Northumberland is one of Britain’s most historic regions, an archaeological treasure trove of impressive buildings that date back to the Roman conquest: From Hadrian’s Wall to the Vindolanda Fort.
From Aerial Britain: https://bit.ly/38DQJao
Tag Archives: History
Travel & Nature: ‘Bladon Lake At Blenheim Palace’ In Woodstock, England
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough, and the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England’s largest houses, was built between 1705 and 1722, and designated a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 1987.
Landmarks & History: ‘The Pantheon – Rome’ (Video)
“Anyone who steps inside the Pantheon immediately feels the crushing weight of human history, but also the incredible lightness of human creativity,”
If Rome is the Eternal City, the Pantheon is its eternal building, still in use after 2,000 years and attracting six million visitors a year.
The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a Catholic church, in Rome, Italy, on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus. It was rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated about 126 AD.
Travel In The Cotswolds: ‘Stroud To Tetbury’ (Video)
We’re continuing our journey south in this episode, having been to Painswick and the Slad Valley in episode five. We begin in Stroud, and move through the golden valley to Minchinhampton, high up on the escarpment and then down to Cirencester, before moving through Malmesbury and onto Tetbury.
Stroud is a market town and civil parish in the centre of Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. Situated below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at the meeting point of the Five Valleys, the town is noted for its steep streets, independent spirit and cafe culture.
Tetbury is a town and civil parish inside the Cotswold district in England. It lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxon monastery was founded, probably by Ine of Wessex, in 681.
Catastrophic Events: History’s ’15 Largest Tidal Waves & Tsunamies’ (Video)
The largest tidal waves, tsunamis, and other types of waves throughout history. Never turn your back to the sea.
- #1 Lituya Bay, Alaska – On the night of July 9, 1958, an earthquake along the Fairweather Fault in the Alaska Panhandle loosened about 40 million cubic yards (30.6 million cubic meters) of rock high above the northeastern shore of Lituya Bay. This mass of rock plunged from an altitude of approximately 3000 feet (914 meters) down into the waters of Gilbert Inlet (see map below). The impact force of the rockfall generated a local tsunami that crashed against the southwest shoreline of Gilbert Inlet. The wave hit with such power that it swept completely over the spur of land that separates Gilbert Inlet from the main body of Lituya Bay. The wave then continued down the entire length of Lituya Bay, over La Chaussee Spit and into the Gulf of Alaska. The force of the wave removed all trees and vegetation from elevations as high as 1720 feet (524 meters) above sea level. Millions of trees were uprooted and swept away by the wave. This is the highest wave that has ever been known.
- #2 Krakatoa tsunami – The 27 August 1883 explosion of Krakatau Volcano in Indonesia is one example of an eruption-caused tsunami. The eruption generated a 30m tsunami in the Sunda Strait which killed about 36,000 people, as it washed away 165 coastal villages on Java and Sumatra.
- #3 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami occurred at 07:58:53 in local time on 26 December, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It was an undersea megathrust earthquake that registered a magnitude of 9.1–9.3 Mw, reaching a Mercalli intensity up to IX in certain areas.
World History: ‘The Decline And Fall Of The League Of Nations’ (Video)
This film is the history of the League of Nations from 1930 to the onset of the Second world War: that 10-year span ending when Geneva, surrounded by Axis Powers, almost faded into memory.
Walks: ‘Yueyang Tower, Hunan, China’ (4K Video)
Yueyang Tower is an ancient Chinese tower in Yueyang, Hunan Province, on the shore of Lake Dongting. Alongside the Pavilion of Prince Teng and Yellow Crane Tower, it is one of the Three Great Towers of Jiangnan.
The famous Yueyang Tower, located at the western city gate of Yueyang in Hunan province, is listed as one of the Three Great Towers in the south of the Yangtze River in China. Yueyang Tower was originally built for military use. The construction of the tower was commissioned by General Lu Su of the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms Period(220-280). It was designed as a tower for training, directing marine troops and for military reviews. Standing on the bank of Dongting Lake of Yueyang, Yueyang Tower is magnificent and imposing, overlooking the 400-kilometer waterway scattered with sailing boats. Since the Tang Dynasty(618-907), Yueyang Tower had gradually become a popular tourist destination as well as a favored site for romantic scholars, who would frequent the place for chanting and writing poems.
