All  

Store Banner Mobile

Store Banner Mobile

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.

The abbey gateway at the now ruined Reading Abbey in a Paul Sandby oil painting from 1808. Source: Public domain
23 January, 2021 - 01:04 ML Childs

Reading Abbey: Ruins Are A Reminder of Medieval Religious Strife

Reading Abbey was erected in 1121 in the town of Reading within in the county of Berkshire, England. It was a royal monastery established by King Henry I to pay homage to his ancestors and his...
Birka: The Mysterious Demise of a Majestic Viking Trading Center
17 January, 2021 - 13:51 Aleksa Vučković

Birka: The Mysterious Demise of a Majestic Viking Trading Center

The Viking Age in Europe brought a lot of key events and innovations, and greatly shaped the future of things that were to come. But there is a popular misconception that the Vikings were all about...
The majestic and mysterious Parthenon in Athens, Greece.
14 January, 2021 - 01:00 Theodoros Karasavvas

The Parthenon: An Epic Monument Or a Mystery in Measurements?

The Parthenon, proudly standing on the Athenian Acropolis , is considered by many historians and archaeologists alike as the undisputed symbol of Athenian democracy and the cradle of Western...
Master Architects of Sardinia: The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina
9 January, 2021 - 17:11 dhwty

Master Architects of Sardinia: The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina

The Well of Santa Cristina is an ancient structure located on the Italian island of Sardinia. The name of the structure is somewhat misleading. In spite of its association with a Christian saint, the...
Skara Brae
7 January, 2021 - 21:16 Caleb Strom

Stepping Back in Time at Skara Brae: A Neolithic Settlement in the Heart of Prehistoric Orkney

In 1850, a fierce storm hit the Bay o’ Skaill on the main island of the Orkney island archipelago. In doing so, it ripped grass from a hill, then known as Skerrabra, to reveal the remnants of an...
Corsica. The Statue of Filitosa
5 January, 2021 - 14:03 dhwty

Two Very Different Interpretations of Corsica’s Filitosa Menhirs

Corsica, situated in the Mediterranean Sea, is a fascinating island with beautiful beaches, a place where you can hear the natives speak Corsu, and of course, it is well known for being the...
The mountain citadel of Perperikon, located near Kardzhali in Bulgaria, is an isolated dream for archaeologists. (Victor Lauer / Adobe Stock)
1 January, 2021 - 21:58 Aleksa Vučković

The Great Mountain Citadel of Perperikon and the Dionysian Cult

The modern nation of Bulgaria was always at the crossroads of history. Situated in a crucial historic region, it is filled to the brim with important archaeological sites and places of immense value...
Why You Should Not Look into Crazywell Pool on Midsummer’s Eve
1 January, 2021 - 13:59 dhwty

Why You Should Not Look into Crazywell Pool on Midsummer’s Eve

Crazywell Pool is a large pond located in the Dartmoor National Park, in Devon , England. This pond is famous due to the many local legends that surround it. The best-known of these is perhaps the...
The Fall of Constantinople
31 December, 2020 - 20:16 Mark Miller

The Fall of Constantinople: Relentless Ottoman Fire Power Finally Pulverizes the Last Vestiges of the Roman Empire

Constantinople stood against sieges and attacks for many centuries, until finally new technology—the big cannons of the Ottoman Empire —brought down the Byzantine Empire’s capital. The fall of...
Vatican City
31 December, 2020 - 01:17 Ed Whelan

Vatican City: The Tiniest Country with the Biggest Influence

Vatican City, known officially as the Vatican City State, is the smallest and one of the most remarkable countries in the world. It is enclaved within Rome , the capital of Italy . There are only...
Glanum, An Ancient Roman Town in France Renowned for Its Healing Spring
30 December, 2020 - 23:22 dhwty

Glanum, An Ancient Roman Town in France Renowned for Its Healing Spring

We are fortunate to have access to many ancient Roman cities throughout the vast regions they once ruled. Their ruins tell us a great deal about their gods, their hobbies, their lifestyle, and their...
Classis Ravennas and the Defense of the Roman Empire
29 December, 2020 - 14:01 John S. Richardson

Classis Ravennas and the Defense of the Roman Empire

For almost 500 years, Classe was an important Roman seaport right up until the early Middle Ages. Protected by surrounding marshes, Classe was well placed for patrolling the Adriatic Sea , but the...
Latvia’s Enigmatic Virtaka Cliff and Mysterious Gauja River Petroglyphs
26 December, 2020 - 13:51 Aleksa Vučković

