Italy — Media Gallery

The main altar in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome is covered by a 30m- (98 ft-) tall bronze baldacchino (canopy) designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Looking past the obelisk that stands at the center of St. Peter's Square in the Vatican out to the city of Rome.

Decorated doors leading into Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Looking down on St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice from the campanile (bell tower).

Figure of St. Peter in vestments on the occasion of his feast day on 29 June in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.

This southerly-looking view taken from onboard the space shuttle, shows the triangular-shaped island of Sicily. With only very limited coastal plains, the island's topography consists of rugged hills and low mountains. Snow-capped Mt. Etna is visible near the northeast point of the island. Some other distinctive features in this image are the lighter-colored zone of suspended sediment in the water along the southern coast, in the middle distance, the smaller islands of Malta, and off to the south, across the Mediterranean, the north African shore. Image courtesy of NASA.

The east doors of the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of Saint John) in Florence, referred to as "The Gates of Paradise." The gilded bronze doors took the artist, Lorenzo Ghiberti, 27 years to complete.

View of Piazza San Pietro (Saint Peter's Square) in Rome. The 240 m (787 ft) elliptical space was laid out by Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1657 to 1667.

The Garibaldi Bridge over the Tiber River in Rome. The dome of St. Peter's Basilica appears in the background.

Another view of Canopus, sanctuary of the god Serapis, at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli.

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Forza d'Agro, Sicily is also referred to as Saint Augustine's Church, because of the adjacent Augustinian Convent (Convento Agostiniano). The church was built in the 15th century and restored in 1576; the convent was constructed between 1559 and 1591.

A nighttime view of Trajan's Market in Rome. Now a complex of ruins, it was built in A.D. 100-110. Its upper floor was filled by offices; a road divided it from the lower floor, which held shops.

The Castel Sant'Angelo along the Tiber River in Rome is also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian. The Roman emperor built it as a tomb for himself and his family around A.D. 135. Succeeding emperors were also entombed there. The structure was in turn a fortress, a castle, and a museum.

One of the four gilded lunettes on the facade of St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice.

Located on the Italian island of Sicily, Mt. Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes. In this false-color satellite image of the volcano in 2001, a plume of steam and smoke rising from the crater drifts over some of the many dark lava flows that cover its slopes. Due to summit eruptions, Mt. Etna's elevation of 3,329 m (10,922 ft) is 21 m (69 ft) lower than it was in 1981. Because of its recent activity and proximity to nearby population centers, it has been designated as a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior. For other active volcanoes in Italy, see the Natural hazards-volcanism subfield in the Geography section. Image courtesy of USGS.

The Salentino Peninsula (bottom of image), also known as "the heel of Italy," is the elongated promontory that juts southeasterly from the larger Italian Peninsula. This peninsula is bordered by the Adriatic Sea to the northeast (bottom of image) and the Gulf of Taranto to the southwest (center of image). The peninsula consists of gently rolling hills and coastal plains, thereby promoting an agrarian economy. The numerous, light-colored spots seen throughout the peninsula show the location of small agricultural towns and villages. Photo courtesy of NASA.

The Pantheon in the Plaza della Rotonda in Rome. Its current form dates from about A.D. 126 when the Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it over Marcus Agrippa's original temple dating from 27 B.C. The temple was dedicated to the classical gods. The name comes from the Greek words pan (all) and theos (god). The Pantheon has been a Christian church since about 608.

The Church of Saint Francis (or Saint Catherine) in Forza d'Agro, Sicily where scenes from the Godfather Trilogy were filmed. Built in the 15th century by Franciscan friars, the church faces the town hall square; it was restored in 1991.

View of St. Mark's Square in Venice showing the famous Greek horses and the astronomical clock. The bronze horses were originally installed at the Hippodrome in Constantinople and so date back to at least the 4th century. In 1254 they came to Venice where they remained until 1797 when they were brought to Paris by Napoleon. In 1815 they were returned to Venice. The originals are now in St. Mark's Museum. The original astronomical clock was built between 1496-99. It has been renovated many times, most recently in 1996.

San Giorgio Maggiore Island in Venice viewed from St. Mark's campanile.

The Roman Colosseum's arena was a wooden floor covered with sand, underlain with rooms and passageways for performers, sets, and animals. Spectator seating was divided into three sections: ordinary people sat in the upper level, the better off in the middle sections, and the elite in the lower level.

Pieta by Michelangelo in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. The sculpture was created from 1498 to 1499 of Carrara marble when the sculptor was only 25 years old.

Steps leading to the Church of the Holy Trinity and to the Convento Agostiniano (Augustinian Convent) in Forza d'Agro in Sicily. The arch is named the Porta Durazzo.

