Audiobooks narrated by Karolina Starin

Arch of Costantine. Rome. Italy Audiobook

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and reports interesting facts about the triumphal arch of Constantine, in Rome, between the Colosseum and the Palatine, and was made by the founder of Constantinople. The three-hole arc was built in the years 312-315 to celebrate Constantine's victory over Massenzio, in the battle fought at Milvio bridge, but also the tenth anniversary of the Emperor's government. The arch of Constantine is the latest of the three triumphal arches surviving in Rome. To decorate it, new bas-reliefs were created, but mostly decorative burial elements were used, drawn from older monuments, probably destroyed by the fires of 283 and 307 AD. The Arch of Constantine is like a big book that shows us more than two centuries of Roman art. This magnificent work of art has been preserved to this day due to the fact that Constantine was considered the first Christian Emperor. It is no coincidence that, in his dedication, his victory is presented as the fulfillment of God's will. That is why the triumphal arch did not suffer the fate of many pagan monuments, although there are traces of that culture. Until the end of the 15th century the monument was studied and restored, several times. In 1530 Lorenzino de Medici was expelled from Rome for daring to mutilate some of the heads of the bas-reliefs. The heads were reintegrated only in the 18th century. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Caterina Amato (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Basilica of Ascension of the Blessed Virgin. Torcello. Venice. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and reports interesting facts about the cathedral. The island of Torcello, populated since Roman times, sheltered the population from the mainland, during the Gothic invasion period. During the VI century, Byzantium reconquered much of the Italian territory, and then began the period of maximum splendor of the lagoon of Venice and of the island of Torcello. The basilica of Santa Maria Assunta was built in 639, by order of the archbishop of Ravenna Isacio. In the years 864-867, the building was expanded and in the years 1008-1047 it was partially rebuilt, at the request of Bishop Orso Orseolo, son of Doge Pietro. It was probably then that the church was dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta. The fulcro of the cathedral are the magnificent mosaics, executed with great sophistication, by local and Byzantine workers (probably from Constantinople). The entire interior wall of the facade is occupied by the marvelous mosaic of the Last Judgment, realized between the XI and XII century, by artists from the Venetian-Byzantine school. This masterpiece represents the last coming of the Lord, when, as the evangelist Matthew describes, he will return to glory, to judge men according to their actions. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior, through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Paola Stirati (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Basilica of Saints Felix and Fortunatus. Vicenza. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and presents interesting facts about the basilica of the Saints Felice and Fortunato, a paleo-Christian monument of history that is rooted in the ancient history of the Roman Empire. Much evidence of the Roman presence was found in the territory of the church, during various excavations. Some of these finds are kept in the Civic Museum of Vicenza and the other in the Basilica Museum. Among the most significant finds are the Petronio Stele with an inscription and unbisselion (two-person seat) and a priestly and masterly scroll. Another curious find is the sacred altar of Venus, found in the masonry of the martyrion of the basilica. The church is dedicated to the brothers Felice and Fortunato, the vicentini martyrs, decapitated in Aquileia, in the times of Diocletian's persecution. One of the oldest and most important basilica sites is the Martyrion. At the bottom of the right nave is the entrance to this chapel dedicated to Sancta Maria Mater Domini. It was built in memory and in honor of the Saints Felice and Fortunato, but there are also relics of other saints. Only some fragments of mosaic have been preserved, mainly in the northwestern part of the church. In them there is the symbolism of the images and the spiritual grain that characterizes the mosaics of the grandiose Paleochristian basilicas. The best preserved mosaic composition is that of the winged lion, a symbol of the evangelist Marco. On the north side, there is the representation of a saint on a golden background. The grandiose representation of the sky vault, in the dome, presents the same iconography. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Alessio Tremiti (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Basilica of San Marco. Venice. Italy

