CULTURAL TOURISM IN ITALY

For Art Cities , we mean all those cities that somehow retain traces of the expression of the human intellect

in its various forms: architecture, music, painting, sculpture, literature, dancing and films. The course of

history has left important traces in all small and large Italian cities. The topic is discussed in a general way,

so that every person can approach his/her topic of interest for actual visits and then spend a culture

holiday.

The main cities of Italy are:

• Rome. It is in the Lazio Region and is the capital city of Italy, with a long history. It was the capital of the

Roman Empire and now, in its urban structure, it retains architectural works of art, sculptures, museums

and, in a walled enclave, the seat of the Vatican State with Saint Peter's Basilica;

• Florence. It is located in the Region of Tuscany, once capital of Italy from 1865 to 1871, also an important

cultural and economic centre of central Italy. Dante Alighieri was born and attended school here, where

literary movements were born, from which the Italian language comes from, after the fall of the Roman

Empire that had spread the use of the Latin language.

• Venice. It is located in the Veneto Region, the capital of the Republic of Venice, and contains buildings

such as the Doge's Palace, the Basilica of San Marco with its frescoes and works of art as well as cultural

and historical artifacts.

• Naples. County capital of the region of Campania whose artistic and architectural heritage is protected

by UNESCO. Naples, overlooking the Mediterranean, therefore, bears evident signs of the Greek, Roman,

Medieval and Renaissance periods. The excavations of Pompeii near Naples and its historical artifacts are

found and preserved in the city, are the proof of these periods.

• Turin, capital of the Piedmont Region, was a strategic point in the Roman Empire. The historical centre

preserves its marks, especially in the Senate. The architectural features are not marked by the Middle Ages

as in the other Italian cities. especially urban aesthetics of the streets. For example, narrow streets were

not built, but it has followed over time to urbanize the city plan to follow the footprint of the old Roman

town.

• Milan, the county capital of the Lombardy Region, is the city of reference for all the other Lombard

centers in the Middle Ages. There are monuments such as the Church of Sant'Ambrogio, the Milan

Cathedral, the Castello Sforzesco( Sforza Castle).

Milan has several museums, cultural centers important art galleries , universities, trade fairs and worldwide

reference in the fashion field.

TORINO (TURIN) Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alps. The Turin metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 2.2 million.

Turin is well known for its baroque, rococo, neo-classical, and Art Nouveau architecture.

Many of the city's public squares, castles, gardens and elegant palaces such as Palazzo Madama, were built in the 16th and 18th centuries, after the capital of the Duchy of Savoy (later Kingdom of Sardinia) was moved to Turin from Chambéry( nowadays in France) as part of the urban expansion.

The city used to be a major European political centre, being Italy's first capital city in 1861 and being the home to the House of Savoy, Italy's Royal Family. They lived in the Royal Palace, built by Filippo Juvarra. Palazzo

Carignano was the seat of the first Parliament in 1861. Turin is well known as the home of the Shroud of Turin, the football teams Juventus F.C. and Torino F.C., the headquarters of automobile manufacturers FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, and as the host of the 2006 Winter Olympics

MOLE ANTONELLIANA

Chosen as the seat of the synagogue, the building was started in 1863 and designed by Alessandro

Antonelli. Between financial trouble and controversies about its stability, the work was only

completed in 1889.

Extremely important both in terms of originality structure (height 167 m.), But below that of

functionality, flexibility and economy, is now home of the new National Museum of Cinema

PIAZZA CASTELLO

Piazza Castello is the center and heart of the city of

monuments, by which it is completely surrounded. It was

designed in 1584 by Vitozzi, surrounded by arcades, it is the

example of the development of the city from the Romans to

the Risorgimento Turin. Central houses are the Palazzo

Madama, the medieval castle built from the old Roman gates

and renovated with the addition of the imposing facade of

the eighteenth century.

PORTA PALATINA

City Gates Taurinorum Romana Augusta (Porta principalis)

and part of the medieval fortress, the Palatium, from which

they derive their name. They overlook the Piazza del Duomo

and face the characteristic market of Porta Palazzo and the Museum of Antiquities.

BASILICA DI SUPERGA

One of the highest points and panoramic hill was chosen by the Duke Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy

by Filippo Juvarra to build this beautiful church, the most important work of architecture architect

from Messina. It was inaugurated in 1731 by Carlo Emanuele III. The great mausoleum built in his

basement houses the tombs of the kings of Savoy Victor Amadeus II to Carlo Alberto and

numerous princes of the House of

Savoy.

