Context brings the brightest minds to your living room with perspective-shifting online lectures.

Walled Cities and Towers of Tuscany: Lucca, Pienza and San Gimignano with Kate Bolton-Porciatti
Learn with Kate Bolton-Porciatti

Walled Cities and Towers of Tuscany: Lucca, Pienza and San Gimignano with Kate Bolton-Porciatti

No events are scheduled at this time. Want to be notified when it’s back? Click the blue button to the right and we’ll notify you.

Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Join an expert for a cultural journey exploring the origins and architecture of three of Italy's most evocative cities, Lucca, San Gimignano, and Pienza, and how they have defined the landscape of Tuscany.
Many of the most beautiful towns and cities of Tuscany have grown up around medieval defensive structures: watchtowers, fortifications, and battlements that stand witness to the turbulent history of this area. Cultural historian Kate Bolton-Porciatti traces the origins and growth of the medieval cities of Lucca and San Gimignano and reflects on how their evocative skylines have indelibly shaped the Tuscan landscape. We also explore the walled town of Pienza – the jewel of the Orcia Valley - a place conceived as an 'ideal Renaissance city' whose balanced architectural lines create a perfect harmony with the surrounding scenery.
Led by an expert on Italian cultural history, Kate Bolton-Porciatti, this interactive seminar will explore the needs, ideas, and ideologies that form the foundations of Tuscany’s communes and city-states. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of the social and cultural context of Tuscany’s historic towns.
This conversation is part of a series on the walled cities and villages of Tuscany with Kate Bolton-Porciatti. Each session is designed as a stand-alone seminar as well as part of the series.

Kate Bolton-Porciatti is a professor of Italian cultural history and music at the Istituto Lorenzo de'Medici in Florence, where she teaches BA and MA courses in the humanities. She also lectures at the British Institute, Florence, and at the Chigiana Music Academy in Siena. Kate has published extensively as an academic and a journalist; she is a music critic for BBC Music and a travel writer for The Daily Telegraph, UK. Before moving to Italy permanently in 2005, she was a senior producer and broadcaster for BBC Arts & Classical Music in London and has won prestigious Jerusalem and Sony Awards for her programs. She did her M.Phil. thesis in Italy, exploring the musical culture of early Renaissance Florence.

Not suitable for children under age 13 (sensitive content).

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 88 reviews
89%
(78)
10%
(9)
1%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
C
Claire Miller (Dolan) (Palo Alto, US)
Deeper history of Tuscany

I have taken two of Kate's seminars and love them. I'm so happy to learn about the detail and history of these Hill Towns. Even after I have been there already. When I'm there, I wonder about the history, and now I can get the details filled in. I love Kate's voice and style. I really like her video clips as well. It's great to be taken there to the spot and see the environment and views that she shows.

R
Ros Lowe (Marlborough, GB)
Walled cities & Towers of Tuscany

Terrific presentation, as always, by Kate Bolton Porciatti, giving us just the right amount of detail and fascinating facts about these beautiful medieval/Renaissance towns. The combination of well chosen slides and video makes me feel that I’m walking round these stunning sites too!

H
Heather (Bellevue, US)
Walled cities: Luca, San Gimgano,

This was a great zoom lecture with history, architecture, and background

k
kareen (Chicago, US)

Kate's lecture on these three cities with their towers was outstanding. I especially loved the exquisitely beautiful Pienza.

A
Anonymous (New Haven, US)

Guest did not leave comment

123
Back to Library of Events

Customer Reviews

Based on 88 reviews
89%
(78)
10%
(9)
1%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
C
Claire Miller (Dolan) (Palo Alto, US)
Deeper history of Tuscany

I have taken two of Kate's seminars and love them. I'm so happy to learn about the detail and history of these Hill Towns. Even after I have been there already. When I'm there, I wonder about the history, and now I can get the details filled in. I love Kate's voice and style. I really like her video clips as well. It's great to be taken there to the spot and see the environment and views that she shows.

R
Ros Lowe (Marlborough, GB)
Walled cities & Towers of Tuscany

Terrific presentation, as always, by Kate Bolton Porciatti, giving us just the right amount of detail and fascinating facts about these beautiful medieval/Renaissance towns. The combination of well chosen slides and video makes me feel that I’m walking round these stunning sites too!

H
Heather (Bellevue, US)
Walled cities: Luca, San Gimgano,

This was a great zoom lecture with history, architecture, and background

k
kareen (Chicago, US)

Kate's lecture on these three cities with their towers was outstanding. I especially loved the exquisitely beautiful Pienza.

A
Anonymous (New Haven, US)

Guest did not leave comment

123