Cruise port
Kalocsa Cruise Port
Kalocsa on the Danube: berths at Meszes, city history, the archiepiscopal library, cathedral, and paprika museum.
Kalocsa lies in southern Hungary on the Danube. The Kalocsa 1 and 2 cruise berths are at Meszes on the eastern, left bank; the historic town center is inland.
The cruise berths at Meszes
MAHART Ports lists Kalocsa 1 at river kilometer 1515.7 and Kalocsa 2 at 1515.6. The two cruise berths are close to each other.
Finding your way around the city center
In the historic center, the city administration describes Szentháromság tér as the heart of downtown. The cathedral and the canon houses stand around the square. The central bus station, with a ticket office, is at Malatin tér 4.
City history and paprika culture
Kalocsa’s ecclesiastical educational and cultural institutions developed in the 18th century. In 1733, Archbishop Gábor Patachich founded a seminary, initially housed in the archbishop’s inn. A new seminary building was completed in 1764; the grammar school was established in 1765 in the vacated old building, and the Piarists took over its management. In 1768, Archbishop Batthyány founded the city’s first printing press. In 1782, Adam Patachich had his private library of 16,000 volumes combined with the chapter library to form what is now the archiepiscopal library.
The buildings around Szentháromság tér also reflect this development: the main cathedral was built between 1735 and 1754, the archbishop’s palace between 1776 and 1781, and the canon houses on the square between 1776 and 1796. Kalocsa’s first guild, that of the bootmakers, was established in 1737. A census in 1769 recorded 90 craftsmen living in the city. Between 1774 and 1795, school theater was performed extensively at the grammar school. By the end of the 18th century, Kalocsa had more than 7,000 inhabitants.
Paprika is an important part of the region’s culture. The visitor center on Szent István király út brings together a paprika museum and exhibitions on local history and wine. The paprika exhibition covers the conditions in the growing areas; the wine exhibition presents wines from the Hajós, Csongrád, and Kunság regions.
Kalocsa on a Danube itinerary
The overview of cruises in Hungary introduces destinations across the country; the page on Danube cruises and their routes compares Central European city itineraries with longer journeys downstream. The port directory by country lets you browse river and sea ports by country.