CASTELLO E VILLAGGIO

MEDIOEVALE – CASTLE AND

MEDIEVAL VILLAGE

Built in Valentino Park for the

International Exhibition of 1884, it

is an accurate reconstruction of Gothic houses in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta. The architect

D'Andrade, who directed the research and work, was driven by a purely educational purpose: to

illustrate a village and a castle of the fifteenth century Piedmont.

CATTEDRALE DI SAN GIOVANNI E SACRA SINDONE – SAINT JOHN’S CATHEDRAL AND HOLY

SHROUD OF TURIN

It is adjacent to Piazza Castello and near the Porte Palatine, in Renaissance style (a rare example in

Turin), it is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It was built in 1491-98 for Cardinal Domenico della

Rovere. In the chapel with baroque dome it houses the shrine of silver that contains the Holy

Shroud, the precious relic believed to be the cloth that wrapped the body of Christ.

MILAN

It is the second Italian city by population , after Rome , and is the center of the ' most populated

metropolitan area in Italy , and one of the most populous in Europe. Became "Italian economic

capital" during the industrial revolution involving Europe in the

second half of the nineteenth century , constituting Turin and

Genoa the " Industrial Triangle " The symbol of the city is the

Cathedral of Santa Maria Rising, better known as the Duomo ,

located in the square, the center of economic and cultural town. A

short distance away is the eighteenth-century Teatro alla Scala ,

one of the most famous opera houses in the world.

DUOMO

The monument is unique in the wide range of Gothic cathedrals.

The construction started in 1386, where they had located the

Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and Santa Tecla. Commissioned

by Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo and supported by the lord of the city, Gian Galeazzo Visconti,

the new cathedral is designed in the style of Gothic Lombard, more formal than substantial

transcription of the Lombard Romanesque, from which it inherits the experience of construction,

structural choices and the traditional material, terracotta. Only the Milan Cathedral has a large

number of spiers, one hundred thirty-five. They rise not only in the foothills around the perimeter,

but also on each internal vertical structure (piers) and the entire lantern, where with elegant play

of static equilibrium, they prepare to crown the spire, that of the Virgin Mary. The spiers are rich

in ornamentation and statuary of any size (there are more than eighteen hundred statues), niches

and tunnels, which are of a special plastic effect, enhanced by vibration changing light and

shadow. Most of the spiers are 17 meters high, there are less slender and on the four pillars of the

lantern as many high rise "Gugliotta."

SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE

The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is a basilica and shrine of Milan, belonging to ' Dominican

Order and headed to the parish of San Vittore al Corpo . The architecture of the gallery, built

between 1492 and 1493 at the behest of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico il Moro as a mausoleum for

his family.

The refectory

The hall of the refectory, rectangular, has an elaborate cover consists of a barrel vault "scratch",

culminating in the heads with times "umbrella". Inside was entirely decorated with frescoes on the

walls and the ceiling. Following the collapse

of the roof and walls of the main, are the two

end walls with the ' Last Supper of Leonardo

da Vinci left and right of the Crucifixion

Donato Montorfano , familiar themes for the

decoration of the convent refectories. The

Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci , declared

World Heritage Site of ' UNESCO.

VENICE

St. Mark’s square

St. Mark’s square, located in Venice, is one of the most important Italian squares, renowned all over the world for the its architectural beauty and integrity. It is the only urban space in Venice that assumes the name of Place St. Mark, as all the other spaces in form of square are properly defined fields. It has a trapezoidal form

and it is 170 metres long.

New Ghetto

The ghetto of Venice was the zone of Venice where the venetian Jews were obliged to reside during the period of Republic veneta. from their name comes the say: ghetto. The Ghetto is situated in the district of Cannaregio and is the seat of the Jewish community of Venice

Bridge of Rialto

The Bridge of Rialto is one of four bridges, named Bridge Academy, Bridge from Barefoot and Bridge of Constitution, that cross the Big Canal, in the city of Venice. The Bridge of Rialto is the oldest and certainly the most famous of the four.

The equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni is a bronze statue ( 395 cm high without the base)by Andrea del Verrocchio, built between 1480 and 1483 and located in Venice in Campo San Zanipolo. This is the second equestrian statue of the Renaissance.

FLORENCE

Florence is the world capital of Arts.

It was founded in Pre-Roman times near the river Arno. Between the years 1865-1871 it was the capital of Italy.

FLORENCE BAPTISTERY

The Baptistery of Saint John in Florence is covered in white and green marble. The Baptistery has an octagonal base.

