SCUOLA MEDIA STATALE “GUIDO FASSI” – CARPI CLASS 3 B and 3 E PRESENT

ITALY

and the Italian way

Some Introductory notes Italy is located in Southern Europe and is formed by the boot-shaped Italian PenInsula

and a number of islands including the two largest Sicily and Sardinia.

The country’s total area is 301,230 km2. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula’s

backbone and the Alps form its northern boundary

where Italy’s highest point is located on Mont Blanc. The Po, Italy’s longest river (652 km) flows from the

Alps on the western border with France and crosses

the Padan plain on its way to the Adriatic Sea.The five

largest lakes are Garda, Maggiore, Como,

Trasimeno, Bolsena. Italy is a Parliamentary Democratic Republic with

more than 60,000,000 people. Rome is its capital where the President of the

Republic Giorgio Napolitano lives,the Senate and the

Chambers of Deputies are and where the Prime

Minister Silvio Berlusconi leads the Council of Ministers.

The Climate

The climate of Italy is highly diverse and can be far from the

stereotypical Mediterranean climate, depending on location. Most of the inland northern regions of Italy, for example

Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, have a humid

subtropical climate. The coastal areas of Liguria and most of the peninsula

south of Florence generally fit the Mediterranean

stereotype . Conditions on peninsular coastal areas can be very

Different from the interior’s higher ground and valleys,

particularly during the winter months when the

higher altitudes tend to be cold, wet and

often snowy. The coastal regions have mild winters and

warm and generally dry summers, although lowland valleys can be

quite hot in summer.

Government and Politics Italy is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system (too

many parties actually). Executive power is exercised by the Council of

Ministers which is led by a President (Prime Minister).

Legislative power is vested in the two Houses of parliament

primarily then in the Council of Ministers. The Judiciary

power is independent from the executive and legislative

ones.

Giorgio Napolitano is the President Of the Italian Republic.

He is elected for seven years by the Parliament. He

represents the unity of the nation. He is a point of

connection between the three branches of power. He appoints

the executive, he is the President of the Judiciary Power and he’s also commander-in-

chief of the Armed Forces.

Italy has been a democratic republic since 2 June 1946, when the monarchy

was abolished by popular referendum.

The constitution was promulgated on 1 January 1948.

Government and Politics 2

The President nominates the Prime Minister who proposes the other

Ministers (formally appointed by the President of the Republic). The present Prime Minister is Silvio Berlusconi.

Italy elects a parliament consisting of two

houses,the Chamber of Deputies with 630

members and the Senate of the Republic with

315 members. Legislative bills may originate in both houses

and must be passed by a majority in both.

All Italian citizens 18 years of age and older can vote. However to vote for the Senate, the voter must be at least 25 years old.

The electoral system is very complicated at the moment and was changed by the present majority which runs the government (right wing), Many parties would like to change it and have a French or German-like system.

Economy The Italian economy has changed dramatically since the end of World War II.

From an agricultarally based economy, it has developed into an industrial

state ranked as one of the world largest industrial economy. Italy belongs to the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations; it is a

member of the European Union . Italy has few natural resources. With

much of the land unsuited for farming, it is a net food importer. Italy’s

economic strength is in the processing and the manufacturing of goods,

primarily in small and medium sized family-owned firms. Its major

industries are precision machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electric goods and fashion and clothing.

Italy continues to grapple with budget deficits and high public debts. The

situation has been getting worse in the last few years like in the other

countries. The Italian Government should bring the budget deficit down to a level

that would allow a rapid decrease of the debt. The global economic crisis has had a large impact on exports and domestic demand. Italy continues to grapple with the effects of globalization where certain countries (notably China) have eroded the Italian lower-end industrial product sector. The Italian economy is also affected by a large underground economy. This production is not subject, of course, to taxation and remains a source of lost revenue to the local and central government.

Unemployement is quite high at the moment: average about 11% with more than 14-15% in southern regions.

RELIGION Roman Catholicism is the main religion with 85 percent of native-born citizens Catholic, if only nominally, and only 20%

participate regularly in services of worship.

