OWHC 2025 – Page 3 – Young Travelling Scholarship

From the New World

September 2, 2025

Located in the Bohemia region, Prague is one of those cities that can seem inaccessible on the surface, due to the language barrier, and I felt so at the beginning; but when we accept our ignorance, it seems that another world, a new world, reveals itself with greater depth… In this riverside capital, crossed by the Vltava River and dominated by two medieval castles, revived a question I have been asking myself for several years: what inspired the greatest composers, writers and artists who lived there? The answer lies somewhere in Prague’s historic centre…

The historic centre, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, comprises the Old Town (Stare Mĕsto), where I stayed, the Lesser Town and the New Town (Nove Mĕsto). This ensemble displays a rich diversity of architecture, from the Middle Ages to recent modernism, with traces of the Renaissance and its Gothic buildings still visible.

Prague played a decisive role in the development of Christianity in the Middle Ages, which attracted many architects and artists over the centuries. Nowadays, the city counts many churches, earning it the nickname ‘the city of a hundred spires’! Here below you can see the South tower and Golden Gate of the St. Vitus cathedral, in the Prague Castel complex (Pražský hrad). Built around 880, the estate covers a very large area consisting of palaces and churches in various architectural styles (Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance).

Mosaic of the Last Judgment at the Golden Gate, St. Vitus Cathedral

The Hradčany (which covers the Castle’s complex) and Malá Strana districts (left) is separated from the Old Town by the Vltava River and the famous Charles Bridge, which connects the two banks. This bridge takes its name from Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and son of the Count of Luxembourg. In the 14th century, Charles IV founded the Charles University, modeled on the University of Paris (faculties of Arts, Medicine, Law and Theology), making Prague a centre of learning and a hub for cultural and intellectual exchange. The city has seen the likes of Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), local figures like Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904), Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), Franz Kafka (1883-1924), Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926), and many more!

Prague Castle, Vltava and the Charles Bridge

David Černý, The Head of Franz Kafka (2014)

Speaking of facts : Hrad means ‘castle’ in Czech. The second castle overlooking the city, in the lower district, is Vyšehrad, which has fundamentally inspired the two composers Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana in their works and symphonic poems (Smetana’s work Má Vlast begins with a poem titled Vyšehrad, followed by Vltava or Die Moldau) !

Symphonic poem *Vyšehrad* from Má Vlast cycle

Vyšehrad Castle, front door (10th century)

More than music, these music works tell a story and bear witness to an era and traditions. The second movement of Má Vlast for example, Vltava, takes up the rhythm of a polka, a traditional 19th-century Bohemian dance performed at peasant weddings, celebrations and salons. If you take a few minutes to listen to it, you will certainly recognize the moment where the rhythm changes (timecode is around 4 min depending on the version), right before the arpeggios of flutes, clarinets and harp appear, painting a mystical scene where fairies seem to frolic in the moonlight; a scene straight out of 19th-century Romanticism!

Imagine yourself in 1874. Smetana finishes his symphonic poem, perhaps one of the most grandiose ever written, and at the end of his manuscript, upon its publication, he notes: ‘I am now completely deaf.’ He never heard what would become of his work, and that is what makes it all the more impressive!

Let us now return to the heart of the city, where several monuments of architectural significance to Prague’s history stand side by side. Here you can see the Old Town Hall (1338), the oldest institution of Czech self-government, with the astronomical clock, symbol of Prague’s cultural heritage.

Prague’s architecture has served as a reference point for urban development across much of Central and Eastern Europe. Here is another perspective on the variety of architectural traditions. These buildings reflect yet another style, as they feature murals or paintings covering a specific historical period within the city’s 1,100-year history! They are therefore a valuable resource, as they bear the imprint of the civilisations that came before us!

Finally, I met Karolina, a teacher-doctoral student at the University of Prague and participant in the first edition of the Young Travelling Programme in 2018! We met in a cosy café, over coffee and… Austrian pastries! Linecký koláč, Linzer Torte in German, which gave me a taste of my next destination!

This is where my stay in Prague ends. I enjoyed it very much.

As paradoxical as it may seem, when travelling, we seem to have an unconscious and natural reflex to seek out people who speak our language, who come from the same country as us, who share some of our traditions; perhaps because when faced with a sea of strangers, we need a shore to moor ourselves to. Sitting on a bench by the Vltava River, on my first morning there, a man sat next to me and, after sharing a few words in English, he told me that fear holds us back, but it also forces us to move forward. It sort of gave me a boost during my stay. Whether you understand its language or not, Prague is a city that whispers many things, and from what I saw and felt in the short time I was there, it speaks not only with words, but also with its architecture and its music…

May Life and its journey make you an artist!

