The History Chronicles

This is Hallstatt.

🧱 >5000 BC
📍 Hallstatt, Austria 🇦🇹

In the shadow of the Dachstein Mountains and overlooking the picturesque Lake Hallstatt is one of the oldest-still inhabited villages in Europe: Hallstatt. Home to the world’s oldest working salt mine, Hallstatt has been a centre of salt production since the Bronze Age.

Transforming Hallstatt into a wealthy commercial village, its rich salt deposits also helped to preserve various objects and artefacts buried or lost over the years with the earliest finds dating back to 5000 BC. Later excavation of these sites helped to define the Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age’s material culture; not just regionally, but across Europe. As such, ‘Hallstatt’ has become synonymous with the culture of the period.

Despite its commercial significance, Hallstatt remained somewhat isolated until the late 19th century, accessible by only boat or walking trails. The first road to Hallstatt was built in 1890 and it has since become a popular stop on the journey between the major cities Graz and Salzburg.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, you are likely to recognise Hallstatt even if you’ve never heard of it thanks to its prominence as a popular screensaver and as one of the ‘most Instagrammable towns in the world’. Tourism has boomed ever since leading to concerns of overtourism in recent years.

This is Bled Castle.

🧱 11th Century
📍 Bled, Slovenia

Overlooking Lake Bled is the oldest - and arguably most picturesque - castle in Slovenia. First constructed sometime in 11th century, Bled Castle overlooks a protected and fertile area that has been home to some form of settlement since 7th century.

Legend has it that a young widow living at the castle was the mourning the death of her husband. To honour his memory, she had a bell cast to be offered to the church located on an island in the middle of the lake - the Church of the Mother of God. Loaded onto a boat for transport by several men, fate intervened. Thunder roared as strong winds blew, waves rose as the boat found itself caught in the middle of a storm. Soon, it had capsized where the men aboard and the bell sunk to the bottom of the lake. Following this, the widow used all of her wealth to build a new church on the island before leaving for Rome where the story soon reached the Pope who swiftly ordered a new bell to be made for the church. According to the locals, you can still hear the ringing of the original bell from the watery depths of the lake.

This is Boston Manor House.

🧱 1623
📍 Brentford, London

Built in 1623, Boston Manor House is a Jacobean manor house situated in west London. Unusually for the time, the house was built for the recently widowed Lady Mary Reade whose late husband had obtained a patent of possession from James I.

It was rumoured to be the site where King Charles I observed the nearby Battle of Brentford (1642) during the English Civil War. For Charles I and the Royalists (under the command of Prince Rupert), it was quite literally a case of winning the battle but not the war. Strategic mishaps, such as sacking towns and a failing to capture London before the winter, would prove costly.

From the 1670s, it was owned by the Clitherow Family - including General John Clitherow who served in the Peninsular War during the Napoleonic Wars before later being posted to British North America as Major-General. In 1842, he inherited Boston Manor House and retired soon after. After falling on financial hardship, the house was purchased by Brentford Urban District Council in 1923 and opened as a public park the following year.

This is Rue Brederode 10.

🧱 1906
📍 Brussels, Belgium

Nestled on a quiet street behind the Royal Palace in Brussels is the former administration centre of the Congo Free State (1885-1908).

It was from this site that King Leopold II administered his vast Belgian African colony in what is today the Democratic Republic of Congo. A result of the Berlin Conference (1884-85), the Congo Free State was established in 1885 as a privately controlled, corporate state. Leopold II’s personal rule of the colony was a disaster with forced labour, disease & famine rife. Such is the extent of these atrocities that an exact figure is unknown, but it is believed millions were directly or indirectly killed as a result of Leopold’s regime. It led to the American politician and historian, George Washington Williams, to write an open letter to Leopold II highlighting what he believed to be ‘crimes against humanity’ following a visit to the Congo Free State in 1890. One of the earliest known uses of the term, it prompted international outcry at the regime.

From 1906, it was from this building that those colonial polices were made. Leopold would make the short journey to the site through the gardens of the wider Royal Palace estate. Initially made up of several different companies overseeing property, commerce and industry, these offices eventually came to be known colloquially as the ‘Companies of Rue Brederode’. Two years after the construction of the building & under increasing international pressure, the Belgium government annexed the Congo Free State from Leopold’s direct control to create the Belgian Congo (1908-1960).

Today known as the Norwegian chalet, its pseudo-Norse design was the work of Norwegian architect, Finn Knudsen. Its striking exterior ensures it retains a noticeable present on an otherwise ordinary street. The only physical remnants of its colonial past are the four Congolese stars on the upper walls of the building. Behind this, however, is a wider imperial legacy of systematic brutality, exploitation and atrocity.

