Europe Explore Europe Like Never Before!

The six famous Europeans depicted in this photo are examples of both great and evil men, all of whom have someone how made a mark not just on Europe but on the history of the entire planet. Each is a famous European then whose reach extended much further than their time or their geography, and helped to shape the world we live in today. Here we will look at what each of these famous Europeans are famous for, what they achieved, and why they are five of the most famous Europeans ever to have lived.

(Clockwise from top left)

Famous Europeans

Einstein: Einstein is one of the most famous Europeans for his theory of ‘relativity’ which was the first attempt at a ‘universal theory’ that could explain everything and combine multiple disciplines. It didn’t quite achieve this, but it did add him to the ranks of the most famous Europeans, result in many useable technologies, provide us with our most reliable model of gravity and lead to countless other breakthroughs. Einstein claims to have come up with the theory under the influence of narcotics where during a ‘trip’ he could ‘see’ the particles interacting. Many subsequent studies have been carried out on the brain of one of the most famous Europeans to find out if his brain is any different from that of a ‘normal human’. These studies have claimed many things – stating that his brain was larger, and that he had a severed ‘corpus callosum’ which is normally responsible for connecting the two hemispheres.

Da Vinci: Da Vinci was a painter who painted the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man (which would later be sent into space as an example of what humans look like – making him one of the most famous Europeans in the solar system). He is also one of our famous Europeans for his study of anatomy that resulted in his drawings of people having accurate musculature and proportions, as well as for his inventions. Da Vinci created many working inventions and sketched many others that were well ahead of his time, and these are perhaps most responsible for his being one of the most famous Europeans. However the widely held belief that Da Vinci designed a working plain are incorrect – and in fact during his time he would have had access to all the materials necessary to make a working glider, but like so many other aviators of his time was obsessed with flapping wings.

Napoleon: Napoleon Buonaparte was a military and political leader of France and shaped much of the European landscape as we know it today and again one of the most famous Europeans as a result. During his rain he and his Grande Army engaged in the Napoleonic wars with almost all the large powers in Europe – and for the most part was successful ensuring his place among other famous Europeans.

Caesar: Julius Caesar was a Roman politician and emperor, forming the triumvirate and eventually becoming the sole Emperor of Rome during much of its most successful periods and acquisitions helping to establish the Roman Empire which resulted in the widespread use of Latin across Europe, the construction of the first roads, more modern architecture and even the concept of central heating. While he is among our famous Europeans for his politics however, he was also an accomplished orator and author.

Michelangelo: Michelangelo is a famous painter who painted the Sistine chapel in Rome (which is largely responsible for his becoming one of the most famous Europeans) as well as carving many of the famous statues that we now associate with ancient Rome and Greece. He died while painting the Sistine Chapel, where he was said to have stepped back to admire his work before falling to his death from his scaffolding – a story which contributes to his status as one of the most famous Europeans.

Hitler: Hitler is a face that we all recognise instantly, partly due to his signature moustache (interestingly a look he borrowed from Charlie Chaplin!) and as a result arguably the most famous of all famous Europeans. Like many famous Europeans, and despite later evils, Hitler was a great speaker and leader. He lead Germany out of their recession rising then to become one of the most famous Europeans, before a series of acquisitions – which suggested eventually an aim of world domination – lead to World War 2. He was also responsible for the terrible events of the Holocaust. His eventual suicide ended World War 2 but he remains one of the world’s most famous Europeans.