Tag: 13th Century

A photo of St Stephen's Rotunda - Prague, Czechia

St Stephen’s missing rotunda

The Rotunda of St Stephen in Prague, was part of the Christianization effort in Bohemia. Constructed in the Benedictine-owned village of Na Rybničku, the rotunda was later owned by Teutonic Knights who reconsecrated it to St Longinus in the 15th century.
A photo of a street in Hranice

The Czech-German tri-point

Accidents of geography have determined as much of world history and culture as anything else. Rivers and mountains became natural, then political, borders. The Czech town of Hranice used to be a meeting point between 3 countries.
A painting of St Margaret

Why does St Margaret always appear with a dragon?

I’ve have a keen interest in iconography and imagery. Regular readers will know I often write about these things. Sometimes I spot something I haven't before and, curiosity piqued, I look into it. Which is how I got to know about St Margaret and the dragon.
A photo of Drimnaugh castle - Dublin, Ireland

Learn all about Drimnagh castle

You’d think a city of Dublin wouldn’t be the place to hide a castle. Yet many Dublin natives had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned Drimnagh castle. This article describes the history of one of Ireland’s few moated castles.
A photo of part of the Qutb complex - Delhi, India

Why Delhi’s iron pillar doesn’t rust

The world is full of magnificent stories and this website is a testament to some fascinating ones. When I travel I always look for these sort of unexpected finds and am rarely disappointed. This article is about Delhi’s mysterious Iron Pillar.
A photo of the restored interior

The lost rotunda of St Wenceslas

Rotundas used to be common in Central Europe. Prague was no exception and it is a shame so many have disappeared. This article explains how archaeologists re-discovered St Wenceslas’ rotunda which stood in the Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí).
A photo of the church-tower - Žulová, Czechia

Frydberk castle

The criminals who built Frydberk ? castle terrorised the Bohemian countryside in mediaeval times. Conquered, plundered, turned into a ? brewery and then the Church built a place of worship out of its tower. This is the castle's amazing story ?