Debrecen

Debrecen Jewish Congregation is Hungary’s largest Israelite community outside the capital. The older of Debrecen’s two surviving synagogues, the Orthodox synagogue was built in Pásti Street in the early 1880s. In 2015, a tourist and cultural center opened there to display the history of Debrecen’s Jewish community, its life, faith and traditions. The Holocaust memorial in the yard of the Orthodox synagogue was dedicated in June 2015, commemorating the victims from Debrecen. The names of six thousand local Jews who perished in the Holocaust, during forced labor, in concentration camps or in the ghetto, were carved into the memorial wall made of concrete and black metal. Erected in 1909 in Kápolnás Street, the synagogue “status quo ante” shares a plot with the former Jewish High School (now Youth Center). The Orthodox synagogue was built in Pásti Street in 1894. On 26 April 2015, the synagogue was re-opened in its full beauty, and now serves multiple purposes within the community: it is not only a sacred space but a touristic attraction, a conference center and a public venue as well. BEIT HAMIDRASH Built in the 1910s, the Beit Hamidrash is nowadays the site of the daily sermons of the community, except during the time of the big holidays. ORTHODOX MIKVAH Located in the basement of the winter tabernacle at Pásti Street, the old mikvah is to become a kosher winery and exhibition area upon being restored. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL The monumental concrete wall was designed by young aspiring architects and since the summer of 2015, it has been standing proudly to remind everybody of the little more than 6000 Holocaust victims that were from Debrecen. BUTCHERY The butchery, used for its designated purpose up until the 1980s, is nowadays an excellent exhibition and resting area. KÁPOLNÁSI SYNAGOGUE Built between 1909-1910, the “small” church, which is able to accommodate 600 people, has recently been renovated. The synagogue is used for religious purposes on the big Jewish holidays but it has hosted cultural happenings of different kinds on several occasions. PILGRIMS' HOSTEL The Jewish community provides accommodation for visitors at the reconditioned community center. DEBRECEN JEWISH CEMETERY Since 1842, the cemetery of the Debrecen community has been open to the public at its original location at Monostorapályi Street and has been part of the same organization.

The newest attraction of Nagyerdei park is the Water Tower Adventure Center. It is a home to a whole cornucopia of entertainment options from spring through fall. Not only its 31-m-high observation point gives fantastic views of the surrounding area. A special telescope will also open a visual channel to bygone eras. Nourish your mind and body, respectively, at the permanent exhibitions and eateries. If you crave some physical exercise, check out the climbing wall built in the tower’s structure. The day’s adventures will culminate in the night light show.

In the immediate vicinity of Nagyerdei Arena, a one-of-a-kind attraction beckons from spring through fall. The multimedia fountain, or “Mist Theatre,” boasts a 30×10-m, fan-shaped curtain of water vapor which can be used as a functional movie screen to show clips of Debrecen as well as special laser installations. The more adventurous might want to try the stepping stones across the basin on sweltering summer days.