Enrico Dandolo's Tomb
Enrico Dandolo (1107? -- 21 June 1205) — anglicised as Henry Dandolo and Latinized as Henricus Dandulus — was the 41st Doge of Venice from 1195 until his death. Remembered for his blindness, piety, longevity, and shrewdness, and is infamous for his role in the Fourth Crusade which he, at age ninety and blind, surreptitiously redirected against the Byzantine Empire from reconquering the Holy Land, sacking Constantinople in the process.
In the nineteenth-century, the Regia Marina (Italian Navy) launched an ironclad battleship named Enrico Dandolo.
On 1 January 1193, Dandolo became the thirty-ninth Doge of Venice. Two years after taking office, in 1194, Enrico enacted reforms to the Venetian currency system. He introduced the large silver grosso worth 26 denarii, and the quartarolo worth 1/4 of a dinaro. Also he reinstated the Bianco worth 1/2 denaro, which had not been minted for twenty years. He debased the dinaro and its fractions, whereas the grosso was kept at 98.5% pure silver to ensure its usefulness for foreign trade. Enrico's revolutionary changes made the grosso the dominant currency for trade in the Mediterranean and contributed to the wealth and prestige of Venice.
Fourth CrusadeIn 1202 the knights of the Fourth Crusade were stranded in Venice, unable to pay for the ships they had commissioned after far fewer troops arrived than expected. Dandolo developed a plan that allowed the crusaders' debt to be suspended if they assisted the Venetians in restoring nearby Zadar to Venetian control. At an emotional and rousing ceremony in San Marco di Venezia, Dandolo took the cross (committed himself to crusading) and was soon joined by thousands of other Venetians. Dandolo became an important leader of the crusade.
Venice was the major financial backer of the Fourth Crusade, supplied the Crusaders' ships and lent money to the Crusaders who became heavily indebted to Venice. Because of the crusaders' continued delays, provisions were also a problem for the enterprise.
Shortly afterwards, Alexius Angelus, son of the deposed Byzantine emperor Isaac II, arrived in the city of Zadar. Dandolo agreed to go along with the crusade leaders' plan to place Alexius Angelus on the throne of the Byzantine Empire in return for Byzantine support of the crusade. This ultimately led to the conquest and sack of Constantinople on April 13, 1204, an event at which Dandolo was present and in which he played a directing role. The Catholic Crusaders then took permanent control of the Eastern Orthodox capital of Constantinople and established a Catholic state, the Latin Empire. In the Partitio Romaniae, Venice gained title to three-eighths of the Byzantine Empire as a result of her crucial support to the Crusade. The Byzantine Empire was never again as powerful as it had been prior to the Fourth Crusade.
He was active enough to take part in an expedition against the Bulgarians, but died in 1205. He was buried in Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, probably in the upper Eastern gallery. In the 19th century an Italian restoration team placed a cenotaph marker near the probable location, which is still visible today.
Text Source: wikipedia.org
Address: Hagia Sophia
Between Sultanahmet and Gullane Istanbul Metro stops.
Rome: Ancient Glory
Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide | Part one of three shows on the Eternal City, this episode resurrects the rubble and brings back to life the capital of the ancient world. Focusing on the grandeur of classical Rome, we'll admire the groundbreaking architecture at the Colosseum and Pantheon, and the empire's exquisite art at the Capitoline Museum. Then we'll head out on a bike ride along the ancient Appian Way and take in nearby marvels of Roman engineering.
© 2012 Rick Steves' Europe
Rome, Italy: National Museum
More info about travel to Rome: A visit to Rome's National Museum at the Palazzo Massimo helps humanize the ancient Roman empire. The museum's collection tells the empire's story through art, and many aspects of ancient Roman life are represented.
At you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Volterra, Tuscany, Italy
Volterra, in Tuscany, Italy is one of the most attractive of all the Tuscan walled towns. It's amazingly preserved. The town is about a thousand years old and the buildings we see today easily date back to the Middle Ages and the earliest foundations of Volterra go back to the Etruscan days, nearly 3000 years ago. This movie features local Tuscan guide, Annie Adair, who will take us on an extended walking tour through Volterra. Annie explains about the history, architecture, culture and daily life in the city today. She conducts regular tours in Volterra and Tuscany, and can be found at her website, for more information.
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This is a newly-revised version of an earlier video on Volterra.
