Take a day trip to visit Debrecen. First settled in 1235, the town became a city in the 14th century. It rapidly grew to be the second largest city in Hungary due to it's location it was always a major trading center. When Hungary was divided into 3 parts during the Turkish wars, Debrecen, a border town kept it's autonomy and its people were free citizens of a city republic. this was fertile ground for reformism, with an anti-feudal spirit, hence became a center for Protestantism. 

The reformation got a strong foothold, even surviving the law of 1521 by the Hungarian Assembly which stated "Lutherans are to be exterminated". It stood against the re-conversion to Catholicism which came with the Habsburg rule after the Turks retreated out of Hungary. Not even the fierce punishments that were dealt out to them could change their religious convictions. The people of Debrecen held on to their faith. In 1538 the Reformed College was founded. In 1541 the first printing house devoted to serving the reformation was created. During the 1848 revolution against Hapsburg rule, Debrecen was the seat of the Hungarian National  Assembly. In 1849, led by Lajos Kossuth, the Habsburg were overthrown and he was named governor of Hungary. After a defeat however, the Austrian repression returned. After the treaty of Trianon, Debrecen became a border city to which thousands of political exiles escaped to from the divided off territories.

Highlights include Market Street (Piac utca), Great Church (Nagy templom), Reformed College (Reformatus teologiai akademia) with it's own museum and grand library and Oratory. The Deri Museum of Sculptures

Debrecen was the cradle of Hungarian Calvinism. It is a city that has always cared deeply about it's independence and has always affirmed its desire for liberty.