Italy, a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western

culture and cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as landmark art and ancient
ruins. Other major cities include Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s
"David" and Brunelleschi's Duomo; Venice, the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion
capital. ― Google
President: Sergio Mattarella Trending
Capital: Rome
Currency: Euro
Official language: Italia
The history of Italy is characterized by two periods of unity—the Roman
Empire (27 BCE–476 CE) and the modern democratic republic formed after the
end of World War II. Between those two periods may have been a millennium
and a half of division and disruption, but that disruption saw one of the world's
great flowering of art, the Renaissance (circa 1400–1600 CE).

Italy, sitting in southwestern Europe, is comprised largely of a boot-shaped

peninsula that extends out into the Mediterranean, as well as a region on the core
landmass of the continent. It is bordered by Switzerland and Austria to the north,
Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea to the east, France and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the
west, and the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean to the south. Italy also includes
the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

Italian Language History

The Italian Language and its Origins. The Italian language derives mainly from "vulgar" Latin,
which was the spoken language among commoners and less educated citizens of ancient
Rome. The other form, classical Latin, was used in a literary and ecclesiastical scope.

Italian
Italian language, Italian Italiano, Romance language spoken by some 66,000,000
persons, the vast majority of whom live in Italy (including Sicily and Sardinia). It is the
official language of Italy, San Marino, and (together with Latin) Vatican City.

Places
Piazza Navona is a public open space in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of
Domitian, built in the 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The
ancient Romans went there to watch the agones, and hence it was known as "Circus Agonalis
The history of the St. Peter's Basilica begins in the 4th century when the Emperor
Constantine decides to build a basilica where the apostle had been buried. In 329 the
construction of the basilica was completed. The church was used for the celebration of the cult,
as a covered cemetery and as a funeral banquet room.

The Pantheon is a former Roman temple and since the year 609 a Catholic church, in Rome, Italy,
on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus. It
was rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated c. 126 AD. 

The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi district in Rome, Italy, designed by Italian architect
Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini and several others. Standing 26.3 metres high and
49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in 

The Colosseum was built as part of an imperial effort to revitalize Rome after the tumultuous
year of the four emperors, 69 CE. As with other amphitheatres, the emperor Vespasian intended
the Colosseum to be an entertainment venue, hosting gladiator fights, animal hunts, and even
mock naval battles.

Traditional Clothing

The women wear colorful embroidered skirts and bodices over light-weight

chemises or blouses, with elaborate hats decorated with flowers or fruit. Men's
traditional clothing tends to be simpler, but doesn't lack from attention to detail, with
embroidery and metal buttons and pins.

Traditional Food

Polenta is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be served
as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or
grilled.

Lasagne are a type of pasta, possibly one of the oldest types, made of very wide, flat sheets. Either
term can also refer to an Italian dish made of stacked layers of lasagne alternating with fillings

Arancini are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with bread crumbs and deep fried, and are a
staple of Sicilian cuisine

Ossobuco or osso buco is a specialty of Lombard cuisine of cross-cut veal shanks braised with
vegetables, white wine and broth. It is often garnished with gremolata and traditionally served with
either risotto alla milanese or polenta, depending on the regional variation. 

Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish from Rome made with eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black
pepper. The dish arrived at its modern form, with its current name, in the middle of the 20th century.
The cheese is usually Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a combination of the two