https://mocomi.com/ presents: Italy Facts for Kids The official name of Italy is Italy is the Italian Republic. Italy is nicknamed as "Bel Paese" which means beautiful country. The capital city of Italy is Rome. Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural achievements in poetry, architecture and painting. Famous artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Leonardo Da Vinci were Italians. Popular fast food chain McDonald's was opened in 1986 in Rome. Popular varieties of cheese like Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Ricotta were invented in Italy. Pizza was invented in Naples in the 1860s. The espresso machine, thermometer, eye glasses and cologne are all Italian inventions. Before adopting the euro, Italy's currency was known as the lira. Italy has more hotels than any other European countries. For more facts about Italy visit: https://mocomi.com/italy-facts/ For more fun facts videos and interactive articles, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/