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Italians

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

The Capitoline Wolf, an ancient Roman sculpture showing a she-wolf caring for the twin brothers Romulus and Remus, who founded the city of Rome.

Italians are an ethnic group and nation from the Italian geographical region. They share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. Their ancestors include various Italic peoples, especially the ancient Romans, who helped shape the Italian identity. The term "Italian" has been used since ancient times for people from this region.

Most Italians speak Italian, a Romance language that comes from Vulgar Latin. Some also speak regional or minority languages that existed before the national language. Besides the around 55 million Italians living in Italy, there are Italian-speaking communities in nearby countries like Switzerland, France, Istria, Dalmatia, and San Marino.

Because of historical events like Italian unification, World War I, and World War II, many Italians moved to other parts of the world. Today, over 5 million Italian citizens live outside Italy, and more than 80 million people worldwide have Italian ancestry. Large Italian communities can be found in Brazil, Argentina, the United States, and France.

Italians have made important contributions to many areas, including the arts, music, science, technology, fashion, cinema, cuisine, sports, law, banking, and business. They often have strong ties to their local regions or towns.

Name

Further information: Name of Italy

The name "Italia" might have come from an old word meaning "land of calves." Ancient writers told stories about how Italy got its name, including tales of a legendary king named Italus. At first, the name "Italia" was used only for the southern part of Italy, but over time it came to mean a larger area.

As Rome grew, the land south of the Alps became known as Italy. Later, even more land was added, including islands in the Mediterranean Sea like Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. People from these places were called Italic and Roman. The word "Italianus" began to be used in the middle ages to describe people from Italy.

History

Main article: Population history of Italy

Further information: History of Italy

Roman era

Further information: Roman Italy, Ancient peoples of Italy, List of ancient Italic peoples, Etruscan civilization, Roman people, Italic peoples, Magna Graecia, Cisalpine Gaul, and Ancient Rome

The Italian peninsula was made up of many different groups before the Romans took control in the 3rd century BCE. The Latins, with Rome as their main city, became the most powerful group by 218 BCE. They went on to conquer lands beyond Italy, including Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. By the end of the Third Punic War in 146 BCE, Rome had defeated Carthage and become the strongest power in the Mediterranean.

Rome started as a city-state with a republic, but several big conflicts changed its government. After these conflicts, Octavian became the first Roman emperor in 31 BC.

During a difficult time called the Crisis of the Third Century, the Roman Empire almost fell apart. In 284 CE, Emperor Diocletian helped stabilize the empire by splitting it into a Western and an Eastern part. Christianity became the official religion of Rome in AD 380. The Western Roman Empire ended in the late 5th century when a German leader took over.

The Middle Ages

Further information: Italy in the Middle Ages

After the Western Roman Empire ended, Odoacer became the first king of Italy. Later, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I took control of Italy back from another group, but soon after, the Lombards invaded and took most of the land.

For the next two hundred years, popes worked to oppose foreign rulers in Italy. With help from two Frankish kings, Pepin and Charlemagne, they created the Papal States in central Italy. Charlemagne was crowned Roman Emperor by the pope in 800. Italy became part of the Holy Roman Empire in the 10th century.

The Renaissance and the Age of Discovery

Further information: Italian city-states and Italian language § Origins

From the 11th century, Italian cities became very important and independent. Cities like Florence, Rome, Genoa, Milan, Pisa, Siena, and Venice grew powerful. They were centers of banking, trade, and new ideas. The Renaissance began in Florence in the 14th century, bringing amazing art, music, and science.

Italian explorers helped start the Age of Discovery. They wanted new trade routes and discovered new lands. Famous explorers included Christopher Columbus, who found the New World, John Cabot, who reached Newfoundland, Amerigo Vespucci, who showed that the New World was a new continent, and Giovanni da Verrazzano, who explored the Atlantic coast of North America.

