View allAll Photos Tagged RepubblicaItaliana
The great dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle, in Rome, Italy.
Black and white, shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, with a green-filtered black and white effect applied in Google Picasa, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
Flora, goddess of Spring. One of the statues of the four seasons in the Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy.
Shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
The base of the Flaminio Obelisk in the Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy.
Built to honour the sun god Ra in 1300 BC, under Seti I and Rameses II (also known as Ozymandias), the ancient Egyptian obelisk was brought to Rome by the first Roman Emperor, Augustus (Octavian) in 1 AD, and placed in the centre of the Circus Maximus. Lost after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was rediscovered in the 1500s and placed in the its current location by Domenico Fontana under the direction of Pope Sixtus V.
Shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
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Europe - Italy - Italia - Alps - Province of South Tyrol - Tirol - Bolzano valley basin - Vineyards - Rows of grape bearing vine plantation for winemaking during autumn time with fall warm changing colors
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5DS; Lens: EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM; Focal length: 35.00 mm; Aperture: 13; Exposure time: 164.0 s; ISO: 100
All rights reserved - Copyright © Lucie Debelkova - www.luciedebelkova.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.
www.facebook.com/CleanRome/?fref=nf
Campagna di sensibilizzazione per la salvaguardia del patrimonio artistico di Roma, senza scopo di lucro
Awareness campaign for the preservation of the artistic heritage of Rome
#PalazzoMontecitorio si affaccia sulla piazza omonima e ospita la #CameradeiDeputati della #RepubblicaItaliana. Commissionato nel 1653 da #PapaInnocenzoX a #GianLorenzoBernini come residenza della famiglia #Ludovisi, subì più volte l’interruzione dei lavori di costruzione per contrasti tra Innocenzo X e il Principe Niccolò Ludovisi (che aveva sposato la cognata del Papa). I lavori vennero ripresi anni dopo dall'architetto #CarloFontana che convinse #InnocenzoXII a installarvi due importanti attività: la #CuriaPontificia e il #Dazio. Fontana conservò la caratteristica facciata convessa impostata dal Bernini aggiungendovi il campanile a vela e modificando il progetto dell'ingresso. Con il #Risorgimento, il palazzo fu espropriato dallo Regno d'Italia e destinato a ospitare la Camera dei deputati. I lavori di ampliamento furono affidati all'architetto palermitano #ErnestoBasile, esponente di primo piano della stagione #liberty italiana, che costruì un nuovo edificio alle spalle dell'originale. Basile mantenne infatti solo la parte frontale del palazzo berniniano innalzando, sulla piazza del Parlamento, il nuovo corpo di fabbrica caratterizzato da quattro torri angolari in mattoni rossi e travertino. All'interno di questo blocco Basile collocò l'aula delle sedute, illuminata da uno straordinario lucernario a ventaglio in stile liberty, il noto #Velario di #GiovanniBeltrami. A Basile si deve anche l'imponente salone detto #Transatlantico posto sul diametro dell'emiciclo e centro informale della vita politica italiana.
Palazzo Montecitorio overlooks the homonymous square and houses the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic. Commissioned in 1653 by Pope Innocent X to Gian Lorenzo Bernini as the residence of the Ludovisi family, it underwent several times the interruption of the construction work because of contrasts between Innocent X and Prince Niccolò Ludovisi (who had married the sister of the Pope). The work was taken up years later by the architect Carlo Fontana who persuaded Pope Innocent XII to install there two crucial activities: the Papal Curia and the Dazio. Fontana kept the characteristic convex façade set by Bernini adding a bell tower and changing the entrance project. During the Risorgimento period, the palace was expropriated by the Kingdom of Italy and destined to house the Chamber of Deputies. The works of the building expansion was entrusted to architect Ernesto Basile from Palermo, a leading exponent of Italian Art Nouveau season, who designed a new building behind the original. Basile mantained the Bernini façade but added a new building on the Parliament Square that features four corner towers in red brick and travertine. Within this block Basile placed the hall of sessions, illuminated by an extraordinary fan-shaped skylight, an Art Nouveau masterpiece: the known Velario by Giovanni Beltrami. Basile also designed the impressive lounge called "Transatlantico" placed on the hemicycle diameter that became the informal center of Italian political life.
testo di #alessandroloschiavo
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Europe - Italy - Italia - Alps - Dolomites - Dolomiti - South Tyrol - Province of Bolzano - Villnöß - Kirche St. Johann in Ranui - Chiesetta di San Giovanni - Church of St. John the Baptist - Iconic mountain Baroque church with its onion dome & impressive Dolomites mountains in background
One of the most photographed churches/chapels in Dolomites and rightly so for its unique location in the middle of the field with spectacular mountain range in the background.
