2. Location
• Italy is located in Southern Europe on the
Italian Peninsula. It includes the two
largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea,
Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its
northern border with France, Switzerland,
Slovenia, and Austria.
3. Interesting facts about Italy
• The name Italy comes
from the
word italia, meaning
“calf land,” perhaps
because the bull was
a symbol of the
Southern Italian
tribes.
4. • The capital of Italy is Rome
(also known as the Eternal
City) and is almost 3,000 years
old. It has been the capital
since 1871 and is home to the
Dome of St. Peter's, the
Sistine Chapel, the Coliseum,
and the famous Trevi
Fountain.
5. • The University of Rome is one of the
world’s oldest universities and was
founded by the Catholic Church in A.D.
1303. Often called La Sapienza
(“knowledge”), the University of Rome is
also Europe’s largest university with
150,000 students
6. • Italy is said to have more masterpieces
per square mile than any other country in
the world.
7. • In 2008, Italian
experts proposed
insulating
Michelangelo’s Davi
d from the vibrations
of tourist footsteps to
prevent the marble
from cracking.
8. • Galileo Galilee (1564-
1642) was an Italian-
born scientist. When
he argued that the
Earth revolved around
the Sun, the Catholic
Church imprisoned
Galileo in his own
house. The Church
issued a formal
apology in 1992.
9. • The author of “Pinocchio” (“pine nut”),
Carlo Collodi (1826-1890), was Italian
10. • Leonardo di ser
Piero da Vinci was
an Italian : painter,
sculptor, architect,
musician, scientist,
mathematician,
engineer, inventor,
anatomist,
geologist, cartographe
r, botanist, and writer
11. • In northern Italy, last names tend to end in
“i”, while those from the south often end in
“o.” The most common Italian surname is
Russo.
12. Italian traditions
• Music
Italians love music. Music is part of their lives.
They enjoy it at holidays, family celebrations,
and special occasions. Opera, an Italian
tradition, is popular among Italians and they
continued this musical tradition.
13. Christmas
• The biggest holiday in Italy is Christmas. Many
people celebrate Christmas Eve with a huge
feast, often featuring seafood. The Christmas
season lasts until Epiphany, January 6, the date
when the Three Wise Men are said to have
reached Jesus’ manger.
14. Friendly
• Visiting friends and relatives is very
popular among the Italians. Intricate
networks of friendship and fellowship are
developed as they share their joys and
their sorrows.
15. Kitchen
•
Italy has 20 regions, and each region has its
own traditional food and wine. Italian food does
not consist of only pizza and spaghetti, and the
menu is as varied as the Italian regions. Italians
use a variety of vegetables, such as tomatoes,
eggplants, onions, garlic, peas, pepper in their
cuisine. Italian food and wine are well known in
Canada and North America.
