European City Tours 1 - Athens, Rome, Istanbul, Paris Edition

Author Yoo Shi-min · Publisher Saenggakui Gil · Publication Date 2019-07-09 · ISBN 9788965135586

Book Description

A European travelogue born from the excitement of travel and intellectual imagination
_ "This is how I traveled to unfamiliar European cities"

There are various reasons for everyone to travel to an unfamiliar city. I learn new things by listening to the stories the city holds. I experience various emotions about myself, humanity, and our lives. I travel because I enjoy it. To do so, I need to be able to understand what the city is saying. A city is similar to a large bookstore. You might find a book you like even if you just wander in aimlessly. However, with so many books, it takes time and effort to browse around, and there's a risk of not finding a suitable book. On the other hand, it wouldn't be wise to decide on a book beforehand, buy only that one, and leave. Why bother going to a bookstore when you can just order it online? The biggest advantage of a large bookstore is the possibility of 'unexpected discoveries'. To experience such joy, you need to understand the bookstore's layout in advance and plan which sections to browse. Confirming whether a book you intended to buy is truly good, as seen in new release announcements or reviews, is basic, and enjoying the leisure of browsing through new releases, bestsellers, steady sellers, themed displays, and even books in hidden corners is a bonus. I traveled to unfamiliar European cities in this manner. I didn't miss the places I had marked, and I also enjoyed the pleasure of discovering unknown spaces.
_ From the text

The author explored a series of events (history) that occurred in each city and the life (story) of the person who left a distinct mark on that city. The political, social, and cultural achievements of these four cities and the people who lived in them profoundly changed not only Europe but also human civilization as a whole. Thus, historical events more dramatic than fiction occurred, and the author personally visited each space in the cities where the protagonists of that civilization were born, conveying the stories told by these unfamiliar cities.


Cultural Capitals of Europe in Different Eras - Athens, Rome, Istanbul, Paris
_ "Meeting the hidden history and unsung heroes of the city"

City buildings, museums, art galleries, streets, parks – everything in a city is merely 'text'. Like all texts, the city's text demands interpretation. To respond to that demand, one must grasp the 'context'. Context refers to 'all information necessary to interpret the text'. The buildings and spaces of a city contain information about the thoughts, emotions, and desires of those who created them, as well as the environment they were in. To someone who does not consider who, when, why, under what constraints, and by what method something was created, the city merely presents itself; it does not kindly engage in conversation.
_ From the text

From Athens, where the big bang of civilization occurred, to Rome, where that newly born micro-universe of civilization underwent accelerated expansion, to Istanbul, an international city for nearly three thousand years, to Paris, a city that transformed from a humble periphery into the forefront of civilization—the author travels to these four cities, which at one time or now serve as the heart of European history, civilization, and culture, in his own way, conveying his unique impressions. These four cities can be said to contain the DNA of European civilization. Athens, a city like a handsome youth who hasn't aged gracefully; Rome, a city that allows for unexpected discoveries; Istanbul, complex and mysterious like a rainbow hidden beneath a single color; Paris, the 21st-century cultural capital, a modern and youthful city. This is the author's story and naming of the four cities, read in his own way. Within these cities, we can encounter, one by one, the hidden stories that once gave birth to European civilization, and the protagonists we either know very well or discover anew, in a fresh light.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Conversing with an Unfamiliar City

1 Athens, the Handsome Youth Who Didn't Age Gracefully
The Presence of the Acropolis
The Superstar of Western Civilization, the Parthenon
The Decline of the City, the Tragic Fate of the Temple
The Agora, a Battlefield of Reason and Emotion
A Time Traveler's Museum Stroll
The Beginning of Glory, Marathon and Salamis
Roman-era Ruins Testifying to Athens' Decline
Historical Gaps, Spatial Discontinuities
Aspasia, the Refugee Girl Who Became a First Lady
Plaka, the Space Where Reason and Logic Flourished
The City's 'Path-Dependent' Expansion
A Drive in Piraeus
Dinner Enjoying the Acropolis Night View

2 Rome, the City That Allows for Unexpected Discoveries
Italy's Worst City
From Palatine Hill with the Emperor's Gaze
The Icon of Ostentation, the Colosseum and Triumphal Arches
A Stroll Through the Ruins of the Roman Forum
Caesar, the Emperor Who Didn't Become an Emperor
The Pantheon, a Cylinder Enclosing a Sphere
The Historical Drama of Italian Unification, the Victor Emmanuel II Monument
The Streets of Rome, Where Everything Was Good
The Italian-style Capitalism of the Vatican
Meeting Bruno in Campo de' Fiori
A City with Unexpected Fun
In Rome, Espresso!

3 Istanbul, a Rainbow Hidden by a Single Color
An International City That Lost Its Diversity
Hagia Sophia, a Complex and Unfriendly Museum
The Adhan Battle of the Old City
The Young Sultan's Grand Ambition, Topkapi Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace, Abandoning Luxury for a Copy
Atatürk, the Turkification of Istanbul
Bosphorus Cruise and Üsküdar
From Taksim Square to Galata Tower
Wandering Istanbul as I Pleased
Kebabs, Potato Dishes, and Grilled Fish
Turkish Coffee? Ottoman Coffee!

4 Paris, the Forefront of Human Civilization
From a Humble Periphery to the Forefront of Civilization
Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Saint-Michel, the Power of Literature and French Democracy
The Louvre, a Museum You'll Regret Entering or Not Entering
From Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to Champs-Élysées, a Magnificent Stroll
Napoleon of the Arc de Triomphe
Baron Haussmann's Grand Renovation of Paris
The Men of the Bourbon Dynasty
The Palace of Versailles, a Living Testament to the Theory of the Leisure Class
The Eiffel Tower, Proof of Qualification as a Global Cultural Capital
Musée d'Orsay and Musée Rodin
Montmartre, Montparnasse, Latin Quarter
There's No Such Thing as 'French Food'