Transylvania - Feldioara

 During the medieval era, fortifications were a typical form of protection against raids and invasions. At a time when conquering and waging war was a way of life, kingdoms would build great walls around their cities. Yet when the Mongols tore their way through the Kingdom of Hungary in the 13th century decimating villages and populations, it was clear that the fortifications in place were insufficient to hold the Mongols at bay.

The Transylvanian Saxons did their best to fight against the Mongols and hold their position but to no avail and subsequently many of the settlements were completely destroyed. Anticipating another invasion, the Saxons proceeded not just to rebuild but to fortify their territories. As such more than 300 villages were fortified. High curtain walls were built around the more important towns, as seen in Braşov, whereas smaller ones were built around the church, adding defensive buildings and storehouses to help the villagers withstand extended sieges.

With time many of these fortified villages fell into ruin and only about half of them continue to exist. Of these, seven of them throughout the region were classified UNESCO sites such as Prejmer’s fortified church just north of Braşov. A little further from Prejmer, I passed the fortified church of Hărman with its 20ft (6m) thick walls. The chapel has an extensive collection of antique knotted carpets and textiles, and the walls are adorned with highly detailed 15th century murals.

Having arrived in Feldioara, I stopped at the former headquarters of the Teutonic Order, a fortress built in 1225 and assumed to be the oldest in the area. Very little is left of the interior, but the curtain wall and its four towers have been fully restored. Strategically located, the fortress offered views over the landscape, the village of Feldioara and the spire of St Mary’s Church.

Wrapping up my meanderings, I pulled up at a local dining spot to indulge in another traditional dish that is usually served during special celebrations called Sarmale, stuffed cabbage rolls. Made of minced pork mixed with caramelised onions and rice, it is then rolled into pickled sauerkraut leaf and pressure cooked with cuts of pork belly. The cabbage rolls are served with a dollop of sour cream on the side. While cabbage rolls have Turkish origins, they are a traditional Romanian dish with regional differences.

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Great Wall - Yinchuan

Yinchuan was the capital of the 11th century Xixia state (modern-day Ningxia) and was occupied by the Western Xia Dynasty. The people of Western Xia were originally Tibetan and when the capital was established as part of the empire, the native Chinese were so dissatisfied that the entire population emigrated.

The city experienced a terrible blow when the Mongols, under the leadership of Genghis Khan, laid siege to it in 1227AD. Yinchuan was under siege for six months when Genghis suddenly died. To keep the campaign on track, his death was kept a secret. A month later, the emperor surrendered and was immediately executed. Genghis’ policy was always to conquer and eradicate those who resisted him. As such, the entire population of Yinchuan was slaughtered and the Western Xia Dynasty fell.

The few royal members that survived retreated either to Tibet or the far east. Very little is known about this dynasty, since the Mongols pillaged and plundered the capital, leaving very little evidence of its existence behind.

About 25mi (40km) west of Yinchuan are the Western Xia Imperial Tombs. Located at the foot of the Helan Mountains, the burial complex was only discovered in 1972. Special liquid was sprayed on the excavated relics to protect them from exposure. So far nine imperial mausoleums and 250 minor tombs have been discovered. They have a unique beehive shape and are often referred to as the Oriental Pyramids.

The largest and most complete tomb is said to belong to Jingzong, the first emperor of the Western Xia Dynasty. The large tomb is 75ft (23m) high and it is believed to have once been a 5-7 storied, eight-sided pagoda. Combining mausoleum and temple styles, it was built in accordance with Buddhist architecture.

Large amounts of inscribed stele fragments were found in the complex, giving scholars a rare opportunity to learn a little more about the vanished Xixia civilisation.



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Great Wall - Military Leaders

Whilst Emperors dictated the building of the Great Wall, it was a handful of exceptional military leaders that made it happen. During the Ming Dynasty two names pop up again and again as the commanders in charge of the various constructions.

General Qi Jiguang – 16th century

Qi Jiguang was raised in a military family. He began his military career at 17 and was relieved of duty after 38 years of service. Spending most of his career fighting the Mongols in the north or the pirates in the east, Qi was instrumental in developing new combat tactics that helped defeat China's enemies. As such, he was put in charge of training the imperial guards and was promoted to the highest military rank of Commissioner-in-Chief.

During his time on the Wall, he undertook a massive expansion project, repairing and reinforcing the Wall’s defences, installing as many as 1,000 watchtowers over a 380mi (608km) stretch. These works helped fend off the northern enemies for more than a decade until the Ming Dynasty was replaced. Qi was also known for documenting his thoughts on military strategy into two books and wrote many poems and works of prose.

