Tuscany (Italian Italian ( italiano , or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken as a native language by about 62 million people in Italy, San Marino and parts of Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia and France. It is spoken as a first language by many Italian citizens and immigrants abroad, for a total of approximately 70 million native speakers. In addition, it: Toscana, pronounced [tosˈka(ː)na]) is a region The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the state. There are twenty regions, five of them are constitutionally given a broader amount of autonomy granted by special statutes in Central Italy. It has an area of 22,990 square kilometres (8,880 sq mi) and a population of about 3.6 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence Florence (Italian: Firenze listen , pronounced [fiˈrɛntse]; alternative obsolete spelling: Fiorenza, Latin: Florentia) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 367,569 inhabitants (1,500,000 in the metropolitan area).

Tuscany is known for its beautiful landscapes, its rich artistic legacy and vast influence on high culture High culture is a term, now used in a number of different ways in academic discourse, whose most common meaning is the set of cultural products, mainly in the arts, held in the highest esteem by a culture. In more popular terms, it is the culture of an elite such as the aristocracy or intelligentsia. It is contrasted with the low culture or. Tuscany is widely regarded as the true birthplace of the Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe. The term renaissance is in essence a modern one that came into currency in the, and has been home to some of the most influential people in the history of arts and science, such as Petrarch Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest Renaissance humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism". In the 16th century, Pietro Bembo created the model for the modern Italian language based on Petrarch's works, as well as those of Giovanni Boccaccio and,, Dante Dante Alighieri , commonly known as Dante, was an Italian poet of the Middle Ages. He was born in Florence; he died and is buried in Ravenna. The name Dante is, according to the words of Jacopo Alighieri, a hypocorism for Durante. In contemporary documents it is followed by the patronymic Alagherii or de Alagheriis; it was Boccaccio who, Botticelli Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli or Il Botticello "The Little Barrel"; was an Italian painter of the Florentine school during the Early Renaissance (Quattrocento). Less than a hundred years later, this movement, under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, was characterized by Giorgio Vasari as a &, Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. Despite making few forays beyond the arts, his versatility in the disciplines he took up was of such a high order that he is often considered a contender for the title of the archetypal, Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( pronunciation ), (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519), was an Italian polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer. Leonardo has often been described as the archetype of the Renaissance man, a man whose, Galileo Galilei Galileo Galilei was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy,", Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, navigator and cartographer. The continents of North America and South America are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name and Puccini Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire. Some of his arias, such as "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi, "Che gelida manina" from La bohème,. Due to this, the region has several museums, most of which (such as the Uffizi The Uffizi Gallery , is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world. It is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a palazzo in Florence, Italy and the Pitti Palace The Palazzo Pitti , in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present palazzo dates from 1458 and was originally the town residence of Luca Pitti, an ambitious Florentine banker) are found in Florence Florence (Italian: Firenze listen , pronounced [fiˈrɛntse]; alternative obsolete spelling: Fiorenza, Latin: Florentia) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 367,569 inhabitants (1,500,000 in the metropolitan area), but others in towns and smaller villages. Tuscany has a unique culinary tradition, and is famous for its wines Wine is an alcoholic beverage, typically made of fermented grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars found in the grapes and converts them (most famous of which are Chianti Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco ; however, the fiasco is only used by a few makers of the wine now; most Chianti is bottled in traditionally shaped wine bottles. Baron Bettino Ricasoli (later Prime Minister in the Kingdom of Italy), Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano, Italy. The wine is made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varietal (minimum 70%), blended with Canaiolo Nero (10%–20%) and small amounts of other local varieties such as, Morellino di Scansano Morellino di Scansano DOCG is an Italian red wine made in the hilly environs of the village of Scansano , in the Maremma, which includes a part of the coast of southern Tuscany. Morellino is the local name for the Sangiovese grape varietal. Many people think that the name Morellino comes from Morello (brown) , the colour of Maremmano horses. The and Brunello di Montalcino Brunello di Montalcino is a red Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino located about 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Florence in the Tuscany wine region. Brunello, roughly translated as "nice dark one" in the local dialect, is the unofficial name of the clone of Sangiovese (also known as Sangiovese).

