ItalyUpdate

A TRIBUTE TO TWO POLISH QUEENS

Rome's Capitoline Museum is launching a series of special exhibitions focussed on international events and personages that have made a particular impact on the city of Rome.

The first, launched on the 11^th June, concentrates on two royal women who lived for a long period in a kind of self-imposed guilded exile in the Eternal City, leaving permanent traces of their passage.

“A Polish Queen on Capitol Hill: Maria Casimira and the Royal Sobiesky family in Rome” is the title of the first appointment, which also encompasses her grand-daughter Maria Clememntina, who married the exiled Stuart Pretender to the British throne, James I11 or V111.

Both women were highly educated and cultured and left many visible traces of their long sojourns in Rome.

Maria Casimira was the widow of the hero King of Poland, James III Sobieski, who defeated the Turkish forces at the gates of Vienna, thus saving Christian Europe from an Islamic takeover. She was also the first woman to be accepted into the Roman “Arcadia”, a highly selective “club” dedicated to poetry and music.

Maria Clementina had two sons, the eldest of which (“Bonnie Prince Charlie”) expected to recapture the “usurped” London throne from their Protestant German cousin George of the Royal House of Hannover. George had been nominated King by the British Parliament to stave off threats of a return of the Roman Catholic Stuarts.

The exhibition, correlated by the Polish Embassy, the Polish Institute and the Polish Academy of Science in Rome, contains some 60 works, many of which from private collections and on view to the public for the first time. They include paintings and portraits, prints, sculptures and various memorabilia.

“Una Regina polacca in Campidoglio: Maria Casimira e la Famiglia reale Sobieski a Roma” runs until the 21^st september 2025.

Info: Tel,+39.060608 https://www.museicapitolini.org

ITALY GROOMS TOMORROW'S TENNIS CHAMPIONS

The Italian Tennis Foundation, a charity founded in 2018 by a group of Italian professional players, is expanding its operations to include the Balkan states of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro, with the aim of giving promising young athletes from those countries, in addition to Italians, the chance to train for a year with top level coaches and participate in international competitions.

The previous edition, entitled “Little Tennis Champions”, sponsored by a leading Italian bank, guided participants through 42 international tournaments in which they won 33 titles, 23 finals and reached 46 semi-finals over the three-year course.

The new edition, entitled “Little Tennis Champions 2025-2026”, which is sponsored by the Piedmont Region, the City ofTurin, the Sport for Health organization and a group of local and international industrialists, aims to concentrate on emerging male and female talents, in which the priority choice will be given to potential players of par standard whose financial situation would not allow them to train at such a high level.

Info: Tel. 011.03733510     www.itennisfoundation.com

THE GARDENS OF POMPEII

Archaeologists are no longer concentrating exclusively on unearthing and reconstructing the walls and buildings of the buried city of Pompeii. The emphasize is now on examining and representing the buildings in their contest, their relationship to each other and their surroundings.

A recent addition to visitor experience is the recreation of gardens, vineyards and the plant life that flourished before the fatal eruption. Thanks to research carried out, by the Association Romeantiqua the garden of the so-called Villa of Hercules has been planted out

as it was in the past.

The III BC House was given this name because a marble statuette of the mythical Greek hero Hercules that was found in the garden. The villa is now believed to have been a commercial enterprise, with flower cultivation and a perfumery.

The garden has been recreated as it was, thanks to botanical research carried out on seeds and organic remains in the soil. The work involved the planting of 800 antique roses, 1,200 violas, 1000 plants of butcher's broom, plus a pergola of vines, and an orchard of cherry trees, quinces and other fruits typical of the ancient Roman world.

For the moment, the garden can be visited once a week, in rotation with other important villas in the Pompeiian site.

Info: Tel. +39.081.8575347 https://pompeiisites.org

ROME JUBILEE A MAGNET FOR TOURISM

According to latest figures published by the organization “Cattolica per il Turismo” the “Jubilee of Hope 2025 “has already attracted 5.5 million visitors to Rome in the first five months of this year. In the course of the conference “Giubileo 2025. Pratiche di viaggio spirituale e impatto sui territory” (Spiritual Travel Practices and their Impact on the Territory), organised by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, aspects of the pilgrimage to Rome were examined, as well as the effects of tourism in general.