The French Revolution and Napoleon

Main article: Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy

The French Revolution began in 1789 and many Italians supported it. In 1796, Napoleon led a French army into Italy and took control from Austrian rulers. Napoleon became emperor in 1804, and he united parts of Italy under the name of the Kingdom of Italy. French rule lasted less than 20 years but brought new laws and ideas, helping Italians see the possibility of a united country.

Italian unification and the Kingdom of Italy

Main articles: Italian unification, Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, and Kingdom of Italy

After Napoleon was defeated, Italy was controlled by the Austrian Empire. Italian nationalists like Giuseppe Mazzini worked for many years to unite Italy. Finally, in 1861, Victor Emmanuel II became the king of the Kingdom of Italy.

Italian troops took Rome in 1870, and it became the capital in 1871. The full unification of Italy was finished during World War I.

The Italian Republic

Main article: History of the Italian Republic

In 1946, Italy voted to replace its monarchy with a republic. A new democratic constitution was created in 1947.

Italy joined NATO in 1949 and received help to rebuild its economy through the Marshall Plan. In 1957, Italy became a founding member of the European Economic Community, which later became the European Union.

Ethnogenesis

Further information: Genetic history of Europe, Genetic history of Italy, Italic peoples, and List of ancient peoples of Italy

Because of changes in where people lived in Italy over time, and where Italy is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, people from Italy today come from many different backgrounds.

Bronze Age

Further information: Prehistoric Italy and Indo-European migrations

People in Italy, like most people in Europe, mostly come from three groups: hunters and gatherers who lived in Italy as long as 35,000 to 40,000 years ago; farmers who moved from Western Asia and the Middle East about 9,000 years ago; and people from the steppes of Ukraine and southern Russia who moved into Europe about 5,000 years ago.

The first groups of people from Central Europe moved into Italy during the Bronze Age, including people from the Bell Beaker culture. Later, groups such as the Italo-Celts arrived. Studies show that people from the steppes arrived in Northern Italy by at least 2000 BCE and in Central Italy by 1600 BCE. During the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, groups like the La Tène and Hallstatt cultures lived in much of Italy. Many different groups, such as the Latins and Falisci, called Italy home.

Iron Age

Before the Romans ruled Italy, the land was home to many different groups of people. Some of the groups living in Italy and its islands included:

By the start of the Iron Age, the Etruscans were the main group in Italy. They lived in areas such as Tuscany, western Umbria, and northern Lazio, as well as parts of the Po Valley, Emilia-Romagna, southern Lombardy, southern Veneto, and western Campania. Researchers believe the Etruscans were local people who lived there for a long time.

The Ligures were among the oldest groups in Italy and Western Europe. They lived in areas such as Liguria, Piedmont, northern Tuscany, western Lombardy, western Emilia-Romagna and northern Sardinia.

Starting in the 8th century BCE, Greeks arrived in Italy and created cities along the coast of southern Italy and eastern Sicily, known as Magna Graecia ("Greater Greece"). Though sometimes at war with local groups, the Greeks influenced many people in eastern Sicily and the southern coast of Italy.

The Gauls moved into northern Italy in the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, settling in an area called Cisalpine Gaul. Though named after the Gauls, this area was mostly home to local groups such as the Ligures, Etruscans, Euganei, and Veneti. Some Gauls settled in north Italy, though the numbers were smaller compared to the local people.

Roman

Main article: Colonia (Roman)

The Romans, originally made up of groups such as the Latins, Sabines and Etruscans, went on to take over all of Italy. During Roman times, many cities and towns were built across Italy, such as Florence, Turin, Como, Pavia, Padua, Verona, Vicenza, Trieste and many others. After the Romans took over Italy, the culture and language became more like Rome’s. The Romans also took control of areas north of Italy and set up towns there, such as Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma, Piacenza, Cremona and Forlì.

