Event Description

Journey through Central Europe

Immerse yourself in the beauty and mystique of Central Europe, from prehistory 36,000 years ago to ancient Roman times to the transformative periods of the Alchemists, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment. Together with Grand Master Julie Scott, Grand Lodge Board Secretary Karen Wark, and your fellow fratres and sorores, explore Buda, Pest, and Tata, Hungary; Vienna, Admont, and Melk, Austria; and Cesky Krumlov and Prague, Czech Republic, including eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. You are also invited to join our optional extension to Krakow, Czestochowa, and Warsaw, Poland.

We’ll experience: ancient Roman ruins, including a Mithraic temple and the location where the Stoic emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote some of his “Meditations”; the personal Alchemy Laboratory of the mystical Emperor Rudolph II, as well as the largest collection of objects from his personal museum; the largest monastery library in the world; a live concert featuring the music of Mozart and Strauss in Vienna’s historic concert hall, the Kursalon; private walking tours through the most important historic districts (Budapest, Vienna, and Prague); guided tours through Buda Castle, Schonbrunn Palace (the summer residence of the Habsburg rulers), and Prague Castle, including the Alchemical Golden Lane; a private visit to the personal apartment and museum of Maria Szepes, the author of the classic alchemical book, The Red Lion; historic cathedrals and abbeys, dinner cruises on the Danube and Vltava rivers; and a private visit to the headquarters of the Hungarian Grand Lodge.

You’ll also have the opportunity to explore: historic palaces (including the Hofburg, Belvedere, and Lobkowicz palaces); Vienna’s Natural History Museum with the prehistoric Venus of Willendorf and Galgenberg figurines; and fine arts museums (Budapest and the Belvedere) during your free time.

Detailed Itinerary and Registration Information