The Holy Roman Empire has a lot to answer for. Before it defined modern international relations, the Empire was going through the Reformation. This led to the tongue-twisting Schmalkaldic war.
I'm fascinated by the rotundas in Prague. This city has more of them than I'd ever seen in my life. St Martin's rotunda sits inside the Vyšehrad castle complex and its history is as varied and complex as any other.
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 ?
It’s not everyday you find castles still owned by the original family. Czechia's Český Šternberk ? towers over the town of the same name, and is one of the few in the world to make that claim ?
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.
I’ve often seen forts and castles built according to the geography of the land. I’d never seen one designed according to the material used to build it. Until I visited the Czech Valečov castle ruins, that is.
About an hour's drive north-east of Prague, the Gothic Bezděz castle watches over the region of Liberec. The view from the top of the Devil's Tower is such that you can see one-eighth of the entire country!
Driving through Bohemia heading to (or from) Poland means driving through some beautiful landscapes. If you're looking for a pit stop but don't want a faceless motorway cafe, I'd recommend a quick diversion to the quaint town of Jičin.
Most stately homes and castles in Czechia close for the winter months. I suppose not many people enjoy traipsing around an unheated building when it’s -20 C outside. Loučeň castle is