Latvia’s Enigmatic Virtaka Cliff and Mysterious Gauja River Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs, cave paintings , and different rock carvings are some of the earliest forms of expression of early man. In the Baltic, Pomeranian, and Scandinavian regions of Europe, petroglyphs have...
Sunbeams illuminating a church
19 December, 2020 - 00:26 ancient-origins

A Sacred Light in the Darkness: Surprising Winter Solstice Illuminations at Spanish Missions

On Monday, Dec. 21, nations in the Northern Hemisphere mark the winter solstice – the shortest day and longest night of the year. For thousands of years people have marked this event with rituals and...
Three Mysterious European Bog Body Murders
18 December, 2020 - 14:05 ancient-origins

Three Mysterious European Bog Body Murders

Over the past centuries, the remains of more than 500 men, women, and children have been unearthed during peat-cutting activities in northwestern Europe. The "bog bodies" were pulled from their soggy...
Sloup Castle: Bohemia’s Salt Trade Defense, Hermitage and Tourist Spot
18 December, 2020 - 01:00 dhwty

Sloup Castle: Bohemia’s Salt Trade Defense, Hermitage and Tourist Spot

Sloup Castle is a rock castle located in the northern part of what is today the Czech Republic. The castle dates all the way back to the 14th century AD, when the area it is in was part of the...
The Pskov-Caves Monastery and its 10,000 Monk Necropolis
15 December, 2020 - 00:32 dhwty

The Pskov-Caves Monastery and its 10,000 Monk Necropolis

The Pskov-Caves Monastery is a Russian Orthodox monastery located in the town of Pechory, in the northwestern part of Russia. The monastery was established during the 15th century AD and is well-...
A Russian postcard depicting the world of the "Ancient Rus" that the Rurik dynasty first established. (Мария Королькова / Adobe Stock)
14 December, 2020 - 13:38 Aleksa Vučković

When Vikings Come to Rule: The History of the Rurik Dynasty

The era of the Vikings is certainly one of the most interesting periods of European history, and greatly popularized in recent times through media and entertainment. The Vikings were skilled sailors...
"The Eyes" in the Prohodna Cave near Karlukovo, Bulgaria.
4 December, 2020 - 02:44 dhwty

God or the Devil? Whose Mystical Eyes Follow Visitors through the Bulgarian Prohodna Cave?

Prohodna Cave is a natural cave located in North Central Bulgaria. This cave is a popular tourist attraction due to a certain natural feature in the cave, i.e. two eye-shaped holes in its central...
The Kaiadas Cave: Legendary Spartan Pit of Death
4 December, 2020 - 00:29 Aleksa Vučković

The Kaiadas Cave: Legendary Spartan Pit of Death

The Spartans of ancient Greece were always known as fierce warriors and determined fighters. Much of what we know about them is related to their military history and equally militarized society. Many...
Vardzia, Georgia’s Incredible Cave City Built By Their Fierce Queen
3 December, 2020 - 00:56 Ed Whelan

Vardzia, Georgia’s Incredible Cave City Built By Their Fierce Queen

The Republic of Georgia has a dramatic history stretching back centuries, partly because of its strategic position in the Caucuses, midway between Europe and Asia. Among the many attractions of this...
Mass Murder, Megalithic Music, and Misconduct in Prehistoric Malta
2 December, 2020 - 21:41 Mark A. Carpenter

Mass Murder, Megalithic Music, and Misconduct in Prehistoric Malta

Despite claims by experts and historians, not all of human history can be easily explained and many mysteries still remain. Just south of Sicily, surrounded by sapphire waters and sun-soaked shores,...
Runriket, Where the Power Struggle of a Viking Ruler is Written in Stone
1 December, 2020 - 00:59 Ed Whelan

Runriket, Where the Power Struggle of a Viking Ruler is Written in Stone

The Viking era (800 -1066 AD) is arguably one of the most fascinating in history. Runriket, or the Rune Kingdom, is a unique archaeological area in Sweden, containing more than a hundred runestones...
The Wemyss Caves: Ancient Pictish History and the Writing on the Walls
30 November, 2020 - 21:51 Aleksa Vučković

The Wemyss Caves: Ancient Pictish History and the Writing on the Walls

The Ancient Picts were amongst the most enigmatic inhabitants of ancient British Isles. Still a big puzzle to scholars around the world, the Pictish culture was filled to the brim with unique aspects...

Pages