Nyíregyháza

Nyíregyháza is a city in northeastern Hungary. It is the capital of the Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county. About 118,001 people live there. It is the seventh-largest city in Hungary and the second largest in the Northern Great Plain region.

The city has grown since the 1700s and is now an important place for business and culture.

One famous spot in Nyíregyháza is its zoo. The zoo is well-known across Europe. It has more than 500 different kinds of animals.

Geography

Nyíregyháza is located in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in the northern Plain area. This region also includes Hajdú-Bihar County and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County. The city is in the middle of Nyírség, an area known for farming. It is easy to reach because many important roads cross there, leading towards Sub-Carpathia and Transylvania.

The weather in Nyíregyháza changes a lot through the year. The average temperature is about 10.7 °C, with July being the warmest at around 21.4 °C and January the coldest at about −1.2 °C. The city gets about 546 millimetres of rain each year, with July being the wettest month and January the driest.

History

Nyíregyháza has a long history. It was first written about in the year 1209. It was called Nyír until a church was built there in 1326, and that is when it got its current name.

The town grew over many years. After the War for Independence led by Prince Francis II Rákóczi, many new people, mostly Slovaks, moved there.

In the 1800s, Nyíregyháza became more important. It got new buildings such as a town hall, schools, and a theater. In 1876, it became the seat of Szabolcs County. During World War II, the city had hard times and many buildings were destroyed. After the war, the town grew quickly and became a place for learning and visiting. Today, it is known for having a bar on almost every street.

Population

Nyíregyháza has 118,001 people living there. It is the seventh-largest city in Hungary.

Economy

After the fall of Communism, many foreign companies began working in the city. In the early 2000s, big companies like Hübner Flextronics Ltd. and Hirsch's hired many people, but during hard economic times, they had to cut jobs. Today, the biggest public companies are Lego Manufacturing Kft. and Michelin Hungaria Abroncsgyártó Kft., and they employ about 3,000 people.

Religion

Nyíregyháza has many different religious groups.

In 2011, about 20% of people said they were Roman Catholic. The city shares a diocese with Debrecen and has Catholic schools and a kindergarten.

Around 10% were part of the Greek Catholic faith. There is a special cathedral and several other churches, along with a theological college and schools.

About 16% belonged to the Reformed Church, with several temples and schools run by this group.

The Lutheran community made up about 7% of the population, with many churches and educational institutions supported by them.

A small number identified as Orthodox, with a chapel in the city.

Transportation

Travelers can reach Nyíregyháza using the M3 motorway and several national highways, including roads 4, 36, 38, and 41. The city has bus services to major towns nearby.

The city's roads are busy because many travelers pass through. The center has wide roads around it, and new highways like the M3 motorway and the east bypass (road 403) help reduce traffic. These roads make it easier to travel to Budapest or Debrecen without going through the city center.

Nyíregyháza has an important railway station with frequent trains to Budapest, Debrecen, and Miskolc. The city is also the end point of a railway line from Szolnok to Záhony, with other branches to nearby towns. The station now has a new, modern building.

Tourist sights

Nyíregyháza has many museums and exhibitions that show the city’s history. One of these is a collection from the International Medallion Art and Small Sculpture Creative Community of Nyíregyháza-Sóstó. It shows works by artists in special shows that change from time to time.

Politics

Nyíregyháza's current mayor is Ferenc Kovács from the Fidesz-KDNP party.

The city’s Municipal Assembly was elected in the 2019 local government elections. It has 22 members, including the mayor and representatives from different areas of the city.

List of mayors since 1990

Sport

Nyíregyháza has exciting sports teams! The city has a basketball team called Hübner Nyíregyháza BS that plays in the top league. They play at the Continental Arena. There is also a football (soccer) club, Nyíregyháza Spartacus, which plays in the country's top tier. They play at the Városi Stadion.

The city is known for hosting the Rally Hungary, a big car race. This race is part of the European Rally Championship. Another important sports place is the Volán Sporttelep. People can watch football there. It used to have a track for motorcycle racing. This venue has hosted important racing events over the years.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Hungary

Nyíregyháza works with cities in many countries. These partnerships help cities share ideas and support each other. Nyíregyháza partners with:

• Baia Mare, Romania
• Bielsko-Biała, Poland
• Harbin, China
• Iserlohn, Germany
• Kajaani, Finland
• Kiryat Motzkin, Israel
• Prešov, Slovakia
• Rzeszów, Poland
• Satu Mare, Romania
• St Albans, England, United Kingdom
• Uzhhorod, Ukraine

Notable residents

Nyíregyháza has many talented people. Some famous residents are painter Gyula Benczúr, tennis player Márton Fucsovics, and footballer Dániel Gazdag. Other well-known people from the city are Miklós Kállay, Gyula Krúdy, Jozef Markuš, György Mitró, and author Gábor Nógrádi.

Broadcasting

Near Nyíregyháza is a tall radio tower. It was built in 1952 and is 115 metres high. The tower helps send out radio signals on a special frequency called 1251 kHz. It uses a method known as AM.

References and notes

References

Notes