PALAZZO PITTI

Palazzo Pitti was formerly the residence of the grand Dukes of Tuscany. Now it houses several important collections of painting and sculptures, collections, and costume gallery.

PONTE VECCHIO( OLD BRIDGE)

The Ponte Vecchio is one of the symbols of the city of Florence and one of the most famous bridges in the world. It crosses the river Arno at its narrowest point, where there was a ford.

The first construction dates back to Roman times, In 1565 the architect Giorgio Vasari built for Cosimo I the " Vasari Corridor ", in order to allow communication between the political and administrative centers in the Palazzo Vecchio with the private residence of the Medici, Palazzo Pitti. The butchers’ shops were then occupied by goldsmiths and jewellers because Ferdinand I in 1593 did not appreciate a business like this which sent odors under the noble windows of the corridor.

Santa Maria Novella

The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important churches in Florence and stands in the Square ., Santa Maria Novella was to Firenze the landmark for another important monk order, the Dominicans. If the Holy Cross was and is a center of ancient Franciscan culture and the Holy Spirit hosted the Augustine order, Santa Maria Novella in Florence was the point of reference for another important monk order , the Dominicans .

The marble facade of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important works of the Florentine Renaissance style, despite having been initiated in prior periods and only finally completed in 1920 .

ROME

Rome is a city from central Italy. It was founded in the XIV century B.C., and it is crossed by the river Tiber.

THE BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA BIGGER

It has three naves divided by columns with Ionic capitals for a length

of over 85 metres . The interior design consists of a series of mosaics along the nave and a triumphal arch which seems to be dating from the fifteen century AD.

PLACE NAVONA

The area of Place Navona in Rome follows the size and shape of the ancient Stadium of Domitian Roman .

FOUNTAIN OF THE FOUR RIVERS BY BERNINI

The whole structure of the fountain of the four rivers by Bernini sustains the Egyptian obelisk originally placed in the Circus Maxentius.

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN

The Trevi Fountain was built under Pope Clement XII around 1735 AD.

The centre of the fountain is decorated with four statues.

In the biggest niche in the centre, flanked by Corinthian columns , the imposing statue of Oceanus, designed by GiovanBattista Maini.

CATACOMBS

The Christians always opposed to the cremation of corpses and, generally too poor to buy the land necessary for the construction of a tomb, they adapted the burial of the dead in underground cemeteries carved into the rock and located outside the wall. In the wall of long and narrow galleries they carved a lot of loculi, in which they placed the deceased.

ST. PETER IN CHAINS

The chains of St. Peter in chains

are in the church, exposed under the altar, but the church is more popular for the grave of Julius II by Michelangelo, and is famous for hosting the Moses of Michelangelo in the tomb of Julius II . The interior has a basilica plan and is divided into three naves, separated by 20 columns ancient greek marble, Doric.

FOUNTAIN OF TURTLES

The project was the work of Giacomo della Porta ,but the fountain owes much of its charm and of her grace to the four slender young bronze figures , each with one foot on the head of a dolphin, sculpted by Taddeo Landini .

A century later, an unknown sculptor added the turtles that complete the group .

ST. JOHN IN LATERAN

The most important elements are the chapel of Saint Joe, the altar of the Pope, the cloisters, the baptistery, the Corsini chapel and the fresco of Bonifacio VIII.

FOUNTAIN OF THE TRITONS

By Charles Bizzaccheri, was built in 1715. The style was influenced by Bernini. Built entirely of travertine , is a Triton - a figure mythology linked to water - from the mighty trunk and legs covered with scales, kneeling on a large bivalve shell open, supported by four dolphins , in the act of blowing into a shell, from which flows the water, dripping from the edges of shell

COLISEUM

The biggest amphitheatre of Rome was built in 72 a.d. It was built over the artificial lake built by Nero next to his Domus Aurea. The immortal combats of gladiators and animals were offered by the Emperor and by the richest citizens to the Roman people.

The coliseum's architecture was very elegant : eighty entrances to ground level gave access to 55000 spectators.

FORUM

The Roman meeting point was the forum. The Roman forum included numerous temples and churches. You can see the sacred way, the street through the forum from which the religious processions arrived to Campidoglio. Until the XVIII century, when the archaeologists started excavations, the Settimio Severo arch and the columns of the Saturn Temple were half buried in earth.

NAPLES

Castel dell'Ovo

The castle of Ovo is the oldest castle of the city.

Its name derives from an old legend about which the poet Virgilio hid an egg in a secret chamber.

