LANDMARKS OF ITALY
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 1 January 2024
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The incredible array of landmarks of Italy come in a wide variety of categories too numerous for one single page.
At the highest level we can split them between man-made landmarks with the Colosseum in Rome the most famous of those, and natural landmarks where we find the rivers, mountains and unique natural phenomena of Italy such as waterfalls. |
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Starting with the man made landmarks or as some call them, human features of Italy, the largest section showcases 34 of the most famous Castles of Italy with highlights including Castello Aragonese on the island of Ischia and the fascinating Castel del Monte, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the region of Puglia. Italian cities and towns were historically built around a central piazza and the Squares of Italy lists a combination of the most famous with the most aesthetically-pleasing. Among the best squares are the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo in Siena and the unusual Piazza dell'Anfiteatro in Lucca, another city in Tuscany, this time built over an ancient Roman amphitheatre.
Aside from the most famous of all Roman Monuments in Italy mentioned above, the country has a vast amount of ancient stadia, triumphal arches, bathing complexes and unique sights such as the Pyramid of Cestius or the Pantheon, both in Rome. Among the Roman monuments are the incredible Verona Arena, the Roman Forum and the Arch of Constantine. Perhaps the second most famous sight in Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa but there are many other wonky Towers of Italy such as the Leaning Tower of Portogruaro, or other towers which are simply quirky including the Curon Bell Tower which sits in the middle of a lake and the Torre Guinigi which oak trees grow from.
Aside from the most famous of all Roman Monuments in Italy mentioned above, the country has a vast amount of ancient stadia, triumphal arches, bathing complexes and unique sights such as the Pyramid of Cestius or the Pantheon, both in Rome. Among the Roman monuments are the incredible Verona Arena, the Roman Forum and the Arch of Constantine. Perhaps the second most famous sight in Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa but there are many other wonky Towers of Italy such as the Leaning Tower of Portogruaro, or other towers which are simply quirky including the Curon Bell Tower which sits in the middle of a lake and the Torre Guinigi which oak trees grow from.
Within the man-made landmarks we also find the best Bridges of Italy with the Rialto Bridge in Venice and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence the most famous two. The Modern Landmarks of Italy section relates to iconic buildings which were constructed between the 16th and 20th centuries; among which are the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Statue of David in Florence and Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The final category within the man-made section is the Monuments of Magna Graecia which details the legacy of sights from the period of Greek settlement in southern Italy before the Romans came. Within this collection we find the Greek Theatre of Syracuse, the Riace Bronzes in Calabria and the Ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina.
Among the natural landmarks we find the Rivers of Italy of which the River Po is the longest and the River Tiber that flows through Rome the most famous. We also find the most famous Mountains of Italy including the volcanoes of Mount Etna in Sicily and Mount Vesuvius which looms menacingly over Naples. The three main Mountain Ranges of Italy are also covered and include the Italian Alps, the Apennines and the Dolomites. There are also a number of natural landmarks that don't neatly fit into any other category which include the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri, the Marmore Waterfalls in Umbria and the Cava di Bauxite in Puglia.
MAN-MADE LANDMARKS OF ITALY
Trevi Fountain, Rome
The Man-Made Landmarks of Italy section is split into seven categories including castles, squares, Roman monuments, towers, bridges, modern landmarks and monuments of Magna Graecia.
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NATURAL LANDMARKS OF ITALY
Cava di Bauxite, Puglia
Among the Natural Landmarks of Italy you'll find all the Rivers, Mountains and Mountain Ranges as well as unique landmarks such as Capri's Blue Grotto or the Marmore Waterfalls of Umbria.
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The Lakes of Italy is a larger section outside of the natural landmarks category and it's here that you'll find the likes of Lake Garda, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore. There are also separate sections on the website for all of the Italian Islands, the Cultural Institutions of Italy which includes Archaeological Sites, Gardens, Museums, Palaces, Art Galleries and Theatres. The Italian Beaches are divided up into two different categories of Best Beaches in Italy and Beach Resorts of Italy, the former being just for beaches and the latter for the slightly larger resorts with accommodation facilities around them. The UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Italy is another separate section with a number of sites and locations included that could arguably be considered as landmarks as well.
