Debrecen4U
September 17, 2025
Zenede opens its doors on Cultural Heritage Day
One of the most impressive monuments in Debrecen, the Music Palace on Vár Street, is also joining the national program series of Cultural Heritage Days, and the weekend program is made even more special by flute music and a guided tour.
On Sunday, September 21, 2025, from 10.00 a.m., the building, whose walls have preserved the memories of the city’s musical life for nearly a century, will be opened to the general public. The guests will be greeted by Edit Laskay, the general director of the Kodály Zoltán Music High School and Music School – AMI, and then the institution’s young students, Orsolya Orosi and Boglárka Csenge Gál, will create a festive atmosphere with their flute playing. The flutists’ preparatory teacher is Eleonóra Majorosné Tóth.
Zenede: A Cornerstone of Debrecen’s Musical Heritage
The building bearing the name Zenede has a long, illustrious history associated with music culture and music education, mostly because of the ties to the man that the building is named after, the composer and children’s educator Zoltán Kodály.
Today the building is home to the Zoltán Kodály Vocational Secondary School of Music, a fitting legacy since he was deeply devoted to the importance of music in children’s education. Zoltán Kodály became world-famous for inventing a music teaching method that has been used ever since, all over the world, to teach children music.
During the early 1800s, the musical life in Debrecen city reached new highs, in part thanks to financial support for music-related initiatives. For example, Ferenc Farkas, an ironmonger, was supported by city citizens and music culture enthusiasts, leading to the establishment of the Music Society (Zenedei Egylet) in 1861. It operated from six rooms in Count Imre Dégenfeld’s palace up until his death in 1890. After his death, the institution had to look for a new home and moved temporarily to a building on the corner of Czegléd (Kossuth Street) and Batthyány Street.
Emil Simonffy, then director of Zenede, selected a corner plot at Csapó and Vár Street for the institution’s new home. As president of the Music Society, he acquired the land and launched a design competition, which was won by architect István Tóth.
Zenede, Debrecen’s historic music school, was built in 1894 to formalize music education in the city. Designed in Italian and Neo-Renaissance style, the one-storey corner building featured elegant interiors, including ventilated classrooms with porcelain stoves and portraits of composers. It quickly became the cradle of vocal and instrumental music in Debrecen, starting with 270 students and growing to 900 over 75 years. A second storey was added in 1927, and a major renovation in 2019 restored its original façade and improved insulation.
At the event on September 21, the history and architectural values of the Music Palace will be presented by Ildikó P. Stébel, music librarian and retired master teacher of the institution. Those interested can not only hear but also discover the special details of the building up close during a tour.
Cultural Heritage Days draws attention to the fact that architecture goes far beyond mere functionality: it is a living symbol of local and national history, cultural identity, and collective memory.
The program is free to attend.
Source:dehir.hu visitdebrecen.com | Photo credit:Facebook Debrecen városa
