For the first time, an archaeological investigation has conclusively documented the existence of a brückenkopfkastell—a Roman auxiliary outpost castle erected at a strategic river crossing point—on Austrian soil. The discovery, made by a joint team from the Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the Carnuntum Archaeological Park, provides new insights into […]
Castles
Posted inHistory, Middle Ages
The Fascinating History of Castel dell’Ovo, the Fortress Where the Last Roman Emperor Retired
As much as Julius Nepos refused to recognize his legitimacy and continued to hold the title in parallel until his death in 475 AD, history considers the last Western Roman emperor to be Romulus Augustulus, who was deposed ten months later by the Herulian chieftain Odoacer. Odoacer allowed him to retire to a fortress located […]
Posted inArt, Modern Era
Duwisib, an Unusual Medieval Castle in the Namibian Desert
The Schutztruppe (the colonial army of the German Empire) did not leave a good memory in German South West Africa, what is now Namibia, as it was responsible for the first genocide of the 20th century, against the native Herero and Namaqua people. However, Germany officially apologized in 2004, and today, one hundred and twenty […]
Posted inArchaeology
Secret Underground Passages Described in Leonardo da Vinci’s Sketches Discovered Beneath Milan’s Sforza Castle
As part of a doctoral thesis, the prestigious Politecnico di Milano has conducted a pioneering technological study that has uncovered hidden secrets beneath the Sforza Castle, one of Milan’s most iconic landmarks. This project, developed in collaboration with the castle itself, has identified a network of underground passages that may have both functional and strategic […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
A Man Thrown Into a Well 900 Years Ago, Identified and Linked to Viking Sagas
Archaeology and genetics have come together in a fascinating investigation into a skeleton discovered in the well of Sverresborg Castle, Norway, in 1938. The remains, which were recovered in 2016, had already confirmed the story told by Viking sagas as we reviewed then in our Spanish edition. Now, information about the man’s identity has been […]
Posted inMiddle Ages, Travel
Dunluce, the Spectacular Irish Castle Entirely Surrounded by Cliffs
Perched on a basalt cliff on the rugged coast of Northern Ireland, Dunluce Castle is an imposing ruin that dominates the horizon of County Antrim. Isolated by its steep cliffs and surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic, Dunluce has been, over the centuries, a symbol of power, a strategic refuge, a home to influential […]
Posted inSecond World War
How 36 Luxembourgers Defended Vianden Castle Against 250 Waffen-SS
When we think about European battles of World War II, we typically imagine Germans or Italians fighting against the British, Americans, or Russians, and we might also extend that to the French, Dutch, Balkans, or Scandinavians. But what never crosses our minds is the Wehrmacht fighting against soldiers from Luxembourg. And yet, clashes did occur […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Mysterious Drawings Found on the Walls of Questenberg Castle Dungeons in Germany
Questenburg Castle, constructed in the mid-13th century, exhibits numerous historical carvings and drawings in its tower. These drawings, believed to be mainly by prisoners, reflect everyday life, Christian and heraldic symbols, and geometric shapes from the late Middle Ages and early Modern Age.
Posted inSecond World War
When Allies and Germans fought together in World War II: The Battle for Castle Itter
Austria seems to have a certain magnet for unusual military events. It was in the Austrian village of Itter in the Tyrol that one of the strangest battles of the entire Second World War took place. It was liberated on May 5, 1945, just five days after Hitler committed suicide in his Berlin bunker, and […]
