When there’s heavy rainfall and the Danube rises, locals worry about what might happen. And with good reason. Back in 1838, most of Pest was swept away, and the great floods of 1940, 1954, 1965 and even 2013 created dramatic scenes in town. We dived into the Fortepan communal photo archive to see how the city looked back then.

Budapest’s great flood came in 1838, when much of Pest was swept away and Franz Liszt played a charity concert to raise money for the victims. Around the city, at the National Museum, say, signs still show the high water mark – icy water, as it was March. Pest was almost completely rebuilt thereafter.

Older locals may well remember the main floods since,  in 1940, 1954 and 1965. Although they did not cause anything like as much damage, the sheer power of the Danube is clear from these dramatic archive shots.

From April onwards, as the snow melts in mountainous Central Europe, the Danube swells. In 1954 and 1965, Budapest was somewhat lucky to get off lightly. By 2013, the city was more prepared, and quick action saved the day. But with climate change upon us, who knows what fate now awaits?

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