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Category: Stories

People, encounters, places… the best from the Extinguished Countries.

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

© All rights reserved to Ahmed Yousry Mahfouz. Please don't use this images for any purpose without notifying me and getting explicit permission.

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

- Projection: Rectilinear (0) FOV: 56 x 31 Ev: 2.03

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

The Habsburg’s boat return

The city-fortress of Palmanova is well known to us at Extinguished Countries and to our eager readers. But how many of you know that, some 300 km further east, there is another star-shaped city? A city that was attacked by the Ottoman Empire six times, and managed to repel it just as many times? We… Continue reading The Habsburg’s boat return

Yugo-journey: A Road Trip Across Former Yugoslavia

The story of Yugoslavia is a fascinating one, full of unique cultural and societal complexities.  This now “extinguished” country was once an unparalleled example of coexistence, bringing together different cultures, religions, and languages to create a distinctive and rich blend of art, music, and movies.  But although many academics and Yugoslavia enthusiasts are familiar with… Continue reading Yugo-journey: A Road Trip Across Former Yugoslavia

From Istanbul to the Alps: the journey of a window along the Danube

In the South of Germany, nestled within the mountainous Black Forest, flow two small streams: Brigach and Breg. Their names may not ring a bell, but the river they give life to just a few kilometres downstream certainly will: the Danube. Europe’s longest waterway winds through ten countries before emptying into the Black Sea. Since… Continue reading From Istanbul to the Alps: the journey of a window along the Danube

Habsburg Galicia: troubled and wonderful diversity

Should we make a travel guide dedicated to ‘regions that no longer exist’, Galicia would certainly be among the most popular. Indeed, not only did this province arise from the partitioning of a former state, the Polish-Lithuanian Confederation, but it disappeared along with another bygone empire, the Habsburg Empire, of which it was a part.… Continue reading Habsburg Galicia: troubled and wonderful diversity