Nativity DestinationGuide
TheItalyIssue
TRAVEL
Rome
TheepicenterofCatholicism
Assisi
ThebeginningoftheFranciscanmovement
Milan
Art,commerce,design,education, entertainment,fashion,finance,&more!
andsomuchmore!
Rome
TheEternalCity
While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, thesitehasbeeninhabitedformuch longer, making it a major human settlement for over three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupiedcitiesinEurope.
Romebythenumbers
28
XXVIII
Thenumberofcenturiesthecity’shistoryspansacross.
IV 04
ThenumberofmajorPapalBasilicaswithinthecity.
IX 09
HowmanymillionpeoplevisitRomeeveryyear.
70
LXX
NumberofrulingEmperors,beginningwithCaesarAugustusin 27BCandendingwithRomulusAugustusin476AD.
60
LX
Thenumberofcatacombs(thatweknowof),whichstretchover 400kilometresunderneaththecity.
TOP SITES
St.Peter’sBasilica
St.Peter'sisoneofthemostrenownedworksofItalian Renaissancearchitectureandisthelargestchurchin theworldbyinteriormeasure
BasilicaofSt.JohnLateran
Foundedin324,itisRome’soldestpublicchurch,the oldestbasilicaoftheWesternworld,andtheoldestand highestrankingofthecity’sfourmajorpapalbasilicas.
BasilicaofSt.MaryMajor
AmajorpapalbasilicaaswellasoneoftheSeven PilgrimChurchesofRomeandthelargestCatholic MarianchurchinRome.
BasilicaofSt.PaulOutsidetheWalls
FoundedbytheRomanEmperorConstantineIoverthe burialplaceofPaulofTarsus,whereitwassaidthat,after theapostle'sexecution,hisfollowerserectedamemorial, calledacellamemoriae.
TOP SITES Rome
VaticanMuseums
Theydisplayworksfromtheimmensecollectionamassedby theCatholicChurchandthepapacythroughoutthecenturies, includingseveralofthemostwell-knownRomansculpturesand mostimportantmasterpiecesofRenaissanceartintheworld.
TheSistineChapel
Today,itisthesiteofthepapalconclave,theprocessbywhicha newpopeisselected.Thechapel'sfameliesmainlyinthe frescoesthatdecorateitsinterior,mostparticularlytheSistine ChapelceilingandTheLastJudgment,bothbyMichelangelo.
TheColosseum
OriginallynamedtheFlavianAmphitheatre,itisthelargest ancientamphitheatreeverbuilt,andisstillthelargest standingamphitheatreintheworld,despiteitsage.
07 08
RomanForum
Arectangularplazasurroundedbytheruinsofseveralimportant ancientgovernmentbuildingsatthecentreofthecityofRome. Citizensoftheancientcityreferredtothisspace,originallya marketplace,astheForumMagnum,orsimplytheForum.
TOP SITES Rome
VaticanMuseums
Theydisplayworksfromtheimmensecollectionamassedby theCatholicChurchandthepapacythroughoutthecenturies, includingseveralofthemostwell-knownRomansculpturesand mostimportantmasterpiecesofRenaissanceartintheworld.
TheSistineChapel
Today,itisthesiteofthepapalconclave,theprocessbywhicha newpopeisselected.Thechapel'sfameliesmainlyinthe frescoesthatdecorateitsinterior,mostparticularlytheSistine ChapelceilingandTheLastJudgment,bothbyMichelangelo.
TheColosseum
OriginallynamedtheFlavianAmphitheatre,itisthelargest ancientamphitheatreeverbuilt,andisstillthelargest standingamphitheatreintheworld,despiteitsage.
RomanForum
Arectangularplazasurroundedbytheruinsofseveralimportant ancientgovernmentbuildingsatthecentreofthecityofRome. Citizensoftheancientcityreferredtothisspace,originallya marketplace,astheForumMagnum,orsimplytheForum.
Assisi
Franciscan Movement
Known as the birthplace of St.Francis,whofoundedthe Franciscanreligiousorderin 1208.
Assisibythenumbers
27,862
Thecity'spopulation
50
Year(BC)thecitywasfounded.
77
YearoftheearliestrecordedoccupantsofAssisi. TheUmbripeoplearethoughtbysometobethe oldestinhabitantsofItaly.
238
TheyearAssisiwasconvertedtoChristianitybybishopRufino.
