JANUS PANNONIUS: PRAISE OF PANNONIA
“Once Italy provided what everyone reads,
and now she reads poems sent from Pannonia.
This is the great glory for me, but a greater one for you,
My country, made noble through my skill.”
(trl. Anthony A. Barrett)
It is a commonplace of the Baedekers that Pécs has a touch of the Mediterranean atmosphere. If a town identifies itself as Mediterranean though not belonging geographically to that region, it does not simply mean that it wishes to attract tourists with the slogan, but it rather reveals its intent to belong to a world where laughter and easiness is part of everyday life, where nightlife peoples squares and streets, where people in the street are open for small talks, and as if there were more festivals than elsewhere. Pécs would like to be a city like this – or perhaps it is already like this.
The unique character and atmosphere of Pécs is largely determined by the fact that it is a university city. Thanks to the more than thirty five thousand national and international students of the University of Pécs, the youthful energy of the city, the busy street life, squares and places of entertainment can be sensed on simple weekdays as well as during the time of large-scale festivals. The colourful and eventful programmes and festivals are hosted by the historic sites and buildings of the city. The World Heritage Site of early Roman burial chambers, the medieval buildings, the different sites of religious history, the streets paved with several thousand year-old stones all radiate a unique atmosphere. Nevertheless, there is no sensation of a vanished past, since taking a step beyond the old-fashioned exhibition halls, contemporary forms of art are continuously entering the public spaces of the city as well. The spirit of modern art penetrates into Pécs. New works of art and performances are constantly being created, inspired by the atmosphere of the city, whose unique nature lies right in the interaction between the city and art. All of this is taken for granted by the residents of the city. Others, however, can only understand it if they visit Pécs and get first-hand experience of the colours, flavours and voices of the city.
The Borderless City
Pécs is a workshop for those longing for knowledge, a Canaan for travellers and the centre of the world for the local residents. In 2010 Pécs was the European Capital of Culture. The cultural, artistic and intellectual heritage of the city, the traditions of its ethnic minorities and its geographical location and environment make Pécs one of the most exciting cities of Hungary. This is a place where we can discover traces of the Turkish rule while wandering around the mementos of Christian culture.
The traditional Zsolnay family established a porcelain factory here that still operates in the city. The famous poets Janus Pannonius, Weöres Sándor, Csorba Győző worked here. Numerous other Hungarian artists lived and worked in Pécs and the works of Vasarely, Csontváry and Amerigo Tot are displayed in the form of permanent exhibitions.
The early Christian cemetery, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Pécs National Theatre Festival, the enchanting restaurants, the Mediterranean climate are but a few things that make this city on the gentle slopes of the Mecsek Hills so attractive.
Pécs is getting ready for its Renaissance. The Borderless City wishes to share its treasures with the world. As European Cultural Capital it was ready to represent Hungarian culture and to welcome Europe with all of her cultural pluralities. Pécs wishes to show the culture of a European border region and to prove at the same time that culture is borderless.
PÉCS ANDANTE (excerpt)
There were days when the city would show only her happy faces. There was a weekend, for example, when it simply refused to be sad. At he break of dawn, stout-hearted one-armed apostles were standing guard over the serenity of the onion dome. At the morning mass, the pumpkin-nosed angel was waving her hand in silence, with a deceitful smile on her face. Flora fluttered across the morning gardens, and saintly colours woke us from our afternoon doze.
When evening came, we made our way down into the ancient, wooden-fronted wine cellar. Nothing stirred, only the fog descended slowly on the valley.
The city was shimmering beneath us, bleary-eyed. It was dim down in the cellar, among the barrel stoves that sighed with old age. What would have been the use of light? Anna’s freckles shone in the dark anyway.
When the top of the iron stove finally glowed bright we roasted crunchy chestnuts and had a taste of the fresh pressed grape juice.
It was a beautiful, love-scented Sunday.
Sz. Koncz István – Kalmár Lajos