Temple of love: €7,000 for a wedding at Paestum
New pricelist gives well-heeled couples exclusive access to the ancient archaeological site. But some Italian politicians are not impressed
Famed Egyptian archaeologist pledges to ‘join together’ with Italy to secure return of Mona Lisa
The former antiquities minister is also demanding that three Egyptian treasures, including the Rosetta Stone, be sent to his home country
New date proposed for when Florence's Baptistery of St John was built
The recent research also suggests that the famous Italian landmark was part of a broader building programme
Jewish community raises funds to rescue Siena’s earthquake-damaged 18th-century synagogue
At least ninety percent of €368,000 target to repair vault and ceiling has been met
Migrant museum on the Italian island of Lampedusa closes after seven years
The Museum of Faith and Dialogue, which could not afford the new €10,000 annual rent, displayed items found at sea following shipwrecks
Former Vatican employee arrested for allegedly trying to sell Bernini manuscript
The 18-page document had previously disappeared from the Holy See's official archive
Mega museum planned for vast former hospital and almshouse in Naples
Albergo dei Poveri renovation is the latest stage of the Italian city’s cultural renaissance
Artefacts discovered down well shed light on ancient Roman rituals
The objects, found within the Ostia Antica archaeological site in southern Italy, include burnt animal bones and a carved wooden chalice
Eike Schmidt sparks Florence election controversy with offensive slur
The former director of the Uffizi, who is running for mayor of the Tuscan city, has been accused of speaking negatively about people from Italy's deprived south
Italy seizes Giuseppe Verdi's villa and plans to turn it into a museum
The 19th-century property, where the Italian composer wrote 'La Traviata', was due to be auctioned, but the sale never happened
Italy's statues have a gender bias, new research reveals
Public portrayals of female figures are not only rare, they are often sexualised stereotypes
Italy stops loans to Minneapolis amid ancient marble row
Dispute centres on the Doryphoros statue, which Italy believes was looted in the 1970s
Venice's new tourist tax launches this month—how will it work?
Day trippers will need to pay €5 to enter on select days in a pilot scheme which starts during the Biennale
JR punches a tunnel through Milan’s central railway station in latest optical illusion
The street artist’s new public art commission coincides with Milan Design Week
Lehmann Maupin to debut latest seasonal space in Milan
Pop-up space syncs with spring events, furthering city’s growth as an art hub
‘Blasphemous’ painting of Jesus slashed, artist attacked at exhibition in Italian church
A petition calling for the removal of Andrea Saltini’s painting, which appears to depict the lifeless figure of Jesus receiving oral sex, garnered more than 30,000 signatures
Robert Capa show at Mussolini’s villa sparks controversy
Questions asked about how former home of fascist ruler came to host exhibition of Jewish photojournalist
Museum president in Italy resigns following backlash over Giorgia Meloni picture
The inverted photo of the Italian prime minister has drawn comparisons to images of Benito Mussolini's execution
Basilica Ulpia part-rebuilt on original colossal scale in Rome
But financing of the project by a now-sanctioned Russian oligarch has been condemned as an "embarrassment"
Italy donates replica of Bull of Nimrud destroyed by Isis to Iraq
The 3D-printed reproduction of the Assyrian statue was previously displayed at the Colosseum in Rome and the Unesco headquarters in Paris
Under the bonnet: €300,000 Ferrari-funded restoration completed on 13th-century Cimabue fresco
Maestà di Assisi, located in the saint's home town, which survived a deadly earthquake in 1997, has been returned to its original luminosity
Is Italy’s government meddling in who runs top museums?
Cultural figures voice concern about culture ministry’s appointments to run institutions including Florence’s Uffizi Galleries and Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera
Italy’s embattled junior culture minister resigns amid scandals
The critic, curator and commentator Vittorio Sgarbi was being pressured to resign amid multiple investigations into his conduct
Students denounce ‘voyeuristic’ depiction of rape in Gentileschi show
Exhibition in Genoa dedicated to 17th-century painter includes a multimedia installation detailing the artist’s infamous rape by artist Agostino Tasso
No confidence vote against Italian junior culture minister postponed
Vittorio Sgarbi is being investigated for allegedly laundering an Old Master painting
Italian politicians call on government to sack minister involved in art theft case
Vittorio Sgarbi has been accused of laundering a stolen 17th-century painting attributed to Rutilio Manetti
Private donations save Bologna’s Garisenda tower from collapse
City had been forced to cordon off leaning 12th-century structure
Could the arts be good for your health?
A major scientific research project led by the World Health Organisation and Jameel Arts & Health Lab aims to find out
Forgotten Botticelli painting recovered by Italian police
Last checked by the authorities in over 50 years ago, the painting had been kept in a private home since the 1980s and is in extremely poor condition
Mystery over Agnelli dynasty’s missing art
Investigation by Italy’s broadcaster about the whereabouts of art from the late industrialist’s collection has revealed apparent widespread failure to enforce country’s cultural export rules