44
TheAgeofSt.Francisatthetimeofhisdeath.
TOP SITES Assisi
BasilicaofSt.FrancisofAssisi
Theydisplayworksfromtheimmensecollectionamassedby theCatholicChurchandthepapacythroughoutthecenturies, includingseveralofthemostwell-knownRomansculpturesand mostimportantmasterpiecesofRenaissanceartintheworld.
BasilicaofSt.Clare
Today,itisthesiteofthepapalconclave,theprocessbywhicha newpopeisselected.Thechapel'sfameliesmainlyinthe frescoesthatdecorateitsinterior,mostparticularlytheSistine ChapelceilingandTheLastJudgment,bothbyMichelangelo.
St.MaryoftheAngelsBasilica
OriginallynamedtheFlavianAmphitheatre,itisthelargest ancientamphitheatreeverbuilt,andisstillthelargest standingamphitheatreintheworld,despiteitsage.
03 04
ThePorziuncola
Arectangularplazasurroundedbytheruinsofseveralimportant ancientgovernmentbuildingsatthecentreofthecityofRome. Citizensoftheancientcityreferredtothisspace,originallya marketplace,astheForumMagnum,orsimplytheForum.
Florence
TheJewelofthe Renaissance
Originally a Roman city, and later, afteralongperiodasaflourishing trading and banking medieval commune,itwasthebirthplaceof theItalianRenaissance.
Florencebythenumbers
367,150
Thecity'spopulation
59
Theyear(BC)FlorencewasestablishedbytheRomans asacolonyforveteransoldiers.Itwasbuiltinthestyleof anarmycamp.
06
ThenumberofyearsFlorenceservedasthecapitalofthe KingdomofItalyafterbeingmovedfromTurinin1865, andbeforemovingtoRomein1871.
03
Howmanybillioneurostourismbringstothecityof Florenceannually.
TOP SITES Florence
SantaMariadelFiore
ConstructionofFlorenceCathedral,formallyknownasthe CathedralofSaintMaryoftheFlower,beganin1296intheGothic styletoadesignofArnolfodiCambioandwasstructurally completedby1436.It'sbrickdomeisthelargesteverconstructed.
BaptisteryofSanGiovanni
DedicatedtoJohntheBaptist,thepatronsaintofFlorence.The Baptisteryservesasafocusforthecity’smostimportantreligious celebrations,includingtheFestivalofSaintJohnheldonJune24. ItsarchitecturetakesinspirationfromthePantheon
AcademiaGallery
ItisbestknownasthehomeofMichelangelo'ssculptureDavid.It alsohasothersculpturesbyMichelangeloandalargecollectionof paintingsbyFlorentineartists,mostlyfrom1300–1600.
03 04
ChurchofSantaCroce
AminorbasilicaandtheprincipalFranciscanchurchofFlorence.It isthelargestFranciscanchurchintheworld.Legendsaysthat SantaCrocewasfoundedbyStFrancishimself.
Venice
Queenofthe Adriatic
Originally a Roman city, and later, afteralongperiodasaflourishing trading and banking medieval commune,itwasthebirthplaceof theItalianRenaissance.
Venicebythenumbers
254,850
Thecity'spopulation
0
Numberofwheeledtransportation vehicleslocatedinthecity.
472
Thenumberofbridgesthatconnectthecityoverwater..
09
ThenumberofinchesVenicehassunkduringthelast century.
TOP SITES Venice
St.Mark'sBasilica
ItisdedicatedtoandholdstherelicsofSaintMarktheEvangelist, thepatronsaintofthecity.Itisthecathedralchurchofthe PatriarchateofVenice.
PiazzadiSanMarco
AlsoknownasStMark'sSquare,itistheprincipalpublicsquareof Venice.Aremarkusuallyattributed(thoughwithoutproof)to NapoleoncallsthePiazzaSanMarco"thedrawingroomofEurope".
PalazzoDucale
ApalacethatonceservedastheresidenceoftheDogeofVenice, thesupremeauthorityoftheformerRepublicofVenice.Itwasbuilt in1340andbecameamuseumin1923.
GrandCanal
ThelargestchannelinVenice,Italy,formingoneofthemajor water-trafficcorridorsinthecity.Theperfectplacetotakea gondolaride!
