The legend of St. George the holy knight who rescued the princess from the terrible dragon that threatened her gave birth to a rich subject for iconography that was widespread within the figurative arts during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
The scene of the dragon slayer versus the mythical monster represents the Catholic belief in [...]
February is the month of mother’s milk, that has always been associated with the element water, the idea of fertility and the world of women. February is also a month of preparation, waiting for the renewal of the cosmos, which will only arrive with March and spring. Also for this reason, in ancient times, the [...]
It seems that our custom to exchange gifts during Christmas comes from some ancient traditions practiced at the Saturnalia, one of the most popular holidays on the Roman calendar.
Originally the festival was celebrated on only one day: the fourteenth day before the Kalends of January (December 19), but during the imperial age the festival lasted [...]
The grand Etruscan arch that opens Perugia’s ancient city walls at its northern end is a prime, and still intact, example of military architecture. Two massive towers on either side acted as protection for the city gate and form the bases of the great double arch, from the top of which, in case of [...]
It was on the 13th of October 1307 when the King of France, Filippo il Bello, ordered the arrest of the Templar Knights. The monks who belonged to the order were imprisoned and tortured, including the Great Master, Jacques de Molay. Their property was confiscated, and all archives and documents were destroyed, making the task [...]
My journey has brought from a castle far away to meet the man who I have sought so intently, the medical monk who resides in this abbey. He is my last hope. I have no other option than to try his potions in order to save my marriage.
Perhaps his concoctions will be able to heal [...]
The church of St. Ponziano, built outside the medieval city walls of Spoleto and close to the paleochristian temple of St. Salvatore, is considered one of the most interesting examples of romanesque architecture in central Italy. It belonged to a benedictine abbey and was dedicated to the patron saint of Spoleto, martyred during the persecution [...]
Isis, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, is also commonly associated with another ancient Egyptian deity named Hathor. This name, which literally means “house of Horus”, represents a symbolic lap for her son, who is also the son of Osiris.
Following suit of her many forms, Hathor was the goddess of love as well as [...]
The Fontana Maggiore, or Main Fountain, is like a book of stone that unfolds while walking around it.
It is like a great clock that transcends both cosmic and earthly timetables. Completed in 1278, the monument of Perugia became the fulcrum to which public life revolved around, and therefore the symbol of the Platea Magna (latin [...]
The reliefs and inscriptions that decorate the Main Fountain of Perugia catch the eye of every passer-by. In the past the reliefs of the fountain welcomed the visiting merchant for the fair, consoled the worried farmer during the harvest, lifted the spirit of those gathering in the Cathedral’s square, and made all quietly reflect, whether [...]
