European History

Human towers for democracy at the anniversary of Castellers in Barcelona.

What Does a 36-Foot-Tall Human Tower Have to Do With Catalan Independence?

An eye-catching protest across Europe is steeped in cultural heritage says Smithsonian curator Michael Atwood Mason

Europe Was Probably Colonized By Island Hoppers

New genetic research shows that people and agriculture likely spread across the Mediterranean by going from island to island

Here’s What Actually Happens During an Execution by Molten Gold

It's probably not the gold itself that kills you, but rather the steam

You Could Smell Like A Viking

York has come up with a new tourism stunt: smell like a Viking

Europe Has Its Own Bison Species That Came Back From the Brink of Extinction

Bison were just reintroduced into a stretch of Romania where they haven't been found for two centuries

Dracula’s Castle Is for Sale

Bran Castle can be yours for a rumored $80 million

Berlin Children Cheering Airlift Plane

65 Years Ago Today, the Soviet Blockade of Berlin Ended

The first real showdown between the Soviet Union and the West ended 65 years ago today

Gino Bartali

This Italian Cyclist Defied Fascists and Saved Lives

The world didn’t learn about the heroism of Gino Bartali during WWII until after he died in 2000

Monument to Cervantes in Madrid

Spain Begins to Search for Cervantes’ Bones

Experts use ground-penetrating radar to search for the author’s bones

Poveglia Island

Lease a Haunted Venetian Island for 99 Years

Formerly a quarantine island for plague victims and an insane asylum, now you can call this island home

Roman Forum

Ancient Walls Show That Rome Is Older Than Legend

Romulus and Remus were 100 years late to the party

The Paris Catacombs.

Beneath Paris' City Streets, There's an Empire of Death Waiting for Tourists

More than 200 miles of tunnels sit just under the City of Lights—some lined to the ceiling with skulls and bones

The suspect cockatoo is on the left, perched just above the Virgin's head.

Why Is There a Cockatoo in This Italian Renaissance Painting?

The bird's presence in the painting lends insight into trade between Europe and Australia in the 15th century

The Louvre is remarkable, but it's not the only museum Paris has to offer.

Five Must-See Art Museums in Paris

Of course you have to hit the Louvre, but here are a few others to add to your cultural bucket list

The Restaurant That Invented Tiramisu Has Shut Down

Tiramisu is actually a relatively young dessert, invented in the late 1970s

Swallows Nest in Crimea

For Russia, Annexing Crimea Means Reclaiming "Paradise"

Crimea's idyllic scenery has drawn Russian tourists for years

Crimean coastline

Here's Your Visual Guide to the Conflict in Crimea

An interactive map that shows the current hotspots and points of interest in the political crisis

Late 18th century English cartoon on Catherine the Great's territorial ambitions in Turkey.

When Catherine the Great Invaded the Crimea and Put the Rest of the World on Edge

The Russian czarina attempted to show the West she was an Enlightened despot, her policies said otherwise

Officially, More People Died Falling Off the Great Fire of London Monument Than in the Fire—But Only Officially

Which makes more sense, considering the fire destroyed nearly 90 percent of the homes in the city

Polovtsian Statue

Eastern Europe's Anthropomorphic Stelae Have Been Neglected for Years

Across the steppes of eastern Europe, anthropomorphic stone stelae have dotted the landscape for centuries

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