Tag: Europe

A photo of the interrogation room - Velke Losiny, Czechia

The Hated and Feared Czech Witch Hunter

In 1678, Jindřich František Boblig arrived in the small town of Velke Losiny in Northern Moravia. It was the beginning of a horrifying nightmare from the region. Boblig was one of the Inquisition's ?witch-hunters.
A photo of the church of St Rocco (Photo in the public domain)

The shock of the 1908 tsunami in Malta

One side effect of an earthquake in a coastal region is a tsunami that rips through the sea around it. Malta is close to a major earthquake fault line. In 1908, a major earthquake hit Sicily causing a tsunami in Malta.
A photo of the yacht marina - Msida, Malta

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.
A photo of Stromovka park - Prague, Czechia

The surprising tunnel under Prague 7

Sixteenth century Prague was smaller than it is today. Prague Castle was the only part of the city north of the river. The neighbourhood which is now known as Prague 7, or Holesovice, was not inhabited at the time. The Kings used to hunt and fish ? here.
A photo of the view from the castle - Oslo, Norway

The crazy and odd ghost stories of Oslo Castle

The cold air, buffeted by Arctic temperatures, billowed around me as I strolled across the pedestrianised square in front of Oslo's Rathuset, or City Hall. I dodged one of the clunky blue trams as I headed towards the fortifications of the city's Akershus Castle.
A photo of the Charles Bridge (seen from the Old Town Tower) - Prague, Czechia

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.