Six Tuscan localities have been designated World Heritage Sites A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term: the historic centre of Florence The historic centre of Florence is quartiere 1 of the Italian city of Florence. This quarter was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982 (1982), the historical centre of Siena Siena listen (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsjɛ(ː)na]; also widely spelled Sienna in English) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena (1995), the square of the Cathedral of Pisa The Piazza del Duomo is a wide, walled area at the heart of the city of Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, recognized as one of the main centers for medieval art in the world. Partly paved and partly grassed, it is dominated by four great religious edifices: the Duomo, the Leaning Tower (the cathedral's campanile), the Baptistry and the Camposanto (1987), the historical centre of San Gimignano San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town (1990), the historical centre of Pienza In 1996, UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage Site, and in 2004 the entire valley, the Val d'Orcia, was included on the list of UNESCO's World Cultural Landscapes. Scene of the monastery where "The English Patient" was set (1996) and the Val d'Orcia The Val d’Orcia, or Valdorcia, is a region of Tuscany, central Italy, which extends from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata. It is characterised by gentle, carefully-cultivated hills occasionally broken by gullies and by picturesque towns and villages such as Pienza , Radicofani (home to the notorious brigand-hero Ghino di Tacco) and (2004). Furthermore, Tuscany has over 120 protected nature reserves A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research. Nature reserves may be designated by government institutions in some countries, or by private landowners, such. This makes Tuscany and its capital city Florence very popular tourist destinations, attracting millions of tourists every year. Florence itself receives an average of 10 million tourists a year by placing the city as one of the most visited in the world (in 2007, the city became the world's 46th most visited city, with over 1.715 million arrivals).[2]

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Geography

Hilly landscape in Val d'Orcia The Val d’Orcia, or Valdorcia, is a region of Tuscany, central Italy, which extends from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata. It is characterised by gentle, carefully-cultivated hills occasionally broken by gullies and by picturesque towns and villages such as Pienza , Radicofani (home to the notorious brigand-hero Ghino di Tacco) and.

Roughly triangular in shape and situated between the northern part of the Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy and the central Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains are a mountain range consisting of parallel smaller chains extending c. 1,200 km (750 mi) along the length of peninsular Italy. In the northwest they join with the Ligurian Alps at Altare. In the southwest they end at Reggio di Calabria, the coastal city at the tip of the peninsula. Since about 2000 the Ministry, Tuscany has an area of approximately 22,993 square kilometers Square kilometre, symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of surface area, the square metre, one of the SI derived units. 1 km2 is equal to: (8,877.6 sq mi The square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared. For instance, 20 miles square (20 × 20 miles) is equal to 400 square miles). Surrounded and crossed by major mountain chains, and with few (but very fertile) plains, the region has a relief that is dominated by hilly country.

Whereas mountains cover 25% of the total area — 5,770 square kilometers (2,227.8 sq mi), and plains a mere 8.4% of the total area, almost all coinciding with the valley of the River Arno, summing for 1,930 square kilometers (745.2 sq mi), — overall hills make up two-thirds (66.5%) of the region's total area, covering 15,292 square kilometers (5,904.3 sq mi).

The climate, which is fairly mild in the coastal areas, is harsher and rainy in the interior, with considerable fluctuations in temperature between winter and summer[3] giving the region a soil building active freeze-thaw cycle in part accounting for the region once having served as a key breadbasket of ancient Rome The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterised by a republican form of government. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, c. 509 BC, and lasted 482 years until its subversion, through a series of civil wars, into the Principate form of government and the Imperial period.[4]

History

Main article: History of Tuscany Tuscany is named after its pre-Roman inhabitants, the Etruscans. It was ruled by Rome for many centuries. In the Middle Ages, it saw many invasions, but in the Renaissance period it helped lead Europe back to civilisation. Later, it settled down as a grand duchy. It was conquered by Napoleonic France in the late 18th century and became part of the

Appennini and Villanovan cultures.

