[TTC Video] Kenneth R. Bartlett - The Great Tours. Experiencing Medieval Europe



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Course Overview

Travel to the mystery, drama, and splendor of the Middle Ages—to the times of great royal dynasties, intrepid knights, religious passions, merchant empires, and towering art … Tucked away within the romantic landscapes of Europe, a remarkable range of beautifully preserved medieval cities and towns invites discovery—time capsules of history where you can stroll the cobbled streets of another time; savor the treasures of palaces, stately mansions, soaring cathedrals, and grand civic centers; and walk the mighty bastions and ramparts that once defended them.



In this extraordinary cultural adventure, you’ll visit unforgettable places such as



Mdina, on the palatial island stronghold of the legendary Knights of Malta;

Bruges, lovingly preserved, and one of the world’s most hauntingly beautiful cities;

Palermo, home of stunning medieval palaces and ecclesiastical architecture;

Prague, a magical blending of the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, and one of the jewels of European civilization; and

Avignon, the resplendent 14th-century seat of the papacy.

In these powerfully evocative sites, royal armies went to war, Christian faith clashed dramatically with politics, sublime architecture and art flourished, great economic empires were built, and Western civilization came of age.



Astonishing in their preservation and historical authenticity, these open-air museums offer one of the world’s great cultural travel experiences, revealing not only the culture, rich history, and daily realities of medieval life, but the ways in which the medieval city contributed to so many aspects of our contemporary world.



From our very conception of beauty and our models of art and architecture to the tensions between the commercial and political, the secular and spiritual—the medieval city speaks compellingly to all of these and more. As keys to our civilization, the sites you’ll visit bear witness to numerous pivotal moments in Western history, even as they illuminate our culture, religious traditions, political and economic systems, art, and science.



To know these places and to delve into their unique treasures is to deepen your insight into the Western mind and worldview, to uncover some of the greatest creations of human culture, and to enjoy the remarkable richness of one of history’s most fascinating eras.



Now, in The Great Tours: Experiencing Medieval Europe, award-winning Professor Kenneth R. Bartlett of the University of Toronto invites you to travel through time to the golden ages of 12 of Europe’s most beautiful medieval cities. In 24 lectures that use extensive location footage, you’ll discover the sights, sounds, and smells of teeming markets and mercantile centers, royal feasts and ritual, dramatic military engagements, magnificent religious pageantry, and the many colorful layers of daily medieval life.



Highlighting in-depth exploration of the architectural and artistic gems of these great cities, these visually sumptuous lectures bring medieval Europe alive in rich detail through the perspective of an expert historian with a deep and seasoned knowledge of the 12 sites.



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