Page 371 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

IT AL Y AND GREECE  369

ITALY

Italy has drawn people in search of culture and romance for centuries. Few
countries can compete with its Classical origins, its art, architecture, musical,
and literary traditions, its scenery, or its food and wine. Since World War II, Italy
has climbed into the top ten world economies, yet at its heart it retains many of
the customs, traditions, and regional allegiances of its agricultural heritage.

Italy has no single cultural identity. Germany and France, while the south
Between the snowy peaks of the Alps has suffered a succession of invasions
and the rugged shores of Sicily lies a from foreign powers: Carthaginians and
whole series of regions, each with its Greeks in ancient times, Saracens and
own distinctive dialect, architecture, Normans in the Middle Ages, and until
and cuisine. There is also a larger regional the middle of the last century, the
division. People speak of two Italies: Bourbons from Spain held sway.
the rich industrial north and the poorer
agricultural south, known as Il Mezzogiorno History
(Land of the Midday Sun). Italy is a young country; it did not exist as
The north is directly responsible for a unified nation state until 1861. The idea
Italy’s place among the world’s top of Italy as a geographic entity goes back to
industrial nations, a success achieved the time of the Etruscans, but prior to the
by names such as Fiat, Pirelli, Olivetti, 19th century, the only time the peninsula
Zanussi, Alessi, and Armani. The south, was united was under the Romans, who
in contrast, has high unemployment, by the 2nd century BC had subdued the
many areas in the grip of organized other Italian tribes and the Greek colonies
crime, and regions that rank among around the coast. Rome became the
the most depressed in Europe. capital of a huge empire, introducing
History and geography have both its language, laws, and calendar to most
contributed to the division. The north of Europe before falling to Germanic
is closer both in location and spirit to invaders in the 5th century AD.

The softly undulating hills of Tuscany
The awe inspiring ruins of the Roman Forum, Rome

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