Main articles: Apennine culture The Apennine culture or Italian Bronze Age is a technology complex of central and southern Italy spanning the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age proper. It is preceded by the Neolithic and succeeded by the Iron Age Villanovan culture. Apennine culture pottery is a black, burnished ware incised and decorated with spirals, meanders, dots and bands of dots and Villanovan culture The Villanovan culture was the earliest Iron Age culture of central and northern Italy, abruptly following the Bronze Age Terramare culture and giving way in the seventh century BC to an increasingly orientalizing culture influenced by Greek traders, which was followed without a severe break by the Etruscan civilization. Villanovan cultural

The pre-Etruscan history of the area in the late Bronze The Bronze Age of a culture is the period when the most advanced metalworking in that culture used bronze. This could either have been based on the local smelting of copper and tin from ores, or trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere. Many, though not all, Bronze Age cultures flourished in prehistory and Iron Ages In archaeology, the Iron Age is the prehistoric period in any area during which cutting tools and weapons were mainly made of iron or steel. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles parallels that of the early Greeks Ancient Greece is the civilization belonging to the period of Greek history lasting from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. At the center of this time period is Classical Greece, which flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries BC, at first under Athenian.[5] The Tuscan area was inhabited by peoples of the so-called Apennine culture The Apennine culture or Italian Bronze Age is a technology complex of central and southern Italy spanning the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age proper. It is preceded by the Neolithic and succeeded by the Iron Age Villanovan culture. Apennine culture pottery is a black, burnished ware incised and decorated with spirals, meanders, dots and bands of dots in the late second millennium BC Its first half is dominated by the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and Babylonia. The alphabet develops. Indo-Iranian migration onto the Iranian plateau and onto the Indian subcontinent propagates the use of the chariot. Chariot warfare and population movements lead to violent changes at the center of the millennium, and a new order emerges with Greek (roughly 1350–1150 BC) who had trading relationships with the Minoan The Minoan civilization, a Bronze Age civilization, arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately 2700 to 1450 BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans. Will Durant referred to it as "the first link in the European chain." and Mycenaean Mycenaean Greece is a cultural period of Ancient Greece taking its name from the archaeological site of Mycenae in northeastern Argolis, in the Peloponnese of southern Greece. Athens, Pylos, Thebes, and Tiryns are also important Mycenaean sites. The last phase of the Bronze Age in Ancient Greece, it is the historical setting of much ancient Greek civilisations in the Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος, Egeo Pelagos [eˈʝeo ˈpelaɣos] ; Turkish: Ege Denizi) is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey respectively. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea.[5] Following this, the Villanovan culture The Villanovan culture was the earliest Iron Age culture of central and northern Italy, abruptly following the Bronze Age Terramare culture and giving way in the seventh century BC to an increasingly orientalizing culture influenced by Greek traders, which was followed without a severe break by the Etruscan civilization. Villanovan cultural (1100–700 BC) saw Tuscany, and the rest of Etruria, taken over by chiefdoms In anthropological theory, one model of human social development rooted in ideas of cultural evolution describes a chiefdom as a form of social organization more complex than a tribe or a band society, and less complex than a state or a civilization. The most succinct definition of a chiefdom in anthropology belongs to Robert L. Carneiro: "An.[5] City-states Whereas nation-states rely on a common heritage, be it linguistic, historical, economic, etc., the city-state relies on the common interest in the function of the urban center. The urban center and its activity supplies the livelihoods of all urbanites inhabiting the city-state developed in the late Villanovan (paralleling Greece and the Aegean) before "Orientalisation" occurred and the Etruscan civilisation rose.[5]

Prato Prato listen is a city and comune in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato

Etruscans

Main article: Etruscan civilization The Chimera of Arezzo, Etruscan bronze, 400 BC.

The Etruscans were the first major civilisation in this region; large enough to lay down a transport infrastructure, implement agriculture and mining and produced vibrant art.[6] The Etruscans lived in Etruria well into prehistory.[5] The civilisation grew to fill the area between the Arno River and Tiber River from the eighth century, reaching their peak during the seventh century BC and sixth century BC, finally succumbing to the Romans by the first century.[7] Throughout their existence, they lost territory (in Campania) to Magna Graecia, Carthage and Celts.[6] Despite being seen as distinct in its manners and customs by contemporary Greeks,[8] the cultures of Greece, and later Rome, influenced the civilisation to a great extent. One reason for its eventual demise[7] was this increasing absorption by surrounding cultures, including the adoption of the Etruscan upper class by the Romans.[6]