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government is thought to generally respect this right in

practice, not tolerating its abuse, either by government or private action. Thus, there is no state religion and the

constitution prohibits state support for private schools but the Catholic Church enjoys

some privileges, stemming from its sovereign status and its historical political authority,

not available to other faiths. The Church is allowed to select Catholic teachers, paid by the State, to provide

instruction in "hour of religion" courses taught in the public schools although

this class is optional, and students who do not wish to attend are free to study

other subjects.

The status of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy has been determined powers

by a series of accords with the Italian government. The Lateran Pacts of 1929,

which were confirmed by the present Constitution, confirms that the State of Vatican City

is recognised by Italy as an independent, sovereign entity. While preserving that recognition, in 1984 Italy and the

Vatican updated several provisions of the 1929 Pacts, which included the end of Roman Catholicism as Italy's

formal state religion.

While most of the population is Roman Catholic there are also significant minorities, which include Protestants

and Jews, although the Jehovah's Witnesses form the second largest denomination among native-born

citizens,numbering approximately 400,000. Increasing immigration has led to some anti-immigrant sentiment to be

directed towards the country's many Muslim immigrants as religion has served as an additional factor differentiating

them from native-born citizens. Immigration, both legal and illegal, continues to add large groups of non-Christian

residents, mainly Muslims from North Africa, South Asia, Albania, and the Middle East (about 1,000,000) .

Recent polls show that approximately 14% of the population consider themselves to be either atheists or agnostics.

ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES Rome is the largest city in Italy, and it's also the capital of the country.

It has countless ancient monuments, such as the world-famous

Colosseum. In the ancient times Rome was the center of a vast empire,

and the Roman Forum was a major power center of the ancient world.

You can walk today in the very places frequented by Julius Caesar and

Roman emperors like Caesar Augustus. The city also has a wealth of

more modern art and fountains. At the famous Trevi Fountain, it's said

you will return to Rome if you toss a coin in. But not only does Rome

feature ancient wonders and many centuries of art. It is also a vibrant

city really full of life. Known for its art, Florence is a gorgeous city brimming with palaces

and Renaissance architecture. This was the birthplace of the Italian

Rennaisance, and leading artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo

worked here. You can see Michelangelo's famous masterpiece,

The David here. The Duomo towers over the red roofs of Florence,

giving the city its unique skyline. The Ponte Vecchio is another unique

landmark - it's a bridge over the Arno River, that has shops hanging off

the sides of the bridge. These have served many purposes over the centuries, but today

you'll find some spectacular jewelry shops there - just browsing is

amazing. And while you might want to avoid summertime if you're there when it's hot outside,

there are many gelaterias to tempt you with their cool gelato offerings.

ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES Linked by a series of canals, Venice is a feast for the eyes.

It's a truly a unique experience. As there are no cars or trucks

in the city, you can enjoy being a pedestrian in Italy.

There are many narrow, winding, cobbled streets to stroll,

with small courtyards tucked away here and there,

and frequent bridges over the canals. The other way to

get around is by boat - either on a vaporetto

(like a boat bus), or on one of the traditional

and romantic gondolas.

St Mark's Square is world famous, with its cathedral of golden

mosaics dominating the scene. It's a large square,

and you can sit and relax, enjoying a real cappuccino

as you watch the people go by. You can also visit the smaller

outer islands, and watch glass blowers

at Murano, or lace making on Burano.

ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES Considered by many to be Italy's most sophisticated city, Milan

is a major finance and fashion capital. Whether buying or just

window shopping, you can see the cutting edge of high-fashion

in the designer shops in this city. Milan is always in the lead,

so the trends you see here may show up back home awhile later,

and you can say you saw it here first!

The 500 year old Gothic Duomo is one of the largest churches

ever built, and it's quite a sight to behold, with an incredible array

of sculptures and spires. If you love castles, the Castello Sforzesco

is a huge fortified castle, which survived many a battle

in its centuries-long history.

Today it is home to several museums. And the most famous

sight of all is probably the painting by Leonardo da Vinci –

The Last Supper. It's a mural on the wall of Santa Maria della Grazie,

and if you want to see it, make arrangements in advance –

it can be sold out ahead of time!

