project italy and emilia romagna
DESCRIPTION
International Class Blog Project - Belgium-France-Italy Introducing countries and regions.TRANSCRIPT
SCUOLA MEDIA STATALE “GUIDO FASSI” – CARPI CLASS 3 B and 3 E PRESENT
ITALY
and the Italian way
Some Introductory notes Italy is located in Southern Europe and is formed by the boot-shaped Italian PenInsula
and a number of islands including the two largest Sicily and Sardinia.
The country’s total area is 301,230 km2. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula’s
backbone and the Alps form its northern boundary
where Italy’s highest point is located on Mont Blanc. The Po, Italy’s longest river (652 km) flows from the
Alps on the western border with France and crosses
the Padan plain on its way to the Adriatic Sea.The five
largest lakes are Garda, Maggiore, Como,
Trasimeno, Bolsena. Italy is a Parliamentary Democratic Republic with
more than 60,000,000 people. Rome is its capital where the President of the
Republic Giorgio Napolitano lives,the Senate and the
Chambers of Deputies are and where the Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi leads the Council of Ministers.
The Climate
The climate of Italy is highly diverse and can be far from the
stereotypical Mediterranean climate, depending on location. Most of the inland northern regions of Italy, for example
Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, have a humid
subtropical climate. The coastal areas of Liguria and most of the peninsula
south of Florence generally fit the Mediterranean
stereotype . Conditions on peninsular coastal areas can be very
Different from the interior’s higher ground and valleys,
particularly during the winter months when the
higher altitudes tend to be cold, wet and
often snowy. The coastal regions have mild winters and
warm and generally dry summers, although lowland valleys can be
quite hot in summer.
Government and Politics Italy is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system (too
many parties actually). Executive power is exercised by the Council of
Ministers which is led by a President (Prime Minister).
Legislative power is vested in the two Houses of parliament
primarily then in the Council of Ministers. The Judiciary
power is independent from the executive and legislative
ones.
Giorgio Napolitano is the President Of the Italian Republic.
He is elected for seven years by the Parliament. He
represents the unity of the nation. He is a point of
connection between the three branches of power. He appoints
the executive, he is the President of the Judiciary Power and he’s also commander-in-
chief of the Armed Forces.
Italy has been a democratic republic since 2 June 1946, when the monarchy
was abolished by popular referendum.
The constitution was promulgated on 1 January 1948.
Government and Politics 2
The President nominates the Prime Minister who proposes the other
Ministers (formally appointed by the President of the Republic). The present Prime Minister is Silvio Berlusconi.
Italy elects a parliament consisting of two
houses,the Chamber of Deputies with 630
members and the Senate of the Republic with
315 members. Legislative bills may originate in both houses
and must be passed by a majority in both.
All Italian citizens 18 years of age and older can vote. However to vote for the Senate, the voter must be at least 25 years old.
The electoral system is very complicated at the moment and was changed by the present majority which runs the government (right wing), Many parties would like to change it and have a French or German-like system.
Economy The Italian economy has changed dramatically since the end of World War II.
From an agricultarally based economy, it has developed into an industrial
state ranked as one of the world largest industrial economy. Italy belongs to the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations; it is a
member of the European Union . Italy has few natural resources. With
much of the land unsuited for farming, it is a net food importer. Italy’s
economic strength is in the processing and the manufacturing of goods,
primarily in small and medium sized family-owned firms. Its major
industries are precision machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electric goods and fashion and clothing.
Italy continues to grapple with budget deficits and high public debts. The
situation has been getting worse in the last few years like in the other
countries. The Italian Government should bring the budget deficit down to a level
that would allow a rapid decrease of the debt. The global economic crisis has had a large impact on exports and domestic demand. Italy continues to grapple with the effects of globalization where certain countries (notably China) have eroded the Italian lower-end industrial product sector. The Italian economy is also affected by a large underground economy. This production is not subject, of course, to taxation and remains a source of lost revenue to the local and central government.
Unemployement is quite high at the moment: average about 11% with more than 14-15% in southern regions.
RELIGION Roman Catholicism is the main religion with 85 percent of native-born citizens Catholic, if only nominally, and only 20%
participate regularly in services of worship.