Romans

Soon after absorbing Etruria, Rome established the cities of Lucca, Pisa, Siena, and Florence, endowed the area with new technologies and development, and ensured peace.[6] These developments included extensions of existing roads, introduction of aqueducts and sewers, and the construction of many buildings, both public and private.[6] The Roman civilization in the West collapsed in the 5th century and the region was left to the Goths, and others. In the 6th century, the Longobards arrived and designated Lucca the capital of their Duchy of Tuscia.[6]

The medieval period

Palazzo Vecchio in Florence See also: March of Tuscany

Pilgrims travelling along the Via Francigena between Rome and France brought wealth and development during the medieval period.[6] The food and shelter required by these travellers fuelled the growth of communities around churches and taverns.[6] The conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, factions supporting the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in central and northern Italy during the 12th and 13th centuries, split the Tuscan people.[6] These two factors gave rise to several powerful and rich medieval communes in Tuscany: Arezzo, Florence, Lucca, Pisa, and Siena.[6] Balance between these communes were ensured by the assets they held; Pisa, a port; Siena, banking; and Lucca, banking and silk.[9] By the renaissance, however, Florence had become the cultural capital of Tuscany.[9] Another family that befitted from Florence's growing wealth and power were the ruling Medici Family. Lorenzo de' Medici was one of the most famous and the benefits of his time are still being observed today in the fantastic art and architecture in Florence today. One of his of famous descendants Caterina (Catharine) de Medici married Prince Henry of France.

The Black Death epidemic hit Tuscany; starting in 1348, it eventually killed 60 to 80% of Tuscans.[10] Florence lost a third of its population in the first six months, and from 45% to 75% of its population in the first year.[11] In 1630 Florence and Tuscany were once again ravaged by the plague.[12]

The Renaissance

See also: Italian Renaissance Blue-and-white faience albarello with Pseudo-Kufic designs, Tuscany, 2nd half of 15th century.

Tuscany, especially Florence, is regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Though "Tuscany" remained a linguistic, cultural and geographic conception, rather than a political reality, in the 15th century, Florence extended dominion in Tuscany through the annexion of Arezzo in 1384, the purchase of Pisa in 1405 and the suppression of a local resistance there (1406). Livorno was bought in as well (1421).

In the leading city of Florence, the republic was from 1434 onward dominated by the increasingly monarchical Medici family. Initially, under Cosimo, Piero the Gouty, Lorenzo and Piero the Unfortunate, the forms of the republic were retained and the Medici ruled without a title, usually without even a formal office. These rulers presided over the Florentine Renaissance. There was a return to the republic from 1494 to 1512, when first Girolamo Savonarola then Piero Soderini oversaw the state. Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici retook the city with Spanish forces in 1512, before going to Rome to become Pope Leo X. Florence was dominated by a series of papal proxies until 1527 when the citizens declared the republic again, only to have it taken from them again in 1530 after a siege by an Imperial and Spanish army. At this point Pope Clement VII and Charles V appointed Alessandro de' Medici as the first formally hereditary ruler.

The Sienese commune was not incorporated into Tuscany until 1555, and during the 15th century Siena enjoyed a cultural 'Sienese Renaissance' with its own more conservative character. Lucca remained an independent Republic until 1847 when it became part of Grand Duchy of Tuscany by the will of its people. Piombino was another minor independent state, under both Spanish and Tuscan influence.

Modern Era

See also: Grand Duchy of Tuscany

In the 1400s, the Medicis, who ruled Florence, annexed surrounding land to create modern Tuscany. The War of Polish Succession in the 1730s meant the transfer of Tuscany from the Medicis to Francis, Duke of Lorraine and Holy Roman Emperor. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire by Napoleon, Tuscany was inherited by the Austrian Empire as successor to the Holy Roman Empire. In the Italian Wars of Independence in the 1850s, Tuscany was transferred from Austria to the newly unified nation of Italy.

Under Benito Mussolini the area came under the dominance of local National Fascist Party leader Dino Perrone Compagni. Following the fall of Mussolini and the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, the Italian Social Republic was established in the northern regions of Italy, with its de facto border at the Gothic Line, a defensive position just north of Florence. Following the end of the Social Republic, and the transition from a Kingdom to the modern Italian Republic, Tuscany once more flourished as a cultural center of Italy.