This is the Sassi di Matera 🇮🇹
🧱 10,000-7,000 BC
📍 Matera, Italy

Known as the City of Caves, Matera is an awe-inspiring labyrinth of cave-dwellings and hidden uneven paths. For over 7,000 years, the Sassi caves have acted as natural shelter to the most poverty-stricken families - from the Palaeolithic times right up until the 1950s. Over time, this emerged into a complex of homes, monasteries and churches. At times, this is a city that feels like it has been carved out of stone. Indeed the aptly named ‘rock churches’ are a prime example with over 150 religious sites built in the city between the Middle Ages and 19th century.

More recently, Matera has established itself as one of Hollywood’s most recognisable film sets. From ‘The Passion of the Christ’ (2002) and ‘The Gospel According to St Matthew’ (1964) to recent blockbusters ‘Wonder Woman’ (2017) and ‘No Time to Die’ (2021), Matera’s big screen history is almost as rich and diverse as its social history.

A period of forced relocation and regeneration transformed the area from one that almost become inhabitable to one rich with restaurants and an increasing number of tourists. Since 1993, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site yet remains something of a hidden jewel in Puglia’s regional crown as well as one of Europe’s most striking and unique landscapes.

This is the Arch of Galerius and Rotunda

🧱 306 AD
📍 Thessaloniki, Greece

Separated by just 100 metres, the Arch of Galerius and Rotunda are two of Thessaloniki’s most striking architectural gems.

With walls measuring more than 6 metres thick, the Rotunda was built to last; surviving the volatility of the region’s wars, sieges and earthquakes. Believed to have been built as a temple to Zeus, the Rotunda’s changing purpose is representative of Thessaloniki’s Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history.
Following a period as an Orthodox church in the Byzantine era, Thessaloniki was occupied by the Ottoman Empire in 1590 and the Rotunda subsequently converted into a mosque. It remained this way until the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) when Thessaloniki officially became part of Greece and the Rotunda an Orthodox church once more.

The Arch of Galerius would have originally been connected to the Rotunda to form a larger, interconnected Roman palace. Remnants of this complex can be seen in the archaeological sites on the walk to the Rotunda from the picturesque waterfront of the Thessaloniki Gulf. Only three of the arches’ pillars remain. Those that do depict marble scenes of Roman triumph and might. Notably, one pillar shows a figure - believed to be Emperor Galerius - on the verge of victory against the Sassanian Empire with the arch itself built to commemorate Roman success during this period of the Roman-Persian wars (224-395)

Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of Thessaloniki’s diverse sociocultural heritage.

This is the Marienplatz.
🧱 1867-1905 (Neues Rathaus)
📌 Munich, Germany 🇩🇪

A square located in Munich with origins dating back to the Middle Ages and dominated by the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) since its completion in 1905.

Despite its neo-Gothic facade giving the impression it is older, construction of the Neues Rathaus only began in 1867. It was reflective of the growth of the city at the time and was built opposite the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) once it was decided that it was no longer big enough to house the city’s council chambers. With intricate carvings and features honouring the founders of the city, local folk legends and religious stories, it is the chimes of the Rathaus-Glockenspiel that continue to garner the most attention.

Ringing at least twice a day, the 43 bells of the Glockenspiel clock echo across the Marienplatz, bringing to life 32 life size figurines in celebration of Bavarian traditions. The first half of the performance tells the story of the marriage between Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine and the subsequent knight’s tournament that was held to honour them on the Marienplatz. The second is the story of the Schäfflertanz (the Cooper’s Dance) which was said to have taken place in 1517 when, at the end of a plague outbreak, the coopers began dancing to encourage people to leave their homes once again. Today, the Glockenspiel’s coopers continue to draw huge crowds in.

This is HMS Warrior.

🧱 1859-1860
📍 Portsmouth, Hampshire.

A Victorian armoured frigate that revolutionised naval architecture with its state of the art innovation and technology.

Built by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Warrior showcased Britain’s dominance in trade and industry during the reign of Queen Victoria. As Britain’s first armour-plated, iron-hulled warship alongside her sister, HMS Black Prince, she immediately rendered many preceding warships obsolete upon launch in December 1860. For a time, Warrior was the most advanced ship in the world with speeds of up to 14.4 knots and 202 armour plates weighing 4.8 tonnes. She was faster, stronger and deadlier than anything before, but within ten years of her launch, Warrior too was becoming a victim of the quickening tide of naval innovation and design.

Such was Warrior’s impressiveness at launch, she spent much time on tour demonstrating the power and might of the Royal Navy. This included a 12-week tour of Britain in 1863 that saw 300,000+ visitors climb onboard to explore the ship with then-unprecedented access. Today, Warrior can be visited just as she was in 1863. To fully appreciate how revolutionary Warrior was in 1860, it is worth visiting neighbouring HMS Victory at to see just how far the Navy had progressed since the Napoleonic Wars earlier in the century.

This is the Royal Albert Hall.

🧱 1871
📍 South Kensington, London.

