Culture
Main article: Culture of Italy
The city of Venice, built on 117 islands.
The Leaning Tower and the Duomo of Pisa.
The Royal Palace of Caserta.
For centuries divided by politics and geography until its eventual unification in 1861, Italy has developed a unique culture, shaped by a multitude of regional customs and local centres of power and patronage.[212] During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a number of magnificent courts competed for attracting the best architects, artistis and scholars, thus producing an immense legacy of monuments, paintings, music and literature.[213]