The dome over the main altar in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome was designed by Michelangelo in 1547; it was completed in 1590 after his death. The dome is 136.57 m (448.1 ft) high making it the tallest dome in the world.

A view of the Cathedral of St. Mark's in Venice showing some of the saints adorning its roof, and a peek at its bell tower.

The Bridge of Sighs over one of many canals in Venice was built in 1602 and connects the old prisons with the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. The name was applied by Lord Byron.

The "boot" of Italy is visible running diagonally southward from the horizon across the center of the frame, with the night lights of Rome and Naples being visible on the coast near the center. Sardinia and Corsica are just above left center of the photo, and Sicily is at lower left. The Adriatic Sea is on the other side of Italy, and beyond it to the east and north can be seen parts of several other European nations. Image courtesy of NASA.

Street scene in Ortesei, the main town in the ski resort of Val Gardena in the Dolomites. In the center of the photo is St. Anthony's Chapel, built in 1673 on the main square.

Malcesine is an old medieval town on the eastern shore of Lago di Garda, Italy's largest lake.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome. The baroque fountain was designed by Nicola Salvi in 1732. It depicts Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons with sea horses - one wild and one docile - representing the various moods of the sea.

View of homes and hotels on the rugged western coast of Italy in the city of Amalfi.

Cross-country skiing in Val Gardena. During the summer, tourists enjoy hiking in the area.

A fresco at the College of Augustales in Herculaneum.

A mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite in the eponymous house in Herculaneum.

Arab watch tower outside the town of Savoca in Sicily.

Val Gardena in the Dolomites is one of five valleys in northern Italy with a majority of Ladin speakers. Nestled in the valley are three towns: Ortisei, the main settlement; Selva, the best known ski resort; and Santa Cristina, which lies between the other two towns.

Countryside view from the top of Mount Vesuvius.

Baptismal font in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Evening at the Forum in Rome. Note the Colosseum in the distance.

Funerary altar and statue of Marcus Nonium Balbus in Herculaneum.

The First Greek Temple of Hera at Paestum in southern Italy. Paestum was a major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia (southern Italy). The ruins of Paestum are famous for their well-preserved ancient Greek temples - including two dedicated to Hera - dating from about 550 to 450 B.C.

A farmhouse at a winery in Siena.

Facade of the Palazzo Pamphilj in the Piazza Navona in Rome.

The Colosseum in Rome, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, could seat 50,000 (some estimates go as high as 80,000). Begun in A.D. 72 and completed in A.D. 80, it accommodated gladiatorial contests, games, and spectacles. This is a view of its ruins from the inside.

The forum at Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

The Paseo del Morro, a promenade along the fort’s outer walls. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Greek Temple of Athena at Paestum in southern Italy dates to circa 500 B.C.

With an area of just 61 sq km (23.5 sq mi), San Marino is the third-smallest country in Europe, behind Monaco and the Holy See. Located in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, near the Adriatic Sea, this tiny nation is surrounded by Italy.This satellite picture of San Marino shows a combination of vegetation (bright green); and buildings, pavement, and bare rock (blue-gray to white). Purplish-gray polygons are probably fallow agricultural land. Overhead, fluffy white clouds cast their charcoal-colored shadows over the land surface. The Apennine Mountains give the region a rough terrain, and the limestone Monte Titano dominates the area, with a fort perched on each of the mountain's three summits. According to legend, San Marino is the world's oldest surviving republic, dating back to 301. The original city sits atop Monte Titano. Today, however, development has spread throughout the republic, evidenced by the many areas of blue-gray and the meandering roads. Tourism has brought prosperity to this small republic, but historically, its rugged terrain and lack of wealth may have helped it escape the unwanted attention of potential invaders. Image courtesy of NASA.

Cast of part of the base of Trajan's Column (the original stands in Rome) at the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest. The bas reliefs on Trajan's Column - which is about 30 m (98 ft) in height, 35 m (115 ft) including its large pedestal - depict the second century A.D. Roman conquest of Dacia, the area that today is Romania and Moldova.

Gondola on a Venetian canal approaching the Bridge of Sighs.

Gondolas on the Grand Canal. A gondola is a traditional flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, hand-made using eight different types of wood and composed of 280 pieces.

Moored boats along a quiet Venetian canal.

For more than 240 million years the region now known as Italy has been the scene of episodic volcanic activity. East-southeast of Napoli (Naples) stands the imposing cone of Vesuvius, which erupted explosively in A.D. 79 to bury Pompeii and Herculaneum. The Appenine ranges extend from northern Italy, down the boot of the peninsula and westward into Sicily. This photograph shows the Appenino Napoletano part of the mountain chain. Image courtesy of NASA.

