We are back into Germany this week, traveling at great speed down the autobahn to the southwest of Germany to Stuttgart.

We have been to Stuttgart before but this time was special because we caught up with friends who live two hours further south. 

We had only met the male half of this couple before in person, but have had many online discussions with these two who we have worked with over a number of years. 

We had such fun.

Although there are many highlights that the boys enjoyed at the Mercedes and Porsche Museums, it was the Steakhouse we went to on our last evening that was probably the best meal we had the whole time we were away. But more on that later in this edition. 

A reminder that this is the last week to get a lifetime discount if you upgrade to pay so that you can read all future editions in full. Links at the end of the newsletter.

For now, I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

European Vacation

Stuttgart, Germany

Background

Known as the ‘Cradle of the Automobile’, Stuttgart, the home of the Mercedes and Porsche Museums, was first mentioned by the Romans and has played a strong role in German history over the centuries.

Located on the Neckar River, Stuttgart is in the South-West of Germany and about an hour's drive from the Black Forest.

History

Stuttgart, the capital city of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany, boasts a rich and varied history that dates back over a thousand years. 

Originally established as a Roman military camp called a ‘castra’ in a location now known as Bad Cannstatt in 90 AD, the area was known for its Roman villas and vineyards blanketing the valley. It was on the main road from Mainz to Ausberg and was part of the Roman imperial province Germania Superior.

It is believed that Seelberg mammoth hunters from the late glacial period were the first occupants of the area.

Cannstatt is mentioned in the Abbey of St Gall’s archives from around 708 and by 950 AD the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I (Duke Liudolf of Swabia), established a stud farm here.

This strategic location, nestled in a fertile valley known as the ‘Stuttgart Cauldron’ and surrounded by vineyards, quickly evolved into a thriving community.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Stuttgart rose in prominence under the Counts of Württemberg, who established it as their seat of power in the 13thC. This period saw significant growth and development, as Stuttgart became a center of political authority, culture, and economy in the region. 

At  the heart of the city are a number of historical squares and buildings that should be seen and visited.

Stuttgart’s influence continued to expand during the Renaissance and early modern periods, which was marked by the construction of notable buildings such as the Old Castle. 

It is the oldest building in Stuttgart and is now a museum complex for the State of Württemberg. You can find information on visiting here.

Located just outside the entry to the Old Castle is Schillerplatz, dedicated to the German poet, philosopher, historian and dramatist, Frederick Schiller.

In 1839, a memorial to Schiller was erected here and it remains today.

Located nearby and just a short walk away from this area is the ‘New Palace’ which was constructed in the 18thC in a Baroque style and is one of the largest in southern Germany.

The Königsbau, located at the opposite end of Schlossplatz, was built  between 1856 and 1860 by King Wilhelm I and now forms part of the main railway station, along with shops and cafes.

The building was significantly damaged in WWII but was rebuilt between 1958-59.

In the 19thC the city became an important site for cultural and intellectual movements, particularly during the Weimar Republic, when it was recognised for its contributions to modern architecture and design. 

In the 20thC, Stuttgart faced significant challenges, including extensive damage during World War II. However, the post-war period was marked by rapid reconstruction and modernisation, leading to economic prosperity and a resurgence in cultural life. 

Today, Stuttgart is known worldwide for its automotive industry, being the home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, and continues to be a leading centre for high-tech industry, research, and education in Germany.

Bad Cannstatt

Bad Cannstatt (the location of the Roman Castra) is now a suburb of modern day Stuttgart, and is renowned for its mineral springs. 

A wellness centre, the ‘MineralBad Cannstatt’ is a collection of pools and exercise and wellness rooms. 

When we visited in 2016, we spent a fun afternoon, swimming in the pool and doing the exercise classes (held on the hour every hour) and using the whirlpools.

If you have time, it’s well worth a visit.

Sole Bad Cannstatt 

Kursaal

The spa park, located behind the mineral baths, has been welcoming European visitors since the 19thC.

Established by King William I of Württemberg, Europeans and Americans came to bathe in the healing properties of the waters located here.

A ‘spa’ culture emerged from this and today the buildings are part of a popular event venue and restaurant.

The gardens can be used by the guests of the spa next door.

https://www.kursaal-cannstatt.de/home/ 

Famous residents in Bad Cannstatt include Gottlieb Daimler, who invented the first automobile and part-founder of the car group Daimler-Benz (now Mercedes-Benz), who died in Cannstatt in 1900 at the age of 65. 

Mercedes-Benz Museum

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is one of Stuttgart’s top attractions. The double helix interior and the height of the building allows the exhibition space to be 16,500 sqm, even though the footprint is just 4,800 sqm.

Almost one million visitors a year can take two distinct ‘tours’ of the complex. The ‘Legend Rooms’ and the ‘Collections’, offer the ability to see only part of the museum but can also be merged for the full experience. 

As you would expect from a top rated German tourist attraction, it is all very neat and organised and the sequential tour, through the history of the Mercedes - Daimler - Benz cars is impressive.

Tracing the journey of Carl Benz, right the way back to 1886 and starting from the first carriages built, right up to the cars used for the F1 Team, the museum is a terrific walk through automobile time, and interesting regardless of if you are a car lover or not.

Over 1500 exhibits and 160 vehicles are on display, over the nine levels of the exhibition space.

Classic Mercedes vehicles, driven by celebrities and other famous individuals are also on display, including the burgundy 500 SL car driven by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1991.

Also on display is Nico Rosberg’s driving kit from his Formula One victory in 2012, where from pole position he won the race, in the first of what would become known as the Silver Arrows of the ‘new era’ (silver painted cars with the green Petronas livery).

A number of legendary ‘silver arrows’ are also on display.

Relevant Travel Information:

Information on opening hours and ticket prices can be found here:

Mercedes-Benz Museum

The Museum is closed on Mondays.

A virtual Tour can be taken here:

Virtual Tour

Porsche Museum

Established in Stuttgart in 1931, the current Porsche museum site was opened in 2009.

The original museum was further down the road, near the factory, but was too small as it could only hold around 20 exhibits.

The new space is able to have 80 different cars and exhibits over three levels, which include a restaurant, a cafe and a visitor shop.

The company has around 300 different restored cars to choose from and rotate the displays frequently.

The new museum cost over 100 million Euros to build.

On display are a selection of trophies from the over 30,000 victories that the company has had with its cars.

In 1996, the one millionth Porsche 911 sports car rolled off of the production line and was given to the state of Baden-Württemberg to be used as a police car. It is now on display in the museum.

In 2023, the Porsche Sportswagon celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a number of models on display in the museum.

Relevant Travel Information:

Information on opening hours and ticket prices can be found here

Porsche Museum

The Museum is closed on Mondays.

A virtual Tour of the Museum can be found here:

Virtual Tour

Although there are, of course, hundreds of places to eat in any city you visit (Europe being no exception), on our last evening we went to the Abaccos Steakhouse on the outskirts of Stuttgart.

They have a huge range of cuts to choose from in small, medium and large portions from premium graziers worldwide.

The concept is that the steak comes semi-cook and you finish it off at your table to your desired cooking preference; rare, medium, well done, are all possible,

You cut slices and then cook them further on the top stone that is heated to 700 degrees! If you require the stone to be refreshed with another hot one (once it cools down), then they come along and do that for you too. 

The service was excellent, the food fantastic and it was one of the best meals we had while we were away. 

Located all over Germany, Abbacco’s Steakhouse is a great restaurant to try if you like a concept that’s a bit different. It’s not cheap at around €60/pp for food and drink.

Abaccos Steakhouse

LAST CHANCE ON LIFETIME OFFER

From March 1st, there will be exclusive parts of my newsletter available to paid subscribers only. Until then, you can get a discount of 20% for an Annual Subscription or 10% on a Monthly one. Use the links below to upgrade to paid.

If you would like the Annual option, please click this link:

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Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

If you are reading this newsletter for the first time, Part 1 of our trip to Prague was last week. Click here to read that first.

This week we explore what it would be like to spend the entire day at Prague Castle. 

For over 1100 years, Prague Castle has dominated the landscape in this picturesque city. It has survived sieges, fires, numerous wars and changes in rulers and governments. 

Now an interactive ‘museum’ to its former life, the castle offers an array of wonderful and mysterious things to see and do.

Enjoy Traveling Through History at Prague Castle with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

European Vacation

Prague Castle, Prague Czech Republic

Background

The official office of the President of the Czech Republic, and the largest ancient castle in the World (from the Guinness Book of Records), Prague Castle was built in the 9thC and was the site of the first convent in Bohemia.

Located in Lesser town in Prague 1, the best way to access the castle is by taking Tram 22 or 23 to the top (Prażský hrad stop) and make the long walk downhill as you see all that it has to offer on the way to the bottom.

History

Historians looking at written sources and archaeological diggings date Prague Castle to around 880, when Prince Bořovoj from the house of Premyslides was ruler.

The medieval castle was fortified with a moat and the first ‘walled’ structure was the Church of Virgin Mary, which no longer exists.

In the first half of the 10thC St Vitus Basilica and St George’s Basilica began construction, during the reign of Vratislaus 1, Duke of Bohemia and his son St Wenceslaus.

Many of you would know the Christmas carol ‘Good King Wenceslas’, one of the oldest known Czech songs, tracing back to the 12thC. It is named after Vratislaus’s son who lived from approx 907-935. Although he was never actually a ‘king’ during his lifetime, he was martyred after his death (having been killed by his younger brother) and posthumously conferred the title of King by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I.

We know that Venetian’s visited the castle in the 13thC, because several coins from the city have been found by archaeologists.

Ottokar II of Bohemia rebuilt the royal palace to provide housing and to receive guests such as ambassadors from other lands and he also increased fortifications.

The royal palace was rebuilt in the 14thC by Charles IV and the fortifications were strengthened.

The current and largest (Gothic) version of St Vitus Cathedral built on the present day site, was commenced during this time but would take almost six centuries to complete.

During the Hussite Wars of 1419-1434, the castle was unoccupied and remained that way until 1485 when the castle was rebuilt by Vladislaus II.

After a large fire in 1541 destroyed parts of the castle, the Hapsburgs added some renaissance style buildings and Rudolph II added the northern wing, now used for many state occasions by the Czech President.

During the Third Defenestration of Prague in 1618 and in the subsequent years, the castle was damaged and fell into disrepair. During the Battle of Prague at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, many treasures from Rudolph II were looted by the Swedes.

During the reign of the Empress Maria Theresa (1740-1780), the last major rebuild of the castle occurred and following his abdication in 1848, Ferdinand I made it his home.

He was the last ‘royal’ to live there.

The President of the Czech Republic

In 1918 the new President of the Czechoslovak Republic, Masaryk, made the castle the ‘seat’ of power for the government and renovations of the royal palace and gardens began. St Vitus Cathedral was finally finished in 1929.

As mentioned last week, during WWII the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, Reinhard Heydrich made Prague Castle the headquarters for him in his role as Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. 

In March 1939, Hitler spent the night there, surveying his new ‘treasures’.

Rumour has it that Heydrich had placed the crown of Bohemia on his head and an old legend predicts that any ‘usurper’ who wears the crown, will be dead within a year.

Less than a year later he was ambushed on his way back to the castle and died of an infection in his wounds a week later. His son also died the next year in a traffic accident, thus maintaining the ‘legend’.

The Castle became the seat of government once again after the Coup of 1948 and continued after the split in the former Czechoslovakia in 1993.

The Palace Guard

The Castle Guard is there to defend the seat of power and government, particularly the President.

Originally established in 1918 to protect the new President, the unit of around 900 soldiers perform various tasks under the rule of the Ministry of Defence. 

Only during the war years, 1939-1945, was the guard reduced and then abandoned until its re-establishment in 1945.

The changing of the guard takes place everyday at 12 noon in the first courtyard.

More information on the guards can be found here: 

Prague Castle Guards

Historical Buildings within the Palace Complex

Background

An all inclusive ticket to Prague Castle allows you to view all the displays and exhibits within its walls. 

The Story of Prague Castle

Located on the authentic Gothic floor from the Old Royal Palace, The Story of Prague Castle is a fascinating walk through its history.

While there are too many things to cover in this short newsletter, the following highlights are worth looking at.

Although most of the archaeological finds associated with Prague Castle are dated to the Stone Age, research and diggings around Stag Moat in 2004 uncovered evidence of Ice Age activity, including Mammoth bones as shown above.

There is still further research to do on the samples taken from the moat and further artifacts could yet be discovered.

This illuminated book is from the last quarter of the 11thC and likely gifted to the St Vitus Chapter in 1086 for the coronation of Duke Vratislav II.

The image shows scenes of the nativity and the Annunciation of the Shepherds, with St John’s Gospel on the opposite page.

St Wenceslaus’ Chainmail is also on display. It consists of a square shaped cloak and detachable (type of standing) collar.

The upper section of the collar has three lines of a golden fringe made of almost pure gold rings. The collar was once attached to the cloak but at some point was separated and used as an attachment to his helmet (shown below).

The cloak is made from hammer welded and riveted iron mail links.

Other items worn by Bohemian rulers on display include the grave cloak of Maximilian II from 1576 on the left, which indicated and eastern fashion influence and the items in the middle of the photo, show his tabard, breeches, stockings and slippers, which were Spanish in nature.

The dress on the right is the grave dress of Archduchess Eleonora who died in 1580 at just 12 years old. The dress, made from silk damask was originally white and was sewn in a Spanish style also.

Although the jewels on the crown are now imitations, these grave jewels, a crown an orb and a sceptre, were likely those of Maximilian II dated around 170. Research originally assigned them to Rudolf II but they have since been dated to an earlier period. 

This is a preserved grave of what appears to be a ‘warrior’, found with a sword, axe, steel, razor, knife and dagger and dated back to before the 9thC , meaning before the castle site was established.

The sword is the only one to have been found in a grave in the entire area of Prague.

This reconstructed burial clothing belonged to Rudolph I and dates to the beginning of the 14thC.

Fragments were removed from the grave in 1991 and are silk lampas with a gold thread in a Middle Asian style. It is believed he may have also wore it whilst he was alive.

The Hatchment of Maximilian II from 1576 is the only one of its kind that has been preserved. The elaborate nature of the piece shows the skills of the craftsman working at the Castle at the time. The artist has not been identified.

The full history of The Story of Prague Castle can be found here:

Story of Prague Castle

Old Royal Palace

Vladislav Hall (above) has been used for ceremonial events since the Bohemian monarchy. Built from 1493-1502 during the reign of Vladislav II, the stone vaulted roof was one of the most complex spaces built during the Middle Ages and at 16m span was an engineering feat.

In the past, royal coronation and banquets would have been held there.

The Diet was created in its present form around 1559 following renovations of the outer castle walls of an older wing.

From the Middle Ages sessions of the Diet and Court of Justice of the Realm would have been held here. These are the two highest bodies of the land. Important matters of state would have been decided here.

By the 17thC the Diet wasn’t just the King but thirty members of the aristocracy, thirty from the gentry and thirty burghers and they voted on financial and taxation matters, going to war, maintaining borders and any religious questions. 

The High Judge of the Kingdom of Bohemia presided over the court, sitting in the throne type seat under the canopy, with the scribes sitting at the table in front.

Replica’s of the Czech crown jewels are on display. This image is of the coronation crown.

Want to know more about the Old Royal Palace?

Click this link: Old Royal Palace

St Vitus Cathedral

St Vitus Cathedral is the largest and most important church in the Czech Republic.

The main tower is 102.8m high.

The third in a series of churches built on this site, as mentioned previously, the Gothic cathedral began construction in November 1344 and would not be completed until 1929.

It is the Catholic seat of the Archbishop of Prague and in 1997, on the 1000th anniversary of the death of Saint Adalbert, its name (and dedication) was amended to Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert. It contains the tombs of a number of Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors.

The intention of the church (from the perspective of Charles IV) was as a coronation venue, family crypt and treasury for the most precious relics of the kingdom and as pilgrimage for the final resting place of Wenceslaus.

Visitors enter the cathedral from the portal of the western facade and are greeted with the first of many stained glass windows.

The Nave is bathed in light streaming in through the windows, which at the far end are stained glass. The cross crossed ceiling is unique to the 14thC and called ‘Parler’s’ vaults after the architect who designed them.

The Lady Chapel (or Trinity Chapel) has this magnificent altar piece that depicts the ‘Visitation’ which was the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth.

Amongst the first to celebrate the Visitation in the 1390s, the chapel also contains the tombs of Břetislav I and his wife.

The southern view of the cathedral really shows the intricate nature of the design, with the various chapels and altars dotted around the large cathedral interior.

Click here for more on St Vitus Cathedral  

The Picture Gallery

In 1612 the entire collection that Rudolf II amassed comprised 3,000 works.

Unfortunately, over the years and with the many wars the City of Prague were in, resulted in most of the collection being spread across different European cities and counties. 

Some paintings were in Vienna during the Thirty Years’ Wars, but those that remained were taken by the Swedish army as war trophies for Queen Christina.

A full imperial inventory in 1647, showed that 500 of these were transferred to Sweden and most of them remain there today. The decimation of the collection can be shown by the 1649 inventory list, which comprised only two paintings and many empty frames.

Paintings returned from Vienna and other purchases showed that by 1656, around 600 paintings were in the collection and the value of it was near equivalent to what it was previously.

Over the life of the castle, the collection has been housed in various buildings over the years until 1762 when Maria Theresa distributed them as art on the walls of the palace, sold them or transferred some to Vienna and they were no longer in a dedicated space.

After 1918 the government requested that Austria return the paintings but only lesser rated works were given over and it was not until the 1960s when interest in reassembling the collection during castle renovation, did the process begin.

The current space underwent expensive renovation and upgrading to meet modern standards in 1995-98 and several paintings from Rudolf II’s collection were purchased to add to those already owned.

In 2001 it received an international award and parts of the collection regularly go on tour.

More information can be found here:

Prague Picture Gallery

St George’s Basilica

The oldest surviving church within the castle grounds, St George’s Basilica was consecrated in 921 and is Romanesque in style.

It played a vital role in the spread of Christianity in this area, and was completed by Wenceslaus.

A Benedictine abbey was added to the northern side in 976.

In 973 a convent was added, with the abbess given the right to crown the queen consort.

The two towers were added between 1145-1151 after the siege of the castle and subsequent fire destroyed a large part of it.

The baroque facade is from the 17thC.

The chapel of Saint Ludmilla was added in the 14thC.

The fire of 1541 burnt the basilica down and it was rebuilt.

The interior of the church is austere and the walls are mainly plain limestone.

The Chapel of St John of Nepomuk was erected between 1717-22 and the bones of St Adalbert of Prague and arranged in a display case. St Adalbert was the Bishop of Prague before setting out on a mission to spread the Christian message. In 997 he was killed by a pagan mob in Truso (a Viking Age port).

He was venerated in 999 and bones believed to be his were returned to Prague. However, there is some question as to which bones were seized because the city of Gniezno in Poland believes the bones they have are his.

He therefore has two elaborate shrines to him, one in Prague the other in Gniezno.

On April 23, 1997 the 1,000 Anniversary of his martyrdom was celebrated but Pope John Paul II went to Gniezno Cathedral to celebrate it.

To find out more about St George’s Basilica click here:

St George’s Basilica 

Golden Lane

Originally built as a strengthening and fortification measure for the castle site, marksmen were stationed above the twelve arches to defend the castle, from a position high above the street below. 

The fire of 1541 destroyed all of the wooden structures along the lane that were built up over the years, with only some stone walls remaining. Accounts show that some time after, makeshift huts were erected for some of the castle staff.

Around this time at least two goldsmiths moved into the strip (hence its name of Golden Lane now, given to it after the Thirty Years’ War).

During the time of Rudolph II, improvements to the castle were made, including the fortifications in this lower section. 

Some of the marksmen asked the Emperor for permission to build under the guard’s walkway above and in 1597 this was granted. This is seen as the birth of what we now know as ‘Golden Lane’.

Even though the guards had to build their homes at their own expense (on ground they did not own), the ‘real estate’ value of this area soon increased and good trade was done by the original 16 who did so. Some owned several of them, to make bigger dwellings.

Although the guardsmen for the first owners, the area soon became popular and were purchased by porters, sextons and artists from other areas within Prague. It quickly became known that good trading could be done here from the people walking back and forth to the castle each day.

Even though during Rudolph’s time it was known as Alchemist’s Alley, there is no evidence that either Edward Kelley or John Dee (famous Scientists/Alchemists at the time) ever worked from this location. 

Last week we talked about Franz Kafka. In 1916 an unknown Kafka lived at #22 on Golden Lane. He was searching Prague for a peaceful and out of the way place where he could do his writing in relative solitude.

After viewing several properties in Lesser Town, they went to ‘Alchemist Alley’ (as it was called then), and saw this tiny, run down cottage, which at the time was uninhabitable. Without telling her family, Ottla Kafka rented the cottage and redecorated it and was happy to let the empty cottage be used by her brother to write.

Max Bord, executor of Kafka’s will, visited in February 1917 and notes that this was a period of intense creativity for the author.

In the summer of 1917 the cottage owner revoked the lease and Kafka was no longer able to stay there writing at night. By then he already had tuberculosis and the small damp cottage would have been no good for him anyway.

#22 is now a bookshop, dedicated to its most famous occupant.

In the 1950s castle management wanted to restore and preserve the house and negotiated to buy the properties and the last resident moved out in 1953. The houses were then painted in the bright colours we see today.

A number of cottages have been set up to recreate the shops that used to be trading on the lane.

