How does the piazza provide a lens toward Italian Culture?
When I look at Italian culture, I can see much of it represented in the various piazzas we have visited. Whether it is by the espresso, fountains, churches, or simply people resting on the steps, they all paint a picture of what Italian culture consists of. To be honest, today was the first time I stopped to think about the piazzas, and I was able to dissect the various aspects to see how they paint a picture of Italian culture.
Almost every street I walk down in Italy there will be a gelato or espresso shop. It is almost as if gelato and espresso are the Italians drugs. I, myself, am slowly becoming addicted to the gelato; however, the espresso doesn’t hit the spot like the gelato. These shops usually rest on the outskirts of the piazza. If we want to take a deeper look into Italian culture, all we must do is look at the fountains with obelisks on top. This dives into the heart of Italian culture because it is what makes Italy so magnificent. Nowhere else is there a place so rich of history other than Italy and more specifically Rome. Italians pride themselves on what has taken place in their country over the years. Everyday Italians pass a piece of history everyday; therefore, it has been incorporated into their culture.
What I notice more than anything in these piazzas are the annoying merchants trying to sell us fake merchandise. Coming here I was continuously warned about the gypsies and being pick pocketed. Not until I got here and began walking around the city was I informed about these people, and they definitely push my buttons, especially, the guys with the roses who interrupt dinner or tours. Because of the tremendous amount tourism, these merchants have found that business here can be good and have simply forced themselves into a part of Italian culture.
Of course, I can’t forget about the religious monuments or buildings that are at every piazza. Religion has been a huge part of Italy ever since the era of the Romans. The adoption of Christianity by Constantine essentially started the road for what religion has become in present day Italy. Lastly, as everyone has talked about, you will always see people relaxing on the steps at these piazzas or at nearby restaurants. The Italians are notorious for relaxed and laid back except for when they are driving. Nothing is a better look into how Italians take in the moment and enjoy the scenery around them than when we are at these piazzas.
The first couple weeks when we visited piazzas I simply marveled at the structures and the layout. Today was the first day I tried to take more from the piazzas such as how they reflect Italian culture. When I stopped and looked around, it was easy to see how many aspects of the piazzas provide a snapshot of what Italian culture is.
Curtis James fun and games, I would like to agree with how the merchants can become annoying especially when your trying to relax. But you know more than anyone a job is a job, they are just trying to survive, so in that aspect I respect them. I also enjoying buying knock off name brands!
ReplyDeleteCJ, your perspective on the piazza was really interesting. I also had the same realization that I hadn't really considered what all went on in the piazza until we were asked to think about it. It's really interesting to think about how many different things you can learn about Italian culture from each piazza. It's like suddenly Rome becomes alive.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were doing the scavenger hunt in Piazza Navona the other day, I noticed how central the piazza really is. We walked down what seemed like a million winding roads, and none of it made sense until we reached the piazza again. It's interesting how experiences like this can change your perspective of things.