Saint Charles theatre

Saint Charles theatre is a lyric theatre; it is located in Trieste square.

It is the oldest lyric theatre in Europe; it was built in 1737 (41 years before the Scala theatre in Milan).

CAPODIMONTE

Capodimonte: this is a city near Naples famous for its museum collections Important

element typical of Capodimonte porcelain,

grafted together to the palace of Charles III ,

but that was the most flourishing period under his son Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, who founded

the Royal Factory of King Ferdinand, whose works will lead the school and town association in the

world with the name Capodimonte porcelain. A Capodimonte is one of the 12 observatories of '

National Institute of Astrophysics.

Pompei

Pompeii is an Italian city of the province of Naples in Campania . n the summer of 79 AD (first year of the reign of the Emperor Titus, cf. Dio V), Pompeii was the victim of a violent eruption of

Vesuvius. The city was buried by a rain of ash and lapilli (lava and not, as is often the law) that, unless an interval of a few hours, he fell unbroken to form a layer of over three meters. n the archaeological site was brought to light the ancient Roman city destroyed tragically as a result of the ' eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD The sudden rain of ash and lapilli and the thick layer of dust that was crystallized in time the entire city and its tragedy preserving the centuries. Brought to the surface has become the second most visited site in the world. In 1997 , the ' UNESCO World Heritage Site Pompei said.

PALERMO

Italy is a famous touristic country. One of these touristic cities in Italy is Palermo. In Palermo Easter is still celebrated with the Greek rite. Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians, but so called by the Greek because of the wealth of citrus, fruits and for its beauty.

Palermo, fifth city in Italy for population, is situated on the edge of the coastal plain. That is a hollow of gold. It is the seat of several industrial sites. In Palermo there are the characteristic market of Vucciaria and there is also the cloister of St John of Thrill in Arabic style.

DUOMO DI PALERMO

The Cathedral of Palermo , dedicated to the Virgin Mary of the Assumption into heaven, is an architectural complex composed of different styles, due to the various stages of construction.

Erected in 1184 by the Archbishop Gualtiero Offamilio on the area of the first church that the Saracens had turned into a mosque , has undergone several changes over the centuries, and the last was at the end of the eighteenth century , when, on the occasion of structural consolidation, the interior design by Ferdinando Fuga was radically remade.

In this cathedral, synthesis of history and art of the last millennium, in addition to the Norman kings were also crowned Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy and Charles III of Bourbon , important figures in the history of Sicily. The cathedral is flanked by four towers of the Norman era and is topped by a dome. To the south it is connected to the Archbishop's Palace with two large pointed arches where the bell tower with a clock stands.

The main façade is situated on the corner with via Bonello and is so built thanks to master stonecutters of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The gothic appearance derives from the presence of the mullioned towers and columns and the battlements with arches which run along the entire right side of the construction.

The interior, which has undergone profound changes in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, is a Latin cross with three naves divided by columns with statues of saints.

SAN GIOVANNI DEGLI EREMITI

The Church of St. John of the Hermits is a National Monument located in the historical center of Palermo , near the Palace of the Normans . Of course, more than that of a Christian church , this building refers to the spatial conception of the mosques of the Islamic East and that argument is even more emphasized by the domes of bright red. The church, whose origins date back to the sixth century , during the Arab domination was converted into a mosque and then re-consecrated to the former cult by Roger II, who, around 1136 , entrusted the construction to the disciples of St. William of Vercelli The church, known to all for its red domes, resting next to a body with a square front (maybe a mosque), is made like a Latin cross divided into square bays on each of which stands a dome. I

MONREALE

Monreale (Murriali in Sicilian ) is an Italian city of 38,572 inhabitants in the province of Palermo in Sicily .

The importance of Monreale began with the advent of the Norman dynasty towards the eleventh century. The most representative building is the Cathedral of Monreale, built, again by the will of William II, between 1172 and 1176 . The style of this monument, known and appreciated all over the world, is composite, since it combines different styles that recall the architecture of northern Europe and Arabian art. Very important are the bronze doors in the Romanesque style: the main

one, performed by Bonanno Pisano , is composed of forty panels with scenes from the biblical books.

Contemporary to the construction of the cathedral, the cloister has a square shape and encloses, in a small space, a whole collection of shapes and cultures taken from the art of Provence, Burgundy, classicism of Salerno and, as always in this area of Sicily, Arabian Art. In the southern corner there is a square with a fountain pen with a high stem, which evokes the shape of the trunk of a palm tree, and shows, with the delicacy of shapes and colours, the magical and sensual atmosphere of oriental houses.