Cottage #13 (above) is set up to show what a red marksman bunk would have looked like, when palace guards lived there. It was not widened into the alley like some of the others and plans show that it had the only inside toilet of all the cottages on the lane.

At the end of Golden Lane, some of the best views of Prague can be found, before the final descent towards Lesser Town at the bottom of the hill.

Further details about Golden Lane can be found here:

Golden Lane

Relevant Travel Information:

Further details on visiting Prague Castle can be found via the following link.

Visitor Information

The gardens and out buildings are closed in winter and further details on summer openings can be found below.

 Opening Hours

Information on the Gardens can be found via this link:

Gardens 

Next week, we take the five and a half hour drive to Stuttgart, where we’ll visit the Mercedes and Porsche Museums. 

See you then.

Don’t forget only two weeks left on this offer: 

From March 1st, there will be exclusive parts of my newsletter available to paid subscribers only. Until then, you can get a discount of 20% for an Annual Subscription or 10% on a Monthly one. Use the links below to upgrade to paid.

If you would like the Annual option, please click this link:

https://travelingthroughhistory.substack.com/Annual20 

For the Monthly option use this link:

https://travelingthroughhistory.substack.com/Monthly10 

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

This week we are in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

It was the first time there for us and it was utterly delightful.

A beautiful ancient city that has a varied history. 

If you’ve ever watched any programs that talk about or are set in Bohemia, then this is usually where they go (Discovery of Witches I am looking at you!).

Although we had three nights in Prague, it didn’t seem like enough time and we would gladly go back again, for a bit longer.

I hope you enjoy Traveling Through Bohemian History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

European Vacation

Prague - Czechia - Czech Republic

Background

The capital of Czechia (the Czech Republic), Prague was the historic capital of Bohemia and is located on the Vltava River.

Several Holy Roman Emperors (including Charles IV and Rudolf II) made it their home and its importance to the Habsburg monarchy and Austro-Hungarian Empire can not be understated.

Located an easy four hour drive south from Berlin, two hours from Dresden and three hours west of Nuremberg, it has close ties to its German neighbours.

History 

Praha, the Czech name for Prague, derives from an old Slavic word meaning ‘ford’ or ‘rapid’, referring to it being a crossing point on the Vltava River. The English spelling is derived from Latin.

A settlement was established in the region from the Palaeolithic age and around the fourth and fifth century BC a Celtic tribe in the area developed a large Iron Age settlement in what became Bohemia.

The Celts were driven out by Germanic tribes in the last century BC, and when the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5thC caused a period of huge migration on the Continent, Slavic tribes moved into Bohemia after the Germanics moved further westward.

Construction on what was to become Prague Castle (featured in next week’s issue) began towards the end of the 9thC and the fortified settlement has existed for over 800 years.

The region became the seat of the dukes and later the kings of Bohemia and was an important trading town that attracted merchants from across Europe who settled there, including many Jews.

It was not until around 1257 that the opposite side of the river was developed (around Prague Castle) into an area known as the ‘Lesser Quarter’.

During the 14thC Prague flourished due mainly to the reign of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. He was to transform Prague into an imperial city.

Charles was to build the Charles Bridge (discussed later in this issue), which connected the city with the east bank districts and ordered the building of the ‘new town’ which was to be adjacent to the ‘old town’ and even developed the design himself.

When Charles died in 1378, his son King Wenceslaus IV ascended the throne, and turmoil ensued. It was said that during Easter 1389, some Jews had desecrated the host during communion and urged on by the clergy, people ransacked, pillaged and burnt the Jewish quarter of the city, murdering almost all 3,000 Jews in the process.

Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg was elected by the Bohemian Estates in 1526, but his Catholic views clashed with the Protestant ideas that were gaining popularity in Prague.

The city prospered under Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II who was King from 1576. He was an art lover and welcomed not only artists but scientists, musicians, astrologers and magicians to his court in Prague Castle where he lived. This made Prague the capital of European culture during this period.

In 1618 the ‘Defenestration of Prague’ was a result of disgruntled protestants throwing out the window of Hradčany Castle, two royal governors and their secretary (see painting below - amusingly in the National Gallery of Victoria, where we used to live!). 

This ultimately provoked the period known as the Thirty Years’ War.

In 1744, Frederick the Great of Prussia invaded Bohemia and he took control of the (near destroyed) town after a prolonged and severe siege.

The economy of Prague grew during the 18thC, so did its population; exceeding 100,000 by 1837.

During the 18th and 19thC there was a Czech National Revival movement that wanted to revive the Czech language, culture and national identity.

At the end of WWI Czechoslovakia was created and Prague chosen as its capital. By 1930 the population was 850,000.

Hitler ordered the invasion of Prague on March 15,1939 and he took over Prague Castle, deporting most of the Jews who lived there. The city was bombed by the US Army Air Forces in February 1945.

After the end of WWII, Prague was under the control of the Soviet Union, inside the Eastern Bloc. Demonstrations in 1967 against the regime were met with brutal force and the Red Army would occupy Czechoslovakia until 1991.

The Velvet Revolution in 1989 was a peaceful demonstration against the ‘one party’ rule they had been subjected to; it began what was to be a transition to the first democratic elections in 1990. The blockade with West Germany and Austria was dismantled in December 1989.

In 1992 the country was split into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

Old Town

The Old Town of Prague dates back to the medieval period and was surrounded by a semi-circular moat and wall. The moat is now covered by the narrow streets that are largely for pedestrians and the district is called Prague 1.

Old Town Square

The traditional hub of Prague and a tourist hotspot due to the World famous astronomical clock on the town hall, the outside of the square is lined with restaurants and it is where the traditional Christmas and Easter markets are held.

Old Town Hall

Town councillors purchased a house on this site in 1338 to allow them to undertake town business but over the centuries, this original building has almost disappeared due to extension and renovations. 

Only the original Gothic door to the west remains intact (shown above).

The property was expanded over the years by buying up adjacent buildings and presents as a collection of buildings all pieced together into one. The Town Hall Chapel portal (shown above), was consecrated in 1381 and is the only remaining piece of the original Chapel that perished in the May 1945 fires during WWII.

The emblems (built by the royal stonemason’ lodge) date from the reign of Wenceslas IV.

Astronomical Clock

The main attraction in the Old Town Square is undoubtedly the Prague Orlo (astronomical clock).

It is on the southern Gothic tower wall of the Old Town Hall and was installed in 1410. It is the oldest such clock still in operation and the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world. Its mechanism was perfected by master craftsman Hanuš in the 15thC and was operational until 1865 when it stopped. Prague watchmaker Ludvik Hainz was able to repair it and he became the caretaker, a tradition which is carried through to the present day by his descendants.

It had three main components.

The top section is an astronomical dial, which represents the position of the sun and the moon and shows four different times. 

Central European time, shown by the sun hands and Roman numerals on the perimetre.

Babylonian time - which is unequal because the hours last longer in the summer time than winter, and is measured from sunrise to sunset (a unique feature to this clock).

Star time - shown by the Roman numbers.

Calendar Dial - showing day, position within the week, a month and a year.

The clock used to show Old-Bohemian time (still displayed as the golden Gothic numbers on the ring outside the sphere).

The moveable black ring in the centre shows the signs of the zodiac.

The background represents the Earth and the local view in the sky. The centre circle, the Earth. The upper blue section is the portion above the horizon, likewise the red and black areas, below the horizon. During dawn or dusk the mechanical sun is positioned over the red section.

On the hour between 9am and 11pm, (after the skeleton pulls the rope to start it) the statues of the 12 Apostles appear at the two doorways of the clock and ‘walk’ past the now open doorway (window). Each of them carries an attribute associated with them.

St Peter has a key, St Matthew an axe, St John a chalice, St Andrew an X-shaped cross, St James a washboard and are all in the left window.

In the right window, St Paul with a book, St Thomas with a spear, St Simon a saw, St Thaddeus with boards, St Bartholomew leather and St Barnabas a scroll.

The fire in 1945 destroyed all the original figures but they were replaced in 1948.

The animated figures on either side of the clock represent the four frailties prevalent at the time; vanity (figure looking at himself in the mirror), greed (the miser holding a bag of gold), death - a skeleton) and lust & earthly pleasures shown as a Turkish figure on the far right.

The rooster in the very top window crows as the apostles' doors close and the tower bell starts to chime the hour.

The calendar section of the clock has four static figures named Philosopher, Astronomer, Chronicler and the Archangel Michael.

It shows a church calendar with fixed holidays listed, along with the names of 365 saints. Images of the months plus zodiac signs are in the circle.

Church of Our Lady before Týn

The main church in the centre of Prague since the 14thC,  the towers of the church are 80m high, with each tower having eight smaller spires in two layers (of four each layer).

It’s late Gothic style, has three internal aisles and maintains its original medieval furniture throughout.

St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church (Staré Město), was built between 1732-1737 and is a late Gothic and Baroque church on the western end of Old Town Square.

During the Prague uprising in 1945, Radio Prague was hidden inside the building. 

Jan Hus Memorial

The monument depicts Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced to exile 200 years after Hus. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th Anniversary of Hus’ martyrdom.

Jan Hus was an influential religious thinker, reformer and philosopher in Prague.

Inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe, he believed that the mass should be celebrated in the vernacular and not Latin (like Luther and Tyndale after him) and was condemned at the Council of Constance and burned at the stake in 1415. 

This led to the Hussite Wars between the Hussites and the Catholic Church from 1419 - 1434.

It has become a popular meeting point and is often at the centre of protests in the city.

Charles Bridge

Construction began on the medieval stone bridge in 1357 by King Charles IV and was finished in the 15thC.

The previous bridge crossing here (called the Judith Bridge) was badly damaged by floods in 1342.

The bridge is 516m long and almost 10m wide. Based on the stone bridge in Regensburg, it has 16 arches, which are shielded by ice guards.

A continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, mostly in a baroque style adorn the bridge , with some installed around 1700. The ones on the bridge today are replicas of the originals.

The statue above is relatively new (1938) and is of Saint Cyril and Methodius who are said to have brought Christianity to the Slaves and were the creators of the Slavic language.

The statue above depicts Saints Norbert of Xanten, Wenceslaus and Sigismund  and was commissioned by the abbot of Strahov Monastery in 1853.

The Crucifix and Calvary

This sculpture is one of the more interesting historical pieces on the bridge.

Originally a wooden cross would have been installed here in 1361 but was destroyed in 1419. A new crucifix with a wooden corpus was erected in 1629 but was damaged during the Thirty Years’ War.

The metal cross was installed in 1657 and in 1666 the two figures of the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist were added to the sides.

The golden Hebrew text at the top was added in 1696

One of the largest sculptures on the bridge is this one of Saints, John of Matha, Felix of Valois and Ivan, designed in 1714. It is supposed to depict the rescue of Christians from the Turks. The cage at its base, has three chained Christians inside praying for salvation from the Lord.

The Bridge is protected by three towers, two on the ‘Lesser Quarter’ side and one on the Old Town Side. The tower above, on the Lesser Quarter side, is known as the Malá Strana Bridge Tower and is the entrance to one of the most historic districts in Prague.

At the Old Town end, is the third tower.

The Gothic tower was built in 1357.

For its 660th Anniversary, Google featured the Bridge as its Google Doodle that day.

https://doodles.google/doodle/660th-anniversary-of-charles-bridge/ 

Jewish Quarter (Josefov)

Jewish settlers have been in Prague since the 10thC. The first pogrom was in 1096 during the first crusade and they were eventually concentrated in a walled Ghetto north of Old Town Square.

The Ceremonial Hall of the Prague Jewish Burial Society (image above) was constructed in 1906-08 in a Romanesque Revival style. A morgue was in the basement but it has not been used for this purpose since WWI. The Jewish Museum of Prague has rented the space since 1926.

Most of the original buildings within the Jewish Quarter were demolished between 1893 and 1913 and the current ones were modelled on Paris, so it has a very Parisian ‘feel’.

Many expensive brands have store fronts there. Dolce and Gabbana, Rolex, Chanel and Prada, to name but a few.

During WWII the Nazi’s deported at least two-thirds of the 90,000 Jews living in Prague at the time. There is a belief, although many historians have yet to find evidence for it, that Hilter wanted to preserve the Jewish Quarter in Prague as a living museum of an extinct race.

When the Germans took over Prague and the Jewish Museum it only had 760 artifacts but after the war, more than 140,000 had been collected from synagogues in Central Europe and Czechoslovakia. There are many theories around this but regardless there is no written evidence in any of the Nazi records that this is what they intended. 

The following article has an interesting discussion about this topic:

https://www.anumuseum.org.il/blog/fact-or-legend-did-the-nazis-plan-to-open-a-museum-of-an-extinct-jewish-race/ 

The Old New Synagogue (below) is Europe's oldest active medieval synagogue (750 years old). It follows the orthodox custom of separate seating for men and women during prayer services.

Located alongside is tourist information billboards on Josefov and a souvenir shop.

https://www.synagogue.cz/

The Old Jewish Cemetery was used from the early 15thC until 1786. The oldest gravestone is from 1439.

Franz Kafka

Regarded as one of the major 20thC literary figures, Franz Kafka was born near the Old Town Square in Prague in July 1883 to a Jewish family.

His most famous work The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) is a novella about salesman Gregor Samsa who wakes up one morning to discover he’s been turned into a huge insect and his struggles to adjust to his new condition. In popular culture he is often depicted as a cockroach.

Kafka was not famous for his writing during his lifetime and only subsequently became famous after his friend Max Brod published his works, despite Kafak’s request in his will that they all be destroyed. In 1933 the Gestapo confiscated 20 notebooks and 35 letters of Kafka that scholars are still searching for. When Brod fled the Nazis in 1939, he took suitcases of Kafka’s works with him to Palestine.

A number of memorials to Kafka are around the city of Prague including this 11m tall, 39 ton head of Kafka (shown above) at the back of the Quadrio shopping centre (which was not far from our accommodation). Unveiled in 2014, the 42 layers designed to form Kafka’s face are mechanised and rotate individually.

Unfortunately it was covered up when we were there so we could not actually see the sculpture, but the above billboard in the shopping centre was a good way to let people know what was going on. 

https://www.prague.eu/en/object/places/1886/statue-of-kafka 

Kafka died in Vienna from tuberculosis on June 2, 1924 and is buried in the New Jewish Cemetery in Prague.

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Franz Kafka Museum

Located in the Lesser Town Quarter of Prague, the Museum opened in 2005 and has a number of first editions as well as incorporated exhibits and displays that show visitors the quirky side of Kafka’s writings. 

Out the front of the museum in the courtyard, that also contains eateries and areas to sit down, is an exhibit called ‘Piss’, which displays two men urinating into a pond, in the shape of the Czech Republic. It was created by artist David Černý, who also did the head sculpture shown above.

https://kafkamuseum.cz/en/ 

Food

From a recipe created over 200 years ago, these cinnamon donut type cone shaped bases can be eaten plain or filled with chocolate and fruits and then topped with soft serve ice cream and a selection of additional toppings to finish it off. The original recipe was owned by a Transylvanian cook!

They are called Trdelnicks (pronounced a little like ‘turtlenecks’) and our boys divide into one at 10pm at night (even after a big dinner!).

They are mostly available in Prague, so you’ll have to go there to try one. 

U Medvídků Restaurant and Brewing Company 

Located in Old Town, U Medvídků restaurant has been serving food since 1466!

This medieval establishment has a restaurant, brewery and hotel in the same complex.

The traditional Czech food served is worth trying and we all enjoyed our evening there.

https://umedvidku.cz/en/ 

Located all over Old Town are sweet shops that have impressive looking displays of various shaped and brightly coloured meringue and marshmallow sweets.

Popular with tourists and locals alike!

Getting Around

Getting around Prague is easy with their tram (and train) system. They are frequent and go everywhere within the inner city for all the places you are likely to want to see.

Relevant Travel Information:

The official website for Prague is below:

https://www.prague.eu/en 

Next Week we will be Traveling Through History by spending the whole day exploring Prague Castle, see you then.

Reminder: 

From March 1st, there will be exclusive parts of my newsletter available to paid subscribers only each week. Until then, you can get a discount of 20% for an Annual Subscription or 10% on a Monthly one. Use the link below to upgrade to paid.

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Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc Podcast, a weekly show which talks about current stories in the Web3 space and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations.

The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:
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Today we hop back on the autobahn and drive south from Berlin to Dresden.

We were enroute to our next major stop (which I will feature next week), so we were only in Dresden a few hours over lunch time but there is still a lot to share. 

Many of you have been reading my issues since the beginning. Today we are at Issue 35, so there have been many free articles to read and places to dream about from where I have taken you. 

At the end of February we will have completed this current theme of a European Vacation. 

From March, I will be introducing a small fee to read each issue in its entirety.

There will always be sections that are free, but to read everything from each issue, you will need to upgrade to a paid subscription from Issue 39 onwards.

I truly appreciate each and every one of you who read my newsletter each week over the past 7 months, but the time has come for me to value the work I do, by asking those who love what I do to make a small contribution to keep reading everything. 

I understand that this may not be possible for some of you, and I have decided to try and help with this transition by offering a lifetime discount of 20% on the yearly option and 10% on the monthly option to everyone who signs up before March 1st. After that, the price will revert to the standard fee.

If you would like the Annual option, please click this link:

https://travelingthroughhistory.substack.com/Annual20  

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As always, I am happy to receive feedback from you as we continue Traveling Through History together.

Till next week

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

European Vacation

Dresden, Germany

Background

The former East German city has a long history of being the capital and royal residence of the Kings of Saxony but was almost obliterated by bombings during World War II.

Situated almost 200 kms south of Berlin, it’s a swift 2hr 10 min drive down the autobahn. Its nearest major German neighbour is Leipzig, only 1hr 20 away.

History

The capital of Saxony, with half a million inhabitants, has Neolithic roots from 7500BC when Linear Pottery culture tribes settled in the area.

The existence of any type of township that grew into modern day Dresden did not appear until the late 12thC.

It became the seat of the dukes of Saxony from 1485 and the ‘electors’ (princes who elected the head of the Holy Roman Empire) from 1547.

When Saxony ruler Frederick Augustus I became Augustus II the Strong of Poland in 1697, he began to gather artists, musicians and painters from all over Europe in Dresden. This led to Dresden emerging as a leading European city for art and technology.

It was during this reign and that of Augustus III of Poland that most of Dresden's baroque buildings and landmarks were built.

The Treaty of Dresden between Prussia, Saxony and Austria ended the Second Silesian War in 1745, but during the Seven Years War (1756-1763) Dresden suffered heavy destruction of the town.

In 1785, Frechrich Schiller completed his musical piece Ode to Joy there.

During the Napoleonic Wars, it was Napoleon’s base and was the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony.

After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, it was absorbed into the German Confederation. 

After the founding of the German Empire in 1871, the city became a major economic centre in the region.

In WWI it did not suffer any significant damage but WWII was vastly different. 

Four raids carried out between February 13-15, 1945, by British and American aircraft, saw 3,900 tons of high explosive bombs dropped on the city.

Up to 25,000 people were killed and the bombings and fires that followed destroyed more than 1,600 acres of the city centre. The inner city was almost completely destroyed, as the image below shows.

Cleaning up of the debris was not completed until the late 1970s. The GDR (East German Government) and the Soviets completed some reconstruction but the main church remained in ruins until after the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Eastern Bloc.

Dresden Frauenkirche - Church of Our Lady

A church has existed on this site in the centre of Neumarkt Square in the Altstadt (old town) of Dresden since the 11thC and was Catholic until the Reformation. This first church was torn down in 1727 and the current church was rebuilt as a Lutheran parish church between 1727 and 1743.

In 1736 the organ was built and Johann Sebastian Bach gave a recital on it in December of that year. The current one (shown above) is a much smaller replica but is an attempt to recreate the sound of the original. 

In 1885 a statue of Martin Luther was erected in the town square, in front of the Lutheran Church of Our Lady. While the church did not survive the bombings, miraculously, the statue did. The image below gives a perspective to the scale of the destruction of the building.

It provides a stark contrast to what exists today. 

After the end of the Cold War, momentum to rebuild the church gained traction and a fund was set up to raise the €180m needed to complete the works based on the original plans from the 1720s.

Reconstruction was started in 1992 and finished inside and out by 2005, one year ahead of Dresden’s 800-Year Anniversary.

Where possible, original material and stones (some 3,800 of them) were used in the reconstruction, as many pieces were salvaged from the wreckage and saved over the Cold War years.

Old photographs were used to get as accurate a picture as possible of what the original building looked like. 

The gold cross on top of the church was funded by ‘the people of Britain and the House of Windsor’, perhaps in retribution for the bombings that destroyed it. It was crafted by a British goldsmith named Alan Smith, whose father Frank was one of the airman involved in the bombings. 

The last remaining section of the church (left standing after the bombings and years of neglect) was integrated into the new building and is marked by the different coloured stones, still with scorch marks.

Dresden Castle

Dresden Schloss, the Royal Palace which was home to the electors and kings of Saxony for almost 400 years, has a variety of styles from Baroque to Neo-renaissance.

A fire in 1701 destroyed most of the earlier building and Augustus II the Strong rebuilt it in the Baroque style we see today. 

Reduced to a roofless shell due to the WWII bombings, restoration began in the 1960s and it is now a museum complex. 

Information on visiting can be found here:

https://www.skd.museum/besuch/residenzschloss/ 

Fürstenzug - Procession of Princes

Measuring 102ms (335ft) in length and 105ms (34ft) high, this Meissen porcelain mural first painted between 1871-1876, was replaced with approximately 23,000 tiles between 1904-07, to preserve it. It shows the 35 margraves, electors, dukes and kings of the House of Wettin from Conrad in 1127 and ending with George of Saxony in 1904.

