Debrecen (approximate pronunciation: " dèbrètsèn") is the second plus big city of Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the capital of the county Hajdú-Bihar.

Situation and transport

Debrecen is located in the large plain of Hungary ( Alföld in Hungarian) at 220 km at the east of Budapest. In the vicinity is the Hortobágy, a national park in the middle of the Puszta Hungarian, famous for its fauna, its flora and its traditional agriculture.

Latitude/longitude:

“Which could well have the insane idea to build a city in the middle of a plain without hill nor water? ” . The question often arose about Debrecen and however the city grew and even became an important arts center, artistic and scientific. The economy of the city also developed quickly these last years because in particular of the overseas investments.

Debrecen is insulated enough because of insufficient means of transport connecting it to Budapest, where the transport infrastructures of the country concentrate, still very centralized. This contributed to delay the tourist and economic rise of Debrecen. However, of the improvements of the systems highway and railway are considered within the framework of a multiannual plan of national development mainly financed by the European Union over the period 2004-2006. The airport of Debrecen (the second of the country) was recently modernized with an aim of accommodating more international flights.

Later on, the proximity of the Ukraine and the Romania could allow has Debrecen to be essential at the commercial level like in the field of transport in this border region.

History

Before the arrival of the Hungarians in modern Hungary, many tribes populated the area. Debrecen was born from the regrouping of small villages and it is refers to " Debrezun" as of 1235. The name would come from Slovak the " dobre ziem" (" good terre"). Others allot a Turkish origin to him.

In 1361 the king Louis Large the gives to the inhabitants of Debrecen the right to choose their judge and their council, which opened opportunities at the city which has at the beginning of the 16th century a considerable market. Between 1450 and 1507 one notes the notable importance of the family Hunyadi.

Located close to the border and not having neither castle nor enclosing walls, Debrecen on several occasions was in difficult situations whose city was left thanks to the diplomacy its representatives. The city knew through its history the supervision of the Ottoman Empire, of the catholic powers of Europe and that of François II Rákóczi, prince of Transylvania. This led to an open-minded of its inhabitants and Debrecen accommodated very early the Réforme, which gained to him the nickname of “Rome calvinist”. At that time the population of Debrecen was mainly made up of Hungarian Protestants.

In 1693, Léopold 1 {{er}} raised Debrecen with the row of royal city free. 1715 saw the return of the Catholic church to Debrecen and the city offered a site to him so that the fathers Piaristes can build the cathedral Sainte Anne. At that time Debrecen was already an important arts center, commercial and agricultural. Many men of letters and poets passed by the Protestant university, predecessor of the current university of Debrecen.

In 1849 Debrecen was for one period very short capital of Hungary when the Hungarian revolutionary government flees Pest-Buda (today Budapest) In April 1849, Habsbourg were relieved and the independence of Hungary was proclaimed there by Lajos Kossuth with the Large Church calvinist ( Nagytemplom in Hungarian). Debrecen was also pilot end of the war of independence because the battle in which the Russians, combined of Habsbourg demolished the Hungarian army unrolled in the west of the city.

After the war, Debrecen gently started again to thrive. In 1857, the railway line Budapest-Debrecen was completed and Debrecen quickly became a rail junction. Schools, hospitals, factories, mills were built and of the banks and the insurance companies settled downtown. The appearance of the city also improved: with its modern buildings, its parks and its splendid cities, Debrecen did not resemble one provincial city any more and took certain aspects of modern city. In 1884, it became the first Hungarian city to have a tram with vapor.

After the First World War, Hungary lost a considerable share of its territory to the profit of the Romania and Debrecen was found again close the border. Tourism caused a new prosperity. Many buildings (whose interior swimming pool and the first stage of Hungary) was set up in the central park. The Nagyerdő (large forest) proposed entertaining installations. The buildings of the university were supplemented. The Hortobágy , a vast meadow property of the city, became a tourist attraction.

During the Second world war, Debrecen was almost completely destroyed. 70% of its buildings were damaged and 50% completion entirely destroyed. After 1944, the rebuilding started and Debrecen became again the capital of Hungary for one short period. The citizens started to rebuild their city, trying to find its old statute but the new Communist government had other plans. The institutions and properties of the city were nationalized. This forced change brought new losses for Debrecen: half of its surface was annexed by close cities and Debrecen lost its authority on Hortobágy . However, the new blocks with apartment brought housing to those which had lost their house during the war.

Today Debrecen is one of the seven regional centres of Hungary.

Teaching

There is a large university with Debrecen, called Debreceni Egyetem (http://www.unideb.hu/). Its principal building is one of most beautiful of Hungary.

Sport

• Football club: Debrecen VSC

To see

• Large Church calvinist ( Nagytemplom )

• Park of the city ( Nagyerdő ) and thermal spa
• Museum Déri (collection of art of which paintings of Mihály Munkácsy and section of old Egypt)
• Carnival of the flowers which takes place every August 20th

Twin towns

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