1. The very first bank was in Italy.
The Bank of San Giorgia in Genoa was opened in 1149!

2. Eyeglasses were invented by Italians!
The very first pair of glasses containing corrective lenses were crafted in the late 13th century. So the next time you put yours on you can thank Italians!

3. A large part of Italy was once Ancient Greece
Did you know that Syracuse in Sicily was once considered Ancient Greece’s largest city?

4. The Oldest University in the world is in Bologna.
The University of Bologna was actually founded in 1088!

5. Italy has 12 minority languages!
The 12 recognized minority languages of Italy are Albanian, Catalan, German, Greek, Slovene, Croatian, French, Franco-Provençal, Friulian, Ladin, Occitan, and Sardinian!

Sources
- Main Image by nine koepfer on Unsplash