 We just stop here but there are so many wonderful

Cities to visit both in northern and southern Italy

EMIGRATION In nearly a century between 1876 and 1970, an estimated 25 million Italians left the country in search of work. Of

these, 12 million left for destinations outside Europe. In the 1860s, transatlantic migration was most frequent among northern Italians and was often

associated with certain trades; for example, farmers, artists, and street traders

tended to emigrate to America. Two decades later, however, the trend had become a mass phenomenon, with

the main migrants increasingly emanating from the south.

Their principal destination was the United States, favored by more than half

the emigrants, the others choosing Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. Some also went to Australia.

In the 1920s the United States introduced strict immigration laws, and economic conditions in

Brazil and Argentina deteriorated so much that transatlantic emigration was stymied. In

addition, the fascist regime opposed emigration, and during World War II emigration halted

almost completely. After 1945 destinations were mainly European, the most popular being France

initially and then West Germany, Switzerland, Belgium. During this period the nature of emigration patterns changed, becoming less

stable. In many cases the emigrants were mostly male, as some European

countries refused entry to workers’ relatives because of housing shortages. Often Italian workers would remain abroad for short periods of time,

returning every so often to Italy. After so many years we wonder whether Italians remember they had to emigrate abroad and they should always

have a culture to welcome immigrants

IMMIGRATION We have had a lot of immigration waves in the last 30 years. At first from North African countries

such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt then, in the late Eighties, from Albania and Philippines mainly.

Most immigrants were illegal and without papers and documents.

Immigration to Italy is still caused by being near Africa and this is an easy way to come by boat to

Sicily. Moreover Immigrants think that it ‘s easy to find a job and live in Italy but very soon they

realize that reality is different.

All this caused a big problem for our society but it wasn’t so intense as it has been in the last few

years.

In the last decade many immigrants have come to Italy from Eastern Europe: Poland, Romania

Hungary, Ucraine, Russia and from Asia especially from Northern India (Punjab) and from

Pakistan.

At least two laws have been approved by theGovernment and

Parliament but illegal immigration has always been a problem.

We need people to work in our industries and in farming but we

have also many immigrants who commit crimes .

Italy has always been a generous and welcoming country but

in the last few years a feeling of a certain racism against foreign

people has grown which isn’t good at all.

We think we have bored you enough…let’s talk about something less serious then…

May be….Sport

Fashion Music

Food and Cuisine

Cinema

Italian Stereotypes

SPORT Italy has a long sporting tradition. In lots of sports, both individual and team, Italy has a good

representation and many successes. The most popular sport is football. The Italian national football

team has won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006), trailing only Brazil (with

five). Italy's club sides have won 27 major European

trophies, making them the most successful footballing nation in

Europe. But after 4 years our national team played badly and lost

vs Slovacchia at the last World Cup in South Africa. It still plays

that way… Also basketball and volleyball are very popular with Italy having

a rich tradition in both. Italy is one of the main basketball nations

of Europe. The national team's best results were gold at Eurobasket

1983 and 1999, as well as Silver at the Olympics of 2004. Until the

2000s, the Italian league was considered the strongest domestic

league outside of North America.

Volleyball is played by a lot of amateur players and professional

players compete in the Italian Volleyball League. Italian National

male and female teams are often in top four ranking of national teams

in the world, regarded as the best volleyball league in the world. Cycling is also a well represented sport in Italy. Italians have won more

World Cycling Championships than any other country except Belgium.

The Giro d'Italia is a world famous long distance bicycle race held every May

FASHION

Italian fashion has a long tradition and is regarded as one of the most important in the world. Milan, Florence and Rome are Italy’s main fashion capitals. Major Italian fashion labels such as Gucci, Prada, Armani, Valentino,Dolce e Gabbana, Versace, Max Mara, Fendi, to name a few, are regarded as amongst the finest fashion houses in the world- However designed clothes are very expensive and most fashion houses produce abroad (China, eastern Europe mainly).

Italian made shoes are famous all over the world for their style and leather especially Geox, Tod’s, Hogan, and hand-made shoes are well known all over the world.