Middle Ages

Groups such as the Sciri, Heruli, Turcilingi, and Rugians, led by Odoacer, moved into Italy in 476 CE. Before them, groups like the Alemanni and Burgundians had also settled in parts of Italy. The Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric the Great, took control of Italy and mixed their culture with Roman culture to fit in with the local people. After wars that caused lots of damage, the Ostrogoths were defeated but were allowed to live in Italy peacefully.

In the sixth century, the Longobards moved into Italy, which was then under control of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Longobards were fewer in number than the local people. Later groups such as the Bavarians and Franks also took control of parts of Italy. Some groups of Slavs and Bulgars settled in northern Italy between the 7th and 8th centuries.

After the Romans, places like Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia were taken over by groups such as the Vandals, then the Ostrogoths, and finally the Byzantines. Sicily was later taken by Arabs in the 9th century and then by Normans in the 11th century, creating a unique culture in Sicily. During the rule of Frederick II, many Muslims were moved out, and new settlers from northern Italy and other places moved in.

Modern period

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Leaders like Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi played important roles in helping Italy become one country.

Many people from Lombardy moved to cities such as Naples, Rome, and Palermo in the 16th and 17th centuries because there was not enough space in the north. Small groups of Slavs and Arbereshe also settled in Italy, as did Scottish soldiers who worked for the French king and settled in Piedmont.

Because of its closeness to Southern Italy, Albanians crossed the Strait of Otranto, especially after leaders such as Skanderbeg and areas of the Balkans were taken over. The king of Naples invited Arbereshe soldiers to move to Italy, promising them land and lower taxes.

Arbereshe and Schiavoni were used to refill villages that had lost people because of disasters. Albanian soldiers also helped control rebellions in Calabria. Groups of Slavs settled in parts of eastern Friuli, Sicily and Molise.

Between the late Middle Ages and the early modern time, many Albanians moved to Italy, and some still speak the Albanian language today.

Italian Surnames

Most Italy’s surnames, except in areas with different language groups, come from the Italian language. Many surnames describe a person’s looks (like Rossi, meaning red-haired, or Bianchi, meaning white), their job (like Ferrari, meaning blacksmith), or where they came from (like Padovano, meaning from Padua). Some show people came from far away places (like Greco, meaning Greek, or Tedesco, meaning German).

Most common surnames
1Rossi
2Ferrari
3Russo
4Bianchi
5Romano
6Gallo
7Costa
8Fontana
9Conti
10Esposito
11Ricci
12Bruno
13Rizzo
14Moretti
15De Luca
16Marino
17Greco
18Barbieri
19Lombardi
20Giordano

Italian diaspora

Main articles: Italian diaspora and Oriundo

Many Italians moved to other countries over the years. A big wave of Italians left after Italy became a united country in 1861 and before the First World War. They left because Italy had tough economic times, while other parts of the world were growing and offered better jobs. This movement continued through the 1920s and even after the Second World War. Today, a new wave of Italians is moving abroad because of money problems in Italy.

Over 80 million people today say they have Italian roots but live outside of Italy. Most of them, around 50 million, are in South America. Brazil has the most, and in Argentina, more than half of all people have at least one Italian ancestor. In North America, about 23 million people have Italian ancestors, mostly in the United States and Canada. Smaller groups live in Europe, like in France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, and also in places like Australia and New Zealand.

Some people with Italian ancestors can become Italian citizens if they have an ancestor who was born in Italy and passed that citizenship on before becoming a citizen of another country. There is no limit to how many generations can claim this right.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Italy

Further information: National symbols of Italy, Traditions of Italy, and Folklore of Italy

Italy is seen as one of the places where Western civilization began. Italian culture is very rich and varies across the whole Italian peninsula, including Sardinia and Sicily. Italy was the home of important moments in history such as the Roman Republic, Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Renaissance.

Italy was the first place in Europe to have a university with the University of Bologna. Many famous artists, scientists, and writers came from Italy during the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. Today, cities like Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, and Naples are known around the world for their history, art, and culture.

