Summary
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, the hosts discuss the Amber Room, a masterpiece of Baroque art made from amber and wood that disappeared during World War II and has never been found. The Amber Room was commissioned in Prussia in the early 1700s and eventually moved to St. Petersburg, where it was finished by an Italian sculptor named Alexander Martelli. The room was continually built out with more amber and decorations by Empress Elizabeth of Russia and finished by Catherine the Great in 1780. The Amber Room was a priceless masterpiece and sat tucked in the Catherine Palace for almost two centuries until it was stolen by the Nazis in 1941. The Amber Room was successfully packed up and transported to Koenigsberg Castle in Germany during World War II, but it has never been found since.
Theories about the Amber Room's whereabouts suggest it could be hidden in a mountainside or a museum basement, or it may have been lost during one of the German's movements of art and treasure during the war. Despite decades of searching, the Amber Room remains a mystery, with some theories suggesting it may have been cursed. However, a replica of the Amber Room was created in 1979, which is now open to the public and valued at 500 million dollars.
The episode provides fascinating insights into the history and mystery of the Amber Room, delving into the origins of amber and how it was used in the creation of the room. The hosts also discuss the paneling method used to create the room and the artists who designed and crafted it. The Amber Room was an incredible masterpiece of art and craftsmanship, and its disappearance during World War II remains one of the great mysteries of the time.
The context of the episode shifts to a humorous anecdote about a British man and his son trying a toast sandwich and making toastwater by steeping a slice of toasted bread in boiled water. The narrator enjoys the toastwater and suggests it could be a soothing tea for stomach illnesses. The episode ends with an invitation for listeners to share their own scientific taste testing results with the podcast.
