Český Šternberk Castle
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 Chapel of Our Lady of Divine Grace
The old adage claims there are 356 chapels and churches in Malta, 1 for every day of the year! One tiny often neglected chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Grace in Sliema. This article details its history and its significance to this sprawling metropolis.
The hidden secret of the Leiden explosion
Standards around handling gunpowder were lax in the early 19th century. In the Netherlands this led to the Leiden explosion that rocked the city. The authorities immediately covered up the truth behind this catastrophe.
Do you know about the explosion in Birgu?
One of Malta's worst peacetime disasters took place in 1806. A military gunpowder store exploded in Birgu, across the harbour from Valletta.
The Lost Walls of Prague’s New Town
I've written about the walls of Prague's Old Town, which the city destroyed. It's unfortunate they removed such a historical feature. Once Prague had a New Town and external fortifications there was no need for the walls around the Old Town.
How did the British take control of Malta?
I often discuss Maltese history with others and have written about unusual parts of it here. Often people claims that ‘the British illegally took control’ of the Maltese islands. This is not true, but few are aware of this part of our history.
From death to delight – Msida, Malta
Towns evolve for various reasons and we often marvel at how different things were in the past. It doesn't take too long for some stories to fade into obscurity which makes rediscovering them all the more surprising. What I discovered about the central Maltese town of Msida is one of these stories.
The superstition behind Charles Bridge
Every visitor to Prague ends up on the Charles Bridge. There is a magnificent view of the castle and the city from there, so it isn't surprising the bridge is packed all day long. Not many people traipsing across know about the superstition behind its construction.
Puck’s castle
It was late morning when Francois, Helene and I, after visiting two other historical places around Dublin, stopped to take a look at the rundown Puck’s Castle.
The Possessed Fairy Tale Farmhouse
If a building is abandoned for a long enough time, it doesn’t take long before stories about hauntings begin to emerge. In Czechia, the Fairy Tale Farmhouse has attracted a few