centurion Posted 21 February , 2014 Share Posted 21 February , 2014 If one had the opportunity to spend a few days in the East in September , from a WW1 viewpoint, what would forum members choose and what would they visit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 21 February , 2014 Share Posted 21 February , 2014 Prague - as I went once for a weekend, found a shop that sold medals and got my mate a casualty medal to the RWF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 21 February , 2014 Share Posted 21 February , 2014 I must say that I quite like Prague - possibly something to do with the odd pint of beer. And when I visited the city, a couple of years ago, there was an excellent WW1 exhibition at the Castle which my Wife even liked. As for Budapest - I must confess that I have yet to visit........Sepoy NB I was also able to pick up a few medals in Prague Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 21 February , 2014 Share Posted 21 February , 2014 definitely budapest as they have the imperial seczeni-baths where you can bath in the various basins. the water i believe was exchanged since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 21 February , 2014 Share Posted 21 February , 2014 I have been to both but really enjoyed Budapest, not from a WW1 perspective but for the opera and visiting Liszt's home and musical instruments. It had signs of battle especially on the outsides of buildings which Prague had not. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 22 February , 2014 Share Posted 22 February , 2014 Two very different cities with two and as Anne points out -- Budapest Heavily damaged in WWII and then rebuilt with Soviet style architechture then rebuilt again (in stages ongoing) post fall. Prague virtually undamaged physically with lots of very old buildings and districts. Both fascinating...both quite different. I did not find much WWI stuff in Prague but in Budapest there are military museums (in the castle) and oddities such as a statue of a US officer of WWI period IIRC credited with saving a lot of historical/artistic artifacts.(?) I need to check I can't remember. There are flea markets and such if there is a collector interest - I have not found much to honest but I have not looked There is a really good steam locomotive "museum" (where you can actually clamber all over the dozens of locos - including a good number of WWI vintage) I am perhaps biased as my wife is Hungarian and studied at the Liszt institute. Chris Knowing your usual advice I assume you searched and found this thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 22 February , 2014 Share Posted 22 February , 2014 I have been to both but really enjoyed Budapest, not from a WW1 perspective but for the opera and visiting Liszt's home and musical instruments. It had signs of battle especially on the outsides of buildings which Prague had not. Anne There are signs of battle in Prague (WW2) but I assume most has been tidied away. I have added a photograph of a building near the entrance to Prague Castle. It is also visiting the crypt of the Church of St Cyril and Methodius where the SOE operatives who had attacked Reinhard Heydrich were eventually cornered. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 22 February , 2014 Share Posted 22 February , 2014 Having been to both I could honestly not choose....no help to you I know, but both have interesting buildings/museums. Both are mainly associated with the Second World War and the great struggles on the Eastern Front. Both have excellent castles and bridges and a river cruise would not go amiss either!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River97 Posted 22 February , 2014 Share Posted 22 February , 2014 Been to both as well, lots of history in both. Great deal of WWII in both, but not much of WWI. I think you would have to be lucky in a market to find something that was not designed for the tourist. As for both, visited on a river cruise in 2012. Beautiful cities, and worth a visit anyway. Cheers Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 23 February , 2014 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2014 Thanks all but I am no further forward. Not really interested in bullet holes in buildings (and I don't collect medals) but am interested in museums and the like. I have seen photos of a museum somewhere in the Czech Republic that covers Czech troops in WW1 and suspect there must be equivalents in Hungary. I suspect that both can do one proud in architecture , musicians and booze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River97 Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 There is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Prague. A bit of a hike up to the top, but worth the visit. It is situated on a hill called Vitkov. Also in the same hall is a cylinder of soil. It has a layer of soil from every conflict Czech service men and women have served. Close by is the Olsanske Cemetery. It has the WW2 CWGC in one corner. Just down the path are some WW1 memorials and war graves. Here's a tip, I find the best way to find things to do in cities like these is have a look at Trip Advisor. Most, if not all of the attractions would be listed, and if they are naff, the reviewers will let you know. Cheers Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River97 Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Just another thought. Due to the size of Europe, why not consider somewhere else. I visited Belgrade in 2012, safe as houses. There is also Skopje in the Republic of Macedonia. A fair bit to see there due to the Salonika Campaign. There is also 'where it all began' Sarajevo. I am taking the family there in July after last being there 21 years ago. All rebuilt. Cheers Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 There is a Czech Army Museum in the Zizkov district of Prague. The organisation that runs it is also responsible for some other museums elsewhere in the country. I had some difficulty in finding it, but eventually saw a sign pointing to the Armadni muzeum that had a picture of a rifle on it. http://www.vhu.cz/english-summary/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 24 February , 2014 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Just another thought. Due to the size of Europe, why not consider somewhere else. I visited Belgrade in 2012, safe as houses. There is also Sofia in the Republic of Macedonia. A fair bit to see there due to the Salonika Campaign. There is also 'where it all began' Sarajevo. I am taking the family there in July after last being there 21 years ago. All rebuilt. Cheers Andy. Are you not confusing Sofia in Bulgaria with Skopje in Macedonia? I have been to the latter. In any case my trip arises out of what might be described as a sort of minor bequest which is hypothicated and I get a choice of Prague or Budapest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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