Budapest, Hungary
Boat Traffic—Budapest, Hungary
The bridge spanning the Danube was opened in 1896 during the Millennium celebrations by Emperor Franz Joseph. The Emperor personally hammered the last silver nail into the iron structure on the Pest side. The bridge was named Franz Joseph in his honor.
On January 16, 1945, the retreating German Wehrmacht attempted to destroy the bridge, but only damaged the central section of the bridge. It was the first Budapest bridge reconstructed. It reopened for traffic on August 20, 1946 as the renamed Liberty Bridge.BoatBridgeBudapestBuildingEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHungaryPhotography by Gary RickettsReflectionRiverSkylineSmugmugtravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through Photography
Close Walls—Budapest, Hungary
Szentendre, a town of arts and museums, is north of Budapest on the bank of the Danube River. Szentendre was first inhabited in the New Stone Age. It has since been home to Illyrians, the Celtic Eraviscus tribe, Romans, Lombards, Avars and, Hungarians. In the 17th Century, Serbian settlers came to the town and gave Szentendre its characteristic, Mediterranean-style architecture.
Since the early 20th century, Szentendre has been home to several generations of Hungarian artists.BudapestbuildingalleyeuropeHungarylamppostsignmanholecoverwallsphotographs for salephotos for salephotography by gary rickettsGary RickettsgickettstravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through Photography
Meditation—Budapest, Hungary
The cross sits atop the cave church on Gellert Hill. The Paulite order of monks reside at the church.
In 1951, the Communist secret police arrested all of the Pauline monks, and the superior, Ferenc Vezer, was condemned to death. The other monks received prison sentences of five to ten years. The church was sealed with a seven foot thick concrete wall, and stood hidden and silent for nearly fourty years.
When Communism fell in 1989, the Cave Church was returned to the Paulite order, and immediately reopened.BudapestlandscapebenchchurchrivereuropeHungarycloudsmeditationphotography by gary rickettsGary RickettsgickettstravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through PhotographyReligionholy ground
Hero's Square
On October 23, 1956, thousands of people took to the streets of Budapest to protest one party rule established by the Soviet Union. The statue of Stalin was pulled down, and a new leader appointed. The Soviet Union responded with military force, killing thousands of people, arresting thousands more, and thus forcefully ending the revolution.
Two days before the Republic of Hungary joined the European Union in 2004, the Budapest city council revoked Stalin's 1947 honorary citizenship, granted in recognition of his liberation of Hungary from the Germans at the end of World War II.Budapeststatuehero'ssquareeuropeHungarymonumentsculptureherophotographs for salephotos for salephotography by gary rickettsGary RickettsgickettstravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through Photography
Big Yellow—Budapest, Hungary
On October 23, 1956, thousands of people took to the streets of Budapest to protest one party rule established by the Soviet Union. The statue of Stalin was pulled down, and a new leader appointed. The Soviet Union responded with military force, killing thousands of people, arresting thousands more, and thus forcefully ending the revolution.
In May, 2004—just two days before the Republic of Hungary joined the European Union—the Budapest city council revoked Stalin's 1947 honorary citizenship, granted in recognition of his liberation of Hungary from the Germans at the end of World War II.buildingBudapesteuropeHungaryskylineyellowphotographs for salephotos for salephotography by gary rickettsGary RickettsgickettstravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through Photography
The Market—Budapest, Hungary
The upper floor of the Budapest Market.
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