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.

Mycenae in the Peloponnese in Greece. Source: Amanda/Adobe Stock

30 December, 2023 - 19:55 Robbie Mitchell

Five Fascinating Facts About the Mycenaeans (Video)

Unraveling the mysteries of the Mycenaeans, a once-vibrant civilization, poses a challenging task. The enigma surrounding their collapse , marked by the destruction of grand palaces around 1250 BC,...

Spurn Point beach in East Yorkshire at Sunrise, where remnants of the medieval port town known as Ravenser Odd are believed to reside under the sea. Source: Tim Hill / Adobe Stock

27 December, 2023 - 14:00 Aleksa Vučković

Searching for Ravenser Odd: Medieval English Port Town Lost to the Sea

England’s sea-swept coasts were always at the mercy of the elements. Those remotest towns and villages, lying directly on the seashore, always existed on the brink. Their inhabitants never knew if...

Pena Palace at sunset, Sintra, Portugal. Source: onnybas / Adobe Stock

26 December, 2023 - 19:53 Robbie Mitchell

Eight Places Straight out of a Fairytale (Video)

In Portugal's Sintra Mountains, the Pena Palace stands as a showcase of King Ferdinand II's flamboyant taste, featuring a red clock tower and a yellow minaret. Abandoned in 1910, it earned UNESCO...

Banner of Ancient Greece depicting Minoan civilization. Source: Matrioshka/Adobe Stock

25 December, 2023 - 20:12 Robbie Mitchell

The Minoans: The First Great European Civilization (Video)

The island of Crete, nestled on the edge of the Aegean Sea, harbored the extraordinary Minoan civilization, a beacon of sophistication during the Bronze Age. The credit for unveiling this forgotten...

Father Christmas enjoying the Christmas tradition. Date: circa 1860. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

25 December, 2023 - 13:40 Alicia McDermott

Favorite Christmas Traditions PLUS Those You May Never Have Heard About

Every year as December rolls in, some 2 billion people start to feel the Christmas cheer. While the celebration is now primarily a Christian one honoring the birth of Jesus, its traditions merge with...

AI representation of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in 1517. Source: Nevio/ Adobe Stock

24 December, 2023 - 19:34 Robbie Mitchell

Why did the Protestant Reformation Happen? (Video)

The Protestant Reformation, often attributed solely to Martin Luther's 95 theses, was a multifaceted movement with roots deeply embedded in the challenges faced by Western Christianity. Luther's...

A sunset at Stonehenge, perhaps not the Winter Solstice. Source: Nicholas/Adobe Stock

22 December, 2023 - 17:47 ashley cowie

Stonehenge Activates On the Winter Solstice Sunset, Not Sunrise

Today, as the northern hemisphere experiences the Winter Solstice, English archaeoastronomers remind us that Stonehenge was built to honor the sunset on this crucial date, and not just the Summer...

Sunrise on the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Island, Spain. Source: samael334/Adobe Stock

21 December, 2023 - 19:56 Robbie Mitchell

Gaztelugatxe: Exploring Game of Thrones’ Real-Life Dragonstone (Video)

Nestled in Spain's Basque Country, Gaztelugatxe stands as a real-life counterpart to Game of Thrones' iconic Dragonstone. Connected to the mainland by a slender man-made path, this islet harbors a...

A night view of modern day York, Yorkshire, England. Source: davidionut/Adobe Stock

19 December, 2023 - 00:55 Robbie Mitchell

The Ancient Roman and Viking Origins of Yorkshire (Video)

In the history of Yorkshire , the fusion of Roman and Viking legacies weaves a captivating narrative. Beyond its picturesque landscapes, this English county harbors a multifaceted history. Romans...

Spiegelrei canal at sunrise, Brugge, Flanders, Belgium. Source: JFL Photography/Adobe Stock

16 December, 2023 - 19:53 Robbie Mitchell

Secrets of the Best-Preserved Medieval City in Europe (Video)

Bruges, Belgium is a living reminder of medieval splendor, stands as a UNESCO World Heritage site , its charm echoing through well-preserved buildings and winding streets. As the gateway to the North...

A computer-generated image of the battle that is thought to have taken place on a remote mountainside south of Chur around 15 BC between Roman troops advancing northwards through the Alps and local Suanetes. Source: Courtesy of Leona Detig

15 December, 2023 - 21:52 ashley cowie

Lost Roman Battlefield in Switzerland Discovered Through Thousands of Artifacts

In 2019, a spectacular Roman dagger was metal detected in a remote region of the Swiss Alps. Now, a team of scientists and students have mapped a 2,000-year-old Roman battlefield representing the...

Drawing of male Pict. Source: Public Domain

14 December, 2023 - 19:55 Robbie Mitchell

The Picts, the Scottish Tribe That Gave the Romans Hell (Video)

The Picts , a group dwelling north of the Forth–Clyde isthmus, in what is now Scotland, remain shrouded in mystery despite their historical notoriety. The term "Pict" emerged around the third century...

