Historic Geographic Locations
Into a Desert Place: A Talk With Graham Mackintosh
In remote fishing camps along the shoreline, a few older fishermen remember a red-haired Englishman who tramped through 30 years ago, disappearing around the next point.
November 17, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
The Figs and Mountains of Izmir
Travel horizontally in any direction and you see no change in landscape; Siberia remains Siberia from Finland to Kamchatka. But travel just 4,000 feet vertically, and the world transforms
November 01, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
Rose Hips and Hard Times
Sultan packs me a goody bag with tomatoes, cheese and peppers so hot I can’t even touch them. I timidly suggest paying and she tilts her head back sharply with a quick tsk—"not a chance.”
October 26, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
Cappadocia’s Fairy Chimneys and Cave Dwellings
Doorways still lead into cool, cozy chambers where people grilled kebabs, served tea and worshiped until 1952
October 18, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
The Wild World of the Black Sea
Throngs of visitors come clamoring for the place and spill onto the beach and pose exuberantly under umbrellas and wrestle with colorful inflatable toys in the brown waves
September 29, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
Istanbul: The Maddest City in Europe
“That’s the fattest stray dog I’ve ever seen.” A lot has changed here since Mark Twain wrote about the city, but there's still plenty of mayhem
September 27, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
Where to Go when Greece Says No: Turkey
That evening a man walked into my bush camp with a gun, marched straight at me as I gaped in shock and sprawled out beside me on my tarp
September 23, 2011 |
By Alastair Bland
Arcimboldo's Feast for the Eyes
Renaissance artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo painted witty, even surreal portraits composed of fruits, vegetables, fish and trees
January 2011 |
By Abigail Tucker
Demolishing Kashgar's History
A vital stop on China's ancient Silk Road, the Uighur city of Kashgar may lose its old quarter to plans for "progress"
March 2010 |
By Joshua Hammer
Myths of the American Revolution
A noted historian debunks the conventional wisdom about America's War of Independence
January 2010 |
By John Ferling
Nikita Khrushchev Goes to Hollywood
Lunch with the Soviet leader was Tinseltown's hottest ticket, with famous celebrities including Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin
July 2009 |
By Peter Carlson
In Damascus, Restoring Beit Farhi and the City’s Jewish Past
An architect works to restore the grand palace of Raphael Farhi, one of the most powerful men in the Ottoman world
June 11, 2009 |
By Stephen Glain
Czar Treasures From the East
A trove of spectacular objects from the Kremlin’s collection highlights Ottoman opulence
June 11, 2009 |
By Katy June-Friesen
George Koval: Atomic Spy Unmasked
Iowa-born and army-trained, how did George Koval manage to steal a critical U.S. atom bomb secret for the Soviets?
May 2009 |
By Michael Walsh
Spies Who Spilled Atomic Bomb Secrets
As part of the Soviet Union's spy ring, these Americans and Britons leveraged their access to military secrets to help Russia become a nuclear power
April 20, 2009 |
By Marian Smith Holmes
Genghis Khan’s Treasures
Beneath the ruins of Genghis Khan’s capital city in Central Asia, archaeologists discovered artifacts from cultures near and far
March 25, 2009 |
By Abigail Tucker
Roman Splendor in Pompeii
Art and artifacts reveal the elaborate maritime pleasure palaces established by Romans around the Bay of Naples
March 16, 2009 |
By Jason Edward Kaufman
15 Must-See Endangered Cultural Sites
Some of the world's most precious and historic sites can be visited today—but might be gone tomorrow
March 2009 |
By The Smithsonian Staff
Endangered Site: Fenestrelle Fortress, Italy
The "Great Wall of the Alps" covers 320 acres and is one of the largest fortified structures in Europe
March 2009 |
By T. A. Frail
Endangered Site: Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
The basilica believed to mark the birthplace of Jesus Christ has survived invasions, rebellions and earthquakes
March 2009 |
By Abigail Tucker