Morning News Podcast: Stimulus Bill Analysis & A Historic 1911 Shootout
After months of deadlock, a covid-19 relief package has passed, but the battles continue. We ask how things got so dire and what President-elect Joe Biden will inherit.
A deadly shootout in London more than a century ago still resonates today; we examine one of the world’s first breaking-news stories. And the colour black reaches new depths in art.
Great Train Journeys: ‘Palermo To Mount Etna’ In Sicily, Italy (BBC Video)
Michael Portillo’s 1936 Bradshaw’s Guide brings him to the Italian ‘treasure island’ of Sicily, full of natural beauty and ‘scenery of the greatest charm’. But the interwar guide book also tells Michael that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini.
On a railway journey from the capital, Palermo, through the ancient town of Agrigento and the port of Siracusa, to Europe’s largest volcano, Mount Etna, Michael explores Sicilian life under the dictatorship. Michael finds out how the dictator took on the mafia and asks whether it is true that under Mussolini, the trains ran on time. In Palermo, Michael takes in the art and architecture of the futurists and feasts on a Sicilian speciality – spaghetti and sardines – in the city’s Ballaro street market. In the Capo district, Michael learns how the island’s distinctive puppets are made and is enchanted to see them in action.
Among the spectacular ancient Greek and Roman temples of Agrigento, Michael hears of the passionate ten-year search by a British archaeologist at the time of his guide for a long-lost ancient Greek theatre. The drama of the interwar period comes to life in front of Michael’s eyes as he joins six characters in search of an author at the Teatro Pirandello.
Michael takes the helm to explore the port of Siracusa by boat before visiting a controversial monument, which depicts a dark chapter in Italian history. He concludes his Sicilian journey on the circular railway around Mount Etna, aboard the sleek, futurist-inspired train inaugurated by Mussolini in 1937 – La Littorina.
History & Architecture: ‘Neuschwanstein Castle – Mad King Ludwig II And His Bavarian Fairy Tale’ (Video)
Neuschwanstein Castle is said to have inspired Walt Disney. This is the untold story of the Bavarian castle, which attracts 1.5 million visitors a year, and is also known as the ‘castle of the fairy tale king.’ Just over 150 years ago, in 1869, construction of Neuschwanstein Castle began in Bavaria, Germany.
This documentary gives a behind-the-scenes view of the famous building, which is said to have inspired the Disney castle. Neuschwanstein was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria, a man known also as the Swan King or the Fairy Tale King, but also as Mad King Ludwig. Ludwig II did not enjoy reigning. He dreamt of a life surrounded by nature, was an ardent fan of Wagner, and loved mythical imagery. Neuschwanstein Castle was his dream realized in stone. But it was also a withdrawal from his duties as head of state.
And the more Ludwig II hid away in his dream castle, the more he angered his ministers. They saw his artistic and architectural projects as overly extravagant. Eventually, this ‘overindulgence’ was used as grounds to declare him insane. He was interned in 1886. Just days later, he drowned in Lake Starnberg under mysterious circumstances, together with the psychiatrist who had certified him insane. Six weeks after the death of Ludwig II of Bavaria, the castle was opened to visitors.
The decision was also an effort to convince the public that the king had been ‘mad,’ and many came to see the castle. Then came the World Wars and Neuschwanstein was briefly forgotten by the public. During the Third Reich, Nazis misused it to store looted art. But the castle survived the wars unscathed. After the end of World War II, U.S. troops reached the castle. Before long, it had become a favorite among GIs stationed in Germany, and Neuschwanstein was once again a much-loved tourist attraction. Today, it’s a tourist phenomenon. This documentary offers a behind-the-scenes view of Neuschwanstein, a place that continues to cast its spell on those who visit, as the legend of King Ludwig II of Bavaria lives on.
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