The Knights of St Lazarus
The Knights of Malta (to give them their full name, the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta) are certainly familiar to followers of this site. I was
Prague’s Metronome – and Communist Past
With a hand that is around 75 feet long (22.8 metres), the metronome that waves above Prague is impressive enough as it is. Its location is no random choice and
The con man who sold the Eiffel Tower
One of the smoothest con men who ever lived managed to fool people into buying France’s Eiffel Tower from him. Twice. His name is Victor Lustig and he was Czech.
Hearst Castle
You expect to find castles everywhere in Europe. You can barely drive for an hour without seeing signs for some stately home, castle or palace here. I wasn’t expecting to
Renaissance Pavillions … and Communism?
The Royal Garden beside the castle in Prague is a joy to behold. There is a Renaissance pavilion there which seems to have a connection to Czechia’s recent communism-tainted past.
The Communist Clock of Olomouc
In Prague, tourists push one another to catch a glimpse of the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square. In Olomouc, there are not that many tourists in front of the
The Tongue of St John (Of Nepomuk)
I’ve written before about the Czech saint St John of Nepomuk – but I hadn’t visited the main church dedicated to him, right in the middle of Czechia.
The Admiralty Arch and Queen Victoria
Stand in Trafalgar Square in the middle of London and gaze south-west at the landmark Admiralty Arch that leads to the Mall. Its association with Britain’s Queen Victoria is not
Lost Prague – Tesnov Train Station
Like any city, Prague has lost certain elements of its past to the mists of time. Now, these items live on only as a name whose significance few understand. The lost train station at Tešnov is one such element of Prague's past.