See you in Salzburg, dear travelling companions!

Small places hide great stories

August 29, 2025

When I decided to visit Nuremberg (located in Bavaria, eastern Germany), I didn’t know much about the city apart from the Playmobil Fun Park I went to 10 years ago, and, of course, the trials that took place there between 1945 and 1946. While this second ranks among the most important moments in the history of the city and of Germany as a whole, Nürnberg definitely has a lot more to say in matter of history; from the city’s urbanism evolution over time to the different populations who travelled its cobbled streets, this journey brings us back a few centuries ago.

Knight and tournament saddle blanket (17th century)

The Germanic symbols that populate the city and which, fortunately, have all been preserved in their original form are a fondamental evidence of the city’s evolution from an imperial city in 1212 under Frederick II to its loss of independence under Napoleon (who assigned Nuremberg to the Kingdom of Bavaria).

These transitions from one era and state to another are particularly evident in the country’s coat of arms. Here below, you will find three coats of arms that were commonly used between the 14th century and during the renaissance. The first (left) and second (middle) co-existed during the same period: one show an eagle with an imperial eagle’s head relating to the imperial state, the other to a king’s head referring to Charles II. Finally, these two coats of arms merged together at the end of the 15th century to form an eagle’s body with two heads.

If you noticed on the first coat of arms, the eagle is looking to its left, whereas in most cases in the evolution of Germanic coats of arms, it was looking to its right. The only other time an imperial eagle was seen looking to its left was during the Third Reich (Parteiadler). However, according to the chronology of the German coats of arms, this detail allows us to date it to around 1457!

Imperial eagle looking to his left. Left facade of the City Hall (around 1457)

Königskopfadler, Imperial Castle of Nuremberg (14th century)

Wappendreipass, Facade near the Frauentor, the south-western gate of the Nuremberg city wall (late 15th century)

Next, I visited the Germanisches National Museum, which has a large collection of Renaissance works, particularly scientific instruments. These are not commonly seen and bear witness to the evolution of our perception of the world, the stars and planet Earth. On a first hand, the museum houses the famous Behaim Globe, listed as World Heritage since 2023, known to be the world’s earlieast surviving terrestrial globe, commissioned by the Nuremberg council and illustrated between 1492 and 1494. I completely forgot to take a photo of it! In any case, I can tell you that I stood in front of it for several minutes, because its good state of preservation is definitely astonishing.

Here below is another piece of history : a Hundred Year Calendar dating from around 1461, on display in the exhibition on scientific instruments. The rotatable pointers and discs on the central panel help calculate special star constellations and astrological aspects in the period between 1461 and 1560.

On the morning of my departure, I still had time to visit the Neues Museum, a modern art museum that displays works by Gerhard Richter, a 20th-century German artist (still alive!), and other European artists. Some of the works were really abstract, but still kind of mesmerizing, and one particularly caught my attention… But before revealing the title of the work, try to understand what it is about! The painting depicts a sea of blue divided into several panels, on which commas are aligned with a vertical alphabet (on the far left).

Before I give you the key to the puzzle, take a look at it and try to make connections! Imagine yourself in the room, surrounded by this blue and white ocean…

Right, right, right… It turns out that each of the paintings spells out a word using the arrangement of commas: “vedere”, which means “to see”; “udire”, which means to hear; “odorare”, to smell; “gustare”, to taste; “toccare”, to feel; and finally “pensare”, to think! The six senses, which is the title of the work ! I sei senso by Alighiero Boetti. I loved it!

Quite inspiring to travel from the Middle Ages to contemporary culture in one single place… This diversity is further evidence of Nuremberg’s rich history, which has evolved with the times and is brimming with treasures from every era that Germany has experienced.

Centuries have passed and may pass again, but Nuremberg is one of those places where, when you walk from one neighborhood to another, you feel transported back to the age of knights and to a more recent past: museums, culture, arts, even toys, every street corner bears witness to the passage of humankind, making Nuremberg an ancient but also modern city, as evidenced by the rich diversity that inhabits it today.

There it is, the mark of our heritage: that it takes different colors to make a beautiful picture, different opinions to make a world, and that small places may hid greater stories than what we can imagine. Let’s be curious and keep our eyes open!

My journey in Nürnberg ends here. See you in Prague, dear travelling companions!

Look up to the sky!

August 24, 2025

Bienvenue à Bruxelles!

European capital, home to many artists, renowned for its waffles, gilding and history, I was very excited to discover the past and present history of the city of Brussels.