Culture

This section requires expansion.

Tuscany has an immense cultural and artistic heritage, expressed in the region's numerous churches, palaces, art galleries, museums, villages and piazzas. Much of these artifacts are found in the main cities, such as Florence and Siena, but also in smaller villages scattered around the region, such as San Gimignano.

Art

Michelangelo's David

Tuscany has a unique artistic legacy, and Florence is one of the world's most important artistic centres, even so that it is often nicknamed the "art capital of Italy" (the city is also believed to have the largest concentration of Renaissance art and architecture in the world).[13] Painters such as Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived in Florence and Tuscany as well as Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, renewers of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, forefathers of the Renaissance, Ghiberti and the Della Robbias, Filippo Lippi and Angelico; Botticelli, Paolo Uccello and the universal genius of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.[14][15]

The region contains numerous museums and art galleries, most of which store some of the world's most precious and valuable works of art. Such museums include the Uffizi, which keeps Botticelli's Birth of Venus, the Pitti Palace, and the Bargello, to name but a few. But most of the frescos, sculptures and paintings in Tuscany are also held in the region's abundant churches and cathedrals, such as Florence Cathedral, Siena Cathedral, Pisa Cathedral and the Collegiata di San Gimignano.

Art Schools

A painting from the Sienese school Main articles: Florentine school, Sienese school, and Lucchese School

In medieval period and in the Renaissance, there were four main Tuscan art schools which competed against each other: the Florentine School, the Sienese School, the Pisan School and the Lucchese School.

Main artistic centres

Arezzo Florence Pisa Prato Siena Grosseto Lucca San Gimignano

In the province of Arezzo:

In the province of Florence:

In the Province of Grosseto:

In the province of Livorno:

In the province of Lucca:

In the province of Massa-Carrara:

In the province of Pisa:

In the province of Prato:

In the province of Pistoia:

In the province of Siena:

Language

Main article: Tuscan Language

Apart from standard Italian, the most spoken language in Tuscany is the 'Tuscan dialect' (lingua toscana), or the Tuscan dialect (dialetto toscano). In many respects it wandered less than other Romance dialects from the Latin language and evolved linearly and homogeneously, without major influences from other foreign languages. There are currently 3.5 million speakers of the language.

Italian is in practice a "literary version" of Tuscan. It became the language of culture for all the people of Italy,[16] thanks to the prestige of the masterpieces of Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini. It would later become the official language of all the Italian states and of the Kingdom of Italy, when it was formed.[17]

Music

Main article: Music of Tuscany See also: Music of Florence

Tuscany has a rich ancient and modern musical tradition, and has boasted numerous composers and musicians, such as Giacomo Puccini, and Pietro Mascagni. Beyond Florence, the other nine other provinces in the region of Tuscany, named for the largest city in, and capital of, the respective province. Taken together, they offer an intense musical life. Florence is the main musical centre of Tuscany. The city was at the heart of much of our entire Western musical tradition. It was there that the Florentine Camerata convened in the mid-1500s and experimented with setting tales of Greek mythology to music and staging the result—in other words, the first operas, setting the wheels in motion not just for the further development of the operatic form, but for later developments of separate "classical" forms such as the symphony.

Giacomo Puccini

There are numerous musical centres in Tuscany. Arezzo is indelibly connected with the name of Guido d'Arezzo, the 11th-century monk who invented modern musical notation and the do-re-mi system of naming notes of the scale; Lucca hosted possibly the greatest Italian composer of Romanticism, Giacomo Puccini and Siena is well-known for the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, an organization that currently sponsors major musical activities such as the Siena Music Week and the Alfredo Casella International Composition Competition. Other important musical centres in Tuscany include Lucca, Pisa and Grosseto.

Literature

Tuscan poet and literary figure Petrarch.

Tuscany has a renowned literature, and has boasted several famous writers and poets, most notably Florentine author Dante. Tuscany's literary scene particularly thrived in the 13th century and the Renaissance.

