Europe

On May 26, 1906, the new Vauxhall Bridge across the Thames in London opened. This was five years later than planned, as the process had to be delayed after somebody came to the (kind-of-important) realisation that the river bed couldn't…

On May 22, 1859, the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh. 221B Baker Street is, of course, the residence of his most famous character Sherlock Homes. The address didn't actually exist until the street was extended in…

On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed at Le Bourget Field in Paris, completing the first solo non-stop flight across the Atlantic and winning the $25,000 Orteig prize. Although six aviators had previously died trying to win the prize, Lindbergh…

On May 20, 1840, an accidental fire damaged a large part of York Minster. Just one of a number of fires which have blighted the building over the centuries, this one in particular led the Church into serious debt and…

Although the walls in question are made of stone, the title of this post isn't missing an 'e'. Ston is a town in Croatia which is the proud owner of Europe's longest structure. The walls of Ston are defensive walls…

On May 14, 1951, the Talyllyn Railway became the first line in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers. Trains doubtless run closer to schedule than any other railway in the UK.