Exploring and finding new and interesting stuff for you guys is our passion; today we have another list of mind-boggling facts, 10 crazy facts about Italy. Shoe-shaped country in south Europe is famous for its soccer passion, pizza, pasta, famous artists, automotive industry, and architectural monuments like leaned tower of Pisa, and impressive Colosseum.
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Today we guide you through some facts you didn’t know about Italy, about stuff you probably didn’t hear of. Recently our list of “50 Crazy facts about Japan you won’t believe” went pretty popular and received some nice feedback, so, you might want to check that out. Millions of people visit Italy every year; some encounter the weird and crazy behaving or unbelievable laws and customs. You’ll find out some interesting and crazy facts about Italy today!
10. Don’t feed the pigeons!
There are many pigeons in Venice and Lucca areas, especially in squares, parks, and other open spaces. Their numbers increased so much in recent years that authorities had to forbid feeding the pigeons, and assign people in uniforms to patrol the areas and prevent feeding the birds. The official statement on this cause was that birds keep destroying the buildings in the area.
9. Mafia means serious business
Main mafia groups in Italy have serious economic power, these illegal groups earn around $126billion a year. That’s around 7% of Italy’s complete GDP. The majority of big Italian companies don’t earn this much a year. Drugs, loan sharking, and prostitution are main sources of income for Italian mafia families.
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8. It’s forbidden to die in Falciano del Massico
This town in Italy forbids its people to die. The reason is: cemetery doesn’t have any more space left. To expand the existing one, authorities try to get the land and rights to the old cemetery. But, the territory is in neighbor town authority, so the court has to decide who will have the rights to the space. Until then, people have been ordered to hold off their deaths. Place on crazy facts about Italy – well earned.
7. No singing or dancing in Rome
Dancing and singing in groups larger than three persons is forbidden, and punishable with fines of €500 and more. “There are adequate places for these activities” – is the official statement, claiming that performing these activities can disturb order, and “house rules of behaving” in the Rome. Next time you’re planning to dance or sing with friends in Rome, better watch out.
6. Everybody must wear red on New Year’s Eve
This refers to underwear. Every Italian wears red underwear on this specific period as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year. The tradition is very old, and it was preserved for the ages by younger people, but it got more popular in recent years.
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5. Rome contains a creepy crypt
The crypt is constructed from human bones, mostly from monks buried by the Catholic order. It is called Capuchin Crypt, and it is found beneath the church of Santa Maria Della Concezione Dei Cappuccini. A horrific sight is created by nailing bones to the walls in certain patterns. During building of the crypt, the monks rotting bodies were transported in cartloads in 1631.
4. Trevi Fountain “earns” around $4000 a day
This 86 feet tall Baroque iconic Italian fountain is the most famous fountain in the world. It represents god Oceanus, many Tritons guarding the shell chariot, and taming of the waters and hippocamps – sea horses. The traditional custom referred to this fountain is throwing coins into the fountain and making a wish. Tourists do this every day, and the average amount of coins thrown each day is worth around 4000 dollars. Those funds are used for feeding the poor and homeless people.
3. No checks in restaurants
When you’re dining in some fine restaurant in Italy, you might notice that you won’t receive the check, no matter how long you wait. Putting the check on the table before you’re done with your meal, or without you asking is considered an invitation to leave in Italy; you won’t receive a check until you ask for it.
2. “Jammed” doors are everywhere
Doors in Italy are constructed differently than usual, and you need to push the door to enter the room or place, and pull when you want to get out. American tourists reported many false “locked out” cases when they didn’t know to free themselves from the room; they even used the key and tried everything, except the one small thing. Who would have thought of that?
1. No skirts on men – sorry Scots
If you’re a man, and you wear a skirt, you’ll have problems with the law in Italy. Authorities forbid this “act of provocation” to preserve order and law. Scottish people would have a big problem with this crazy fact about Italy.