Philosophy

Main article: Italian philosophy

Italian ideas have shaped world thinking for a long time. From the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans right up through today, Italy's stories and thoughts have mattered a lot. During the middle ages, Italian thinking was mostly about Christianity. A well-known teacher named Saint Thomas Aquinas helped mix ideas from a thinker named Aristotelian philosophy with Christian beliefs.

Big cities such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Padua, Bologna, and Naples were places where smart people gathered to share ideas. Italy was home to many great thinkers like Giambattista Vico, who started modern Italian thinking, and scientists such as Alessandro Volta and Luigi Galvani. Cesare Beccaria spoke out against unfair punishments.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italy helped create many new ways of thinking such as anarchism, communism, socialism, futurism, and Christian democracy. Important philosophers from this time include Antonio Rosmini, Giovanni Gentile, and Antonio Gramsci. Early thinkers about fairness for everyone include Sibilla Aleramo, Alaide Gualberta Beccari, and Anna Maria Mozzoni. Maria Montessori created a special way of teaching children called the Montessori philosophy of education.

Literature

Main article: Italian literature

Italian literature has a long and rich history. It began in 240 BC in Rome with the first stage play. Romans were known for their talented poets, writers, speakers, thinkers, and historians. Some well-known names include Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Virgil, Horace, Propertius, Ovid, and Livy.

In the Middle Ages, important poets like Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, and Giovanni Boccaccio wrote famous works. During the Renaissance, writers such as Leonardo Bruni, Coluccio Salutati, and Niccolò Machiavelli shared their ideas through books and essays.

In more recent times, writers like Giacomo Leopardi, Alessandro Manzoni, Italo Svevo, and Luigi Pirandello became well known. Many Italian writers have won important awards, including the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Italy

The politics of Italy work through a system where leaders are chosen by voting. Since June 2, 1946, Italy has been a country where people pick their leaders through votes, ending the old rule by kings. The main leader, called the Prime Minister or "President of the Council," heads a group that helps run the country. Laws are mostly made by two groups of elected people called Parliament, but the leader's group can also suggest new laws.

Italy’s leaders include many important people who have helped guide the country. Women in Italy have gained more rights over time, including the right to vote and laws that help keep them safe and treat them fairly. Today, women in Italy have the same chances as men to work, learn, and build businesses.

Law and justice

Since the time of the Roman Empire, many important ideas about law in the West came from Roman lawyers. During the Middle Ages, a man named Saint Thomas Aquinas combined ideas about natural law with ideas from the Bible. Later, during the Renaissance, a teacher named Alberico Gentili wrote the first book about international law and helped separate everyday laws from religious laws.

In more recent times, great thinkers like Cesare Beccaria, Giambattista Vico and Francesco Mario Pagano became famous for their work on laws, especially about crime. Another important lawyer, Francesco Carrara, worked hard to end the death penalty in Europe. Many Italians have also become well-known as important judges and lawyers in modern times.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Italy

The economy of Italy is strong and well-developed. It is the third-largest economy in the European Union and one of the biggest in the world. Italy is part of important groups like the European Union, the Eurozone, the OECD, the G7, and the G20. The country exports a lot of goods, making it one of the top exporters globally.

After World War II, Italy changed from an economy based mostly on farming to becoming a leader in global trade and exports. Today, Italy is known for making and selling many things, including machinery, vehicles, medicines, furniture, food, and clothing. The country has many smaller businesses that help drive its economy.

Visual art

Main article: Italian art

Roman art was inspired by the art of ancient Greece, but Roman painting had its own special traits. Most of the surviving Roman paintings are wall paintings from villas in Campania, in Southern Italy. These paintings can be divided into four main styles and sometimes show clever tricks of the eye, like making flat walls look real and close.

The Italian Renaissance is often called the golden age of painting. During this time, many talented artists lived in Italy. They included Paolo Uccello, Fra Angelico, Masaccio, Piero della Francesca, Andrea Mantegna, Filippo Lippi, Giorgione, Tintoretto, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Giovanni Bellini, and Titian. These artists learned new ways to draw and paint by studying how things looked from different angles and by carefully looking at the human body.

