Tales of the Grand Tour 4 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sicily

Given the fact that Italy's government was not unified during the time of the Grand Tour, many of the main sites of tourism were in a state of constant change. The Kingdom of Sicily was ruled by the Kingdom of Spain from 1479-1713, and again from 1717-1718. The Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the War of Spanish Succession, put Sicily under the control of the Duchy of Savoy from 1713-1717 and again from 1718-1720. After being ruled by Austria between 1720-1734, it was taken over by the Spanish Bourbons.

While many during the Grand Tour saw their route end in Rome, or maybe Naples, Sicily was a great destination for those who wanted to complete a further study of Greek ruins without entering Ottoman territory. Although the Phoenicians colonized Sicily before the Greeks, the island, with its fertile soil, eventually became one of the favorite sites for Greek colonization, making it part of Magna Gracia, or Great Greece. The ancient Greeks built seven doric temples at Agrigento, including the Temple of Heracles, Temple of Castor and Pollux, and the Temple of Asclepius. Not only that, but there were also Roman ruins there!

Answer: Milan

The citizens of Milan had suffered through what many believe was the last outbreak of the Black Death, the Great Plague of Milan, from 1629-31. After almost two centuries of Spanish Habsburg rule, the death of Charles II in 1700 brought Milan into the War of the Spanish Succession and occupation by French troops. In 1713-1714 the Treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt ceded Lombardy to the Austrian Habsburgs, and Milan retained its status as capital of the region.

One of the objectives of the Grand Tour was to study the art of the Renaissance in depth. A serious student, consequently, could not resist a trip to Milan to see the Santa Maria delle Grazie, the convent where Leonardo da Vinci painted "The Last Supper" in the 1490s on the wall of the refectory. Sadly, Leonardo had experimented using a new technique to paint the mural, and even by the time he was finished with the project it was already cracking and peeling. During the 18th century visitors to the church could see two restoration projects; the 1700s, however, were not especially kind to the work of art. The first restoration in 1726 was an attempt to fill in places where gaps were beginning to form. By 1770 the first restoration was stripped off the wall in favor of another. And, oh, my! The French revolutionaries who used the building as a stable and for weapon storage in 1796 when Napoleon took Milan threw stones at the picture.

Answer: Venice

The people of Venice were also greatly affected by the Italian plague of 1629-31, losing approximately one third of its population was a crushing blow to the city, which had already begun to decline in power when Portugal became the leader of the Age of Exploration. Prior to that, the Republic of Venice, ruled by the Doge (726-1796), had been a leading state during the late Middle Ages, beginning with the Fourth Crusade, as well as the Renaissance in Italy. In the early 1700s the Turks, who had once been allies of the Republic, began to attack Venetian possessions and the power of Venice began to decline.

During the 18th century, however, Venice remained a popular destination on the Grand Tour, as many enjoyed what was viewed as a freer lifestyle there. A jaunt on the Grand Canal was a favorite activity, and many hoped to be able to take home a drawing of the area by one of Venice's premier artists, such as Canaletto, whose "The Entrance to the Grand Canal, Venice", was completed in 1730. Previous bridges over the Grand Canal were made of wood; in the early 1600s it was suggested that a bridge that led to the Rialto market be made of stone. The bridge that the visitors of the Grand Tour took across the Grand Canal was completed in 1591. Although many critics believed the bridge would never be durable and sturdy enough, it has stood the test of time. Another favorite activity was during Carnival, when the opera season stretched from the day after Christmas to the day before Lent. Astute travelers would be sure to be in Venice when the great singer, Carlo Broschi, known as Farinelli, was in town.

Answer: Florence

In 1569 the Duchy of Florence, founded in 1530, was given to Cosimo I de' Medici by the Pope to be ruled as the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and was technically a state of the Holy Roman Empire until 1797. It was ruled by the Medici family until the last heir died in 1737; the palace then passed on to the new Duke of Tuscany, who was Holy Roman Emperor Francis I.

Florence was, of course, the leading hub of the Renaissance, and those visiting the city during the Grand Tour would be able to see fine examples of Renaissance art and architecture. Named after Luca Pitti, a Florentine banker, the Medici family purchased the Palazzo Pitti in 1549, and used it to house their vast collection of art, done by artists such as Raphael and Titian. Over time, some of the rooms were redecorated in the Baroque style.

Answer: Rome

After the fall of the Western Empire, the city of Rome fell into a long period of decline. Although it was ruled by the Byzantine Emperor for a time as the Duchy of Rome, the Catholic Pope became the ruler of the city, even though there were periodic conflicts with noble families, and Rome became part of the Papal States (756 with the Donation of Pepin-1870). During the later years of the Renaissance, even with the problems caused by the divisions in the Church, Rome became a center of the movement, and the popes made every attempt to surpass other cities in terms of grand architecture and art. By the time of the Grand Tour several ambitious building projects in the Baroque style had been undertaken, and there was something for everyone to see in Rome.

