Cities and Regions in Italy

By | July 16, 2021

Politically, Italy is divided into 20 regions, each with its own government. The regions are divided into a total of 88 provinces and 14 metropolitan cities. The Italian regions are z. Sometimes named after the well-known landscapes and islands such as Liguria, Abruzzo, Aosta Valley, Apulia, Calabria, Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Lombardy, Sardinia or Sicily.

The ten largest cities in Italy, sorted by population, are Rome (approx. 2.9 million), Milan (approx. 1.37 million), Naples (approx. 966,000), Turin (approx. 883,000), approx. Palermo (670,000), Genoa (approx. 581,000), Bologna (approx. 390,000), Florence (approx. 380,948), Bari (approx. 323,000) and Catania (approx. 312,000). The cities of Rome, Naples, Palermo and Florence are of particular tourist and historical significance.

Rome

According to payhelpcenter, Italy’s capital Rome is extraordinarily rich in important buildings and museums and a destination for numerous tourists. The old town of Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican City were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1980. As one of the great cultural cities of Europe, Rome is home to numerous monuments from the Etruscan era to the present day and in particular from the era of the Roman Empire. They range from the almost completely preserved Pantheon, the only surviving domed structure from antiquity, to the impressive Colosseum, the largest amphitheater of antiquity.

In addition to the ancient city walls, triumphal arches, unique churches and palaces as well as large public spaces are the catacombs – extensive underground facilities in which Christians celebrated their services and were buried and the Castel Sant’Angelo, which was built as a mausoleum for the Roman emperor Hadrian and became one in the Middle Ages Fortress expanded the destination of thousands of culturally interested tourists.

Many sacred buildings and sights of Christian Rome are scattered over the entire city. The Christian center is the inaccessible state of the Vatican City with St. Peter’s Basilica. Other large churches such as the Lateran Basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore, St. Paul Outside the Walls are located within the urban area. Most of the churches are particularly lavishly decorated and contain priceless works of art.

Of the numerous princely villas that surrounded papal Rome, the huge parks of Villa Borghese, Villa Ada and Villa Doria Pamphili are particularly noteworthy. In addition to the cultural and historical highlights, the lively city life in Rome with trendy districts such as Trastevere or Testaccio, the colorful markets on Campo de Fiori or Porta Portese and hundreds of cafes with old town flair as well as the lifestyle emanating from the city’s great fashion designers are worth experiencing.

Naples

Naples is an economic and cultural center of southern Italy. In the inner city districts you can find numerous historical buildings and cultural monuments; In 1995 the entire old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The three most important fortresses that shape the cityscape are Castel Nuovo, Castel Sant’Elmo and Castel dell’Ovo. In addition, there are hundreds of churches worth seeing in Naples, numerous monasteries and the Neapolitan palaces and villas. The huge parks of the Parco di Capodimonte and the Parco dei Camaldoli offer relaxation from the big city life. A cultural highlight are the extensive fireworks that cover the entire city in spectacular light at the end of the year.

Florence

Florence is the capital of Tuscany and is famous for its history. As the center of late medieval European trade and finance, it was one of the richest cities of the 15th and 16th centuries and is considered the cradle of the Renaissance. The historic old town of Florence reflects the outstanding achievements of the city in the field of architecture and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982. In particular, countless buildings were built from the time of the Proto-Renaissance to the rule of the Medici in the 15th and 16th centuries, which prove the enormous economic and cultural importance of the city at that time. The center of the historic old town is the Piazza della Signoria.

Milan

Milan is the capital of Lombardy as well as the leading cultural, media and fashion metropolis in Italy, an international trade fair city and, with the Milan Stock Exchange, an important financial center. It houses the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1980, historically significant buildings and diverse art treasures that attract several million tourists each year. One of the rare testimonies from the time of the Roman Empire are the ancient ruins of the Colonne di San Lorenzo. The Palazzo della Ragione was built in the early 13th century. Monumental sacred buildings are the Milan Cathedral and the Gothic cathedral while the Castello Sforzesco is a splendid example of Renaissance architecture. Numerous progressive styles developed in the 20th century, Architects were influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and, above all, from the late 1920s onwards, also by Fascist monumental architecture. The monumental Central Station, which was completed in 1931, is a testament to the Art Nouveau and Art Deco era from the early 20th century.

Cities and Regions in Italy