MUSIC

Born out of the strains of melodrama, the melodic traditions of Italian

song have seen many a change over the past 50 years, starting with

Domenico Modugno. This tradition has never lost its charm, confirmed by

the fact that singers like Nilla Pizzi and Al Bano are still very popular abroad,

essentially responsible for the success also of modern singers such as Eros

Ramazzotti , Laura Pausini, Tiziano Ferro, Andrea Bocelli. The explosion of rock ‘n’ roll influenced and altered Italian song from the outset:

this was the time when wild young stars like Mina, Adriano Celentano, Rita Pavone

and Gianni Morandi made their mark. However a truly original current in Italian song is the singer

songwriter phenomenon. For Gino Paoli, Luigi

Tenco, Bruno Lauzi and Sergio Endrigo, songs could express a world of inner feelings that was artistically

autonomous; also the songs of Fabrizio De Andrè, while influenced by the music of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen,

reflect a tendency towards a world of intimate thought; Roberto Vecchioni explored individual inner feelings by telling

tales of Milan and its private emotions; the music of Lucio Battisti for the first time inventively blended the

Characteristics of American rhythm ‘n’ blues with the Italian melodic style, using simple yet dramatic language. Other

major names in Italian music are Claudio Baglioni, Antonello Venditti, poets and ballad singer-songwriters such as

Francesco De Gregori and Francesco Guccini and rock artists such as Vasco Rossi, Ligabue, Zucchero. The story

of Lucio Dalla from Bologna is quite unique: he began his career as a player in a jazz band and shrewdly proceeded to

develop his own individual style of work which now includes even theatre musical scores. There has also been a revival

of vocal romantic singing which reached its height with stars such as Pavarotti and Bocelli, following the outstanding

worldwide success of the song Caruso, by Lucio Dalla. Italian light music comprises excellent singers and players

whose style models are jazz-oriented, such as the piano player Paolo Conte, or inspired by the blues, as in the guitar

music of Pino Daniele, or even based on ancient traditional music and folk songs, best seen in the violin music of

Angelo Branduardi. Singer-songwriting has today embarked into new musical territory with figures of great talent and

communicability such as Jovanotti.

(Andrea Bocelli, Con te partirò)

OPERA Opera began in Italy. The most famous Italian opera writers

are Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Puccini and Verdi, who gave

voice to the feelings and anxieties of Italian society of their day.

It was above all through opera that those feelings were

expressed for example the discontent that pervaded Italy after

the Unification was expressed in Don Carlos by Verdi more than

in any other literary genre.

There are so many famous Italian operas: La Traviata,

Aida, La Boheme, Rigoletto, Otello, Il Trovatore, Nabucco,

Cavalleria Rusticana, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut

and many others.

In Italy there are a lot of opera theatres, nearly always in

splendid XVIIIth-XIXth century architecture including La Scala in Milan, the Petruzzelli in Bari,

the Valli in Reggio Emilia, the Fenice in Venice

One great opera director is Riccardo Muti who has in recent times perfected some highly

original and moving interpretations in particular for the operas of Verdi.

Opera singers of the highest repute include Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni, both born in

our province town, Modena, Renata Scotto, Sonia Ganassi, Michele Pertuso.

FOOD One of the greatest prides of the Italians is their food. The major meal in Italy is eaten in the middle of the

day. Large meals always consist of many courses. The Italians may have a pasta course followed by a course of fish or meat. The Italians sometimes have a course called antipasto, which is Italian for appetizers, before they eat their pasta

course. The antipasto course may contain a large variety of vegetables and

cold meats like prosciutto. The antipasto may also consist of salami, olives,

and artichoke hearts. Food in Italy vary a lot depending on which region you are in. Pizza is also a

very popular food in Italy. Wine is served with every meal other than

breakfast. Italians also have desserts after a meal. Fresh fruit is often a dessert.Cakes

are most likely the most popular dessert. Cakes include ice-creams,

tiramisu cake, rum cake, cannoli cake, and cheesecake. Italians are known for their use of herbs in cooking, especially oregano,basil,

thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage. Cheese also plays an important role

in Italian cuisine. There are more than 400 types of cheese made in Italy,

with Parmesan, mozzarella, and asiago among the best known worldwide.