Of course, the place to see Roman ruins on the Grand Tour was Rome, and there was a variety to see - along with Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture as well. Why was the Panthenon chosen for this Grand Tour? Because it has been used almost continuously since ancient times, and, even today is one of the best preserved ancient buildings. Dedicated in c. 126, the Pantheon was a temple built to honor all of the ancient Roman gods. In 609 it was converted into a Christian church, and it has been used as such, and a burial site since then. Trust me, the Pantheon is an absolute architectural marvel and its features have been copied by many architects.

Answer: Pisa

During the Middle Ages the city of Pisa became one of the four maritime republics, along with Venice, Genoa, and Amalfi, in Italy. Rivalry with Genoa, however, ended with the defeat of Pisa's navy in the late 13th century; subsequently, the city was passed between Milan and Florence. This change of power actually created a revival of the city in the 1500s, as Cosimo I de' Medici spent much time there and initiated several building projects. The city was part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany from 1569 to 1859.

After its decline as a maritime power, Pisa became more of a cultural center. The University of Pisa, created in 1343, attracted scholars, and over the years could boast of having teachers such as the famous Galileo Galilei, who began lecturing there in 1589. During his tenure there, Galileo used the Leaning Tower of Pisa to conduct some of his experiments concerning gravity. The city attracted visitors during the Grand Tour who wanted to attend lectures or visit the famous campanile, or bell tower, that had been constructed in stages over a period of almost 200 years. The building has been tilting almost since the beginning of construction, due to lack of an adequate base to support the structure.

Answer: Naples

Naples was part of the area called the Kingdom of Sicily from 1130-1816; as already stated, it was a kingdom that changed hands many times. During the time of the Grand Tour (c. 1700s), it was ruled by Spain, the Duchy of Savoy, Austria, and then Spain again. In 1799 it was conquered by Napoleon, but the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 had already effectively put a damper on the Grand Tour. Either people found an alternate route around the fighting, or they didn't go at all.

Naples became a favored destination of the Grand Tour in the early 1700s, with the archaeological sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii being uncovered for those wishing to see ancient artifacts. The discovery of these sites also led to interest in Mt. Vesuvius and mountains in general, with adventuresome young men trying to scale the volcano. For those who were more tame, a piece of pumice or lava stone would make a great souvenir to take home. Sir William Hamilton's estate was also commonly visited, as the ambassador and his wife, Emma, hosted parties that all wanted to attend. Lady Hamilton would stage what she called 'Attitudes'; she would create scenes where she would portray characters from different works of art, mythology and Classical literature and her guests would try to decide who she was.

Answer: Bologna

Bologna, which is located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, became part of the Papal States in 1506 during the time of Pope Julius II. Although some sources say that the papal rule of the city brought a decline, the decline wasn't necessarily completely the fault of the papacy. Like many other cities, Bologna suffered during the Italian Plague of 1629-31, which was estimated to have killed 1/3 of its population, causing a decline in its silk industry. The strict views of the papal government do seem to have caused a decline in enrollment at the university, however, by the mid-1700s there was an attempt to stimulate the economy and support the arts.

Although many on the Grand Tour didn't quite complete their education as expected while abroad, there were some who did take the opportunity for further study. Of course, Bologna already could boast about having the oldest university in the world - founded in 1088 - but those who wished to go into the medical field could also visit the Archiginnasio Anatomical Theater. Constructed in its current location in 1636-1638, one could attend not only medical lectures there, but also view anatomical displays. By the mid-1700s carved figures decorated the walls, representing famous doctors from history.

Answer: Genoa

An important port city in northern Italy for centuries, Genoa was able to maintain its independence as the Republic of Genoa from 1005-1797, with two brief periods of French rule in 1391 and 1458. When the Republic ended in 1797, it was replaced with the French Ligurian Republic that was formed in 1797. The fact that Genoa was a republic did give some visitors pause, as there was no court to visit and noblemen to which one needed to be introduced.

Some of the visitors on the Grand Tour choose to make a dangerous crossing of the Alps to enter northern Italy, however, some would enter the port of Genoa, known for good food and beautiful summer flowers, by boat. Built in 1543, the Lanterna is the third oldest lighthouse in use in the world today. At the time of the Grand Tour, it was the world's tallest. Ships that used the city of Genoa as a port were expected to pay a tax, which helped to purchase wood for the signal fire. During the War of the Reunions with French in 1684, an estimated 13,000 cannonballs were launched at the city, and the lighthouse was damaged; consequently, in 1692 the French king, Louis XIV, ordered that necessary repairs be made.

Answer: Padua

During the 18th century, Padua was part of the Republic of Venice (1405-1797); prior to that the commune of Padua had been self-governing with a legislative assembly since the 11th century. After the fall of Napoleon, Padua was part of the Austrian Empire until it was annexed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

There was a lot for people to do in Padua during the Grand Tour, with all of the churches to see, and even the Baroque Padua Synagogue. There was also Donatello's statue of Gattamelata to view, along with artwork by Giotto and Titian. But the Teatro Verdi, which served as both a theater and opera house, was also a popular destination, known for its fine opera. Completed in 1751, it was named after the great Giuseppe Verdi.