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government is thought to generally respect this right in
practice, not tolerating its abuse, either by government or private action. Thus, there is no state religion and the
constitution prohibits state support for private schools but the Catholic Church enjoys
some privileges, stemming from its sovereign status and its historical political authority,
not available to other faiths. The Church is allowed to select Catholic teachers, paid by the State, to provide
instruction in "hour of religion" courses taught in the public schools although
this class is optional, and students who do not wish to attend are free to study
other subjects.
The status of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy has been determined powers
by a series of accords with the Italian government. The Lateran Pacts of 1929,
which were confirmed by the present Constitution, confirms that the State of Vatican City
is recognised by Italy as an independent, sovereign entity. While preserving that recognition, in 1984 Italy and the
Vatican updated several provisions of the 1929 Pacts, which included the end of Roman Catholicism as Italy's
formal state religion.
While most of the population is Roman Catholic there are also significant minorities, which include Protestants
and Jews, although the Jehovah's Witnesses form the second largest denomination among native-born
citizens,numbering approximately 400,000. Increasing immigration has led to some anti-immigrant sentiment to be
directed towards the country's many Muslim immigrants as religion has served as an additional factor differentiating
them from native-born citizens. Immigration, both legal and illegal, continues to add large groups of non-Christian
residents, mainly Muslims from North Africa, South Asia, Albania, and the Middle East (about 1,000,000) .
Recent polls show that approximately 14% of the population consider themselves to be either atheists or agnostics.
ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES Rome is the largest city in Italy, and it's also the capital of the country.
It has countless ancient monuments, such as the world-famous
Colosseum. In the ancient times Rome was the center of a vast empire,
and the Roman Forum was a major power center of the ancient world.
You can walk today in the very places frequented by Julius Caesar and
Roman emperors like Caesar Augustus. The city also has a wealth of
more modern art and fountains. At the famous Trevi Fountain, it's said
you will return to Rome if you toss a coin in. But not only does Rome
feature ancient wonders and many centuries of art. It is also a vibrant
city really full of life. Known for its art, Florence is a gorgeous city brimming with palaces
and Renaissance architecture. This was the birthplace of the Italian
Rennaisance, and leading artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo
worked here. You can see Michelangelo's famous masterpiece,
The David here. The Duomo towers over the red roofs of Florence,
giving the city its unique skyline. The Ponte Vecchio is another unique
landmark - it's a bridge over the Arno River, that has shops hanging off
the sides of the bridge. These have served many purposes over the centuries, but today
you'll find some spectacular jewelry shops there - just browsing is
amazing. And while you might want to avoid summertime if you're there when it's hot outside,
there are many gelaterias to tempt you with their cool gelato offerings.
ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES Linked by a series of canals, Venice is a feast for the eyes.
It's a truly a unique experience. As there are no cars or trucks
in the city, you can enjoy being a pedestrian in Italy.
There are many narrow, winding, cobbled streets to stroll,
with small courtyards tucked away here and there,
and frequent bridges over the canals. The other way to
get around is by boat - either on a vaporetto
(like a boat bus), or on one of the traditional
and romantic gondolas.
St Mark's Square is world famous, with its cathedral of golden
mosaics dominating the scene. It's a large square,
and you can sit and relax, enjoying a real cappuccino
as you watch the people go by. You can also visit the smaller
outer islands, and watch glass blowers
at Murano, or lace making on Burano.
ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES Considered by many to be Italy's most sophisticated city, Milan
is a major finance and fashion capital. Whether buying or just
window shopping, you can see the cutting edge of high-fashion
in the designer shops in this city. Milan is always in the lead,
so the trends you see here may show up back home awhile later,
and you can say you saw it here first!
The 500 year old Gothic Duomo is one of the largest churches
ever built, and it's quite a sight to behold, with an incredible array
of sculptures and spires. If you love castles, the Castello Sforzesco
is a huge fortified castle, which survived many a battle
in its centuries-long history.
Today it is home to several museums. And the most famous
sight of all is probably the painting by Leonardo da Vinci –
The Last Supper. It's a mural on the wall of Santa Maria della Grazie,
and if you want to see it, make arrangements in advance –
it can be sold out ahead of time!
