Italy: A Concise Guide to a Selection of Historic Factors

This valuable deal contains multiple titles in one book. The topics are the following:

Florence: Florence was a major center of middle ages European trade and banking, and also one of the most affluent cities in the world at the time. A lot of academics believe it was the beginning of the Renaissance, and it has been called "the Athens of the Middle Ages." Renaissance painters and sculptures alike have their legacy in this city.

Naples: Naples, established by Greeks in the first millennium BC, is just one of the world's oldest constantly occupied cities. Naples has a long history, all the way dating back to Roman times, the outbreak of the Vesuvius, and much more. Let’s learn more about this fascinating city’s history.

St. Catherine of Siena: Catherine of Siena (who lived from March 25, in 1347 to April 29th, in the year 1380), a Dominican laywoman, was a mystic, activist, and writer who impacted Italian literature and the Catholic Church significantly. She was canonized in 1461 and is a Medical professional of the Church. She was born and raised in Siena and, regardless of her parents' desires, desired dedicate her life to God from an early age.

The Vatican: What comes to mind when you say the words “Vatican City?” The Pope? Big cathedrals or underground catacombs with the corpses of buried saints from the past? Crowds of people with candles? Or a choir of young men in a certain attire? The Vatican is a landlocked, independent city state and enclave in Rome, Italy.

Venetian Empire: When we think of Venice, we think of masks, canals, murals and frescoes, and little “gondoliers” with picturesque boats. Venice, indeed, has an impressive artistic history. But did you know that Venice was also, for a while, a considerably sized empire? The creation of the Venetian republic is said to have accompanied the starting of the church of St. James at the exact same time.