Posts Tagged ‘medieval era’
Gorgeous views from Siena’s Torre del Mangia
Last summer my husband and I were back in beautiful Sienna, in Tuscany, after an absence of several years. Siena is always beautiful, and it was fun to enjoy a passeggiata through its gorgeous center. Despite being a very hot July day, there was no way we would miss climbing the medieval Torre del Mangia,…
Read MoreSpectacular views over medieval Orvieto, Umbria
Whenever I visit towns or cities, I seek out the highest point to enjoy birds’ eye views over it. Strangely, I’d never been to the Umbrian town of Orvieto’s highest point. So when I found myself exploring this picturesque medieval town earlier this month with my two sons, I set out to remedy this. My…
Read MoreAbdicating the papacy in literature
When, on 11 February, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would be abdicating the papacy, a modest 13th century Italian monk became an unlikely feature bar in newspapers worldwide. That’s because, before Pope Benedict’s surprising news, the last Pope to have resigned from his office was Pope Celestine V, way back in 1294. Pope Celestine’s…
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