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China’s ancient city, where Islam took hold

25 February 2022
Nellie HuangFeatures correspondent
Bertrand Gardel/Alamy (Credit: Bertrand Gardel/Alamy)Bertrand Gardel/Alamy
(Credit: Bertrand Gardel/Alamy)

Xi’an’s Silk Road roots continue to fuel one of the city’s most interesting modern-day neighbourhoods.

History
Cultural Activities
Arts & Architecture

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The first US transcontinental railroad

How the transcontinental railroad changed the US forever

In 1869, two companies connected the east to the west with the United States' first transcontinental railroad.

History
Why ancient Roman buildings last for millennia

Why ancient Roman buildings last for millennia

The ancient concrete made by the Romans is teaching modern construction some new tricks.

History
The secret childhood of Princess Diana

The secret childhood of Princess Diana

Princess Diana’s cousin shares unseen photos of their private childhood.

BBC Select
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Rare footage of the WW2 Nazi Hindenburg airship crash

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History
What happened at Hiroshima?

What happened at Hiroshima?

Eighty years ago, the US dropped a nuclear bomb on Japan,the only nuclear weapon ever used in warfare.

History
Pope Joan: the legend of the only woman pontiff

Pope Joan: the woman who fooled the church

A woman who allegedly was the head of the Catholic Church became one of the most controversial Middle Ages tales.

History
The secret magazine ridiculing Hitler's mother

The secret WW2 magazine ridiculing Hitler's mother

Hiding in an attic, Jewish man Curt Bloch found inspiration through crafting anti-Nazi parody.

History
Behind Lady Diana’s 'first' picture

How the first 'sensational' picture of Lady Diana came about

It starts nearly 40 years ago, when a teenage girl is pulled out of obscurity and thrust into the spotlight.

History
The surprisingly sour Victorian Valentine's Day craze

The insulting 'Vinegar Valentine' of Victorian England

Valentine’s Day is thought to celebrate romance but rude cards soured the holiday for its recipients.

History
The WW2 experiment to make pigeon-guided missiles

The WW2 experiment to make pigeon-guided missiles

An unexpected WW2 experiment by behaviourist B F Skinner proved that pigeons could be used for missile guidance.

History
Mary Mallon: 'The most dangerous woman in America'

Mary Mallon: 'The most dangerous woman in America'

How Mary Mallon, an Irish cook for New York's elite, became known as the 'most dangerous woman in America'.

History
Europe's 'iron harvest' of war

World War One relics live on in the fields of Europe

The battlegrounds of World War One are still giving up their revealing evidence of bitter fighting.

History
Inside Michelangelo's 'secret hiding room'

A look inside Michelangelo's 'secret room'

The BBC gets access to Michelangelo's 'secret hiding room' under the Medici Chapel in Florence.

Art & Design
The history of the bison skull photo

The picture that tells a lesser-known chapter of US history

How a 1892 photo from Rougeville, Michigan, became the most iconic image of the bison massacre in America.

History
The history of swing states

The history of swing states in the US

The US Presidential elections did not always depend on just these seven states.

History
The 19.5-tonne cargo of cat mummies sent to England

Why tonnes of mummified cats ended up in England

In 1890 an estimated cargo of 180,000 ancient felines, weighing 19.5 tonnes, were auctioned off in Liverpool.

History
Inside the ancient royal tomb found by accident

Inside the ancient royal tomb found by accident

The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak was accidentally discovered by Bulgarian soldiers digging up shelters in 1944.

Archaeology
Varna Necropolis: World's oldest gold treasure

Varna Necropolis: World's oldest gold treasure

The Varna treasure is considered the world's oldest human processed gold, dating back 6,500 years.

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The giant 350-year-old model of St Paul's Cathedral

The giant 350-year-old model of St Paul's Cathedral

Hiding in a London cathedral is an intricate wooden mock-up of Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece.

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Uncovering the sunken relics of an ancient city

Uncovering the sunken relics of an ancient city

Bettany Hughes goes underwater in search of ancient archaeological finds in historic Sozopol, Bulgaria.

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