Edinburgh Scotland

Old Town Edinburgh

     Edinburgh Scotland is the capital of Scotland, and is located on the east coast. Scotland is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. I myself have always wanted to go to Scotland, on a backpacking trip to visit all the historic landmarks. Edinburgh is a beautiful city, composed of two parts.

   The first part of the city is the old town, which was build in medieval Europe. The old town was built along tail of the city. There was limited space, so the buildings were built up a little taller. There was often buildings that would build down into the ground as well. This has made Edinburgh the place with the legend of the "underground city". Old town Edinburgh has smaller, thinner streets. There are several winding side streets, and stairs that can lead you into the heart of the city and off of the main streets.

    The second part of Edinburgh is the new town. the new town emerged after the Jacobite Rebellions. The Jacobite Rebellions were the rebellions led by the Scottish people against the English. After the rebellions failed there was a social reform. The city began to expand, but instead of building the same was as the old town, they

New Town Edinburgh

built the new town outside of the city walls. The new town was build in the Georgian style. The houses were still connected. However instead of building higher, they were build a little wider.

   Edinburgh also has several historic landmarks. the most historic landmark it has is Edinburgh Castle.The Castle was built on top of a volcanic rock, and has the perfect defensive position. The original name of the caste was "castle Rock'. Edinburgh Castle has gone through several owners throughout it's time. When visiting the Castle the most important part to visit, would be

St. Margaret's Chapel

St. Margaret's Chapel. The chapel is the oldest part of Edinburgh Castle. It was build in the 11th century in honor of Queen Margaret.

   Edinburgh has a great culture. The city has several festivals throughout the year that attracts many tourists. The most popular festival held is the Edinburgh festival. The Edinburgh festival is a festival held in August, that contains many art forms. The festival includes lots of music, opera, and even ballet.

   I hope that I will be able to have the time to visit Scotland in the future. I am looking forward to seeing all of the historical sites and artifacts. I am looking forward to seeing Edinburgh the most, and visiting Edinburgh Castle.

Works Cited

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Edinburgh/

https://www.scotlandinfo.eu/edinburgh/

Images found at:

https://www.scottishviewpoint.com/stock-photo-view-of-georgian-townhouses-in-street-in-new-town-of-edinburgh-scotland-image00124196.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9674922@N04/12305311825

https://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-152667887/stock-photo-edinburgh-scotland-september-17-2014%3A-famous-shops-at-cockburn-street-in-old-town-it-is-a-very-historical-and-touristic-street-with-many-cafes-and-shops

The Medieval City of Orvieto, Italy

 The Medieval City of Orvieto, Italy

Orvieto is a town in Italy situated between Rome and Florence with a rich history dating back
 to the middle ages. The architecture, the city design, and the multiple churches all showoff the
 town’s medieval age beauty. The location of this city is “situated atop an isolated rock, 640 feet
 (195 m) above the junction of the Paglia and Chiana rivers” (Britannica). 

 Although the city has multiple churches, the Duomo di Orvieto that sits south-center in the town
 is the heartbeat attraction. What puts this relatively small city on the map for many tourists (and as
  a pilgrimage site back in the day) is a relic that is held within the Duomo. The construction of the
 Duomo took place between 1290-1580 and was started to celebrate the miracle associated with
 the relic. As the story goes, a priest was attending a mass just outside of Orvieto where when
  partaking in Holy Communion he saw blood drip from the eucharist onto a cloth below. This was
 believed to be christ’s blood, and the cloth is now inside the Duomo, framed in a room separate from
 the main worship area. 

Orvieto went through great expansion during the middle ages that brought wealth and power
 to the city. The population and geographic size of the town grew, and the town controlled surrounding
 areas and acted as a capital. Orvieto also “had a well organized political system and urban
 structure, distinguished by four districts: Serancia, San Giovenale, Postierla and Santa Pace”
  (The History of Orvieto) similar to other prosperous medieval towns at this time. This period of 
cultural and economic growth lasted until Orvieto was affected by plague, much like Europe
  as a whole. Restoration and beautification of the city has continued through current day and
 Orvieto still shines as a medieval wonder.