Later, in the 15th and 16th centuries, a style called mannerism appeared. Instead of calm and balanced paintings, Mannerist artists liked to create works that felt unstable and full of emotion.

In the 1600s, Italian Baroque painting became popular. Artists such as Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi created dramatic and powerful works. The 1700s saw the Italian Rococo style, influenced by French art, with artists like Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.

In the 1800s, Italian artists explored new styles like Romantic painting and later Impressionism, brought from France. The 1900s brought exciting changes with the Futurism movement, led by artists such as Umberto Boccioni.

Music

Main article: Music of Italy

Italy has a rich musical history. Many important musical instruments, like the piano and violin, were created there. Italian musicians also helped shape classical music with forms such as the symphony and concerto. Italian opera began in cities like Mantua and Venice and has had a big influence on opera around the world.

Famous Italian composers include Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Claudio Monteverdi, and many others who created beautiful operas and symphonies. In more recent times, Italy has also been home to talented conductors and musicians who have performed internationally. Jazz became popular in Italy in the 1920s, and the country later embraced rock, electronic music, and pop, with events like the Sanremo Music Festival inspiring others across Europe.

Theatre and dance

Main article: Theatre of Italy

The traditions of Italian theatre began in the ancient Greek colonies of Magna Graecia in Southern Italy and the theatre of the Italic peoples and ancient Rome. During the Middle Ages, Italian theatre included dramatizations of religious services, performances by entertainers at royal courts, songs by traveling musicians, and public festivals in cities. Renaissance theatre saw a revival of old plays, which were rediscovered, translated into Italian, and performed again. The cities of Ferrara and Rome were important in bringing back theatrical art in the fifteenth century.

From the 16th to 18th century, commedia dell'arte became a popular form of improvisational theatre. Traveling groups of performers would set up outdoor stages and entertain people with juggling, acrobatics, and funny plays called canovaccio. Actors made up their performances on the spot using simple stories called lazzi, and they used familiar characters like silly old men, clever servants, and boastful soldiers.

Important Italian theatre actors and writers include Jacopone da Todi, Angelo Beolco, Isabella Andreini, Carlo Goldoni, Eduardo Scarpetta, Ettore Petrolini, Eleonora Duse, Eduardo De Filippo, Carmelo Bene, and Giorgio Strehler.

The ballet dance style also started in Italy. It began during the Italian Renaissance as entertainment at weddings for royalty. At first, ballets were part of operas, giving the audience a break from the drama. By the 17th century, Italian ballets were performed between opera acts, and by the 1800s, they had become a popular dance form on their own.

Cinema

Main articles: Cinema of Italy, List of Italian film directors, and List of Italian actors

Italian cinema began in the late 1800s, just after the Lumière brothers started showing movies. The first Italian film was made in 1896 by Vittorio Calcina, who filmed Pope Leo XIII. In 1914, the famous silent film Cabiria was directed by Giovanni Pastrone and was shown in the White House, making it a very important movie in history.

After World War II, Italian films became very popular around the world. Famous directors like Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, and Sergio Leone created memorable movies such as Bicycle Thieves, La dolce vita, and . Actresses like Sophia Loren also became well-known. The Venice International Film Festival, started in 1932, is one of the oldest film festivals in the world. Italian films have won many awards, including the most Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

Science and technology

Main articles: Science and technology in Italy and List of Italian inventions

Italians have made many important discoveries and inventions in science and technology. During the Renaissance, Italian thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Leon Battista Alberti helped advance fields such as biology, architecture, and engineering. Galileo Galilei, a scientist and astronomer, improved the telescope, which helped us learn more about space and supported the ideas of Copernicanism.

Italian scientists have also made big steps in biology, physics, and more. For example, Francesco Redi showed that maggots come from fly eggs, and Rita Levi-Montalcini discovered a factor that helps nerves grow. In physics, Enrico Fermi helped build the first nuclear reactor and worked on quantum theory.