The Old Barracks Museum│Operation Restoration 2016
The Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, New Jersey has undergone extensive restoration. Come and visit New Jersey's iconic building and enjoy a living piece of New Jersey's history.
Egyptian Museum – History – Turin – Audio Guide – MyWoWo Travel App
Hi, I'm Alyson, your personal guide. Together with MyWoWo, I'd like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world.
Today I'll accompany you through the Egyptian Museum.
This museum has one of the most important collections of Egyptian art in the world, it's second only to the one in Cairo!
You should know that this collection was started almost three centuries ago thanks to a scientist and an archaeologist: the scientist was a scholar from Padua named Vitaliano Donati who taught botany and natural history at the University of Turin in the mid-1700s. When the King sent him on an expedition to Egypt with both scientific and commercial purposes, he brought a collection of objects back to Piedmont that had been put together to serve as encyclopedic documentation. The collection was at the forefront of those times, and included objects, mummies, and manuscripts. And this is how the first nucleus of objects of the Royal University Museum came to be, which would then become the Egyptian Museum.
Almost a century later, the collection was enlarged thanks to the Piedmontese archaeologist Bernardino Drovetti, who had been in Egypt for a long time as an officer of Napoleon's army. He was appointed Consul at Alexandria, and amassed a large collection of antiquities from the archaeological excavations of Thebes…
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Places to see in ( Pavia - Italy )
Places to see in ( Pavia - Italy )
Pavia is a city south of Milan, in Italy. It’s known for the Certosa di Pavia, which is a Renaissance monastery complex, with sculptural and fresco decorations, north of town. In the city center, the centuries-old University of Pavia houses the University History Museum. It displays scientific and medical equipment dating as far back as the Middle Ages. The university’s botanic garden has roses and medicinal plants.
Founded by the Romans as a military garrison, Pavia has long been a strategic city both geographically and politically. It sits at the centre of an agricultural plain (hence its ugly periphery), it is an important provincial political player with strong Lega Nord leanings, and its university is considered one of the best in Italy, with previous alumni including explorer Christopher Columbus, physicist Alessandro Volta and poet and revolutionary Ugo Foscolo. Aside from its vibrant atmosphere (Instituto Universitario di Studi Superiori, IUSS, is a partner in over 300 international exchange programs), Pavia’s historic centre preserves a clutch of worthwhile sights including, to the north of the city, the fabulous Carthusian monastery Certosa di Pavia.
Pavia has retained many monuments from its glorious Medieval past, when it was regarded as the most important town in northern Italy. Among its splendid churches, the leading architectonic exemplars are its Cathedral, boasting one of the largest domes in Italy; and the Basilica di San Michele, a masterpiece of the Romanesque.
The tour continues with Visconti Castle, a square-plan building with four towers surrounded by a large moat, now home to the Civic Museums that hold relics from the Roman period, as well as sculptures from the Lombard era, and an art gallery. Another famous attraction is the covered bridge, a reproduction of a 13th-Century bridge destroyed during the Second World War; it leads to the Borgo Ticino, location of the Church of Santa Maria in Bethlehem.
Lying between Pavia and Milan is the Convent of Certosini, a monumental marble complex built in the 14th Century by Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The Certosa of Pavia, along with the church, was completed about a century later, and, to this day, is an oasis of calm and harmony graced by precious artworks. Its carved marble entrance gives visitors their first hint of the grandeur that characterizes this place. Inside, in fact, is the Palazzo Ducale, where noble guests were accommodated. The church's façade, overlooking a spacious courtyard, is also in marble.
In the Oltrepò area south of Pavia, we find a varied countryside, and then Voghera, with its ancient town center circled by avenues that replaced the old city walls. Inside this perimeter is the Visconti Castle and the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo, circumscribed by arcades. Varzi, on the other hand, still maintains its Medieval quarter, with Palazzo Malaspina, the quadrangular tower and the Gothic-Romanesque Capuchin Church constructed in limestone. This quarter is accessible via two ancient Mangini and Clock Towers, added in the 18th Century.
The most important town in the Lomellina zone is Vigevano, embellished by the Piazza Ducale, a fine example of Renaissance architecture; it is based on a three-sided design with arcades and elegantly-painted facades, closed on the fourth side by the Baroque façade of the Cathedral.
( Pavia - Italy ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Pavia . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Pavia - Italy
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Places to see in ( Modena - Italy )
Places to see in ( Modena - Italy )
( Modena - Italy ) is a city and comune (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy.