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5DS; Lens: EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM; Focal length: 50.00 mm; Aperture: 8.0; Exposure time: 1/160 s; ISO: 100
All rights reserved - Copyright © Lucie Debelkova - www.luciedebelkova.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.
One last look at the magnificent Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, as seen from Piazza Venezia, in the heart of Rome, Italy.
Built in the early 1900s, to commemorate the first king of a unified Italy, the monument is constructed in neoclassical style, inspired by the colonnades of ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and mimicking the pomp of Berlin's Brandenburg gate or London's Admiralty Arch. The statue of the king ahorse is central to the piece, with the angels of Unity and Liberty driving chariots above, and Dea Roma below, ensconced in gold and flanked by the Allegories of Work and Patriotism. Behind the king, each column represents a major Italian city.
The monument houses numerous artefacts from Italy's history, including the tomb of the unknown soldier. The latter stages of completion were under Mussolini's regime, and after the second world war numerous fascist symbols were removed from the structure.
This was part of my flags project, where I attempt to evoke or explore the flag and identity of a nation I am visiting through a particular image.
Shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
Giudecca one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
Giudecca was known in ancient times as the Spinalunga (meaning "Long Thorn"). The name Giudecca may represent a corruption of the Latin Judaica/Judaean and so may be translated as "the Jewry": several towns in Southern Italy and Sicily have Jewish quarters named Giudecca or Judeca.
However, the original Venetian Ghetto was in Cannaregio, in the north of the city, and there is no evidence, but for the name, of Jews ever having lived in Giudecca. Furthermore, the term "Giudecca" was not used to denote the Jewish quarters of towns in northern Italy.
Giudecca was historically an area of large palaces with gardens, the island became an industrial area in the early 20th century with shipyards and factories, in addition to a film studio.
Much of the industry went into decline after World War II, but it is now once more regarded as a quiet residential area of largely working-class housing with some chic apartments and exclusive houses. It is known for its long dock and its churches, including the Palladio-designed Il Redentore.
The island was the home of a huge flour mill, the Molino Stucky, which has been converted into a luxury hotel and apartment complex. At the other end of Giudecca is the famous five-star Cipriani hotel with large private gardens and salt-water pool.
Information Source:
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Italy - Italia - Sicily - Sicilia - Riposto fishing town on shores of Mediterranean sea under active Etna Volcano in background
It is always fascinating to be nearby volcano, especially when it is active. The smoke on the photo is from the Etna and it still carries the remaining colors from the sunset. Sicily is on my list to return at some point and I hope to have Etna active again (in safe distance).
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Lens: EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM; Focal length: 55.00 mm; Aperture: 9.0; Exposure time: 30.0 s; ISO: 100
All rights reserved - Copyright © Lucie Debelkova - www.luciedebelkova.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.
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Europe - Italy - Italia - Sardinia - Italian island in Mediterranean Sea - Costa Verde - Buggerru - Spectacular Rocky Coast
Timelapse movies had become my new way of capturing my travels besides regular photography. See this particular moment and many more during spectacular autumn time at :
► ITALY - SARDINIA'S SPECTACULAR ROCKY COAST - Timelapse Video - 4K
or
► ITALY - SARDINIA'S BEAUTIFUL COASTAL TOWNS - Timelapse Video - 4K
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5DS; Lens: EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM; Focal length: 16.00 mm; Aperture: 11; Exposure time: 4.0 s; ISO: 50
All rights reserved - Copyright © Lucie Debelkova www.luciedebelkova.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Giudecca one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
Giudecca was known in ancient times as the Spinalunga (meaning "Long Thorn"). The name Giudecca may represent a corruption of the Latin Judaica/Judaean and so may be translated as "the Jewry": a number of towns in Southern Italy and Sicily have Jewish quarters named Giudecca or Judeca. However, the original Venetian Ghetto was in Cannaregio, in the north of the city, and there is no evidence, but for the name, of Jews ever having lived in Giudecca. Furthermore, the term "Giudecca" was not used to denote the Jewish quarters of towns in northern Italy.
