Stuff you don't find in guide books
The town hall building in San Sebastian, built in the 1880s, has a rich history including the gambling ban in 1923. The ban led to the building’s closure for almost 20 years before it was revived as a Town Hall in 1943. Today, it stands as a grand Belle Epoque landmark.
In the 11th century, Musim-controlled Spain was under attack from Roman Catholic Europe. One key siege was a turning point in how the church viewed war as a tool of foreign policy. This article explores the impact of the siege, and how it influenced the Crusades.
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.
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?
One early scholar of Kabbalah was a 13th century mystic called Abraham Abulafia. He had visions, tried to convince the Pope of his reasoning and lived in Malta.
But who was this strange troglodyte?
The Infant Jesus of Prague statue is a key point of interest for many tourists visiting Prague’s Church of Our Lady Victorious. This article explains the legends behind it, and associated with it.
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.
As I explore and stroll through churches and public buildings I can’t help but notice patterns and symbols. Often, these symbols explain something to me.Read More
You can study the tourist guide as much as you like, you can make sure to avoid looking at a map when you’re on holiday andRead More
Seville – the 2,200-year-old capital of Andalusia. Phoenician, Roman, Arabic, Spanish. This magnificent city is a beautiful testament to the melting pot that is European civilisation and definitely worth a closer look if you find yourself wandering Spain.
