| Synopsis: |
Richly illustrated and extensively researched, Glimpses of Medieval Switzerland offers a fascinating journey through medieval Switzerland. It describes and illustrates Swiss history and art in its many cities, towns and villages which are replete with attractive cathedrals, castles, town halls and fountains. Decorative and often colourful fountains were the centrepieces of many towns (Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Lucerne, Neuchatel, Schaffhausen and Solothurn, for example) and they provide the take-off point for an informative account of medieval times in this scenic country. It traces the history, religious and political changes that took place in various regions of the country during and after the Middle Ages and highlights some aspects of the different architectural styles characteristic of the various cantons. The book also poses many intriguing questions, for example, why are there no decorative fountains in many old cantons of Switzerland such as Geneva, the Grisons and Valais? Do Calvinism and parsimonious nature of Geneva's population have something to do with this situation?Are the differences in their sculpture attributable to such factors as religion (Catholic or Protestant), language (French, German or Italian), or the historical legacy of Austrian Habsburgs, German kings or French counts and dukes? |