Stand on Kossuth tér in the middle of Debrecen and the Great Church fills one side of the square, its twin towers visible from streets away. Walk a few minutes south and you reach the Déri Museum, then follow the tram line out towards the city park, where the day slows down among trees and old villas.
Debrecen suits travellers who want a Hungarian city beyond Budapest: a place of Calvinist history, a strong museum, and a large green edge that is easy to reach. It rewards a slow day of walking and one long afternoon in the Nagyerdő.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material, ordered so the strongest come first, and ends with a plan for a single day.
Top things to do in Debrecen
1. Great Church (Reformed Great Church, Nagytemplom)
This is Debrecen's most recognisable building and the symbol of the city, standing on Kossuth tér in the centre, close to the Kálvin tér shopping centre. It was the centrepiece of what was once called "Calvinist Rome", and it was here that Lajos Kossuth proclaimed the dethronement of the Habsburgs and the independence of Hungary in April 1849.
Visitors can tour the interior and climb the tower to see the Rákóczi bell, the largest bell in Hungary, and good views over the city. Note that the church is closed during services and official programmes, so check the times before you set out; combine the visit with the Déri Museum, which sits right behind it.
2. Déri Museum (Déri Múzeum)
A national museum with all kinds of arts, on Déri tér 1, right behind the Great Church and reachable by tram #1. It holds a nature display showing the animal life of the region, a collection of historical items from the region, and an art gallery of Hungarian artists.
Its most famous work is Mihály Munkácsy's Christ trilogy, three large paintings depicting Christ before Pilate, the Crucifixion, and Ecce Homo. Because it is so close to the Great Church, the two make a natural pair for a morning in the centre.
3. St. Anne's Cathedral (Szent Anna székesegyház)
Built between 1721 and 1746, this cathedral on Szent Anna utca is free to enter. In the niches beside the doors you can see the statue of Saint Stephen on the left and his son Prince Saint Emeric on the right.
Inside, the main altar-piece shows the patron saint of the church, Saint Anne, teaching Maria, and the oldest altarpiece represents the founder of the Piarist order, Saint Joseph Calasanzi. The ceiling and the wall surfaces beneath the windows carry frescos and stucco ornaments of saints of the Árpád dynasty. The church is open daily, while the crypt opens only on request.
4. Kápolnás Street Synagogue (Status Quo Ante zsinagóga)
Built in 1910 in eclectic style, this is a Byzantine structure of modernised Moorish form, with a large dome that stands out from its surroundings. It sits on Kápolnás utca, close to the synagogue at Pásti Street 4, so the two can be seen together.
Entry is free, but visits are by appointment, so arrange your time before you go.
5. Pásti Street Synagogue (Pásti utcai zsinagóga)
An Orthodox synagogue on Pásti utca 6, built to the plans of Eugene Berger in 1893 and only two or three minutes from the Arany Bika Hotel. Services are held at 07:00 and 19:00 in summer.
The synagogue also provides a mikve, kosher food and meal ordering. Pair it with the Kápolnás Street Synagogue a short walk away.
6. Veres Church (Red Church, Verestemplom)
The fourth Reformed church of the city, built in neo-Gothic style in 1887 from the donations of the Chief Justice and his wife, on Kossuth utca 65 near Méliusz square at the end of Kossuth Street. It takes its everyday name from the red bricks decorating the front walls.
Its special feature is the murals, unusual in Reformed churches: frescoes without human figures that recall the psalms. The parish office is open on weekday mornings.
7. Greek Catholic Church (Görög katolikus templom)
Built in 1910 in Neo-Byzantine style to the plans of János Bobula, on Attila tér 1. Unlike other Greek Orthodox churches there is no iconostasis here; the main sights are the inlaid altar and the pulpit with mosaic ornaments from 1910, along with valuable seccos and colourful glass windows.
Masses are held on weekday mornings and evenings and several times on Sundays in summer. The tram stops some distance away, and buses #5 and #15 and trolley #2 serve nearby stops.
8. Csonka Church (Calvinistic Small Church, Csonkatemplom)
Also known as the Small Protestant Church, this stands on Kossuth utca or Révész tér 2. Opening hours are by appointment on weekday mornings, so plan this one around a call ahead rather than turning up.
It sits along Kossuth utca, which makes it easy to fold into a walk that also takes in the Veres Church further along the same street.
