Prof. Enrico Bruschini

When Pope Sixtus IV commissioned the construction of the Sistine Chapel in 1477, he ordered it to have the same dimensions as the Temple of Solomon. This was made possible because those dimensions are mentioned in the Bible, in the Book of Kings (60 x 30 x 20 Hebrew cubits), which correspond almost exactly to the dimensions of the famous Chapel (40 x 21 x 13 meters).

Just a few kilometers from Rome, ancient villages set in a splendid and picturesque landscape of hills, lakes, valleys and extinct volcanoes create the picturesque setting in which to admire ancient and splendid stately villas.

La Donna de Paradiso, also known as ‘Laude di Donna de Paradiso’, is a poetic work by Jacopone da Todi, a famous Italian poet and Franciscan friar who lived between the 13th and 14th centuries. The work is one of the most beautiful and profound expressions of the spiritual and mystical dimension of Jacopone’s poetry, emphasising the theme of the soul’s journey towards union with God.

Medieval poetry is a vast and varied literary tradition stretching from the early Middle Ages to the end of the XIV th century. This tradition is characterised by a great diversity of styles, genres, themes, and content.