Giudecca was historically an area of large palaces with gardens, the island became an industrial area in the early 20th century with shipyards and factories, in addition to a film studio. Much of the industry went into decline after World War II, but it is now once more regarded as a quiet residential area of largely working-class housing with some chic apartments and exclusive houses. It is known for its long dock and its churches, including the Palladio-designed Il Redentore. The island was the home of a huge flour mill, the Molino Stucky, which has been converted into a luxury hotel and apartment complex. At the other end of Giudecca is the famous five-star Cipriani hotel with large private gardens and salt-water pool.
Information Source:
Rio di San Giacomo dall'Orio a canal in Santa Croce one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
The name comes from the nearby San Giacomo dall'Orio Church. It has a length of 217 meters. It extends the Rio Marin at the confluence of the Rio di San Giovanni Evangelista in the east, then north-east to reach the Rio de San Boldo.
Information Source:
San Giorgio Maggiore (Church of San Giorgio Maggiore) on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, in Giudecca one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
The first church on the island was built about 790, and in 982, the island was given to the Benedictine order by the Doge Tribuno Memmo. The Benedictines founded a monastery there, but in 1223, all the buildings on the island were destroyed by an earthquake.
The church and monastery were rebuilt after the earthquake. The church, which had a nave with side chapels, was not in the same position as the present church, but farther back at the side of a small campo or square. There were cloisters in front of it, which were demolished in 1516. The monks were considering the rebuilding of the church from 1521.
Palladio arrived in Venice in 1560, when the refectory of the monastery was being rebuilt. He made great improvements to this and in 1565, was asked to prepare a model for a new church.
The model was completed and approved in 1566 and the foundation stone was laid in the presence of the Pope in the same year. The work was not finished before the death of Palladio in 1580, but the body of the church was complete by 1575, except for the choir behind the altar and the facade. The decoration of the interior was completed subsequently.
The choir appears to have been designed in essentials by Palladio before his death and was built between 1580 and 1589.
The façade, initially under the superintendence of Simone Sorella, was not commenced until 1599. The stonemason's contract if it were to follow Palladio's model and there were only minor changes. It was completed in 1610.
The campanile (bell tower), first built in 1467, fell in 1774; it was rebuilt in neo-classic style by 1791. It was ascended by easy ramps and there is now also a lift. There is a fine view across Venice from the top.
Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giorgio_Maggiore_(church),_Venice
One of the statues outside the Quirinal palace, the residence for the President of Italy, in Rome, lit by the setting sun.
Widely reported to be a young Julius Caesar, however he appears un-armoured and carrying the horn of plenty. I haven't been able to find a good source, but am aware that Caesar's political career didn't begin til his mid 30s, and this feels like a more youthful depiction.
Shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
The allegorical representation of Summer (perhaps as Demeter / Ceres), one of the statues of the four seasons in the Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy. By Alessandro Massimiliano Laboureur, who worked on Giuseppe Valadier's redevelopment of the square in the 1820s.
Shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
Two young men share a moment on the steps of a church, in Rome, Italy.
Candid street photography shot, taken with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor AFS DX 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G lens, and processed in GIMP and Photoscape.
Burano an island in the Venetian Lagoon, north of Venice, Italy.
Like Venice itself, it could more correctly be called an archipelago of four islands linked by bridges. It is situated near Torcello at the northern end of the Lagoon, and is known for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. The primary economy today is tourism as visitors arrive for sightseeing and to purchase lace goods.
The island was probably settled by the Romans, and in the 6th century was occupied by people from Altino, who named it for one of the gates of their former city. Two stories are attributed to how the city obtained its name. One is that it was initially founded by the Buriana family, and another is that the first settlers of Burano came from the small island of Buranello, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the south.
