{"id":3762,"date":"2017-01-25T22:15:56","date_gmt":"2017-01-25T22:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/de\/?page_id=3762"},"modified":"2025-09-05T22:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T22:34:13","slug":"sights-and-leisure-activities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/sights-and-leisure-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"Sights and Leisure Activities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sights and Leisure – Around Hark\u00e1ny!<\/h2>\n

City of P\u00e9cs<\/h3>\n

The cultural capital P\u00e9cs is just a stone’s throw from the Europe-famous spa town of Hark\u00e1ny. The capital of Baranya offers a wide range of exhibitions and leisure activities. Without claiming to be exhaustive, we recommend the following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"City<\/a><\/td>\n\"City<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Zsolnay Cultural Quarter<\/h4>\n

The Mediterranean-style city was the European Capital of Culture in 2010 and one could say it still is. Among the many sights, the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter stands out, declared Hungarian cultural heritage in 2014. Here lived and worked the Zsolnay family in the 19th and 20th centuries, famous for their porcelain production. Their world-famous ceramics factory is the place where the Zsolnay legacy continues on a beautifully restored 5-hectare site. In total, 15 protected buildings and 88 public Zsolnay statues adorn the picturesque parks and promenades. Every square meter of the quarter is full of attractions, not to mention cozy caf\u00e9s, handicraft shops, and high-quality restaurants.<\/p>\n

Alongside preserving the past, the present and contemporary art also play an important role: the P\u00e9cs Gallery m21 and the popular concert hall E78 offer entertainment music and theater performances. On the Craft Street, visitors can choose from a selection of unique local products. There are also many activities for children, including outdoor playgrounds, the Laboratory \u2013 Interactive Magic Room, the Planetarium, the Magic Hour (spectacular physics experiments), the B\u00f3bita Puppet Theater, the Ceramic Workshop, and the Hercules Workshop. \"OLYMPUS<\/a><\/p>\n

Zsolnay Ceramic Exhibition<\/h4>\n

The Zsolnay ceramics collection can be seen in the oldest house in P\u00e9cs, mentioned in written sources as early as 1324. The exhibition is based on the material from the former factory museum and presents the decorative works of the ceramics factory in chronological order. The exhibition is accompanied by a memorial room with decorative objects and furnishings of the Zsolnay family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Zsolnay<\/a><\/td>\n\"Zsolnay<\/a><\/td>\n\"Zsolnay<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Cathedral of P\u00e9cs<\/h4>\n

The origins of P\u00e9cs Cathedral date back to the Roman Empire. The foundations of today\u2019s church were laid in the 4th century and expanded westward in the 8th and 11th centuries. Under King Stephen, the original church was converted into a basilica by building today\u2019s sanctuary over it, probably with the two western towers. In the Middle Ages, the church gained two more towers and Gothic chapels were built. In the 19th century, Mih\u00e1ly Pollack and Friedrich von Schmidt redesigned the exterior. The interior frescoes were painted by Bertalan Sz\u00e9kely and K\u00e1roly Lotz. The organ is Angster\u2019s 100th. In 1993, the Pope elevated the cathedral to a minor basilica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Cathedral<\/a><\/td>\n\"Cathedral<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Early Christian Tombs in P\u00e9cs<\/h4>\n

(Visitor Center Cella Septichora)<\/strong> The 1,600-year-old painted tombs mainly served as burial sites for wealthy families. Some are painted and decorated with biblical scenes and early Christian symbols, which contributes to the monument\u2019s uniqueness and universal cultural value. The underground part of the two-part structure is the crypt, the actual burial chamber where the deceased were buried in brick graves or, more rarely, in sarcophagi. Above it, a memorial chapel was built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Early<\/a><\/td>\n\"Early<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Vasarely Museum<\/h4>\n

Victor Vasarely was born in 1908 in P\u00e9cs and lived in France from 1930 until his death in 1997. He first donated a collection of serigraphs to the museum in P\u00e9cs in 1968. The exhibition traces the development of Op-Art from decorative textiles through the world-famous zebra versions of 1938 to the gradual abstraction of organic or constructive visual experience, as well as geometric black-and-white constructive works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Vasarely<\/a><\/td>\n\"Vasarely<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Csontv\u00e1ry Museum<\/h4>\n

In the Neo-Renaissance building built around the turn of the century, an exhibition was opened in 1973 about the lonely giant of Hungarian painting, Tivadar Csontv\u00e1ry Kosztka (1853-1919). In the one and a half decades of his work, which included barely more than a hundred works, the artist, originally a pharmacist, was one of the most important representatives of modern painting. His most famous work, The Lonely Cedar, can be seen here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Csontv\u00e1ry<\/a><\/td>\n\"Csontv\u00e1ry<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Aquarium and Terrarium<\/h4>\n

Part of the collection is housed in a medieval cellar system. Above the aquarium-terrarium, which has special local features, visitors can see the courtyard of the animal enclosures and the nocturnal house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Aquarium<\/a><\/td>\n\"Aquarium<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Zoo P\u00e9cs<\/h4>\n

