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Grand Empress Börte (left) and Genghis Khan, more accurately called Chinggis Khan, from a 16th-century book commissioned by Mughal emperor Akbar the Great, who claimed descent from the khan.
medieval

The Women Who Ran Genghis Khan’s Empire

From fighting in the army to managing the kingdom, women were key players in every aspect of the Mongol Empire.
Sarah Durn May 26, 2022
One of the senior students at Rongorongo Training College in Beru, pre-1925, photographed by Reverend George Hubert Eastman.
islands

The Mystery of the Puffer Fish Helmets of Kiribati

This ceremonial headwear was a cultural touchstone before it became a colonial curiosity.
Mark Hay April 26, 2022
New York, New York

Game Boy that Survived a Bombing

Though the case is scorched and the buttons half-melted, this hardy handheld gaming device can still run a game of Tetris.
The "sarcophagus" covering the fourth block of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 2018.
disasters

Chernobyl's Strange Black Fungi Have a Superpower

The organisms, growing at the Ukrainian site amid invasion and occupation, may one day help keep space travelers safe.
Eden Arielle Gordon April 1, 2022
Leuven, Belgium

'De Koeieschieter' ('Cow Shooter')

A small statue commemorates a centuries-old event that still hangs over the people of Leuven.
The 14th-century Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is at the heart of Lviv's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
architecture

The Multicultural Legacy of Ukraine’s Forgotten Region

Remnants of the nation’s diverse history are littered throughout the historical region known as Galicia.
Sarah Durn March 7, 2022
Naarden, Netherlands

Grote Kerk Cannonballs

The Siege of Naarden ended in 1814, but the cannonballs embedded in the town church remain.
military history

Podcast: The Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team February 28, 2022
Lesotho

Ha Kome Cave Dwellings

An 18th-century hideout became a permanent and ongoing residence for one Lesotho tribe.
Unlike her contemporary Queen Melisende of Jerusalem, Empress Matilda would never rule as Queen of England and instead was known only as the "Lady of the English."
royalty

The Forgotten Women Who Ruled the Medieval Middle East

A new book tells the tales of the queens of Jerusalem.
Sarah Durn January 25, 2022
The English and Scottish soldiers locked in battle.
Musselburgh, Scotland

Rough Wooing Memorial

Sculptures depicting Scottish and English soldiers in battle honor a 16th-century conflict.
Grande Mosquée de Bangui
Bangui, Central African Republic

Grande Mosquée de Bangui

This mosque is an enduring symbol of Central African Republic's rich Muslim heritage.
Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral
Bangui, Central African Republic

Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

Amidst political unrest, this Roman Catholic Cathedral has helped organize peace talks.
Few have ventured into the narrow tunnels of Dai 32 Gunshireibu-go since the Japanese army abandoned the bunker in May 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa.
tunnels

Could an Infamous WWII Bunker Become a Symbol of Peace?

The tunnels under Okinawa's Shuri Castle should be preserved as a reminder of the costs of war, advocates say.
Azby Brown December 9, 2021
Walmer Castle
Walmer, England

Walmer Castle and Gardens

This curious Tudor-era castle was once home to Napoleon's greatest adversary, the Duke of Wellington.
Two of the larger bluestone lined mounds
Melbourne, Australia

Speakers' Corner

From the late 19th century until the 1960s, these stone-lined "stumps" were a popular place for people to air their views on local and international issues.
Dresden, Germany

'Der Krieg War'

A moving and macabre World War I-era painting by the great artist Otto Dix.
Statue of a soldier running up the beach.
List

11 Memorials to Visit on Veteran's Day

A few lesser-known places to reflect and honor the holiday.
Jonathan Carey November 11, 2021