Although the island soon became a thriving settlement, it was administered from Torcello and had none of the privileges of that island or of Murano. It rose in importance only in the 16th century, when women on the island began making lace with needles, being introduced to such a trade via Venetian-ruled Cyprus. When Leonardo da Vinci visited in 1481, he visited the small town of Lefkara and purchased a cloth for the main altar of the Duomo di Milano. The lace was soon exported across Europe, but trade began to decline in the 18th century and the industry did not revive until 1872, when a school of lacemaking was opened. Lacemaking on the island boomed again, but few now make lace in the traditional manner as it is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive.
Burano is also known for its small, brightly painted houses, which are popular with artists. The colours of the houses follow a specific system, originating from the golden age of its development. If someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the government, who will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot.
Other attractions include the Church of San Martino, with a leaning campanile and a painting by Giambattista Tiepolo (Crufixion, 1727), the Oratorio di Santa Barbara and the Museum and School of Lacemaking.
Information Source:
Rio by Ca'Widmann a canal in Cannaregio one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
It has a length of 179m and starts from the rio dei Santi Apostoli towards the south to end in the rio de la Panada, skirting the Soranzo Van Axel palace.
The canal was originally called di San Cassiano after the nearby San Canciano Church. The current name comes from the Widmann family, Venetian nobles of Carintian origin who became owners of the homonymous palace following the wedding celebrated in 1740 between Lodovico Widmann and Quintilia Rezzonico, granddaughter of Pope Clement XIII.
Information Source:
The Canal Grande (Grand Canal) which follows a natural channel that traces a reverse-S course from San Marco Basilica to Santa Chiara Church and divides the city into two parts. In Cannaregio region of Venice, Veneto, Italy.
Slightly more than 2 miles (3 km) long and between 100 and 225 feet (30 and 70 metres) wide, the Grand Canal has an average depth of 17 feet (5 metres) and connects at various points with a maze of smaller canals. These waterways carry the bulk of Venetian transportation, as automobiles are banned throughout much of the city.
Traditional poled gondolas are a favourite with tourists but are now vastly outnumbered by motorized public-transit water buses (vaporetti) and private water taxis. Siren-equipped boats belonging to the police, fire, and emergency medical services traverse the Grand Canal at high speed, and barges are responsible for the delivery of goods throughout the city. The connection between Venetians and their city’s main thoroughfare does not end at the grave: funeral barges can be seen transporting the dead to Isola di San Michele, an island northeast of the city that has been the site of Venice’s largest cemetery since the early 19th century.
The Grand Canal is lined on either side by palaces, churches, hotels, and other public buildings in Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. Although comparatively few examples of earlier styles remain, a concerted effort has been made to preserve some of Venice’s more famous palaces.
The Ca’ d’Oro, a 15th-century palace designed for Marino Contarini, of the eminent Contarini family, was extensively renovated in the late 20th century, and its ornate facade remains one of the Grand Canal’s most-arresting sights. The Palazzo Pesaro is a remarkable example of the Classical style. Completed in 1710, nearly three decades after the death of its chief designer, Baldassare Longhena, it now houses Venice’s International Gallery of Modern Art, as well as the Museum of Oriental Art.
The Grand Canal is bridged at four points. The oldest, and easily the most famous, span is the Rialto Bridge. Designed by Antonio da Ponte in the late 16th century, the Rialto Bridge crosses the canal at roughly its halfway point. The first Accademia Bridge was built in the mid-19th century at the canal’s east end to facilitate foot traffic.
It was replaced in 1932 by a wooden bridge that was intended to be temporary, but it was later reinforced with steel to lend it a degree of permanence. That same year the Scalzi Bridge was built at the west end of the canal to provide easier access to the city’s railway station. The Constitution Bridge, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and unveiled in 2008, lies to the west of the Scalzi Bridge. It links the railway station to the bus terminal and parking complex at Rome Square.
Information source:
Rio Marin a canal in Santa Croce one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
It is 332 meters and connects the San Giacomo de l'Orio and San Zuane Evangelista rii to the northwest to the Grand Canal.
The name of rio Marin appears already in writings of 1080. According to Gallicciolli and Il Corner, this canal would have been excavated by hand by a name Marin Dandolo. It was expanded in 1875 by destroying some houses.
