Monasteries have libraries – sometimes more, sometimes less flashy. But often suitably grand environments for books that deserve the best. In Prague, the Strahov monastery has a couple of nice library halls, one for philosophy from the late 18th century, and one for theology from the 1670s (philosophy on the below left, theology on theContinue reading “The Strahov Monastery, Prague”
Author Archives: vvanhanen
Ceský Krumlov: A castle for many seasons
The rich are different from us – and were even more so in the past. Now they only have more money but in old times they had privileges – they struck their own money, had their own bearpit, and maintained their own army units. The castle at Ceský Krumlov has belonged to a series ofContinue reading “Ceský Krumlov: A castle for many seasons”
Wroclaw, gnomes and all
As befits a city in a region that has a colourful history, Wroclaw has had its share of overlords. Besides Poland (kingdom and republic), also Bohemia, Hungary, Austria, Prussia and Germany have ruled it. Thus it is befitting that it is still disputed whether the name comes from a Bohemian duke (Vratislav), or somebody elseContinue reading “Wroclaw, gnomes and all”
Jagellonian University
A clock that plays Gaudeamus Igitur with an academic procession, or a chocolate bar from 1787, anybody? Old universities have their curiousities, and the Jagellonian University founded in Kraków in 1364 by Casimir III has more than most. To satisfy your curiousity, the chocolate block was made to honour the visit of King Stanislaus AugustContinue reading “Jagellonian University”
From the scrapheap of Berlin history
Berlin is well-known to have an overload of history. In fact, so much that some of it has been cleaned away to the cupboards. One such is in the Spandau Zitadelle, where unwanted statues have found their last resting place. Here we have a whole range of medieval knights, Prussian electors and kings, assorted supportingContinue reading “From the scrapheap of Berlin history”
Doria Pamphilj – An embarrassment of riches
The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is the largest in Rome still in private ownership. The family has its roots in Genoa and have appeared in history under various guises. They fought for the French at the battle of Crécy, led Genoa (Andrea Doria), had the papacy (Innocent X), and were princes of the Holy Roman EmpireContinue reading “Doria Pamphilj – An embarrassment of riches”
Exhibiting Vermeer
Usually, when museums stage exhibitions of Johannes Vermeer, they are built around a few paintings by him and complemented with other genre paintings from the Dutch golden era. This is because there are only 37 known Vermeer paintings, and it is difficult to build a one-man show. Thus the 2021 Dresden exhibition was built aroundContinue reading “Exhibiting Vermeer”
Cape Horn, Beagle Channel and the Chilean Fjords
Cape Horn is the famous southernmost point of South America, the meeting point of Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It is named after the city of Hoorn in the Neherlands by Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire who sailed around it in 1616. Even though it is notorious for stormy seas, strong winds, currents and icebergs,Continue reading “Cape Horn, Beagle Channel and the Chilean Fjords”
Port Lockroy, Antarctica
Port Lockroy is a former British base on a postage stamp-sized island off the larger Wiencke island on the West coast of Antarctica. The bay was discovered in 1904 and named after Edouard Lockroy, a French politician helping to fund the French Antarctic Expedition. It has been renovated over the years since 1996, and isContinue reading “Port Lockroy, Antarctica”
Andvord Bay and Paradise Bay, Antarctica
Andvord Bay (64° 50’ S, 62° 33’ W) on the Antarctic peninsula was again discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897-1899 under Adrien de Gerlach. It was named after Rolf Andvord, the Belgian consul in Christiania (Oslo) at the time. The adjoining Paradise Bay was named by whalers around 1920. Both bays are surroundedContinue reading “Andvord Bay and Paradise Bay, Antarctica”
Rails, wines, worlds 