Some famous Italian inventors include Alessandro Volta, who created the electric battery, and Guglielmo Marconi, who invented radio. Others, like Giulio Natta, won important prizes for their work in chemistry.

Mathematics

Main article: List of Italian mathematicians

Many talented Italian mathematicians made important discoveries over the centuries. During the Middle Ages, Leonardo Fibonacci brought a new way of using numbers, called the Hindu–Arabic numeral system, to Europe. He also created a special number pattern now known as the Fibonacci sequence.

Later, other Italian mathematicians continued to make big contributions. Luca Pacioli helped create methods for keeping track of money in businesses. Galileo Galilei made advances in math, and Bonaventura Cavalieri did work that helped lead to calculus. Many more Italians helped shape the way we understand math today, creating new ideas and solving tough problems.

Nobel Prizes

YearWinnerBranchContribution
1906Giosuè CarducciLiterature"Not only in consideration of his deep learning and critical research, but above all as a tribute to the creative energy, freshness of style, and lyrical force which characterize his poetic masterpieces".
1906Camillo GolgiMedicine"In recognition of his work on the structure of the nervous system".
1907Ernesto Teodoro MonetaPeace"For his work in the press and in peace meetings, both public and private, for an understanding between France and Italy".
1909Guglielmo MarconiPhysics"In recognition of his contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy".
1926Grazia DeleddaLiterature"For her idealistically inspired writings which with plastic clarity picture the life on her native island and with depth and sympathy deal with human problems in general."
1934Luigi PirandelloLiterature"For his bold and ingenious revival of dramatic and scenic art."
1938Enrico FermiPhysics"For his demonstrations of the existence of new radioactive elements produced by neutron irradiation, and for his related discovery of nuclear reactions brought about by slow neutrons."
1957Daniel BovetMedicine"For his discoveries relating to synthetic compounds that inhibit the action of certain body substances, and especially their action on the vascular system and the skeletal muscles."
1959Salvatore QuasimodoLiterature"For his lyrical poetry, which with classical fire expresses the tragic experience of life in our own times."
1959Emilio Gino SegrèPhysics"For his discovery of the anti-proton."
1963Giulio NattaChemistry"For his discoveries in the field of the chemistry and technology of high polymers."
1969Salvatore LuriaMedicine"For his discoveries concerning the replication mechanism and the genetic structure of viruses."
1975Renato DulbeccoMedicine"For his discoveries concerning the interaction between tumour viruses and the genetic material of the cell."
1975Eugenio MontaleLiterature"For his distinctive poetry which, with great artistic sensitivity, has interpreted human values under the sign of an outlook on life with no illusions."
1984Carlo RubbiaPhysics"For his decisive contributions to the large project, which led to the discovery of the field particles W and Z, communicators of weak interaction."
1985Franco ModiglianiEconomics"For his pioneering analyses of saving and of financial markets".
1986Rita Levi-MontalciniMedicine"For his discoveries in growth factors."
1997Dario FoLiterature"Who emulates the jesters of the Middle Ages in scourging authority and upholding the dignity of the downtrodden."
2002Riccardo GiacconiPhysics"For pioneering contributions to astrophysics, which have led to the discovery of cosmic X-ray sources."
2007Mario CapecchiMedicine"For his discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells."
2021Giorgio ParisiPhysics"For the discovery of the interplay of disorder and fluctuations in physical systems from atomic to planetary scales."

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Italy

See also: List of World Heritage Sites in Italy

Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country, with 61 in total. Italians have created many famous buildings, like arches and domes, especially during ancient Rome. Later, during the Renaissance architectural movement, new styles of building developed. One of these styles, called Palladianism, influenced later designs such as Neoclassical architecture and Italianate architecture.

During a time called the Fascist period, new building styles appeared, including the Novecento movement. After that, other styles like Neo-liberty and Brutalist architecture were used by famous architects.

