Rome

301,230 km²
(7.2x the Netherlands)

UTC +1

Italian, German, French, Slovenian

Mont Blanc de Courmayeur - 4,765 m
(2nd summit Mont Blanc mountains)

The first time a green, white, and red flag was used was by the Cispadane Republic in 1796. The Cispadane Republic in northern Italy was founded in 1796 by Napoleon Bonaparte. Green, white and red are traditional Milanese colors. Red and white come from the Milanese coat of arms which is a red cross on a white background. Green was the color of the uniform of the Milanese civic guard.

The euro was introduced simultaneously in 12 European countries, as well as in Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City on 1 January 2002. This was the largest monetary exchange operation of all time. On the front of the note is a gate or window and a bridge on the back. These are all fictional. The euro replaces the Lire, introduced in 1861, which was known as the least valuable currency in Western Europe.

The city of Bari on the Adriatic Sea is the most important economic center in the south after Naples. The old quarter, San Nicola, is located on a peninsula between two modern ports. The city became part of the Roman empire in the 4th century BC and would remain so until 476. The city was then ruled by Goths, Byzantines and Normans. From 847 to 871 it was an emirate under emir Kalfun, a mercenary who was part of a garrison in Bari. Emperor Louis II defeated him with the help of a Byzantine fleet. There are a few sights in the old quarter such as the basilica di San Nicola (Basilica of St Nicholas). It is an important place of pilgrimage in Europe. The basilica was built between 1087 and 1197 and contains the relics of St. Nicholas which were smuggled here from Myra in Lycia (Turkey) when it was conquered by the Saracens. Pope Urban II was present at the inauguration of the crypt in 1089. Elias, abbot of the St. Benedict monastery, was appointed 1st Archbishop. His cathedra (throne) is still at the Basilica. It is one of the four palatine churches in Puglia. A little further is the cattedrale di San Sabino dedicated to St. Sabinus, a bishop from Canosa whose relics were brought here in 9th century. The present cathedral was dedicated in 1292. It is built on the site of an older church, destroyed in 1156 by William I of Sicily. The locals produce and sell homemade pasta (orecchiette) at the square near the medieval castle.

The Castel del Monte (Castle of the Mountain) is a 13th century citadel and castle on a small hill close to the Maria del Monte monastery. It was built in 1240 by order of Frederick II. The area was known for its lush vegetation and abundant water supply. The only surviving document about the construction dating from 1240 tells of the finishing of certain parts of the castle. It was never completed. Originally it had marble walls and columns that were taken in the 18th century by members of the House of Bourbon who used it for their castle in Caserta. It had a unique design: an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower on each corner. The number 8 is constantly reflected in the building. Originally the towers were 5 meters higher. 3 of the corner towers have a staircase. The main wall is 25 meters high and the eight towers are 26 meters high. The diameter of the castle is 56 meters. After a long vacancy, it was bought by the Italian state in 1876 for the amount of 25,000 Lire. It was restored in 1928 and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Matera lies in the region of Basilicata. The city lies on top of a gorge which was carved out by the Gravina River. The center 'Sassi' contains cave houses which are inhabited since the 10th century BC making it the oldest inhabited settlement in the world. The city itself was founded in 251 BC by the Roman Lucius Caecilius Metellus who called it Matheola. It has been on the UNESCO list since 1993. Many scenes from films have also been shot in Matera such as The passion of the Christ, Wonder Woman, No time to die (the 25th James Bond film) and the remake of Ben Hur. When we visited the town, 'No time to die' was shot. In the movie you see scenes involving an old bridge. The bridge in question however, lies in Gravina. In a shot of Matera from a far you see the bridge over the ravine but it was implemented with special FX.

Gravina in Puglia has a very ancient history due to its strategic location. It is also the headquarters of the Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia. Frederick II's motto Grana dat et vina is in the city's coat of arms. In the Botromagno part, the oldest remains of the city from the Neolithic era have been excavated. The discovery of the remains of an Asian man in Vagnari is evidence that Gravina had a relationship with the far East. The Romans conquered the city from the Samnites around 305 BC. The Via Appia, which connected Rome to Brindisi, passed through Gravina. In 1649 Pope Benedict XIII (Pietro Francesco Orsini-Gravina) was born here. Feudal oppression led to countless riots from 1789 to the unification of Italy in 1861. During World War II it was partly destroyed by Allied bombing. The main sights of Gravina are underground: Gravina Sotterranea is a network of underground caves, corridors, churches, storage areas and aqueducts which the former inhabitants carved out. Over the ravine is a well-preserved bridge that was built in 1686. After an earthquake in 1722, it was restored and turned into an aqueduct by the Orsini family.