The original fresco from 1589 was replaced in 1889 for the 800th anniversary of the House of Wettin, but deteriorated rapidly, which resulted in the reproduction to the tile version.

Gottfried Semper

German born architect, art critic and professor of architecture, wrote extensively on the origins of architecture and built the Semper Opera House in Dresden between 1838 and 1841.

In 1849 he was involved in the May uprisings in Dresden and was placed on the government's most wanted list and was forced to flee to Zurich.

After obtaining Swiss citizenship in 1861, Semper was again able to return to Germany but his work as a writer and teacher of a generation of architects after him was his main legacy.

Semperoper - Opera House

Originally built on the current site, the first Opera House built by Semper burnt down in 1869. The people of Dresden wanted it rebuilt and demanded Semper be allowed to return from exile to do it. Ultimately he had his son Manfred, also an architect, complete it in 1878 based on his original plans.

Major works by Wagner and Strauss premiered there.

Almost completely destroyed during the bombings of WWII, it was rebuilt again to look identical to the 1878 version and was reopened 40 years later, in 1985,  with a performance of the last opera it housed before its deconstruction, Carl Maria von Weber’s ‘Der Freischütz’.

Brühl’s Terrace

In the historic section of Dresden, on the banks of the Elbe River, is an ensemble of buildings that became known as ‘The Balcony of Europe’.

Built as part of the city's fortification for the 1546/47 Schmalkaldic War, it was named after Count Brühl, who was the Minister of Elector Frederick Augustus II. He built a city palace with a gallery, library and gardens from 1737 and in 1747 it was given to him by the Saxon Elector due to his work on taxation for the state.

The Terrace begins at the Augustus Bridge, which has been a river crossing at this point since the 12thC. Originally built with 12 arches, it was upgraded to only 9, to allow larger river traffic to pass under it.

The Dresden Academy of Fine Arts is a collection of buildings, which are an exhibition space and university, located on Brühls Terrace.

Famous artists names are inscribed on the side of the building facing the terrace, including, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael.

Reconstructed similarly to the Frauenkirche, stones salvaged from the WWII bombings were reused, leaving the buildings with a facade that shows the savageness of war.

Just past the Frauenkirche, we stopped for lunch. 

We ate at a restaurant called Edelweiss and had a selection of delicious German food. I’ve included a couple of photos.

Next week we will travel to the Czech Republic and its capital Prague. I hope you’ll join me.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:
Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

As we continue our European Vacation this week we arrive in Berlin, Germany.

One of the World’s major cities, it has an incredible (and often colourful) history, which we will explore a little in this issue.

We were there for New Years which made it tricky with some things being closed due to the holidays.

It is one of those cities that you should probably visit at least once! 

Hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

Monthly Theme - European Vacation

Berlin, Germany

Background

The largest city in Germany, not only by population (3.8 million) but also by area, Berlin’s settlement history dates back to 60,000 BC but is perhaps best known today for being the German capital, the Berlin Wall and its role in the end of the cold war. 

Located in the northeast of Germany, Berlin can be easily reached by road on the many autobahns that approach it, as well as by train and all major airlines have daily flights to the Berlin Brandenburg Airport. 

History

The city of Berlin has a long history of being at the forefront of German civilisation. 

The earliest known settlement history dates back to 60,000 BC, with dense human settlement along Berlin’s river, the Spree from 2,000 BC.

The earliest written record is around the late 12thC. Historians consider 1237 as the founding date of the city.

Berlin was devastated during the Thirty-Years War from 1618-1648. Half the population died and around a third of the buildings were damaged or destroyed. 

Napoleon marched into Berlin in 1806, but allowed it to remain self-governing.

Berlin grew to become the heart of the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, and the Weimar Republic.

The 19th century saw Berlin at the forefront of industrialisation in Germany. The city became a major centre of politics, science, and the arts. The establishment of the German Empire in 1871, with Berlin as its capital, heralded a period of unprecedented growth and development.

Albert Einstein lived for a number of years in Berlin and rose to prominence during his time there, later being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921.

Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and Berlin hosted the Summer Olympics in 1936 and this image of the rise of him and the Nazis was a sign of things to come.

After the end of WWII and the dividing of Berlin, the capital of Germany moved to Bonn and was not reinstated until a vote by the Bundestag (German Parliament) in 1991. Under the Chancellorship of Gerhard Schrüder, this process was completed in 1999.

The Cold War

The Cold War era saw Berlin split into East and West, symbolised by the Berlin Wall, which stood from 1961 until 1989. 

Checkpoint Charlie

Featured in numerous famous movies (including Octopussy, The Spy who came in from the Cold, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E), Checkpoint Charlie, named by the Americans during the Allied occupation of the city, has become a favourite tourist photo opportunity (shown above).

It was the main crossing point between East and West Berlin, established after the division of the city following the end of WWII. After external borders were closed, Checkpoint Charlie was a point where Germans and international visitors were able to move relatively easily through both halfs. The crossing became the easiest way for East Germans to defect to the West resulting in a ‘brain drain’ of over three million East Germans (20% of the population) to the West from 1949-1961.

Walter Urbright, the East German leader, wanted to stop emigration and defection from the East to the West, a large proportion of which happened through the Berlin crossings.  In the first seven months of 1961, 207,000 people defected. The East German economy suffered due to this drain of talent, mostly of young people. 

At midnight on August 12/13, 1961 a temporary barbed-wire barrier was erected between East and West Berlin, a precursor to the permanent wall that would eventually be constructed.

The four powers governing Berlin included America, France, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. It was agreed that military personnel could freely move around Berlin without being stopped (while normal citizens faced some restriction). The ‘Berlin Crisis of 1961’ began because the US Chef de Mission in West Berlin, E. Allan Lightner, was stopped at Checkpoint Charlie on October 22, on his way to the opera in East Berlin that evening.

Over the coming days tensions were heightened and on October 27, ten Soviet tanks were driven to the border crossing at Checkpoint Charlie, subsequently joined on the other side by American tanks, facing off across the border divide (image below).

An agreement between President Kennedy in the White House and Khrushchev in the Kremlin saw each side's tanks move backwards, starting with the Soviets moving 5 metres, followed by the American’s. Kennedy commented that while a ‘wall’ was not a good solution, it was better than a war.

The original guardhouse booth on the American side remained until June 1990 and is now displayed in the Allied Museum. 

The memorial guardhouse and sign there now, are based on the original structures built. 

Berlin Wall

As previously mentioned, at midnight on August 12/13, 1961, East German military personnel began the construction of a barrier between East and West Berlin, to stop East Germans from defecting to the West.

The above image shows the division of Berlin after WWII and the outline of the Wall’s boundary. The wall was 140kms in length.

The Wall was constructed inside the East zone, so as not to encroach on Western territory. There was a guard tower every 600m.

In June 1962 an inner wall was added. This ‘dead zone’ was created with two sections of wall and a clearing zone between them. This enabled border guards to get a better view of people trying to escape. Based on geography there were different widths in different sections.

Over 100,000 people attempted to escape from East Germany during the period the wall was erected. Around 5,000 of them succeeded, with a death toll of around 200, although these numbers are disputed by both sides.

The Wall fell on 9 November 1989 after several weeks of civil unrest, spurred on by the fall of several of the Eastern Bloc regimes in surrounding countries. East German officials announced that GDR citizens could again visit Germany and West Berlin. 

Crowds gathered on both sides of the wall and began dismantling it.

The official demolition of the Wall began on June 13, 1990 and was completed in 1994.

East Side Gallery

While most sections of the Wall were dismantled after reunification, a few areas remain including what is now known as the ‘East Side Gallery’.

Artists were invited to come and paint sections of the wall and these are photographed a lot by tourists. 

There has been great debate amongst the people of Berlin and urban planners and developers about what to do with sections of land that, if used for housing and retail development, would be a profitable venture. 

There are arguments for both sides. Those who want to make sure that the wall and what happened is never forgotten and those who believe the city needs to move on and provide money making opportunities for businesses to help Berlin grow. 

As can be seen from the above image, in some areas apartments have been built right up to the wall fragments. 

Museums

There are a number of museums in Berlin to visit. Too many to preview in this issue, but information on the different ones can be found here:

https://www.visitberlin.de/en/tickets-museum-exhibitions-berlin 

DDR Museum

The DDR Museum is a collection of interactive and ‘hands on’ displays documenting life in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic). It has three main themes. Public Life, State and Ideology and Life in a Tower Block, which allows you to go inside a flat where East Germans lived. 

With over 300,000 different objects in its collection, it is worth visiting to see what it was like to live in a state cut off from the outside World.

Information on visiting can be found here:

https://www.ddr-museum.de/en 

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe & Museum

Located not far from the Führerbunker, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a haunting, reflective space in the historical district of Berlin.

Designed by architects Peter Eisenman and Buro Happold, the above ground memorial of 19,000 sqm, has 2,711 concrete slabs, placed in a grid pattern to represent all those killed. It was opened in 2005, sixty years after WWII ended.

An underground information centre, records the names of the three millions Jewish Holocaust victims and some of their stories.

While it is definitely worth seeing, the information conveyed in the museum is haunting and confronting and some people may find it distressing. A timeline documents what happened and when, and the consequences for the Jewish people.

One of the things I found most distressing were the letters and postcards people sent to relatives elsewhere, indicating they knew what was coming, which certainly was the case as the war progressed. After a while I had to stop reading as it became overwhelming to continue. It is one of those places you go, where everybody there is very quiet as they progress through the exhibits. I am thankful I was able to go and see it but it was also very sad and moving.

Further Information can be found here:

https://www.museumsportal-berlin.de/en/museums/denkmal-fur-die-ermordeten-juden-europas-ort-der-information/ 

Computerspielemuseum - Computer Games Museum 

The first ever computer games museum can be found in Berlin. Six decades of gaming history can be found here and it was certainly a trip back in time for us and our boys.

Almost every console in existence can be found here, with many of them still playable.

It’s a very hands-on user experience, which doesn’t only extend to hardware. An interactive wall of computer games, can be searched to discover fun facts about your favourite games, whether old or new. 

It is inexpensive to visit, at only €11 per person. Details on visiting can be found here:

https://www.computerspielemuseum.de/en/43-Homepage.htm 

Landmarks

Brandenburg Gate

One of Berlin’s (and Germany’s) most famous landmarks is the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate).

Built by Frederick William II, King of Prussia in the 18thC (1788-1791), it used to be the city gate site, marking the road from Berlin to the then capital Margraviate of Brandenberg. It stands at 26m high and 65.5m long.

It is located on the newly redeveloped Pariser Platz and is located in the western part of the city. 

The neo-classical monument draws parallels with a Roman triumphal arch but was one of the first Greek revival architectural pieces in Germany.

The ‘quadriga’ on the top, features four horses pulling a chariot and was added in 1793.

Napoleon was the first ruler to use the gate in a triumphal procession in 1806 and took the quadriga to Paris as war booty and a sign of his victory over the city. It was returned in 1814 after he abdicated. 

While cars used to be able to drive under it after the city’s reunification in the 1990s, it has now been turned into a pedestrian only zone. 

When the gate was officially open in the unified city on December 22, 1989, 100,000 people gathered at it to celebrate.

Victory Column

The Victory Column was originally located near Köingsplatz but was relocated by the Nazis’ to its current location at the end of Tiergarten, in an area known as the Great Star, due to the intersecting roads in this location. 

Designed after the Second Schleswig War in 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory, its purpose was reinforced when inaugurated in September 1873, because by then victories had been achieved in two other wars (Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War).

Because of this, the winged statue of Victoria, the Roman goddess of Victory was added which made the column 67m tall.

Hauptbahnhof

Berlin’s main railway station was opened in 2006. It is huge inside, with two platform levels and an additional three levels for retail and businesses.

Reichstag

The Reichstag is the home of the German Parliament. The building was started in 1884 and completed ten years later. From 1919-1933, it was the seat of government for the Weimar Republic.

Shortly after Hilter came to power in 1933, an arson attack gutted most of the building and it lay in ruins for the following 12 years of Nazi rule. 

When the Red Army arrived in Berlin, the building was a strategic capture but uninhabitable (see image above).

The Reichstag was in West Berlin during the period the wall was erected and in 1956 it was decided to restore the building rather than demolish it. Reconstruction started in 1961 and was completed in 1971.

Under the provision of the ‘Four Power Agreement on Berlin’ the West German government was not allowed to assemble in the building so it was only used for one off events and concerts.

The official reunification ceremony was held there on October 3, 1990 but as Berlin was not yet the capital again, aside from an historic meeting of Parliament in the building by way of celebration, nothing was held there until after reconstruction to make it the seat of the German Government in 1999.

A huge glass dome was erected on the roof, as a throwback to the original cupola that was on the building. 

Prior registration is required to go inside the building and climb the dome. You will need photo ID when purchasing your tickets. 

Follow this link for further information:

https://www.bundestag.de/en/visittheBundestag/dome/registration-245686 

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The Führerbunker - Hilter’s Bunker

The Führerbunker, located near the ‘Reich Chancellery’ (the old office of the German Chancellor) on Gertrud-Kolmar Strasse, is best known for being the place where Hiler and Eva Braun committed suicide after the Battle of Berlin and the fall of the Third Reich during WWII.

Constructed 8.5m (28 ft) underground, the 30 rooms were protected by 4m (9ft 10in) of concrete. Despite being self-contained, because it was below the water table, it was damp and required pumps to constantly run to remove excess ground water making conditions unpleasant. 

Hilter moved into the bunker in January 1945, joined in April by Eva and Goebbels (and his family). He had two-three dozen support staff with him. 

The Russian ‘Red Army’ surrounded Berlin on April 16, which started the ‘Battle of Berlin’. The last time Hilter went outside on the surface was on April 20, his 56th birthday.

It was not until April 22nd that Hilter realised that the war was lost, and despite all his efforts to command his generals and troops to attack from the north and north-east, it was futile.

On April 28-29 at around midnight Hilter married Eva in the bunker and wrote his last will and testament, appointing the Head of Government and Chancellor position to Goebbels upon his death (Goebbels was to hold the position for one day before committing suicide himself).

On the afternoon of April 30th, Hilter shot himself in the bunker, with Eva taking cyanide. As per his instructions, their bodies were burned in the garden of the Reich Chancellery.

On the 2nd of May the Russian Army entered the Chancellery and bunker. 

The bunker was blown up in December of 1947 and all subsequent buildings leveled by the Soviets who wanted to erase any trace of the Third Reich. No one wanted the area to become a shrine.

Today the exit from the Führerbunker and the gardens of the Reich Chancellery are a carpark. [Fun Fact: our hire car was parked there during our stay - white car on the right!]

We were in Berlin for New Years Eve. Not the safest time to be there after the NYE riots in 2022. 

However we all went to the party at the Brandenburg Gate and made it back to our hotel, through some tricky areas and after passing barricades by the Police to get into the area we were staying.

It was cordoned off from the rest of the City as many of the Embassies were housed there. 

While not expecting it to be like Sydney for NY, the fireworks were a bit disappointing but we still enjoyed being out and about with people.

If you’d like to dive further into visiting Berlin, this is the official Government website:

https://www.berlin.de/en/tourism/ 

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

*Please Note: I use AI tools to assist with research, images and sometimes with small sections of text.

We continue our European Vacation this week. 

Signposted as ‘Lutherstadt’ (Luther town), the German town of Wittenberg was put on the map by its most famous resident, reformer Martin Luther.

Having undertaken my Master’s thesis on Bible printing, with the core theme of the Reformation, it was a thrill for me to visit. Unfortunately, LutherHaus is closed for renovation until 2025, so we were not able to visit its exhibitions this time round. 

This just means a good excuse to go back again another time!

Thanks to all of you who message & comment back to me each week, I would love to hear from more of you. Please consider leaving a comment on Substack about this or previous issues.

Let me know what you think of Traveling Through History.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

January - European Vacation

Wittenberg - Germany

Background

Known as Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the town was at the centre of the Protestant Reformation due not only to it’s most famous resident Martin Luther but it was also the home of Phillip Melanchthon (collaborator and great friend of Luther’s) and renaissance and reformation printer and painter, Lucas Cranach the Elder.

Located 116km south-west of Berlin, it is an easy hour and a half drive on the autobahn.

History

The first flemish settlement record in the area of the town dates back to 1180 and for the next few centuries, it prospered as a trade centre due to its central location. 

When Frederick ‘the Wise’ III, the Elector of Saxony made Wittenberg his home from 1486-1525, it gained an important political and cultural focus.

In 1502 he established the University of Wittenberg, which would set up the arrival of Luther and the town's connection with the Reformation. 

Luther was appointed Professor of theology in 1508. 

It was here in Wittenberg on October 31st, 1517, that Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints' (Castle) Church, determined as the critical event that sparked the Protestant Reformation.

During the seven-years war (1760), the Austrian’s bombarded the Prussian controlled town, and in 1806 the French took control of it, with Napoleon refortifying it in 1813.

By 1815, Wittenberg became part of Prussia and during WWI it contained a prisoner of war camp. The town was spared bombings during WWII when the allies agreed they would not destroy it, although fighting did take place there.

In 1949 it became part of East Germany and has been governed democratically since 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the eastern bloc.

In 1993 for the 125th Anniversary of Luther’s Movement in Worms, towns and cities where Luther lived or played an important role were designated the status of ‘LutherStadt’. Eisleben, where Luther was born and died, along with WIttenberg, officially changed their names to add Lutherstadt. 

The Union of Lutherstädte, comprises 16 towns.

In 2014, Lutherstadt Wittenberg was awarded the title of ‘European City of the Reformation’.

Preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Wittenberg remains a symbol of religious transformation and a testament to its influential past. Its architecture, including the Schlosskirche (Castle Church) and Stadtkirche (Town Church), where Luther preached, continue to draw visitors interested in the history of the Reformation and early modern Europe.

Its listing can be found here:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/783/ 

Wittenberg’s Famous Residents

Martin Luther

As mentioned, Luther arrived in 1508 to work at the University. At this time he was an Augustinian friar and in 1511 was given his final appointment to the monastery, today known as LutherHaus.

In 1521 whilst on his way back from the Diet of Worms, Frederick III ‘staged’ an abduction of Luther and he was held in Wartburg Castle for three months. This was needed to ensure he returned to Wittenberg safely, as his life was in danger due to the Edict of Worms, declaring anyone could kill him without consequences..

It was here that Luther began translating the Bible in German. Until this time, there was no common German language, as each region had their own dialects. The largely illiterate population could not read Latin, the language of the church and the Bible.

Having moved a lot during his life, Luther was able to understand many of the dialects around the country and was able to meld high and low German dialects into a more common and understandable language.

This enabled people to learn to read the Bible for themselves, without interpretation from priests and the Catholic Church’s version. One of Luther’s biggest objections was that there was no mention of purgatory or indulgences in the Bible and he felt that the Church was conning people by these practices.

The 95 Theses

On October 31, 1517, Luther posted his 95 theses, against the abuses of catholic church indulgences, on the door of the castle church in the town (shown above).

Essentially, Rome ‘sold’ the ability to pay off the time you spent in purgatory, between death and ascending into Heaven.This meant that rich people could pay for prayers to be said for them after death to speed up the time they spent ‘waiting’. 

The profits from indulgences paid for the construction of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Luther (and subsequent reformers like William Tyndale in England) believed that a person’s ability to get into Heaven was not something that could be paid for. It was solely dependent on faith alone and God’s automatic forgiveness for our sins. 

Scholars don’t believe it was Luther’s original intention to change the course of religious history but the result was to become the largest schism in Christianity, the ramifications of which are still seen today. Without Luther, there would be no Protestantism.

In 1524 Luther ceased being a monk and married a former nun, Katharine von Bora and they lived and worked in Wittenberg, and had three sons and three daughters. 

Luther spent much of his life (from 1517 - 1546) in danger due to his reformist ideas and teachings. Whilst he gained a lot of friends and supporters, those loyal to Rome and the Pope pursued him until the end. 

In 1520 Pope Leo X issued a Papal Bull against Luther (shown below) demanding he recant forty-one of his theses, which were determined to be heretical, scandalous and offensive to pious ears. If he did not do so within 60 days, he would be ex-communicated.

Luther’s refusal to do so, resulted in his ex-communication in 1521 and this created an even wider division within the church.

The Wittenberg town square has a prominent statue of Luther on display that was hidden away during WWII in case it was destroyed.

Unveiled in 1821, it was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow and was the first public full sized monument that was not of a nobleman. 

It depicts Luther holding a Bible opened to the New Testament page.

LutherHaus Museum

The LutherHaus Museum is the former monastery Luther was in charge of, given to him and his wife in 1532. After their deaths, the house was used for various pursuits, mainly in education (Luther School) and after renovation one part was opened as a museum in 1883.

The entire UNESCO listed site is now dedicated to Luther’s life and work and is the largest Reformation museum in the World.

The museum is currently undergoing an extensive renovation and is closed until April 2025.

https://lutherstadt-wittenberg.de/en/see-discover/sights/luther-house

Google arts and culture offer an immersive tour of the museum and can be viewed via the following link:

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-luther-house-in-wittenberg-staatskanzlei-sachsen-anhalt/KAWxWo5wdYrAJQ?hl=en 

All Saints Church (Schlosskirche - Castle Church)

Like many old towns in Europe, Wittenberg has numerous churches, but its most famous one is that where Luther posted his 95 Theses.

A fire during the seven-years war in 1760, resulted in the Church being all but destroyed and the original wooden doors did not survive.