In Tuscany, especially in the Middle Ages, popular love poetry existed. A school of imitators of the Sicilians was led by Dante da Majano, but its literary originality took another line — that of humorous and satirical poetry. The entirely democratic form of government created a style of poetry which stood strongly against the medieval mystic and chivalrous style. Devout invocation of God or of a lady came from the cloister and the castle; in the streets of the cities everything that had gone before was treated with ridicule or biting sarcasm. Folgore da San Gimignano laughs when in his sonnets he tells a party of Sienese youths the occupations of every month in the year, or when he teaches a party of Florentine lads the pleasures of every day in the week. Cenne della Chitarra laughs when he parodies Folgore's sonnets. The sonnets of Rustico di Filippo are half-fun and half-satire, as is the work of Cecco Angiolieri of Siena, the oldest humorist we know, a far-off precursor of Rabelais and Montaigne.

Another kind of poetry also began in Tuscany. Guittone d'Arezzo made art quit chivalry and Provençal forms for national motives and Latin forms. He attempted political poetry, and, although his work is often obscure, he prepared the way for the Bolognese school. Bologna was the city of science, and philosophical poetry appeared there. Guido Guinizelli was the poet after the new fashion of the art. In his work the ideas of chivalry are changed and enlarged. Only those whose heart is pure can be blessed with true love, regardless of class. He refuted the traditional credo of courtly love, for which love is a subtle philosophy only a few chosen knights and princesses could grasp. Love is blind to blasons but not to a good heart when it finds one: when it succeeds it is the result of the spiritual, not physical affinity between teo souls. Guinizzelli's democratic view can be better understood in the light of the greater equality and freedom enjoyed by the city-states of the center-north and the rise of a middle class eager to legitimise itself in the eyes of the old nobility, still regarded with respect and admiration but in fact dispossessed of its political power. Guinizelli's Canzoni make up the bible of Dolce Stil Novo, and one in particular, "Al cor gentil" ("To a Kind Heart") is considered the manifesto of the new movement which will bloom in Florence under Cavalcanti, Dante and their followers. His poetry has some of the faults of the school of d'Arezzo. Nevertheless, he marks a great development in the history of Italian art, especially because of his close connection with Dante's lyric poetry.

In the 13th century, there were several major allegorical poems. One of these is by Brunetto Latini, who was a close friend of Dante. His Tesoretto is a short poem, in seven-syllable verses, rhyming in couplets, in which the author professes to be lost in a wilderness and to meet with a lady, who represents Nature, from whom he receives much instruction. We see here the vision, the allegory, the instruction with a moral object, three elements which we shall find again in the Divine Comedy. Francesco da Barberino, a learned lawyer who was secretary to bishops, a judge, and a notary, wrote two little allegorical poems, the Documenti d'amore and Del reggimento e dei costumi delle donne. The poems today are generally studied not as literature, but for historical context. A fourth allegorical work was the Intelligenza, which is sometimes attributed to Compagni, but is probably only a translation of French poems.

In the 15th century, humanist and publisher Aldus Manutius published Tuscan poets Petrarch and Dante Alighieri (The Divine Comedy), creating the model for what became a standard for modern Italian.

Cuisine

A different assortion of Tuscan foods (from Lucca): wine, cold meats and different sorts of salamis and hams. Main article: Tuscan cuisine See also: Tuscan wine

Simplicity is central to the Tuscan cuisine. Legumes, bread, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms and fresh fruit are used. Olive oil is made from Moraiolo, Leccino, and Frantoiano olives. White truffles from San Miniato appear in October and November. Beef of the highest quality comes from the Chiana Valley, specifically a breed known as Chianina used for Florentine steak. Pork is also produced.[18]

Wine is also a famous and very common produce of Tuscany. Chianti is arguably the most well-known internationally. As a matter of fact, due to several British tourists coming to the area where Chianti wine is produced, this specific area has been nicknamed "Chiantishire".[citation needed]

Postage stamps

4 crazie stamp from 1851 Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Tuscany

Between 1851 and 1860, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, an independent Italian state until 1859 when it joined the United Provinces of Central Italy, produced two postage stamp issues which are among the most prized classic stamp issues of the world, and include the most valuable Italian stamp. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was an independent Italian state from 1569 to 1859, but was occupied by France from 1808 to 1814. The Duchy comprised most of the present area of Tuscany, and its capital was Florence. In December 1859, the Grand Duchy officially ceased to exist, being joined to the Duchies of Modena and Parma to form the United Provinces of Central Italy, which was annexed by the Kingdom of Sardinia a few months later in March 1860. In 1862 it became part of Italy, and joined the Italian postal system.

