Stendhal syndrome, which is named after the writer known as Stendhal, is a psychosomatic medical condition which is specific to the city of Florence.
It was on one of Stendhal's visits to Italy in 1817, that he experienced rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting and confusion, whilst viewing Volterrano’s fresco of the Sibyls, at the Basilica of Santa Croce. He later wrote, "I was already in a kind of ecstasy.........contemplating sublime beauty, I saw it close-up — I touched it, so to speak". He also said that he felt "close to heaven”.
 |
| Time clips the Wings of the Fame by Volterrano |
There are risk factors that predispose certain people to experiencing Stendhal syndrome, while contemplating works of art. These include educational level, marital status, age, and stress from travelling. Living alone, reaching the end of a journey and a religious upbringing, are also major risk factors.
Patients affected by Stendhal syndrome are so overwhelmed by beauty that they are forced to remove themselves from the emotional art experience. Similar symptoms have also been described by people who have visited other cities, like “Paris syndrome”, described in 1986 by Japanese psychiatrist Hiroaki Ota. Although, this syndrome is somewhat different, as it mostly relates to Japanese tourists who are disappointed when Paris does not live up to their romantic expectations. Paris syndrome may also include psychiatric symptoms ranging from hallucinations, both visual and auditory, to paranoid persecutory delusions.
 |
| Maxpixel |
Jerusalem Syndrome which mostly affects Christians can be triggered by a visit to the city of Jerusalem. In this disorder, the patient may become so affected by the religious significance of the place, that they may develop a “unique acute psychotic disorder.” This disorder, described by Dr Bar-El, causes the afflicted tourists to believe that they are characters from the Bible. Often the traveller will become very confused and believe that they themselves are the Messiah or redeemer.