A Sicilian windmill.

The Vittorio Emanuele Bridge over the Tiber River in Rome with Vatican City in the background. The bridge was completed in 1911.

Part of the inscription on the facade of the Pantheon in Rome naming Marcus Agrippa as the builder. The structure was dedicated in 27 B.C. as a temple to all the gods.

The Piazza Navona in Rome is surrounded by Baroque Era buildings and has been used for markets, theatrical shows, and horse races. Its Fountain of the Four Rivers was sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651.

A gondola winds its way through a Venice canal.

Colorfully painted houses on the island of Burano in Venice.

Part of a Roman home buried in Pompeii by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The ancient tragedy proved a boon for historians and archaeologists, since it provided a snapshot of Roman life from the 1st century.

Dawn in Assisi reveals the dome of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (St. Mary of the Angels).

Close-up of some of the arches of the Roman Colosseum.

A nighttime view of the Roman Colosseum.

The Strait of Messina separates Sicily (left-west) from the mainland of Italy (right-east) and also provides a water passage, connecting the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Ionian Sea. The landscape on both sides of the strait is characterized by rugged mountainous terrain, short-flowing rivers, and clustered urban areas along the narrow coastline. The concentration of lighter colored areas along the shoreline identifies the location of Messina (Sicily) and Reggio di Calabria (Italy). Image courtesy of NASA.

The dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Basilica of St. Mary of the Flower), also referred to as the Duomo (Cathedral), in Florence. Work on the Duomo began in 1296. The dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, was built between 1420 and 1436.

A look up at the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower) in Florence. Until modern times the dome - engineered by Brunelleschi - was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. The campanile - designed by Giotto - appears on the left.

Floor mosaic in Pompeii, the Roman town buried in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Pompeii is a short distance from the Gulf of Naples and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This view show the city of Positano built vertically on the face of a cliff on the rugged Amalfi Coast. In the foreground is the church Our Lady of the Assumption (Santa Maria Assunta) with its gleaming ceramic dome.

The famous Leaning Tower at Pisa. A statue of the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, being suckled by a she-wolf appears in the foreground.

One of the alegorical statues at the foot of the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II) in Rome. Victor Emmanuel was the first king of a unified Italy, ruling from 1861-1878.

The Spanish Steps in the Plaza di Spagna in Rome. The steps were built with a legacy from France in 1725 and lead to a French church, Trinita del Monti.

A view of some of the remarkably well-preserved buildings in Herculaneum.

The facade of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flowers) in Florence. Begun in 1296, the magnificent structure was not finished until 1436. The entire cathedral complex consists of the church itself, the free-standing campanile (bell tower), and the Baptistery, which stands across the square (portion seen in upper left).

The Greek Theater at Taormina on the east coast of Sicily.

Street scene in Savoca with an Arab watch tower in the background.

A view of the Forum in Rome.

A grapevine at a vineyard in the town of San Giovanni.

The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill as seen through the Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome. The Arch was constructed in A.D. 203.

A view of some of the ruins at Pompeii, buried in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79 and not rediscovered until the 18th century.

The Grand Canal, one of the major water-traffic corridors in Venice, as seen from the Rialto Bridge.

The Colosseum in Rome had seating for 50,000 spectators. Most of the stones used for construction of the building were taken by citizens of Rome in the Middle Ages for construction of other buildings in the city. The upper level of the Colosseum had supports for 240 masts that held up a canvas awning to shield spectators from sun and rain.

A view of the upper portions of the Roman Colosseum showing many of its arches.

Side view of the Cathedral of Santa Maria of the Assumption in Cathedral Plaza in Pisa. It was built in Pisan Romanesque style by the master Rainaldo using gray marble and white stone.

Fortrezza Nuova at the harbor in Livorno, on the west coast of Tuscany. The fortress was built for the Medici family in the late 16th Century.

A close-up of the Pantheon in Rome.

The Santuario di Cristo Re (Sanctuary of Christ the King) in Messina, Sicily was built in 1937 after previous constructions on the same site were destroyed by two earthquakes. The edifice has a commanding view of the city and the port.

Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, looms over rooftops on the island of Sicily.

Statue of St. Benedict at the Abbey of Monte Cassino, about 130 km (80 mi) southeast of Rome. Benedict established his first monastery here in about 529; it became the source for the Benedictine Order.

The Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore (St. George the Great) on the eponymous island in Venice.