After Wittenberg became part of Prussia, King Frederick William IV commissioned commemorative bronze doors (weighing 1,000kgs)  to be created and placed back in the original slots and had transcribed the 95 Theses in Latin onto them.

The installation of the doors were commemorated in November 1858, some 375 years after Luther’s birth.

Placed above the doors is what’s known as a tympanum, which has an image of Christ on the cross, with Luther on his left holding a Bible and Melanchthon on his right holding the Augsburg Confession.

Luther is buried inside the Church.

Philip Melanchthon

Philip Melanchthon arrived in Wittenberg in 1518 as Professor of Greek at the young age of 21. 

He was a child prodigy, denied a Masters degree in 1512 at the University of Heidelberg due to his youth, so he moved to Tübingen and gained it there. He was considered one of the most eminent thinkers of Greek philosophy at the time. His theological thinking shifted early and after opposition from others in the Theology faculty at Tübingen, Luther invited him to Wittenberg.

They were to become lifelong friends. 

A brilliant scholar, it was thought that without Luther, Melanchthon could have been a ‘second Erasmus’ and has been described as the ‘Teacher of Germany’ due to his work on the reorganisation and design of the education system in the country.

Wittenberg University became a model for how Protestant Universities would be framed in the future. 

Melanchthon wrote the ‘Augsburg Confession’, which is on of the main underlying teachings for modern day Lutheran and the Book of Concord.

After Luther’s death in 1546, he became the face of the reformation in Germany until his own death in 1560.

He is buried near Luther in Castle Church and has a prominent statue in the town square, not far from Luther’s own. 

Melanchthon House

Considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance houses in Wittenberg, the house where Melanchthon and his family lived is now a permanent museum, dedicated to his life and work.

Details on visiting can be found here:

https://lutherstadt-wittenberg.de/en/see-discover/sights/melanchthon-house 

Lucas Cranach the Elder

Considered one of the greatest German painters of his time, Lucas Cranach the Elder, was appointed Court painter by Frederick III in 1505 and remained in this position until 1550. He died in 1553 and was succeeded by his son Lucas Cranach the Younger, also an artist. 

Cranach’s role in the dissemination of the Reformation ideas can not be underestimated.

As well as being a painter, he was a printer and woodcut artist. He was to provide all of the illustration woodcuts for Luther’s early Bibles and was given the exclusive license for Bible printing is Saxony. 

It is not known when he and Luther officially met, but Luther’s first reference to him in correspondence is 1520 and Cranach made an engraving of him that same year. Luther’s first born son, was to have Cranach as his Godfather. 

Now part of the Medici collection in Florence, these portraits of Luther and his wife Katharine (from 1529) are amongst some the most recognisable Reformation imagery. 

This portrait of Luther particularly, is widely used, even today.

Cranach also painted Luther and Melanchthon in 1532-3 and these were touched up in 1543 to portray a more harmonious relationship and connection between the two.

Cranach became a wealthy man and created other businesses in town including the apothecary (pharmacy), which survived for centuries until a fire destroyed it in 1871.

Amongst some of Cranach’s most notable printed works include this pamphlet by Luther and Melanchthon, which contained two celebrated woodcuts depicting monstrous beasts whose birth symbolises God’s condemnation of the Pope.

A treatise by Luther shown below and written in 1527, contains an elaborate frontispiece created in Cranach’s workshop. 

Printed matter that included images such as those shown helped spread the Reformation message, as they assisted with interpretation amongst those who could not read.

Like that in England later that decade, the printing press’ role in moving the reformation message further than ever before, can not be underestimated. Cranach’s visual imagery and his print shop played a crucial role in not only spreading but shaping the changes to come.

The Nazis had a fascination with Cranch’s works and looted many of them from towns they occupied and Jewish families they sent to concentration camps. Since the end of the war, many disputes between current owners, whether private or galleries, have been fought in the courts, with paintings often returned to the families from whom they were originally stolen.

Cranach’s house and farm can still be visited.

https://lutherstadt-wittenberg.de/sehen-entdecken/beruehmte-persoenlichkeiten/lucas-cranach-der-aeltere 

Reformation Day

Germans have celebrated Reformation Day since 1567, although the exact date was not settled as Oct 31st until 1717, on the two hundredth anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses. The 500th Anniversary in 2017 was declared a national public holiday.

We were in Germany in 2017 and Martin Luther Playmobil (Lego type figures) were available for sale in celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. 

Additionally, a board game was created, which allows four players to travel to all the significant locations Luther went to in Germany during the dissemination of the Reformation ideas.

Sadly, we did not purchase either of these, as I had only just started my studies at Oxford and was yet to become fascinated with the Reformation!

In a spirit of reconciliation, the Vatican issued a commemorative stamp for the 500th Anniversary, depicting Luther and Melanchthon kneeling and is the image above the castle church doors in Wittenberg. 

Next week we continue our European Vacation and arrive in Berlin. See you then.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:
Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

In December 1977 we traveled to the birthplace of my mother for Christmas. 

It was the first time she had been back to her ‘village’ since she migrated as a 15 year old with her family in 1954.

They traveled on the Castel Felice, an ocean voyage that would take almost a month. 

When they arrived in Australia, they stayed in the Bonegilla Migration Camp in Victoria, before eventually moving to Woodside in South Australia, ahead of building a house in Port Adelaide. 

This issue will feature mum’s birthplace, Bad Hersfeld, where we visited at the end of 2023 and a trip back to Bonegilla that we did in 2020.

For an historian, family history is just as important as any World events. Obviously, some families have incredible, or complicated, or tragic histories. 

Some, like ours, were just that of working class parents, who wanted a better life for them and their children and decided to bet that that life resided elsewhere.

Without migrating to Australia, my mum would not have met my dad and I would not have been born. So I guess for me, it was a lucky thing. 

I hope you enjoy Traveling Through (a personal) History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

European Vacation

Bad Hersfeld, Hesse, Germany

Background

Bad Hersfeld, is a small town in the state of Hesse, Germany.

It has a rich history that dates back to its foundation in the 8th century but settlement history of the area can be traced back to about 2000 BC during the New Stone Age, with a discovery of a Bronze Age grave from about 1200 BC also unearthed.

The town’s coat-of-arms (shown above) has been used since 1559. 

The ‘double cross’ represents the Abbey and the Lion of Hesse appeared in the town's arms after the conquest in the Peasants’ War from Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, in 1525.

Bad Hersfeld lies around 140 kms north-west of Frankfurt and via the autobahn, approximately 1.5hrs drive.

History

The town's origins are closely tied to Hersfeld Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in 736 by Saint Strum, a disciple of Saint Boniface but he relocated it to the nearby town of Fulda. St Lullus would re-establish it in 769 which marks the town's significance.

The 9thC and 10thC marked a period of significant growth for Bad Hersfeld, as it became a centre for culture and learning, benefiting from the Carolingian Renaissance. 

St Lullus

Saint Lullus was an Anglo-Saxon missionary who played a significant role in the Christianisation of the Germanic tribes during the 8thC. His life and work are particularly associated with the area that is now Germany.

Born in England around the year 710, Lullus was a disciple of Saint Boniface, who is often called the Apostle of the Germans. Lullus accompanied Boniface on his missions to the Germanic peoples and was deeply involved in the Christian missionary work in this region.

One of his most notable achievements was succeeding Boniface as the Archbishop of Mainz after Boniface's martyrdom in 754. As Archbishop, Lullus continued Boniface's mission of organising and reforming the church in the Frankish Empire. 

He was known for his efforts in building churches and monasteries, including the famous Hersfeld Abbey in Bad Hersfeld (now referred to as the Stiftsruine), which he founded around 769. It would become one of the most influential Benedictine abbeys in Germany.

Saint Lullus died on October 16, 786, in Hersfeld. He was venerated as a saint after his death, and his feast day is celebrated on October 16th. 

Lullusfest, is held in Bad Hersfeld each year and is a significant festival that marks the anniversary of his death. It is the oldest folk festival in Germany having been held since 852!!! (yes over 1100 years!).

Further information on the festival can be found here.

https://www.lullusfest.de/

In the 20th century, Bad Hersfeld was significantly affected by both World Wars. 

Post-World War II, it found itself in the American occupation zone and underwent a period of reconstruction and modernisation. This era also saw the town developing into a spa destination, utilising its rich thermal springs, which led to the addition of ‘Bad’ to its name, signifying a spa town.

Festspiele

Today, Bad Hersfeld is known for its well-preserved historical architecture, including the ruins of the Stiftsruine, which serve as a stunning backdrop for the Bad Hersfelder Festspiele, an annual festival of plays. 

The festival has been held since 1951 and will be 73 years old in 2024.

As can be seen from the image above, the Stiftsruine is turned into a ‘theatre’, with staging and tiered seating for the many performances. Some of the best artistic directors in Germany are invited to arrange and present the festival, as Director, each year. 

More details can be found here:

https://www.bad-hersfelder-festspiele.de/

Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther, the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation, had a significant connection with Bad Hersfeld, when he visited the town in 1521, on his journey back from the Diet of Worms. He had been called to appear at the Diet, to defend his teachings against the Catholic Church.

Luther’s ideas and his calls for reforms resonated with many of the local clergy and laity in the region. This led to a gradual shift in religious practices and beliefs in the town and surrounding areas and within two years they would be mostly Protestant.

Luther gives a detailed account of his time there:

You would not believe the tremendous kindness with which the abbot of [Bad] Hersfeld received us. He sent the chancellor and the treasurer to meet us a good mile in advance. Then, once he had received us at his castle with many horsemen, he himself accompanied us into the city. The city council received us once we entered the gates. In his abbey he fed us sumptuously, and he put me up in his own bedroom. At five in the morning they compelled me to give a sermon, even though I pleaded in vain that I did not want the abbey to risk losing its imperial privileges, should the imperial officials set about to interpret this act as a breach of the safe conduct I had been given, since they were restraining me from preaching on the way home. I nevertheless told them that I had not agreed to the word of God being chained, which is also true.

[Source: Excerpt from Luther’s Letter to Georg Spalatin - May 14, 1521]

Part of Luther’s ‘strategy’ during what was to become known as the Protestant Reformation, was to preach in small towns and villages, that not only sold the many pamphlets he printed, but also assisted with the ‘grassroots’ nature of the Reformation. Another reason to choose Bad Hersfeld was that it is believed that the abbot, Heinrich Fuchs, was one of the first priests to marry, which was against the Catholic Church’s teachings. 

The impact of Luther on the region can still be seen today, over 500 years later.

The Luther Trail, known in German as ‘Lutherweg’, is a network of walking and pilgrimage paths that trace the footsteps of Martin Luther. This trail spans several regions in Germany, particularly in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Hesse, areas deeply connected to Luther's life and the history of the Reformation and includes Bad Hersfeld.

The Luther Trail is not only a testament to Martin Luther's profound influence on religion and society but also a means for modern-day explorers to engage with history, culture, and spirituality in a uniquely immersive way. It attracts thousands of visitors annually, ranging from religious pilgrims to history enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers.

Luther's stop in Bad Hersfeld was significant at the time. The abbey, a center of Catholic religious life, was encountering the growing influence of Reformation ideas and his presence in Bad Hersfeld was pivotal to the spreading Reformation, symbolising the challenge to the Catholic Church's authority and the shifting religious landscape in Germany. Luther's visit to the Stiftsruine, therefore, stands as a noteworthy moment in the town's history.

Bad Hersfeld today

The town has around 30,600 residents but increases significantly during the various festivals that take place each year. 

The ‘Stadtkirche’ - (City Church), with its imposing 14thC tower is the ‘old’ town’s main landmark. 

The town is centrally located in the north-east of Germany and it has attracted many big companies that provide employment to the people of the area.

Amazon.de

In 1999, Amazon opened the first of its fulfillment centres on the outskirts of the town. It is the largest in Germany. In 2009 they opened a second one. Although it brought employment, workers have been unhappy with their employment practices and there have been strikes on and off for many years, with seemingly no resolution.

Hersfeld Abbey - Stiftsruine

Religious history can be traced back to this site for almost 1300 years. There were four previous buildings on the site but the current structures are the largest European monastic ruins in existence. 

The town’s museum is housed in the only surviving wing of the former monastery. It includes not only the history of Bad Hersfeld but also the monastery and is well worth a visit. It is free, they only ask for a donation when you leave.

https://museen.bad-hersfeld.de/museum-stadt-bad-hersfeld.html 

St Catherine’s Tower

Within St Catherine’s Tower is the LullusGlocke, the oldest dated cast bell, hanging without interruption in Germany, and is still rung on special occasions. 

It was cast in 1038 and was originally hung above the transept of the monastery church, but was relocated in 1585, which saved it from the fire that ravaged the monastery in 1761 during the Seven Years War.

Our Family Connection

In 1941 my mother was born in Bad Hersfeld. Her family lived in the old town and mum was happy to return to see her childhood home.

Multiple generations of her family lived there. Her parents, grandmother and her uncle. The house is now occupied by an elderly woman on her own. Mum was shocked to see she had all those levels and rooms to herself! 

My mother’s father was in the German Army and was killed during the Battle of Stalingrad. 

My grandmother eventually re-married in the church right around the corner and it felt like a real ‘connection’ for us to visit it together as a family.

When my grandparents migrated in 1954, they would not return to Bad Hersfeld until 1976. Their homecoming was significant enough to make the local paper, as they stepped off the train at the railway station!

We all enjoyed our time together there, although it was too short and my mum enjoyed it much more than she thought she would, after a 40 year absence.

Bonegilla Migrant Camp, Victoria, Australia.

Bonegilla Migrant Camp is located around 15 minutes east of Wodonga in Victoria, Australia, which is a 3hr, 20 minute drive north-east of Melbourne. 

Between 1947 and 1971, over 300,000 displaced or homeless persons came to Australia to make a new home. These Europeans were from the countries most ravaged by the Second World War, all looking for a better life.

The Bonegilla camp was a former army barracks and its main function was to process and house migrants. It was to provide work and give the new settlers English lessons and tutoring in the ‘Australian way of life’. 

My grandparents and their children traveled the month-long journey on the Castel Felice arriving in November 1954. 

[Source: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=30139210&S=3&N=35&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=30139210&T=P&S=3]

Each arrival was recorded on cards that are now part of the National Archives. Like many others, my family’s arrival is recorded as shown below.

In exchange for the chance to start a new life, my grandfather had to work for the Australian Government for two years and he worked on the building of the Port August to Adelaide Railway (in South Australia) and they did not see him for many months, after he was sent off to work.

They would eventually be relocated to Woodside Camp in the Adelaide Hills and it was in South Australia they settled as a family and how my mum met my dad in the early 1960s.

Today, ‘Block 19’ of the migrant camp has been preserved as a museum experience (or ‘memory place’), for people to visit. Originally there were 24 different ‘blocks’, which included churches, hospital, cinema, police station, school and sporting fields.

Bonegilla was the largest and longest running facility of the post-war era. Most migrants were from non-English speaking backgrounds. For some the journey was exciting, to start a new (and better life) but for some, it was a confusing and lonely time.

Dining Halls and canteens were one of the main ways to socialise, with the weekly menu being the same for each day of the week. 

Many migrants recall being able to tell what day of the week it was, just by seeing what they were having for dinner that night!

The National Heritage listed site, is an important record of people’s written, oral and pictorial histories and this small, preserved section, is a way of honouring the multicultural diversity of Australia and the migrants who contributed to its rich history.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

As I write this note to you, we are driving from Berlin to Prague.

We stopped in Dresden for lunch and I took lots of photos that I will share with you in an upcoming special issue on the city. 

Traveling Through History is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

For the next few weeks, we will be going on a European Vacation together. 

In total on this trip we will visit six cities, mostly in Germany, with a short detour to the Czech Republic on the side.

I am taking a much needed break from a regular full newsletter this week and will be back next week, with the start of our ‘tour’ in a small German town called Bad Hersfeld, where my mother was born. 

Thank you again for Traveling Through History with me every week and I look forward to a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year with you all.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

This is our final issue for 2023.

It’s almost hard to believe that I’ve been sending you this newsletter for 30 weeks in a row! 

By the time some of you read this issue it will already be 2024!

After Christmas at home in England, we have traveled to Germany and will be celebrating New Years Eve in Berlin with my parents and three boys.

I will be doing a special feature month, on the places we have visited but after a short break next week.

I hope you had a fabulous NYE, no matter where you spent it. We will be at the Brandenburg Gate celebrations which I’m sure will be spectacular!

I know many of you loved Traveling Through History with me this year and it was my pleasure writing so many issues for you.

Next year will be bigger and better than ever!

I’ll see you on the other side, in 2024

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

Yearly Highlights - Issues 14 - 29 Rewind

September - Palaces

In September we visited two palaces in England, one in Scotland and one in Europe. 

Kensington Palace

First up was Kensington Palace. Queen Victoria’s birthplace and home of minor royals until Diana, Princess of Wales moved in. Now the current Prince and Princess of Wales use it as their London base. 

Re-read Issue 14 here:
Issue 14 - Kensington Palace

Hampton Court Palace

Best known for its many royal occupants, Hampton Court Palace, first owned and built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, was occupied by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, which dates much of the Tudor sections we see today.

The Georgian façade, added to the back of the Palace completed the two distinct styles we see now.

Take a look back here.

Issue 15 – Hampton Court Palace

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The seat of the royal family in Scotland, the Palace of Holyrood began its life as an abbey, the ruins of which are still connected to the palace today.

Take a look back here:

Issue 16 – Palace of HolyroodHouse 

Palazzo Pitti – Florence

Issue 17 - Pitti Palace

October – Abbeys

Rievaulx Abbey

One of the largest and most impressive monastery ruins in England, Rievaulx is a must visit when you are in Yorkshire! 

Take a look back here: 

Issue 18 – Rievaulx

Fountains Abbey

The grounds of Fountains Abbey provide a good day out with the family and can best be appreciated in the spring and summer. 

One of the largest (in area) of all the monasteries in the UK.

Issue 19 – Fountains Abbey

Tintern Abbey

One of the largest preserved monasteries in Wales, Tintern Abbey is located in a picturesque setting next to the River Wye and its valley.

Issue 20 – Tintern Abbey

Whitby Abbey

The inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracular, Whitby Abbey, atop a windy sweep ‘haunting’ hill, which was bombed during WWII, offers one of the best views of a ruined monastery in England. 

Issue 21 – Whitby Abbey

November – English Towns

Castle Combe

Often voted Britain's most picturesque village and used in many films and tv programs, Castle Combe transports you back to another time, with the village high street unchanged since the 1700s.

Issue 22 – Castle Combe

Iron Bridge

The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Iron Bridge is the place to visit to see the first iron bridge that spanned the River Severn at this spot.

Issue 23 – Iron Bridge 

Great Missenden

Made famous by the residency of Roald Dahl, if you are a fan, his museum is a must visit. 

Issue 24 – Great Missenden

Chawton

 Literary enthusiasts flock to Chawton to visit the home of its most famous resident, Jane Austen. Visit the house Jane and her mother and sister lived in for the last few years of her life and from where she wrote some of her famous novels. 

Issue 25 – Chawton

December – Yearly wrap up

Downton Abbey Tour of the UK

Highclere Castle, Grey’s Court and Bampton Village, were all featured in our Downton Abbey tour of England in early December. 

Revisit it here:

Issue 26 – Downton Abbey

Christmas in Europe

There is nothing like a European Christmas, when it gets dark by 4pm and people make a big effort to decorate with lights and make everything look magical.

Issue 27 – Christmas in Europe

Christmas in the UK

In the final full edition of our issues this year, we looked at Christmas in the UK.

Issue 29 – Christmas in the UK

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

One thing about the Northern Hemisphere that we don’t get in Australia, is that it's dark so early, so Christmas lights are a BIG THING here. 

From about 3:30pm some days, the lights are on and by the time it’s dark, around 4pm on a cloudy day, the streets and buildings are glistening and twinkling with lights that truly do look magical.

This issue is packed with Christmas lights and decorations for you to enjoy as a small sample of what there is.

I hope you have a wonderful day, no matter where or how you celebrate. 

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

December - Christmas in the UK

The celebration of Christmas in the United Kingdom has a rich history that dates back to the pre-Christian era, with midwinter festivals marking the winter solstice. The holiday was later Christianised and dedicated to the birth of Jesus Christ. 

During the Middle Ages, Christmas became a time of conspicuous consumption and merriment. The twelve days of Christmas were celebrated with feasts, masques, and the appointment of a 'Lord of Misrule' who presided over the festivities.

However, the 16thC and 17thC saw a period of decline in Christmas celebrations, as Puritanical influences, particularly during the Civil War period under Oliver Cromwell, sought to ban Christmas festivities, viewing them as pagan and unchristian. It wasn't until the Victorian era that Christmas as we know it began to develop.

Influenced by the writings of Charles Dickens, whose ‘A Christmas Carol’ emphasised generosity and goodwill, Victorian Britons adopted many of the customs we associate with the holiday today.

The Victorians reinstated the importance of family, charity, and the spirit of good cheer, reviving old traditions and introducing new ones, such as the Christmas tree – a custom brought from Germany by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. 

The first Christmas card was sent in 1843, and the practice quickly became popular. Carols, which had always been sung during winter, were now firmly linked to the Christmas season, and many of today's favourite carols date from this period.

Christmas in Oxfordshire - Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace is the only ‘palace’ in the UK not owned by the Royal family. 

Built between 1705 and 1722 as a gift to John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim, it was a token of the nation’s gratitude. 