We just stop here but there are so many wonderful
Cities to visit both in northern and southern Italy
EMIGRATION In nearly a century between 1876 and 1970, an estimated 25 million Italians left the country in search of work. Of
these, 12 million left for destinations outside Europe. In the 1860s, transatlantic migration was most frequent among northern Italians and was often
associated with certain trades; for example, farmers, artists, and street traders
tended to emigrate to America. Two decades later, however, the trend had become a mass phenomenon, with
the main migrants increasingly emanating from the south.
Their principal destination was the United States, favored by more than half
the emigrants, the others choosing Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. Some also went to Australia.
In the 1920s the United States introduced strict immigration laws, and economic conditions in
Brazil and Argentina deteriorated so much that transatlantic emigration was stymied. In
addition, the fascist regime opposed emigration, and during World War II emigration halted
almost completely. After 1945 destinations were mainly European, the most popular being France
initially and then West Germany, Switzerland, Belgium. During this period the nature of emigration patterns changed, becoming less
stable. In many cases the emigrants were mostly male, as some European
countries refused entry to workers’ relatives because of housing shortages. Often Italian workers would remain abroad for short periods of time,
returning every so often to Italy. After so many years we wonder whether Italians remember they had to emigrate abroad and they should always
have a culture to welcome immigrants
IMMIGRATION We have had a lot of immigration waves in the last 30 years. At first from North African countries
such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt then, in the late Eighties, from Albania and Philippines mainly.
Most immigrants were illegal and without papers and documents.
Immigration to Italy is still caused by being near Africa and this is an easy way to come by boat to
Sicily. Moreover Immigrants think that it ‘s easy to find a job and live in Italy but very soon they
realize that reality is different.
All this caused a big problem for our society but it wasn’t so intense as it has been in the last few
years.
In the last decade many immigrants have come to Italy from Eastern Europe: Poland, Romania
Hungary, Ucraine, Russia and from Asia especially from Northern India (Punjab) and from
Pakistan.
At least two laws have been approved by theGovernment and
Parliament but illegal immigration has always been a problem.
We need people to work in our industries and in farming but we
have also many immigrants who commit crimes .
Italy has always been a generous and welcoming country but
in the last few years a feeling of a certain racism against foreign
people has grown which isn’t good at all.
We think we have bored you enough…let’s talk about something less serious then…
May be….Sport
Fashion Music
Food and Cuisine
Cinema
Italian Stereotypes
SPORT Italy has a long sporting tradition. In lots of sports, both individual and team, Italy has a good
representation and many successes. The most popular sport is football. The Italian national football
team has won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006), trailing only Brazil (with
five). Italy's club sides have won 27 major European
trophies, making them the most successful footballing nation in
Europe. But after 4 years our national team played badly and lost
vs Slovacchia at the last World Cup in South Africa. It still plays
that way… Also basketball and volleyball are very popular with Italy having
a rich tradition in both. Italy is one of the main basketball nations
of Europe. The national team's best results were gold at Eurobasket
1983 and 1999, as well as Silver at the Olympics of 2004. Until the
2000s, the Italian league was considered the strongest domestic
league outside of North America.
Volleyball is played by a lot of amateur players and professional
players compete in the Italian Volleyball League. Italian National
male and female teams are often in top four ranking of national teams
in the world, regarded as the best volleyball league in the world. Cycling is also a well represented sport in Italy. Italians have won more
World Cycling Championships than any other country except Belgium.
The Giro d'Italia is a world famous long distance bicycle race held every May
FASHION
Italian fashion has a long tradition and is regarded as one of the most important in the world. Milan, Florence and Rome are Italy’s main fashion capitals. Major Italian fashion labels such as Gucci, Prada, Armani, Valentino,Dolce e Gabbana, Versace, Max Mara, Fendi, to name a few, are regarded as amongst the finest fashion houses in the world- However designed clothes are very expensive and most fashion houses produce abroad (China, eastern Europe mainly).
Italian made shoes are famous all over the world for their style and leather especially Geox, Tod’s, Hogan, and hand-made shoes are well known all over the world.
