Italy is one of the countries where you can find some of the most famous architectural wonders in the world: from North to South the beautiful country is known for the beauty of churches, museums, different places to visit that every year are the preferred destination of many tourists
But what are the 10 Italian architectural wonders to see absolutely at least once in a lifetime? Let’s discover it together in this mini virtual tour!
Imperial Forums, Rome
One of the architectural wonders is represented by the Imperial Forums in Rome: it is an architectural complex consisting of several buildings and monumental squares built between 46 BC and 113 AD.
Visiting the Imperial Forums means walking in a very large area with the impression of walking in a movie set in Roman times: there are in fact the Forum of Caesar, the Forum of Augustus, the Forum of Nerva, the Forum of Trajan and the Temple of Peace.
Finally, the Roman Forum, which in ancient times represented the Republican Square: it is worth considering that in Ancient Rome each forum represented the central part of the administrative and social life of a town.
Palatine Chapel, Palermo
The Palatine Chapel is a small church inside the Norman Palace, in Palermo: it was built in 1130 by order of Ruggiero II of Altavilla, the first Norman king of Sicily, in order to use it as a private chapel.
Entering this small chapel, you can recognize two churches inside: one facing West, with the characteristics of the Latin church and one facing East, with the typical Byzantine characteristics, sign of the union of artists of different origins and sensitivity.
Among the peculiarities of the Palatine Chapel that make it one of the Italian architectural wonders to visit are the famous Byzantine mosaics: composed of glass plated put together with a thin gold layer, and the “Parola di Dio” written in gold as well.
The “Sassi” of Matera
The Sassi of Matera, declared UNESCO World Heritage in 1993, are real buildings dug into the rock, inhabited, in the Palaeolithic, by the inhabitants of Matera.
They represent the oldest part of the city and within them were built not only houses but also churches, including the cathedral of Matera, during the medieval period.
They are to visit for those who want to take a dip in the past and enjoy some of the most beautiful Italian architectural wonders.
The Duomo, Milan
The Cathedral of Milan, known as Duomo, is one of the symbols of the Lombard capital: an architectural masterpiece of mainly classical and neo-Gothic style, it is the third cathedral in the world by surface, after Saint Peter in Rome and Santa Maria della Sede in Seville.
The Duomo was built starting from 1387 and the works continued for well over 500 years, until the end of the nineteenth century: the imposing facade built in classical-baroque style, the interior with its five naves and its huge windows, make the Duomo one of the most beautiful Italian works.
Royal Palace of Caserta, Caserta
The Royal Palace of Caserta is a splendid monumental complex designed in the eighteenth century by Luigi Vanvitelli on order of Charles III of Bourbon. The Royal Palace, built in Italian Baroque style and the adjoining park, were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 and is one of the Italian architectural wonders to visit absolutely.
Built on an area of 45,000 square meters, the Royal Palace of Caserta is 36 meters high and there are five floors: inside there are numerous stuccoes, bas-reliefs, frescoes, sculptures, inlaid floors that leave the many tourists who visit the place open-mouthed every year.
Verona’s Arena, Verona
In Verona (Veneto) there is one of the ancient Roman amphitheatres that have been better preserved over time: the Verona’s arena, was probably built around the first century AD and in ancient times represented the centre of Roman life, where there were fights between gladiators or shows with wild animals.
Even today it is the heart of the city, where many concerts and theatrical, musical and other events are held every year: participating in a show at the Verona’s arena is a unique event, which offers a unique experience between the past and the present.
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
Another of the Italian architectural wonders is in Sicily, in Agrigento: the Valley of the Temples is a large archaeological park where you can admire several Doric temples.
The buildings date back to the Hellenic period and were built in honour of several Greek gods: declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, inside the Valley of the Temples it is also possible to visit the Pietro Griffo Regional Archaeological Museum, containing many priceless finds.
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
The Uffizi Gallery was built in 1560 thanks to Giorgio Vasari: initially it was composed of a set of offices, a theater and private spaces for the use of the Medici Grand Dukes.
Today the Uffizi Gallery is a beautiful museum that houses works directly from the collections of the Medici family, paintings by great artists including Botticelli, Tiziano, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio and several other authors who have contributed to increase the artistic value of Italy.
The works that can be found inside have been realized in the period between the XII and the XVIII century, are arranged in chronological order in the different rooms and represent the best collection in the world of works of the Florentine Renaissance.
The Mole Antonelliana, Turin
The Mole Antonelliana in Turin is famous above all for its grandeur: 167.5 meters high, it is one of the tallest buildings in Italy and the highest masonry building in Europe.
Designed by the architect Alessandro Antonelli in 1863, it was initially conceived as a public synagogue in Turin, a symbol of the end of discrimination on religious grounds.
Subsequently, due to some contrasts, the construction of the Mole was completed by the Municipality that used it as the National Museum of the Italian Renaissance and recently as the National Cinema Museum.
Leaning Tower, Pisa.
The bell tower of the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, better known as the tower of Pisa is one of the symbols of Italy: built in 1173, probably by the Pisan architect Diotisalvi, it is 56 meters high and consists of two rooms.
The first room, known as the Fish Room, contains a bas-relief with the figure of a fish and the second, the belfry at the seventh ring.
Few know that the tower of Pisa acquired the characteristic slope because of a failure of the land that occurred in the early stages of construction. Currently it is the destination of many tourists who do not miss the opportunity to take a photograph next to the beautiful tower, one of the 10 Italian architectural wonders
Cover Image : sociale