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Europe

Ancient places can be found all over Europe. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on European history. Visiting such ancient places in Europe can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present the most interesting archaeological sites all over Europe, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

Ta’ Cenc dolmen, one of the best-preserved Megalithic dolmens in Malta, sits on the edge of the Ta' Cenc Cliffs.
8 July, 2021 - 14:58 Laura Tabone

Secrets Of The Stones: Malta’s Lesser-Known Megalithic Design

Malta’s prehistory is as dazzling as it is opaque. The excavations and research by archaeologists and other academics have been incredibly thorough, and have helped to create fantastic insights into...
The Araña Caves are best known for their rock painting of honey hunting. Source: Right: Turismo Comunidad Valenciana / Left: GNU Public Licence
6 July, 2021 - 02:05 Cecilia Bogaard

The Araña Caves of Valencia: Entering a Bygone Era Through Rock Art

In 1920, a teacher named Jaime Poch heard of some cave paintings near Bicorp in the Caroig mountain range in Valencia, Spain. Now, over a hundred years later, the site known as the Araña Caves is a...
Healing Temple of Aesculapius (Asklepios) by Robert Thom
3 July, 2021 - 01:58 Sarah Janes

The Healing Power of Dream Incubation in Ancient Greece

In the ancient world, many cultures built elaborate temple complexes dedicated to their healer gods - Imhotep in Egypt and Asklepios in Greece for example. These gods were recognized as having the...
The Nine Maidens on Belstone. Source: Ethan Doyle White / CC BY-SA 4.0.
2 July, 2021 - 01:46 dhwty

Dancing Maidens or Cursed Brothers? The Nine Maidens Stone Circle

The Nine Maidens Stone Circle lies near the village of Belstone in Devon, England. In spite of its name, the site actually has a total of 17 stones. Based on our understanding today, the stone circle...
Kenilworth Castle today. Source: Carl / Adobe Stock.
29 June, 2021 - 14:52 dhwty

Something in the Water: Kenilworth Castle and a History of Rebellion

Kenilworth Castle is a ruined castle located in the market town of Kenilworth, in Warwickshire, a county in the West Midlands, England. It is believed the site was occupied by a fortified structure...
The Malta Catacombs. Source: Christoph Bisel / Adobe Stock.
27 June, 2021 - 14:57 Mark A. Carpenter

The Malta Catacombs: What Happened to Mike Mansholt in the Realm of the Dead?

In July of 2016, seventeen-year-old Mike Mansholt, a tourist from Germany, vanished after setting out to explore the catacombs of Rabat on Malta, also known as the “Realm of the Dead”. Mike’s frantic...
One of the spectacular views of Framlingham Castle, which has aged into a highly interesting tourist attraction managed by the English Heritage charity today. Source: Ian Dalgliesh / CC BY-SA 2.0
24 June, 2021 - 14:32 dhwty

The Medieval Mayhem of Framlingham Castle

Framlingham Castle is a Medieval castle located in Framlingham, a market town in the eastern English county of Suffolk. The first castle was built during the 11th century and was originally a timber...
Bolsover Castle and its grand view over Bolsover town and the surrounding landscape. Source: Matthew / Adobe Stock
22 June, 2021 - 14:59 dhwty

Bolsover Castle: 11th Century Fort Bloomed Into Stunning Residence

Bolsover Castle is a famous and unusual castle in Derbyshire, a county in England’s East Midlands. Although the current building was constructed during the 17th century, the history of Bolsover...
Stonehenge and surrounding earthworks.
19 June, 2021 - 18:55 Dr. John Hill

Natural Harmony: How did the Stonehenge Druids Measure the Landscape?

What were the Proto-Druids up to at Stonehenge? Advances in GPS technology and other sophisticated mapping software allow their prehistoric surveying activities to be investigated in ways that were...
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in the Basque Country.
13 June, 2021 - 21:51 Cecilia Bogaard

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: Take a Pilgrimage to the Basque Dragonstone

Overlooking the Atlantic waters of the Bay of Biscay, the 1,000-year-old hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a magical place to visit in the Basque Country. Surrounded by striking cliffs, this...
Carlisle Castle is known as the most besieged castle in Britain. Source: stocksolutions
5 June, 2021 - 02:00 dhwty

Carlisle Castle: The Most Besieged Castle in Britain

Said to be “the most besieged place in the British Isles,” Carlisle Castle was built towards the end of the 11th century in the border city of Carlisle in the north of England. The site has seen a...
The Sacred Band of Thebes: Elite Fighters… and Lovers!
2 June, 2021 - 22:14 B. B. Wagner

The Sacred Band of Thebes: Elite Fighters… and Lovers!

