Ciao, studenti di San Antonio!
This week, students from UT San Antonio’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts explored the academic background of both Urbino and Bologna. Urbino’s archive allowed junior linguists to study the lives of Renaissance era Italians, and the streets of Bologna urged them to explore the world’s longest running university. Academic adventures await!
The COLFA group began their weekly lesson with a history lecture by Guido Dall’Olio, an Italian historian who has studied the Roman Inquisition in great detail. His lesson prepared students for a trip to Urbino’s vast archive with documents that have dates stretching back to the high middle ages. An original piece of “Dante’s Inferno” was most intriguing, dating back to the early 13th century. The artifact lies among many more studious writings.
Unearthing Italian history at the Urbino archive made UT San Antonio students eager to learn more about the vast history of Italia. The archival visit equipped COLFA students with plentiful knowledge before their trip to Bologna, colloquially nicknamed “la dotta, la grossa, la rossa.” This directly translates to “the learned, the fat, the red.” This nickname comes from the city’s profound educational history, the people’s love for food and the architecture’s utilization of red bricks throughout the medieval-turned-modern streets.
Although Bologna is a much larger city than Urbino, it holds abundant academic and religious charm in its own right. This city houses the ornately carved tomb of San Domenico, a Catholic saint famous for relinquishing his riches to share his teachings with those less fortunate than him. Some of the art on it reflects medieval artistic styles or Renaissance artistry, demonstrating Saint Dominic’s long-lasting legacy. In another part of the city, Basilica di San Petorino stands tall and unfinished. Walking inside the cathedral makes one feel as small as an ant. The grand, gothic architecture is visible through the pointed arches and the stained glass windows. Travelers from around the globe gather in awe as they witness the glory.
Aside from the renowned religious culture in Bologna, the academic life is equally abundant. Universita di Bologna has been operating since 1088, allowing students access to knowledge for nearly one thousand years. This school was originally named the Alma Mater Studorium, which translates from Latin to “nourishing mother of studies.” This name is why schools all around the world have an alma mater, including UT San Antonio. How interesting!
This renowned university also houses the famous anatomical theatre, where professors from the early modern era would dissect bodies in order to understand human anatomy in depth. It is a beautifully designed place that once advanced pertinent medical knowledge, despite its nauseating history. Without the Bolognesi, the people of Bologna, students would not have access to modern anatomical knowledge. The University of Bologna also houses the massive, two-story library with more than one million books. Being inside the university’s library is surreal. One could easily study in a place like that for eternity.
On next week’s itinerary, COLFA will be visiting Rome; so please stay in touch! Follow the adventures of UT San Antonio’s students abroad by following @lettersfromurbino on Instagram.
That’s all for now,
Buona giornata, tutte e tutti!
