Debrecen is a cosy hospitable city where people can pleasantly live. Its special characteristic is uninterrupted renewal and development.
Debrecen is one of the main cultural, scientific and educational centre in our country.
In any part of the year high level cultural programmes and festivals rich in experiences are offered to all age-groups. Among these Debrecen Flower Festival, Jazz Days, Béla Bartók Choir Contest and Military Band Festival have good reputation on international level.
Over 30 000 students study in the establishments of higher education in Debrecen. One of the nicest and the most stately university buildings in Hungary can be found here surrounded by a monumental park with French style design.
Debrecen is the centre of Protestantism and that is why it is often called as „Calvinist Rome”. In the main square, the emblem of the town the Reformed Great Church stands. There is a unique view from its tower to the town. One of the central parts of the arms of Debrecen – it is also the coat of arms of the Hungarian Reformed Church – is the emblem of the Reformed creed namely the lamb holding a flag.
In the course of the Hungarian history Debrecen had an important part several times. During the revolution and war of independence of 1848/49 the Parliament held its sessions in the Oratory of the Reformed College and in the Reformed Great Church and that was the place where the dethronement of the House of Habsburg had been declared. At the end of World War II Debrecen became the capital city of the country for the second time. In 1956 students demonstrations started nearly at the same time with the riots in Budapest against the Soviet oppression for freedom and independence again. Debrecen is still famous for its self-respecting and strong citizens.
There were times when the town without strong walls could fight for surviving with clever policy with success. It “bought” freedom from the Turkish Porte, the Prince in Transylvania and the Austrian Emperor. The streets and the buildings considered as its emblems had been destroyed by fires several times but it had renewed from every disaster and devastation – just like that phoenix looking into the sun and reviving from the fire that is the other characteristic part of the arms of Debrecen.
The first bathhouse of Debrecen and the area of Tiszántúl was built in 1826 that has developed into a high standard bathing centre. In the former Bathhouse and its surroundings Aquaticum Health and Spa Centre can be found included a four star wellness hotel, a thermal bath, an open-air bath, an indoor adventure spa, a wellness corner, a Thai massage centre and a restaurant offering Hungarian specialities.
In the more and more extending “museum quarter” of Debrecen Déri Museum with one of the richest cultural and historical collection in our country can be found (among others you can see two pieces of Trilogy of Christ painted by Mihály Munkácsy), the Reformed College preserving the church and school history collection, Delizsánsz Exhibition Room housing the collection of post history as well as the largest art gallery of the region called Modem that houses several masterpieces of modern and contemporary fine art. In 2007 visitors from Europe could see the sensational exhibition entitled “The genuine Da Vinci” after Florence and Tokyo.
Apart from the above mentioned facts, Debrecen has provided numerous highly gifted and famous persons to our country. Among others the poet Mihály Csokonai Vitéz the writer Mihály Fazekas, the sculptor Ferenc Medgyessy, the writer Magda Szabó, György Konrád writer, essayist and sociologist, Tamás Vásáry pianist, Tamás Náray fashion designer, Tamás Kobzos Kiss minstrel and lute-player, Zsolt Baumgartner racing driver, Sylvi Bódy model. Ferenc Kölcsey poet, Sándor Petőfi poet, János Arany poet, Zsigmond Móricz writer, Árpád Tóth poet and translator of literary works, Gyula Krúdy writer, Endre Ady poet, Lőrinc Szabó poet, Miklós Horthy governor, Géza Hofi humorist, Márton Szipál art photographer, György Cserhalmi actor, Enikő Eszenyi actress, Soma singer, the local football team „Loki”, t Tankcsapda rock band and Desperado pop group all have had strong ties to Debrecen.
Nagyerdő was the first area that had been declared nature reserve in Hungary. It is extended on 1082 hectares and it is an ideal spot for relaxation and recreation. You can find Aquaticum Health and Spa Centre, the Amusement Park, the central building of Debrecen University, the Botanical Garden of the University, the Rowing Pond and „Békás” Pond. Several cosy developed walking and tour routes await the lovers of the nature here. The first zoo after Budapest Zoo was established in Debrecen that was extended and today it welcomes visitors as the Zoological and Botanical Garden of Nagyerdő Culture Park.
Michael’s Day Fair dates back to century-old traditions and it is a fair well-known faraway. Today there are agricultural, traveling, wedding, car, fitness, educational and a lot more fairs in the various parts of the year.
The word “cívis” originally meant city-dweller, citizen, that is a privileged social group the members of which had an essential part in the economic and social life of the town. Through the Hungarian language and the Protestant culture and religion they became a coherent group and they became reserved and cautious people in consequence of external effects. Due to the developing trade Debrecen had a strong group of citizens. The citizen of Debrecen never gave up his old lifestyle and he cultivated the land on the outskirts of the town and he was also involved in animal husbandry. As a result of this special mixing and duality a particular culture and way of life were formed in Debrecen.
Debrecen used to be the location with the largest administrative field in the Hungarian history because it owned, rented and managed a nearly 70 km long area from Tiszadob as far as Gút Wood. The lands serving for the demand and requirements of animal husbandry enabled that the Wooded Plains extended in the east of the town provided a shelter for the livestock as winter resort and they provided enough meadows for the great number of sheep flocks, pig and cattle herds as well as horse herds from spring to late autumn. Due to this particular economy as far as World War II the special flora and fauna, its natural value and untouched culture of the puszta could remain.
