TR: IRL

Central Europe was an unexpected gem. Not somewhere I had ever thought to visit, I was surprised to find the area evoked memories of playing my favourite games. But the architectural styles of many of the cathedrals, palaces, castles, gardens and old towns certainly triggered a familiarity, in particular with the modern locations of later Tomb Raider games - Prague itself featured in the infamous sixth game of the original era.

 

To that end, I've included images from my own adventures around four European countries, covering five cities, including Budapest in Hungary, Salzburg and Vienna in Austria, Tallinn in Estonia and of course Prague in the Czech Republic. Although I spent only a short time in Tallinn, in the depths of winter (the sea had started to freeze over), it was a joy to explore the old town, with its medieval walls and striking Toompea Castle, itself tied into local Estonian mythology. Conversely, I spent two weeks in Prague, at the height of summer, which allowed plenty of time to tour the many exceptional castles, palaces, gardens, cathedrals and more. Budapest featured a wide variety of architecture, with styles ranging from Gothic, Classical and Baroque to Romanesque, Renaissance and Byzantine - and others. 

 

The stunning capital of Austria, Vienna, has perhaps been my favourite European city (to date), packed with history and immaculate palaces, gardens and architecture. Whilst Salzburg also proved pretty to explore, albeit on a smaller scale, it has the captivating Hohensalzburg Fortress, which I got to explore at night. In short, these European cities are an inspiration with fascinating histories perfectly suited to TR. 

 

I chose the theme music from Tomb Raider 2, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as I felt it connected with the old style of the cities. And given that the second game was the first to feature a modern European city (Venice).