I arrived in the afternoon, and luckily I still had the time to visit the Comics museum. On my way there, I’ve encountered some of Brussel’s symbols in quite unexpected places!

The next morning, I went to the Royal Museums of Fine arts of Belgium and the Magritte-museum. Their collection reflected that there is something very primitive about the act of painting: some artists follow strict rules, others try at all costs to break free from them. The essential thing, according to René Magritte, is to follow the flow of one’s ideas rather than that of traditions; to listen to one’s nature before seeking to understand it.

Magritte (1898-1967) was a Belgian surrealist artist known for playing with the perspective of reality. You may be familiar with Magritte’s paintings ‘This is not a pipe’, ‘The Son of Man’ or my favorite serie ‘The Human Condition’. If there is a recurring theme in these works, it is that Magritte breaks down the boundary between the object and its representation, between reason and imagination.

His approach aims to be as close as possible to the insensible, the Unknown. In this respect, his paintings take on particularly cold tones, but he also manages to turn shadow into light.

If Magritte’s art is quite difficult to analyse – as he wanted it to be – it is nevertheless possible to say that Magritte’s work has a lively character and opens the way to interpretation, as if his paintings retained, like the wings of the dove, a sense of freedom and a portion of the sky!

In the afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting Paula and Florence, both heritage conservatory architects of the “Grand-Place” site, classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO since 1998 for its architecture and significant history.

Built in the 12th century, bombed in 1695 and rebuilt several times, La Grand-Place bears witness to a rich architecture that is recognizable by the style of its buildings, which range from Gothic to Baroque. Beyond its history and the various political and popular functions to which the buildings have been used, it is the resilience and the point of honour to preserve its image as close as possible to the original architectural plans, as Paula and Florence have pointed out, that make La Grand-Place an exceptional place for its historical and cultural heritage.

According a lot of attention to details and passion to their explanations, Paula and Florence showed me the known and unknown stories of Brussels, from the Maison du Roi to the rooftop of their workplace, via the City Hall and the Bourse.

Their architectural perspective was really interesting, particularly in terms of the conservation process, the different stages involved in renovating the buildings on the main square: from the largest stones to the smallest pieces and, finally, the gilding.

Here is a photo of us taken in front of the statue of Saint-Michael, patron saint of the City of Brussels, the copy of which decorates the city’s skyline!

If I learned one thing by walking through the sometimes narrow streets of this city and by travelling, with Paula and Florence, through the history and architecture of Brussels, it is that there are places where it is sometimes enough to let your gaze wander in the sky to discover other wonders that museums, parks and shops do not allow us to see every day!

Next stop is the City of Nuremberg in Germany. See you there, dear travel companions!

Philadelphia: Living History in Our Backyard

August 22, 2025

As students at Temple University, Philadelphia is part of our daily lives. From subway rides and restaurants to busy streets we cross on the way to class, we know the city well. However, seeing it with a focus on history gave it a new weight. In the rush of everyday life, it is easy to forget that we are surrounded by some of the most important landmarks in American history.

Walking through Old City, past Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, we were reminded that Philadelphia has always been a place where ideas and futures were debated and shaped. Standing where the Declaration of Independence was signed, we felt a connection to the city that went beyond being just students here. It tied us to a larger story about resilience, change, and vision.

Visiting museums and walking through neighborhoods gave us a deeper understanding of how Philadelphia’s past shaped its present. We noticed plaques, memorials, and markers highlighting events and figures that might otherwise go unnoticed. Learning these stories made the city feel more personal and layered.

Seeing Philadelphia this way tied directly to our theme: Past Rebuilt and Futures Reimagined. The same streets we rush through on a daily basis are also places where people once fought for independence, debated freedoms, and redefined what a nation could be. That mix of the everyday and the historic helped us see our city differently. What once was seen as a backdrop for college life became a living connection between past struggles and future possibilities.

Mostar: A Bridge Between Past and Future

August 22, 2025

Our time in Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the most powerful parts of the journey. In Mostar, we visited the Old Bridge (Stari Most), a landmark that is more than just stone and arches. The bridge was destroyed during the war in the 1990s, leaving a gap in both the skyline and the community. When it was rebuilt years later, it became a symbol that recovery is possible. Today, the bridge is full of life again. Children jump into the river, locals chat along the rails, and visitors like us stop to take it in. Being there made us feel the weight of both history and hope in those stones.

Visiting the War and Genocide Museum was a much heavier experience. The exhibits shared stories of suffering, resilience, and survival. Walking through it was difficult, but it was important. The museum doesn’t let history fade. One of the most powerful parts was seeing a space where visitors could leave notes for Bosnian citizens. Many of the notes called for peace and reflection. It made clear what happened and why remembering it matters. The museum reminded us that rebuilding is not merely about restoring buildings. The main purpose is to face the past honestly so that healing and progress are possible.