Despite financial and political challenges, including interrupted royal funding, the palace was completed largely due to the efforts of the Churchill family. 

Today, it stands as a family home, a mausoleum, a national monument, and is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

The Palace also hosts a light trail every year which involves walking around the vast estate, with lights within the gardens. 

And reflected onto the Palace itself.

Details of each years specific Christmas theme (they change yearly) and to purchase tickets, can be found here:

https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas/ 

General information on visiting Blenheim can be found on the following link:

https://www.blenheimpalace.com/

Christmas in Scotland

In 2021 we were in Edinburgh the week before Christmas and although we didn’t see snow, it was still an enjoyable trip.

The Royal Mile shops were decorated for Christmas, some in very traditional Scottish style. 

Edinburgh Castle had a large number of beautifully decorated trees that we could see throughout the tour of the Castle.

Different rooms had different colour themes.

Information on visiting the castle can be found here.

https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/

Royal Yacht Britannia

Visiting Scotland in December meant that we were also able to see the Royal Yacht Britannia all decked out for Christmas. 

The home away from home for Her Late Majesty the Queen and her family for many years the yacht is now a museum and restaurant. Well worth a visit when you are in Edinburgh.

Voted the Number 1 travel destination in the UK for 2023.

https://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/visit/ 

Christmas in London

The tradition of Christmas street decorations in London has evolved into an iconic symbol, drawing visitors from around the world. The origins of outdoor Christmas decorations in the city can be traced back to the Victorian era when shopkeepers began adorning their windows with seasonal displays to entice customers. 

However, it wasn't until the 20th century that the concept of lighting up streets and public spaces became widespread.

The practice gained momentum post-World War II, as part of efforts to bring cheer and boost morale amidst the austerity and rationing of the times. 

Regent Street pioneered the display of Christmas lights in 1954, setting a precedent that would be adopted by streets across the city. 

Oxford Street followed, with its first Christmas lights in 1959. 

These early displays were modest, featuring simple garlands of bulbs. Over the years, the decorations became more elaborate, incorporating themes, animated figures, and increasingly sophisticated technology.

Some stores are a ‘must see’, like Fortnum & Mason’s, which this year had their store decorated like an Advent Calendar.

Harrods

Although Harrods’ facade is under construction this year, we have been past in a previous year to see it lit up.

Even the side streets of Harrods are decorated by the store.

Leicester Square

London’s Leicester Square has a market set up that is enjoyed by children and adults alike.

There are also live shows, with food and drink outlets.

Covent Garden

The iconic Christmas tree which stands as a dazzling centrepiece for the historic plaza, in the home of the theatre district in London, was grown in Britain and stands at 60 feet tall, and is adorned with over 30,000 lights.

Visitors can explore a selection of food from around the world, boutique brands, bespoke stalls, and the artsy Apple Market, all under the beautiful lights.

Covent Garden's streets and the iconic Market Building are adorned with over 40 gigantic bells and numerous other decorations. This year, there's an emphasis on sustainability, with the lights designed to be eco-friendly. 

The Strand

The Strand starts at Trafalgar Square and goes all the way to the Waterloo Bridge and was decorated in a blue and gold theme this year.

Old & New Bond Street

The Christmas lights on New Bond Street in London are a must-see during the festive season. This year particularly, they are truly spectacular.

The display continues the royal theme introduced last year, featuring large, majestic crowns at key junctions along the street, inspired by The Imperial State Crown (apt within a Coronation year).

These are accompanied by shimmering lights and shapes, creating a radiant atmosphere akin to being surrounded by glittering jewelry. The gateways at either end of Bond Street are adorned with sparkling gold, silver, and pearl lights, offering a tiara-like welcome to visitors.

This display is not only a visual treat but also an eco-friendly one. It utilizes 93,652 LED lights, which are more sustainable than standard lights, achieving an efficiency saving of 75%. 

The materials used for the structures and decorations are all 100% recyclable, and measures have been taken to reduce energy consumption by limiting the hours of illumination​​.

Adding to the festive cheer, Bond Street also features The Ralph Lauren Giving Tree in support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. This initiative, which debuted last year, allows visitors to make donations and dedicate personalised ornaments on the tree​​.

Bond Street's Christmas lights are a glittering and glamorous addition to those around the other major streets in London.

I hope that you have enjoyed this small taste of lights around the United Kingdom as we almost reach the end of the year.

Merry Christmas

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

As we race to do all those last minute Christmas things before the big day, I am looking forward to my ‘big boys’ arriving from Australia on Monday. 

It will be the first time since last Christmas we will be all together and I am really excited about their impending arrival.

We are all ready, decorations wise, for Christmas. Here’s a picture of our tree this year.

We had a big year Traveling Through History together, didn't we?

This week we will be reviewing where we went and jogging our memories on some of the fabulous places, steeped in history you can find in the UK and Europe up until September.

I have included new photos in this issue, so you get extra glimpses of where we have been! 

I hope you enjoy looking back as we busy ourselves with these last few days before Christmas.

Only two issues to go, to round out the year! 

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

 Looking for something different as a gift this Christmas?

Why not give the gift of a 12 month Subscription to Traveling Through History?

Click the button below to purchase an exclusive subscription that will commence in February 2024 for all paid subscribers.

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Yearly Highlights -  Issues 1-13 - June - August

June Theme - Castles

In June we traveled around the UK to four impressive castles.

First up was Hever, childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the best known of Henry VIII wives and mother of Elizabeth I.

Hever also boasts an impressive Tudor village next door that provides accommodation and we really enjoyed our stay there. Highly recommend!!!

You can re-visit Issue 1 here:

Issue 1 - Hever Castle

Highclere Castle was the focus of Issue 2 and is home to the Earls of Carnarvon and the fictional home of the Earls of Grantham in Downton Abbey.

As you approach from the long drive, the first glimpse of the castle is seen, which is also the way we see it in the first movie.

Issue 2 - Highclere Castle

Goodrich Castle was next up in Issue 3.

This impressive medieval Norman ruin located near Hereford is steeped in history, with the lookout from the top of the castle providing sweeping views over the Wye Valley.

Issue 3 - Goodrich Castle

Stokesay Castle in Shropshire is one of the best preserved manor houses from the 13thC in existence and was our featured article in Issue 4.

Stokesay, with its impressive 17thC gatehouse, is well worth a visit.

Issue 4 - Stokesay Castle

July Theme - Priories

July saw us turn our attention to priories that were dissolved as part of the dissolution of the monasteries during Henry VIII’s reign.

In Issue 5 we traced the history of the Dukes of Norfolk and their substantial ties to Thetford Priory. It was one of the most influential monasteries in East Anglia.

An in-depth read of its history can be found here:

Issue 5 - Thetford Priory

St Olave's Priory was next up, and we discovered that it dated back to the 13thC and the reign of Henry III. It was dissolved early in the suppressions, in 1537.

Issue 6 - St Olave’s Priory

Wenlock Priory in Much Wenlock operated as a monastery for almost 900 years. Connected with Lady Godiva and her husband Lord Leofric, Wenlock Abbey buildings are now used as a private house, overlooking the ruins of the former priory.

Issue 7 - Wenlock Priory

Castle Acre Priory was perhaps one of the most enjoyable visits of the many priories we have been too. The splendour of the former monastery with its lodgings that were converted into a house after the dissolutions, is evident upon visiting. Well worth going to!

Issue 8 - Castle Acre Priory

August Theme - Paris

In August we traveled to Paris and spent 5 weeks looking at the Top 5 things to see and do, Museums, Monuments and what could be done if you only had one day.

Issue 9 - Traveling to Paris

Iconic ‘must see’ places in Paris made our ‘Top 5’ list!

The Eiffel Tower, Musee du Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Versailles and the Catacombs are all covered. Re-discover their histories in the link below:

Issue 10 - Paris Top 5 Week

Probably one of my favourite issues was writing about the different museums in Paris that weren’t the ‘Big Two’ from the previous issue. The l’Orangerie, De Cluny, Rodin, Arts et Métiers and Georges Pompidou museums were all covered in this issue. 

[Musee De Cluny]

Click here to take another look

Issue 11 - Museum Week 

Most cities have their fair share of interesting monuments, but in Issue 12 for ‘Monument Week’ we took a look at some of the best; Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon's Tomb, the Luxor Obelisk in Place de la Concorde and Fontaine du Palmier were all covered.

[Napoleon’s Tomb - Invalides]

Re-visit them here:

Issue 12 - Monument Week

Only one day to really see Paris? 

Issue 13 gave you a walking day tour to see some of Paris’ top sites that we hadn’t visited the rest of the month. 

[Sainte Chapelle]

Issue 13 - A Day Tour of Paris

Next week we'll do ‘Christmas in the UK’, before another round up to finish out the year.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

Christmas time in Europe is pretty special. 

It’s not just the crisp air and (often) the snow. 

It’s the fact that by 3:30-4 pm it’s dark, so that means things like Christmas lights and markets take on a whole extended meaning than those of us who live in Australia are used to, where we need to take our kids out at 9:30pm to see any lights at all.

This newsletter is not an exhaustive list of European Christmas’. It’s just where we have been in December in the northern hemisphere. 

I hope you enjoy this little taste of what spending some days in December traveling in Europe can give you. I’d highly recommend you doing it at least once!

Enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian 

Christmas In Europe

Each country in Europe brings its own unique flavour to the festive season, making it a diverse and often wondrous experience, especially for visitors who haven’t seen anything similar in their own countries (including snow!). Central to a European Christmas is the Advent period, marked by the lighting of candles on Advent wreaths and opening of Advent calendars, counting down the days to Christmas. The calendar tradition has now spread far and wide.

In many European countries, Christmas markets light up city centers, offering handcrafted gifts, local delicacies, and warm drinks, often in a village-like historical setting. These markets, especially famous in Germany and Austria, create a festive atmosphere that captivates both locals and tourists.

The culinary aspect of a European Christmas is also diverse and indulgent. From the British Christmas pudding and mince pies to the Italian Panettone and German Stollen, each region has its traditional Christmas fare.

Family gatherings, Midnight Mass, and the exchange of gifts on Christmas Eve are common traditions. In countries like Spain and Italy, the festive season extends to early January, culminating in celebrations for the Epiphany. European Christmas, with its blend of religious significance, cultural traditions, and festive cheer, remains a magical time of the year, across the whole continent.

Nuremberg - Germany

The Nuremberg Christmas Market, called ‘Christkindlesmarkt,’ is a festive and historic yearly tradition deeply rooted in the culture of Nuremberg, Germany. It is one of the oldest Christmas markets in the world dating back to the 16thC.

The earliest recorded mention of this market is 1628. However, it is believed to be much older. The market was originally a small event, with only a few stalls selling traditional wares such as baked goods, toys, and candles, essential for a typical German Christmas.

Over the centuries, the Nuremberg Christmas Market evolved into one of the best in Europe. It was during the 1800s when it began attracting visitors from other parts of Germany and neighbouring countries. This period saw the introduction of many traditions that are still associated with the market today, including the famous Nuremberg Plum People, small figures made from prunes.

The market is also known for its strict vendor policy, ensuring that all products sold are of the highest quality and locally made. 

Traditional ‘Gluhwein’ is sold at all German markets. The mulled wine, served warm, is a favourite with locals and tourists. The image above is my dad and husband enjoying some, served in that year’s souvenir mug (that we still have on display here at home!)

This commitment to tradition and quality has helped the Nuremberg Christmas Market maintain its charm, authenticity and the highest ‘German’ standard.

During World War II, the market was not held but was revived soon after the war's end. 

Today, it attracts over two million visitors annually and features around 180 beautifully decorated stalls. 

The Nuremberg ‘Christkind’, is a symbolic figure akin to an angel, traditionally opens the market with a prologue, a practice that started in the mid-20th century.

If you’d like to listen to the 2023 ‘Prologue’ here is a link to the official video. It’s in German but you will get an idea of what happens.

https://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/der-markt/die-eroeffnung/prolog-zur-eroffnung-des-nurnberger-christkindlesmarktes-2023-1.13834515 

Like most European cities, Nuremberg decorates its streets with Christmas lights to bring a festive atmosphere to the town.

The entrance to the Old Town is also very festive.

Vienna - Austria

The Vienna Christmas markets are known locally as ‘Wiener Christkindlmarkt,’ and are an integral part of the holiday season in Austria. Dating back to the Middle Ages, these markets transform Vienna into a winter wonderland from late November to Christmas.

Vienna's City Hall, called the ‘Rathaus’, (shown in the photo above) serves as the centrepiece for the largest market, renowned for its beautiful setting. The markets are adorned with twinkling lights, creating a magical atmosphere. Stalls brimming with handcrafted goods, ornaments, and traditional Austrian gifts like wooden toys and delicate glassware offer a unique shopping experience.

Culinary delights are central to the Viennese Christmas markets. Visitors indulge in Austrian treats such as Sachertorte, gingerbread, and Strudel, accompanied by the warm, spiced aroma of Glühwein. Roasted chestnuts and German sausages are also popular.

The abundance of lights makes strolling around magical. We went on the 24th & 25th of December because we had such an amazing experience the first evening. 

These markets are more than just commercial spaces; they're a gathering place for friends and families, offering a variety of entertainment, including choirs and classical music performances and carnival rides for the kids. 

The elaborate light installation requires many months of planning and a large crew starts in setting everything up from early November.

The Vienna Christmas markets encapsulate the spirit of the season, combining historical charm with festive joy, and are a cherished tradition for both locals and tourists alike.

Full details can be found here:

https://www.christkindlmarkt.at/en/ 

We were also lucky enough to stumble upon a concert at the Rathaus (Town Hall) of traditional singers.

Schloss Schönbrunn Christmas Markets

Located an easy train ride from the centre of Vienna, the Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Markets are relatively new compared to the others in the city. 

Started in the 1990s, the markets offer grand, imperial surroundings to stroll around the eighty stalls on offer.

The backdrop of the Palace, with its 18 meter tall Christmas Tree, provides a stunning place to stroll around the historic surroundings celebrating Christmas.

More details about visiting can be found on the two links below:

https://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/events/all-events/event/christmas-market-schoenbrunn-palace

https://www.weihnachtsmarkt.co.at/en/ 

Am Hof Christmas Market

One of the smaller Christmas Markets in Vienna (but still with around 76 stall holders) is the Am Hof Christmas Market, which is generally open from mid-November until December 23rd.

The central square in Vienna was once the home of Henry II, the Babenberg Duke of Austria, but it is thought that a wine market was held on this site as early as 1358.

At Palais Collalto in 1762, Mozart performed his first public concert and other historical buildings surround Am Hof Square.

Full details can be found here:

https://www.visitingvienna.com/sights/christmasmarkets/am-hof/ 

Vienna doesn't just do Christmas markets well, they also decorate their streets to an incredible standard. 

Vienna's Graben (shown in the photo above) is one of the most famous streets in the heart of the city, renowned for its historic and upmarket atmosphere. The street's name, which translates to ‘trench’ in English, harks back to its origins as a Roman defensive ditch surrounding the military camp that later evolved into Vienna.

Located between the Rathaus and St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Greben has high-end shopping stores, traditional cafes and restaurants and the ‘Plague Column’ dedicated to all those who were lost during the plague of 1679.

St Stephen’s Cathedral is also a popular location amongst tourists and locals.

Florence - Italy

Christmas in Florence, revolves largely around the Duomo, with its Midnight Mass steeped in Catholic tradition. 

The large Christmas Tree and market in the piazza next to the Duomo, gives the city a very traditional European feel.

Piazza Santa Croce hosts a traditional German-style market, not dissimilar to those we have already looked at.

Like many European cities, Florence has many streets with beautiful light decorations that try to make up for the fact that it’s pitch black by 4pm!

As mentioned in a previous issue, Piazza della Republica, as one of the main squares in Florence, always has a stunning Christmas display.

The carousel there also gets into the spirit, with a Santa for the children who ride it.

Even the local food market participates.

Paris - France

At the turn of the Century (in the year 2000), a traditional Christmas market along the Champs-Élysées was established. The small traditional looking huts reach all the way to Place de la Concorde and sell French delicacies, crafts, gifts and decorations. 

Major brands and department stores excel at this time of the year in Paris. The image above was the 2022 decorations for Christian Dior’s flagship store in Paris. 

At Galleries Lafayette, started in 1894 as a small shop, but expanded into a ‘grand’ emporium by 1912, attracts many visitors each year, often just to see what their tree, under the glass dome, looks like for that year.

Here’s the tree from 2012 -

And 2013 -

When we visited in 2017 it looked like this and was pretty spectacular.

On the hour, there is a musical show and the year we were there, the ‘donuts’ moved up and down the dome in time with the music. 

It was very entertaining, especially since there are many eateries close to the inside balcony edges, which all have tables facing outwards, so that you can watch the show whilst having lunch or breakfast.

It’s spectacular and is definitely worth a visit if you are in Paris in December. 

I hope that you enjoyed this edition, with a small glimpse of Christmas in a few European cities.

Looking for something different as a gift this Christmas?

Why not give the gift of a 12 month Subscription to Traveling Through History?

Click the button below to purchase an exclusive subscription that will commence in February 2024 for all paid subscribers.

Give a gift subscription

I will send you a customised certificate to give to the recipient. Just email me after you have purchased and select ‘send later’ and put 1st February 2024, as the date so as to not spoil the surprise.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

As we close out the year, we’ll be doing a few different things in each week’s Issue. 

This week we take a look at some of the different places we have visited (there are many more) to do with the successful tv series Downton Abbey. 

In the coming weeks we will be looking at Christmas here in the UK and Europe and looking back on all the places we visited this year.

My family starts arriving next week. I am very excited to see my parents on Wednesday morning. It’s been almost a year since I saw them last.

What are your plans for the holidays? We will be putting up our lights and decorations over the next week. It’s getting dark at 4pm here now! Which is only good in that you can see the Christmas lights without having to go out after 10pm, like we used to do in Australia.

As always, I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this weekend. 

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

Downton Abbey Tour

Background

There wouldn’t be many of you reading this newsletter each week that haven't heard of the British historical drama series Downton Abbey.

Downton is set in the early 20thC, with the opening episode starting on the day after the Titanic sank in 1912 and the six seasons, plus two movies, finish in 1928.

The aristocratic Crawley family live in Yorkshire and the trials and tribulations of them, their family and friends, as well as their servants ‘downstairs’ provides us with a view into life during those times. 

The series artfully intertwines the complex and evolving social hierarchy of the time, highlighting the stark contrasts and interdependencies between the upper and lower classes. 

The acclaimed series strived to be historically accurate not only in retelling of events, such as WWI, the Spanish Flu pandemic and the Irish War of Independence, but also in its set and costume design. Besides winning  Golden Globe Awards, BAFTAs and Emma Awards, it is decorated in many categories including for its actors, director , musical score, hairstyling and costume & set design.

Downton Village - Bampton, Oxfordshire

Located around 50 minutes west of Oxford, Bampton is a typical Cotswold village whose history dates back to the Iron Age and Roman periods. Its earliest documented mention is in the Exeter Book of 1070, followed by its listing as ‘Bentone’ in the Domesday Book of 1086. 

The village is used for many exterior scenes in the series.

Church View

Appearing in almost every episode of Downton the ‘village green’ at Bampton is a hub of activity where characters come and go, as they go about their business at the village shops and hospital. 

Mrs Crawley’s House

Right off of Church View is the house occupied by Mrs Crawley and her son Matthew, before he moved to the Abbey after he married Lady Mary. Named ‘Churchgate House’, it was the Old Rectory for the church next door. 

The main front exterior of the house was rebuilt in 1799 but the rear of the house has a 16th or 17thC doorway, which gives an indication that parts of the house are much older.

A number of times throughout the series we see the house from the church yard as people leave.

St Michael and All Angels - Downton Church

Called St Michael and All Angels church in the series, the Church of England parish church of Saint Mary the Virgin, is used many times throughout all six seasons.

It is dated back to the 10th or 11thC  where it was a late Saxon Minster. The church, rebuilt in the 12th century in a Norman style, later received Gothic additions, and was restored in the late 19thC by architect Ewan Christian.

This stone statue of John the Baptist, fell from the tower roof during a storm in 1990 and is believed to be from around 1270.

The interior of the church will be familiar for the many wedding scenes that were held. Mary and Matthew, Carson and Mrs Hughes, Edith and Bertie, then later Mary and Henry.

The graveyard at the church is also seen frequently in the show.

During many episodes, characters can be seen walking out of church down this path towards the gate leading out into the village green. 

Downton Hospital

The Bampton Library is the setting for the Downton Hospital. It has a small ‘Downton’ information shop, where you can purchase souvenirs like tea towels and pick up a route map, to make sure you see all of the buildings used in the show.

Just down from the hospital is the Downton Post Office (black car parked out the front on the right) and the Dog and Duck pub (the next building along).

Relevant Travel Information:

Tourist information on Bampton can be found here:

https://www.cotswolds.com/plan-your-trip/towns-and-villages/bampton-p2081963 

Downton Place - Greys Court, Oxfordshire

Located 5 minutes west of Henley-On-Thames, Greys Court is a listed property operated by the National Trust.

In Downton Abbey, Greys Court is a property owned by the Earl of Grantham and they visit it when they are contemplating moving due to financial losses incurred by a bad investment Robert has made. The family believe they will need to sell the Abbey and move elsewhere. Lady Gantham suggests they call the property ‘Downton Place’.

The family takes luncheon on the lawns out the front of the house. 

The property owned by the influential de Grey family dates back 900 years. The family were already living there when the Domesday Book of 1086 listed it under their ownership.

