The sights and landscapes of Italy attract copious amounts of tourists every year. Everyone knows pizza originates from here, and that the oldest university can be found in Italy, too. We, however, compiled some lesser known facts about the country. So let’s jump into the 10 funfacts you didn’t know about Italy!
- Although fireworks were an invention of China, it was first invented in Italy how to make them different colors. This invention further spread the use of fireworks, and popularized them as part of celebrations.
- The largest white truffle in the world was found in Italy. It’s weight was unthinkably high: 1.89 kilograms!
- The real fountain of your dreams can be found here! The small town of Caldari di Ortona has installed a fountain from which the wine of the Dora Sarchese winery flows!
- The most UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found in Italy, there are exactly 53 of them there.
- Cats enjoy special protection in Rome. Allegedly, more than 300 000 of them live in the city, and anyone inflicting harm on them could face up to 3 years in prison!
- Many think Alexander Bell was the first to invent the telephone, an Italian scientist has, however, already mocked up the same idea prior to Bell! Antonio Meucci could not pay the patent issue fee in 1976, leaving its rights with Alexander Bell. The Italian government has since officially acknowledged Meucci’s part in the development of the telephone, and has obtained the title of ’the official inventor of the telephone’.
- A game called ’calcio storico’ is played in Italy (more specifically in Florence) to this day. This game resembles football as we know it today, however, most every form of movement and action is allowed while playing. Breaking bones aren’t a rare sight in this historic game!
- In the lagoon between Venice and the Lido di Venezia (Lido of Venice) there is an island called Poveglia, which has dark history. A doctor was treating his patients on this island, some, however, claim that he was rather torturing these patients. The specifics of this story are unclear, one thing is sure, however: to this day no one is allowed to step foot on this island…
- Many famous explorers aside from Christopher Columbus came from Italy. Many a book was written about the stories of Marco Polo’s expeditions, and Amerigo Vespucci (eponym of America, the continent) was also Italian.
- Italy has the most Oscars (out of countries other than the US), winning 31 of them.
Did you get excited about Italy? Try some of Italy’s fish specialities!
6,09 €
4,59 €
5,69 €
5,69 €