Results revealed that the classic spiritual journey had a far-reaching impact on surrounding areas. in particular, Viterbo and the area of La Tuscia as well as Naples and Assisi in Umbria.

The report divided the Holy Year tourists into four categories:

1. the classic pilgrim coming to Rome especially to visit the four basilicas

2. those seeking peace and meditation in harmony with Nature

3. travel enthusiasts seeking new stimulation

4. the “mindful explorer” seeking exclusive and authentic experiences

The travellers converge on the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrim route connecting the four countries of Britain, France, Switzerland and Italy, and on average cover 20 kms per day and sleep in religious houses or hostels along the way. Not all travel the entire route on foot but most walk the last 100 kms from Viterbo or the municipality of Montefiascone (Lazio) to Rome and the Vatican.

The “Pilgrims of Hope” symbol that indicates the pilgrims' path was designed by Giacomo Trevisan from Apulia and was chosen personally by the late Pope Francis. It depicts four stylized figures wrapped in different coloured pilgrims' capes, representing the four corners of the earth. They are leaning on each other, with the leading figure carrying the cross of salvation.

info: vaticannews.va/it/mondo/news/2025

BOCELLI's TEATRO DEL SILENZIO

One of the world's most unusual theatres recently held its once yearly performance, starring celebrated tenor Andrea Bocelli, its creator, together with architect Alberto Bartolini, known as “the Architect of Dreams”.

The Theatre of Silence only exists for one concert performance per year before it is dismantled – stage, backdrops and audience seating for 5000, leaving the natural setting of a hollow in the hills with a small lake at the bottom and the uninterrupted 180 degree view of the surrounding hills and valleys of the village of Lajatico, near Pisa, where Bocelli was born.

The first performance, which Bocelli dedicated to his late father, was held in 2006, with the centre stage dominated by the sculpture of “the Great Absentee” by Polish artist Igor Mitojar.

The “Theatre” venue is a natural amphitheatre and the main priority of the two creators was conservation of the natural environment.

The world's stars of international music have performed on the stage at the one yearly show, including Jose Carreras, Plaido Domingo, Noa, Roberto Bolle, Lindsay Kemp, Laura Pausini, Kenny G, Dua Lipa, Gianna Nannini and many others.

1000. STENHOUSE

Info: Tel. +39.334.7957670 https://teatrodelsilenzio.it

ITALY'S BIG CARNIVORES ARE BACK!

Hunted and harried almost to extinction up till the first half of the 19^th century, the Italian wolf and bear populations virtually disappeared. However, they are now back, thanks to a number of initiatives promoted by the EU in concordance with the Italian regional authorities. The latest report issued by ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), as part of the Life WolfAlps EU Project estimates the current population of wolves in Italy at 3,300, with around 950 wolves in the Alpine Regions and some 2,400 distributed in the mountainous regions of the peninsula. The Alpine region of Trentino alone has registered 27 wolf packs and the situation is now considered “stable”.

Research on the elimination of wolves in Yellowstone National Park in the USA has demonstrated that wolves are an essential part of the food chain and that without their help in controlling the activity of grazing animals, forests and waterways are endangered.

The total number of wolves in continental Europe is estimated at 23,000 (without counting Russia and Bielorussia).

The same success story regards bears. In 1999 only 3 males were left in the Trentino Alps, making the species doomed to extinction. However, 10 animals were introduced from Slovenia as part of the Project Life Ursus scheme. Those have prospered and numbers (monitored) have increased to 98 adult bears plus 12 cub litters.

Relations with the human population is not always idyllic although compensation for damages to property and livestock have alleviated resentment. Great damage is caused by bears in trout fish farm. In one case, a bear wallowed in the pond and threw out almost all the fish, causing a bill for damages that was reimbursed at 31,500 euro.

Domestic animals killed by bears and wolves include cattle, horses, sheep, dogs, hens, rabbits, geese, quails etc.

Fatal episodes involving humans are rare. In July 2024, Andrea Papi, a solitary hiker, was killed by a she-bear defending two cubs. The incident caused an uproar of protests in the nearby villages, where the inhabitants had been accustomed to the peaceful presence of bears in their midst.

However, it is the bears and wolves that are usually the victims. Every year, a number are killed or injured by cars driving carelessly round the mountain roads.

