Imagine walking along a road that crosses rural Japan and takes you through 69 post towns, where merchants, samurais, monks and travelers once used to stop by. All around you, artifacts, buildings and landscapes recount the story of Japan and how its unique identity was gradually formed. You wander through the country and dive at… Continue reading The Nakasendo Project [Part 2]
Category: Stories
People, encounters, places… the best from the Extinguished Countries.
The Nakasendo Project [Part 1]
Imagine walking along a road that crosses rural Japan and takes you through 69 post towns, where merchants, samurais, monks and travelers once used to stop by. All around you, artifacts, buildings and landscapes recount the story of Japan and how its unique identity was gradually formed. You wander through the country and dive at… Continue reading The Nakasendo Project [Part 1]
Habsburg Rijeka: from Corpus Separatum to Port of Diversity
Rijeka is one of the most emblematic cities of the former Habsburg Empire. The Kvarner’s capital has a complex identity and intricate history that never cease to intrigue (and confuse) those who visit it. Ivan Jeličić is a professor of contemporary history at the University of Rijeka and one of the researchers who worked on… Continue reading Habsburg Rijeka: from Corpus Separatum to Port of Diversity
Fiume Asburgica: da Corpus Separatum a Porto della diversità
Fiume è una delle città più emblematiche dell’ex Impero asburgico. La città capoluogo del Quarnero ha un’identità complessa ed una storia intricata che non cessano di incuriosire (e confondere) chi la visita. Ivan Jeličić è un professore di Storia contemporanea all’università di Fiume e uno dei ricercatori che ha lavorato alla creazione dell’applicazione “Rijeka Fiume In Flux“, uno strumento… Continue reading Fiume Asburgica: da Corpus Separatum a Porto della diversità
Of Love, Lighthouses, and Layered Cakes: Rijeka’s Sweet Surprises
Walking through the streets of Rijeka, one can easily notice the many architectural accomplishments that have transformed this coastal city into a Central European one during the 19th century. For example, with the construction of the Modello Palace and the theatre, both opened in 1885, the architecture studio Fellner & Helmer gave Rijeka the whiff of Vienna, while the Governor’s… Continue reading Of Love, Lighthouses, and Layered Cakes: Rijeka’s Sweet Surprises
The Slovenian palm on the Nile
Let us imagine that we are taking a journey back in time, traveling to 20th century Egypt. Wandering the streets of Cairo and Alexandria back then meant bumping into numerous European officials, businessmen, and sophisticated ladies, all dressed in fine clothes and flanked by servants. Having passed the bazaars, noisy and overflowing with the aroma… Continue reading The Slovenian palm on the Nile
Suez’s dream. The incredible story of Baron Revoltella
Pasquale Revoltella (1795-1869) was a baron, economist and entrepreneur; but more than anything, a perfect specimen of the Habsburg self-made man. The son of a butcher, he built his fortune bit by bit until he reached the pinnacle of his career as vice president of the Suez Canal Universal Company, which opened in 1869. We… Continue reading Suez’s dream. The incredible story of Baron Revoltella
Our guided group tour across the Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice met its demise in 1797. Today, you can explore its heritage. Embark on a journey from Venice to Dubrovnik to unveil the vestiges of the Serenissima, an extinct country that held sway over the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions for nearly a millennium. Commencing in Venice, the former capital, the voyage proceeds… Continue reading Our guided group tour across the Republic of Venice
Habsburg Empire and California: different time, similar identities
On the eve of World War I, the Habsburg Empire was still an important political entity encompassing much of Central and Eastern Europe. From Italy to Ukraine, Poland to Bosnia-Herzegovina, thirteen contemporary states are then part of this multiethnic empire, where dozens of populations of different languages, religions and traditions coexist. Slow, bureaucratic and bent… Continue reading Habsburg Empire and California: different time, similar identities
Strolling in ancient Greece
This article originally appeared (in Italian) on Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Traseuropa. Acces the article here: La grecità della Calabria The jeep climbs the slopes of the Aspromonte, leaving behind a cloud of dust. On either side of the vehicle run wild pear trees, clumps of purple heather, yellow cushions of thorny spurge or the… Continue reading Strolling in ancient Greece