Verona
LittleRome
ThecityofVeronaisrichofRoman antiquities (which is why it is also called Little Rome), nevertheless it is mostly famous as the setting of Shakespeare'sRomeoandJuliet.
Veronabythenumbers
258,031
Thecity'spopulation
2
NumberofShakespeare'splayssetinVerona. Romeo&JulietandTheTwoGentlemenofVerona.
431
NumberofyearsittooktocompleteThe BasilicadiSanZeno
14
Mozart'sagewhenheengravedhisinitialsontheorgan afterplayinginthechurchofSanTomasoBecket,which canstillbeseentoday.
TOP SITES Verona
Historicalchurchfeaturingtranquilcloisters,intricatebronzedoors, andmedievalfrescoes.Idealforhistoryenthusiasts,witha recommendedcomboticketforcomprehensiveexploration.
Historiccathedralcomplexfeaturingcaptivatingartworkand uniquecircularaltarrail,withtranquilambianceandsignificant archaeologicalareas.
BuiltinthefirstcenturyAD,thisisoneofthebestconservedRoman amphitheatres,whoseseatingareaismadeupof44levelsandcan holdupto22,000spectators.
Historicmarketsquarewithvibrantstallsandlocalcafes,idealfor people-watchingandadmiringmedievalarchitectureamidsta livelyambiance.
BasilicaofSanZeno
VeronaCathedral
VeronaArena
PiazzadelleErbe
Milan
TheFashionCapital oftheWorld
Itgetsthisnameduetoitsprominentrole intheglobalfashionindustry.Milanisalso known as the "Moral Capital of Italy" and the "Economic Capital of Italy" due to its status as a major financial and business centerinthecountry.
Milanbythenumbers
5.2
Thecity'spopulation(inmillions)
13
NumberoffieldsMilanisstrongin. Theseinclude art,chemicals,commerce,design,education, entertainment,fashion,finance,healthcare,media (communication),services,research,andtourism.
222
Theyear(BC)Milanwasconqueredby theAncientRomans.
05
Thenumberofcanalsthatmakeupthenavigli-a systemofinterconnectedcanalsinandaroundMilan, datingbackasfarastheMiddleAges.
TOP SITES Milan
Thecathedraltooknearlysixcenturiestocomplete:construction beganin1386,andthefinaldetailswerecompletedin1965.Itisthe largestchurchintheItalianRepublic—thelargerSt.Peter'sBasilica isintheStateofVaticanCity,asovereignstate
ChurchofSantaMariaDelleGrazie
AchurchandDominicanconventinMilan,northernItaly,anda UNESCOWorldHeritageSite.TheconventcontainsthemuralofThe LastSupperbyLeonardodaVinci,whichisintherefectory.
SforzescoCastle
Itwasbuiltinthe15thcenturybyFrancescoSforza,DukeofMilan. Laterrenovatedandenlargedinthe16thand17thcenturies,itwas oneofthelargestcitadelsinEurope.Itnowhousesseveralofthe city'smuseumsandartcollections.
02 03 04
LaScalaOperaHouse
Inauguratedon3August1778,itisregardedasoneoftheleading operaandballettheatresintheworld.
MilanDuomo
SITES
SanGiovanniRotondo
ThehomeofSaintPioofPietrelcinafrom28July1916untilhisdeath on23September1968.ThePadrePioPilgrimageChurchwasbuilt indevotiontothesaintanddedicatedon1July2004.
Lanciano
Homeofthe8th-centuryEucharisticmiracle,whereamonk experiencedtheEucharistandwineturnintorealfleshand blood.
BasilicaoftheHolyHouseofLoreto
AMarianShrineknownforenshriningthehouseinwhichthe BlessedVirginMaryisbelievedbysomeCatholicstohavelived.
MonteCassino
itiswidelyknownforitsabbey,thefirsthouseoftheBenedictine Order,havingbeenestablishedbySt.Benedictin529.
Important Information inItaly
U.S.citizenstravelingtoItalyareencouragedto obtainupdatedinformationontraveland securityissuesandregisterwiththenearestU.S. EmbassyorConsulateinpersonorthroughthe StateDepartment’sTravelRegistrationwebsite: https://travelregistration.state.gov/
Byregistering,U.S.citizensmakeiteasierforthe U.S.EmbassyorConsulatetocontactthemin casesofemergency.
U.S. Embassy in Italy
Via Vittorio Veneto, 121, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
