Geography
Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia, is approximately 116,000 square miles. This is slightly larger than which western US state?
Arizona
This Italian-born scientist was imprisoned in his own home, by the Catholic Church, for arguing that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
The name "Italy" comes from the work "italia", meaning "_____ ______"
(perhaps because the bull was a symbol of the Southern Italian tribes)
"calf land"
TRUE or FALSE:
In central Italy, there is a fountain that flows red wine 24 hours a day.
TRUE !
It is free to everyone, except for "drunkards and louts"
How many times has Italy hosted the Olympic Games?
3 times;
1. 1956 Winter Games held at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Zuel and the Dolmite Alps
2. 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome
3. 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
There are two independent states within Italy: the Vatican City and the world's oldest republic with fewer than 30,000 citizens, which are called the Sammarinese.
The Republic of San Marino
Approximately what percent of Italians are Roman Catholic?
85%
The catacombs of Rome are 13km long and contain about 40,000 tombs. They also house the oldest image on Earth of this woman.
Virgin Mary
Parmesan cheese originated in the area around parma, Italy. Italians also created many other cheeses. Name 4 more cheeses that originated in Italy.
gorgonzola, mozzarella, provolone, ricotta
This common kitchen utensil gained popularity in Italy before any other European country because it allowed Italians to better twirl their spaghetti.
fork
Rome is almost 3,000 years old, and has been the capital of Italy since 1871. Because of it's history, Rome is also know as "The ______________ City".
The Eternal City
How many different types of pasta are there?
(There are more names of pasta because some varieties are known under different names in various regions.)
over 140 types
This has the largest brick dome ever constructed. It was engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 1420's.
Florence Cathedral
Many Italians consider it to be bad luck to do this with their bread loaf.
placing it upside down on the table
The Italian flag, vertically divided into 3 equal sections of green white, and red is said to represent hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).
Another interpretation is that the colors represent what?
Green- the Italian landscape
White- the snow-capped Alps
Red- the bloodshed that brought about the independence of Italy
No other country in Europe has as many volcanoes as Italy. How many major volcanoes have erupted in the last 100 years?
3;
Etna, Stromboli, and Vesuvius
Italy had a royal family until 1946 when citizens voted to abolish the idea of a ruling monarchy. How long did their did their last King rule for?
36 days (May 9, 1946 - June 12, 1946)
King Umberto II
This is the largest Christian edifice in the world. It's construction took 120 years to build (1506-1626)
St. Peter's Basilica in Rome
We all know that Italians invented pizza. They also invented this popular treat and its edible container.
ice cream and the cone too!
Tourism is vital to Italy's economy and is the fifth most visited country in the world. Tourism provides nearly what percent of Italy's national income?
63%
Over 50 million tourists a year visit Italy
What kind of water flows through the canals of Venice?
a mixture of fresh water and salt water, called "brackish"
He is considered to be the Father of Italian literature.
Dante
Which one of the five villages in Cinque Terre (Vernazza, Monterosso al Mare, Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia) does NOT sit on the water.
Corniglia
The weather is a touch cooler here due to its elevated position on the top of the cliff, and the area is well known for its wine.
If you were in the Italian Veneto region, drinking a local, strong, full-bodied Italian red wine... it could be a glass of _________.
Amarone
How much money do tourists throw in to the Trevi fountain each year?
(2016)1.5 million dollars
(All of it goes directly to charity)