Plague in an Ancient City by Michiel Sweerts. Source: Public Domain

13 December, 2023 - 00:54 Robbie Mitchell

Most Common Causes of Death in Ancient Rome and Greece (Video)

Life in ancient Greece and Rome was far from the glamorous tales we envision. High mortality rates were fueled by childbirth perils, with poor sanitation contributing to infant mortality. Malaria, an...

Archaeological excavations at the Interamna Lirenas site in central Italy's Lazio region have revealed the prominent remains of a theater. Source: Alessandro Launaro

12 December, 2023 - 21:57 Nathan Falde

Interamna, An Obscure Roman Village Escaped 3rd Century Decline of Empire

Two thousand years ago, the ancient Roman settlement of Interamna Lirenas in central Italy’s Lazio region was a typical remote Empire town. It was believed to have suffered the same fate as so many...

Walls of the royal Tudor palace at Collyweston being excavated. Source: CHAPS

5 December, 2023 - 13:54 ashley cowie

A Lost Royal Palace in England Linked to Henry VIII Discovered by ‘A Bunch of Amateurs’

A group of amateur historical sleuths have spent the best part of the last decade searching the English countryside for a long-lost Tudor palace, that was famously visited by Henry VIII. Now they...

Aerial view on the Roman Colosseum in Italy. Source: dimabucci/Adobe Stock

3 December, 2023 - 19:54 Robbie Mitchell

This is What the Roman Colosseum Looked Like Back Then (Video)

The Colosseum , an emblem of ancient Rome, silently narrates the grandeur and brutality of a bygone era. Crafted under Emperor Vespasian's astute vision, it replaced Nero's opulent Domus Aurea,...

Archaeologists excavating at the site in Tainiaro forest, Finland. Source: Aki Hakonen/Antiquity Publications Ltd

2 December, 2023 - 13:59 Nathan Falde

6,500-Year-Old Arctic Site Might Be World’s Northernmost Ancient Cemetery

Signs of human use and occupation have been found at a lonely Artic outpost known as Tainiaro, which is located in the far-northern Finnish region of Lapland, just 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of...

Illustration based on osteobiography generated through analyses of remains excavated at cemetery of Cambridge hospital which offered what was, in essence, a medieval social benefit system Source: Mark Gridley / After the Plague

1 December, 2023 - 00:00 Nathan Falde

Cemetery Reveals Medieval Equivalent of Social Benefits System

Archaeologists from several universities in England teamed up to analyze the skeletal remains of more than 400 individuals who were buried in a medieval cemetery that belonged to St. John the...

Parthenon, Acropolis of Athens, Greece. Source: Lambros Kazan/Adobe Stock

30 November, 2023 - 00:52 Robbie Mitchell

The Stunning Architecture of the Acropolis of Athens Explained (Video)

Perched on the Athenian Acropolis , a natural fortress rising 91 meters at its peak, ancient Athens flourished during the 5th century BC. Guided by Pericles , the city entered its Golden Age,...

Nestled within Koli National Park, the Pirunkirkko cave, known as the Devil's Church in English, has become renowned for its purported connection to the spirit realm. Source: University of Eastern Finland

28 November, 2023 - 17:57 Sahir

Researchers Unpack Science Behind Unique Presence of Devil in Finnish Cave

Thousands of curious visitors venture to the Pirunkirkko or ‘Devil’s Church’ cave in eastern Finland, in the fervent hope of the contact with the spirit world, specifically, to ‘talk to the Devil’...

Aerial image of Danebury Fort, an Iron Age hillfort in Hampshire, England. Source: Hampshire Hub and University of Southampton/OGL v1.0OGL v1.0

26 November, 2023 - 17:50 Aleksa Vučković

Danebury Fort, the Formidable Home of Iron Age Britons

Danebury Fort, also known simply as Danebury, is an Iron Age hillfort located in Hampshire, England. It is one of the most extensively studied hillforts in Britain and is known for its archaeological...

Ross Castle in Killarney National Park is one of the most iconic castles in Ireland. Source: Gabriel Cassan / Adobe Stock

25 November, 2023 - 17:16 Aleksa Vučković

Fortresses of the Emerald Isle: Ireland's 10 Most Enchanting Castles

Ireland, affectionately called the Emerald Isle, is home to a very rich and long history. Across its picturesque valleys, dales, plains and hills, one can discover the enduring remnants of its...

Arial photograph of the excavations at Rendlesham in 2023, showing the archaeological remains, including the probable temple or cult house (left hand side) and boundary ditch (center). Source: © Suffolk County Council; photo by Jim Pullen

24 November, 2023 - 21:55 ashley cowie

Vast Anglo-Saxon Pagan Temple Discovered in the Shadow of Sutton Hoo

Last year, archaeologists and community groups in Suffolk, England, unearthed the remains of a 1,400-year-old structure. Now, excavations have determined that the large timber hall was a Pre-...

Bronze Age gouge, Must Farm. Source: AncientCraftUK / YouTube Screenshot.

24 November, 2023 - 19:57 Robbie Mitchell

The Gouge: A Versatile Ancient Tool of the Bronze Age (Video)

Must Farm (a Bronze Age settlement at Must Farm quarry near Peterborough, England) has given British archaeologists a treasure trove of ancient artifacts to explore. This time the spotlight falls on...

Pages