General Xu Da – 14th century

Young Xu Da grew up at the tail end of the Yuan Dynasty, led by the Mongol empire. Playing warlike games with Zhu Yuanzhang, he was unaware of the fate that awaited both of them in later years. Zhu became a prominent rebel leader with Xu serving as a general. In 1368, together, they led an attack on the capital city and forced the Yuan ruler out, becoming the founders of the newly formed Ming Dynasty, with Zhu as its first emperor and Xu as a general and later a politician. Xu’s first task in relation to the Great Wall was to build the Shanhai Pass near the sea, which he completed in less than two years. He went on to build many sections of the Wall that were reinforced two centuries later by Qi Jiguang. Xu remained in the emperor’s service for 32 years until his passing.



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Stand with Ukraine - Mariinsky Palace

 

Ukraine is the second-largest country by area in Europe, with its capital city in Kyiv. It is bordered by several countries (Romania, Moldova, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary) and two seas (Black Sea and Sea of Azov). 

Settled by Slavs in the 5th-6th centuries AD, today, Ukraine has the second-largest East Slavic ethnic group after Russia. Between its early settlement and now, Ukraine was occupied by various conquerors beginning with Swedish Vikings who, in the 9th century, converted the people to Christianity. Orthodoxy became the most dominant religion, highly influencing Ukrainian customs.

In the 13th century, the Mongols conquered the south and east of the country, leaving the north and west relatively independent. A century later came the Polish and Lithuanians. When serfs ran away from their Polish landlords, they settled in the steppes of Ukraine, forming their own self-governing communities. They became known as the Cossacks, meaning free men, but by the late 18th century they were disbanded and absorbed into Russia. 

Fast forward to the 21st century and the Ukrainians experienced a brief independent period in 1918 before the nation was re-absorbed by Russia. After the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine regained its independence and has been a developing country since, trading in agriculture and metals, amongst other things. 

Ukraine’s biggest export commodity is sunflower seeds. This bright and cheerful yellow flower with a centre packed with seeds that are both edible and used to make oil, is Ukraine’s national flower. Brought from North America by explorers, it was discovered that it grew prolifically in the rich soil of Ukraine and by the 1800s, extensive fields of sunflowers were all over the country. Embroidered on fabrics, painted on walls, furniture and household items in a folk art called petrykivka, the sunflower represents warmth and the power of the sun. 

Additionally, this flower’s versatility sees no bounds. In the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists planted millions of seeds because they discovered that the sunflower had the ability to rapidly soak up certain radioactive material. Disposing of the flowers is a faster and easier process than removing the soil from the affected area. Then in 1996, to mark the removal of the nuclear arsenals in Ukraine that were inherited at the end of the Cold War, officials from Ukraine, United States and Russia planted sunflowers atop the destroyed nuclear missiles. As such, the flower became a symbol of peace and nuclear disarmament. Today, the sunflower continues to be a symbol of hope and solidarity, a productive agricultural crop, and a cleaner of toxic waste. 

The city of Kyiv was founded in the 5th century AD and named after one of the four legendary founders, who were three brothers and a sister: Kyi, Schcheck, Khoryv and Lybid. Home to high tech industries and a centre for education, science and culture, Kyiv is also a treasure trove of historical landmarks and nearly 1,000 churches. Green spaces abound throughout the city, and it is endowed with three UNESCO designations: St Sophia Cathedral, the Monastery of Caves (Pechersk Lavra) and the Collection of Jewish Musical Folklore.

This journey begins at Mariinsky Park, a city park founded in 1847 by Maria Alexandrovna - Empress of Russia, one of the founders of the Russian Red Cross, founder of the first Russian all-female school and famous for aiding her husband, Tsar Alexander II, with ending serfdom. During the 19th century, the park brimmed with busts and sculptures, which have since been removed, however the cast iron fountain installed in 1900 continues to hold a prominent position. 

Adjacent to the park is the Mariinsky Palace, which the park is named after. A stunning baroque palace, construction was completed in 1752 with Catherine the Great being the first imperial member to stay in it during her visit in 1787.

The palace burnt down in a fire in the early 19th century and was left empty and abandoned until Tsar Alexander II restored it and renamed it after his wife. By the 1920s it was used as an agricultural school, then a museum and, following serious damage in WWII, it was restored twice more.

Today, the palace is used for official receptions and summits. Outside, it is beautifully painted in a sea foam colour with white and ivory accents. Inside it consists of 55 rooms on the ground floor, used for official purposes and the second floor has 26 richly adorned suites and halls. The walls are decorated with paintings by foreign and Ukrainian artists loaned from galleries in Kyiv, L’viv and Odessa.