The Papal Apartment occupies the top floor of the Apostolic Palace. The two right windows facing front are the study and bedroom of the pope. Sundays at noon, the pope usually appears at the second window from the right to pray the Angelus and to bless the crowd in Saint Peter's Square.

A view of a vineyard in Tuscany.

Positano is a small, picturesque town on the Amalfi coast. In the 16th and 17th centuries, at the peak of its importance, it was the main port of the Amalfi Republic, but by the first half of the 20th century, it was a poor fishing village. In the 1950s, it emerged as a tourist attraction.

Inside the caldera on Mount Vesuvius.

Fountain of a sinking boat in the Plaza di Spagna in Rome close to the Spanish Steps. The fountain is believed to be by Pietro Bernini.

The Colosseum ruins from the outside in Rome. Despite its run-down state, the building remains an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

Ruins of a Roman building in Rome.

The town of Vernazza on the Italian Riviera is part of the Cinque Terre National Park (a World Heritage Site) established in 1999; which consists of five picturesque villages reached only by hiking trail, train, or ferry.

The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) spans the Arno River in Florence; since Medieval times it has hosted shops and merchants along its length.

The Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of St. John) in front of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Florence is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Its construction dates to between 1059 and 1128.

Piazza della Republica (Plaza of the Republic) looking down Via Nazionale in Rome. The Fountain of the Naiads was construced in 1901.

A view of Canopus, a sanctuary to the god Serapis, located in Tivoli at the Villa of Emperor Hadrian (also known as Villa Adriana). The villa complex was created as a retreat for the emperor.

The interior of a Roman bath house in Herculaneum.

View inside the caldera of Mount Vesuvius.

A scenic view of the town of Meran nestled in the mountains.

Church towers and the dome (in the far background) of the Duomo (Cathedral) in Florence.

Area comparison map

A foal and mare in the Dolomites.

View of the town of Savoca in northeast Sicily.

Another view of the Greek Temple of Athena at Paestum, which dates to circa 500 B.C.

Steam venting inside the crater on Mount Vesuvius.

A view of the Bay of Naples from Sorrento.

View on the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) with shops (mostly jewelry boutiques) lining the roadway and the dome of the Duomo (Cathedral) in the background.

The Rialto Bridge was one of the first bridges to span the Grand Canal in Venice allowing residents to access the Rialto Market. The structure was originally constructed of wood, but after it collapsed twice under the weight of residents watching boat races, it was replaced by a stone bridge in 1591.

The building of Castle Tyrol began in the 11th century; further construction took place during the following two centuries. The fortress was the residence of the Counts of Tyrol until 1363 when the Hapsburgs took possession. It is now home to the South Tyrol Museum of History, and is also known for its castle chapel frescoes and two distinctive Romanesque portals.

House of the Skeleton in Herculaneum.

The Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross) in Florence is the largest Franciscan church in the world. Construction began in 1294 and consecration took place in 1442. Many of its 16 chapels are decorated with frescos by Giotto and his students. The basilica is the burial place of Galileo, Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and other famous Italian figures.

The ancient and historic city of Rome, showing the dome of the Pantheon on the left, the Monument of Victor Emanuel II in the left background, and various church domes.

The Farnese Bull at the Archeological Museum in Naples.

The Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of St. John) in Pisa dates to 1153. The building on the left is the Camposanto or walled cemetery. To the right is the Duomo (Cathedral) and the Campanile (Leaning Tower).

Columns at the House of Argos in Herculaneum.

Closer view of some of the homes on the rugged western coast of Italy in the city of Amalfi.

Christmas decorations in Piazza Tasso, Sorrento.

The main altar of the Pantheon in Rome. Originally constructed in 27 B.C., the Pantheon was rebuilt by the Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 126; it became a Roman Catholic church in the 7th century. The tombs of Raphael, two Italian kings, and various other notables are located in the Pantheon. It is considered one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. Its dome, 43.3 m (142 ft) wide and constructed of unreinforced concrete, sets it apart from other structures of the time.

Castello Scaligero, which has 13th century fortifications and an even older medieval tower, was home to the della Scala family who ruled the region in the 13th century. An Etruscan tomb has been found in the castle walls.

A view of San Giorgio Maggiore Island in Venice across the sparkling waters of the lagoon with gondolas in the foreground.

View of homes on the rugged western coast of Italy in the city of Amalfi.

A view of Tyrol Castle and its surrounding rugged mountains.

Altar inside the church Our Lady of the Assumption in Positano on the Amalfi Coast. Above the altar is a 13th century Byzantine Black Madonna and Child.

Ancient Roman mosaic in the House of Neptune and Amphitrite in Herculaneum.