cathedral in the early 11th Century. Pécs Castle was built inside the walls in the second half of the 13th Century. The circular bastion and the Barbican were added in the 15th Century.

In 1543 the Ottomans captured Pécs but kept the city walls. However, Croatian nobleman Miklós Zrínyi damaged them severely when he raided the city in 1664. Today, most of the western and northern walls can be seen. You can climb the Barbican tower or visit the underground catacombs at Littke Palace.

City Walls

National Theater

Pécs was an important cultural center for centuries. However, the city didn’t have a proper theater stage until the 1840s. That theater didn’t last, as it was demolished in 1890. The current one was built in 1895 following an international competition. Renowned Austrian architects Adolf Lang and Antal Steinhardt won and created the beauty we can see today.

You’ll find the National Theater of Pécs in the city’s main street Kiraly utca. There’s a small plaza with two fountains in front of the theater. The neoclassical façade stands out for its rich decorations and symmetry. A large tympanum under a massive dome dominates the central nave. Two smaller domes crown the side naves.

National Theater

Kodály Centre

Pécs newest addition to the architectural panorama is the slick Kodály Centre, built as part of the Pécs 2010 European Capital of Culture project. A design by Budapest Építész Stúdió won a national competition in 2007. The 120000 sq foot (11000 m2) Concert and Conference Center is home to the renowned Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra.

Take note of how the building solved the relationship of the interior and the exterior. Big stone panels cover the cool exterior. On the other hand, wooden sheets line the interior. Everything is dynamic and balanced.

Kodály Centre

Zsolnay Cultural Quarter

The Zsolnay Cultural Quarter is actually 15 buildings, including a historic porcelain factory along 5 hectares. The cultural quarter has three areas: arts and crafts, creativity, and family and university. MCXVI Architects revamped the complex from 2008 to 2012. They only modified the original structures slightly and built new ones.

The complex is mostly made of bricks and colorful ceramic tiles and includes 88 Zsolnay statues. As you can imagine, this is where the young and creative gather. My favorite place in town! Take note that these same ceramics decorate several Art Nouveau buildings in beautiful Subotica.

Zsolnay Cultural Quarter

Tettye Park and Ruins

This park located on a plateau some 850 foot (250 m) high offers fantastic views of the city, ruins, a cave, a natural spring, a chapel and 4.5 hectares of green nature. The Tettye Ruins used to be the summer palace of Bishop Gyorgy Szathmary, used as a dervish monastery during the Turkish rule in the 16th Century.

Walk south from the ruins to get to the Tettye Lime Cave. There is an interactive exhibition inside. To the east of the park is Havihegy, a white lime rock that tops Tettye. Climb up and walk to the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, built to remember the plague of 1690. Walk further towards Pinter Garden until you reach the Tuke Wine House, where you can try more than 50 local wines and champagne!

Tettye Park and Ruins

Pecs’s Museums

Pécs is home to several world class museums. The renowned Hungarian artist and founder of the Op-Art movement was born in the city. The Vasarely Museum displays many of his works including Bauhaus serigraphs and Op-Art. In Csontvary Museum you’ll be able to learn about the works of another renowned local artist.

The Zsolnay Museum, on the other hand, hosts a historic collection of Zsolnay ceramics. The museum’s building is interesting too: it’s the oldest house in Pécs! Archeology fans should not miss the Archeological Museum of Pécs. Its most famous artifact is the 600 year old Zengővárkonyi Madonna.

Vasarely Museum

Other Places to Visit in Pécs

Architecture lovers will be happy to know that Pécs houses other impressive buildings from different historic periods. The Tomb of Idris Baba is the only surviving Ottoman turbe in the city. The Zsolnay Mausoleum close to the cultural quarter is an interesting neo-Romanesque monument and the resting place of the Zsolnay family.

If you are into contemporary architecture, don’t miss the newly-built South Transdanubian Regional Library and Knowledge Centre. The slick modern building hosts around one million documents. Take a look at the impressive mosaic at the main stairway. It is made of more than 60000 tiles in 19 different colors.

Zsolnay Mausoleum

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