The book "Roland's European Paths" is published by Europe House Dubrovnik with the aim of highlighting the common roots of the united Europe. Like invisible threads, these roots linked for centuries different parts of the European continent despite their long-standing political separation. The beginnings of some of these threads go as far back as the 8th century – the period of the first real European ruler, Charlemagne, who laid the foundations for the united Europe. Roland, one of his most faithful knights, over the centuries became a symbol of justice, independence and freedom.

Since the 15th century, his image on stone or wooden columns has adorned many European town centres. One of the most beautiful columns is that in Dubrovnik where, as in Italy, the knight's name has been changed to Orlando.
 
Roland`s European Paths
  • 26 x 21 cm
  • hard covers
  • full colour
  • in five languages
    (Croatian, German, French, Italian and English)
  • 480 pages
 
PRICE : 35 euro
+ 10 euro postage costs
 
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The texts for the book Roland's European Paths have been written by twelve experts in history, sociology, literature and law from different European countries. In order to further illustrate the European component of this book, all the texts have been translated into Croatian, English, German, French and Italian. The book is illustrated by photographs of landscapes through which the real Roland - Orlando moved, as well as all the extant Roland columns from Riga to Dubrovnik.

ROLAND / ORLANDO – A EUROPEAN HERO

Roland is believed to have been the nephew of the famous emperor Charlemagne and to have died a heroic death on 15th August 778 in Roncesvalles, a gorge in the Pyrenees. Pilgrims on their way to one of the most important European centres of pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela, spread the oral tradition about the fearless knight throughout Europe. Several centuries after his death, Roland became the hero of one of the most famous medieval epics, the Song of Roland, that inspired numerous writers and story-tellers throughout Europe. In Italy, due to the linguistic particularities of the Apennine Peninsula, Roland becomes Orlando.

As one of the most faithful of Charlemagne's knights, over the centuries Roland was in Germany assigned the role of keeper of the imperial rights by which the power of the feudal lords was restricted. First Roland's columns as symbols of protection and the guarantee of imperial rights appeared in the first half of the 14th century precisely in German towns. As a model for those columns, master-builders used paintings and statues of Roland from French churches, as in his native France in that period the knight was honoured among the common people as a saint that had died a martyr's death. The oldest preserved column was erected in 1404 in Bremen.

One of the stops on Roland's European 'journey' was Dubrovnik, which has taken over the Italian version of the knight's name. Orlando's column was put up in Dubrovnik as early as 1419. As a symbol of freedom and state independence, he was granted a central position in the public life of the Republic of Dubrovnik. Orlando is a symbol of freedom even today, and on top of his column during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, a flag waves proudly wearing the inscription LIBERTAS. After the recent enlargement of the European Union, the Dubrovnik Orlando is the only one that has remained outside its borders.

Europe House Dubrovnik, through its multimedia project Roland's European Paths, is linking up various aspects of reverence for Roland throughout Europe from 8th to 21st century, with the aim of pointing out in a new way the importance of Dubrovnik in the common history of Europe.

For further information you may contact Europe House Dubrovnik
(telephone 00385-20-488621, e-mail: info@edd.hr ).