Debreceni líciumfa, Remarkable tree at Kálvin Square in Debrecen, Hungary
The Debrecen Lycium tree is a specimen standing at Kálvin Square in front of a former episcopal palace, positioned next to the city's Great Reformed Church. It is protected by a fence built in 1939 and grows to an unusual height for its species.
The tree was planted more than 200 years ago and has grown into a full-sized specimen despite being a species that normally remains small. During Hungary's 1956 revolution, it narrowly escaped destruction when a Soviet tank passed through the city center targeting nearby buildings.
The tree marks a place connected to Reformed faith in Hungary, and visitors often pause to read the plaque that explains its link to religious history in the region. Locals and travelers stop by to observe this living symbol and to understand what it represents for the city's past.
The tree is easy to visit while exploring the area around the Great Reformed Church, and you can see it from the street even though it is fenced off. The nearest bus stop is about 300 meters away, and the train station is roughly 1.4 kilometers on foot.
The tree belongs to Lycium barbarum species, which normally grows as a low shrub, but this specimen has developed into a full tree over decades of growth. This unusual development makes it a botanical rarity among Debrecen's trees.
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