| Every year millions of visitors trek through Italy in | | | | the largest in the world when built. |
| search of ancient culture, great food, art, architecture, | | | | Since then, Il Duomo , which took nearly six centuries |
| and more. The allure is immediate even to those who | | | | to complete, has become |
| have never been. | | | | Florence's symbol. Climb the 414 steps of the bell |
| There is more art and architecture to see in Italy than | | | | tower, and Renaissance Florencewill be laid before |
| one person could possiblyexperience in a lifetime. | | | | you. Location: Piazza del Duomo, Florence. |
| Rome, Florence, and Venice alone offer an unending | | | | Piazza San Marco - Piazza San Marco is still studied |
| arrayof design excursions. Highlighted here are some | | | | today by architectsand urban planners as one of the |
| of the must see designs of bothancient and modern | | | | most beautiful and successful public squares. |
| Italy. Talk a trip, bring a sketch book, and see the | | | | Thesquare is surrounded by cafes, shops, and of |
| gorgeous artand design that is synonymous with Italian | | | | course the Campanile and St. Peter's |
| life. | | | | Basilica. Visitors and locals alike sip espresso in its |
| The Coliseum - An architectural marvel, the coliseum | | | | cafes, meet to talk, and climbthe Campanile to see an |
| was built beginningin 72 A.M. Originally used as a | | | | amazing view of Venice. Location: Piazza San Marco, |
| source of entertainment (usually forced | | | | withthe Basilica at the wider end, Venice. |
| barbariccombat) the Coliseum is still an amazing site. | | | | The Peggy Guggenheim Collection - In a city world |
| Strangely, although it could beconsidered a source of | | | | reknown for itsancient art and architecture, the |
| embarrassment of the past, it has been come to | | | | Guggenheim Collection houses one of the |
| known asone of the ultimate icons of ancient Roman | | | | greatestcollections of modern art. her collection |
| greatness. Location: the Piazza del | | | | includes works by Pollack, Picasso, Klee, |
| Colosseo, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Rome | | | | Rothko, Chagall, Mondrian, and more. There is also a |
| Vatican City - This tiny country is perhaps one of the | | | | gorgeous sculpture gardenhousing even more works. |
| most remarkableaspects of Rome. Vatican City is the | | | | Location: Calle Venice dei Leoni, Dorsoduro, Venice. |
| heart of Catholicism, both spiritually andpolitically. St. | | | | The Brion Vega Cemetery - The Brion Vega is |
| Peter himself was crucified on this spot, and St. Peter's | | | | considered one of Carlo |
| basilica wasbuilt directly above the ancient hill. Both the | | | | Scarpa's masterpieces. Scarpa was and still is often |
| Basilica and St. Peter's square are stillstudied today in | | | | considered the premier modern |
| architecture and art history classes. You can wander | | | | Italian architect. The memorial is a great concrete and |
| the Vatican | | | | landscaped form if rectilinear,stepping, and sculptural |
| Museums for days, including a visit to the Sistine | | | | concrete elements. It is an amazing pilgrimage for |
| Chapel, to see some of the truemasterpieces of | | | | thearchitecture buff. Location: San Vito d'Altivole. |
| Roman art. Location: Entry through Saint Peter's | | | | You can wander Italy for ages and never take in all of |
| Square, Rome | | | | the art and architecture. Still,the sites listed above are |
| Il Duomo (The Cathedral of Santa Maria Dei Fiori) - Il | | | | some of the must sees for lovers of art, architecture, |
| Duomo is consideredby many to be the grandest | | | | andtravel. Open your eyes and see the Italian design |
| achievement in Renaissance architecture. The | | | | that has been around for centuries,and that which |
| octagonaldome, originally designed by Brunelleschi was | | | | continues to flourish today. |