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 ?
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.
The Lasting effects of the Thirty Years’ War
I've written plenty of articles about the effects of the 30 Years' war on Prague and Czechia in general. I knew bits and pieces of the story so I decided to put all my research into a larger article to put things into context.
Do you know Dublin has a surprising megalithic tomb?
I find pre-historical buildings fascinating. We don't know why they built them, who designed them or how ?♂️. The lack of writing means we will never know. All we do know is what we can conclude from the ruins which is never enough. This aura of mystery piques my interest. ?
Do you know about the explosion in Birgu?
One of Malta's worst peacetime disasters took place in 1806. A military gunpowder store exploded in Birgu, across the harbour from Valletta.
Valečov castle ruins
I’ve often seen forts and castles built according to the geography of the land. I’d never seen one designed according to the material used to build it. Until I visited the Czech Valečov castle ruins, that is.
For people interested in World War II stories
There's a plaque on the wall in the castle in Ghent, Belgium, thanking the city for the symbolic establishment of the SAS. In Belgium. The SAS? Symbolic establishment? I started digging deeper to find out what this was all about.
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.
How did the British take control of Malta?
I often discuss Maltese history with others and have written about unusual parts of it here. Often people claims that ‘the British illegally took control’ of the Maltese islands. This is not true, but few are aware of this part of our history.
The gothic royal castle of Bezděz
About an hour's drive north-east of Prague, the Gothic Bezděz castle watches over the region of Liberec. The view from the top of the Devil's Tower is such that you can see one-eighth of the entire country!