Academy

An academy is an institution for the study of higher learning.

Modern use of the term academy

Because of the tradition of intellectual brilliance associated with this institution, many groups have chosen to use the word "Academy" in their name.

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During the Florentine Renaissance, Cosimo de' Medici took a personal interest in the new Platonic Academy that he determined to re-establish in 1439, centered on the marvellous promise shown by Marsilio Ficino, scarcely more than a lad. Cosimo had been inspired by the arrival at the otherwise ineffective Council of Florence of Gemistos Plethon, who seemed like a Plato reborn to the Florentine intellectuals. In 1462 Cosimo gave Ficino a villa at Careggi for the Academy's use, situated where Cosimo could descry it from his own villa.

Related Topics:
Florentine Renaissance - Cosimo de' Medici - Marsilio Ficino - Council of Florence - Gemistos Plethon - Careggi

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The Renaissance drew potent intellectual and spiritual strength from the academy at Careggi. During the course of the following century many Italian cities established an Academy, of which the oldest survivor is the Accademia dei Lincei of Rome, which became a national academy for a reunited Italy.

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Other national academies include the Académie Francaise; the Royal Academy of the United Kingdom; the International Academy of Science, the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY; the United States Naval Academy, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who give the Academy awards.

Related Topics:
Académie Francaise - Royal Academy - United Kingdom - International Academy of Science - West Point - United States Naval Academy - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - Academy award

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In the early 19th century "academy" took the connotations that "gymnasium" was acquiring in German-speaking lands, of school that was less advanced than a college (for which it might prepare students) but considerably more than elementary. An early example are the two academies founded at Andover and Phillips Exeter Academy. Amherst Academy expanded with time to form Amherst College.

Related Topics:
19th century - Andover - Phillips Exeter Academy - Amherst College

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Mozart organized public subscription performances of his music in Vienna in the 1780s and 1790s, he called the concerts "academies." This usage in musical terms survives in the concert orchestra Academy of St Martin in the Fields and in the Brixton Academy, a concert hall in Brixton, South London.

Related Topics:
Mozart - 1780s - 1790s - Concert - Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Brixton Academy

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Academies proliferated in the 20th century until even a three-week series of lectures and discussions would be termed an "academy." In addition, the generic term "the academy" is sometimes used to refer to all of academia, which is sometimes considered a global successor to the Academy of Athens.

Related Topics:
20th century - Academia

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See also: national academy, list of honorary societies, academician, military academy

Related Topics:
National academy - List of honorary societies - Academician - Military academy

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Honorary Academy

See the Académie Française and its many emulaters among national honorary academies of strictly limited membership..

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Research Academy

In Imperial Russia and Soviet Union the term "academy", or Academy of Sciences

Related Topics:
Imperial Russia - Soviet Union - Academy of Sciences

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was reserved to denote a state research establishment, see Russian Academy of Sciences. The latter one still exists in the Russian Federation, although other types of academies (study and honorary) appeared as well.

Related Topics:
Russian Academy of Sciences - Russian Federation

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