When you think of Italy, your mind probably fills with images of ancient ruins, delicious pasta, and stunning art. It's a country that needs no introduction, yet it's also a land of endless fascination, where every city has a story and every tradition has deep roots. But beyond the well-trodden paths of the Colosseum and the canals of Venice lies a collection of facts that are even more remarkable. From royal reigns that lasted just over a month to a fountain that flows with free wine, Italy is full of incredible surprises. Let's dive into ten things you probably didn't know about the Bel Paese.
1. Tourists Throw Over €1,000,000 into the Trevi Fountain Each Year
It may seem like a simple tourist tradition, but the Trevi Fountain is a major money magnet. Every day, visitors throw over €3000 into the 18th-century landmark. This adds up to a staggering over €1,000,000 every year. The custom stems from the 1950s film "Three Coins in the Fountain," and the rules are specific: throw one coin over your left shoulder to ensure a return to Rome, two coins to be destined to live there, and three coins to find love in Rome. The fountain fills so quickly that city workers sweep its floor nightly to collect the loot. It is illegal for anyone else to take the money, with large penalties for those caught. For years, this fortune has been donated to Caritas, a Catholic nonprofit supporting global health, disaster relief, poverty, and migration causes.
2. 13 of Shakespeare’s 38 Plays Are Set in Italy
Despite being an icon of English culture, William Shakespeare had a strong fascination with Italy. Of his 38 plays, a full 13 are set either wholly or partly in the country. He used cities like Verona, Padua, Venice, Messina, Rome, and Sicily as backdrops. During the 1500s, Italy was seen in England as an exotic, passionate, and culturally advanced place—the perfect setting for dramatic stories of love, tragedy, and political intrigue. Furthermore, by setting controversial plays that criticized powerful leaders in Italy, Shakespeare could avoid political persecution from English rulers. This clever strategy allowed him to tackle sensitive topics, like the political assassination in Julius Caesar, without direct repercussions.
3. Italy is Home to Europe’s Only Three Active Volcanoes
Italy is the sole European country with active volcanoes, hosting over twelve in total. The three main active ones are Mount Etna, Stromboli, and Vesuvius.
· Mount Etna, on Sicily's east coast between Messina and Catania, is Europe’s largest active volcano at 10,900 feet. It is also the most active, with its last major eruption in 1928 and a minor one in 2012.
· Stromboli, also in Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and has been erupting continuously since 1932. Its visible lava spurts have earned it the nickname "The Lighthouse of the Mediterranean."
· Mount Vesuvius, on the Bay of Naples, is the only active volcano on mainland Europe. It is infamous for burying Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 AD and is considered one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes due to the 3,000,000 people living nearby.
4. Italy Has More UNESCO World Heritage Sites Than Any Other Country
Italy is the global leader in cultural and natural preservation, boasting 58 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Of these, 53 are cultural and 5 are natural. Seven sites are shared with other countries. Some of the most famous include the Historic Centre of Rome, Cinque Terre, The Last Supper (in Milan), Alberobello, Venice, The Amalfi Coast, Florence, the Rhaetian Railway, Pompeii, and the Sassi di Matera. This incredible density is a testament to Italy's history as the birthplace of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance.
5. Christopher Columbus Was Italian
The explorer Christopher Columbus, who made four voyages across the Atlantic from Spain, was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451. The son of a wool merchant, he went to sea as a teenager. After his ship was attacked by pirates in 1476, he made his way to Lisbon, where he studied navigation and developed his plan to find a western route to Asia. After presenting his plan to Portugal and England, he finally secured support from Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. His contract promised him 10% of any riches found, a noble title, and the governorship of new lands.
6. The First Ever Bank Started in Italy
It is generally accepted that the first bank in the world was established during the Italian Renaissance. Founded in 1472 in Siena (then part of the Republic of Florence), it was called the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena.
7. Italians Have Over 2,500 Types of Cheese
Italy's cheese tradition is unparalleled. The country is known to have over 2500 traditional cheese varieties. Of these, 500 are commercially recognized and 300 have a Protected Designation of Origin. Italy is the third largest cheese producer in the European Union. Lombardy is the leading Italian region, with 77 protected varieties including Granone Lodigiano (the ancestor of Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano), Mascarpone, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella, and Ricotta.
8. Italy's Last King Ruled for Just 36 Days
The last King of Italy, Umberto II, reigned for only 34 days, from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946, earning him the nickname the "May King." He was born in 1904 and became the de facto head of state in 1944 when his father, King Victor Emmanuel III, transferred powers to him to repair the monarchy's image after Mussolini's fall. Ahead of a 1946 referendum on abolishing the monarchy, Victor Emmanuel III abdicated in hopes his son would save it. The referendum passed, Italy became a republic, and Umberto II lived in exile in Portugal, never setting foot in Italy again due to a constitutional ban. He died in Geneva in 1983.
9. Italy Has a Free, 24/7 Wine Fountain
In the town of Caldari di Ortona, in Abruzzo, there is a public fountain that dispenses free red wine 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The "Fontana Del Vino" was installed by the Dora Sarchese vineyard along the Cammino di San Tommaso, a 196-mile pilgrimage route to the Basilica of St. Thomas the Apostle in Ortona. The fountain is intended to refresh pilgrims and travelers, not for "drunkards or louts." While wine fountains had been used for holidays before, this is a permanent installation, celebrating a region that has made wine since the sixth century B.C.
10. Modern Pizza Was Invented in Naples
The modern pizza we know today evolved in Naples in the late 18th to early 19th century. While flatbreads existed in ancient times, the transformative moment came with the introduction of the tomato from the Americas in the 16th century. Initially shunned, tomatoes were incorporated into sauces by the late 17th century. In Naples' poorer, densely populated areas, inexpensive, quick-to-eat food was essential. Street vendors began topping flatbreads with tomatoes, cheese, oil, and garlic, creating the first pizzas. By 1807, there were 54 registered pizzerias in Naples. The city's two classic types are the Pizza Marinara and the Pizza Margherita. Legend says the Margherita (with tomato, mozzarella, and basil) was named for Queen Margherita after she visited Pizzeria Brandi in 1889. Despite this royal endorsement, pizza remained largely a Neapolitan dish within Italy until the 1940s, before booming in popularity abroad with Italian immigrants.
0 Comments