Economy

Vineyards in the Chianti region.

Agriculture

The subsoil in Tuscany is relatively rich in mineral resources, with iron ore, copper, mercury and lignite mines, the famous soffioni (fumarole) at Larderello and the vast marble mines in Versilia. Although its share is falling all the time, agriculture still contributes to the region's economy. In the region's inland areas cereals, potatoes, olives and grapes (for the world-famous Chianti wines) are grown. The swamplands, which used to be marshy, now produce vegetables, rice, tobacco, beets and sunflowers.[3]

Industry

The industrial sector is dominated by mining, given the abundance of underground resources. Also of some note are the textiles, chemicals/pharmaceuticals, metalworking and steel, glass and ceramics, clothing and printing/publishing sectors. Smaller areas specialising in manufacturing and craft industries are found in the hinterland: the leather and footwear area in the south-west part of the province of Florence, the hot-house plant area in Pistoia, the ceramics and textile industries in the Prato area, scooters and motorcycles in Pontedera, and the processing of timber for the manufacture of wooden furniture in the Cascina area. The heavy industries (mining, steel and mechanical engineering) are concentrated along the coastal strip (Livorno and Pisa areas), where there are also important chemical industries. Also of note are the marble (Carrara area) and paper industries (Lucca area).[3]

Tourism

Almost without exception, every town and city in Tuscany has considerable natural and architectural beauty. There is a continuous stream of visitors throughout the year. As a result, the services and distributive activities, that are so important to the region's economy, are particularly wide-ranging and highly organised.[3]

Fashion

See also: Fashion in Florence and Fashion designers of Florence The Via de' Tornabuoni in Florence, the city's top fashion and shopping street, contains some of the world's most luxurious clothing and jewelry houses, such as Cartier, Ferragamo, Gucci, Versace and Bulgari, to name a few.

The fashion and textile industry are the pillars of the Florentine economy. In the 15th century, the Florentines were already working with luxury textiles such as wool and silk. Today the greatest designers in Europe make use of the textile industry in Tuscany and especially Florence.

Italy has one of the strongest textile industries in Europe, accounting for approximately one quarter of European production. Its turnover is over 25 billion euros. It is the third largest global supplier of clothing after China and Japan. The Italian fashion industry generates 60% of its turnover abroad.[19]

Demographics

Historical populations
Year Pop. %±
1861 1,920,000 —
1871 2,124,000 10.6%
1881 2,187,000 3.0%
1901 2,503,000 14.4%
1911 2,670,000 6.7%
1921 2,810,000 5.2%
1931 2,914,000 3.7%
1936 2,978,000 2.2%
1951 3,159,000 6.1%
1961 3,286,000 4.0%
1971 3,473,000 5.7%
1981 3,581,000 3.1%
1991 3,530,000 −1.4%
2001 3,498,000 −0.9%
2008 (Est.) 3,701,000 5.8%
Source: ISTAT 2001

The population density of Tuscany, with 161 inhabitants per square kilometre (420 /sq mi) in 2008, is below the national average (198.8 /km2 or 515 /sq mi). This is due mainly to the low population density of the provinces of Arezzo, Siena and, above all, Grosseto (50 /km2 or 130 /sq mi). The highest density is found in the province of Prato (675 /km2 or 1,750 /sq mi) followed by the provinces of Pistoia, Livorno, Florence and Lucca, peaking in the cities of Florence (more than 3,500 /km2 or 9,100 /sq mi), Livorno, Prato, Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi and Montecatini Terme (all with a population density of more than 1,000 /km2 or 2,600 /sq mi). The territorial distribution of the population is closely linked to the socio-cultural and, more recently, economic and industrial development of Tuscany.[3]

Accordingly, the least densely populated areas are those where the main activity is agriculture, unlike the others where, despite the presence of a number of large industrial complexes, the main activities are connected with tourism and associated services, alongside a plethora of small firms in the leather, glass, paper and clothing sectors.[3]

Starting from the 1980s, the region attracted an intense flux of immigrants, in particular from China. There is also a significant community of British and American residents. As of 2008, the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 275,149 foreign-born immigrants live in Tuscany, equal to 7% of the total regional population.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Tuscany