Information Source:
It is currently one of the biggest tourist attractions in Rome and on July 7, 2007 was elected one of the (Seven Wonders of the Modern World). In addition, the Colosseum still has links to the church, with the Pope leading the procession from the Via Crucis to the Colosseum every Good Fridays.
The Colosseum, originally known as the Flavio Amphitheater, is the most important monument of ancient Rome still standing. Its construction was started by Vespasian in 72 AD and was inaugurated by Titus in 80 AD. It was able to house up to 50,000 people.
San Giorgio Maggiore (Church of San Giorgio Maggiore) on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, in Giudecca one of the six sestieri of Venice in Veneto, Italy.
The first church on the island was built about 790, and in 982, the island was given to the Benedictine order by the Doge Tribuno Memmo. The Benedictines founded a monastery there, but in 1223, all the buildings on the island were destroyed by an earthquake.
The church and monastery were rebuilt after the earthquake. The church, which had a nave with side chapels, was not in the same position as the present church, but farther back at the side of a small campo or square. There were cloisters in front of it, which were demolished in 1516. The monks were considering the rebuilding of the church from 1521.
Palladio arrived in Venice in 1560, when the refectory of the monastery was being rebuilt. He made great improvements to this and in 1565, was asked to prepare a model for a new church.
The model was completed and approved in 1566 and the foundation stone was laid in the presence of the Pope in the same year. The work was not finished before the death of Palladio in 1580, but the body of the church was complete by 1575, except for the choir behind the altar and the facade. The decoration of the interior was completed subsequently.
The choir appears to have been designed in essentials by Palladio before his death and was built between 1580 and 1589.
The façade, initially under the superintendence of Simone Sorella, was not commenced until 1599. The stonemason's contract provided that it was to follow Palladio's model and there were only minor changes. It was completed in 1610.
The campanile (bell tower), first built in 1467, fell in 1774; it was rebuilt in neo-classic style by 1791. It was ascended by easy ramps and there is now also a lift. There is a fine view across Venice from the top.
Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giorgio_Maggiore_(church),_Venice
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome
Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With 2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states.
Rome's history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe. The city's early population originated from a mix of Latins, Etruscans, and Sabines. Eventually, the city successively became the capital of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, and is regarded by some as the first ever metropolis. It was first called The Eternal City (Latin: Urbs Aeterna; Italian: La Città Eterna) by the Roman poet Tibullus in the 1st century BC, and the expression was also taken up by Ovid, Virgil, and Livy. Rome is also called the "Caput Mundi" (Capital of the World). After the fall of the Western Empire, which marked the beginning of the Middle Ages, Rome slowly fell under the political control of the Papacy, and in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. Beginning with the Renaissance, almost all the popes since Nicholas V (1447–1455) pursued over four hundred years a coherent architectural and urban programme aimed at making the city the artistic and cultural centre of the world. In this way, Rome became first one of the major centres of the Italian Renaissance, and then the birthplace of both the Baroque style and Neoclassicism. Famous artists, painters, sculptors and architects made Rome the centre of their activity, creating masterpieces throughout the city. In 1871, Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, which, in 1946, became the Italian Republic.
Rome has the status of a global city. In 2016, Rome ranked as the 14th-most-visited city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The famous Vatican Museums are among the world's most visited museums while the Colosseum was the most popular tourist attraction in world with 7.4 million visitors in 2018. Host city for the 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome is the seat of several specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The city also hosts the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) as well as the headquarters of many international business companies such as Eni, Enel, TIM, Leonardo S.p.A., and national and international banks such as Unicredit and BNL. Its business district, called EUR, is the base of many companies involved in the oil industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and financial services. Rome is also an important fashion and design centre thanks to renowned international brands centered in the city. Rome's Cinecittà Studios have been the set of many Academy Award–winning movies.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevi_Fountain
The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) 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 (86 ft) high and 49.15 metres (161.3 ft) wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. The fountain has appeared in several notable films, including Roman Holiday, Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, the eponymous Three Coins in the Fountain, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, and Sabrina Goes to Rome.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice
Venice (Italian: Venezia; Venetian: Venesia, Venexia) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region.