An ancient town, and seat of an archbishop, it is known for its automotive industry since the factories of the famous Italian sports car makers Ferrari, De Tomaso, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati are, or were, located here and all, except Lamborghini, have headquarters in the city or nearby. One of Ferrari's cars, the 360 Modena, was named after the town itself.
The University of Modena, founded in 1175 and expanded by Francesco II d'Este in 1686, has traditional strengths in economics, medicine and law and is the second oldest athenaeum in Italy. Italian military officers are trained at the Military Academy of Modena, and partly housed in the Baroque Ducal Palace. The Biblioteca Estense houses historical volumes and 3,000 manuscripts. The Cathedral of Modena, the Torre della Ghirlandina and Piazza Grande are a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Modena is also known in culinary circles for its production of balsamic vinegar.
Famous Modenesi include Mary of Modena, the Queen consort of England and Scotland; operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti and soprano Mirella Freni, born in Modena itself; Enzo Ferrari, eponymous founder of the Ferrari motor company; Catholic priest Gabriele Amorth; chef Massimo Bottura; comics artist Franco Bonvicini and singer-songwriter Francesco Guccini, who lived here for several decades.
Main attractions :
The Ducal Palace, begun by Francesco I d'Este in 1634 and finished by Francis V, was the seat of the Este court from the 17th to 19th centuries. The palace occupies the site of the former Este Castle, once located in the periphery of the city.
Facing the Piazza Grande (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Town Hall of Modena was put together in the 17th and 18th centuries from several pre-existing edifices built from 1046 as municipal offices.
It is characterized by a Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio, late 15th century), once paired with another tower (Torre Civica) demolished after an earthquake in 1671. In the interior, noteworthy is the Sala del Fuoco (Fire Hall), with a painted frieze by Niccolò dell'Abbate (1546) portraying famous characters from Ancient Rome against a typical Emilia background. The Camerino dei Confirmati (Chamber of the Confirmed) houses one of the symbols of the city, the Secchia Rapita, a bucket kept in memory of the victorious Battle of Zappolino (1325) against Bologna. This relic inspired the poem of the same title by Alessandro Tassoni. Another relic from the Middle Ages in Modena is the Preda Ringadora, a rectangular marble stone next to the palace porch, used as a speakers' platform, and the statue called La Bonissima.
The Cathedral of Modena and the annexed campanile are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begun under the direction of the Countess Matilda of Tuscany with its first stone laid June 6, 1099 and its crypt ready for the city's patron, Saint Geminianus, and consecrated only six years later, the Duomo of Modena was finished in 1184. The building of a great cathedral in this flood-prone ravaged former center of Arianism was an act of urban renewal in itself, and an expression of the flood of piety that motivated the contemporary First Crusade. Unusually, the master builder's name, Lanfranco, was celebrated in his own day: the city's chronicler expressed the popular confidence in the master-mason from Como, Lanfranco: by God's mercy the man was found (inventus est vir). The sculptor Wiligelmus who directed the mason's yard was praised in the plaque that commemorated the founding. The program of the sculpture is not lost in a welter of detail: the wild dangerous universe of the exterior is mediated by the Biblical figures of the portals leading to the Christian world of the interior. In Wiligelmus' sculpture at Modena, the human body takes on a renewed physicality it had lost in the schematic symbolic figures of previous centuries. At the east end, three apses reflect the division of the body of the cathedral into nave and wide aisles with their bold, solid masses. Modena's Duomo inspired campaigns of cathedral and abbey building in emulation through the valley of the Po.
The Gothic campanile (1224–1319) is called Torre della Ghirlandina from the bronze garland surrounding the weathercock.
