The Commentary Magazine Podcast Touring Through History
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Aug 20, 2025 Join a fascinating journey as the hosts reveal their favorite historical sites around the world. Discover the ancient Jewish heritage hidden beneath Barcelona's streets. Reflect on the emotional weight of significant battlefields like Antietam. Delve into the importance of preserving history amidst modern development. Learn about the archaeological significance of pilgrimage routes to the Temple Mount, and the deep cultural connections that shape our understanding of the past.
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Barcelona's Hidden Mikvah
- Seth Mandel recounts finding an ancient mikvah beneath a Barcelona café and sitting above it while drinking coffee.
- He describes Barcelona as a living archaeological site where Jewish ruins are woven into everyday city life.
Small Sites, Big Historical Clarity
- Matt Continetti felt transported at Fort Sumter because the small, comprehensible site clarifies the Civil War's opening moment.
- He found Gettysburg similarly moving as a turning point where the scale of sacrifice and the end of slavery become tangible.
Standing In Bloody Lane
- John Podhoretz describes visiting Antietam and standing in Bloody Lane where thousands fought in a single day.
- He says the physical trench made the horror of the battle almost incomprehensible in person.
