It is with great excitement that we welcome you to another year at LSU in ITALY. This year the host city will be Bologna. City of museums as well as the site of the oldest university in Europe, Bologna satisfies every interest: artistic, recreational (with its outdoor cafés and exciting nightlife), contemplative, and gastronomical. It is often said that Italian cities are an intricate network of images awaiting discovery by the observer. This is very true of Bologna. For it is a city that asks to be discovered, to be photographed, and to be painted, and one often finds oneself wandering through its streets and alleyways just to contemplate beautiful panoramas which dilate into unforgettable landscapes. Besides boasting the best cuisine in Italy, Bologna is a city of tolerance that embraces new ideas and perspectives. The “Bolognesi” are a warm and accommodating people who are proud of their city and love to share its beauty with the world. Bologna’s geographical location facilitates excursions to other Italian cities. As part of our program, we will travel to eternal Rome and marvel at its Ancient, Medieval, Baroque and Renaissance heritage; then we will be swept by Renaissance Florence while eating a “gelato” on the way to the Ponte Vecchio; then off to Verona to see the home of Romeo and Giulietta and then to Venice to see first-hand the making of the famous Murano crystals.
In keeping with the intricate “mosaic” that is Bologna, our program this year will involve 2 disciplines; Art History, and Italian language and literature. Each area will be introduced not only in terms of its own merit but most importantly, in reference to the themes it shares with the others. Art history will enhance our understanding of our excursions to major artistic centers, such as Rome, Florence, Venice, Ravenna, and Ferrara. These excursions along with the Art History courses will expose us to Italian art and will enhance the literature aspect of the program by exposing students to the actual cities that Italian Literature has fictionally depicted through the ages. A fascinating Italian city that we will visit and that appears in the works of a native Bolognese writer – Giorgio Bassani - is Ferrara. Ferrara’s grandiose architecture, perspectives and landscapes make it an ideal setting for both the student of Art History and Italian literature. Italian language courses will complement the entire program by exposing students to the social uses of Italian so as to equip them with the confidence needed to speak the language and get around Italy.