At one time a medieval house was sited on the lawns out the front, but in the 1450s the current manor was built which now has different building periods from Tudor, Georgian, Victorian and some 20thC additions, inside and out.

The garden is particularly lovely and was revitalised when Lady Brunner arrived in 1937, commenting how derelict it was from years of neglect.  

The walled garden was created as a series of ‘rooms’ with gates and archways used to stunning effect.

A 300 year old wisteria is in one section of the walled garden.

A series of paths and corridors gives one the impression we are on a trail, which leads to other parts of the garden.

In a future edition highlighting Nation Trust properties, I will give an indepth look at Greys Court. 

Relevant Travel Information:

All details about visiting Greys Court can be found here:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/greys-court 

Downton Abbey - Highclere Castle - Hampshire

Issue 2 of Traveling Through History did a deep dive into Highclere, the ‘real’ Downton Abbey. 

You can look back on this issue via the following link:

https://travelingthroughhistory.substack.com/p/traveling-through-history-ef6 

Located south-west of England, around 114 kms from London, it is best reached by car, which takes approximately 1.5hrs.

The family seat of the Earls of Carnarvon, Highclere features prominently in every episode and both movies. 

The Jacobean style castle sits on 1,000 acres of largely landscaped grounds designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

The wildflower meadow seen here was featured in Series 6 when Edith and Cora are strolling around the grounds discussing her proposed marriage to Bertie Pelham.

This shot from the official Instagram page shows the scene in question.

This bench in the garden has often been used by the characters to contemplate their lives, or have a good cry. 

During the tour of the house, we see many areas that are included in the series and films but unfortunately they don’t allow pictures to be taken.

But if you haven’t been, you can get a feel for the decoré inside by looking at these production images released.

The Staircase

The magnificent staircase at Highclere features many times, like in this shot from the second movie.

The Dining Room

The family has all of their meals here, whether it is a party of 20 or 2 or 3 of them. The elaborate table is always laid out very elegantly, even for ‘informal’ family dinners.

Earl & Countess of Grantham’s Bedroom

Over the different seasons, the beds used by the main characters changed a couple of times (although not mentioned at all).

Here we see Robert and Cora’s bedroom with the four-poster canopy bed. This scene is from Season 6. In earlier seasons they did not have the canopy or the same headboard.

Lady Mary’s Bedroom

The tour of Highclere also includes Lady Mary’s bedroom, Lady Edith’s bedroom and Mr Pamuk’s room, where he was carried by Mary, Cora and Anna after his death.

Christmas Time - The Salon

My mum and I will be visiting Highclere for a special Christmas guided tour on December 12 and we are looking forward to it. 

Just like in the series the Christmas Tree is placed in the center of one end of the salon.

This image from the series shows a view from upstairs looking down.

Relevant Travel Information:

Tickets and visitor information can be found here:

https://highclerecastleshop.co.uk/categories/admission-tickets 

Haxby Hall - Waddesdon Manor - Buckinghamshire

In Season Two, Sir Richard Carlisle purchases Haxby Hall for him and Lady Mary to live in once they are married. Their visit prior to acquiring the property shows an outside glimpse before they are seen inside talking about the house from an upper floor.

The house shown in the outside shot was Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire.

The Grade I listed property now under the umbrella of the National Trust sees almost 500,000 visitors a year. 

Built for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1889 as a weekend retreat for entertaining, the house is styled on a French châteaux and contains a unique collection of art and antiquities that is one of the most rare and valuable collections in the world.

The grounds are spectacular and the parterre garden at the back is breathtaking, especially in the spring.

In a future issue we will explore the house further.

Relevant Travel Information:

Details on visiting Waddesdon Manor can be found here:

https://waddesdon.org.uk/your-visit/ 

Looking for something different as a gift this Christmas?

Why not give the gift of a 12 month Subscription to Traveling Through History?

Click the button below to purchase an exclusive subscription that will commence in February 2024 for all paid subscribers.

Give a Gift Subscription

I will send you a customised certificate to give to the recipient. Just email me after you have purchased and select ‘send later’ and put 1st February 2024, as the date so as to not spoil the surprise.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

You may not have ever heard of a small village in Hampshire called Chawton but you most definitely have heard of its most famous resident, novelist Jane Austen.

This week, we not only dive into Austen’s life in Chawton but her connection to Chawton House and the cottage she lived in, which is now the Jane Austen House Museum.

We had a lovely day out when we visited a few years ago on a sunny day in Spring and if you are an Austen fan, you will want to add it to your travel itinerary.

I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week and if you do, please consider sharing it with your friends.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

November - English Villages & Towns

Chawton, Hampshire

Background

The village of Chawton in the county of Hampshire is best known as the place Jane Austen lived for the last eight years of her life, but its history dates back to the Domesday Book in 1086.

Located 30 minutes north-east of Winchester and a 30 minute walk to Alton, it is well worth a visit if you are an Austen fan.

History

The earliest recorded history of Chawton dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086. At this time, Chawton was a small settlement, part of the lands controlled by the Bishop of Winchester. This period operated under a feudal system and the Norman influence on English society, where land and its management were central to power.

During the medieval period, Chawton's landscape was dominated by agriculture, like much of rural England. The village was relatively small with a close-knit community that revolved around the Church and farming. 

During this time St. Nicholas Church was constructed and there has been a church on this site since the 13th century, with the original building having all but burnt down in 1871 following a fire but rebuilt into what we see today.

Chawton House was built between 1580 - 1588, during the time of the Spanish Armada and Queen Elizabeth I, and was a significant local manor, providing the village with a local Lord and it is thought that the village remained small because that suited the ruling lord at the time. 

Chawton’s prominence increased in the late 19thC primarily through its association with Jane Austen, one of England’s most celebrated authors. Austen spent the last eight years of her life in Chawton and had local family connections in the area. 

Her residence in the high street is now the Jane Austen’s House Museum, and attracts visitors worldwide, eager to connect with the author's legacy.

The preservation of landmarks like Chawton House, now a library and research center, and the Jane Austen’s House Museum, ensures that the village's rich history continues to be celebrated and explored. 

Chawton House

Chawton House is located a short nine minute walk from the center of the village.

Dating back to the 1580s, the house was initially a manor estate belonging to the Knight family who purchased it in 1551. There was a previous smaller manor house on the site but the new building was more in keeping with a Lord’s status in society.

The most notable period in its history is its association with Jane Austen. In the early 19thC, Austen's brother, Edward Austen Knight, owned the estate. Austen herself spent a significant part of her life in the nearby Chawton Cottage, which is now the Jane Austen’s House Museum.

In the grounds of the estate is St Nicholas' Church. The graveyard is reserved for the Austen Knight family and is where Jane’s mother and sister are both buried.

Post Austen family ownership, the house underwent various changes. In the 20thC, it faced neglect and was at risk of being sold off in parts. 

However, in the 1990s, it was saved by Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems, who restored the house and established the Chawton House Library. 

This library focuses on women's literature of the 18th and 19th centuries, honouring the legacy of Austen and her contemporaries.

Today, Chawton House operates as an historic house museum and research center. It hosts a collection of over 10,000 books and is a site of pilgrimage for Austen fans and scholars. The estate, with its lush gardens and historic architecture, remains a testament to the enduring impact of Jane Austen's literary legacy.

This video gives a good look at Jane Austen’s association with Chawton House and village.

 Relevant travel Information

Opening hours and ticket information to Chawton House can be found here:

https://chawton-house.arttickets.org.uk/

Full details of the house and what’s on offer can be found here:

https://chawtonhouse.org/

Jane Austen

Jane Austen, an iconic figure in English literature, was born on December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire. Austen was the seventh of eight children in a close-knit family. 

Her father, George Austen, was a rector, and her mother, Cassandra Leigh Austen, belonged to a higher social rank. This family background, straddling the boundaries of the gentry and the professional classes, gave Austen a unique perspective on the social structures of her time, a theme that would prominently feature in her works.

Austen's works, characterised by their wit, social observation, and insights into the lives of early 19thC women, have cemented her legacy as one of the most revered and studied authors in the English language.

Austen's novels are celebrated for their reflection on real life, often biting irony, and social commentary on the norms and constraints of her time, especially those affecting women. Her works often explore issues of marriage, morality, and the need for personal growth. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Austen focused on the domestic sphere, offering detailed insights into the everyday lives and struggles of her characters, most of whom were women of the British middle class.

Austen began writing in her early teens, initially for the amusement of her family. These early works were precursors to her later, more sophisticated novels. Surprisingly she only completed six full novels; Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816). Two other novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, were published posthumously in 1818. Her novel Sanditon was left incomplete.

The proximity of Chawton House undoubtedly influenced her writing, providing a serene and inspiring environment. The estate's library also served as a valuable resource for Austen and her contemporary female writers.

Despite her significant achievements, Austen's identity as an author was not widely known during her lifetime. Her works were originally published anonymously, and it wasn't until after her death that her name became attached to her novels. This image of a first edition of Sense and Sensibility shows its author as ‘A Lady’. 

Austen never married and died on July 18, 1817, at the age of 41.

Her relatively short life was marked by the quiet routines of rural England. Her novels have been adapted into numerous films, television series, and plays, and her influence on literature and popular culture remains profound. 

Austen is buried in Winchester Cathedral and the inscription on the stone laid by her brother makes no mention of her literary endeavours and success.

In 1967, a memorial stone was unveiled in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey.

Further information about it can be found here:

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/jane-austen? 

Jane Austen's contribution to English literature can not be understated. Her novels brilliantly (and beautifully) dissect the social fabric of her life and other women in her time. They continue to captivate readers with their wit, romance, and keen social observations, making her one of the most enduring and beloved authors in the English-speaking world.

In 2017, Austen replaced Charles Darwin on the £10 note.

[Source: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/polymer-10-pound-note] 

Jane Austen’s House Museum

The house was previously known as Chawton Cottage and was built in the 18thC. In 1963 it was Grade I listed.

The house had a number of ’lives’.  Firstly as a home to local farmers, then a public house (pub), where two murders occurred (!!), after which Jane’s brother who was living in Chawton House by then, turned it back into a house for his bailiff.

Not unusual for the time, Jane, her sister and mother, wandered from relative to relative after the father died, effectively being passed around, as they no longer had the male member of their household to take charge.

Eventually, Edward Knight Austen allowed his mother and sisters to move into Chawton Cottage and they did so in 1809. After Jane died, her sister and mother continued to live there until their deaths, at which time the cottages were divided into estate worker housing.

The Museum, established in 1947 has a number of pieces of furniture, letters and jewellery belonging to Jane. 

This small writing desk is believed to be the one Jane sat at daily to write her novels.

Visitors can also see Jane’s bedroom and the bed she slept in.

The garden is very typically English, full of herbaceous borders with lots of colour.

There are only three pieces of jewellery that are known to be owned by Jane and all are on display.

The story behind how the museum obtained the ring is fascinating. The Austen family retained possession of it until 2012 when it was put up for auction and American singer Kelly Clarkson purchased it.

Due to its significance, the British Government put an export ban on the ring and a public campaign was started to raise the funds to purchase it back from the singer. An anonymous donor provided £100,000 and the total of £152,450 was raised, to buy it back from Clarkson for the original sale price. She had a replica of the ring made and is said to still wear it. The ring went on display in 2014.

To learn more about the house and Jane’s life there, this video by Dan Jones and Lucy Worsley is excellent. 

Relevant Travel Information

All details about the house and visiting it can be found here:

https://janeaustens.house/

Tickets can be purchased here:

https://buy.myonlinebooking.co.uk/janeaustenshouse/sessions.aspx? 

Opening days & times are shown here:

https://janeaustens.house/2024-opening-hours/ 

Looking for something different as a gift this Christmas?

Why not give the gift of a 12 month Subscription to Traveling Through History?

Click the button below to purchase an exclusive subscription that will commence in February 2024 for all paid subscribers.

Give a gift subscription

I will send you a customised certificate to give to the recipient. Just email me after you have purchased and select ‘send later’ and put 1st February 2024, as the date so as to not spoil the surprise.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:
Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

Continuing our visits to out of the way villages, today we go to Great Missenden. A village in Buckinghamshire that had a very famous resident! 

Close by to Great Missenden is the country estate of the British Prime Minister. An invitation to Chequers is sought after from many World leaders.

As we head into Christmas and as our thoughts turn to gifts to give, why not consider a paid subscription to my extended section starting in February next year? The offer is listed at the end of this newsletter if you’d like to take a look. 

I hope you enjoy our trip to Great Missenden this week and discovering its most famous resident.

Till next week

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

November: English Villages & Towns

Great Missenden

[Source: Adobestock.com - AdobeStock_588928418]

Background

Located in the Chiltern Hills and despite the village dating back to the Domesday Book, it is best known now for its most famous former resident, author Roald Dahl.

South-east of Aylesbury and north of High Wycombe, Great Missenden is around an hour and a half drive from central London. 

History

Great Missenden, located in the heart of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, boasts a rich history that dates back over a thousand years. 

The earliest record of Great Missenden can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086. Originally referred to as "Missedene", the village was best known for its agriculture, having large areas of arable land, woodlands, and meadows. During the medieval period, Great Missenden flourished as an agricultural community, supported by its fertile soil and favorable location.

In the 14thC Great Missenden Abbey was constructed and although the Abbey no longer exists, it assisted in the village's future growth and prosperity. The dissolution of monasteries under King Henry VIII in the 16thC led to the transfer of the Abbey's lands to private owners, altering the village's landscape and economy.

During the 17th and 18th centuries Great Missenden’s strategic location on the route between London and Aylesbury ensured that it evolved into a prosperous coaching town, benefiting from a number of Inns and coaching houses which sprang up to cater to travelers and traders, contributing to the village's economic growth. The introduction of the railway in the 19th century further enhanced Great Missenden's connectivity, attracting new residents and visitors, and fostering a more diverse community.

In 1954 renowned children's author Roald Dahl moved into the village. 

Dahl's residence in the village until his death in 1990, significantly impacted its culture with large visitor numbers now ensuring the village remains a large tourist attraction. His legacy is preserved in the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, which attracts visitors from around the world, keen to explore the life and works of the celebrated author.

The High Street, lined with a blend of medieval, Georgian, and Victorian architecture, reflects the village's architectural diversity. 

The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, with its 14th-century tower and spire, remains a prominent landmark, displaying the village's rich religious heritage.

Great Missenden village has developed while preserving its historical elements. The village's commitment to conservation and heritage is evident in its well-preserved buildings that mixes newer but similar coloured buildings with older ones like the library below.

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Wales. As mentioned previously, he moved to Great Missenden in 1954.

Dahl's early life was marked by tragedy and adversity. His father and elder sister died when he was just three. After finishing school, Dahl traveled widely, working in places like East Africa, which influenced his writing.

His writing career began during World War II. Dahl served as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force, and his experiences were the subject of his first published work, ‘The Gremlins,’ in 1943. This children’s book set the stage for a career that would focus largely on youth literature.

Dahl's children's stories are renowned for their inventiveness, often featuring unlikely heroes who face off against villainous adults in fantastical settings. 

The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden serves as a tribute to his life and legacy. His impact on popular culture is immense, with numerous adaptations of his works in film, television, and theatre. 

The museum includes many exhibits that depict his famous stories.

‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," published in 1964, is perhaps his best-known work, telling the story of a poor boy who wins a tour of an eccentric chocolatier's factory. 

Dahl's writing style is distinctive for its playful use of language. He invented new words and phrases, some of which have entered common usage such as Oompa Loompa and scrumdiddlyumptious, both listed in the Oxford Dictionary. His ability to view the world through a child's eyes, with a sense of wonder and an understanding of their fears and desires, set his works apart.

We wrote most of his books in his office at the end of his garden and it has been recreated in the museum. Today, performances explaining some of the things contained in his books are held in this space.

During WWII, Dahl was shot down over Libya. A replica airplane is also on display.

Due to injuries he received during the war, he wrote his works sitting in a chair, which they allow children to sit in, at the museum. 

However, Dahl's work has not been without controversy, with some critics pointing to elements of his personal views and aspects of his writing as problematic. His family and Trust have issued an apology regarding his anti-semetic statements in some of his books. Despite these controversies, his stories remain widely read and continue to enchant new generations of readers.

He passed away on November 23, 1990, and is buried in St Peter & St Paul Church in the village.

As a nod to the BFG, the path to Dahl’s grave is traced by the giant's footprints.

For some, visiting the Roald Dahl Museum will be the main reason to go to the village of Great Missenden and it is certainly worth it if you are a Dahl fan and definitely if you are taking children there.

The website gives you details about what to see, opening times and ticket prices.

https://www.roalddahl.com/

Chequers

Located just nine minutes down the road from Great Missenden is Chequers, the official country residence of the British Prime Minister.

Chequers is steeped in history and political significance and has served as a rural retreat for British Prime Ministers since 1921. The house, dating back to the 16th century, was gifted to the nation by Sir Arthur Lee in 1917, with the intention of providing a country retreat for the incumbent Prime Minister.

Spanning over 1,500 acres, the Chequers estate is a blend of historical architecture and picturesque landscapes. The house itself is a stunning example of Tudor-style building, with additions and renovations over the centuries adding to its grandeur and functionality. Inside, the residence is richly decorated, containing an extensive collection of art and antiques that reflect Britain's political and cultural heritage, including the largest Oliver Cromwell memorabilia in the World.

Chequers has played host to numerous important meetings and gatherings involving key political figures, both from the UK and internationally. It serves not only as a private escape for the Prime Minister but also as a venue for diplomatic engagements and governmental strategy sessions. The house has witnessed significant decisions and discussions, playing a crucial role in the shaping of British and international policy.

The privacy and tranquility of Chequers make it an ideal setting away from the public eye and the pressures of Downing Street. Its historical significance and continued use today underscore its role as an integral part of the British political landscape.

Looking for something different as a gift this Christmas?

Why not give the gift of a 12 month Subscription to Traveling Through History?

Click the button below to purchase an exclusive subscription that will commence in February 2024 for all paid subscribers.

Give a gift subscription

I will send you a customised certificate to give to the recipient. Just email me after you have purchased and select ‘send later’ and put 1st February 2024, as the date so as to not spoil the surprise.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

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LinkedIn

We travel to Shropshire this week to the village of Ironbridge, said to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Its story and that of the bridge that gave the village its name is fascinating, with long reaching threads to this day.

We also visit the nearby Bedlam Furnaces and also included is a very short history of the Industrial Revolution. 

The weather is turning much cooler here in the UK, just as I watch the temperatures rise in Australia! Have to confess I’m a little jealous! Hehehe

Till next week, I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

November Theme: English Villages and Towns

Ironbridge, Shropshire

Background

Hailed as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Ironbrigde is a village in Shropshire located around one hour north-west of Birmingham and 30 minutes south-east of Shrewsbury.

A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986, the ‘iron bridge’ that spans the River Severn in these parts, gave the village its name. 

History

The six square miles of the village of Ironbridge, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Shropshire, is an iconic symbol of the Industrial Revolution. 

Named after the famous Iron Bridge that spans the River Severn, this village holds a unique place in history. 

The Iron Bridge, completed in 1779, is one of the earliest examples of cast iron bridge construction, a pioneering feat that revolutionised engineering and showcased the potential of this versatile material.

Surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Ironbridge Gorge, the village played a pivotal role in the early days of industrialisation. 

Abundant natural resources, including iron ore and coal, made it an ideal location for experimentation with innovative industrial processes. The gorge in which the village lies arose from the nearby town of Coalbrookdale and its coalfield, which was richly endowed with minerals, iron ore, coal, limestone, sand and other clay type materials, that local landowners had been exporting on a larger scale since the reign of Elizabeth I, down the River Severn and across wider Britain. 

Beyond its engineering significance, Ironbridge became a focal point for industrial heritage and cultural preservation. The village is home to a number of museums, including the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, which offers visitors a journey into the past, exploring the evolution of industry, technology, and society. 

The success of the Iron Bridge not only facilitated transportation but also marked a turning point in the use of iron for large-scale structures.

Today, the village of Ironbridge stands as a living testament to the transformative impact of the Industrial Revolution and is well worth a visit.

In 2018 when we visited, the bridge was undergoing an extensive restoration process, as its 240 year age had seen it worn and stressed in parts, facilitated by the shifting ground under it and a previous earthquake.

Over the years, the bridge has been painted in various colours, from blue, to gray but the restoration works returned it to what is believed to be its original colour, that of a deep rusty red.

UNESCO World Heritage Listing

Ironbridge, a testament to the Industrial Revolution's transformative impact, achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in 1986. 

This designation acknowledges the site's outstanding universal value, celebrating its contribution to industrial innovation and societal change. The Iron Bridge symbolises a groundbreaking fusion of engineering prowess and the utilisation of new materials like cast iron. 

Its UNESCO recognition underscores the global significance of the Industrial Revolution's birthplace, serving as a reminder of the profound shifts in technology, economy, and culture that unfolded during this era. 

Today, the collection of Ironbridge Gorge Museums around the town stands as a living heritage, inviting visitors to explore the roots of modern industrial society in this UNESCO-listed historic landscape.

The listing can be found here:

World Heritage Listing

Iron Bridge Construction

The Iron Bridge is considered one of the first major structures to be made entirely of cast iron. The use of cast iron in bridge construction was revolutionary at the time, showcasing the possibilities of this new material and paving the way for its widespread application in various industries.

The significance of Ironbridge lies in its association with the development and adoption of new technologies, particularly in the iron and coal industries. The availability of iron ore, coal, and other essential resources in the surrounding areas made Ironbridge an ideal location for experimenting with industrial processes.