On a personal note, I was able to visit Orvieto this past summer and absolutely fell in love with it.
  The town is small, fairly quiet, and quaint. There are markets, plenty of shopping, amazing
  white wine, and tons of history. The narrow winding streets are sometimes hard to navigate,
 but they are a perfect example of medieval road systems. I adore this town and had to share my
 experience!

Works Cited

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Orvieto.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/Orvieto.

“The Duomo Di Orvieto Is Widely Considered the Most Glorious Example of Italian Gothic.” The Cathedral of Orvieto | Italian Gothic at Its Finest - In Italy Online, www.initaly.com/regions/umbria/duomo.htm.

“The History of Orvieto: Orvietoviva - Orvieto Tourism.” Orvieto, 11 July 2018, www.orvietoviva.com/en/orvieto-history/.

Medieval City- Landsberg am Lech, Germany

Medieval City- Landsberg am Lech, Germany 

Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, Germany
Town Square

With its beautiful riverside location and centuries old towers, Landsberg am Lech is a city that showcases how preserved medieval cities can be.  This city, with a population of about 28,000, is located on the Lech river in Bavaria, Germany and is about an hour from Munich.

The city started out along a trade route and was formed into a formal city throughout time.  In the 12th century, the Bavarian ruler King Henry the Lion built a fortified area as well as a bridge on the river Lech.  Landsberg obtained its first own charter in the 1200's but was already being formed into the city we see today.  A few decades later, it was burnt to the ground but was rebuilt through taxes.

One of Landsberg's most famous medieval structures is its Schmalzturm.  This tower now holds museums and is right behind the square that today hold many festivals and markets.  Also in the image below is the statue and fountain portraying Mary.

Schmalzturm and statue of Mary

Bayer tor

Another historic structure is the Bayer tor built in 1425.  The tower is 36 m high and offers a great view of the city and river.


https://www.123rf.com/photo_94240216_landsberg-am-lech-germany-may-07-2017-old-medieval-town-landsberg-am-lech-bavaria-germany.html?fromid=bHl1QS9wS2tacmo4K09DVk1hd2FEZz09

https://medium.com/german-city-profiles/landsberg-am-lech-a-treasure-trove-of-gothic-and-baroque-heritage-f9a30d7f05d1

https://www.romanticroadgermany.com/landsberg/

Prague's Little Quarter

While there are many relics of the medieval ages that have been destroyed over time, some still remain.  One of the most well-preserved corners of the medieval world is the city of Prague in the Czech Republic.  Because there is so much that can be looked at in the city regarding the medieval, we'll focus specifically on one section of the city: The Little Quarter, also known as Malá Strana or Lesser Town.

The Little Quarter was built in the eight hundreds, and officially established as the Little Quarter in the mid twelfth century.  It sits right on the bank of the Vltava river, nestled between Prague's famous castle and the Charles Bridge.  Unfortunately, the quarter was devastated by two fires, one in the early fifteen hundreds, and the second in the early sixteen hundreds.  For this reason, the quarter was rebuilt, and has a more dominant Baroque style despite being founded in the medieval era.

In regards to the housing itself, the buildings do show the style of medieval homes that are built close together on cobblestone streets that don't run in straight lines.  One of the features that disappeared from the majority of homes after the fires was the sight of upper stories that loomed over the streets.  There are a few homes that still jut out over the street slightly, but not many.  There is still the ditch down the center of the street that acted as a drain for sewage in the Middle Ages, though it's wider today, most likely as a result of the renovations after the fires.

Despite the redone architecture, the layout and some remaining structures still echo of the Medieval Ages.  The quarter itself was made for the class of merchants and traders, which kept the class that handled much of the money close to the castle and nobility.  The Little Quarter even boasts its own square, which would have been the main hub of economic exchanges in the city when merchants from other parts of the world came to do business.  The bridge that the Little Quarter stands at the end of, the Charles Bridge, also dates back to Medieval times.  The first version of the bridge was destroyed by flooding in the mid fourteenth century, but it was rebuilt much taller in order protect against flooding.  Along the bridge there are statues of saints, and on either end of the bridge are also grand watchtowers that would have acted as a form of defense.  Another defensive structure that still remains is the Hunger Wall, built in the mid fourteenth century and undergoing a series of renovations over the next several centuries.  These stone structures, the watchtowers, the wall, and the bridge, are the best preserved of medieval Prague's Little Quarter, with the quarter itself retaining more of the layout of a medieval city than the style thanks to the des
tructive fires that ravaged the quarter.

