Catalog Search Results
Description
From the 17th through the 20th century, Britain's empire spanned the globe, giving this small island an outsized role on the world's stage. But while Britain was making an impact in India, New Zealand, Canada, and elsewhere, these nations were having an impact on Britain. Explore the ethnic and cultural diversity in Britain today.
Description
Examine the social, intellectual, and political background of the French Revolution of 1789. Visit key locations in Paris where the events unfolded, from a legendary coffee house to the site of the Bastille prison and the Place de la Concorde. Then map the turbulent epoch of Napoleon, and witness the lasting impact of his rule on both the look of Paris and the features of French society.
Description
A beloved symbol of Rome, the dazzling Trevi Fountain was a showpiece for Baroque papal power. After exploring the fountain, walk to the Piazza Quirinal, and visit its two majestic Baroque palaces. Also visit churches by Bernini and Borromini, highlighting Santa Maria della Vittoria, which contains Bernini's Cornaro Chapel and Ecstasy of Santa Teresa.
Description
Round out your study of British literature with a survey of the 20th-century masters. Check out the Baker Street of Sherlock Holmes, visit the rural Dorset villages of Thomas Hardy, and then pop over to Bloomsbury in London to see where Virginia Woolf and her comrades created a new kind of literature.
Description
The next era in Britain's history is the Roman conquest. In the first century B.C.E., the Romans invaded and spread their territory to the Anglo-Scottish border. There, Hadrian's Wall marks the edge of the empire. Consider the Roman impact on Great Britain, from the city of Bath to the island's long, straight roads.
Description
Travel the streets of Florence, beginning with the Via del Proconsolo, one of the city's most historic thoroughfares. Enjoy architectural and historical treasures such as the Abbey of Florence, Dante's house, the fascinating Museum of the Old Florentine House, and the gorgeous Palazzo Bartolini-Salimbeni, before reaching the romantic Ponte Vecchio.
Description
Begin at the beautiful Ponte Santa Trinita bridge, dating from the 16th century, and grasp its political and civic symbolism. Then walk the fashionable Via Tornabuoni to the vast Dominican complex of Santa Maria Novella. Explore the complex's great preaching church, with artistic treasures including the Tornabuoni Chapel, one of Florence's great masterpieces.
Description
Delve into the history of this famous street, and how it was named. Visit the Palazzo Doria Pamphili (containing a superb private art museum), the Palazzo Odescalchi, and the vast Palazzo Colonna, and learn about the lives of princely families. Discover the frescoes of the Galleria Sciarra, one of Rome's little-known gems.
Description
On a leisurely route to Venice, stop at three romantic hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria. Begin with Arezzo, with its picturesque Piazza Grande and glorious, art-laden churches. Then discover the magnificent guildhalls, Palace of the Priors, and papal fortress of Perugia, and Assisi's Temple of Minerva and sublime Church of St. Francis.
Description
See why Great Britain offers so much as a travel destination. From thousand-year-old castles and cathedrals to contemporary art museums and scenic hikes, there is something for everyone. Begin your tour with a look at the scope of all Britain has to offer - and a few off-the-beaten-path ideas for getting to know England, Scotland, and Wales.
Description
Hear the romantic story of the house of Bianca Cappello, a tale of Renaissance intrigue. Then explore the great basilica of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito, with its dazzling altar canopy and 38 family chapels. Also enjoy the decoration of the nearby Brancacci Chapel, one of the most important examples of Renaissance painting.
Description
Continue your literary journey through Britain. From the great Scottish writers Walter Scott and Robert Burns to Wordsworth's evocative descriptions of the Lake District, the Romantic writers of the 18th and 19th centuries created an enduring mood and style that still resonate today. Also tour the quiet villages where Jane Austen worked and the Jurassic coast at Lyme Regis.
Description
Learn the singular and colorful history of Avignon, home to the papacy in the 14th century, whose legacy is the city's magnificent Palais des Papes, now the site of one of France's most revered theater festivals. See how the rich Rhone valley's produce is embodied in the region's celebrated ratatouille and the Cotes du Rhone wines, and climb the legendary Mont Ventoux, Provence's tallest peak.
Description
Trace the origins of the Basque people and uncover their unique architecture and culinary traditions, seen in the picturesque city of Bayonne. Travel to the 19th-century resort town of Biarritz and the historic fishing port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Then, head into the Pyrenees and the town of Lourdes, a major site of religious pilgrimage and a lightning rod for the modern role of French Catholicism.
Description
Travel the Borgo Ognissanti, an important historic entry into Florence. Admire elegant palaces on the way to the church and monastery of Ognissanti, with their splendid frescoed Vespucci Chapel, Sacristy, and refectory. Enjoy the lush beauties of the Cascine Park and the Bardini Gardens, and visit the Jewel Villa, where Galileo lived.
Description
In collaboration with the Smithsonian, The Great Courses brings you the exceptional gems and daily life of Italy’s past and present in a visually stunning tour. Explore Rome, Florence, and Venice, and take side trips to places like Pompeii and Perugia. Visit important monuments, witness artistic masterpieces, and immerse yourself in Italian culture.
Description
Here, visit one of Italy's most beautiful Romanesque churches, San Miniato al Monte, highlighting the collective artistic genius of the Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal. Then travel to the hillside town of Fiesole, with its beautiful Villa Medici, Romanesque cathedral, and spectacular views over the city of Florence below.
Description
Continuing with highlights of the Forum, grasp the economic and civic functions of the Basilica Aemilia and the Basilica Julia. Take in important pagan shrines, the Curia or Senate House, and the Arch of Septimius Severus, and learn the remarkable stories of the Church of Saints Mark and Martina and the Mamertine Prison.
Description
After the Romans left Britain, a number of Germanic tribes stepped in to fill the power vacuum. With the help of the Venerable Bede and other contemporary sources, explore the Anglo-Saxon conquests. Then turn to the Viking attacks in the Middle Ages. Be sure to add Offa's Dyke and the monastery of Lindisfarne to your travel itinerary.
Description
Because of its mild and wet climate, Britain is well suited for flowers, and England has a proud history of gardening going back to the 1500s. In this visually rich lecture, tour some of the most stunning gardens in the nation today, including the Botanic Garden at Oxford University; Kew Gardens in London; and others, grand and obscure, throughout the provinces.
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