By this time the River Severn was busy with an increasing number of ferry crossings to assist with the transportation of raw materials to the ironworks and the only bridge was a medieval one at Buildwas around 3 kms upstream. Additionally, the river was often difficult to cross in winter and too shallow in summer. 

Architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard was the one who proposed a single span bridge made out of cast iron across the Severn at Coalbrookdale and in 1773-4 local newspapers proposed petitioning Parliament for permission to build a single 120-foot (37m) span bridge there. 

In 1775 funds of £3-4000 were raised and Darby was commissioned to administer the money and build the bridge, as it was estimated to cost around £3,200.

The building of the bridge was more a public relations exercise than anything else, to show what the production of the new cast iron can do. Darby commissioned an artist to paint the completed bridge with carriages crossing it and people admiring it and people flocked to see the new technique.

Construction started in 1777 and the bridge was opened to traffic in 1781, with a toll booth added to pay for its cost, which was said to have doubled from the original estimate (all covered by Darby). 

The construction of the Iron Bridge demonstrated the structural capabilities of cast iron and its potential for use in large-scale engineering projects. This innovation was a key factor in the broader industrialisation of Britain, as it inspired confidence in the use of iron for various applications, such as machinery, railways, and buildings.

The roads around the area were improved after the bridge was opened and the village of Ironbridge sprung up in its wake. 

Ironbridge and its bridge symbolise the shift from traditional, manual production methods to mechanised and industrialised processes. The success of Ironbridge contributed to the broader transformation of the British economy, setting the stage for the widespread adoption of industrial technologies and the subsequent growth of manufacturing and production during the Industrial Revolution.

English Heritage have made a great short video, explaining the bridge’s significance and you can watch it here:

Today, whenever you see a major structure, such as the Empire State Building, Burj Khalifa, or Rialto Tower in Melbourne, their origins can be traced back here to Ironbridge and the start of the Industrial Revolution. 

Bedlam Furnaces

The Bedlam Furnaces, part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, are located just a short nine minute walk out of the village of Ironbridge. They played a crucial role in the history of the Industrial Revolution.

The Bedlam Furnaces were built in the 1750s by Madeley Wood & Co and were part of a larger industrial complex that included ironworks and foundries. This area became a hub for iron production due to the availability of local natural resources like iron ore, coal, and limestone. As mentioned previously, the Ironbridge Gorge, where Bedlam Furnaces are located, is often considered the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

The Bedlam Furnaces were involved in the smelting of iron ore, a crucial step in the iron production process. The iron produced at these furnaces was used for various purposes, including the construction of the famous Iron Bridge. Abraham Darby, an important figure in the development of coke smelting using coal, operated these furnaces after he purchased them in 1776.

Over time, technological advancements and innovations in iron production techniques at places like Bedlam Furnaces contributed to the transformation of the iron industry. The use of coke instead of charcoal in the smelting process, pioneered by figures like Darby, played a significant role in increasing the efficiency and scale of iron production.

Today, the Bedlam Furnaces are preserved as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, providing visitors with insights into the early industrial processes that shaped the Industrial Revolution. The site serves as a historical and educational resource, showcasing the industrial heritage of the region and is believed to be the last remaining furnace of its type intact.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution in Britain, spanning the late 18th to mid-19th centuries, marked a profound shift in economic, social, and technological paradigms, transforming a predominantly agrarian society into an industrial powerhouse. Several key factors contributed to Britain's pivotal role in this revolutionary period.

Natural Resources

Britain possessed abundant natural resources crucial for industrialisation. Rich deposits of coal and iron ore were strategically located, facilitating the establishment of coal-powered industries and iron production. This resource abundance played a pivotal role in powering the steam engines that became the driving force behind the industrial machinery.

Innovation and Invention

A culture of innovation and a willingness to experiment with new technologies were integral to the Industrial Revolution. Innovations such as the spinning jenny, water frame, and later the power loom revolutionised textile manufacturing. Additionally, James Watt's improvements to the steam engine provided a reliable and efficient source of power for various industries.

Transportation Revolution

The development of an extensive canal system and, later, the construction of the railway network facilitated the transportation of raw materials and finished goods. This connectivity not only linked industrial centres but also opened up new markets, contributing to economic growth.

Capital and Entrepreneurship

The emergence of a capitalist system, coupled with the availability of investment capital, fueled industrial expansion. Entrepreneurs like Richard Arkwright and Matthew Boulton played instrumental roles by establishing factories and investing in innovative technologies.

Urbanisation and Labor Market Shift

The demand for labor in burgeoning industries led to mass urbanisation as people moved from rural areas to cities in search of employment. This shift in population dynamics reshaped societal structures and created a new labor force for the burgeoning factories.

Role of Institutions

The legal and financial infrastructure in Britain supported industrial growth. The establishment of patent laws encouraged inventors, while the availability of banking services facilitated capital accumulation for industrial ventures.

While the Industrial Revolution brought about unprecedented economic growth and technological advancements, it also ushered in social challenges such as poor working conditions, child labor, and increased pollution. Nevertheless, its impact on shaping the modern world is immeasurable, laying the groundwork for subsequent waves of industrialisation globally.

If you’d like to listen to a podcast about the Iron Bridge and the Industrial Revolution, on the 240th Anniversary of the bridge’s construction in 2019, you can find one here by English Heritage:

https://soundcloud.com

Episode 22 - The Iron Bridge and the Industrial Revolution by English Heritage

On the 240th anniversary of the creation of the iconic Iron Bridge in Shropshire, we meet head collections curator Matt Thompson to find out how its creation marked a turning point in engineering history, how it revolutionised the use of iron, and how it's paved the way for other engineering projects.

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Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

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Content Marketing Queen Website

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This month we will take a tour of English Villages and Towns.

There are literally thousands all over the UK and I’ve picked just 4 for this month. Aside from this week, the ones we will explore are not the high profile towns you might visit in tour packages. As you know I try to bring you information on the not so famous as well as the famous places we have visited.

Instead they are each famous in their own right but are also terrific examples of what it’s like to live somewhere that is famous for something, but still retain its village or small town charm.

This week we are celebrating Guy Fawkes Night (November 5th) and that is our supplementary feature in this issue. 

If you are looking for a gift for Christmas that is a bit different this year, take a look at an offer I’ve included at the end of this week’s issue.

As always, I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me,

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

November Theme: English Villages & Towns

Castle Combe - Cotswolds

Background

The village of Castle Combe, with just under 350 residents, has been voted England’s prettiest village on a number of occasions. 

It is ‘chocolate box’ pretty, with buildings made from Cotswald stone and no new development since the 1600s.

Located 30 minutes north-east of Bath and 15 minutes north of Chippenham, Castle Combe is in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Wiltshire.

History

Described as ‘quintessentially English’, Castle Combes' history dates back to pre Roman times. 

Around three miles from the village, a Roman villa once stood but in 1985 during excavations near this site, Neolithic flint tools and Iron Age brooches were also found, indicating a much longer history of settlement in the area. The village lies close to Fosse Way, an important road used by the Romans linking Exeter in the south-west with Lincoln in the northeast.

Fragments of a bath house and corn drying ovens were also found, the latter dating from the 4thC.

The Domesday book of 1086 lists 33 households here, with the local Lord being Humphrey de I’lise. 

A 12thC castle was built 500m to the north and it is from this that the village takes its name. Constructed during the reign of Henry I, little remains today, other than the mound on which it once stood. The remaining tower ruin was dismantled in the 1950s.

In the 14thC the village was granted a charter to hold a weekly market and a ‘Market Cross’ was erected at the intersection of where the 3 village streets meet.

Also shown in the image above, are stone steps that were used by people to mount and dismount their horses. In addition to grazing sheep and growing grain, Castle Combe had a thriving wool cloth industry by 1340 and a fulling mill operated until the 17thC. Woollen cloth from the mill was used to supply local troops and those of King Henry V’s during the war with France.

A manor house was added in the 14thC and the Scrope family lived there from the reign of Richard II and for almost 500 years (they sold it in 1866). With extensions over time, the Manor House is now a hotel and golf club, set within 365 acres of garden.

A row of old weavers’ cottages are located by the bridge and Bybrook River and is perhaps the most recognisably photographed site at the foot of the village.

The facades of the main village roads have been maintained and nothing new added since the 16thC. This adds to the village charm and feel.

Riverside House is a two story Elizabethan/Jacobean style dwelling that has an original dovecote in the yard. A dovecote was where pigeons and doves were kept by wealthy families and was a status symbol to have had one. The outbuilding in the photo below (on the left) was Riversides Cottages’ dovecote.

The upper section of the village is where the visitor car park is located. Local authorities encourage people to park up there, then walk down to the village.

April Cottage is a Grade II listed building with a thatched roof and is dated early 18thC.

Also located in the upper section of the village is ‘School Lane’ which includes row cottages made of rubble stone and constructed around the 18thC.

Castle Combe has been featured in many films and tv series. Doctor Dolittle and Stardust were filmed there as well as Steven Spielberg’s ‘War Horse’.

Castle Combe Motor Racing Circuit

RAF Castle Combe was built to the east of the village, on land owned by the estate, in May 1941 during WWII. It was used for landing practice for a nearby airbase and was sold in 1948 and turned into a racing track from July 1950. It is one of the earliest in the UK along with Silverstone. 

St Andrew’s Church

The site on which St Andrew’s, Castle Combe stands, shows evidence of an early celtic tribe’s pagan temple, long before the arrival of the Romans in Britain in 43 AD. 

Part of the current church dates back to the 13thC, with the nave added in the 14thC and the tower being completed in the 16thC.

Church Tower

The Church Tower was started in 1434 and has many typical features of a late medieval church with pinnacles, diagonal buttresses and battlements. 

The Tower has a beautiful vaulted ceiling with a 4 panel stained glass window. The vaulting is similar to that in Bath Abbey.

Three notable inclusions inside the church are worth seeing. 

Medieval Rood Screen

Restoration work in the Knight’s chapel has enabled the placing of a medieval rood screen which has been restored and returned to its original location. Rood screens were removed from all churches in England during the Reformation by order of King Henry VIII. The thought behind this was to ‘open’ up the church to the people, rather than having the priest behind the screen, ‘hiding’ the word of God and the sacraments from the congregation.

Norman Knight Effigy

The same area also contains a magnificent stone carved monument of a Norman Knight, Sir Walter de Dunstanville (d. 1270), that shows the effigy cross legged, which at the time indicated he served in the Crusades.

Medieval Faceless Clock

St Andrew’s houses one of the few remaining faceless clocks in the country. While there is no written evidence to date it, three others which are similar, all date from the late 15thC.

It has no face to show the actual time, because villagers and farmers had no need to know the exact time, but just needed to know when the hour strikes.

The clock strikes the tower bell on the hour to tell the ‘time’.

St Andrew’s can be accessed via the lane leading from the Market Place in the center of the village.

Relevant Travel Information:

Castle Combe is just over two and a half hours west of London but if you are wanting to experience a traditional, picturesque English cotswolds village, there are few better than this. You can visit everyday during daylight hours. 

Guy Fawkes & the Gunpowder Plot

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November!

On the 5th of November 1605, Guy Fawkes and his band of men were discovered ready to ignite 36 barrels of gunpowder in order to blow up the House of Lords in the Houses of Parliament in London and kill King James I. 

Guy Fawkes, Robert Catsby, Thomas Percy and 10 other men, all staunch Catholics, were unhappy with King James when he said in a speech to Parliament in 1604, that he ‘detested’ Catholics and ordered that all Catholic and Jesuit priests leave England.

This angered many Catholics who had hoped that because the Queen (James’ wife, Anne of Denmark) had turned to Catholicism, that he would be more sympathetic to the religion. 

The plot was uncovered when an anonymous letter was sent to Baron Monteagle and he passed it on to the authorities. 

Interestingly, as early as October 26th, the King’s First Minister Robert Ceil was told of the plot, but allowed it to continue to see what would happen. 

On Nov 4th, the cellars under Parliament were searched and Guy Fawkes was discovered with a large pile of firewood but claimed they belonged to his master Thomas Percy.

King James ordered another search in the early hours of Nov 5 and that was when Guy and the others were discovered. Fawkes was wearing a cloak and hat, boots and spurs and was carrying fuses and matches. This is now the traditional ‘garb’ that recreation plotters wear.

The Government ensured that the plot would be immortalised in English history by passing an Act a few months later to mark the day as a date of thanksgiving for the safety of the King. 

Only repealed in 1859, for two centuries after the Thanksgiving Act was passed (image above), church services were held to commemorate Guy Fawkes’ failure and the life of the King and clearly enunciated in the Book of Common Prayer (below).

Despite this repeal, villages and towns all over the country continue to commemorate the day with fireworks, bonfires and people dressed as Guy Fawkes and his men. Giant effigies of Guy Fawkes are created and burnt to mark the occasion. 

Our village, Wallingford, has a huge 5th of Nov celebration, which attracts over 5,000 visitors on the Saturday night, closest to Nov 5. 

Masked men in cloaks carrying lanterns, parade through the town, then into the Kinecroft (large greasy park), for the festivities. ‘Guy Fawkes’ leads them (see earlier photo).

A huge bonfire followed by a fireworks display concludes the night. 

I can remember as a child having ‘cracker night’ in South Australia in the late 70s but never knew anything about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. 

Historical records show at least one parade and burning of a Guy Fawkes effigy in Sydney in 1805 but by the early 1980’s all states except the ACT had banned firecrackers for safety reasons. 

Looking for something different as a gift this Christmas?

Why not give the gift of a 12 month Subscription to Traveling Through History?

Click the button below to purchase an exclusive subscription that will commence in February 2024 for all paid subscribers.

I will send you a customised certificate to give to the recipient. Just email me after you have purchased and I will send it to you. Click the button below to purchase.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

Our tour of Yorkshire concludes this week, when we travel to Whitby and its stunning hilltop Abbey.

As you drive up the coast from Scarborough, the Abbey can be seen in the distance for miles, as well as by sea from approaching ships.

Although our arrival was on a day that was wet, cloudy, and windy, the sight of it was still breathtaking as we came over the hill.

Whitby is famous not only for its abbey but also for one of its most famous sons, Captain James Cook. I will feature the Cook Museum tour we did in my Australia Day issue, but our supplementary feature this week involves Count Dracula! 

Read on to find out what he has to do with Whitby and as always I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian.

October Theme - Abbeys

Whitby Abbey

Background

Perched on top of the cliff overlooking Whitby township and harbour, Whitby Abbey’s history and the site upon which it stands dates back to the late bronze age with a timeline that spans at least 1500 years and possibly 3,000. 

Whitby is located 1 hour 20 minutes north east of York and 40 mins directly north of Scarborough. 

History

Historians believe that there have been people living on the Whitby Abbey site since Roman times. Although definitive evidence hasn’t been found, they surmise that a Roman signal station was likely near the site (in the 3rd century AD) but had probably fallen into the sea due to erosion over the centuries.

While the abbey appears to be close to the cliff edge now, natural erosion determined at around 10 meters every 100 years means that in Roman times, the headland was likely to have been at least 200 meters further out into the North Sea.

Additionally, the Whitby Museum houses an extensive collection of fossils from the Jurassic period (said to be the finest in Britain). The Yorkshire coastline provided a wealth of specimens and information for geologists and when the discipline was established in the 19thC, Whitby was at the center of this movement. Even today, world renowned scientists come to Whitby to study the collection. 

Anglian Whitby

During the 7th- 9th centuries, a thriving religious community occupied the Whitby Abbey site, then known as Streoneshalh. Headed by Abbess Hild, the famous minster (or monastery), housing nuns and monks, was a significant double house, not uncommon at this time. 

Founded by the King of Northumbria, (Oswiu) in 657 the Anglian’s were the communities that settled in the north east of the country, as opposed to the Saxon’s who arrived much further south. 

In 664 the Synod of Whitby was held here, where King Oswiu decided that the Christian administration of his kingdom would begin to calculate Easter and other monastic holy days based on the calendar from Rome, rather than that of the Irish monks of Iona.

The community here were world famous and the peaceful rule in which St Hild ran the minster, led to her advice being sought from kings all over Europe. During her time there, five monks under her rule were created bishops. 

Evacuations of the site have revealed a large thriving settlement here and a recent English Heritage project uncovered a large Anglian cemetery on the site of the new visitor car park, much larger than they had anticipated.

While clear evidence of when the community died out has not been found, it is likely to have coincided with the arrival of the Vikings in the mid-ninth century, as they attacked the English eastern coast. After this though, Danish settlers moved into townships along the eastern seaboard.

The Venerable Bede’s chronicles kept the legend of Hild and her community alive and by the 11thC, a new township of Whitby (which is a Danish name) was settled down the hill around the harbour and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Benedictine Monastery

In the aftermath of the Norman conquest, William the Conqueror divided lands in the north and gave them to his supporters. One being William de Percy, who was to grant the abandoned minster land on the hilltop at Whitby to a community of monks who initially established a priory on the site. 

Between 1086 and 1096, William de Percy’s son, William, established a Benedictine abbey here and the township of Whitby was given to it, to establish an ongoing income for the community. Further endowments followed from various supporters, not just the de Percy’s.

Like other ruins we have investigated, Whitby Abbey went through several developments from initial wooden and smaller stone buildings, before we see the church that is the abbey ruins of today. 

A small stone romanesque style church was built around 1109 and the foundations are marked on the grass at the current site, to give visitors an outline of the different variations that were built.

The township’s church, St Mary’s was built in the early 12thC and it can be reached by its famous ‘199 steps’ from the township below. It is not known why it was built in this position, rather than in the middle of the town like most parish churches, but the site makes for a spectacular setting (as shown in the image below).

The new abbey thrived, becoming a powerful and influential religious institution during the medieval period. 

In the 1220s, Abbot Roger decided to rebuild the abbey church, but the cost overstretched their finances and it would be another 200 years before it was completed.

Dissolution

While Whitby was one of the poorer Benedictine monasteries, it was still amongst the richest, of all the other orders in England. The dissolution commissioners assessed its income at £437 2s 9d. When Abbot Henry Davell surrendered the abbey on December 14,1539, there were 22 members of the community left. 

The Cholmley’s

By 1540-41, the abbey site was being leased by Sir Richard Chomley, the ‘Black Knight of the North’ and by 1555 he purchased the freehold to the abbey site and subsequently added further parts of the estate to his land holdings. 

The family did not live here permanently but seems to have stayed in the old abbot's lodgings in the summer months. 

It was not until around 1631, that the abbot's lodgings were extended and the family lived (likely) in the now extinct gatehouse while renovations were made. 

The restored house, the building on the right, is now the visitor centre, museum and cafe and is how you enter the site.

The family were on the wrong side during the civil war and were stripped of their estates by the Parliamentarians but they were ultimately returned after the restoration but were in a state of impoverishment and disrepair. 

In 1790, when the roof of the new wing of the Abbey house blew off in a storm, it was not repaired, further dismantled and only the shell was left. 

WWI Bombings

Its exposed position made Whitby and the abbey ruins a prime target for bombings during the First World War, and in 1914 it sustained extensive damage when the German High Seas Fleet, who appeared in the harbour, shelled the town and struck the abbey ruins themselves.

The abbey ruins were taken into the care of the Ministry of Works in 1920 and a program to rebuild the western door that had been bombed began.

Further information on the bombings and subsequent repair can be found in this interactive link prepared by English Heritage:

https://artsandculture.google.com/u/1/story/mwWB7oNyuTe3Jg 

In 1993, English Heritage undertook a 20 year study on the Whitby site and the previous plus ongoing excavations to discover even more about the history of the Whitby Abbey site. 

A monograph outlining their findings is currently being prepared. 

A more in depth history of Whitby Abbey can be found here:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey/history-and-stories/history/ 

Construction

The abbey church, with its soaring arches and intricate detailing, stood as a testament to the skill of medieval craftsmen.

Its English Gothic architecture showcases what was capable plus the developments in the skills of craftsmen over many centuries.

However, the specific phase that is demonstrated most is that from around 1220 - 1250, which is shown in the pointed arches of the abbey, which was a technique developed in northern France in the mid-12thC.

The abbey was still relatively intact in the 18thC, which can be seen from paintings and engravings at that time. 

The harsh climate in which it stands gradually weakened it and in 1736 the south transept collapsed, and most of the nave in 1762. By 1830, the central tower, which was no longer supported on its south or west sides, fell down. 

The Church

The church and what is left of the nave (shown above) followed the classic Benedictine design, derived from the great monastery in Cluny France, and the detailing of it and the up-to-date design demonstrates that de Percy must have had Norman masons come over to build it.

The church was around 90ms long, which is the same size as a small cathedral.

Western End

The western end of the nave shows a surviving doorway, and is of a Romanesque design, which would have been from the earlier church on the site and was incorporated into the new building. 

The Presbytery

The Southern end contains the Presbytery and the Sanctuary and is the largest section still standing at its original height (as shown above).

It is seven bays long and the 4th arch contains notches that suggest timber screens were used to enclose the Choir stalls.

A plan of the Abbey, outlining the phases of construction can be accessed here:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/visit/places-to-visit/whitby-abbey/history/whitby-abbey-phased-plan.pdf 

The location, outlook and the excellent museum make Whitby Abbey a must visit location when in Yorkshire. 

Relevant Travel Information:

The Whitby Abbey site is maintained by English Heritage. The site includes a great museum inside the visitor centre, cafe, car parking and dogs are welcome. 