( Modena - Italy ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Modena. Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Modena - Italy
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Military history of New Zealand during World War II | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Military history of New Zealand during World War II
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
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The military history of New Zealand during World War II began when New Zealand entered the Second World War by declaring war on Nazi Germany with Great Britain. The state of war with Germany was officially held to have existed since 9:30 pm on 3 September 1939 (local time), simultaneous with that of Britain, but in fact the declaration of war was not made until confirmation had been received from Britain that their ultimatum to Germany had expired. The group (led by Peter Fraser as Prime Minister Michael Savage was terminally ill) listened to the shortwave radio in Carl Berendsen's room in Parliament Buildings but were not certain what Neville Chamberlain had said because of static on the short-wave radio, and a coded telegraph message from London did not arrive until just before midnight as the messenger boy with the telegram in London took shelter because of a (false) air-raid warning. The Cabinet acted after hearing the Admiralty's notification to the fleet that war had broken out. The next day Cabinet approved nearly 30 war regulations as laid down in the War Book, and after completing the formalities with the Executive Council the Governor-General, Lord Galway, issued the Proclamation of War, backdated to 9.30 pm on 3 September.Diplomatically, New Zealand had expressed vocal opposition to fascism in Europe and also to the appeasement of Fascist dictatorships, and national sentiment for a strong show of force met with general support. Economic and defensive considerations also motivated the New Zealand involvement—reliance on Britain meant that threats to Britain became threats to New Zealand too in terms of economic and defensive ties.
There was also a strong sentimental link between the former British colony and the United Kingdom, with many seeing Britain as the mother country or Home. The New Zealand Prime Minister of the time Michael Joseph Savage summed this up at the outbreak of war with a broadcast on 5 September (largely written by the Solicitor-General Henry Cornish) that became a popular cry in New Zealand during the war:
It is with gratitude in the past, and with confidence in the future, that we range ourselves without fear beside Britain, where she goes, we go! Where she stands, we stand!
New Zealand provided personnel for service in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and in the Royal Navy and was prepared to have New Zealanders serving under British command. Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) pilots, many trained in the Empire Air Training Scheme, were sent to Europe. But unlike the other Dominions, New Zealand did not insist on its aircrews serving with RNZAF squadrons, so speeding up the rate at which they entered service. And the Long Range Desert Group was formed in North Africa in 1940 with New Zealand and Rhodesian as well as British volunteers, but included no Australians for the same reason.
The New Zealand government placed the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy at the Admiralty's disposal and made available to the RAF 30 new Wellington medium bombers waiting in the United Kingdom for shipping to New Zealand. The New Zealand Army contributed the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF).
Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence
Made in conjunction with the exhibition Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence, this 17-minute documentary explores the career of an exceptionally versatile artist. Andrea del Verrocchio (c. 1435–1488) gained fame as a sculptor whose masterpieces in bronze rival ancient sculpture in their naturalism and expressiveness. A favorite of the Medici, the de facto rulers of Florence, Verrocchio was also a celebrated painter and draftsman whose workshop became a training ground for the preeminent painters of the High Renaissance, including his apprentice and pupil, Leonardo da Vinci. Narrated by Academy Award nominee Glenn Close, the film includes new footage of the original settings of the artist’s works in Florence, Pistoia, and Venice. Produced by the department of exhibition programs, National Gallery of Art.
Support for the film was provided by the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC.
The film was also made possible by the HRH Foundation.
Rome: Baroque Brilliance
Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide | This second of three shows on Rome reveals a city busy with life and bursting with Baroque. We'll ramble through the venerable heart of Rome, admire breathtaking Bernini statues, ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, and mix and mingle with the Romans during an early-evening stroll. Following an exquisite Roman dinner, we'll join locals after dark, lacing together the Eternal City's most romantic nightspots.
© 2012 Rick Steves' Europe
Vicenza - Italy
Vicenza About, a city in northeastern Italy, in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) west of Venice and 200 kilometres (120 mi) east of Milan.
Vicenza is a thriving and cosmopolitan city, with a rich history and culture, and many museums, art galleries, piazzas, villas, churches and elegant Renaissance palazzi. With the Palladian Villas of the Veneto in the surrounding area, and his renowned Teatro Olimpico (Olympic Theatre), the city of Palladio has been enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.
In December 2008, Vicenza had an estimated population of 115,927, and a metropolitan area of 270 000. Vicenza is the third-largest Italian industrial centre as measured by the value of its exports, and is one of the country's wealthiest cities,[2][4] in large part due to its textile and steel industries, which employ tens of thousands. Additionally, about one fifth of the country's gold and jewelry is made in Vicenza, greatly contributing to the city's economy. Another important sector is the engineering/computer components industry (Federico Faggin, the microprocessor's co-inventor, was born in Vicenza).
Art II: Renaissance & Baroque 1400–1800, with Rick Steves
Subscribe at for more new travel talks! Europe explodes with new ideas in religion (the Protestant Reformation), exploration (Columbus), and politics (the rise of nation-states). The happy result is some of the Western world’s greatest art treasures — from Michelangelo’s David to Botticelli’s Venus. It inspires the next generation of Baroque artists to build even grander wonders, like St. Peter’s Basilica and the Palace of Versailles. Download the PDF handout for this talk:
• Shop Rick's art book: Rick Steves' 100 favorite European works of art, illustrated with vivid, full-color photos.
