The flag of the Autonomous Region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol features a white and blue horizontal background, representing the colors of the Trento and Bolzano coats of arms, with a central shield. The shield is quartered, displaying two eagles of San Venceslao (Trentino) and two Tyrolean red eagles (Alto Adige), symbolizing the union of the two provinces.
Lombardy[b] (Lombard and Italian: Lombardia;[a][c] Romansh: Lumbardia) is an administrative region of Italy that covers 23,844 km2 (9,206 sq mi); it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is located between the Alps mountain range and tributaries of the river Po, and includes Milan, its capital, whose metropolitan area ia the largest in the country and among the largest in the EU.[9]
Its territory is divided into 1,502 comuni (the region with the largest number of comuni in the entire national territory),[10] distributed among 12 administrative subdivisions (11 provinces plus the Metropolitan City of Milan). The region ranks first in Italy in terms of population, population density, and number of local authorities, while it is fourth in terms of surface area, after Sicily, Piedmont, and Sardinia.[11]
It is the second-most populous region of the European Union (EU),[12] and the second region of the European Union by nominal GDP.[13] Lombardy is the leading[14] region of Italy in terms of economic importance,[15] contributing to approximately one-fifth of the national gross domestic product (GDP).[16][17] It is also a member of the Four Motors for Europe, an international economic organization whose other members are Baden-Württemberg in Germany, Catalonia in Spain, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in France. Milan is the economic capital of Italy[18] and is a global centre for business, fashion and finance.
Of the 58 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy, 11 are in Lombardy, tying it with Castile and León in northwest-central Spain.[19]
Why do rolling Tuscan hills often come to mind for people when you ask them to picture Italy? As I aim to explore on my website at large, the twenty regions of Italy are incredibly varied and diverse; yet, this image of Tuscany is powerful and persistent. Well, there is historical precedent for this. As explored in detail in David Gilmour’s The Pursuit of Italy (and many other sources) the dominance of Tuscany as a representation of the ‘real’ Italy has been constructed over centuries and language has played a pivotal role. Harking back to Dante Alighieri and well before the unification of Italy in the 19th century, the Tuscan ‘dialect’ (it is really a full language) was used in what is known today as the region of Tuscany. To be more accurate, Dante is emblematic of Florence, and he did much for promoting the Tuscan dialect; specifically, he wrote his works in the language instead of the formal Latin. After his death in the early 14th century, the use of the Tuscan language was celebrated as his magnum opus The Divine Comedy rose to popularity. Yet in addition to Dante’s endorsement and use of the Tuscan vernacular, there were others; Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Francesco Guicciardini are some of the famous figures to use and promote the Tuscan dialect.
The Aosta Valley (Valle d'Aosta) is Italy's smallest autonomous region, located in the northwestern Alps, bordered by France and Switzerland, and known for its stunning mountain scenery, including Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and Gran Paradiso. It's a popular destination for winter sports, hiking, and exploring medieval castles, with a unique French and Italian cultural blend reflected in its language and cuisine. The capital, Aosta, is rich in Roman history, earning it the nickname "Rome of the Alps".
The Aosta Valley (Italian: Valle d'Aosta [ˈvalle daˈɔsta]), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley,[a] is a mountainous autonomous region[8] in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, to the west; by Valais, Switzerland, to the north; and by Piedmont, Italy, to the south and east. The regional capital is Aosta.
Aosta Valley
Valle d'Aosta (Italian)
Vallée d'Aoste (French)
Val d'Aoûta (Arpitan)
In 1031–1032, Humbert I of Savoy, the founder of the House of Savoy, received the title Count of Aosta from Emperor Conrad II of the Franconian line and built himself a commanding fortification at Bard. Saint Anselm of Canterbury was born in Aosta in 1033 or 1034. The region was divided among strongly fortified castles, and in 1191, Thomas I of Savoy found it necessary to grant to the communes a Charte des franchises ("Charter of Liberties") which preserved autonomy—rights that were fiercely defended until 1770, when they were revoked to tie Aosta more closely to Piedmont, but which were again demanded during post-Napoleonic times. In the mid-13th century, Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy (see Duke of Aosta), and its arms charged with a lion rampant were carried in the Savoy arms until the reunification of Italy in 1870.[14]
The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exceptions of French occupations from 1539 to 1563, later in 1691, and then between 1704 and 1706. It was also ruled by the First French Empire between 1800 and 1814. During French rule, it was part of Aoste arrondissement in Doire department.[15] As part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, it joined the new Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
French forces briefly controlled the area at the end of World War II, but withdrew under British and American pressure.[16] The region gained special autonomous status after the end of World War II; the province of Aosta ceased to exist in 1945.
Early inhabitants of the Aosta Valley were Celts and Ligures, whose language heritage remains in some local placenames. Rome conquered the region from the local Salassi around 25 BC and founded Augusta Prætoria Salassorum (modern-day Aosta) to secure the strategic mountain passes, and they went on to build bridges and roads through the mountains. Thus, the name Valle d'Aosta literally means "Valley of Augustus".[13]
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