Kossuth tér is Debrecen's central square and the obvious place to start any wander. The Great Church anchors the northern end; the rest of the square is given over to fountains, cafes, and a tall column commemorating the 1849 declaration of independence. In summer the fountain jets are programmed to music in the evenings, and the city's biggest events — the August Flower Carnival, the New Year's market, the Whitsun festivals — all set up here.
The square is the natural meeting point for the start of Piac utca, the pedestrianised main shopping street that runs south to the train station. Many of the best cafes have terraces on the square or along the first hundred metres of Piac utca.