• Planning a trip to Europe? You’ll find lots of free travel information at
This talk was filmed during the Rick Steves European Travel Festival on Nov. 1, 2015. Any special promotions mentioned are no longer valid.
Nzuko Ndigbo USA INC. 2nd Anniversary Pt. 2
Italy from Above - our best sights from Verona, Venice, Vicenza in High Definition (HD)
This spectacular HD journey will explore the history and sights of Northern Italy.
Travel from Verona (of Romeo and Juliet fame), Padua, Venice, Asolo (historic villas), and Vicenza (Andrea Palladio - architect). Fly above the Alps, and enjoy some of the best examples of the rich heritage and culture of this beautiful region.
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Venice Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia
The Italian city of Venice is a city like no other, rising from the waters of Venice Lagoon. Follow us through the historic streets – and canals – and see why Venice should be firmly on your bucket list!
When ready, browse vacation packages to Venice:
Begin your #Venice #vacation in the central district of San Marco. Journey along one of the world’s great aquatic thoroughfares, The Grand Canal. Glide past elegant palazzos; today many of these palaces house important museums and galleries.
Known as The City Of Bridges, Venice has hundreds to discover. The Accademia Bridge offers some of the Grand Canal’s finest views. The oldest of the Grand Canal’s four crossings is the Rialto Bridge, which serves as the gateway to the Rialto Markets. The most famous of all is the Bridge of Sighs, which connects Doge’s Palace to the historic prison.
Venice is a city to get lost in, so put away your map and let her surprise you. Just remember, this city smiles upon those who linger. So stay for a few nights, or #explore for a month, and savor every moment she has to offer.
For now, we hope you enjoy watching this #travel #guide as much as we enjoyed making it.
More travel information around Venice:
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Venice and Its Lagoon
Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide | Venice, more than any other European city, has an endlessly seductive charm. For centuries, it was nicknamed La Serenissima, The Most Serenely Beautiful One— and for good reason. Along with sampling the sumptuous art treasures of Venice and exploring its back-street wonders, we'll cruise its lagoon, stopping in fiery Murano for glass, pastel Burano for lace, and murky Torcello for a sense of where Venice was born.
© 2012 Rick Steves' Europe
Italy Travel Skills
Rick Steves European Travel Talk | Travel guidebook author Rick Steves describes Italy's top stops — the Cinque Terre, Milan, Venice, Florence, Tuscan and Umbrian hill towns, Rome, Naples, and more — and explains practical travel skills (eating, sleeping, taking trains, avoiding lines, and outsmarting pickpockets). Download the PDF handout for this class: Visit for more European travel information.
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Church History: Complete Documentary AD 33 to Present
History of the church from the Ascension of Jesus Christ to 2017.
Further Reading:
Philip Schaff's Church History:
History of the Primitive Church:
Eusebius' Church History:
Sozomen's Church History:
Socrates Scholasticus' Church History:
Primary sources:
Father Adrian Fortescue:
Bishop Hefele's History of the Councils:
Corrections:
1. Beirut is in Lebanon, not Syria.
2. At the time of the Roman Empire, Great Britain would have been known as Britannia rather than England. The name England was first used during the Middle Ages, referring to the tribe of Germanic Angles that settled the island after the fall of the Roman Empire.
3. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the only Marian apparition in the Americas to have been approved by the Holy See. Other Marian apparitions in the Americas have been approved by local ordinaries, including Our Lady of Good Success in Ecuador (1572), Our Lady of Good Help in Wisconsin (1859), Our Lady of Cuapa in Nicaragua (1980), in Venezuela (1984) and Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolas in Argentina (1980s).
4. At 2:06:35, the correct spelling is Hugh O'Flaherty, not O'Flattery
Milan and Lake Como
Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide | No trip to Italy is complete without Milan and Lake Como. In Milan we'll take a peek at Italy's highest fashion, fanciest delis, grandest cemetery, and greatest opera house...not to mention Leonardo's Last Supper. Then we'll cruise along Lake Como, settling down in the lakeside village of Varenna...classic honeymoon country, where Italy meets the Alps.
© 2006 Rick Steves' Europe