Prosciutto ham was first made in Parma, a city that also gave its name to

Parmesan cheese. Many Italians eat their breakfast at the café where they usually have

cappuccino or coffee with a croissant

CINEMA

Italian cinema has always been famous in the world. De Sica, Rossellini and Visconti made masterpieces of universal

subject matter in a modern vein. Films such as Rome the Open City

and Paisà have become cult works. Other great directors were

Mario Monicelli, Pietro Germi and Dino Risi.

But during the Sixties Italian cinema also became experimental

with directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni and in the poetic

works of Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini.

La dolce vita was an extraordinary phenomenon, with lasting effects

on society as well. Also unforgettable are works of literary cinema by Luchino Visconti and

controversial political films by Bellocchio and Ferreri. They are film makers

who continue to have a strong influence on directors all around the world.

Italian modern cinema is represented by directors like Gabriele Salvatores (Mediterraneo), Gabriele Muccino (The Last Kiss, Remember me, my love) Paolo Virzì (My name is Tanino) , Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso. The Legend of 1900), Roberto Benigni who won the Oscar Awards for Life is Beautiful.

ITALIAN STEREOTYPES Spaghetti, mafia, musical accent, gestures, romantic, loud,

communicative, fashion, chaos – these are all words often used to describe Italians.

How much truth is there in the stereotype?

We will try to give an answer even if probably

other people might give you different answers. We would like to give you some insight into the

Italian soul and way of living and clarify some

common misunderstandings that foreigners have

about us. But watch this clip to see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI15ewNwv9c

What are The ITALIANS like according to the

English.

We hope you’ve managed to see the clip… Let’see what’s true in Italian stereotypes

Spaghetti and pasta in general are sacred.

You cannot take pasta away from an Italian

meal otherwise it won’t be complete. A tyypical Italian meal usually includes:

1. Starter (primo): pasta

2. Main course (secondo): fish or meat with salad

3. Fruit or dessert (dolce)

4. Coffee

Here there is the first problem as there are some regional differences so you can find risotto instead of pasta.

A good meal should always be shared with someone else. It’s a way to share conversation and jokes, forget work for a couple of hours and enjoy life. Don’t forget coffee. We drink lots of espressos!

Concerning work, what distinguishes Italians the most from other

nationalities is that they tend to take on their first job later in life – usually

after graduation. Family is the most important thing in our lives and male as well as female

roles are based on it. Men should be strong and protective while women

should be gentle and feminine. Nevertheless this does by no means imply that women should stay

at home taking care of household and children while men are supposed to be the main breadwinners. Most Italian women have jobs and are indepenent as well.

The way we are The way we speak is completely original. The most important element of communication are

the gestures: the way we move our hands, hold our heads, move our shoulders, our facial expressions, as well as the way we use our eyes and mouths to make ourselves

understood. A lot of foreigners think we are fighting when we talk

that way but it’s just the way we are. We like to travel a lot but don’t speak many foreign languages. We do enjoy romance. An Italian guy will never let a girl go home

unescorted, Also the macho idea is still alive in italian culture. We are also fashion victims: you can recognize Italians by the way they

dress from the head to feet. We will dress stilishly for every possible

occasion. You won’t ever see an Italian wearing sporting short pants

combined with long socks…it’s simply against our fashion rules. We are chaotic. Nothing in Italy is well organized or easy-to-use

(but we are improving now). You have to fight to find the smallest scrap of information. We are a generous, sunny, communicative people. We like to smile;

we love to talk – preferably over a one or two hour meal followed by

a good cup of coffee. This doesn’t imply that we don’t take work seriously

or that we work less than in other countries. A tipycal working day in Italy

lasts for at least 8 hours, from 8 a m to 6 pm or longer.

We feel that work is not everything in life.

Other aspects

Italians stay at their parents’ home until they have saved up enough money

to pay for a flat . This can take a while which is why many Italians

leave their homes when they’re already 30 or older. This, by the way,

has earned Italians a reputation to of being mummy’s boys.

Another stereotype caused by misunderstanding between cultures

even if in certain cases this is true.

The Mafia is real: we are not proud of it but it does exists, especially in

the South and the Isle of Sicily. Obviously, not every Italian is a Mafioso

and most will feel offended and insulted if you use the term, even when

you mean it as a joke.