9. Lutheran Church (Miklós utcai evangélikus templom)
The only Lutheran church in the city, on Miklós St. 3, consecrated on 1 September 1889. The main entrance opens to the east, and the five long windows with semicircular closure were built into the south wall; the north side has no windows, only an entrance and the sacristy.
Church service is on Sundays at 10:00, which is the simplest time to see it from the inside.
10. Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Museum (Medgyessy Ferenc Emlékmúzeum)
On Péterfia utca 28, just behind the Debrecen Plaza and most easily reached by tram #1, this museum displays the works and life of the artist. It is a compact stop that fits neatly into a day already using the tram line.
Combine it with the Medgyessy Gallery on Piac Str. 31, near the Széchenyi street corner, if the artist's work interests you.
11. Debrecen Literary Museum (Irodalmi Múzeum)
On Borsos József tér 1, just north of the downtown and reachable by bus #12, 15, 31 or 32. It holds a permanent exhibit from the 1890 Csokonai literary circle and also houses occasional temporary exhibits.
Because it is a short ride or walk north of the centre, it works well as an afternoon add-on rather than a main stop.
12. Kölcsey Központ (Modem)
A modern centre on Baltazár Dezső Square 1 for high-profile art exhibitions and musical and theatrical performances. If your interests run to contemporary work rather than the historical collections, this is where to spend your time.
Check what is on before you go, since the programme changes and the building is as much a venue as a gallery.
13. University Calvinist Church
Next to the main building of the university, this church was built in 1940 in classicist style. It was used as a library of journals, periodicals and music, and since 2006 it has been in the possession of the Reformed Church.
It pairs naturally with the statues at the University on Egyetem Square, which include works such as Méliusz Juhász Péter, the Memory for 1956, and Huszár Gál.
14. Nagyerdő and the city park
Most of the major attractions are in the city park, the Nagyerdő, where you could easily spend a pleasant afternoon. The central park was built up with recreational facilities, among them an indoor swimming pool and Hungary's first stadium, and the university building was completed here.
Treat the park as the loose half of a day: arrive with no fixed list, walk between the sights, and let the afternoon run long.
15. Erdőspuszta exhibition hall (Erdőpusztai bemutatóház)
At Fancsika tanya 93/A, some distance south-east of the city and reached by bus 9 to the stop 'Panoráma út'. In the first house you can see the 'Living in the forest-steppe' exhibition, and the site also offers botanical, dendrology and landscape experiences.
You will get a sense of the lifestyle of the countryside, the farming items used, local ornithological rarities and archaeological finds. It is open daily, but it is far enough out that it deserves its own half-day rather than a detour squeezed between city sights.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start on Kossuth tér at the Great Church (Reformed Great Church, Nagytemplom), touring the interior and climbing the tower for the Rákóczi bell and the views. Walk the few minutes to the Déri Museum behind it and give the Munkácsy Christ trilogy proper time.
Afternoon. Take tram #1 out towards the Nagyerdő and spend the afternoon in the city park, stopping at the Ferenc Medgyessy Memorial Museum on Péterfia utca on the way. If you would rather stay in the centre, walk Kossuth utca instead and see the Veres Church and the Csonka Church, then St. Anne's Cathedral on Szent Anna utca.
Evening. Return to the centre around Kálvin tér and Kossuth tér, where the statues and the Millenium fountain are, and end the day with the Great Church lit up on the square where you began.
Frequently asked questions
When can I go inside the Great Church?
It is open Monday to Friday 09:00-16:00, Saturday 09:00-13:00, and Sunday after the church service until 16:00. During services and official programmes the church is closed.
Which museums are worth the time if I am not especially interested in Hungarian art?
The Déri Museum is worth a trip on its own, with its nature display, regional history collection and art gallery. The other museums depend on how much Hungarian art interests you.
Do I need to book ahead for the synagogues?
The Kápolnás Street Synagogue is by appointment and free to enter. The Pásti Street Synagogue holds services at 07:00 and 19:00 in summer and also offers kosher food and meal ordering.
Where should I spend a free afternoon?
Head for the Nagyerdő, the city park, where most of the major attractions are and where you could easily spend a pleasant afternoon.
Pick your dates, check the opening times for the Great Church and book the synagogue appointments, and the rest of Debrecen will arrange itself around a walk and a tram ride.