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Front: Arethusa, nymph in Greek mythology connected with a spring or fountain

According to the legend, the nymph Arethusa loved to wander in forest and field, enjoying the beauty of nature. One time Arethusa noticed a shimmering river, and decided to take a dip in the water. But as soon as she entered the river, she realized that she was not alone. Alpheus, the god of this particular river, was roused by the sight of her beauty, and immediately fell in love with the nymph.

Arethusa, however, wanted nothing to do with the passionate river god. She preferred to remain chaste. So Arethusa fled the advances of Alpheus. However, Alpheus was not so easily deterred. The river god pursued his prey across the sea all the way to Sicily. Finally, she found refuge on the Island of Ortygia, where she called upon the goddess Artemis to rescue her. Artemis responded by transforming the nymph into a spring or fountain. And this is how the nymph Arethusa became identified with a now legendary spring.

Back: Fancy design

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Front: Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Italian physicist and astronomer

Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy. In 1609 he heard about the newly invented telescope in Holland. From its description he constructed a greatly superior model. Using his new telescope, Galileo made a series of profound discoveries, including the moons of the planet Jupiter and the phases of the planet Venus.

The accepted theory of his time was that the sun and all the planets revolved around the Earth. Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer 1473-1543, had proposed that the Earth and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo's observations with his new telescope convinced him of the validity of Copernicus's sun-centered or heliocentric theory.

Galileo's support for the heliocentric theory got him into trouble with the Roman Catholic Church. In 1633 he was convicted of heresy and was sentenced to house arrest at his villa outside of Florence, Italy.

Back: Signs of Zodiac

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Front: Marco Polo (1254-1324), Venetian trader and explorer

Marco Polo was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China and visited Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. His travels were documented in Il Milione or The Travels of Marco Polo.

Back: Facade of Doge Palace in Venice

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Front: Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835), Italian opera composer

Bellini, born in Catania, Sicily, was a child prodigy from a highly musical family. In 1819 he went to Naples to study at the conservatory. Between 1827 and 1833 Bellini lived in Milan, where he composed La straniera (1828), Zaira (1829) and I Capuleti e i Montecchi.

Bellini is best known for his opera Norma, the title role of which is considered the most difficult role in the soprano repertoire. During the 20th century, only a small number of singers were able to assay it with success: Rosa Ponselle in the early 1920s, Joan Sutherland in the 1950s and 1960s, and later Maria Callas.

Back: Scene from opera Norma

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Front: Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), Italian physicist

Volta was born and educated in Rome, Italy. He became professor of physics at the Royal School in 1774 and at the University of Pavia in 1779. He is best known for the development of the electric battery in 1800.

Back: Mausoleum

Italy, a 700 miles long peninsula extending into the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, was divided into a number of independent states since the fall of Roman Empire until modern times. It was unified with the creation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1860-1946. Became a republic in 1946. For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on Italy.

Beginning on January 1, 2002 Euro becomes the official currency for Italy.