One of the landmarks of P\u00e9cs \u2013 the 176 m high TV tower \u2013 houses the P\u00e9cs Zoo, hidden in the shade of trees. The zoo was founded in 1960 with the support of the local population, and this heritage can still be felt in the garden today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Zoo<\/a><\/td>\n\"A<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

TV Tower, Observation Tower<\/h4>\n

The TV and observation tower in P\u00e9cs is the tallest building in Hungary, standing at 197 meters. It is located on the 535-meter-high Misina Peak in the Mecsek Mountains. A fast elevator takes you to the glass espresso bar. The restaurant is 72 meters above the ground, and the open circular observation deck above it is 80 meters high, offering a view of the Misina Peak at 615 meters. Even on cloudy days, it is worth going up, because even when the clouds cover the city, the view from above the clouds is a beautiful and unobstructed experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/td>\n\"TV<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Gazi Kasim Pasha Mosque<\/h4>\n

The medieval St. Bartholomew parish church, built in the Gothic style, served as a mosque for the Pasha of Gaza, Qasim Pasha, during the Turkish occupation. The mosque, now a Catholic church, was rebuilt in its current form in 1939.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Gazi<\/a><\/td>\n\"Gazi<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Mecsextr\u00e9m Park<\/h4>\n

Just a stone’s throw from P\u00e9cs, in a clean environment away from city noise, in the beautiful Mecsek Forest, lies Mecsextr\u00e9m Park \u2013 one of Hungary’s largest adventure parks. This huge “forest playground” offers a unique experience for children and adults alike.<\/p>\n

\"Mecsextr\u00e9m<\/a>

Alpine cable car at Mecsextr\u00e9m Park<\/p><\/div>\n

Sikl\u00f3s Castle<\/h2>\n

Sikl\u00f3s Castle, an important historical landmark of our country, sits atop a small hill at the foot of the Vill\u00e1ny Mountains.<\/p>\n

Visitors to the castle can explore several permanent exhibitions. One of them is the Tenkes Panopticum, showcasing the main characters of the world-famous TV series “Captain Tenkes”.<\/p>\n

\"Sikl\u00f3s<\/a>

Tenkes Panopticum in Sikl\u00f3s Castle<\/p><\/div>\n

Visitor Center at the Old Drava<\/h3>\n

The exhibition presents the forests and waters of Orm\u00e1ns\u00e1g, which once provided for the local people. With a guide, you can walk along the traditional farmer’s path, smell herbs, try beekeeping tools, and learn interesting secrets about pasture management and animal husbandry. In the yard, you can meet T\u00f3dor the goat, Jonas the donkey, Balamb\u00e9r the huckle horse, and Kormos the bull, along with many other companions. While a guide shows you the tools used for animal care, the rural atmosphere is enhanced by the bleating of lambs, crowing of roosters, and the mooing of cows.<\/p>\n

\"Visitor<\/a>

Cyclists at the Visitor Center at the Old Drava<\/p><\/div>\n

Drava River Cruise<\/h3>\n

Dr\u00e1vaszabolcs is just a few minutes by car from Hark\u00e1ny and serves as a starting point for river cruises. There is an option for a cruise with meals or even wine tasting, as well as treasure hunts for children.<\/p>\n

\"Drava<\/a>

Drava River Cruise<\/p><\/div>\n

Nagyhars\u00e1ny – Sculpture Park<\/h3>\n

The history of the Nagyhars\u00e1ny Sculpture Park goes back to 1967. At that time, the first stone sculptor symposium was held in the former quarry of Sz\u00e1rsomly\u00f3 at the initiative of young artists from P\u00e9cs.<\/p>\n

The works made from local stones, created in as large an outdoor studio as possible, almost come to life in the sculpture park. The abandoned quarry becomes a true home for the artworks. Most of the nearly 130 sculptures are abstract: solitary blocks, twisted columns, strange idols, stones that look like giant toys. Some have been named by visitors, such as Venus of Vill\u00e1ny, Columbus\u2019 Egg, or The Memory.<\/p>\n

\"Nagyhars\u00e1ny<\/a>

Nagyhars\u00e1ny – Sculpture Park<\/p><\/div>\n

Vill\u00e1ny<\/h3>\n

In 1987, Vill\u00e1ny was awarded the title “City of Wine and Vine” by an international jury. Around 200 families in the town are involved in wine marketing in various ways. Vill\u00e1ny also has a wine museum, housing written and artifact evidence of winemaking from the 13th century.<\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Wine Cellar Row Vill\u00e1ny<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sights and Leisure – Around Hark\u00e1ny! City of P\u00e9cs The cultural capital P\u00e9cs is just a stone’s throw from the Europe-famous spa town[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3351,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3762","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3762"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3762\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7167,"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3762\/revisions\/7167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xavinhotelharkany.hu\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}