MUSIC
Born out of the strains of melodrama, the melodic traditions of Italian
song have seen many a change over the past 50 years, starting with
Domenico Modugno. This tradition has never lost its charm, confirmed by
the fact that singers like Nilla Pizzi and Al Bano are still very popular abroad,
essentially responsible for the success also of modern singers such as Eros
Ramazzotti , Laura Pausini, Tiziano Ferro, Andrea Bocelli. The explosion of rock ‘n’ roll influenced and altered Italian song from the outset:
this was the time when wild young stars like Mina, Adriano Celentano, Rita Pavone
and Gianni Morandi made their mark. However a truly original current in Italian song is the singer
songwriter phenomenon. For Gino Paoli, Luigi
Tenco, Bruno Lauzi and Sergio Endrigo, songs could express a world of inner feelings that was artistically
autonomous; also the songs of Fabrizio De Andrè, while influenced by the music of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen,
reflect a tendency towards a world of intimate thought; Roberto Vecchioni explored individual inner feelings by telling
tales of Milan and its private emotions; the music of Lucio Battisti for the first time inventively blended the
Characteristics of American rhythm ‘n’ blues with the Italian melodic style, using simple yet dramatic language. Other
major names in Italian music are Claudio Baglioni, Antonello Venditti, poets and ballad singer-songwriters such as
Francesco De Gregori and Francesco Guccini and rock artists such as Vasco Rossi, Ligabue, Zucchero. The story
of Lucio Dalla from Bologna is quite unique: he began his career as a player in a jazz band and shrewdly proceeded to
develop his own individual style of work which now includes even theatre musical scores. There has also been a revival
of vocal romantic singing which reached its height with stars such as Pavarotti and Bocelli, following the outstanding
worldwide success of the song Caruso, by Lucio Dalla. Italian light music comprises excellent singers and players
whose style models are jazz-oriented, such as the piano player Paolo Conte, or inspired by the blues, as in the guitar
music of Pino Daniele, or even based on ancient traditional music and folk songs, best seen in the violin music of
Angelo Branduardi. Singer-songwriting has today embarked into new musical territory with figures of great talent and
communicability such as Jovanotti.
(Andrea Bocelli, Con te partirò)
OPERA Opera began in Italy. The most famous Italian opera writers
are Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Puccini and Verdi, who gave
voice to the feelings and anxieties of Italian society of their day.
It was above all through opera that those feelings were
expressed for example the discontent that pervaded Italy after
the Unification was expressed in Don Carlos by Verdi more than
in any other literary genre.
There are so many famous Italian operas: La Traviata,
Aida, La Boheme, Rigoletto, Otello, Il Trovatore, Nabucco,
Cavalleria Rusticana, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut
and many others.
In Italy there are a lot of opera theatres, nearly always in
splendid XVIIIth-XIXth century architecture including La Scala in Milan, the Petruzzelli in Bari,
the Valli in Reggio Emilia, the Fenice in Venice
One great opera director is Riccardo Muti who has in recent times perfected some highly
original and moving interpretations in particular for the operas of Verdi.
Opera singers of the highest repute include Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni, both born in
our province town, Modena, Renata Scotto, Sonia Ganassi, Michele Pertuso.
FOOD One of the greatest prides of the Italians is their food. The major meal in Italy is eaten in the middle of the
day. Large meals always consist of many courses. The Italians may have a pasta course followed by a course of fish or meat. The Italians sometimes have a course called antipasto, which is Italian for appetizers, before they eat their pasta
course. The antipasto course may contain a large variety of vegetables and
cold meats like prosciutto. The antipasto may also consist of salami, olives,
and artichoke hearts. Food in Italy vary a lot depending on which region you are in. Pizza is also a
very popular food in Italy. Wine is served with every meal other than
breakfast. Italians also have desserts after a meal. Fresh fruit is often a dessert.Cakes
are most likely the most popular dessert. Cakes include ice-creams,
tiramisu cake, rum cake, cannoli cake, and cheesecake. Italians are known for their use of herbs in cooking, especially oregano,basil,
thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage. Cheese also plays an important role
in Italian cuisine. There are more than 400 types of cheese made in Italy,
with Parmesan, mozzarella, and asiago among the best known worldwide.