Outside these historic sites, we walked through the town’s streets, visiting local shops, exploring markets, and stepping into quiet mosques, including the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque & its Minaret. The call to prayer, the smell of food from small kitchens, and the everyday activity showed that Mostar is not only a place marked by tragedy but also a town that continues to thrive. For us, Bosnia and Herzegovina made our theme of Past Rebuilt, Future Reimagined clear. The Old Bridge shows that destruction doesn’t have to be the last word. The museum shows that truth and memory matter for the future. Finally, the life of the town shows that people keep building and imagining new futures.

O to be European

August 21, 2025

Wings are made of feathers

My journey in Luxembourg started… in Vianden, which is about an hour away from the capital city. Heading North, you’ll find a mystical place where a beautiful castle seems to be the Guardian of the Our River (which forms the border between Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany) and the – very epic – museum of Victor Hugo. During his stay (a few days in 1851 and a little more than 2 months in 1871), he wrote poems and drew Luxembourgish symbols. Can you spot the difference ?

Wonderful, right ?

I went back to the center where I was welcomed by a warm sunset. The city has seen a lot of changes; however, the fortifications of Luxembourg-city – one of Europe’s greatest fortified sites – are still standing, supported by the natural landscape that surrounds them and the legend of Melusina, which perpetuates the myth about the origins of the city, dating back to its foundation by Count Sigefroi in 963. It is quite magical to observe a landscape made up of greenery, mystery, fortifications and modernity!

Talking of modernity, the buildings you see in the background of the picture below are located in the Kirchberg district.

Kirchberg is another important part of the city because it is home to a lot of financial institutions, one of the campuses of the University of Luxembourg, but also many cultural attractions, including the philharmonic hall, the museum of modern art, the European Parliament and the Olympic swimming pool!

What is even more surprising and interesting is that, before the expropriation of 1961, Kirchberg was mainly occupied by huge fields where potatoes, lettuce and cabbage were grown. We never would have guessed! It is funny to think that nowadays they kind of grow money there.

Last but not least, I walked to the Monument Robert Schuman. The monument was unveiled in 1966 – 3 years after Robert Schuman’s death – and consists of 3 girders ending in 6 spikes which represent the six founding states of the European Community for Coal and Steel: Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. More than a symbol of Luxembourg’s history (his mother tongue was Luxembourgish), Robert Schuman encouraged the idea – as the nations of Europe were trying to overcome the devastation wrought by World War II – that peace can be achieved through unity and that diversity is a strength.

The inscription on the memorial stone is an excerpt from the speech that Schuman held on the 9th of May, 1950 (which is a holiday in Luxembourg, “Europadag” or Europe Day, named after the Declaration). It says : “Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.”

Although, initially, Schuman’s statement had other aims, this quote also invites us to reflect on the human condition, particularly our connections as citizens of Europe and the world.

Being born with roots here and elsewhere, travelling, sometimes being forced to leave… these are realities that many people are familiar with. A question came to my mind: from our shared history to our most unique traditions, what constitutes Europe’s identity today? Will historical and cultural heritage provide an answer to this question? Is art or poetry one of them? That is what I will try to discover during my journey…

This is where my stay in Luxembourg comes to an end. From the heights of Vianden to the depths of the Grund, these sites have taken me on another kind of journey through my mind and through matter. Descending the slope of history, then climbing back up to find a present full of modernity, Luxembourg is one of these places that reminds you what is especially beautiful in a world of diversity where you are able to express who you are : that wings are made of feathers, and not only the ones from our dearest writers! Each one of us works hard to make ourselves a pair with what we carry, what we love, what we learn, the languages we speak and the people we meet along the way; for the rest, as long as we will do what is right, like for Icarus, the sky will gives us all the space we need to fly!

See you in Brussels, dear travelling companions!

Sophie

Dubrovnik: The Walled City that Refused to Fall

August 9, 2025

From the sea, Dubrovnik’s medieval walls look timeless, but in the early 1990s they stood under fire. Known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” Dubrovnik thrived for centuries as a proud, independent republic, guarding its stone streets, Gothic palaces, and red rooftops. In 1991, war came to Croatia. The Yugoslav People’s Army shelled the Old City for months, striking homes, churches, and even the Sponza Palace, while residents huddled in basements as UNESCO issued urgent appeals to protect the World Heritage Site. When the siege ended, Dubrovnik’s scars were visible, yet the city refused to be defined by damage. Meticulous restorers replaced each shattered tile with handmade terracotta, rebuilt palaces stone by stone, and revived the city to its former glory.

