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Italians and Americans come to dispute over rightful ownership of statue

Getty Museum in Los AngelesLocated at the J Getty Museum, the Bronze statue is of a 'Victorious Youth' and dates from 300 BC-100 BC. The statue was originally discovered by Italian fishermen in the coast off Italy in the 1960s. The Italian government, which is having a concerted effort to reclaim its old antiquities, claimed that the statue was then illegally exported to America. However, the Getty Museum denies that the Italian government has any claim to the statue which it bought for four million dollars in 1977

Italians and Americans have a strong historical connection and most of the Italians in America come from the south of Italy and the Italian island of Sicily. Giovanni de Verrazzano was the first European explorer to pass New York harbour while the first settler in America of Italian descent was a Venetian sailor who arrived in 1635. At the end of the 19th century more than half a million Italian immigrants arrived in American and most of them were male. They had little education having mostly come from rural parts of Italy. However by 1924 an American law, the Johnson Reed Act, was put into place to limit immigration from the south and east of Europe.

Victorious Youth StatueToday the Italians are actually the fourth largest ethnic group in America. Many of the communities in which they have settled have become known as Little Italy, whether they are in Los Angeles or New York.
America cannot compare with the amount of history and culture that Italy has though. The Italians are fighting for possession of this statue but their country has the most world heritage sites of any on earth.

For instance there is the city of Ravenna which was the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Ravenna lies within the region of Emilia Romagna and is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Over the ensuring years it was occupied by Ostrogoths and Franks. Visitors to Ravenna can see the Mosaic basilica. Near to the Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo you can also look at the tomb of the writer Dante, who produced Dante's Inferno. The city is easily accessible from the A14 motorway.

Another world heritage sight can be found in the city of Urbino which is not far away from Ravenna on the north east coast of Italy. This walled city has done an excellent job of preserving its Renaissance culture and you can see impressive sights such as the Ducal Palace of Urbino and the University of Urbino. The palace is the largest medieval palace anywhere in Italy. Urbino is a diocese which seats the Archbishop of Urbino. The centre of the town is a wonderful place to have good Italian coffee and watch the world go by in the Piazza della Republica. Also in the centre of the town is a museum where you can find out more about Urbino. It is open on weekdays and free to enter.

These are only some of the lesser known world heritage sites in Italy, while thousands of visitors travel every year to see world famous places like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colloseum in Rome.
To see some of the many treasures of Italy including the country's numerous world heritage sites, book Car Hire Italy. Advance reservations will save you time and money.

Posted: 2/26/2010 12:15:10 PM by Global Administrator | with 0 comments


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