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey/ 

Opened daily during summer and generally Wed-Sun in winter, tickets can be purchased here:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey/prices-and-opening-times-for-whitby-abbey/ 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

The Whitby Connection

Bram Stoker's iconic novel, "Dracula," published in 1897, is a Gothic masterpiece that has left an indelible mark on the horror genre. 

The narrative, epistolary in form, unfolds through a series of letters, journal entries, and newspaper articles, creating an immersive and suspenseful experience for the reader. At the heart of the novel is the vampire Count Dracula, who journeys from Transylvania to England to spread the undead curse.

One of the most intriguing aspects of "Dracula" is its connection to the picturesque town of Whitby. Stoker spent several holidays in Whitby, and the town's haunting landscape and rich history left an undeniable imprint on his imagination. 

The serene harbour and the eerie ambiance of the abbey provided Stoker with the perfect setting for key events in his novel.

The novel's protagonist, Jonathan Harker, travels to Whitby as part of his business dealings with Count Dracula. Whitby serves as the point of entry for the vampire into England, and the eerie atmosphere of the town is masterfully woven into the narrative. The abbey, perched high on a hill overlooking the town, becomes the site of some of the most chilling scenes in the novel.

The ship that carries Dracula to England runs aground at Whitby, with the vampire making a conspicuous and terrifying first appearance. The blending of the supernatural and the natural in Whitby mirrors the overarching theme of the novel, where ancient evil infiltrates the seemingly secure realms of the modern world.

Whitby's influence on "Dracula" is undeniable. 

Stoker's vivid descriptions of the town's landscape and its integration into the plot contribute to the enduring mystique of the novel. Whitby, forever linked to the legacy of "Dracula," continues to attract literary enthusiasts and fans of the macabre, serving as a tangible connection to the timeless horror of Stoker's classic tale. A ‘Goth’ weekend is held twice a year, in May & October - the latter to coincide with Halloween. 

In 2022, English Heritage celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the novel’s publication. 

Part of the anniversary celebrations included a Guinness World Record attempt to have the most people dressed as Dracula in one place.

The attempt was successful when 1,369 ‘Dracula’s’ assembled in the hilltop at Whitby Abbey to be counted. The following link shows how the BBC reported it at the time. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-61597097

This quick Youtube video shows how the ‘Illuminated Whitby’ light show celebrates Dracula every year, but last year for the anniversary particularly.

St Mary’s church, located next to Whitby Abbey has so many people ask them where Dracula’s grave is that they have had to place a sign on the church door telling people there isn’t one! The Rector has been quoted as saying that they are a parish church and are not going to make up gravesites just to satisfy curious tourists; no matter how profitable that might be! 

Further information on Stoker’s connection to Whitby can be found on the English Heritage website: 

 https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey/history-and-stories/dracula 

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc podcast, a weekly show which talks about the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

This week we travel to Wales to see another impressive Cistercian monastery - Tintern Abbey. I visited Tintern with my fellow history students on a ‘reading party’ weekend in Herefordshire. We were each assigned three new title history books to read and report on to the group, each night of our 5 night stay.

During the day we visited nearby historical sites, studied and cooked lots of food. It’s one of my fondest memories of my time at Oriel College in Oxford. 

In our final visit this week, we travel 50 minutes south west to Cardiff to see the oldest record shop in the world.

I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian

If you are able, please consider becoming a patron to support my work. Next year I will be adding exclusive content for paid subscribers. Please know though, that this weekly newsletter will always provide lots of free value. 

October Theme - Abbeys

Tintern Abbey - Wales  (Abaty Tyndyrn in Welsh)

Background

Tintern Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey in Wales, situated in the picturesque Wye Valley and founded in 1131 by Walter de Clare, the Lord of Chepstow.

Located 25 minutes south of Monmouth and 10 minutes north of Chepstow, Tintern Abbey is just over the border between England and Wales, whose delineation in this section runs along the River Wye.

History

Tintern’s earliest history is recorded by Monmouthshire writer Fred Hando, who wrote that Tewdrig, the King of Glywysing (a post-Roman to early middle ages kingdom), abdicated his throne in favour of his son Meurig, and retired to a life of seclusion and contemplation in the hermitage known as Tintern. He later emerged to lead his son’s army in a battle against the Saxons in which he was killed. 

Like Rielvaulx and Fountains Abbey, that we have visited the past two weeks, Tintern’s location was chosen for the Cistercian monks due to its seclusion and the picturesque countryside it is nestled in. Additionally, being close to the River Wye, meant a permanent and clean water supply was available. 

There are records that indicate lands in this area and further south were farmed by small communities well before the abbey was established, and de Clare granted rights over some of these lands to the monks, to assist with their survival. 

From 1148-57, Abbott Henry was in charge after having repented his sinful youth as someone who had made a ‘lucrative profession of brigandage’ (robbery). 

Like other monasteries around the country, Tintern’s fortunes were tied to the weather, wars, crop and wool failures and the reliance on patronage from the local aristocracy. 

While it was receiving grants of land to either farm or lease out, it was in a relatively stable condition, but during local uprisings and diseases, such as the plague, they lost lands and manpower and the disappearance of lay brothers to do much of the manual work meant that income was reduced to tenancies only. 

Papal taxation documents show us that in 1291, Tintern was farming over 3,000 acres of land on the Welsh side of the border and had 3,264 sheep grazing in pastures that produced wool of ‘fine quality’. 

In around 1245, the lordship of Chepstow passed to the Bigod family, who at the time were the Earls of Norfolk. Roger Bigod took a keen interest in Tintern and it is he who is credited with the funds to build the magnificent church we see today. 

When he died in 1306, he left Tintern vast estates from his holdings and this produced a quarter of its income at the time of the dissolutions. His contribution was so great that in 1535 (almost 230 years later), they were still distributing alms to the poor five times a year in his name. 

The height of its fortunes came at the beginning of the fourteenth century and it would decline from here. 

Being a smaller monastery, Tintern was set to be included in the early dissolutions in 1535-36, partly because of its remote location in Wales and because, despite being the wealthiest house in Wales, it had few supporters prepared to defend it, like the Pilgrimage of Grace participants were to do in England.

On September 3, 1535, the abbot and monks surrendered to Wolsey’s men and received pensions in return. The destruction of the buildings was not an immediate priority and within months the land was granted to Henry Somerset, the Earl of Worcester. He had two nearby castles at Chepstow and Raglan and did not want to live at Tintern and records indicate that the lands were leased to local farmers.

Over the centuries that followed, Tintern Abbey transitioned from a monastic center to a picturesque ruin, its stone walls bearing witness to the passage of time. The Romantic movement of the 18th century played a crucial role in rekindling interest in the abbey. Poets and artists, including William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and J.M.W. Turner, found inspiration in the haunting beauty of the abbey's ruins, immortalising it in their works. Wordsworth's poem (from 1798) "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" reflects the profound impact of the site on the Romantic imagination.

The 19th century saw efforts to preserve and protect Tintern Abbey. The construction of the Wye Valley Railway in the mid-19th century facilitated access to the site, bringing a new wave of visitors and admirers. In 1901, the Office of Works assumed responsibility for the abbey's maintenance, a pivotal step in its preservation.

In the 20th century, Tintern Abbey became a symbol of Wales's rich historical and cultural heritage. The site, now in the care of Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service, attracts visitors from around the world. 

Construction 

The aerial view of the abbey below gives us a good picture of the layout of the abbey floor plan. The outer wall shows the extent of the perimeter, which tells us that it was relatively small, compared to the others we have looked at this month.

Building works would have taken place from 1131 right up until its dissolution 1536.

Very little of the original abbey survives today, save for some of the outerwall that was incorporated into later buildings. The original church was smaller and situated further north than the current building. 

The low walls in the foreground of the image below, shows the outline of the remains of a guest house and hall, which would have been where the visitors to Tintern stayed.

The abbey underwent several phases of construction, evolving from Early Gothic to Decorated Gothic styles, showcasing the architectural trends spanning the 400 years of its construction. It is likely that every monk at Tintern was living on a building site during their tenure, due to the ongoing and almost continuous construction taking place.

The Nave

The Nave is divided into six bays down the length of the church, with the central area divided by aisles. Clerestory windows allowed light into this important area of the church.

Presbytery

The presbytery occupied three bays from the crossing towards the east end of the church. The details in the arches were more intricate than the Nave.  

North Transept

The north transept’s construction was complex as the old church was still in this section when the first parts of the church were under construction. The wall seen in the background was the monk’s dormitory and it was from this end that they entered to say prayers during the night.

South Transept

The tall window of the south transept was believed to have contained six separate panes of glass. Below is an arched doorway with a gable that extends into the large window above. The doorway gave access to the monks' cemetery to the east of the church and was used for processional purposes.

The aisles on the left were two chapels separated by screens from this transept and the presbytery.

Infirmary

All monasteries understood that looking after the sick and the aged was important but at Tintern they did this from as early as 1240. This gives us an indication that the abbots of Tintern were prepared to ensure that those in need were well taken care of within the grounds of the monastery. 

You can take a virtual tour of Tintern, via the following link and if you have a VR headset, you can get a fully immersive experience. 

https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/whats-on/virtual-visits/virtual-visits-religious-relics 

Relevant Travel Information:

https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/tintern-abbey 

Open daily from 9:30 - 5pm from March - October and 10am - 4pm November - February.  

Tintern has a local cafe/pub nearby, adequate car parking, a shop and picnic area with tables. 

Spillers Records - Cardiff

Spillers Records in Cardiff, holds the prestigious title of being the world's oldest record store. 

Located in the Morgan Arcade in central Cardiff since 2010, Spillers stands amongst several groups of brand name and independent retailers, whose shops have original wooden storefronts and venetian windows in a restored arcade that was built between 1896 and 1899.

Established in 1894 by Henry Spiller, the store initially focused on selling phonographs and shellac records, catering to the evolving tastes of music enthusiasts in the early 20th century. As the music industry evolved, so did Spillers.

Throughout its long history, Spillers Records weathered the storm of technological advancements, transitioning from vinyl to cassette tapes and eventually CDs. The store became a cultural hub, attracting music aficionados and artists alike. In the 1990s, during the resurgence of vinyl's popularity, Spillers once again became a focal point for vinyl enthusiasts and collectors, preserving the essence of a bygone era while adapting to the contemporary music landscape.

Despite facing challenges posed by digitalization and online music platforms, Spillers persisted, maintaining its status as an independent music institution. Its survival shows that it’s not only resilience but also has the local community's unwavering support. 

In 2010, Spillers Records faced the threat of closure due to economic pressures, but a groundswell of public support, including prominent Welsh musicians like Gruff Rhys and Cerys Matthews, helped secure its future. 

To put into perspective how old Spiller’s is. When they started trading, vinyl records would not become mainstream for almost half a century! 

Today, Spillers Records stands as a living archive of musical history, a cherished landmark where the past and present converge, offering a unique and irreplaceable experience for music enthusiasts in Cardiff and beyond.

https://spillersrecords.uk/

You can follow them on Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/spillersrecords/ 

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Business on the Bloc Podcast a weekly show which talks about current stories in the digital media revolution and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and business operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:

Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn

This week we continue our tour of Yorkshire and visit Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a magnificent collection of ruins, walks, lakes and even a deer park.

We also celebrate the 65th Birthday of a very special bear. 

Hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week. 

Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian 

Thank you for reading Traveling Through History. This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you are able, please consider becoming a patron to support my work. Next year I will be adding exclusive content for paid subscribers.
Please know though, that this weekly newsletter will always provide lots of free value. 

October Theme - Abbeys

Fountains Abbey & Studley Water Gardens

Background

One of the largest and best preserved Cistercian monastery ruins in England, it was founded in 1132 and operated for 407 years until its dissolution in 1539.

Located around 55 minutes north west of York and 10 minutes west of Ripon, Fountains Abbey and Studley Water Gardens can easily be an entire day visit, depending on which time of the year you go as the entire park incorporates a number of walks that are well worth doing. 

History

Fountains Abbey’s history begins with controversy in 1132. 

Thirteen monks from nearby St Mary’s Benedictine Abbey in York, were exiled and fled, then asked for protection from Thurstan, the Archbishop of York. They wanted to live their lives in accordance with strict Benedictine rules and St Mary’s had become lapsed with extravagant diet, behaviour and their clothing, so no longer following the strict Benedictine ways. 

A riot ensued and the monks left and were eventually given land by Thurstan to establish an abbey near the River Skell, a secluded and remote location, where they could devote their lives to prayer and meditation.

They almost didn’t survive their first winter, living under an elm tree and covering themselves with straw and almost gave up.  In 1135, after asking for assistance from Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux in France, they became the second Cistercian abbey in Yorkshire after Rievaulx (the abbey we looked at in Issue 18).

The land they were given contained six different springs and this inspired them to call their new abbey ‘Fountains’. 

Not dissimilar to other monastic orders in England that we have previously discussed, Fountains had its fair share of controversial abbots, with dismissal, disgrace and resignations all part of the story. 

Rivalry amongst religious orders in the north was not uncommon and this often led to periods of instability and difficult financial circumstances. 

In 1143, Henry Murdac was elected abbot but his opposition to the election of William FitzHerbert as Archbishop of York resulted in an angry mob attacking the abbey in 1146 and resulted in all but the church and a few surrounding buildings being burnt down.

(Murdac was subsequently appointed as Archbishop in 1147!)

He set about rebuilding and the stone church was extended. These works were completed around 1170.

It was not until 1150 that some stability was brought to the abbey by Abbot Richard who held the post for the next 20 years. He added more accommodation, finished the church and at the time of his death the Chapter House was almost complete. 

During the European famine of 1194, the abbey supported local people for six months.

Like Rievaulx, Fountains was subject to increased taxation in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. 

Through a number of disasters with crops and advanced selling of wool fleece that didn’t meet expectations, the abbey fell into disrepair and the state of its buildings and grounds suffered. Invasion by the Scots in the early 14thC made matters even worse.

By 1330 the abbey was no longer making a profit and had to borrow money to survive. 

The Black Death (plague) of 1348-1349 exacerbated the problems and the loss of manpower due to death was almost ruinous. 

Thomas Swinton was abbot from 1471-1478 and he kept a detailed memorandum book that gives exceptional details for historians on the life of the abbey at that time. 

Marmaduke Huby (1495-1526) almost doubled the number of monks from 22 to 52 and added the 49 metre tower now known as ‘Huby’s Tower’.

William Thirsk, the next abbot, was eventually removed and later hanged, due to his role in the Pilgrimage of Grace.

The final abbot, Bradley, was who surrendered Fountains to the Crown in 1539 as part of the dissolutions. 

In 1540 the abbey buildings and land were sold to Sir Richard Gresham and he was required to make the abbey ‘unfit for religious use’ and set about removing anything that was able to be resold and wooden doors placed on the abbey’s entrance remained largely this way until the property was purchased in 1597 by a local, Steven Proctor, who used stone from the abbey to build Fountain’s Hall nearby.

In 1627 the Messengers purchased and five generations of the family would live at Fountains (in the hall) until it was sold to William Aislabie in 1767. William owned the neighbouring estate Studley Park and the two estates were merged. 

It is William who crafts the gardens we see today (see outline below).

William began restoring the abbey ruins and added his own touches, such as a raised viewing platform and classical statues, but archaeological excavations did not begin until the mid 1800s.

Thomas Philip, 2nd Earl de Grey, inherited the estate from 1845 and upon his death his nephew the Marquess of Ripon, later the Viceroy of India, became its owner.

After his death in 1859, Clare Vyner acquired the estate. The Vyners were good friends of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). It is thought that Fountain’s Hall was to be fully restored to become a country retreat for them, but the abdication in 1936 stopped those plans. 

In 1932, the Abbey had been restored sufficiently enough to have a commemoration for its 800th year, which their majesties attended.

Upkeep on the two estates became too much for the Vyners and they sold it and Fountains Hall in 1969 to West Riding County Council.

Visitor numbers grew and after a number of appeals, the National Trust acquired the property in 1983.

In 1986, Studley Royal Park, which includes the ruins of Fountains Abbey and the abbey itself was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Here is a link to its listing.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/372/ 

In 2021, a medieval tannery was discovered at Fountains and delighted historians and archaeologists. 

This article in the Guardian gives full information about it.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/oct/25/archaeologists-find-missing-link-history-fountains-abbey 

Construction

The Nave

The Nave was used by the lay brothers who were the labourers of the abbey. On the left of this picture, through the doorway, were the stairs they took to their dormitory, which enabled them to pray before starting work for the day. 

The Crossing

The Crossing and Presbytery are the oldest parts of the abbey and were where the original wooden church building stood.

Presbytery

Located between the tower and the chapel (far left end), the Presbytery shows the change from the early less ornate part of the church, to the splendour of a ‘modern’ medieval church as a result of an upgrade in the 13thC. It was where the high altar stood, celebrating Mass and Communion. 

Chapel of the Nine Altars

Added in the mid-1200s, the Chapel with its nine altars was used by ordained priests to say Mass on request to those who were visiting or had given gifts or land to the abbey. 

The big windows allowed a lot of light into this area of the abbey, which would have been quite dark beforehand.

Cloisters & Chapter House

The Cloister was where monks could sit and contemplate, meditate quietly or read. The grassed area was the Cloister, directly ahead was the Refectory and to the left, the arched entrance to the Chapter House where abbey meetings were held and discussions took place. 

Refectory

The Refectory was where the Monks ate their dinner, sat at tables along the walls facing inwards. They ate two meals a day in summer and only one in winter. 

Originally, meat was never eaten in this building, but later as rules were relaxed, they could on specified days.

Abbot’s House

Abbots would have originally used the same accommodation as monks, but as more international visitors arrived at Fountains, and more guests needed to be received, a separate house was created. Abbot Huby, built this two story house that even had a fireplace! 

Prison cells were placed below the abbot's house and iron rings on the floor to shackle prisoners can still be seen. 

Infirmary

This eastern view of the abbey shows the infirmary to the left in the image above. 

Almost a miniature copy of the abbey itself, the infirmary enabled sick and elderly monks to live their lives here being cared for by the infirmarer and his helpers. 

Guesthouses

Guesthouses were added to the site in the 1160s, but were set a distance from the abbey itself. Monks were allowed to greet any guests they saw, but not to have any conversations with them. 

The two properties each had a hall, fireplace, a bedchamber and toilet over the river! 

The abbot would visit guests here and the guest-master served them during their stay.

The West Range

Known as the ‘Cellarium’, this area is a magnificently preserved example of a cold food store from medieval times. 

The lay brothers were also accommodated in this area. While we can see from one end to the other now, it would not have been like this when first constructed. It would have been made up of smaller store rooms, plus accommodation. 

Studley Royal Water Garden

Studley Royal is one of the few remaining 18thC gardens still in almost its original form and one of the most magnificent water garden properties in England. 

The above view is called ‘Anne Bolyen’s Seat’ and was designed to give a glimpse of the abbey ruins in the distance and cause visitors to have a sharp intake of breath when they come across it. 

The landscape form has been little altered since designed by John Aislabie and his son William in the early 18thC. 

The formal water garden John and his son created took into account the natural landscape of the property and they created a variety of ponds and bridges to create formal and geometrically shaped vistas throughout the property.

In 1767 William purchased the Fountains Abbey ruins and completed the garden creating the magnificent vistas we see today and contributed to its World Heritage listing. 

Significantly, they are shown now in their almost original form and have been impressing visitors for 200 years.

St Mary’s Church

Designed by William Bruges and constructed from 1870-78, St Mary’s is a masterpiece in high Victorian Gothic architecture and considered to be one of his finest works.

The Marquess and Marchioness of Ripon commissioned the construction of the church following a tragic family death in 1870, and it sits within the Studley Royal deer park in which the deers roam freely.

A small group of aristocratic tourists were on expedition in Greece when they were kidnapped and a ransom was requested. During the rescue attempt, the hostages were murdered by their captors during the ensuing panic. The funds used to build the church was the ransom money that the families had allocated but no longer needed. Two churches were built in the memory of Frederick Grantham Vyner, the son of Lady Mary Vyner who owned the estate adjoining Studley Royal. His sister Henrietta was the Marchioness of Ripon. 

Relevant Travel Information:

A map of the Abbey & Park can be found here, including a number of trails that can be walked and their length.

https://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/assets/website/national/regions/yorkshire/places/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden/pdf/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-map.pdf 

Full details about Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal can be found here:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden/things-to-do-at-fountains-abbey 

Full Visitor Information is shown via this link:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden 

There is a cafe/restaurant, tea house, children’s playground, shop, plant nursery and you can bring your dog. 

You do not need to book in advance but in high season and on good weather days, the car park can get filled by lunch time. 

Operated by English Heritage, St Mary’s church is open from April - mid-October from 1pm - 3:30pm daily. 

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/st-marys-church-studley-royal/ 

This Week in History

Happy 65th Birthday Paddington Bear

Last week, on Friday October 13 it was the 65th Birthday of the publication of Michael Bond’s first Paddington Bear book, A Bear Called Paddington. A rare first edition now costs in excess of £12,000. 

The Guardian had a nice article explaining some of the reasons why Paddington’s is loved, the World over. I thought you might like to read it.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/13/65-years-of-paddington-bear 

To commemorate this milestone, Royal Mail have issued sets of stamps to celebrate.

https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/paddington?

Paddington named after Paddington Station in London has a few things to celebrate their connections. Here’s a lovely photo of my mum sitting on Paddington’s bench at the station.

Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.

After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.

Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.

Michelle is co-host of the Web3 By Three Podcast, a weekly show which talks about current stories in the Web3 space and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.

You can follow Michelle in these places:
Savvy Travel Historian Instagram

Content Marketing Queen Website

Twitter

LinkedIn