GEOGRAPHY

Italy is a peninsula, surrounded by the

sea on all sides apart from one (its
north side). Northern Italy is separated
from France, Switzerland, and Austria
by the Alps, a chain of mountains.
The capital of Italy is Rome. Other
cities in Italy are Milan, Turin, Florence,
Naples, and Venice. The country
includes a number of islands, the
biggest of which are Sicily and
Sardinia, which are reached by ship or
aircraft.
The Po River is the longest river in
Italy. The Tiber River runs through the
city of Rome.
Because it is surrounded by the sea,
Italy has many kilometres of coast,
which brings tourists from all over the
world. Tourists also come to see Italy's
many historical places.
Italy has two very small independent
states, San Marino and the Vatican
City.

CULTURE
ARCHITECTURE
Italy has a very broad and diverse
architectural style. Italy is known for
its
considerable
architectural
achievements, such as the construction
of arches, domes and similar structure
during ancient Rome that influenced
the designs all over the world, notably
in the United Kingdom, Australia and
the United States of America. Several
of the finest works in Western
architecture, such as the Colosseum,
the Milan Cathedral and Florence
cathedral, the Leaning Tower of Pisa
and the building designs of Venice are
found in Italy. Italy has an estimated
total of 100,000 monuments of all
varieties (museums, palaces, buildings,
statues, churches, art galleries, villas,
fountains,
historic
houses
and
archaeological remains).

PAINTING
The Italian art developed in the Italian
peninsula since prehistoric
times.
During the Roman Empire, Italy was
the center of an artistic culture that for
the first time created a universal
language
for
Europe
and
the
Mediterranean. In some periods of Italy
was the country's most artistically
advanced
in
Europe.
Over
the
centuries, Italian art has gone through
many stylistic changes. Italian painting
is traditionally characterized by a
warmth of colour and light, as in the
works of Caravaggio and Titian, and a
preoccupation with religious figures
and motifs. Notable artists include
Michelangelo,
Leonardo
da
Vinci,
Donatello,
Botticelli,
Tintoretto,
Caravaggio,
Bernini,
Titian
and
Raphael.

MUSIC
From folk music to classical, music has
always played an important role in
Italian culture. Instruments associated
with classical music, including the
piano and violin, were invented in Italy,
and many of the prevailing classical
music forms, such as the symphony,
concerto, and sonata.
Italy's most famous are Alessandro
Scarlatti, Corelli and Vivaldi, the
Classical
composers
Paganini
and
Rossini, and the Romantic composers
Verdi and Puccini.
Italy is widely known for being the
birthplace of opera. Italian opera was
believed to have been founded in the
early 17th century, in Italian cities such
as Mantua and Venice. Later, works and
pieces composed by native Italian
composers such as Rossini, Bellini,
Verdi and Puccini, are amongst the
most famous operas ever written and
today are performed in opera houses
across the world. La Scala operahouse
in Milan is also renowned as one of the

best in the world. Famous Italian opera

singers
include
Enrico
Caruso,
Alessandro Bonci, the late Luciano
Pavarotti, and Andrea Bocelli, to name
a few.
CUISINE
Modern Italian cuisine has evolved
through centuries, with its roots
reaching back to the 4th century BC.
Significant change occurred with the
discovery of the New World, when
vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes,
bell peppers, and maize became
available.
Cheese and wine are major parts of the
cuisine. Coffee, and more specifically
espresso, has become highly important
to the cultural cuisine of Italy. Some
famous dishes and items include pasta,
pizza, lasagna, focaccia, and gelato.

Map of Italy

The Leaning Tower of

Pisa

The Colosseum

Italian

Pasta

Luciano Pavarotti

The Painting of Mona Lisa

Italian Pizza

Vatican City

San Marino