Prosciutto ham was first made in Parma, a city that also gave its name to
Parmesan cheese. Many Italians eat their breakfast at the café where they usually have
cappuccino or coffee with a croissant
CINEMA
Italian cinema has always been famous in the world. De Sica, Rossellini and Visconti made masterpieces of universal
subject matter in a modern vein. Films such as Rome the Open City
and Paisà have become cult works. Other great directors were
Mario Monicelli, Pietro Germi and Dino Risi.
But during the Sixties Italian cinema also became experimental
with directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni and in the poetic
works of Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini.
La dolce vita was an extraordinary phenomenon, with lasting effects
on society as well. Also unforgettable are works of literary cinema by Luchino Visconti and
controversial political films by Bellocchio and Ferreri. They are film makers
who continue to have a strong influence on directors all around the world.
Italian modern cinema is represented by directors like Gabriele Salvatores (Mediterraneo), Gabriele Muccino (The Last Kiss, Remember me, my love) Paolo Virzì (My name is Tanino) , Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso. The Legend of 1900), Roberto Benigni who won the Oscar Awards for Life is Beautiful.
ITALIAN STEREOTYPES Spaghetti, mafia, musical accent, gestures, romantic, loud,
communicative, fashion, chaos – these are all words often used to describe Italians.
How much truth is there in the stereotype?
We will try to give an answer even if probably
other people might give you different answers. We would like to give you some insight into the
Italian soul and way of living and clarify some
common misunderstandings that foreigners have
about us. But watch this clip to see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI15ewNwv9c
What are The ITALIANS like according to the
English.
We hope you’ve managed to see the clip… Let’see what’s true in Italian stereotypes
Spaghetti and pasta in general are sacred.
You cannot take pasta away from an Italian
meal otherwise it won’t be complete. A tyypical Italian meal usually includes:
1. Starter (primo): pasta
2. Main course (secondo): fish or meat with salad
3. Fruit or dessert (dolce)
4. Coffee
Here there is the first problem as there are some regional differences so you can find risotto instead of pasta.
A good meal should always be shared with someone else. It’s a way to share conversation and jokes, forget work for a couple of hours and enjoy life. Don’t forget coffee. We drink lots of espressos!
Concerning work, what distinguishes Italians the most from other
nationalities is that they tend to take on their first job later in life – usually
after graduation. Family is the most important thing in our lives and male as well as female
roles are based on it. Men should be strong and protective while women
should be gentle and feminine. Nevertheless this does by no means imply that women should stay
at home taking care of household and children while men are supposed to be the main breadwinners. Most Italian women have jobs and are indepenent as well.
The way we are The way we speak is completely original. The most important element of communication are
the gestures: the way we move our hands, hold our heads, move our shoulders, our facial expressions, as well as the way we use our eyes and mouths to make ourselves
understood. A lot of foreigners think we are fighting when we talk
that way but it’s just the way we are. We like to travel a lot but don’t speak many foreign languages. We do enjoy romance. An Italian guy will never let a girl go home
unescorted, Also the macho idea is still alive in italian culture. We are also fashion victims: you can recognize Italians by the way they
dress from the head to feet. We will dress stilishly for every possible
occasion. You won’t ever see an Italian wearing sporting short pants
combined with long socks…it’s simply against our fashion rules. We are chaotic. Nothing in Italy is well organized or easy-to-use
(but we are improving now). You have to fight to find the smallest scrap of information. We are a generous, sunny, communicative people. We like to smile;
we love to talk – preferably over a one or two hour meal followed by
a good cup of coffee. This doesn’t imply that we don’t take work seriously
or that we work less than in other countries. A tipycal working day in Italy
lasts for at least 8 hours, from 8 a m to 6 pm or longer.
We feel that work is not everything in life.
Other aspects
Italians stay at their parents’ home until they have saved up enough money
to pay for a flat . This can take a while which is why many Italians
leave their homes when they’re already 30 or older. This, by the way,
has earned Italians a reputation to of being mummy’s boys.
Another stereotype caused by misunderstanding between cultures
even if in certain cases this is true.
The Mafia is real: we are not proud of it but it does exists, especially in
the South and the Isle of Sicily. Obviously, not every Italian is a Mafioso
and most will feel offended and insulted if you use the term, even when
you mean it as a joke.