References

"Little Quarter Walking Tour" Big Boy Travel  https://www.bigboytravel.com/czechrepublic/prague/little-quarter-walking-tour/

"Lesser Town Sights Prague Sightseeing" Prague Stay https://www.prague-stay.com/lifestyle/category/57-sights-in-prague/62-lesser-town-sights-prague-sightseeing

Prague Experience https://www.pragueexperience.com

"Malá Strana" Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malá_Strana

Sewer Sword

Swords were the quintessential symbol of high status in the Middle Ages, and commonly found in burials of admired and prosperous warriors. This medieval sword, found in a sewer in Denmark, was an exception. When work was being done on a sewer in Aalborg, Denmark, an engineer and construction worker came across a 3.6 foot long sword, still sharp on both edges and well maintained. The sword weighed just over two pounds, sporting a very narrow handle and wide hilt, which is a piece of the sword that sits perpendicular to the blade and above the handle. These characteristics are commonly seen in medieval swords. The sword is thought to be used in the 1300s, but it is possible that it was passed down for generations and was used up to 200 years prior.

Medieval swords were held at such a high regard, how was it possible that this sword was not buried with its owner upon his death? Because of Denmark's 13th century civil war, historians have theorized that the person who weld this sword may have been in the midst of battle when it was lost. It is thought to have been trampled deep into the mud during a violent battle, making it impossible to retrieve or even see, but also preserving it for the hundreds of years it spent underground. 

Katz, Brigit. “Medieval Sword, Blade Still Sharp, Pulled From Sewer in Denmark.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 11 Feb. 2019, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-sword-its-blade-still-sharp-pulled-sewer-denmark-180971469/.

Barrie, Josh. “Workers Found a 'Still Sharp' Sword from Medieval Times in a Sewer.” Inews, Inews, 6 Sept. 2019, https://inews.co.uk/news/world/medieval-sword-found-denmark-sewer-aalborg-archaeology-123226.
 

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy is a region that encompasses five different towns within it. The five cities that make up this region are; Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Cinque Terre is known for its colorful architecture and gorgeous blue water.  Within these five villages of Cinque Terre, there are many ancient homes, castles, and churches that still stand to this day. These medieval buildings are composed of Roman architecture dating back to as early as 643 AD.

          Among the five villages within the region, Monterosso is the oldest city in the region of Cinque Terre. Monterosso also is home to the medieval church of Saint John the Baptist as well as the regions oldest castle. This village also has a statue of Neptune that was built to protect the coastline from high tide and storms. 

         Another village within the region of Cinque Terre is Riomaggiore. Riomaggiore dates back as early as the early thirteenth century. This village is famous for its wine that gets produced by the villages vineyards. Riomaggiore is also known for its preservation of its historical architecture throughout the village. There is a famous street that travels through the village where people would often trade and sell goods in the medieval ages. This street is now composed of shops and restaurants for many tourists to visit. 

         The third village in the Cinque Terre is Vernazza. Vernazza is composed of a small port that still toys to hold its medieval traditions. This town is known for its famous medieval defensive structures built to protect the town from enemies. It is also known for its beautiful architecture offered among the buildings that are still standing inside the town.

        The fourth village that is in the region of Cinque Terre is Manarola. Manarola is the highest point in the Cinque Terre region that is seventy four meters above sea level. This village in medieval times was mainly used as a lookout point for incoming ships or possible invasions. Today people have manipulated the harsh rocky environment into orchards and beautiful soil terraces.

       The last town that makes up Cinque Terre is Corniglia. Corniglia is also know for its wonderful wine and beautiful beach. This beach used to be used as a local fishing spot in the medieval time period. However the beach in Corniglia is now a very famous nude beach and tourist location. All of these towns make up Cinque Terre, Italy and offer their own wonderful aspects that I have mentioned.

Work Cited

"The Cinque Terre" Cinque Terre tourism.

http://www.italia.it/en/discover-italy/liguria/poi/the-cinque-terre.html

"Cinque Terre." Rick Steves Europe.

