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| ITALY
AS A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WAS MENTIONED AS FAR BACK AS DURING THE AGE
OF THE HIGHLY CIVILISED ETRUSCAN PEOPLE AND THE WORD ITALIA APPEARS
ON A COIN DATING BACK TO THE 1ST CENTURY BC WHICH WAS MINTED BY THE
CONFEDERATION OF THE ITALIC PEOPLES WHO ROSE UP AGAINST ROME. THE
LONG ROMAN DOMINATION (FROM THE 3RD CENTURY BC TO THE 5TH CENTURY
AD) HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK IN ITALY WITH ITS ROADS, AQUEDUCTS,
TEMPLES, MONUMENTS, TOWNS AND CITIES, BRIDGES, AND THEATRES - ALL
RELICS AND MEMORIES OF A PAST THAT IS REMOTE, AND YET A PAST THAT
CAN BE SEEN IN EVERY PART OF THE COUNTRY. AFTER THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, ITALY WAS INVADED AND DOMINATED FOR CENTURIES BY FOREIGN POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH AND SICILY. THANKS TO THE SUCCESS OF INDEPENDENT CITY STATES IN THE CENTRE AND NORTH SUCH AS VENICE, FLORENCE, SIENA, GENOA, AND MILAN, ITALY NEVERTHELESS BECAME A FLOURISHING AND CIVILISED COUNTRY OF TRADE AND THE ARTS. THERE ARE 20 ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS OF THE ITALIAN STATE, EACH OF WHICH HAS ACCUMULATED A HISTORICAL, ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF EXTRAORDINARY VALUE OVER TIME AND ITALY WAS A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE EEC. |
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| And
the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer,
Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou
bear witness also at Rome. Acts 23:11 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. Acts 28:16 |
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| Venice
- Venice was founded in the year 810, 4 kms away from the mainland and originally built on wooden stilts. It became a large influencial maritime power. The Grand Canal, is the main thoroughfare. There are about 45 smaller canals, 400 bridges linking 118 islets some only 12-16 feet wide navigateable soley by gondolas. All the buildings in Venice can be grouped into four architectural styles - Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance. Pisa - World famous for the “Campo dei Miracoli” located at the site of the original, pre-Roman settlements, contains the Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistery. After a 10 year renovation, the Tower is now open to public visit. |
Florence
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| Assisi
- After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city became a settlement of the Goths around 545 AD. and around 1000 AD, it knew the extraordinary spread of the monastic movement, especially the Benedictines. In 1180 Saint Francis, the most famous of the sons of Assisi, was born, the son of a rich merchant. Dissatisfied with his life, he turned to prayer and service to the poor, and in 1206 he publicly renounced his father’s wealth. With the collaboration of Saint Clare of Assisi, Francis founded the ‘Poor Clares’ and the ‘Third Order’. He was canonized in 1228 by Pope Gregorio IX. |
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| Rome
- The City in which St. Paul ended his days - named 'The Eternal City', it offers stunning vistas of architecture and culture. Imperial, Classical, and Christian Rome all blend in a mosaic of images and sites. Vatican City, a 'State within a State', is a must of any visit with perhaps the Sistine Chapel and its Religious Art being the highlight. |
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| Sorrento
- Land of Mermaids, orange groves, colours brilliant or delicate hues depending on the change of the seasons, nestles in the bay of Naples. The nearby Island of Capri just across the bay, is a major attraction with its unique pink coral handicraft. Within easy reach, Pompeii of course has to be visited where in dramatic form, the events of Vesuvius's erruption are told. |
Sicily
- Italy's southern Mediterranean Island visited by Paul, influenced by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans, displays these historic influences throughout the Island. Beautiful beaches, attractive historic sites, sleepy fishing ports, bustling towns, and of course Mount Etna, make the Island a prime stop when visiting Italy. |
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