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Italy is considered the birthplace of Western civilization and a cultural superpower.〔Italy has been described as a cultural superpower (by Arab news ), (by Global Times ), (by the Washington Post ), (by The Australian ). Italy has been described as a cultural superpower (by the Italian consul general in San Francisco ), (by former minister giulio terzi ) and (by US President Barack Obama ).〕 Italy has been the starting point of phenomena of international impact such as the Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church, the Renaissance and the Risorgimento. During its history, the nation gave birth to an enormous number of notable people. Both the internal and external facets of Western culture were born on the Italian peninsula, whether one looks at the history of the Christian faith, civil institutions (such as the Senate), philosophy, law,〔(Roman law. ) ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online, 2011.'' Web. 25 Sep. 2011.〕 art, science, or social customs and culture. Italy was home to many well-known and influential civilizations, including the Etruscans, Samnites, Phoenicians, Greeks, and the Romans. Etruscan and Samnite cultures flourished in Italy before the emergence of the Roman Empire, which conquered and incorporated them. Phoenicians and Greeks established settlements in Italy beginning several centuries before the birth of Christ, and the Greek settlements in particular developed into thriving classical civilizations. The Greek ruins in southern Italy are perhaps the most spectacular and best preserved anywhere. For more than 2,000 years Italy experienced migrations, invasions and was divided into many independent states until 1861 when it became a nation-state.〔(Risorgimento. ) ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online, 2011.'' Web. 25 Sep. 2011.〕 Due to this comparatively late unification, and the historical autonomy of the regions that comprise the Italian peninsula, many traditions and customs that are now recognized as distinctly Italian can be identified by their regions of origin. Despite the political and social isolation of these regions, Italy's contributions to the cultural and historical heritage of Europe and the world remain immense. The famous elements of Italian culture are its art, music, fashion, and iconic food. Italy was the birthplace of opera,〔Kimbell, David R. B. (''Italian Opera.'' ) Cambridge University Press, 1994. p. 1. Web. 22 Jul. 2012.〕 and for generations the language of opera was Italian, irrespective of the nationality of the composer. Popular tastes in drama in Italy have long favored comedy; the improvisational style known as the ''Commedia dell'arte'' began in Italy in the mid-16th century〔 (Commedia dell'arte. ) ''Treccani, il portale del sapere.'' Web. 24 Jul. 2012.〕 and is still performed today. Before being exported to France, the famous Ballet dance genre also originated in Italy. The country boasts several world-famous cities. Rome was the ancient capital of the Roman Empire and seat of the pope of the Catholic Church. Florence was the heart of the Renaissance, a period of great achievements in the arts that ended the Dark Ages.〔Zirpolo, Lilian H. (''The A to Z of Renaissance Art.'' ) Scarecrow Press, 2009. pp. 154-156. Web. 16 Jul. 2012.〕 Other important cities include Turin, which used to be the capital of Italy, and is now one of the world's great centers of automobile engineering. Milan is the industrial, financial and fashion capital of Italy. Venice, with its intricate canal system, attracts tourists from all over the world especially during the Venetian Carnival and the Biennale. Italy is home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (51) to date,〔() UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Web. 25 Sep. 2011.〕〔 (Beni Italiani Unesco. ) ''Associazione Città e Siti Unesco.'' Web. 17 Jul. 2012.〕 and according to one estimate the country is home to half the world's great art treasures.〔Abbot, Charles. (''Italy.'' ) Morellini Editore, 2006. p. 101. Web. 24 Sep. 2011.〕 The nation has, overall, an estimated 100,000 monuments of any sort (churches, cathedrals, archaeological sites, houses and statues).〔DK (Author). (''DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Italy.'' ) Dorling Kindersley Ltd, 2012. pp. 23-24. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.〕 == Arts == 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Culture of Italy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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