The Danube River marked the furthest north expansion of the old Roman Empire and holds much history. Key to understanding the lives our own Metz family ancestors, the Habsburg dynasty ruled over vast swaths of central Europe.
The Thirty-Years war, which destroyed much of central Europe and would have had direct effects on our ancestors, was the result of a coup d’etat staged by Protestant Bohemian nobles against officials of the Hapsburg Emperor.
2026 River Cruise
The images below are being updated daily as i have time to go through all the shots I took. Check back and there should be more!
Like all the cities along the Danube, much history played out in Budapest going back well before the Roman era. There are elaborate castles, government buildings, and churches. Many of the old buildings were damaged or destroyed by bombing during WWII but reconstruction has begun recently. It is a city of music and art.
https://www.budapest.net/history
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- Parliament building at night with bats feeding!
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- better view of building with bats
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- Church spire at night with feeding bats
All images @ Julia Olsen / Creative Raven 2026