Pécs - The Borderless City

The multicultural city

In the past Pécs developed cultural layers of Latin, Turkish, German, Croatian and Hungarian origin. Today the city is the most important centre of German, Croatian and Romany culture. Today there are nine local minority governments operating in Pécs (German, Romany, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Polish, Greek, Ukrainian and Ruthenian). Pécs is the most important cultural centre of the German minority in Hungary. It is the only Hungarian city where education for the Gypsy population is provided in their own language at all levels, from kindergarten up to the university level.

Pécs and its immediate region have witnessed extensive contacts between the cultures of Western Europe and the Balkans, Germany and Turkey, regions which do not generally maintain close cultural relations. The old German name of the region – Schwäbische Türkei – bears witness to this exceptional cultural link. The various cultural layers of the city exhibit a unique structure. The culture of Pécs at the time of the foundation of its university in 1367 was Latin, in the 17th century it was Turkish, at the end of the 18th century it was mostly German and Latin, and only in the 20th century could it be characterised as primarily Hungarian. A short walk in the downtown area reveals a multitude of coexisting cultural and historical zones. The Turkish mosque standing on the main square today functions as a Catholic church. The peaceful coexistence of cultures is vividly symbolised by the Turkish crescent and the Catholic cross on the dome of the mosque.

However, this extraordinary cultural mix can be witnessed not only in the built heritage but in the intellectual, spiritual legacy as well. And last but not least, it can be observed in the mentality of the people living here, for whom openness and the reception of foreign cultures constitute a natural way of life. It is this mentality that makes Pécs truly multicultural. This is the reason why so many students come to the University of Pécs from different parts of the world and this is why we can feel that they do not simply study here but become active part of the city's life as well.

The diversity of cultures becomes even more powerful at the time of festivals like the Heritage Festival, the Pécs Summer Festival, the International Folk Dance Festival or events like the Artistic and Gastronomy Weeks. It is through concerts of various genres, the different wines of the Mecsek Hills and the Villány Hills, or the foods of minorities that we can truly experience what the multicultural character of Pécs really means.