Tag: 19th century

A photo of the church-tower - Žulová, Czechia

Frydberk castle

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 ?
A photo of Capua Palace - Sliema, Malta

In exile in Malta

The town of Sliema, Malta, is marked with high-rise apartment blocks and frustrating traffic. It was not always so and people have fond memories of days gone by. Few talk about the Prince of Capua and the Russian connection.
A photo of world leaders at the signing of the Munich agreement

The truth behind the Sudetenland

Before living in Prague I thought I knew about the Sudetenland and how Hitler annexed it before World War II. There’s a lot I’ve learnt about the nuances of history in the region/s that carry this name. This article is my attempt at straightening out the facts from the commonly-held myths.
A map showing Moravia in the 19th century

The Punctation of Olomouc: Prussia vs Austria

The small town of Olomouc in Moravia is the place were the issue of German unity became a sore point in the 19th century between expansionist Prussia and dominant Austria. This article examines the power-play between the two and how Olomouc bore witness to Russian meddling in Central European affairs.
A picture of Celetna under siege - Prague, Czechia

Prague’s pentecostal uprising

In 1848, Prague citizens rebelled against their Austro-Hungarian rulers. Was this similar to the French revolution, also in 1848? Or was it a sign of something deeper than that? ?My article examines what happened, and what the implications were.
A photo of the gate and entrance to Český Šternberk castle

Český Šternberk Castle

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 ?
A photo of the Altar of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Divine Grace

The Chapel of Our Lady of Divine Grace

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.
A map showing damage to houses according to a structural inspection, January 1807.

The hidden secret of the Leiden explosion

Standards around handling gunpowder were lax in the early 19th century. In the Netherlands this led to the Leiden explosion that rocked the city. The authorities immediately covered up the truth behind this catastrophe.
A photo of the National Museum - Prague, Czechia

The Lost Walls of Prague’s New Town

I've written about the walls of Prague's Old Town, which the city destroyed. It's unfortunate they removed such a historical feature. Once Prague had a New Town and external fortifications there was no need for the walls around the Old Town.