What is a Renaissance?

The 1500s was a period when Europe changed rapidly, marking the start of modern history. Before this period most learning was controlled by the Church, and people were mot permitted to question established Church teaching. Art was based on religious subjects, and most scholars trained to become either monks or priests.

During the Renaissance, many highly educated people escaped to Europe from the collapsing Byzantine Empire. They brought with them knowledge and documents that aroused great interests in the Ancient Greeks and Romans, whose contributions to civilization had been largely forgotten. Lost arts such as casting statues in bronze were revived. This whole flowering of knowledge and art is now known as Renaissance.