Thanks to this unique and exhaustive database, which saw all realms of the public sphere work along with Church authorities, we will soon be able to answer the big question: "How many works of art and monuments are there in Italy?" Click here to view work in progress on the site (in Italian only). The new information service devised by the Central Cataloguing and Restoration Institute, part of the Ministero dei Beni Culturali ed artistici (Ministry of Cultural Affairs), will be available from September 2001. The huge electronic archive contains a wealth of information on all of Italy's works of art. You will be able to keep updated on works of art currently in restoration as well as search the body of work of a given artist to find out what works are open to the public and where and when you can view them.


THE GERMANS ARE COMING
9.5 million German tourists visited Italy during 2000, an increase of 6.2% on 1999. This increase is predicted to continue with more than 10 million Germans expected in 2001.
(Figures: Enit, March 2001)

WINE FOR EVERYONE Wine export sales have reached a record high. Final figures have not come in yet but the first 10 months of 2000 registered an increase of 7% over the same period the previous year for a total of ITL 4,800 billion. Germany and the United States are the leading importers of Italian wine.
(Figures Prowein Fair, Dusseldorf March 2001)

THE YEAR OF THE EURO It's official. The lira has entered its last few months of life and the changeover to the Euro is now imminent. In order to make things easier for lira die-hards the Euro has mounted a huge promotional campaign featuring non other than Donald's Duck's thrifty Uncle Scrooge. (from Federalberghi, 2000)

BYE-BYE BUREAUCRACY
For most foreigners Italy is synonym us with bureaucracy and red tape. Not any longer. Thanks to Bassanini's reform from March 7 2001 all certificates (from births, deaths and marriages to tax declarations and criminal records) will be replaced by self-certification. Is it yourself that's in it?