When Bohemia reached the Adriatic
Bohemia wasn't always a land-locked nation, which may surprise some cartographers. For a short time in the 1th century, one Bohemian king built a chain of power from Prague towards the Adriatic. How did he do that?
Charlemagne and St Martin
With an empire so vast it redefined Europe, Charlemagne found his heart anchored to a humble soldier who lived four centuries earlier. This is the little-known story of the visionary emperor and his profound connection to Saint Martin of Tours.
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?
The lost church of St Philip and St Jacob
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.
Prague’s Daring Dame: The Hotel Central
Prague, 1901. A city of soaring Gothic spires and grand Baroque palaces. Then, something new appeared. Something... different. On Hybernska street, a building bloomed into existence, its facade a swirl of pastel colours and floral motifs. This was the Hotel Central.
The Lion in the Harbour: When Garibaldi Came to Malta
In 1864, the most famous man in the world spent 36 hours in Malta. In 1864, Giuseppe Garibaldi stopped off in Malta on his way to England. He was limping from a bullet wound and wanted a quiet rest. What he got instead was a firestorm.
Did World War II Start With a Failed Secret Raid?
World War II began on 1 September 1939. What if I told you a secret German commando unit jumped the gun, invading Poland six days early?
This is the Jabłonków Incident, a bizarre opening act to the world’s deadliest conflict. Ready to uncover one of WWII’s best-kept secrets?
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.
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.
Macedonia and the Bulgarian Horrors
During my travels in North Macedonia, I was puzzled to see lots of references and mentioned to ex-UK Prime Minister William Gladstone. What would a 19th-century British statesman have in common with a modern nation-state?
The answer focuses on the interdependencies of foreign policy and 19th century realpolitik.