Built between 1867 to 1871, the Royal Albert Hall was originally expected to be named the Centre Hall of Arts and Sciences. However, upon laying the foundation stone in 1867, Queen Victoria proclaimed it was to be called the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences as a tribute to Prince Albert and his patronage of the arts. The name stuck and, in 1871, over 10,000 people reportedly attended the Hall’s opening ceremony.

As the site of the BBC Proms since 1941, the Hall is internationally recognised as one of London’s premium concert venues. Adding to its reputation, the Hall was the site of the first colourised broadcast of Eurovision Song Contest in 1968 and where a chaotic Pink Floyd concert the following year led to the band being banned from the venue.

Swapping the trumpets and cellos for tennis racquets and boxing gloves, the Hall was the former venue of the ATP Champions Tour between 1997 and 2021 and played host to several boxing matches with Henry Cooper, Lennox Lewis and Muhammad Ali featuring. In the words of the latter, it’s a ‘helluva hall’.

This is Rye Castle.

🧱 1249
📍 Rye, East Sussex

Built in 1249, the construction of ‘the castle of La Rie’ was ordered by Henry III. Since then, it has assumed several names and been referred to at points as ‘the castle at Rye’ as well as Baddings Tower. It is, however, more commonly known as Ypres Tower.

Despite the obvious connotations, Ypres Tower does not take its name from the First World War battles. Instead, it derives from John de Iprys who was permitted to live in the castle in the 1430s on the condition it could still be used as a defence during times of war.

Prior to its transformation as a private home under Iprys and others, Rye had become one of the strategic Cinque Ports during the Hundred Years’ War. This meant the town played a key role in defence as well as trade and in 1377, 66 people were killed when French forces sacked the town. Its status as a Cinque Port waned after this period and today it is purely a ceremonial title.

Between 1477 & 1492, the castle was owned by Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby and stepfather to Henry VII through his marriage to Margaret Beaufort. In 1485, it was Lord Stanley’s decision to switch allegiance to his stepson during the Battle of Bosworth that marked the beginning of the Tudor dynasty - forever changing the tide of British history.

From the 16th century, the castle acted as a prison, or ‘Gaol’, until 1891. During this time, a visit from prison reformer, Elizabeth Fry in 1835 prompted widespread changes including the construction of a separate Women’s Tower. Since the twentieth century, the castle has been open to the public as a museum chronicling some of these histories.

This is the Imperial War Museum.

🧱 1917
📍 Southwark, London.

The decision to create a National War Museum was made in 1917 with its opening taking place three years later at the Crystal Palace. After a period moving between locations, the site of the old Bethlem Royal Hospital in Southwark would become the permanent residence of the Imperial War Museum in 1936. Since then, the organisation has expanded to include the Churchill War Rooms (1984) and HMS Belfast (1978) in London as well as IWM Duxford (1977) and IWM North (2002).

Its collection and exhibitions have continuously expanded to include all conflicts involving British and Commonwealth forces since 1914. The purpose of this is to conserve and display lessons and stories of the devastation of war through the experiences of those who have lived through them. It’s award-winning Holocaust and Second World War Galleries expertly explore the complexities and realities of these experiences in a thoughtful and compassionate manner.

It is one of London’s finest museums and, from July, I am pleased to say I will be joining its Public Engagement team.

This is Shakespeare’s Globe.

🧱 1992-97
📍 Southwark, London.

This is Shakespeare’s Globe: a modern day reconstruction of the Globe Theatre originally built in 1599 mere metres from its current location.

Unique in the sense it was owned and constructed by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the Globe was a theatre built for the actors by the actors. Shakespeare was one of five actors who owned a share alongside majority shareholders, Richard & Cuthbert Burbages. It was Shakespeare whose influence would come to define the theatre. Built at the height of his career, the Globe provided a stage to some of the Bard’s greatest work. Plays such as Hamlet, King Lear and Macbeth made their maiden performances at the Globe Theatre. For fourteen years, the theatre entertained the masses until a small cannon misfired during a performance of All is True (commonly known as Henry VIII). Although nobody was hurt, the ensuing fire ultimately destroyed the original Globe. Although it would be reconstructed a year later, this particular tragedy marked the end of Shakespeare’s time in London with the poet returning to Stratford-upon-Avon soon after.

The revival of the Globe as a staple of London theatre owes much to Sam Wanamaker. When the American actor arrived in England in 1949, he was reportedly shocked that a single bronze plaque on a brewery wall in Southwark was the only commemoration of Shakespeare’s time in London. From 1969, Wanamaker worked tirelessly to fund the rebuilding of a Globe Theatre befitting of Shakespeare’s legacy. Despite concerns a faithful recreation of the original Globe (1599-1613) was impossible in the twentieth century, construction finally began in 1992. Five years later, a performance of Henry V marked the opening of Shakespeare’s Globe in 1997, yet the death of Wanamaker before its completion heralded its first real tragedy.