It is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers (more exactly between the Brenta and the Sile). Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, and artwork. The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 2018, 260,897 people resided in Comune di Venezia, of whom around 55,000 live in the historical city of Venice (Centro storico). Together with Padua and Treviso, the city is included in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area (PATREVE), with a total population of 2.6 million. PATREVE is only a statistical metropolitan area.
The name is derived from the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region by the 10th century BC. The city was historically the capital of the Republic of Venice. Venice has been known as the "La Dominante", "Serenissima", "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Masks", "City of Bridges", "The Floating City", and "City of Canals."
The 697-1797 Republic of Venice was a major financial and maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. The city-state of Venice is considered to have been the first real international financial center which gradually emerged from the 9th century to its peak in the 14th century. This made Venice a wealthy city throughout most of its history.
It is also known for its several important artistic movements, especially the Renaissance period. After the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna, the Republic was annexed by the Austrian Empire, until it became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1866, following a referendum held as a result of the Third Italian War of Independence. Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music, and it is the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi. Although the city is facing some major challenges (including financial difficulties, pollution, an excessive number of tourists and problems caused by cruise ships sailing close to the buildings), Venice remains a very popular tourist destination and an iconic Italian city, and has been ranked the most beautiful city in the world.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canal_(Venice)
The Grand Canal (Italian: Canal Grande; Venetian: Canal Grando, anciently Canałasso) is a channel in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city.
One end of the canal leads into the lagoon near the Santa Lucia railway station and the other end leads into the basin at San Marco; in between, it makes a large reverse-S shape through the central districts (sestieri) of Venice. It is 3.8 km (2.4 mi) long, and 30 to 90 m (98 to 295 ft) wide, with an average depth of 5 metres (16 feet).
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rialto_Bridge
The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto; Venetian: Ponte de Rialto) is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Connecting the sestieri (districts) of San Marco and San Polo, it has been rebuilt several times since its first construction as a pontoon bridge in the 12th century, and is now a significant tourist attraction in the city.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome
Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With 2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2 (496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states.
Rome's history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe. The city's early population originated from a mix of Latins, Etruscans, and Sabines. Eventually, the city successively became the capital of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, and is regarded by some as the first ever metropolis. It was first called The Eternal City (Latin: Urbs Aeterna; Italian: La Città Eterna) by the Roman poet Tibullus in the 1st century BC, and the expression was also taken up by Ovid, Virgil, and Livy. Rome is also called the "Caput Mundi" (Capital of the World). After the fall of the Western Empire, which marked the beginning of the Middle Ages, Rome slowly fell under the political control of the Papacy, and in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. Beginning with the Renaissance, almost all the popes since Nicholas V (1447–1455) pursued over four hundred years a coherent architectural and urban programme aimed at making the city the artistic and cultural centre of the world. In this way, Rome became first one of the major centres of the Italian Renaissance, and then the birthplace of both the Baroque style and Neoclassicism. Famous artists, painters, sculptors and architects made Rome the centre of their activity, creating masterpieces throughout the city. In 1871, Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, which, in 1946, became the Italian Republic.
Rome has the status of a global city. In 2016, Rome ranked as the 14th-most-visited city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The famous Vatican Museums are among the world's most visited museums while the Colosseum was the most popular tourist attraction in world with 7.4 million visitors in 2018. Host city for the 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome is the seat of several specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The city also hosts the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) as well as the headquarters of many international business companies such as Eni, Enel, TIM, Leonardo S.p.A., and national and international banks such as Unicredit and BNL. Its business district, called EUR, is the base of many companies involved in the oil industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and financial services. Rome is also an important fashion and design centre thanks to renowned international brands centered in the city. Rome's Cinecittà Studios have been the set of many Academy Award–winning movies.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum
The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium; Italian: Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete, it is the largest amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in AD 72 and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir, Titus. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96). These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).
The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, having an average audience of some 65,000; it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles (for only a short time as the hypogeum was soon filled in with mechanisms to support the other activities), animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.
Although partially ruined because of damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is still an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and is listed as one of the New7Wonders of the World. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and also has links to the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum.]
The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.