The pilgrimage route of medieval Europe lends structure to this exploration of the culture and civilization of the Middle Ages. The course focuses on France but also considers England, Italy, and Spain. Along the way, students explore selected works of architecture and oral literature, for example, the “Chanson de Roland” or the romances of “Tristan and Yseut;” discover the art of memory as prologue to a study of writing and the design and production of books; consider the birth of the university and early forms and programs of academic study; and evaluate the clash of Christian and Islamic values. Excerpts from the works of Calabrian poet Joachim of Flora provide insight into medieval notions of history, the Endtime, and the Other.