Info: Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe https://www.lcie.org

SAINT OF THE ROSES & PATRON OF ABUSED WOMEN

RITA DA CASCIA - IL MUSICAL

The work, which has already been performed to enthusiastic audiences in a number of towns in Sicily over the past few years, tells the story of the life of the medieval saint who was, unusually, a

A musical, based on the life of St. Rita of Cascia, patroness of Lost Causes and one of Italy's best loved saints, will be performed at the small mountain town of Cascia (Umbria) on the 26^th July 2025.

The work, which has already been performed to enthusiastic audiences in a number of towns in Sicily over the past few years, tells the story of the life of the medieval saint who was, unusually, a widow with two sons when she was admitted into the Augustine convent of St. Mary Magdalene

in Cascia, where she died on the 22 May 1457.

St. Rita is also the protectress of abused women. Her husband, Paolo Mancini, whom she married when she was twelve, was a violent man who ill-treated her till he was killed by a rival member of his family.

On her feast days her image is surrounded by roses, thanks to a tradition claiming that a rose in the convent garden miraculously bloomed in mid winter after her death.

Rita da Cascia – Il Musical (26 July 2025).

Info: Tel. (Info. Monastero) +39.07437.5091 leonardo.beccaria@pec.it

PREHISTORIC STILT VILLAGE BELOW CASTELGANDOLFO PAPAL PALACE

On the shore of Lake Albano in the Castelli Romani (Lazio), overshadowed by the palace of Castelgandolfo that was the papal summer residence for almost four centuries, is one of the area's best kept secrets. First discovered in 1984, a Bronze Age stilt village spread over some 2.5 acres, proved that the lake area was inhabited and had prospered some four and a half thousand years ago.

The site has been named “the Village of the Millstones”, due to the large number of grinding stones that have been found on the site, leading to supposition that the settlement may have been a central grain processing point for other communities in the area.

The village came to light during one of the recurrent drops in the lake water level. The area is dominated by the volcano Monte Cavo (Mons Albanus to the Ancient Romans), which is still active and largely accounts for the periodic ebbs and rises in the water level, although no actual eruptions have occurred in living memory.

This periodic process, however, has jeopardized the entire site as most of the wooden piles eroded when exposed to the air. However, a considerable number of the archaeological finds from the site can be viewed in the Civic Museum at the neighbouring town of Albano Laziale.

M.STENHOUSE

Info: Parco dei Castelli Romani: +39.06.9495255 www.parchilazio.it

ITALY'S MOST VISITED “SIGHTS”

Latest visitor statistics, published by the Italian Ministry of Culture, confirm the Colosseum as Italy's top tourist attraction. In combination with the adjoining Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Nero's Golden House, just under 15 million tourists visited the Ancient Roman sites in 2024.

The Uffizi Museums in Florence come second with 5 million visitors registered last year, closely followed by the excavated city of Pompeii with a total 4,267,233 visitors and the Pantheon in Rome (just over 4 million).

Castel Sant'Angelo (again in Rome) is also popular with visitors and is expected to draw crowds in 2025 with the Passeto di Borgo, a formerly secret passageway running along the top of the wall that connected the fortress with the Vatican. This once served as an escape route for the Popes and papal court during times of trouble. It will shortly be opened for the first time to the general public.

Info: www.sistan.beniculturali.it

AMERICAN ACTRESS WHOOPI GOLDBERG AT TAOBUK FESTIVAL

The annual literary Taobuk Festival at Taormina (Sicily) concentrates on the theme of “Borders” and what they mean in the modern world. Taking inspiration from the figure of Don Quiscotte, the wandering knight of the Cervantes classic, the event attempts to re-define the concept of boundaries as imaginary limits that both divide peoples, but at the same time mark a shared frontier.

The list of international writers and artists in this year's edition is concentrated on the idea of identity in contemporary society. Among the prestigious guests appearing at the Festival are writers Peter Cameron (USA), Amelie Nothomb, (Belgium), Chinese artist Weiwei, Iranian musician Ramin Bahrami , soprano Jessica Pratt (Australia), actress and film producer Whoopi Goldberg (USA) and leading Italian film-makers and actors such as Gabriele Salvatores, Pierfrancesco Favino and Monica Guerritore.

The Festival, now in its 15^th edition, runs from the 18^th – 23^rd June, Taormina 2025.

Info: Tel.. +39.0942557159 www.taobuk.it