Wonders of the World
One of the world's great museums of Renaissance art: the Uffizi. Meaning "the offices," the Uffizi were quite literally built as an office buidling for the growing administration of Cosimo I de' Medici, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, the leader who brought authoritarian rule, if also stablity, to Florence. Bry Rayburn from the Pontifacts podcast, joins me once again to talk about Cosimo, her historic bae, the great museum, and the rest of his legacy. We also talk about our old friend Giorgio Vasari, author, artist and architect, a true Renaissance man. And of course, ribollita, that...
info_outline Bonus - The Total Solar Eclipse of 2024Wonders of the World
A quick bonus episode about how eclipses connect with human history
info_outline 099 - The Meenakshi Amman Temple of MaduraiWonders of the World
Towering above the city of Madurai, the gopurams or gateways of the Meenakshi Amman Temple are medieval skyscrapers, awash in color, writhing in movement, beautiful and otherworldly at the same time. In this episode we'll discuss the rise of the Mughal Empire, the fall of Vijayanagara, and of course, masala dosa, that most incredible of South Indian streetfoods.
info_outline 100 - The Wieliczka Salt MineWonders of the World
In the late 1500s Poland and Lithuania joined to create the Commonwealth, a remarkable, if flawed, experiment in constitutional monarchy that would last more than 200 years. Its legacy of religious tolerance and representative republicanism is strangely overlooked in American history books - and I would guess in other histories as well. One of the chief economic engines of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was the Wielizcka Salt Mine, an amazing wonder delved over 700 years. To visit Wieliczka is to be amazed at the artistry of salt sculptures and impressed by the sheer cheesiness of all the...
info_outline 098 - The Süleymaniye Mosque of IstanbulWonders of the World
Suleiman the Magnificent? Suleiman the Lawgiver? Suleiman the Bisexual Poet? No matter how you label him, Suleiman was a fascinating sultan of the Ottoman Empire who strode upon the world stage, and his private life was worthy of a scandalous Netflix show. Among his greatest legacies was commissioning this phenomenal mosque, designed by Mimar Sinan, one of the history's most successul and significant architects. Listener and traveler Emma Browning returns to discuss visiting the mosque and Istanbul and trying to find vegetarian food in a city known for its meat and seafood. Grab some...
info_outline 097 - Machu PicchuWonders of the World
The world-famous "lost city of the Inca". It wasn't a city, and it wasn't lost, but yes, it was made by the Inca. The incredibly scenic former estate of kings is a true marvel, as I can personally attest, but this episode is about so much more than the ruins that people come from all over the world to see. Joined by Nick Machinski of the History of the Inca Empire podcast, we talk about the dramatic rise and fall of the Inca Empire, their staunch resistance to Spanish conquest, and the wonders that might have been, like the gold-covered Qoriqancha. Listener and friend of the...
info_outline Mental Health HiatusWonders of the World
It's all too much for me to take - the Beatles, 1969
info_outline 096 - The Humble Administrator's Garden of SuzhouWonders of the World
He was from the richest city in Ming China, or one of the richest, and after his checkered political career, he came home and planted a garden. 500 years later, we can still visit his garden and marvel at the humility of Wang Xianchen, the Humble Administrator. This episode is a pleasant diversion beforewe get back to the big stories. And we'll have Suzhou "smoked" fish while we're here! Sources: Clunas, Craig. Fruitful Sites: Garden Culture in Ming Dynasty China Lonely Planet China Photograph CC4.0 by wikicommons user Another Believer
info_outline 095 - The Migration of the Monarch ButterfliesWonders of the World
Monarch butterflies are tiny, ephemeral creatures, whose audacious color patterns makes them beloved across a continent, yet few realize how remarkable their migration from Canada and the US to their winter ground west of Mexico City really is. Listener Livia Montovani joins us to talk about visiting the mountain reserves where hundreds of millions of butterflies spend their winter. We'll also cover the conquest of Mexico and the personalities involved, from Motecuhzoma of the Mexica to Cortés of Spain to the controversial role of la Malinche, the formerly enslaved woman who translated...
info_outline Update and Intelligent SpeechWonders of the World
A brief update about the show!
info_outlineEurope and North America are drifting apart, and where the plates diverge, an underwater volcanic mountain range has formed. It peeps above the ocean in several spots, the largest and most magnificent of which is Iceland. Iceland's underground magma and mountaintop glaciers have conspired to create a wonderland of fire and ice, the perfect setting for the development of a remarkable medieval culture.
In this episode, Noah Tetzner from the History of Vikings podcast joins us to discuss the settlement of Iceland, their literature (the sagas), their government, and their expansion to Greenland and North America.
There's Flóki, the raven-carrying discoverer who gave Iceland its name. There are Ingolf and Leif, the oil-and-water brothers who first settled the island. There's Aud the Deep-Minded, noblewoman and matriarch. There's Þorgeir Þorkelsson, who had to make a choice that would change Iceland forever. And there's Erik the Red and his son Leif, who set out to find new lands to the west.
In addition, listeners Brian Conn and Quinn Campagna describe their recent trips to the island and all the glorious natural wonders to see. And we'll have hot dogs (really), fermented shark meat (really), and Icelandic yogurt, or skyr, after a dip into the hot springs.
Sources:
Ari Þorgilsson, The Book of the Icelanders
Averbuck, Alexis. Lonely Planet Iceland
Barraclough, Eleanor Rosamund. Beyond the Northlands: Viking Voyages and the Old Norse Sagas
The Book of Settlement (Landnámabók), translated by Thomas Ellwood
Ferguson, Robert. The Vikings: a History
Haywood, John. Northmen: the Viking saga, AD 793-1241
Konstam, Angus. Historical Atlas of the Viking World
Laxdæla Saga, translated by Muriel A. C. Press
Magnusson, Magnus. Vikings!
Rick Steves Iceland
Roberts, David. Iceland: Land of the Sagas
The Saga of Erik the Red, translated by J. Sephton
Music includes “Gjallar,” “Fólkvangr,” and “The Vikings” by Alexander Nakarada
https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Photograph by Andreas Tille