debrecen
the city of protest
Debrecen is the secound largest city of modern Hungary. Frome here the Hungarian revolution against the emperor began 1848 and was slain 1849. During that periode city was the capital of a free Hungary. In 1944 it became once again capital to 1945, when the Red army defeated Nazi-Germany. Only 30% of the town stood after fierce fights
deri museum
At its opening in 1902 the Déri Museum was still predominantly city historical museum. A donation of Debrecen jeweler Artúr Löfkovics formed the basis of the museum, as well as other citizens of the city donated the museum then exhibits to document the history of the city to the public. In 1920, the Debrecen silk manufacturer Frigyes Déri gave (1852-1924) the museum his extensive private collection of Hungarian and Far Eastern art and cultural objects.
In 1923 to 1929 by the Hungarian architects Dénes Györgyi and Aladár Münnich the main building was built, designed in the style of neo-baroque and reopened in 1930 as Déri Museum. 1938 the museum received a no less important collection of Frigyes brother György Déri consisting of various folk art objects from the Carpathian Basin. Since then helped local ethnographers, historians and archaeologists, to expand the collection. |
Grand Hotel Aranybika
The history of the hotel goes back to 1690, when the city purchased the land and the related properties – including a stone building – of local farmer András Bika. This stone building was re-designed to a guest house, that included four guest rooms, an inn and an apartment for the innkeeper, and opened in 1699.
In the next century the place became so popular that in 1799 it had to be expanded with an additional floor and a ballroom; subsequently a trade-sign depicting a butting bull was put on the facade, hence the hotel's name – Aranybika, literally Golden Bull. The hotel was rebuilt by the plans of Imre Steindl for 1882, and it already had a café and a restaurant as well. The new two-storey building became a centre of intellectual and social life in Debrecen. As the building became gradually obsolete, it was replaced by a new one in 1915. Erected according to the plans of Alfréd Hajós, Hungary's first Olympic champion, the Art Nouveau style building had 192 rooms, new cafés, restaurants, spa, a theatre, and a ceremonial hall. In 1976 an additional wing was added to the building. |
Protection of the Mother of God Church
Reformed college
|
The Main Building is build at the same location as the very original Reformed College's building from the 16th century. It is located on Calvin Square, in the very heart of the city of Debrecen, right behind the Great Church on Kossuth Square.
This building is the home of two institutes: the Institute of Theology & the Institute of Applied Theology |
Reformed Great Church
A church already stood here in the Middle Ages, but it burnt down. St. Andrew Church, a Gothic hall church was built in its place between 1297 and 1311. This church burnt down in 1564 and was rebuild 1626 by the already Protestant citizens of Debrecen. With the support of George I Rákóczi construction was finished in 1628. In 1640-1642 a tower was constructed. In 1707, during the freedom fight led by Francis II Rákóczi the church suffered heavy damages from the imperial troops. The church burnt down on June 11, 1802, during the great fire which destroyed most of Debrecen.
The construction of the Great Church began on April 8, 1805. It was designed by Mihály Péchy, but the plans were altered several times during the construction. The western tower was finished by 1818, the eastern tower on August 6, 1821. The towers are 61 meters high. In 1823/24 the facade was slightly modified, using the plans of Károly Rábl. The tower roofs feature Baroque elements. The main nave of the church is 55 m long and nearly 15 m wide, the transept is 38 m long and more than 14 m wide. Similar to other Protestant churches, the inside walls are painted white. The interior is 21 meters high. The church accommodates about 5000 people (with 3000 seats). The Great Church also has historical significance: during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 Lajos Kossuth made the Hungarian Declaration of Independence here on April 14, 1848, and was elected governor of the country here. |
|
reformed small church
Debrecen Calvinist church is called the small church or the truncated temple. The first building was constructed in 1600, but in the fire of 1727 it Suffer Severe damage. The present church was originally built in Baroque style but 1876 rebuilt in Neo-Romanesque style. Originally the tower was covered by an onion-like dome, however in 1907 a huge wind-storm damaged it. They repaired it but another to even bigger wind-storm completely destroyed the tower cover. Then the architects gave the tower a bastion-like form and gave up the idea of the pointed dome.
It was in the church in 1860 in a rally where the Protestant protested against the imperial governments decree banning the Protestant Churches. According to tradition, the emperor in charge said, standing in front of the General Assembly: "The Assembly is banned in the name of the king!", This Balogh Peter, bishop of the city with complete calm replied: "The Assembly acts in the name of God". |
Saint Anne's Cathedral
Originally a parish church, but in 1993 it was raised to the rank of cathedral of the diocese Debrecen-Nyiregyhaza.
The Saint Anne’s Catholic Cathedral was built between 1721 and 1746 by Giovanni Battista Carlone to creat a way to repent the citizens towards catholiscim. In the niches next to the doors on the left we can see the statue of Saint Stephen, while on the right his son Prince Saint Imre. The main altar-piece represents the patron saint of the church Saint Anne teaching Maria, while the oldest altarpiece represents the founder of the Piarist order, Saint Joseph Calasanzi. The carvings and statues of the by-altars are from the 18th century. The wall surfaces on the ceiling and underneath the windows show frescos and stucco ornaments representing saints of the Árpád dynasty. |
town hall
One of the most distinctive architectural landmarks in Debrecen is the classicist Town Hall whose history dates back to 1531, when it used to serve in an earlier form as the home for the leaders of the city. The building was changed and modified for centuries until in 1802 it got into the hands of Péchy Mihály, who completed his first series of plans, yet there could not be enough money collected to cover the realization
The same fate fell upon Povolny Ferenc, too, whose plans were re-designed by chamber engineer Ságody József and finally accepted. The keys to the imposing building, complete with tympana and arcades, were received by the city in 1843. Apart from the most important public affairs, this building was also home to Kossuth Lajos and his family in 1849, but the office of Honvédelmi Bizottmány [Home Defense Committee] was also located here. One of the related historical trivia is that the Hungarian crown used to be kept in its "secret archives" way back when. |