Italy (Various Doc)

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, after the barbarian invasions and centuries of famine, epidemics and poverty, a process of rebirth began. Aquileia, Pisa, Modena and Monreale are the four masterpieces of religious art, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, that bear witness to the so-called "rebirth of the year 1000".

In the footsteps of Hercules (Audio in Italian with English subtitles) - The God of strength, the one who can do everything, beautiful and powerful will forever embody the manly ideal par excellence. Let's talk about Hercules (Heracles), the most represented ancient hero in Western culture. Italy: Journey into Beauty is an itinerary to discover the cultural heritage of our country, to learn about what the past has left us and what we are doing to protect and preserve it. Series created by Rai Cultura in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.

In this episode we visit the main prehistoric sites in Italy, which tell the story of human evolution from the Neanderthals to Homo Sapiens. Engravings and cave paintings can be admired at the La Pineta site near Isernia, in the evocative caves of Levanzo in the Egadi Islands, at the Cavallo site in Salento, and at the Romito site in the Calabrian Pollino.

Among the sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, historic cities are one of the most represented. In this installment we will take a journey through these historic city centers.

Genius, ambition and narcissism are the hallmarks of any forger. In this episode of the series "Italy: Journey into Beauty" we will talk about the characteristics and activities of forgers, characters who live in the shadows but then reveal their work at the most unexpected time.

Of William Shakespeare's plays, more than a quarter are related to Italy. In this this episode of the series "Italy: Journey into Beauty" we will delve into the studies that claim that Shakespeare actually travelled to this country, while others claim he only imagined it from afar, and while yet others believe he was of Italian descent. We will take an evocative journey through this Shakespearean Italy, including the Venice of Othello, the Verona of Romeo and Juliet, the Padua of the Taming of the Shrew and the Mantua mentioned in these, and other, works.