Pécs, Hungary

The Hungarian city of Pécs can safely be said to be a peaceful university town. It is located in south-western Hungary and is the administrative and economic centre of Baranya County. Hungary's fifth largest city is situated on the slopes of the Mecek Mountains in the south-west of the country, close to the border with Croatia. Pécs is also known as the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese.

The history of the city began in the distant 2nd century, when the Romans founded the city of Sopyane, which is actually the predecessor of today's Peć. The territory on which the settlement was formed was inhabited by Celtic and Pannonian tribes. In the 4th century, Pécs became an important early Christian center, and a Christian necropolis from this era was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The first university in Hungary was founded in 1367 in Pécs by Louis I the Great and is now the largest in the country, with around 35 000 students a year.

Pécs is a city full of museums, landmarks and historical monuments. What is special about the city is that Pécs is the richest city in terms of Turkish architecture in Hungary. In its centre is the Gazi Kasim Mosque, and although it is now a church, the crescent moon and star still adorn its dome. Pécs is also home to the ruins of the baths of Memmi Pasha and the mausoleum of the extraordinary master Idris Baba.

A visitor to Pécs should not miss a visit to the Septychora Tower, dating back to the 4th century. It was discovered in 1900 and its charms can be enjoyed thanks to the labyrinth of alleyways built by the Nazca. Next on the list of architectural gems are the neoclassical cathedral, the Jolnai Museum, renovated in 2007 and dedicated to magnificent Art Nouveau ceramics, tiles and porcelain.

Another interesting museum is the "Vasarely", which was erected in honor of one of the founders of optical art - the op-art style.

Pécs was formed as a center of culture and the arts thanks to Bishop Janusz Panonius, it has always been a multicultural city and it is no coincidence that it was chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2010 along with Essen and Istanbul.

Pécs has a famous porcelain factory and a brewery that produces a special unfiltered beer that can only be bought in one place in the whole country and is quite sought after.