Stuff you don't find in guide books
One of the more curious sights on Prague’s Charles Bridge is that of Hebrew script on a Roman Catholic crucifix. The crucifix is a religious symbol that points to the break between the Jewish faith and Christianity so the story behind this is intriguing indeed.
There are a few chapels and churches around Malta which sport an intriguing Latin sign: “Non gode immunity ecclesiastica” (“Doesn’t provide ecclesiastical immunity”). I wanted to understand why a church would not be a place of refuge, and why some other churches still were.
There weren’t many female physicians in the 19th century. Irishwoman Margaret Bulkley pretended to be a man for over 40 years to practise medicine. This article explains how this happened, Bulkley’s life in Malta and how we know what happened.
The criminals who built Frydberk ? castle terrorised the Bohemian countryside in mediaeval times. Conquered, plundered, turned into a ? brewery and then the Church built a place of worship out of its tower. This is the castle’s amazing story ?
Malta is not known for its revolutions. Unlike other countries, the people preferred other ways of changing history. This article describes one unsuccessful plot to overthrow the Knights of Malta.
It’s not everyday you find castles still owned by the original family. Czechia’s Český Šternberk ? towers over the town of the same name, and is one of the few in the world to make that claim ?
The old adage claims there are 356 chapels and churches in Malta, 1 for every day of the year! One tiny often neglected chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Grace in Sliema. This article details its history and its significance to this sprawling metropolis.
The Infant Jesus of Prague statue is a key point of interest for many tourists visiting Prague’s Church of Our Lady Victorious. This article explains the legends behind it, and associated with it.
There are many legends of accidental burial. I hadn’t encountered a real story about this sort of thing until I saw the tomb of Count Mitrovice in the ⛪️ Basilica of St James in Prague’s Old Town.
Valletta is an ornate and Baroque city built by the Knights of Malta. One of it’s most famous historical buildings is neo-classical which contrasts with the rest of the city. Welcome to Malta’s (Polish) National Library.