Author: Ms. R.

In 1475, Iain MacDonald, the Earl of Ross, was playing a dangerous game. The Wars of the Roses had been raging for decades and the entire region was in turmoil. Hoping to capitalize on the chaos, the Scottish Earl had signed a secret treaty with the British king, with the promise that he would partially rule Scotland if England subdued it. When John Stewart, 1st Earl of the Atholl of the Highlands, heard that the treacherous Ross was plotting……

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Nestled in the shadow of Bratislava Castle, a stroll down the cobblestoned street of Kapitulská may feel like a trip straight into medieval Slovakia, secluded from the tourist hubbub and the 21st-century developments. So quiet, no wonder the locals have nicknamed it “ghost alley.” At one corner, visitors might come across a sand-colored cornerstone with a rustic sculpture of lizards—or salamanders, perhaps? Though unassuming, it’s quite noticeable, remarkable even. What significance does it hold? It certainly looks quite old,……

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Cima Ora Fort was constructed between 1913 and 1915, and was used during World War I. This stronghold is one of 42 forts that were built at the onset of WWI. Located near the border (at the time), the fort was built to defend the Kingdom of Italy from Austro-Hungarian forces. The invading army waged an offensive further north but soon realized that the move was strategically unsound. The withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarians made the fort redundant. The soldiers……

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Kushajim, the 10th-century polymath, poet, and master chef, once described a certain snack in verse: I have for friends when hunger strikes, qata’if, like piles of books stacked.They resemble honeycombs—with holes and white—when closely seen.Swimming in almond oil, disgorged after they had their fill of it.With glistening bubbles, back and forth, rose water sways.Rolled and aligned like purest of arrows, their sight the smitten-hearted rejoice.More delicious than they are is seeing them plundered, for man’s joy lies in what……

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In 1194 or 1195, the Falkenburg near Detmold-Berlebeck was built by Bernhard II zur Lippe and his son Hermann II. The zur Lippe family came from today’s Lippstadt. With the Falkenburg and the old town in Lemgo, the two noble lords founded their first bases northeast of the Teutoburg Forest. They laid the foundation for the rule of this noble family in today’s district of Lippe, which is named after them. Throughout the Middle Ages, Falkenburg Castle remained a……

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Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we take listeners inside a hotel that some paranormal investigators call the most active haunted location in the world: The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Ever since it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining following the author’s 1974 overnight stay, The Stanley has attracted hoards of ghost hunters and Rocky Mountain hikers alike. We’ll explore the……

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Alongside the eastern portion of Highway SD-34 sits the quiet town of Wessington Springs, South Dakota. If you’re paying attention, you might notice a roadside sign promoting the town’s Shakespeare Garden & Anne Hathaway Cottage.  Emma Shay, a Wessington Spring resident and an English teacher at the local seminary, founded the garden and cottage after traveling through England. After borrowing $1,000, Shay, who was in her 60s at the time, traveled alone throughout the United Kingdom to learn more about the……

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If there’s one Portuguese food item you already know, it’s most likely the country’s renowned egg tarts (in Portuguese, this delicacy is known as pastel de nata, or “cream pastry”). Pastéis de Belém, a pastry shop just west of Lisbon, claims to be the originator of what is ostensibly the country’s most famous pastry. Legend has it that the sweet—which consists of pastry cups filled with an egg and cream custard—was probably first baked at the neighboring Jerónimos Monastery…….

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