Cuisine

Main article: Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine is a type of food from the Mediterranean area. It uses simple ingredients and focuses on their quality rather than complicated cooking. Many popular Italian dishes were created by everyday people, making them easy to cook at home. Italian food comes from the Italian Peninsula and has spread around the world with Italian families who moved to new places. Different areas in Italy have their own special recipes, but they all share some common traditions.

Fashion and design

Italian fashion

Main articles: Italian fashion and History of Italian fashion

Milan, Florence, and Rome are Italy's main fashion capitals. Milan is often seen as the fashion capital because many famous designers work there. Major Italian fashion labels like Gucci, Armani, Prada, Versace, Curiel, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Fendi, Moschino, Max Mara, Trussardi, Benetton, and Ferragamo are known around the world. Accessory and jewelry brands such as Bulgari, Luxottica, and Buccellati were started in Italy and are famous globally. The fashion magazine Vogue Italia is one of the most respected fashion magazines worldwide.

Italian design

Main article: Italian design

Italy is also famous in the field of design, especially in interior design, architectural design, industrial design, and urban design. The country has created well-known furniture designers like Gio Ponti and Ettore Sottsass. Milan and Turin lead in architectural and industrial design. Milan hosts the FieraMilano, Europe's biggest design fair, the Fuori Salone, and the Salone del Mobile, and has been home to designers Bruno Munari, Lucio Fontana, Enrico Castellani, and Piero Manzoni.

Sport

Main article: Sport in Italy

Italian athletes have won many medals at the Olympic games, making them one of the top groups in Olympic history. They do especially well in sports like swordsmanship and skiing, thanks to the mountains in Northern and Central Italy.

Italy has a very strong football team, having won many big tournaments over the years. The country is also known for its success in cycling, with the famous Giro d'Italia race held every May. Italian players often appear near the top in tennis rankings, and the country has made big achievements in basketball, volleyball, and rugby too.

Women

Main article: Women in Italy

Italy has many famous women who have made important contributions in different fields. Some well-known Italian women include actresses like Anna Magnani, Sofia Loren, and Gina Lollobrigida. There are also famous singers such as Renata Tebaldi, ballet dancers like Carla Fracci, and athletes including Sara Simeoni, Deborah Compagnoni, Valentina Vezzali, and Federica Pellegrini.

Other notable women are writers such as Natalia Ginzburg, Elsa Morante, Alda Merini, and Oriana Fallaci. Italy also boasts accomplished scientists like Rita Levi-Montalcini, who won a Nobel Prize in 1986, and astrophysicist Margherita Hack. There have been successful astronauts such as Samantha Cristoforetti, and important figures in politics like Giorgia Meloni, who became Italy's first female Prime Minister of Italy.

Images

An ancient Roman coin from the Marsic Confederation, dating back to 90-88 BC, featuring a symbolic scene of unity and oath-taking among Italian allies during the Social War.
Historical coin portrait of King Odoacer from the British Museum, showing his simple and distinctive hairstyle typical of the late antique period.
A colorful mosaic artwork showing Marco Polo, an explorer from history, located in the Palazzo Grimaldi Doria-Tursi in Genoa.
Portrait of Christopher Columbus painted in 1520 by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio.
Portrait of Giuseppe Compagnoni, an important Italian jurist and writer from the 18th century.
Portrait of Goffredo Mameli, an Italian patriot from the 19th century.
Portrait of Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of United Italy, from 1861.
A self-portrait of the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci, showcasing his work from the Renaissance period.
Portrait of Amerigo Vespucci, the famous explorer, wearing a turban in this historical artwork.
Portrait of Laura Bassi, an Italian physicist and one of the earliest women to gain recognition in the scientific community.
A classic artwork by Michele Novaro, suitable for educational use.
Portrait of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, an important Italian political leader from the 1800s.
Alcide De Gasperi, an important Italian political leader, pictured in the 1950s.
A young Italian exile carries a tricolor flag during the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus in 1945.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Italians, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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