If you would like to hear about the extremely rich history of Venice, and you find it hard to imagine the influence, Venice underwent and absorbed for centuries, you can just listen to our audioguide, about the magnificent Saint Mark's Basilica - the symbol of the people and culture. The audioguide describes the unique history of Saint Mark's Basilica, made evident by the architecture and decorations, with elements of different styles. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Paola Stirati (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Basilica of San Nicola. Bari. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and reports interesting facts about the basilica of St. Nicholas, widely known especially because it preserves the remains of the Saint Nicholas. Bari has been known since Roman times. It was dominated by the Byzantine and longobards, in the 9th century and by the Greeks and Arabs, then it became the capital of Longobardia and in the X century it was the residence of the Catapan, Byzantine governor. Although the city was conquered by the Normans, in 1071 it retained its Byzantine cultural heritage and the local clergy remained Byzantine. The basilica is full of unique Byzantine bas-reliefs. In the gallery Byzantine capitals with carved animals and motifs are on display. In this museum there are also slabs and fragments of monuments from the VI-XII century made by Byzantine school masters. A commemorative plaque in the south matroneo and the presbyteral enclosure (1130-1140) decorated with floral motifs in the Byzantine style, testifies to a strong Byzantine influence in the art of the XII century. One of the most important pieces on display is a low marble relief, perhaps originally part of a pulpit. It depicts an angel with the book in the left hand and with the right hand raised, that is, in the pose of a teacher. Underneath the transept there is a crypt. The environment is very rich, with 36 bays and 36 vaults, supported by columns with various capitals, Byzantine and late Byzantine, many of them made between 1087 and 1089. In a corner of the crypt there is a column of porphyrus, isolated in an inferriate. It is considered miraculous and is an important place for pilgrimage. According to legend, it was miraculously brought here by Mira, and placed in the crypt by St. Nicholas in person on the eve of his consecration. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Caterina Amato (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Basilica of Santa Maria della Roccella. Borgia. Italy

The vocal beauty of this church has been heard through the centuries and also through the descriptions of the many travelers who visited these places, which represented one of the stages of the Grand Tour (an integral part of the aristocratic education in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries). The history of the settlement dates back to the time of ancient Greece. The Greeks called this city Skylletion (references to it were already made in 6th century BC), while in Roman times it was called Schilacium or Scolacium. Old authors, such as Strabone and Pliny, attributed the foundation of the Greek city to Menestown, who landed on these lands, during the Trojan War. According to another legend, resumed also by Cassiodoro, the city was founded by Ulisse. Borgia, like Scolacium, was under Byzantine rule, in the tenth, eleventh and 15th centuries. Squillace was dominated by the Aragonese and in 1494 passed onto Goffredo Borgia, the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI,, as a dowry. From that moment, the Borgia ruled those lands, until 1735, and gave the city its current name. This territory was always populated and was chosen by anyone who wanted to dominate Calabria. Roberto the Guiscardo, Norman king of Puglia, Calabria and Sicily, lived here temporarily, from 1059 to 1085. The date of construction of the Basilica of Santa Maria provoked controversy among scholars. It was hypothesized that the church was constructed during the reign of Constantine I, or later, in the V-VI or VII-VIII centuries. It is very likely that the basilica was built by Greek orthodox monks before the Norman conquest. The church, whose ruins have been preserved to this day, was built in the Norman period, in the early years of the reign of Sicily, and dates back to the years 1130-1150. However, it's Byzantine influences are evident.

Caterina Amato (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cathedral. Cefalu. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and presents interesting facts about the cathedral of Cefalù, recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. From the first mention of Cefalù we know it was an ancient seaside village, located on the west coast of Sicily. The place name derives from the Greek word thatfalè, which means head, as the fortress, on whose slopes the city rises, has this form. The protagonists of the city's history were the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines and Normans. Thanks to the Normans of the Altavilla dynasty, present here since the 12th century, and the Byzantine masters, the most representative cathedral in the region, dedicated to the Savior, was built here. The imposing dimensions of the cathedral give us an idea of Ruggero's great political project. The fulcrum of the whole Duomo are the marvelous mosaics, that absolutely have the best preservation status in Sicily. They cover an area of 650 square meters; The different styles confirm that they were realized in different moments. Ruggero wanted the presence of Byzantine masters, called by Constantinople for the decoration of the apse and the cross, while those of the walls would be made after the death of the sovereign, finally accomplished in 1170. During the construction of the cathedral, burial material was used, a very common practice in the Middle Ages, partly due to the low cost of these materials and partly because of their symbolic significance: this loan was considered as a kind of continuity between past, present and future. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Paola Stirati (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cathedral. Monreale. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and reports interesting facts about Monreale Cathedral. The church was founded by the Norman King William II, the Good, and was dedicated to the Madonna. According to legend, in 1174, while hunting, the sovereign saw a woman pointing to the place where her father's treasures were hidden. Following their discovery, William decided to build a church, in honor of the Virgin, which, together with the archbishop's palace and the monastery, were completed in less than ten years, probably by architects and Byzantine theologians. The mosaic iconography of the cathedral is the most attractive element: thousands of square mosaics, an artistic representation of the history of salvation, cover the surfaces of the walls, including the apses, and adorn each corner, even the most hidden, of the church. For the extension of mosaics, Monreale is second only to the Hagia Sophia cathedral, in Istanbul, but those in Italy have a better conservation status. Con ogni probabilità furono eseguiti nell'arco di pochi anni, tra il 1183-1189, da squadre di mosaicisti bizantini e siciliani. Alcuni ipotizzano anche la presenza di maestranze veneziane. The effect is extraordinarily beautiful: the golden background illuminates the space and enhances the sense of the sacredness and prepares one for the encounter with Christ Pantocrator, depicted in the central apse. In total, there are 130 mosaics in the cathedral. The didactic and catechetical intention is evident: to offer the faithful, who, in the medieval age, were mostly illiterate, a bible that narrates through images. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Paola Stirati (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Church of Santa Maria Dell'Ammiraglio. Martorana. Palermo. Italy