Tuscany is a stronghold of the center-left Democratic Party, forming with Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and Marche the famous Italian political "Red Quadrilateral". At the April 2008 elections, Tuscany gave more than 50% of its votes to Walter Veltroni, and only 33.6% to Silvio Berlusconi.[20]

Administrative divisions

Tuscany is divided into ten provinces:

Firenze Arezzo Grosseto Siena Livorno Pisa Lucca PT PO Massa Carrara
Province Area (km²) Population Density (inh./km²)
Province of Arezzo 3,232 345,547 106.9
Province of Florence 3,514 983,073 279.8
Province of Grosseto 4,504 225,142 50.0
Province of Livorno 1,218 340.387 279.5
Province of Lucca 1,773 389,495 219.7
Province of Massa-Carrara 1,157 203.449 175.8
Province of Pisa 2,448 409,251 167.2
Province of Pistoia 965 289,886 300.4
Province of Prato 365 246,307 674.8
Province of Siena 3,281 268,706 81.9

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Statistiche demografiche ISTAT". http://demo.istat.it/str2007/query.php?lingua=ita&Rip=S3&Reg=R09&Pro=P000&Com=&paese=A9999&submit=Tavola. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  2. ^ Caroline Bremner (11 Oct 2007). "Top 150 City Destinations: London Leads the Way". Euromonitor International. http://www.euromonitor.com/Top_150_City_Destinations_London_Leads_the_Way. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f [http://circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/ite1_geo.htm TOSCANA - Geography and history] Text finalised in March 2004 - Eurostat
  4. ^ Military (Discovery network) Channel documentary series: "Rome: Power and Glory", episode title: "The Grasp of an Empire", copyright unknown, rebroadcast 11-12:00 hrs EDST, 2009-06-29.
  5. ^ a b c d e Barker 2000, p. 5
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Jones 2005, p. 2
  7. ^ a b Barker 2000, p. 1
  8. ^ Barker 2000, p. 4
  9. ^ a b Jones 2005, p. 3
  10. ^ "The Economic Impact of the Black Death". EH.Net.
  11. ^ Snell, Melissa (2006), The Great Mortality, Historymedren.about.com, http://historymedren.about.com/od/theblackdeath/a/greatmortality_2.htm, retrieved 2009-04-19
  12. ^ Cipolla, Carlo M. Fighting the Plague in Seventeenth Century Italy. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1981.
  13. ^ Miner, Jennifer (2008-09-02). "Florence Art Tours, Florence Museums, Florence Architecture". Travelguide.affordabletours.com. http://travelguide.affordabletours.com/search/Article/guide/19/. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  14. ^ Art in Florence http://www.learner.org/interactives/renaissance/florence_sub2.html
  15. ^ Renaissance Artists http://library.thinkquest.org/2838/artgal.htm
  16. ^ "History of the Language | Italy". Lifeinitaly.com. http://www.lifeinitaly.com/italian/language-history.asp. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  17. ^ "Tuscan dialect | English | Dictionary & Translation by Babylon". Babylon.com. http://www.babylon.com/definition/Tuscan_dialect/English. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  18. ^ Piras, 221-239.[clarification needed]
  19. ^ http://www.citemedmode.com/fr/fiche-pays-italie/fiche-italie.html#
  20. ^ 2008 Election report Senate election report both in La Repubblica an Italian newspaper (Italian)

References

External links

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Wedgwood Tuscany collection platescan not be microwaved?
Q. We have a beautiful set of these dishes and three have cracked in the microwave. There is no warnings about this anywhere on sites selling this brand. Does anyone know the truth?
Asked by robodude1 - Mon Jan 28 19:47:18 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago, but with my bone china. I will attempt to give you the explanation I received. I understand this isn't the same as the Wedgewood Tuscany collection, but perhaps it may help. The "problem", I was told, was due to the molding process. Because the mold is in several pieces, there are seams along the greenware where the molds fit together. Workers use damp sponges and finishing knives to smooth out the surface and remove the seam marks. When placed in a microwave, these seams can split apart thus causing breakage. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Answered by Only Manolos - Mon Jan 28 20:03:21 2008

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