Mecsek (; ; Serbian: ''Meček'' or Мечек; ) is a mountain range in southern

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

. It is situated in the Baranya region, in the north of the city of

Pécs Pécs ( , ; ; Slovak language, Slovak: ''Päťkostolie''; also known by #Name, alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the fifth largest city in Hungary, on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the c ...

Etymology

The Hungarian toponym "Mecsek" derives from the sobriquet version of the name Mihály (Michael). Originally applied only to the hills adjacent to

, the name Mecsek was first mentioned in 16th century.

Geography

The mountains cover an area of approximately 500 km². The highest peak in the mountain range is Zengő (literally translates to 'resonant'), which has an elevation of 682 metres (2,238 feet). The Mecsek Hills consist of plateau-like block mountains of a broken, folded structure. Its basis is crystalline rock of Variscan origin surmounted by Triassic and Jurassic limestone and dolomite and Tertiary formations that form the main block. The mountains are divided by a structural fault running NW to SE. The eastern part consists mainly of high ridges of sedimentary rock. The west has extensive limestone plateaux and areas dominated by sandstones of the Permian-Triassic period. There are important karst phenomena to be found on the limestone plateaux. Mecsek is rich in minerals (including

uranium Uranium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Ura ...

) compared to other territories of

. The climate is mixed and represents elements of the

mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

and

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...

. The territory is home to 20-30 plant species which are unknown in other parts of the Carpathian Basin.

Highest peaks

Political and cultural history

Due to their relative small size and medium height, the hills of Mecsek were always politically and economically connected with the neighboring lowlands of Baranya and Tolna, serving primarily as a source of wood. The forested hills also offered substantial protection against the possible enemies. The first significant political centre of the region was formed on the top of Jakab-hegy during the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

which was later captured and developed into an oppidum by the

Celts The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...

in the 2nd century BC. After the Roman conquest of

Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...

the settlement's population, like in the similar cases of Bibracte or Entremont was probably forced to move to the southern slopes of the Mecsek, where Sopianae, the predecessor of

emerged. Throughout the Hungarian

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

the valleys of the Mecsek became more densely populated, providing raw materials for the thriving episcopal city of Pécs. The castles of Szászvár, Márévár and Kantavár were built in the era as residencies of nobles or the Church. The

Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit The Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit (; abbreviated OSPPE), commonly called the Pauline Fathers, is a monastic order of the Catholic Church founded in Hungary during the 13th century. This name is derived from the hermit Saint Paul of Theb ...

partially stemmed from the hermit communities of the Mecsek, whom the Bishop of Pécs founded a monastery at Jakab-hegy in 1225. The significant Pécsvárad Abbey also controlled substantial areas in the region. Due to the Ottoman occupation of Hungary and the following wars, raids and over-taxation the population growth stagnated, however the everyday and religious life of the locals didn't change much. The region was protected by its remoteness. After the Treaty of Karlowitz, the local nobles invited German settlers to the region. The territories east of Mecsek became a part of the German ethnic island commonly referred to as Swabian Turkey. Significant amounts of black coal were discovered in the 19th century, the strategic resource greatly advanced the industrialization of the region. Mines were opened in

, Szászvár and Komló which were all subsequently connected to the Hungarian economy with railways. In the aftermath of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the collapse of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes occupied the region, but the

Treaty of Trianon The Treaty of Trianon (; ; ; ), often referred to in Hungary as the Peace Dictate of Trianon or Dictate of Trianon, was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace Conference. It was signed on the one side by Hungary ...

eventually left the area in the possession of Hungary. A huge part of the German-speaking population of the area was expelled from Hungary after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, although many German communities lingered. The socialist Hungary further developed the coal mines of Pécs and Komló. Uranium was also discovered and mined near Kővágószőlős from the 1950s. The Mecsek Hills were the scene of pitched battles during the Hungarian Revolution in November 1956 between Hungarian units dubbed "the Mecsek Invisibles" and the invading Soviet forces. After the fall of communism in Hungary, the economically unsustainable mines were closed. The Mecsek now serves mostly as a recreational area with moderate forestry activities.Nyilvanos Vedes
foldrajz.ttk.pte.hu

Parts

Mecsek is divided to two parts: * Eastern Mecsek * Western Mecsek

Settlements

Gallery

Image:Mecsek_sight_hun.jpg, Around Jakab-hegy Image:Mecseknádasd - Palace.jpg, Mecseknádasd - Castle from above Image:Hungarian landscape, near obanya.jpg, Forest near Óbánya Image:Danitz.jpg,

Megalodon ''Otodus megalodon'' ( ; meaning "big tooth"), Common name, commonly known as megalodon, is an extinction, extinct species of giant mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), from the Early Miocene to the Earl ...

tooth unearthed at Danitz-puszta, Mecsek (

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

) Image:Hills in baranya county, hungary.jpg, Hills at Mecseknádasd

References

External links

Mecsek-1956-History
{{Authority control Mountain ranges of Hungary Pannonian island mountains