Pavia, Italy The Basilica of St. Peter in the Gold Sky (or Sky of Gold) is one of the great Romanesque churches of Northern Italy. Despite being dedicated to Peter the Apostle, it houses the Tomb of St. Augustine of Hippo, one of early Christianity’s greatest theologians. Interestingly, Augustine has two other full basilicas named in his honor, in Algeria and in Rome. It … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. AMBROSE
Milan, Italy The Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan is one of the oldest existing churches in Italy outside of Rome. Originally constructed as the Basilica of Martyrs in the 4th century by Ambrose, one of the four original Doctors of the Church, it served as a bastion of Catholic-Orthodox Christianity during the turbulent era following the Council of Nicaea. Ambrose also … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. AUGUSTINE
Rome, Italy The Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome is easily dismissed as a footnote lost amid a veritable sea of Catholicism’s greatest churches. In any other city in the world it would be counted among the most venerated of churches as it houses the relic of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. In addition to its religious importance, it is one of Rome’s most … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. LAWRENCE OUTSIDE THE WALL
Rome, Italy The Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, so-called because of its location outside the old city walls, is one of the great churches of Rome. Although overshadowed by St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, as well as by St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. John in Lateran, it is nevertheless a beloved and popular pilgrimage destination. Aside from its … [Read more...]
WALLED CITIES OF NORTHERN ITALY (LUCCA, MONTAGNANA, SAN GIMIGNANO)
Northern Italy The late Middle Ages in northern and central Italy witnessed the rise of powerful city-states which had grown wealthy off of European and Mediterranean trade and support for the Crusades in the east. More than a dozen major city-states and scores of lesser ones emerged in the 12th century, each vying for its share of wealth and power in the Italian peninsula. … [Read more...]
WALLED CITIES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN (RHODES, VALLETA)
Rhodes, Greece; Valleta, Malta The Knights Hospitaller was the largest chivalrous order in the history of Europe. Except for a brief period during the Crusades when they were temporarily eclipsed by the Templars, they have also been the most important. The Hospitalers, more than any other organization or nation, fought the long, slow retreat against the Ottoman Turks. To … [Read more...]
CASTLES OF THE ITALIAN TYROL (RONCOLO, SABBIONARA, TIROLO)
Northern Italy The castles of the Tyrol region are among the most spectacular and historical in Italy. Located on the frontier between the German north and the Italian south, the Tyrol has been a fluid region since early medieval times, and it has changed hands on numerous occassions. At the height of the Middle Ages the Tyrol boasted scores of castles. The crumbling ruins … [Read more...]
SANT’ANGELO CASTLE
Rome, Italy With nearly two millenia under its belt, the Castel Sant’Angelo may be the oldest essentially intact castle in the world. It is also one of the largest intact Roman structures still standing. In the nearly nineteen centuries since its construction, the Castel Sant’Angelo has played many roles as a fortress, a tomb, a papal residence and as a prison. Its … [Read more...]
MURANO GLASSWORKS
Venice, Italy With the advent of the popularity of glass Christmas ornaments, it is not surprising that Venice, home to the world’s most famous glassmakers, was soon involved. By the late 1800s, the production of Christmas ornaments became one of the most important niches of the Venetian glass industry. During the holidays Venice’s major shopping thoroughfares are filled … [Read more...]
BEFANA FESTIVAL
Urbania, Italy In virtually every country where Christmas is celebrated, there is a tradition of a late-night traveler who visits the homes of children leaving presents, treats, and occasionally the occasional pice of coal. In most countries this visitor is either Santa Claus or Father Christmas, or some amalgam of the two. Not so in much of Italy. Here, in the … [Read more...]
