Abstract
Umberto Eco, one of the leading authors of contemporary world literature, is
an important Italian writer, medieval historian, and semiotics expert, mostly known for
his novels such as The Name of the Rose, Foucault's Pendulum, and The Prague
Cemetery. Until his death in 2016, he wrote many works in the fields of history, art,
aesthetics, and communication, as well as in the field of literature. The book “Medieval
Ages II – Cathedrals, Knights, Cities” is the second of four volumes that examines the
medieval period comprehensively in every aspect, from religion to politics, from
inventions and discoveries to visual arts, from daily life to architectural living spaces in
urban and rural areas.
This invaluable medieval corpus has been meticulously crafted by esteemed writers,
each of whom is an expert in their fields, and brought together by Eco's deep
knowledge and experience. Although a chronological division is generally seen as a
method, while different topics are handled by different authors with intersections,
repetitions, and intertwinings, a system that does not contradict and is never dull but
reinforces the issues and allows them to be remembered, is followed:
This valuable work, which introduces the Middle Ages in all its aspects, is an
indispensable resource for everyone interested in history and art and the development
of understanding of space at the scale of buildings to the city and regional level. A
bedside encyclopedia... The Middle Ages is known as a period defined as the dark age
in the Age of Enlightenment when the church and imperial sovereignty disputes caused
the public to pay high costs, and epidemics broke out and raged throughout. Despite all
the harsh living conditions, Umberto Eco draws attention to the fact that much progress
had been made in the darkness of this age and that new inventions were realized that
would facilitate the daily life and production activities of human beings. In parallel
with wars, conquests, political upheavals, and cultural struggles, medieval settlements
also underwent a physical change and transformation. It was an age in which art,
especially architecture, showed its glory.
The book “Cathedrals, Knights, Cities” is a comprehensive, holistic source of
information about the Middle Ages. It is a fundamental work for everyone related to art, especially architects. It is also an opportunity to reclassify the established
vocabulary and revise common misconceptions.