Heritage

For ten days in December, a scirocco paralyzed Rome. Traders, oblivious to a rise in corn, moped around the Triton Fountain in Piazza Barberini. Socialites, veiled and caped in otter, drowsed in park carriages on the Corso. From the loggia …

Nestled on a little island, off the southeastern tip of Sicily stands a gleaming white cathedral. As the hot Mediterranean sun hits its towering Corinthian columns and saintly statues, the Baroque façade lights up. It’s an architectural gem and beautiful …

The beautiful walled city of Volterra, an ancient Etruscan town some 45 miles southwest of Florence, is famous for its well-preserved medieval ramparts, museums and archeological sites, and atmospheric cobblestone streets. Fans of American author Stephanie Meyer know it as …

Rome, caput mundi and glorious mother of western civilization, wasn’t the first power to rule over the peninsula. Naturally enough, a lot happened before that faithful April 21, 753 BC, the date selected by Latin historian Varro as the beginning …

Last month Venice suffered the fourth highest floods in its history. Water seeped up through the drains, over the canal sides and into the houses, businesses and hotels of the city. And few were spared, with around 75% of streets …

On the 14th of March 1891, 11 people were accused of the murder of the chief of police. They were acquitted, but it ended up in a pogrom: the victims were the children of the laborers deported to Louisiana to …

One of the great things about modern libraries that is sometimes taken for granted is the access to books of many cultures and ages they make available.  Such was not always the case. With the fall of the Roman Empire in …

A masked parade on the waters of Venice’s canals. The Doge’s ball. Thousands of masks walking around the city. From the party on the Rio del Cannaregio to the parade in Piazza San Marco, where one can see the most …

It is often reported that kids today no longer go out to the streets to play with their friends and to engage in discovering novel adventures, as it was usual a few generations ago. No, today they sit down in …

This year, the 20th of March was not only the last day of Winter: it also celebrated the innovative beauty of Italian design around the world. The day, Italian Design Day 2019, endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and …