Brno Astronomical Clock: a peculiar clock that commemorates a historic victory
In 1645, near the last stage of the Thirty Years’ War, the city of Brno became popular across Europe because it managed to thwart a siege by the previously undefeated […]
Little Ease, the torture cell in the London Tower.
In 1534, a man and a woman were stopped a step away from the exit door of Tower Hill in London by a group of night guards. The man was […]
War Pigs: the defense weapon against Elephant attacks
It’s known that in ancient times man used animals in warfare: horses, elephants, monkeys and even Rhinos were used in the battlefields. As well as beeing turned into weapons, they […]
Eleanor Cobham: the Duchess who wanted to become Queen guilty of Sorcery
It was November 13th, 1441: the curious people of London lined the streets to observe an act of public penance. The criminal was a woman, perhaps 40 years of age, […]
Veii: Rome’s ancient Etruscan rival, now is a park full of ruins.
We are only 17 km northwest of the Eternal City where are the ruins of the rival that almost snuffed out early Roman civilization, long before Caesar or Augustus were […]
Mallow Bay: the largest fleet of sunken ships in the United States
If there were ever a place that could be described as a ship graveyard, it is the murky waters of Mallows Bay. The history of these maritime vessels in the […]
Pirates and gallows at Execution Dock: nautical “justice” in modern London.
The city of London was once the largest port in the world, and as such attracted its fair share of pirates and smugglers. Try to imagine. Still in the first […]
The forgotten story of the Radium Girls and the Toxic Radioactive Products marketed in the 1920s
In 1917, lot of patriotic young girls counted themselves lucky to have landed war work at a large warehouse complex in Orange, New Jersey. The pay was fantastic, roughly three […]
The “Bazooka Vespa”: the scooter that could destroy a tank.
Its technical name was “Piaggio Vespa 150 TAP”, but it remained known among the experts and military history enthusiasts as “Bazooka Vespa”, for the imposing M20 cannon that crossed it […]
Milan and its first forgotten airport.
Few people know that the first ever Milanese airport was neither Linate nor Malpensa. The latter, although born in 1909, became a reference point for the Milanese industrialists only in […]
The Belgrade Phantom: the thief who for 10 nights mocked the Yugoslav police.
In August 1979, a stranger then nicknamed the Phantom of Belgrade drove the city police forces mad, which probably thanked heaven for the absence of President Josef Broz Tito, who […]
Hasanlu’s Lovers: a kiss 2,800 years long
Teppe Hasanlu, in northwestern Iran, is a famous archaeological site of a city that was excavated in 10 seasons between 1956 and 1974 by a team from the University Museum, […]
The Venice Carnival: a history lasting over 900 years.
The Carnival of Venice, which has just ended a few days ago, if not the most grandiose, is certainly the best known for the charm it exerts and the mystery […]
March 8: some curiosities about international women’s day
International Women’s Day is celebrated today, on March 8 every year. On this day, people celebrate womanhood, commemorating the inspiring role of a woman in our life. This is an […]
Konstanz: the German city that avoided WWII bombing by pretending to be Switzerland
Europe, the old continent so rich in artistic, historical and architectural treasures, suffered incurable wounds especially during the World War II, in which centuries of history were swept away by […]
Roter Franz, the Mummy with Hair, Beard and Red Eyebrows
Roter Franz is the mummy of a young man found in the Bourtanger swamp, on the border between Holland and Germany, in 1900. Also known as “Neu Versen Man”, the […]
