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Showing posts from June, 2015

Habsburg Imperial Crypt - And The Viennese Death Culture

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I am a HUGE fan of Cathedrals, Burial Places, and Cathedral-Crypts! See Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem See Catacombs of Paris See Notre Dame, Paris See Westminster Abbey See Wawel Cathedral and Crypt See San Agustin Church, Manila So when I read in several guide books that there was an Imperial Crypt full of Monarchs from the Holy Roman Empire , as well as members of the House of Habsburg , I just knew that we had to check it out! * The unassuming entrance to the Crypt below. You wouldn't be able to tell at all that 12 Holy Roman Emperors and 18 Empresses are actually entombed here! * Built in 1633 , the Imperial Crypt has been the burial place for family members of the House of Habsburg for Centuries. * The sarcophagi are placed and marked along a series of ten interconnected subterranean vaulted rooms. * All in all, 145 members of the House of Habsburg are buried here, including the aforementioned 12 Emperors and 18 Empresses. A

The Palaces of Vienna - Belvedere and Schonbrunn

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After experiencing the wonders and glory of Imperial Vienna , we proceeded to visit some of the other homes of the Habsburg monarchs . Seeing as how the Family at one point ruled ALL of continental Europe, save for France, their homes around Vienna are extravagantly and gloriously decorated. * The Belvedere is this beautiful, historic building complex that once served as the summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy . A brilliant commander and statesman, Eugene fought wars against the French and Ottomans, and was referred to by Napoleon himself as one of the seven greatest commanders in history.

A Walk Around Imperial Vienna - Legacy of the Habsburgs

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Vienna was the crown jewel and capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire . Much more than that though, Vienna was the home of the House of Habsburg , one of Europe's most important royal houses. How important were they? Well the Holy Roman Emperor (ruler of all the Germanic States) from 1438 to 1740 was a member of the Habsburg Dynasty , and the Family ruled pretty much the whole of Continental Europe at one point, save for the territory of the Kingdom of France. Because of this, Vienna is a city of great cultural, architectural, and historical significance as evidenced by how beautifully well planned everything is. * Most of Vienna's imperial sights can be found along the Ringstrasse , a circular road which was built to replace the city walls, using money paid by the English for the safe release of King Richard the Lionheart (from the Crusades), who was held hostage by the Austrians.

The Before Sunrise Itinerary - Train To Vienna & Prater Amusement Park

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The fourth stop on our Honeymoon Itinerary is the Imperial City of Vienna . The capital and largest city in Austria, Vienna was also the center of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire and is known as the "City of Music" due to its enormous musical legacy. A great cultural center in the history of man, Vienna was home to such prodigies as Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert . * One of the bonuses of this trip, was that we got to recreate a scene from one of my favorite movies of all time, Before Sunrise .

LEGO Mancaos in Budapest

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Budapest Walking Tour Buda Hill - Matthias Church & Fisherman's Bastion Danube River Cruise & Buda Night Walk

Cruisin' the Danube River and Walkin' Buda at Night

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The legendary Danube River is Europe's second longest river, and runs across Central and Eastern Europe. Flowing through Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia and Ukraine, the Danube has been a major historical setting throughout European history, as well as a main source of trade and travel between the ancient Kingdoms. * The dramatic-looking Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, but could easily blend in any Lord of the Rings movie.

Buda Hill and the Best View of Budapest

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Modern-day Budapest is actually a combination of two rival medieval cities: Buda and Pest . While flat Pest is located on the eastern bank of the fabled Danube River and has traditionally been Hungarian, Buda , located on the western bank, is hilly, full of trees, and was historically inhabited by Germans, Ottomans, and Serbians before finally being assimilated by the Hungarians.  * Buda was the former capital of the  Kingdom of Hungary  and thus contains  Buda Castle ,  Matthias Church , and the  Fisherman's Bastion .

Budapest Walking Tour with the Magyar Horde

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The third stop on our honeymoon itinerary was the breathtaking city of Budapest . Often touted as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Budapest is a feast for all the senses with an overabundance in culture, a great nightlife scene, and warm people. * Founded in 895AD by the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars , Budapest is linguistically and culturally different from the rest of Europe, who can trace their lineage to either the Romance-speaking (Latin), Germanic, or Slavic people.  * It seems that almost every corner of Budapest has a statue or work of art erected in it. Here's a statue of Andras Hadik , a Hungarian nobleman and Field Marshall of the Habsburg Army, who captured the Prussian capital of Berlin during the Seven Years War. * Our tour service that day was conducted by Discover Budapest , an awesome service run by a group of young Hungarians full of enthusiasm and zeal for their beautiful city. * Apart from walking tours, they also