The audio guide tells the story, describes the architecture and reports interesting facts about the church. In 1072, Norman Dukes conquered Palermo and, in Sicily, began an era in which the Byzantine culture, the knowledge of the Arabs and the expressiveness of the Normans fused, creating an extraordinary unity. The symbol of this synthesis is the church of Santa Maria dell'Amiraglio, better known as "la Martorana". It was made according to the will of the Syrian Admiral of King Ruggero II, George of Antioch. The word "admiral", the name given to the church, refers to the profession of its founder. In 1221, the church was patronized by the pope, who guaranteed the church's right of Greek worship. In 1282, during the Sicilian vespers' war, it was in the church building, which became the seat of the Pretoria Court in Palermo, where the Sicilian Parliament offered the crown to King Peter of Aragon. While in 1443 King Alfonso of Aragon assigned the church to the nearby Benedictine monastery, it assumed its second name, "Martorana". Of great value are the mosaics of religious, historical and political significance. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Paola Stirati (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Church of Santa Maria in Domnica. Rome. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes architecture and reports interesting facts about the basilica of Santa Maria in Domnica, located in Rome, on the summit of Monte Celio. The church is also known as "Santa Maria alla Navicella", because of the ship-shaped sculpture, from the Roman era, located in the piazzetta, in front of the church. Today, this sculpture has been transformed into a fountain. According to the legend, the ship-shaped sculpture was a votive for Isis, the protector of sailors, offered by Egyptian sailors who had come to Rome. It was found near the Colosseum. Particular attention is paid to the decoration of the central apse. They lively colors are striking, especially since many of the mosaics, of the apse, date back to the 9th century and represent work from the Byzantine school. Since the mosaic is in line with Byzantine canons, it is believed that it may be the work of oriental artists who had fled to Rome after the outbreak of iconoclastic politics. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior, through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Caterina Amato (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Church of Santa Maria. Amendolara. Italy

The audioguide tells the story, describes the architecture and reports interesting facts about the church. In the city of Amendolara there are 7 Byzantine churches and another, also made in the same style, but in a later era. In the immediate vicinity of the city, there are caves that were once inhabited by hermits, which allow us to establish the tenth century as a period of settlement for the city. The church of Santa Maria is located in the historic center. It is a single nave church, a type of construction, dating to the 11th century. It is most likely that it was built on the remains of an older Greek church, which in turn was built on the ruins of a pagan temple. The place on which the church stands is Amendolara's oldest place of worship. The visitor's gaze inevitably falls on the largest element of the church, the large dome that towers over the entire building, occupying the back of the church. The church building consists of two nuclei. The first nucleus that of the façade, is directly linked to the octagonal plan, above which the massive cupola rises. The church is characterized by details that recall the Byzantine style: on its brickwork, four windows open, extending across the perimeter around the drum; and there are dark tiles that resemble lace and create the impression of embroidery. The same tiles cover the other roof of the building. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. The audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Caterina Amato (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Church of St. Theodore Stratilates on the Brook. Velikiy Novgorod. Russia

The audioguide tells the story, describes architecture and reports interesting facts about the Church of San Teodoro Stratilate on the Stream, founded in 1360. This church represents a radical change in the architecture of Novgorod, its true masterpiece, which then became a classic model for architects for more than a century. The frescoes of the church of San Teodoro Stratilate represent one of the manifestations of Byzantine art, expressing the mystical mood of the monastic environment. The frescoes of the church were made between 1378 and 1396. Their contractor is unknown. The author of this unique pictorial complex is unknown, but some signs, such as the precision with which Greek texts were painted and the similarity with the Greek frescoes of Teofane, make us infer that it was a Byzantine artist. You can examine the 3D model of the church and observe its interior through the MuByz App. This audioguide has been made by professionals in the field of history and art.

Tatiana Volodina (Author), Karolina Starin (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Karolina Starin