Great Italians

In its long, great history, Italy was the birthplace of many famous personalities, known all over the world: explorers, scientists, politicians, athletes, musicians, and especially artists.

Italy has today about 60 million inhabitants, but probably as many descendants of Italians are in other countries of the world, where they greatly contributed with the genius of their heritage to the new homelands.

Recent Additions

Sandro Botticelli

Primavera, one of the most cryptic paintings of the Italian Renaissance...

Ezio Bosso

A maestro and pianist, an inspiration for musicians and anybody fighting against life's odds ...

Frank Sinatra

A legend for his songs and voice, and among the most musically productive artists in history...

The Coppola Family

The Coppolas from Bernalda can boast winners of Academy Awards spanning three generations...

Santa Cecilia

The patron of music, this Roman martyr inspired Chaucer, Dryden, Haydn, Raphael...

Giacomo Puccini

Brought the opera to a new level, exploring the psychology of his heroines...

Gianni Versace

One of the greatest names in the field of fashion and creativity...

Dean Martin

Born Dino Crocetti, always kept his Italian roots alive as in "That's Amore"...

John Fante

Born in Denver, 1909, by now considered one of the great literary voices of the 20th century...

S.F. Vanni

Sante Fortunato Vanni, Andrea Ragusa & the first Italian bookstore in the States.

Primo Carnera

Heavyweight world champion in 1933, the gentle giant, the walking mountain...

Frank Capra

One of the most important filmmakers of the Hollywood golden era...

Great Italians by Category

Art, Architecture

Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Sandro Botticelli: Primavera
Giotto: Cappella degli Scrovegni
Masaccio: the Brancacci Chapel
Michelangelo: The beginnings
Antonio da Sangallo: Pozzo di San Patrizio
Piero della Francesca: Flagellation of Christ

Cinema and Theatre

Joseph Barbera
Roberto Benigni Speech at the Quirinale; The Four Ducklings
Frank Capra
Federico Fellini
Eduardo de Filippo: Pulcinella
Marcello Mastroianni: La Dolce Vita
Gigi Proietti: Dante and Beatrice duet
Alberto Sordi: Un Americano a Roma - Macaroni scene
Totò (Antonio de Curtis): Miseria e nobiltà; Totò sells Trevi Fountain; 'A Livella
Massimo Troisi: Non ci resta che piangere
Franco Zeffirelli

Fashion, Design

History & Science

Garibaldi in Caprera
Arturo Giovannitti
Filippo Mazzei
Giuseppe (Joe) Petrosino [Padula, 1860 - Palermo 1909]: the most courageous cop of all time
Antonio Raimondi
Suor Blandina Segale
Amerigo Vespucci

Literature

The author of "Lo cunto de li cunti": Giambattista Basile
Carlo Collodi: Pinocchio's father
Giosuè Carducci: San Martino
Gabriele D'Annunzio: I Pastori
Edmondo de Amicis: Cuore
John Fante
Ugo Foscolo: Alla sera
Giacomo Leopardi: L'Infinito
Alessandro Manzoni: Addio, monti - da I Promessi Sposi
Eugenio Montale: Meriggiare pallido e assorto
Giovanni Pascoli: X Agosto
Luigi Pirandello: La Patente
The Rossetti family: Christina Rossetti
Salvatore Quasimodo: Alle fronde dei salici
Ignazio Silone: Fontamara, Sono un terrone

Music, Classical and Modern

Religion

Sports

Primo Carnera heavyweight world champion in 1933; the gentle giant, the walking mountain...
Juan Manuel Fangio (Balcarce, 24 June 1911 - Buenos Aires, July 17, 1995): among the best Formula 1 pilots of all time
Rocco Francis Marchegiano (Rocky Marciano) [Brockton, 1923 - Newton, Iowa, 1969]: the only heavyweight boxer to retire undefeated

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Great Italians

Cultural Heritage

Italian Genealogy

Info on Italian Regions