During our visit, we explored the Old City and met Mihaela Skurić, OWHC representative of Dubrovnik and Director at the Institute for the Restoration of Dubrovnik. She shared insights into the city’s long-term efforts to balance tourism with the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. We were also honored to receive welcome gifts from Dubrovnik’s mayor, recognizing our work to raise awareness about the city’s restoration! Seeing these efforts up close showed us that preservation is not only about repairing historic buildings, but also about managing visitor impact, protecting the city’s character, and supporting sustainable local life.

Mihaela also gave us a guided tour of the Old Port, explaining its historic role in trade and defense. From there, we took in views of Lokrum Island, a short ferry ride away. Lokrum offers a mix of nature and history: a botanical garden, beaches, and even a small Game of Thrones museum for fans of the show, which filmed scenes there. Seeing the island alongside Dubrovnik’s restored walls showed how heritage in this region extends beyond architecture to include landscapes, ecosystems, and living traditions.

For us, Dubrovnik represents the theme of Past Rebuilt, Future Reimagined in a very real way. The city suffered destruction within living memory, yet its community chose to rebuild stone by stone instead of letting the past be erased. At the same time, Dubrovnik is reimagining its future by addressing the challenges of tourism, sustainability, and climate change. The lesson we took away is that rebuilding after conflict is not just about restoring buildings, but about renewing identity and creating a future where heritage continues to serve the people who live within it. Dubrovnik shows that resilience is both a memory of the past and a responsibility for the future.

Split: 3 Days in the Heart of History

August 9, 2025

To start our journey, we spent three days in Split, Croatia, where history and daily life come together in the same spaces. Walking through the UNESCO-listed Diocletian’s Palace, we could see how the past has been rebuilt into the present: cafés inside ancient courtyards, markets under stone archways, and locals gathering in squares that have existed for centuries. Split showed us how heritage is not only preserved but actively lived in, which connects well to our theme of reimagining the future through the past.

On our first day, we visited St. Domnius Cathedral and climbed the bell tower for a clear view over the city and harbor. We also walked along the Riva promenade, a busy waterfront lined with cafés and restaurants. That evening we had pizza for dinner and ended up getting caught in a sudden rainstorm. This was something we hadn’t expected, but it turned into a fun and memorable part of the trip!

The second day decided to focus more on history. We explored the palace substructures and joined a guided heritage tour. We learned about how Split grew from a Roman imperial residence into a thriving port city! We were able to see how the pillars and different parts of the Palace were inspired from countries around the world. In the afternoon, we walked up Marjan Hill for a great view of the city and the surrounding islands.

Our last day was more relaxed. We visited local markets, tried new foods, and spent our final evening back on the Riva, watching the boats and talking. We left with souvenirs for ourselves and for family and friends, but more importantly with a sense of how Split’s history continues to shape its identity today.

For us, Split represented the theme of Past Rebuilt, Future Reimagined in many ways. The city is literally built around its Roman palace, but instead of treating it only as a monument of the past, people live and work inside it every day. Split shows how heritage can remain relevant when it is integrated into modern life rather than separated from it. This makes the city’s past feel alive and reminds us that reimagining the future means finding ways for heritage to adapt, connect, and continue serving communities today.

Bergen – A Beautiful Farewell to the North

August 7, 2025

We reached our final stop: Bergen. Getting there was already a highlight in itself: we took the Bergen Railway from Oslo, one of the most scenic train rides in Europe. For seven hours, we watched the Norwegian landscape shift from wide valleys to lakes, waterfalls, and tiny wooden houses in the middle of nowhere. It was the perfect way to transition into the last chapter of our journey.

Once in Bergen, the weather wasn’t really on our side, but that didn’t stop us from discovering the city. We joined a guided tour, explored charming narrow streets and colorful wooden houses, and got a feel for Bergen’s unique atmosphere.

One of our favorite experiences was a 5-hour hike from Mount Ulriken to Mount Fløyen. It was long and challenging, but incredibly rewarding. Along the way, we passed quiet mountain lakes and even crossed paths with sheep wandering freely through the landscape.

On our last day, the rain pushed us indoors. So we headed to a local swimming hall and sauna. And despite the grey skies, we couldn’t resist jumping into the fjord one last time. Cold, yes – but totally worth it.

Now we’re heading home, with full backpacks and even fuller hearts.
A huge thank you to the OWHC and the Young Travelling Scholarship for making this journey possible. We’re incredibly grateful for the experiences we’ve had and for being able to share them along the way.