The European Grand Tour
When the sons of the great British aristocratic households approached 21 years old, their "coming of age", they were dispatched to the European mainland for their classical education. The term "Grand Tour" was coined by the writer and clergyman Richard Lessels in 1670.
The men were encouraged to admire the art, architecture, fashion and music of Europe's cultural centres. Lengthy stays in Paris and Rome were almost always included on the tour and there wasn't a set itinerary or duration. Some tours lasted for months, others for several years.
Before the men embarked on their trips they would have already studied Latin and the classic works of literature.
"According to the law of custom, and perhaps of reason, foreign travel completes the education of an English gentleman, "
— Historian Edward Gibbon (1737-1794).
The Grand Tour Cicerone
The daughters of the great houses were not always so fortunate; their destiny was to marry and produce children so educational expeditions were not regarded as a priority. By the close of the 18th century, female grand tourists were increasing in number.
Throughout the tour, a knowledgeable guide, normally a clergyman, tutor or a scholar, travelled with the men. These guides were called cicerones, or "bear-leaders". The cicerone was a French speaker, the diplomatic language of Europe.
18th century travel was expensive and arduous. The tourists were rich but the roads were poor. Multiple coaches and horses were required and progress was slow. The only alternative was sea travel.
Which Cities Did The Grand Tour Visit?
A common experience was to cross from England to France for an extended stay in Paris. There, the young men frequently studied dancing, social skills and fencing before they travelled south to Lyon and Marseilles.
After an uncomfortable land journey across the Alps or a more convivial boat ride to Italy's coast, classical tourists enjoyed Genoa, Florence, Venice and Rome. After the excavations of Pompeii began in the 1730s, the archaeological digs were also visited.
The return journey frequently passed through Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and then it was back to a French port to cross the English Channel to get home to the ancestral pile.
Each hub of European culture enjoyed economic prosperity during the Grand Tour's heyday. Young men from Britain, mainland Europe and later the U.S.A. spent lavishly, but not always on educational pursuits.
To the horror of cicerones, many of the young men discovered women of easy virtue, gambled and attended raucous parties. Inhibitions were lessened by the distance from home so the sowing of wild oats was inevitable.
..."fallen in love with a very pretty Venetian of two and twenty — with great black eyes — we have found & sworn an eternal attachment ...and I verily believe we are one of the happiest unlawful couples on this side of the Alps."
— Lord George Byron, an unrelenting hedonist.
The End Of The Grand Tour's Golden Era
The men returned home inspired to build or landscape in the classical style and their tour purchases of artwork and furnishings can still be seen in Britain's stately mansions. The mementos illustrated the tourist's wealth and command of style and fashion. A lot of travellers chose to write about their tours, presumably editing out any misadventures.
Writing memoirs, guidebooks and essays offered an opportunity to reminisce, to inform the less fortunate about Europe's treasures and sometimes to boast that they were rich enough to have been on a grand tour.
The French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte's march across Europe affected the nobility's ability to travel. After "Boney's" defeat there was a resurgence in the tour's popularity but the advent of the railways spelled the end of the prestigious era of grand tours.
Affordable and comfortable rail travel became a possibility for more people. Within decades holiday firms like Thomas Cook & Sons flourished.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment.