Friûl/Friuli and Italy

Friûl/Friuli

Friûl , (Friuli in Italian) is a part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia an autonomous region in the Northeast of Italy. The region borders with Austria and Slovenia. The scenery is very beautiful with the Alps in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south. The inland is dominated by a green hilly landscape and the region is famous for some of the finest wines in the world. Here you can also find medieval castles and cities, among them "Cividale del Friuli", a city said to be founded by Julius Cesar 50 ac.

Throughout the years this area has been crossed and besieged by different nations. This has led to a unique mix of Latin, German and Slavic culture. The Kelts originally populated the area, but during the 300-century it was a Roman colony. The Longobards seized power over the region in the 700-century and a couple of hundred years later the Franks came. History has ever since been characterised by invasions. The region has been under the rule of both Venetia and Austria. Even Napoleon was here during 1796 when his army crossed the Alps making the Austrians leave northern Italy.

It was not until 1866 that Friûl became a part of Italy. Only for a short period of time (1077 to about 1200) Friûl was an independent state. The region has its own language; Friulan. It is a roman minority language still used in these parts; for example Friuli is "Friûl" in Friulan. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has its own culture, as seen in the language and in the cultural festivals in the villages. The festivals are called "Sagres" and are held every year.

Italy

Nature

In the north you will find to two big mountain ridges the Alps and the Apiennes. Italy's highest mountains are Mount Bianco (Mount Blanc), Monterosa and Cervino (Mattherhorn). There are many trees typical for the Mediterranean area in Italy, such as olive trees, lemon and orange trees, oak and cypress. Up north you will also find pine and spruce. There are not a lot of wild animals in Italy. This because there have been people living here for such a long time. In the Alps you can find smaller populations of chamois and ibex. There are also eagles, hawks and vultures.

Climate

Italy is characterised by a typical Mediterranean climate in the south, with hot and dry summers. In the north they also have hot summers but the winter is cold with a lot of snow, especially in the mountains.

Food and Drinks

When it comes to food and drinks (e.g. wine) you could write several books and still not be covering what there is to say. Italy is known for its delicious food and careful cooking. It is the home of pasta and pizza. Delicacies such as Parma ham, Parmesan cheese, and pesto have its origin in Italy. Italy is also a major wine producer and is home to several famous wine farms. In this country you can really enjoy good food and wine.

History

Italy has played a central role in the European history and culture for a long time. The Romans dominated the European continent for many years; Julius Cesar was one of the most famous emperors. After the fall of the Roman Empire Italy became divided into smaller states and it would take until 1861 before the Italian kingdom was proclaimed.

Ever since Christianity made its way into history Rome and Italy has been central to the religion. The head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, has most of the time had his head quarters in Rome or more precise in the Vatican. During the Middle Ages Italy was home to some of the most famous artist in history; Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci.

The beginning of the 20th century is a turbulent part of Italy's history. Italy took part in the First World War. During the peace, parts of Austria became Italian. Peace, however, was characterised by discontent. Italy was, after the war, a country with high unemployment rates and severe social conditions. This helped the fascists and Mussolini seizing power. Italy took part in the Second World War on the Nazis side. Italy lost and 1946 the Republic of Italy was proclaimed.

After the Second World War Italian domestic politics was highly influenced by the Christian democrats who governed the country 1945-1992 (sometimes in coalition with other parties). During 1992 a major scandal was arising when there were bribes discovered in politics. This led to the dissolving of the Christian Democrats which also affected other parties. Many new parties were established among them Forza Italia led by Silvio Berlusconi. He is a major industrial leader. Forza Italia soon became the biggest party and governed Italy 1994-95 and 2001-06, with Berlusconi as president. At the election 2006 the centre left wing took power and Romano Prodi became president.

Economy

The northern part of Italy has many major industries. In the south up to 20% are unemployed, and dependent on government aid. Italy is one of the original countries in both NATO and EU. Important natural resources are carbon, zinc, marble, gas and arable land.

More information

Here you can find some additional information about Italy: Ministry of foreign affairs .

For more information about Friuli: Official site of Friuli, Venezia, Giulia and Tourism in Friuli, Venezia, Giulia .