I prefer and think spring time is the most beautiful time of the year in Pécs, but viewing fall foliage and color change is also exciting. This building is one of the main attractions in Pécs Cathedral. I took this photo from Calvary Chapel (Kálvária Domb).

Hello my dear memory-keeping space!

I’d like to greet you all with my first English post. It’s been a while since I posted my last notes on Medium. Since then, so many things have changed, and I’m studying and living in a city called Pécs in Hungary for a year and six months now. I’m furthering my education, but not for a master’s. I’m working on my second BA degree at the University of Pécs. The good thing is that I had already finished my half-study years. Due to COVID, I’ve not experienced or embraced my new country’s uniqueness, culture, and history in depth so far. I’ve not even seen all the attractions this small but beatiful city offers for tourists. Pécs lies between the South Transdanubian region of rolling hills and lush forests of Hungary. The Mediterranean-style city was awarded European Capital of Culture title in 2010, and, in fact, that city has preserved this status even today.

But throughout this time, I got what I wanted most: to live independently and develop as a person as well. The first year of studying far from my home country and living independently has brought me many different emotions and lessons about life and myself. I failed, cried and laughed a lot, became lonely, but also enjoying all the memorable and bittersweet times in Hungary. I’ve experienced a heap of events that make me startled, stressed, excited, and sad, and I’ve become acquainted with people who have a different point of view, culture, and upbringing. This post summarizes my journey and experiences in Pécs, as well as the things and places that I adore so much in Pécs, the city of peacefulness. Sometimes the thought comes to me so frequently that after many years, 10 or 20 years later, I will reminisce about my time back in Hungary, particularly in this city, where I studied for three years. This post contains photos that I captured throughout this time, excluding two photos of downtown. If you search on Google, you will find much better and more amazing photos.

No matter what, we all want and struggle to live a life we are proud of and enjoy to the fullest.

From this photo you can see what the downtown/city center of Pécs looks like in the daytime and at night. The building with green roof is Mosque of Pasha Qasim. This statue is dedicated to a leading Hungarian military and political figure in Central and Southeastern Europe during the 15th century, John Hunyadi, and is called the Hunyadi Statue.

he Holy Trinity Statue on the right hand side is the work of sculptor György Kiss. On its ledge can be seen the three plague-saints: Roch, Sebastian, and Rosalie. At the foot of the obelisk, covered by clouds, sit the figures of the Holy Father and Son. Its top is crowned by a Holy Spirit dove surrounded by golden rays of light.

The reason why I prefer spring is that everything blooms and awakes like these beautiful cherry blossoms. You can spot different kinds of cherry trees in spring time in Pécs.

B & W photos, in my opinion, have their own charm. Always shine. On the top left, there’s a random street photo. I liked these huge and glorous trees, so I captured them. In the top right photo is the Pécs TV tower, a famous attraction in this city, located on the Misina peak of Mecsek (535 meters), measuring 197 meters, with a publicly accessible observation deck at a height of 75 metres and a restaurant at 72 metres. Two photos at the bottom are of houses that mesmerized me so much. They are quite charming houses, as Ghibli’s anime illustrates. This city is suitable for hiking and outings, and one of my favorite things is to walk through hilly streets and view these kinds of wonderful houses.

I’ve spotted several statues of crucified Jesus Christ in Pécs, and these are some of them. The church in the top right is the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, small but charming inside and outside. There are several chapels, mosques and churches in Pécs, but I’ve only been inside and viewed two churches.

My beloved Zsolnay Kulturális Negyed (Zsolnay Cultural Quarter), my department, is located in this amazing place. I’m lucky to see and walk through these places every day. The Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, designated as a Hungaricum (a unique Hungarian product or attraction) in 2014, stands out among the city’s other attractions. To be honest, I’ve not seen any museums inside this wonderful place, which I regret, but I will definitely see the sights and meseums inside, especially the Zsolnay Mausoleum. On the bottom right corner is Bóbita Puppet Theater (Bóbita Bábszínház).