The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite fighting unit consisting of 300 Theban soldiers who were not only warriors but coupled lovers as well. According to the scholar Plutarch, the creation of the...
Roman executions at the Colosseum were a gruesome affair, as depicted in The Christian Marturs' Last Prayer by Jean-Léon Gérôme. Source: Public domain
28 May, 2021 - 19:01 Mauro Poma

Roman Executions in the Colosseum: The Stories of Laureolus and Androcles

Public order in ancient Rome was a priority for the elite, who contrived a range of gruesome punishments for purportedly serious crimes deserving the death penalty. As a result, a day of fun and...
The Curious Case of the Rocky Valley Labyrinths
18 May, 2021 - 01:38 Sahir

The Curious Case of the Rocky Valley Labyrinths

Located between Boscastle and Tintagel , Rocky Valley is a small valley in northern Cornwall , England, carved by the Trevillet River. A site of mystic and historical fascination, it is home to two...
Statue of Dionysus Bacchus.
16 May, 2021 - 23:00 Todor Uzunov

The Thracian Oracle: Has the Famous Sanctuary of Dionysus Been Found?

The Thracians were an ancient people inhabiting parts of modern day Bulgaria and Greece. The lands of the Thracian tribes were home to several significant ancient cities, important landmarks and...
Pythagoras the Hermit: the Pythagoras Cave on Samos
14 May, 2021 - 18:42 dhwty

Pythagoras the Hermit: the Pythagoras Cave on Samos

On the Greek island of Samos there is a famous cave, named the Pythagoras Cave due to its association with the famous ancient Greek philosopher. Pythagoras is believed to have lived in the cave for a...
A stretch of the ancient walls of Seville are still visible along calle Resolana, between the Gate of Macarena and the Gate of Córdob
8 May, 2021 - 11:29 Cecilia Bogaard

The Walls of Seville: Roman Defenses With A Very Moorish Upgrade

Over the course of its history, Seville has been surrounded by walls. Starting out in Roman times, they have been continually reformed and rebuilt, expanding as the city grew over time. If you visit...
The Neolithic Builder of the Aberdeenshire Recumbent Stone Circles
7 May, 2021 - 18:44 Dr. John Hill

The Neolithic Builder of the Aberdeenshire Recumbent Stone Circles

In my recently published book, I write “It is astonishing that so much attention is given to the prehistoric monuments of both Stonehenge and Avebury henge when the remains of a far greater Stone Age...
Spain’s Sagunto Castle: From Iberian Arse To Roman Sagunto and Beyond!
6 May, 2021 - 02:11 dhwty

Spain’s Sagunto Castle: From Iberian Arse To Roman Sagunto and Beyond!

Sagunto Castle is located not far from the city of Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. The parts of Sagunto Castle that are most visible, i.e., its defensive walls, date largely to the Islamic...
Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Spain
4 May, 2021 - 13:37 dhwty

The Long and Difficult History of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Spain

Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, more commonly known as the Sagrada Familia, is an unfinished Roman Catholic minor basilica located in Barcelona, Spain. The basilica was designed by the renowned...
Aquincum: Exploring the Ancient Roman City Under Modern-Day Budapest
27 April, 2021 - 02:04 John S. Richardson

Aquincum: Exploring the Ancient Roman City Under Modern-day Budapest

The ancient Roman city of Aquincum, now located under Budapest in Hungary, was once the capital of Pannonia on the northeastern border of the Roman Empire. From its strategic location on the banks of...
This painting depicts news of the Battle of Flodden when it reached Edinburgh.
25 April, 2021 - 18:58 Aleksa Vučković

Scotland’s Great Tragedy: The Bloody Battle of Flodden

Throughout history, grand battles were often deemed necessary when ambitious nations were forming. They served as a crucible on which an identity of a people was forged and preserved. The history of...
The Curious Red and Black Inscriptions Found at Spanish Roman Quarry
20 April, 2021 - 19:01 Sahir

The Curious Red and Black Inscriptions Found at Spanish Roman Quarry

The Roman quarry of El Mèdol , located in modern-day Tarragona (Tarraco in ancient times) in Catalonia is literally a man-made marvel. This limestone quarry was used by the Romans to build the city...
The Protector of Kea Island: The Lion of Kea
17 April, 2021 - 18:38 Sarah Piraino

The Protector of Kea Island: The Lion of Kea

The Greek island of Kea has been a popular location since ancient times, given that it is the closest Cycladic Island to Athens . One of the most famous monuments of the island is the Lion of Kea, an...

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