St Martin’s rotunda
I'm fascinated by the rotundas in Prague. This city has more of them than I'd ever seen in my life. St Martin's rotunda sits inside the Vyšehrad castle complex and its history is as varied and complex as any other.
Italian political prisoners in Czechia
One of the most dangerous secret societies in 19th century Italy was the Carbonari. Fighting for a united Italy, many across Europe feared them and what they represented. This article explains who they were and how they ended up in prison in Brno, Czechia.
Preserving Malta’s money supply
European geopolitics in the 1930s caused plenty of uncertainty. The British worried about riots in the Middle East, and the possibility of another major war with Germany. They hatched a secret plan to reinforce Malta’s money supply in case of war.
Blue eyes in the Mediterranean
Thomas McGill’s 19th century tourist guide to Malta is fascinating for the way he describes Malta with a foreigner's eyes. I’ve used him as a reference before and many anecdotes are verifiable using other sources. This article examines his claims about people from the Maltese village of Żurrieq.
Prague’s mysterious menhir
Prague has continued to expand in the same way many other cities have grown over the centuries. We may never know what they used the land for before becoming part of the city. Sometimes, there are a few tantalising remnants which tell a fragment of a story. This article is about the lone mysterious Prague menhir - the Petrified Servant.
Every parents’ worst nightmare: The carnival deaths
In the 19th century, the monks at the convent annexed to the Ta' Giezu church in Valletta would help young boys stay out of mischief during carnival. They would pray together and then give the boys food. In 1823, this act of charity turned into a catastrophe.
The World War II Death Marches
While travelling overland across Europe, it’s easy to enjoy the scenery and hospitality without a second thought to horrific acts which took place over the centuries. We often don’t realise how special our generation is to live in a Europe where there hasn’t been a major war in over 70 years.
Spanish steps
Rome’s Spanish steps are an iconic image of the city. People have loitered on the stairs since the 16th century. Not everyone knows the reason behind the name. Why would it be the Spanish steps when it’s in Italy?
The startling story behind the Hebrew inscription
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.
The amazing Koněprusy caves
The Koněprusy cave complex is in the middle of a nature reserve and is 40 km away from Prague. Don’t think this is a mere collection of caves because it is one of the most unique cave networks in the world.