The country of Italy is made up by many different regions (20) and provinces –

each one with its own distinctive dialect, culture and history. Inter-regional

relations can be quite tense during elections times or even just during

local football matches.

But we are all totally committed to our national football team.

When the World Cup is being played, we forget about the differences

between the North and the South, Milan and Rome.

In conclusion

We are a strange and wonderful country that is

well worth a visit – you may like it or not, but you

will definetely be surprised!!!

OUR REGION: EMILIA ROMAGNA

Introductory notes to Emilia Romagna

Our region consists of nine provinces and the capital is Bologna. It is considered as one of the richest regions not

only in Italy but in Europe,too. It has highly

advanced and modern social services. It has one of Italy’s highest quality of life and

it’s also a major cultural and touristic centre,

it’s the home of the oldest university in the

western world. Nearly half of the region (50%) consists of plains (Pianura

Padana), 25% is hilly and 25% is mountainous. The longest Italian river, the Po, stretches through it.

The Regional Government (traditionally Left Wing) is presided by the President of the Region who is elected for a five-year term, and is composed by 12 ministers (assessori).

AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY

Emilia Romagna is one of the richest European regions. There is the biggest agricultural sector in Italy and a secular tradition in automobile, motor and mechanic productions . It is among the leading regions for farming in the country. Cereals, potatoes, maize, tomatoes and onions are the most important

products along with fruit and grapes for the production of wine

(of which the best known are Emilia’s Lambrusco, Sangiovese

and Pignoletto). Cattle and pig breeding are also highly

developed especially in farm cooperatives which are more than

8000.

Industry in the region presents a varied and complex picture. The food

industry (ex. Barilla Group) is concentrated in Parma, Modena and

Bologna as well as the mechanical and automotive.

Ferrari, in Maranello, is not far from our town. The same for

Maserati, Pagani, Lamborghini, Ducati. The well-known ceramic

sector is concentrated in Sassuolo and Faenza.

Tourism is increasingly important, especially along the Adriatic

coastline and the cities of art. Very famous in our town, Carpi, is the

clothing-textile industry. The regional economy is more geared to export markets than other regions in the country.

The region of Emilia-Romagna has a very good system of transport.

ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Modena, our province, is a town rich in culture, food, wine and prestige car-makers

Modena is so fascinating that it even charmed

Unesco into putting three of its extraordinary

beauties – the Cathedral, the Ghirlandina tower

and Piazza Grande onto the World Heritage List

in 1997. But Modena is not only a town of great

art and culture. It is also universally known for its

excellent food and wine, with stars such as traditional balsamic vinegar, Lambrusco wine, and typical local salami.

And of course, it is world-famous for its car-making

factories. Each year Ferrari and Maserati are visited by millions of F1 fans coming from all over the planet, as far as Japan.

ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA Home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna, founded in 1088, Bologna is one of the most

developed cities in Italy. Bologna often ranks as one of the top cities, in terms of quality of life in Italy: it was ranked 5th in 2006, and 12th in 2007, out of 103 Italian cities. This is due to its strong industrial tradition, its wide range of highly-developed social services, and its physical location at the crossing-point of the most important highways and railways in

the country. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, and it

has a rich history, art, cuisine, music and culture, and was made 2000's

European Capital of Culture. Bologna's compact medieval center has several beautiful churches,

monuments, and civic buildings.Bologna's many porticoed sidewalks make

for pleasant walking and window shopping. Piazza Maggiore is one of Bologna's central squares, lined with arcades. It's

a good place to sit at an outdoor cafe. Around the square are the Gothic

Basilica of San Petronio, the Palazzo dei Notai, the Archeological Museum. Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore, another of Bologna's main

squares, has an ornate 16th-century fountain in the center and is surrounded

by medieval civic buildings. Go inside the library and admire its beautiful interior. You can climb the steep staircase to the top of Torre degli Asinelli, one of only

a few surviving medieval towers, for a great view of Bologna. Torre degli Asinelli

and another leaning tower are in Piazza Porta Ravegnana where seven medieval

streets converge. In Piazza Santo Stefano you will find an unusual cluster of four interlocking

Romanesque churches. The oldest, the church of SS. Vitale e Agricola, has parts

of Roman temples and columns. There is also an interesting courtyard with a maze of little chapels.

ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Ravenna is a treasure chest of art, history and culture of the highest order, a city with ancient origins and a glorious past and capital three times, of the Western Roman Empire, of King Theodoric of the Goths and of the Byzantine Empire in Europe. The basilicas and baptisteries of the city contain the richest heritage

of mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th centuries and eight historic buildings included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. The winding streets still reveal the past of a city built on a lagoon, the presence of water in the canals that cross it, closed during the period of Venetian rule and at the end of the fifteenth century opening the elegant space of Piazza Maggiore, now known as Piazza del Popolo. The Baptistry of Neon (in Italian: Battistero Neoniano) in Ravenna, Italy is the most ancient monument remaining in Ravenna, and was partly erected on the site of a Roman bath. It is also called the Orthodox Baptistry to distinguish it from the Arian Baptistry constructed on behest of Ostrogothic King Theodoric some 50 years later. The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe is an important monument of Byzantine art. The Mausoleum of Theodoric is an ancient monument just outside Ravenna. It was built in 520 CE by Theodoric the Great as his future tomb.

ARCHITECTURE IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA Parma is famous as the capital food centre of Italy, for its unimitable

products and in particular for its Prosciutto of Parma ,cured pork meats and its famous Parmesan Cheese. Its main monuments are:

Palazzo Vescovile Duomo 11th century Battistero (the most important, evolved

monument during the Medieval period in Italy) San Giovanni Evangelista 12th century Church of Steccata - 16th century Palazzo della Pilotta, with his extraordinary

Teatro Farnese 16th century .The Town Hall - 17th century Teatro Regio (it is one of the most famous in Italy for opera)

19th century .

CUISINE AND GASTRONOMY Our region is very famous in Italy because we eat well and it’s full of restaurants

which serve delicious food. Emilia-Romagna is known for egg pasta made with soft wheat

flour.

Emilia is famous for pasta dishes like tortellini, cappelletti,

lasagne, tortelli verdi, tagliatelle and gramigna while Romagna

has also garganelli and strozzapreti. Polenta is also made

especially in the Apennine mountains. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (balsamic vinegar) is made

only in the Emilia towns of Reggio Emilia and Modena,

following legall binding traditional procedures. Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmeasan cheese) is produced in the provinces

of Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena, Bologna and is much used in

cooking. A lot of fish is eaten on the Adriatic coast but this is mainly a

meat eating region. The region has many cured pork products: Parma ham including

Culatello and Salame Felino, then Mortadella Pancetta, Coppa.

TYPICAL PRODUCTS

Prosciutto di Parma: It’s one of the most renowned gastronomic products of the

region. According to Italian law it can be produced in the area of Parma only.

Four are the products necessary to make the Prosciutto: fine pigs, experts who

care after them,air (just the fresh air of Parma countryside) and time (at least 300

days). The consistency of the Prosciutto is important as much as its flavour: soft

and silky. Aceto Balsamico: The balsamic vinegar is realized from the grapes pf Lambrusco of the provinces of

Modena and Reggio Emilia, cooked until obtaining an extract that is

mad to age in barrel of wood. Parmigiano Reggiano: Considered the king of Italian cheeses, the Parmigiano

Reggiano is known and appreciated throughout the world: flakes of it are are dropped

on grinded meat and soups or, most famously, on the pasta. Tortelli, Lasagne, Cappelletti: Emilia Romagna is the land of home made egg pasta.

Tagliatelle are usually served with meat sauce and the pasta for

real lasagna is green since it’s made with spinach. Cotechino e Zampone di Modena: They are made by a mixture of pork

meat obtained from the streked musculature, fat pig rind and black pepper. Gnocco fritto: It is a light fried dough cut in squares, eaten with prosciutto

and salami. Zuppa inglese: Inspired by the English trifle but simply made

with local ingredients.

FINALLY…

Watch this clip and you can see better what our region is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpRVNsNqq8&feature=fvst

We hope you enjoyed our presentation and we hope to

know you better along this school year in this project.

Classes 3 B and 3 E with

their teacher Enea Storchi Incerti