Food is an important part of our understanding of the Ottoman Empire, and much of what the former Ottoman territories retained from this period is found on the dinner table. But what is Ottoman cuisine, and what exactly are its legacies today? We spoke with Dr. Febe Armanios, the Philip Battell and Sarah Frances Cowles Stewart… Continue reading Yogurt, Coffee, and Phyllo Dough – an Introduction to Ottoman Gastronomy
A few months ago, we sent out a survey to ask what you thought about the future of Extinguished Countries. Over the years, this project has grown from a dream to a publishing house with two books, merchandise, and a thriving international community active online and offline. As we continue to grow further, it feels… Continue reading The Future of Extinguished Countries…According to You!
Most of the world knows Ivo Andrić as a Nobel Prize-winning author. However, to Habsburg administrators of his home of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andrić was a teenage troublemaker suspected of collaborating in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. We spoke to Enes Škrgo, curator of the Memorial House of Ivo Andrić in Travnik, the author’s birthplace,… Continue reading The Nobel Prize Winner vs. Austria-Hungary
During the 19th century Karlovy Vary and other Czech spa towns drew visitors from all over Europe. Franz Kafka, Mark Twain, Karl Marx, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Emperor Franz Joseph, they all visited Bohemia’s “Spa Triangle”. Today, while you have to reserve actual spa treatments well in advance, you can walk in the footsteps… Continue reading Follow the steps of 19th-century VIPs in Karlovy Vary
The Habsburg Empire tried to conquer Belgrade from the Ottoman Empire several times: in 1688, in 1717, and then again in 1789. 1717 was the only time the Habsburgs retained long-term control over Belgrade, and between 1717 and 1739, Belgrade became the capital of the semi-autonomous Kingdom of Serbia within the Habsburg Empire. Although brief,… Continue reading The hidden traces of Habsburg Belgrade
