Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 June 27

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Today's featured article
Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, South East England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France. Located along the River Medway and Watling Street, Rochester was a strategically important royal castle. The first castle at Rochester was founded in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest. During the Rebellion of 1088, the castle first saw military action; the city and castle were besieged after Bishop Odo made Rochester a headquarters for the rebellion. After the garrison capitulated, this first castle was abandoned. It saw further action during the First Barons' War (1215–1217), the Second Barons' War (1264–1267), and the Peasants' Revolt (1381). The castle was opened to the public in the 1870s as a park. At various points during the 19th and 20th centuries repairs were carried out. The castle is protected as a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Monument. Today the ruins are in the guardianship of English Heritage and open to the public. (more...) Recently featured: 1907 Tiflis bank robbery – Homicide: Life on the Street (season 1) – Francis Walsingham Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that alpine skier Kyrra Grunnsund (pictured) was the second person to represent Australia at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics? ... that an Athenaeum review of his first published novel led George Gissing to describe critics as "unprincipled vagabonds"? ... that the Scandinavian fungus Inocybe saliceticola can grow among mosses such as heart-leaved spear moss? ... that the 1169 Sicily earthquake happened on the eve of the feast of St. Agatha and killed many who were gathered in the Catania Cathedral for the feast? ... that William Shatner hosted Flick Flack (1974), a documentary television series about the film industry? ... that the Japanese release of "Weird Al" Yankovic's Alapalooza contained a bonus track of the artist singing one of the songs in Japanese? ... that six bankers spent more than £44,000 on wine at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant Pétrus, resulting in the chef giving them the food from their meal for free? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
The last known individual (pictured) of Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii, a subspecies of the Galápagos tortoise, dies. Mohamed Morsi is elected President of Egypt. Ashton Eaton breaks the decathlon world record at the United States Olympic Trials. Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo is removed from office by impeachment and succeeded by Federico Franco. In basketball, the Miami Heat defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA championship. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
June 27: Mixed Race Day in Brazil 678 – Pope Agatho (pictured), later venerated as a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, began his reign as Pope. 1571 – Elizabeth I of England issued a royal charter establishing Jesus College, the first Protestant college at the University of Oxford. 1899 – A. E. J. Collins scored 628 runs not out, the highest-ever recorded score in cricket. 1986 – In Nicaragua v. United States, the International Court of Justice ruled that the United States had violated international law by supporting the Contras in their rebellion against the Nicaraguan government. 1989 – The International Labour Organization Convention 169, a major binding international convention concerning indigenous peoples, and a forerunner of the 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, was adopted. 2008 – President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe was overwhelmingly re-elected after his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew a week earlier, citing violence against his party's supporters. More anniversaries: June 26 – June 27 – June 28 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now June 27, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

A lithograph depicting the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith on June 27, 1844. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, had been jailed in Carthage, Illinois, US, on charges of his ordering the destruction of the facilities of a newspaper that had criticized him. While awaiting trial an armed mob of men with painted faces stormed the jail and shot him and his brother Hyrum to death.

Artist: George Wilhelm Fasel; Lithograph: Charles G. Crehen; Restoration: Adam Cuerden

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