The last ruler of the Kingdom of Cyprus, Caterina Cornaro, died on 10th July, 1510 in Venice. She lived out her life in a castle in Asolo, Veneto, retaining the title Queen of Cyprus.
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English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley died on 8th July, 1822 while travelling from Livorno in Tuscany to Lerici in Liguria. He was sailing his boat, Don Juan, in in the Gulf of La Spezia.
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In 1678, it is believed on 25th June, Elena Cornaro Piscopia became the first woman to receive a university academic degree. Padua was the awarding university.
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The avant-garde sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro was born in Morciano di Romagna, a small town just inland from the Adriatic coast, on this day in 1926. He is best known for his Sphere within Sphere series.
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Today (6th June), Google’s Doodle celebrates the 171st birthday of Italian inventor Angelo Moriondo. He is credited with patenting the earliest known espresso machine.
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In 1762, Pope Clement XIII officially opened the iconic Trevi Fountain in Rome. The fountain now helps raise money for the poor.
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The Veneto region is home to unique villas. Designed in the mid-1500s by the architect Andrea Palladio for the wealthiest families of the region, these are the famous Palladian Villas. Along with the city of Vicenza, they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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On 24th April 1859, Luigi Lavazza was born. The Turin grocer founded the Lavazza Coffee Company, one of Italy’s most famous coffee brands.
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Liberation Day, known as Anniversario della Liberazione or Festa della Liberazione, is celebrated on 25th April in Italy. It commemorates the end of fascist rule and the occupation of the country by Nazi Germany.
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The adventurer and author whose name is synonymous with ‘womaniser’ was born on 2nd April 1725. A Venetian, Giacomo Casanova travelled widely and wrote an autobiography Story of my Life.
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