Tuesday 3 November

10 AM PST
1 PM EST
6 PM GMT
7 PM CET

With Dr. Eireann Marshall

A walk through the public squares of any of the splendid cities of the Veneto will unveil the tell tale signs of Venetian domination, namely the famous lion of Saint Mark. Starting with the beginning of the 15th century, in quick session, 3 Venetian doges, Michele Sten, Tommaso Mocenigo and the exceptional Francesco Foscari conquered much of Northern Italy, from Gorizia in Friuli to Lodi in Lombardy, most of which they ruled until the advent of Napoleon in 1797. Such was the scale of their territorial expansion in the 15th century, that the main European powers united, including the Holy Roman Empire, France, Spain and the Papal States to wain Venetian ambitions during the War of the League of Cambrai. The cities of the Veneto were shaped by this Venetian domination: the elites of the Veneto cities had greater access to trade, while the Venetian elites were given access to farmland which enabled them to diversify and increase their sources of income. Evidence of this wealth can be seen to this day by the region’s cityscapes.

In this virtual tour, we explore the development of this splendid region, including detailed examinations of their beautiful city centres. We venture to Vicenza, a little gem of a city given World Heritage status for its Palladian architecture, as well as Verona, a veritable palimpsest of monuments dating from the Roman to the Renaissance periods and finally Padova, famed for its University as well as its exquisite Cappella Srovegni. Along the way we view lesser known sites including Asolo, once the fiefdom of Catarina Corner, which hosted a very important court, and later a hub of English expats which included Browning and Freya Stark.