The country of Italy is made up by many different regions (20) and provinces –
each one with its own distinctive dialect, culture and history. Inter-regional
relations can be quite tense during elections times or even just during
local football matches.
But we are all totally committed to our national football team.
When the World Cup is being played, we forget about the differences
between the North and the South, Milan and Rome.
In conclusion
We are a strange and wonderful country that is
well worth a visit – you may like it or not, but you
will definetely be surprised!!!
OUR REGION: EMILIA ROMAGNA
Introductory notes to Emilia Romagna
Our region consists of nine provinces and the capital is Bologna. It is considered as one of the richest regions not
only in Italy but in Europe,too. It has highly
advanced and modern social services. It has one of Italy’s highest quality of life and
it’s also a major cultural and touristic centre,
it’s the home of the oldest university in the
western world. Nearly half of the region (50%) consists of plains (Pianura
Padana), 25% is hilly and 25% is mountainous. The longest Italian river, the Po, stretches through it.
The Regional Government (traditionally Left Wing) is presided by the President of the Region who is elected for a five-year term, and is composed by 12 ministers (assessori).
AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY
Emilia Romagna is one of the richest European regions. There is the biggest agricultural sector in Italy and a secular tradition in automobile, motor and mechanic productions . It is among the leading regions for farming in the country. Cereals, potatoes, maize, tomatoes and onions are the most important
products along with fruit and grapes for the production of wine
(of which the best known are Emilia’s Lambrusco, Sangiovese
and Pignoletto). Cattle and pig breeding are also highly
developed especially in farm cooperatives which are more than
8000.
Industry in the region presents a varied and complex picture. The food
industry (ex. Barilla Group) is concentrated in Parma, Modena and
Bologna as well as the mechanical and automotive.
Ferrari, in Maranello, is not far from our town. The same for
Maserati, Pagani, Lamborghini, Ducati. The well-known ceramic
sector is concentrated in Sassuolo and Faenza.
Tourism is increasingly important, especially along the Adriatic
coastline and the cities of art. Very famous in our town, Carpi, is the
clothing-textile industry. The regional economy is more geared to export markets than other regions in the country.
The region of Emilia-Romagna has a very good system of transport.
ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Modena, our province, is a town rich in culture, food, wine and prestige car-makers
Modena is so fascinating that it even charmed
Unesco into putting three of its extraordinary
beauties – the Cathedral, the Ghirlandina tower
and Piazza Grande onto the World Heritage List
in 1997. But Modena is not only a town of great
art and culture. It is also universally known for its
excellent food and wine, with stars such as traditional balsamic vinegar, Lambrusco wine, and typical local salami.
And of course, it is world-famous for its car-making
factories. Each year Ferrari and Maserati are visited by millions of F1 fans coming from all over the planet, as far as Japan.
ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA Home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna, founded in 1088, Bologna is one of the most
developed cities in Italy. Bologna often ranks as one of the top cities, in terms of quality of life in Italy: it was ranked 5th in 2006, and 12th in 2007, out of 103 Italian cities. This is due to its strong industrial tradition, its wide range of highly-developed social services, and its physical location at the crossing-point of the most important highways and railways in
the country. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, and it
has a rich history, art, cuisine, music and culture, and was made 2000's
European Capital of Culture. Bologna's compact medieval center has several beautiful churches,
monuments, and civic buildings.Bologna's many porticoed sidewalks make
for pleasant walking and window shopping. Piazza Maggiore is one of Bologna's central squares, lined with arcades. It's
a good place to sit at an outdoor cafe. Around the square are the Gothic
Basilica of San Petronio, the Palazzo dei Notai, the Archeological Museum. Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore, another of Bologna's main
squares, has an ornate 16th-century fountain in the center and is surrounded
by medieval civic buildings. Go inside the library and admire its beautiful interior. You can climb the steep staircase to the top of Torre degli Asinelli, one of only
a few surviving medieval towers, for a great view of Bologna. Torre degli Asinelli
and another leaning tower are in Piazza Porta Ravegnana where seven medieval
streets converge. In Piazza Santo Stefano you will find an unusual cluster of four interlocking
Romanesque churches. The oldest, the church of SS. Vitale e Agricola, has parts
of Roman temples and columns. There is also an interesting courtyard with a maze of little chapels.
ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Ravenna is a treasure chest of art, history and culture of the highest order, a city with ancient origins and a glorious past and capital three times, of the Western Roman Empire, of King Theodoric of the Goths and of the Byzantine Empire in Europe. The basilicas and baptisteries of the city contain the richest heritage
of mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th centuries and eight historic buildings included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. The winding streets still reveal the past of a city built on a lagoon, the presence of water in the canals that cross it, closed during the period of Venetian rule and at the end of the fifteenth century opening the elegant space of Piazza Maggiore, now known as Piazza del Popolo. The Baptistry of Neon (in Italian: Battistero Neoniano) in Ravenna, Italy is the most ancient monument remaining in Ravenna, and was partly erected on the site of a Roman bath. It is also called the Orthodox Baptistry to distinguish it from the Arian Baptistry constructed on behest of Ostrogothic King Theodoric some 50 years later. The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe is an important monument of Byzantine art. The Mausoleum of Theodoric is an ancient monument just outside Ravenna. It was built in 520 CE by Theodoric the Great as his future tomb.
ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA Parma is famous as the capital food centre of Italy, for its unimitable
products and in particular for its Prosciutto of Parma ,cured pork meats and its famous Parmesan Cheese. Its main monuments are:
Palazzo Vescovile Duomo 11th century Battistero (the most important, evolved
monument during the Medieval period in Italy) San Giovanni Evangelista 12th century Church of Steccata - 16th century Palazzo della Pilotta, with his extraordinary
Teatro Farnese 16th century .The Town Hall - 17th century Teatro Regio (it is one of the most famous in Italy for opera)
19th century .
CUISINE AND GASTRONOMY Our region is very famous in Italy because we eat well and it’s full of restaurants
which serve delicious food. Emilia-Romagna is known for egg pasta made with soft wheat
flour.
Emilia is famous for pasta dishes like tortellini, cappelletti,
lasagne, tortelli verdi, tagliatelle and gramigna while Romagna
has also garganelli and strozzapreti. Polenta is also made
especially in the Apennine mountains. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (balsamic vinegar) is made
only in the Emilia towns of Reggio Emilia and Modena,
following legall binding traditional procedures. Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmeasan cheese) is produced in the provinces
of Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena, Bologna and is much used in
cooking. A lot of fish is eaten on the Adriatic coast but this is mainly a
meat eating region. The region has many cured pork products: Parma ham including
Culatello and Salame Felino, then Mortadella Pancetta, Coppa.
TYPICAL PRODUCTS
Prosciutto di Parma: It’s one of the most renowned gastronomic products of the
region. According to Italian law it can be produced in the area of Parma only.
Four are the products necessary to make the Prosciutto: fine pigs, experts who
care after them,air (just the fresh air of Parma countryside) and time (at least 300
days). The consistency of the Prosciutto is important as much as its flavour: soft
and silky. Aceto Balsamico: The balsamic vinegar is realized from the grapes pf Lambrusco of the provinces of
Modena and Reggio Emilia, cooked until obtaining an extract that is
mad to age in barrel of wood. Parmigiano Reggiano: Considered the king of Italian cheeses, the Parmigiano
Reggiano is known and appreciated throughout the world: flakes of it are are dropped
on grinded meat and soups or, most famously, on the pasta. Tortelli, Lasagne, Cappelletti: Emilia Romagna is the land of home made egg pasta.
Tagliatelle are usually served with meat sauce and the pasta for
real lasagna is green since it’s made with spinach. Cotechino e Zampone di Modena: They are made by a mixture of pork
meat obtained from the streked musculature, fat pig rind and black pepper. Gnocco fritto: It is a light fried dough cut in squares, eaten with prosciutto
and salami. Zuppa inglese: Inspired by the English trifle but simply made
with local ingredients.
FINALLY…
Watch this clip and you can see better what our region is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpRVNsNqq8&feature=fvst
We hope you enjoyed our presentation and we hope to
know you better along this school year in this project.
Classes 3 B and 3 E with
their teacher Enea Storchi Incerti