Castelmezzano is located in the Basilicata region. It is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Greek settlers founded the city of Maudoro in the valley of Basento between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Invasion of the Saracens in the 10th century forced the inhabitants to find a new location. After the Longobards, the Normans built a castle between the 11th and 13th century. The walls and the row of rocks which give access to the viewpoint are still present. The city takes its name from the castle which was called Castrum Medianum. It lay between the castles of Pietrapertosa and Albano di Luciana. Due to the natural hiding places between the rocks and the lush vegetation, it was also a refuge for bandits in the 19th century. At the end of the century the city was also hit by a migration wave of residents who went abroad. The Dolomiti di Lucane dominate the Basento valley and form the heart from the Parco Gallipoli Cognato Piccole Dolomiti Lucane. The karst mountains were formed 15 million years ago. From the square near the church in Castelmezzano you have a beautiful view of the dolomiti. Just like Castelmezzano, the nearby Pietrapertosa (perforated stone) is also one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Here yo can find the longest and highest zip line in the world, the volo dell'Angelo. It has a length of 1,452 meters from an altitude of 1,100 meters down to 800 meters with a speed of 130 km / h between Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano. Climb up to the castle in Pietrapertosa for fantastic views of the area.

Altamura is located on a hill on the Murgia plateau, 45 km southwest of Bari. Between the 6th and 3rd century BC, huge megalithic wall (alta mura) were erected around the city. Traces of the wall are still visible in parts of the city. The city was inhabited until the 10th century when it was sacked by Saracens. The city was rebuilt in 1232 after a visit from Frederick II. Altamura was ruled by several feudal families including the Orsini del Balzo and the Farnese (1538-1734). The Farnese were responsible for the construction of numerous palaces and churches. The Altamuran Revolution took place from February 8 to May 9, 1799. The inhabitants joined the ideals that had been spread by the French revolution. The Sanfedisti were an organized army of farmers, lead by Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo. They conquered the city and the kingdom was restored. After that, the city was nicknamed 'the lioness of Puglia'. Construction of the Duomo di Altamura, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta started in 1232. Under pressure from Frederick II, pope Innocent IV cleared the cathedral from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Bari making it a palatine church in 1248. In the cathedral you'll find the statue of the Madonna di Buoncammino, protector of travelers. The entrance of the cathedral is richly decorated with patterns and figures.
The claustri (derived from the Latin Claustrum which means closed space) in Altamura are a mix of an Arabic alley with a Greek little square. Altamura has about 80 Claustri. The claustri arose between the cooperation of the ethnic groups invited by Frederick II to repopulate the city: Greeks, Latins, Jews and Arabs. The new residents received tax exemptions. The claustri are more or less extensive courtyards, demarcated by houses connected to the main street via a narrow alley. Altamura is also known for the Pane di Altamura, bread made from durum flour. By law, it must meet strict conditions. For example: it must have a crust of more than 3 mm. The shape of the bread is not important.

Rotonda is known for the Melanzana rossa di Rotonda. This is an Ethiopian eggplant that resembles a tomato and has a unique taste. It was introduced by Italian soldiers who were stationed in Ethiopia. Rotonda is also the headquarters of the Parco Nazionale del Pollino. The park was founded in 1993. It is one of the newest and largest in the country, measuring 1960 km². It stretches over part of the region of Basilicata and Calabria. The highest mountains are the Serra Dolcedorme (2,267 meters) and Monte Pollino (2,248 meters). The oldest tree in Europe, nicknamed Italus, was discovered here in 2018. The pinus heldreichii (Bosnian pine) is 1,230 years old. The pines grow at an altitude of 900 to 2,500 meters above sea level. The pines reach 25 to 30 meters in height and have a maximum diameter of 2 meters. The hikes in the park are diverse and once above there are beautiful vistas.

The Carthusian Certosa di Padula, also known as Certosa di San Lorenzo is located in Padula. It is the largest monastery in Italy and has 320 rooms and halls. Total surface is 51,500 m². The monastery was founded by Tomasso di San Severino on April 27, 1306 at the site of an older monastery. During Napoleon's occupation it served as French headquarters. After that as an army base for Garibaldi's troops during the Risorgimento and finally as internment camp during both world wars. The Order of the Carthusians was founded in 1084 by holy Bruno of Cologne in the Chartreuse Mountains north of Grenoble. It is an order of hermits who live together between seclusion in a safe and only in communion on Sundays. The order always followed the rules and the ideals of her founder.

Paestum is located just north of Agropoli in the area formerly called Magna Graecia. Main attraction are the three ancient Greek temples dating from 600 to 450 BC. The city walls and the theater are also largely intact. According to Strabo the city was founded around 600 BC as Poseidonia by the Achaea from Sybaris. Sybaris was a city on the Gulf of Taranto in today's Campania. The city was taken by the Lucanians who called it Paistos. The Romans occupied Poseidonia in 273 BC and called it Paestum. The Lucanian inhabitants became allies of the Romans and the city was allowed to continue minting its own coins. When Rome was nearly defeated during the Second Punic War in 216 BC, the Lucanians sided with Hannibal. This cost them dearly. Paestum fell into disrepair between 400 and 700 as a result of the deforestation that created swamps with malaria as a result. The city was abandoned in the Middle Ages. The city of Paestum has an area of ??120 Ha. Only the 26 Ha with the three temples and other large buildings have been excavated. The city wall is still visible. It is 4,750 meters long, 5 to 7 meters wide and was originally 15 meters high. There are 24 square and round towers in the wall. Possibly there were 28 towers: in the 18th century a road cut right through the complex and the center of the theater.