Tag: 18th Century

A portrait of Peter the Great

Livonia – Russia’s Baltic doorway

In 1558, Ivan the Terrible tried to punch a doorway to the sea — and Europe panicked. The question is: was this a 16th-century war, or the first chapter of a much longer Russian struggle for influence in the Baltics?
A photo of Arbes square - Prague, Czechia

The lost church of St Philip and St Jacob

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In the city of a hundred spires, it's hard to imagine that there were more belfries, towers and churches than there are today. The church of St Philip and St Jacob in Prague's Smichov district is one of the churches that no longer exists.
A photo of the Fruttuaria Abbey - Piedmonte, Italy

The Fruttuaria Abbey

A King Died Here. Then the Church Buried It. Then a Plumber Found It Again. The Abbazia di Fruttuaria has been a monastery, a political pawn, a makeover project, and a school. What lies beneath the floor is one of the most remarkable archaeological finds in northern Italy — and almost nobody knows about it.
A photo of the road leading to Andorra from France

Andorra

Microstates are fascinating. There’s always a story behind them, and their continued existence in today’s world for that matter. Andorra, sandwiched between Spain and France, is one such microstate. For that, we've a strategic masterstroke born of military need and religious pragmatism.
A painting of the French fleet in the grand harbour

When Napoleon Conquered Malta in 72 Hours

Think the fall of powerful nations takes months? Napoleon Bonaparte dismantled 268 years of Knights' rule over Malta in three days. If you want to understand how empires truly fall, keep reading.
A photo of the old bridge that gives Mustek its name - Prague, Czechia

The significance of the little bridge

Prague's Můstek neighborhood and metro station has a fascinating story behind it. This area represents a remarkable convergence of medieval history and modern urban development. What appears today as a bustling transit hub and shopping district used to be a crucial defensive boundary between different sections of a growing medieval city. Visitors can still see the remnants of this history today. This article explains the history and the legends behind this neighbourhood.
A portrait of Maria Theresa

The Empress who transformed a city

When Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV died in 1740, he didn’t leave any male heirs. His daughter, Maria Theresa, inherited the role and became the first Empress of the Empire. Her influence can be directly seen in Prague, which became one of the major imperial cities because of her.
A photo of the landscape behind the Abbey - Bourgeuil, France

The Abbey of Bourgueil

In 990, Emma of Blois leveraged her dowry and family alliances to found an abbey in Bourgueil, France. The abbey grew into a regional powerhouse over the next 500 years influencing daily life.
A photo of a gargoyle on the Town House in Munich

Banning Bohemian gargoyles

Gargoyles are an important architectural feature in Gothic buildings around Europe. These ornate water spouts depict grotesque creatures or human figures. As practical as they were, they seem to have existed from the 14th to the 16th century in Bohemia.