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/cinque-terre

"Cinque Terre, an Italian Jewel." Judy Schumakerhttps

www.orderisda.org/culture/la-nostra-voce/cinque-terre-an-italian-jewel-lures-in-travelers-from-around-the-globe/

Leaning Into Pisan Structures

            Pisa, Italy is a distinguished city, one which has been inhabited for a significant period of time. It is also a Medieval city; some of the most identifiable features of the city were to come into being during the Medieval period. First and foremost among these would be the bell tower for the city, more commonly known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or the Tower of Pisa. This tower is widely known across the world for the angle at which it leans, but it is not the only remarkable structure that Medieval Pisa produced. The bell tower was built as part of the cathedral complex for the city, which had several other remarkable structures, such as the Pisan Cathedral. Each of these structures is a remarkable example of Romanesque architecture, but the Cathedral especially is an interesting subject; it incorporates architectural traces from several different styles, such as: Byzantine, classical, and even Islamic architecture.

The Cathedral complex is truly a symbol for Medieval Pisa: it serves as a representation of the establishment of Pisa as a community, and as a symbol of Pisan power at this time. The resources required to build such impressive structures would have been vast, requiring a complex economic structure to produce all of the specialists needed to achieve such a task (architects, carpenters, stonemasons, artists, etc.). This complex also displays the influence of Pisa. It required goods from around the globe, and incorporated elements from peoples that inhabited varying regions. This reflected the reach of Pisa’s merchants, the bedrock of the City’s splendor.

Great works such as the Pisan Cathedral Complex reflect the greater consolidation and pride that Medieval Europe began to see beginning in the 12^th century.

References:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Cathedral_and_Campanary_-_Pisa_2014_%282%29.JPG

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CampodeiMiracoliPisa.jpg

https://cdn.britannica.com/02/152202-050-4D73E046/Leaning-Tower-of-Pisa-cathedral-Italy.jpg

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Leaning Tower of Pisa.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Leaning-Tower-of-Pisa.

“Leaning Tower of Pisa Facts.” Leaning Tower of Pisa, http://www.towerofpisa.org/leaning-tower-of-pisa-facts/.

DURANDAL, THE SHARPEST SWORD EVER EXISTED

DURANDAL, THE SHARPEST SWORD EVER EXISTED

 

When we think of the legendary weapons linked to chivalrous culture and medieval fantasy genre, the first name that comes to mind is Durandal, a sword known in the French literature for being "the sharpest sword ever existed". It has a prominent role in the epic "La Chanson de Roland", The Song of Roland, one of the oldest and most popular works of the so-called Carolingian cycle written between the 11th and 12th centuries.

According to mythology, Durandal was forged by Weland the blacksmith, an exceptional Nordic gunsmith famous for his wickedness but also for the ability to infuse magic into his creations. According to several epic medieval and fantasy stories, he also forged Excalibur, the magical sword of King Arthur. It is said that Durandal contains various Christian relics: a tooth of Saint Peter, the blood of Saint Basil, the hair of Saint Dionysius and a fragment of a robe of the virgin Mary. According to some stories, Durandal was handed over to Charlemagne by an angel, while others state that it once belonged to Hector, the Trojan hero.

According to The song of Roland, the paladin faced Durandal with an army of 100,000 Saracens in order to allow Charlemagne and his troops to retreat to France. At one point, Orlando even tried to destroy Durandal in order not to let it fall into enemy hands: trying to break it on a rock, however, did nothing but open a 100-meter high crevasse in the Pyrenees, a rift known today as " Roland's breach". According to another story, perhaps the most interesting, he instead launched Durandal to get rid of it, but the sword magically set in the rocks of the city of Rocamadour, in France. In that place there is still a sword embedded in the rock, and many believe that it is the mythical Durandal launched by Roland many centuries ago.

Sources: 

Blazeski, Goran. “Some of the Most Legendary Swords of All Time.” The Vintage News, 3 Mar. 2018, https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/03/03/legendary-swords-2/.

Dhwty. “Durandal - The Legendary Sword of Roland.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 6 Apr. 2015, https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/durandal-legendary-sword-roland-002869.

Harrison, R. The Song of Roland. Signet classic.