The Palazzo Quirinale, currently the official residence of the President of Italy, was built in 1583 as a papal residence and after 1871 was used as the royal residence of the kings of Italy. In 1655 the painter Pietro da Cortona received a commission from Pope Alexander VII to redecorate a wing of the palace. The resulting grand rooms – airy, light-filled and covered with frescoes – were a model for other European palaces. However in 1812, under Napoleon, the rooms were reconfigured and redecorated, covering Pietro’s work. In more recent years, during updating of the electrical system, Pietro’s amazingly well-preserved frescoes were re-discovered. Starting October 16th and following a restoration, the Galleria di Alessandro VII will be added to the areas open to the public on Sundays.
Tag: history (page 6 of 7)
With recent budget cuts in Italy there was talk (later contradicted) that funding for the Accademia della Crusca would be cut, thus threatening this institute’s continued existence. The Accademia della Crusca, founded in Florence in 1582, is a leading institution dedicated to the study of and research on the Italian language. The founding members of the society, a group of intellectuals known as the Crusconi, gathered for convivial meetings reciting playful but highly literary discourses. Their intention was to set themselves apart form the overly pompous discussions of the Accademia Fiorentina. In 1583 the stated direction of the Crusca evolved into that of conserving the Florentine vulgar tongue. In 1612 the Crusca was the first institution in Europe to produce a national language “Vocabolario.” Today the Accademia della Crusca’s activities involve supporting research in Italian linguistics and philology and also sustaining the diffusion and knowledge of the Italian language both in Italy and elsewhere.
This story from NPR discusses how Italian food – or what is considered Italian food – has become a global phenomenon. In “How Italian Food Conquered The World” John F. Mariani tells the story of how what was once considered a very humble cuisine has become a global sensation. Once only known for cheese-saturated pizza and long-cooked red sauce, Italian food is now considered amongst the healthiest and, thanks to the wide accessibility of better ingredients, much more sophisticated.
March 17th is the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. Cities throughout the country are decorated with the red, white and green flag in celebration. From Thursday through Sunday, the anniversary is being marked with ceremonies and special events such as fireworks, concerts, readings of the Italian constitution and historical exhibitions.
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