Sphere
#39
2015
19
>>
The Roman Empire covered a huge swathe
of the world and created a common culture
for the West that encompasses law,
administration, language and philosophy.
From Hadrian’s Wall on the civilised English
and wild Scottish border (here there be
Celts!) to the Caspian Sea and the Red Sea,
the Roman Empire incorporated much of
the best of the preceding Greek civilisation,
the nations the Romans conquered, and
admirable new practices and codes of
conduct of its own.
The decline of the Empire and the
appropriately named ‘Dark Ages’ meant that
Italy would have to wait for its Renaissance
before its next wave of brilliance could be
unleashed.
Renaissance
In the 14th century, a cultural movement
that would spark a renewal of innovative
spirit and achievements in arts, literature,
science and philosophy throughout Europe
began in Florence, Tuscany. St Peter’s
Basilica, built to replace its crumbling
predecessor in the 1500s, engaged many
of the artists that are still famous today,
including Michelangelo (1475–1564) and
Raphael (1483–1520). It took the financial
strength of the Church to undertake
these major projects as the empires
of yore had been replaced by micro-
states – principalities, duchies and the
like – that lacked the heft of large central
taly, as a country, has only
technically existed since
1861 when the Piedmontese
Albertine Statute of
1848 was extended to
the whole Kingdom of Italy. But when
people think of Italy today, they think
of the grand sweep of history from the
Roman Empire to the Renaissance, and
through to the modern nation that adds
allure to the world through its beauty,
its inventiveness and its many different
flavours.
The nation has left an imprint on the world
– and on CK Hutchison. Italy’s delectable
food products and exquisite wines can be
found in the stores of A S Watson, and
3
Group’s successful telecommunications
exist through the good graces of Italian
invention.
There is much in modern and historic Italy
to inspire 21st-century citizens. That is
why so many around the world, Italians
and their foreign admirers, proclaim, “Viva
Italia!”
The cornerstone of
Western civilisation
Modern Italy, as we know it is actually quite
young, but the deep-lying roots of its culture
and identity can be traced back to the great
empire that became the bedrock of Western
civilisation.
i
Dreamers like Leonardo da
Vinci (1452–1519) not only
excelled in the arts, but also
in engineering.
governments needed to execute major
infrastructure projects.
However, the inventiveness of the Italians
was not to be denied. Dreamers like
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) not only
excelled in the arts, but also in engineering.
Hydraulic pumps, reversible crank
mechanisms and even plans to divert the
Arno River were all part of his practically
creative spirit. Thus, genius preceded
the creativeness that would characterise
modern Italy.
il Bel paese
Today, Italy as we know it continues to
astonish with its long tradition of innovation
and sense of aesthetic appreciation. But
more than any man-made marvel, today’s
Italians and the citizens of our global village
have been blessed to inherit the beautiful
landscapes that define the boot-shaped land
il bel paese
(beautiful country).
Canals of Venice
Venice, the capital of the Veneto region,
is the pinnacle of romanticism. The city
where canals and gondolas have yet to be
replaced by roads and cars is listed as a
World Heritage Site. A view from the Ponte
di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) will give you the
perfect image of the canal beneath with
gondolas gliding through as the gondoliers
serenade their passengers. In the evening,
you can enjoy a fragrant cup of Italian
