Debrecen Great Church, Debrecen, Hungary

The Reformed Great Church is the symbol of the Protestant Church in Hungary, and it is because of this church that Debrecen is sometimes referred to as 'the Calvinist Rome'. With a ground space of 1500 m² it is the largest Protestant church in Hungary. It also has the largest bell of all Hungarian Protestant churches. The Great Church was built between 1805 and 1824 in neoclassical style.

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. Its area was about 16x46 meters. This church burnt down in 1564. In 1626 the already Protestant citizens of Debrecen started to build the St. Andrew Church again. With the support of George I Rákóczi construction was finished in 1628. In 1640-1642 a tower was constructed and a large bell – about 300 kg, made of Austrian cannonballs – was placed in it. 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 current church was designed by Mihály Péchy, but the plans were altered several times during the construction, causing much frustration to the builders. The original plan featured a church with a cross-shaped ground plan and a large dome, but the plan was discarded, mainly due to financial reasons.

The western tower was finished by 1818, the eastern tower on August 6, 1821. The towers are 61 meters high. Originally a dome was planned to crown the building, this was not built, but when the construction was finished, the facade seemed unattractive with the large empty space between the towers, so in 1823/24 the facade was slightly modified, using the plans of Károly Rábl. The tower roofs feature Baroque elements. A nice panorama can be seen from the left (western) tower. The old Rákóczi bell, restored after the fire, is in this tower too.

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. The armchair in which he sat can be viewed in the church.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Hungary

Address

Kossuth tér, Debrecen, Hungary

See all sites in Debrecen

Details

Founded: 1805-1824
Category: Religious sites in Hungary

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Andrássy Palace (63,6 km)

User Reviews

Miles Macdonald (2 years ago)
This place is located at the top of the main central promenade running through the city and is therefore the dominating feature. Unfortunately due to a musical event I wasn't able to go inside, however I took some nice exterior video and photos.

Joe Macpherson (3 years ago)
Beautiful and historical cathedral in the city centre. I used my civil servant discount which makes it even better. You can walk around and admire the interior, stained-glass windows, pews and alter. Or just have a quiet moment of contemplation and prayer. Further upstairs there is the historical church bell and original timber roof. And at the rooftop you get magnificent sweeping views of downtown Debrecen. You can see the trams coming and going, the European architecture and people going about their business. From outside the cathedral is magnificent. Amazing photo opportunities from close or faraway and there is a small park you can sit in and admire the architecture.

Klaus Wanderer (3 years ago)
Great cathedral with a panoramic view of the city up in the tower. Entrance is paid but good value for money, takes at least half an hour to explore and enjoy to the fullest. Built at the beginning of the 19th century it's not that old but it's the most important cathedral for Reformed Magyars, the Counter-Reformation couldn't bring this community down and neither could the Communists

Peter Kimamo (4 years ago)
The top most floor enables an all round view of the city centre from the terrace. It's got some really interesting pieces of art inside.. There's an entrance fee for tourists. It's a highlight for the beautiful city that's Debrecen.

miso demetrian (4 years ago)
Impressive building especially in the night

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Andy Hay

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Debrecen Great Church