Love and understand the Italians, for the people are more marvellous than the land.
E. M. Forster, English author
Want to know who the most famous Italians are? From Roman emperors to Renaissance geniuses to opera legends and fashion Icons, Italy has no shortage of important people. Here are just a few of the well-known Italians from over 2,000 years of history.
| Name | Birth Year | Birthplace | Profession | Article Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julius Caesar | 100 BCE | Rome | Military leader, Politician | Italian Leaders & Politicians |
| Marco Polo | 1254 | Venice | Explorer | Famous Italian Explorers |
| Dante Alighieri | 1265 | Florence | Poet, Writer, Politician | Famous Italian Artists |
| Christopher Columbus | 1451 | Genoa | Explorer | Famous Italian Explorers |
| Amerigo Vespucci | 1451 | Florence | Navigator, Explorer | Famous Italian Explorers |
| Leonardo da Vinci | 1452 | Vinci | Artist, Inventor, Scientist | Italian Mathematicians, Scientists and Inventors |
| Michelangelo | 1475 | Caprese | Painter, Sculptor, Architect | Famous Italian Artists |
| Galileo Galilei | 1564 | Pisa | Astronomer, Physicist, Mathematician | Italian Mathematicians, Scientists and Inventors |
| Antonio Vivaldi | 1678 | Venice | Composer, Violinist | Famous Italian Musicians And Composers |
| Giuseppe Verdi | 1813 | Le Roncole | Composer | Famous Italian Musicians And Composers |
| Giacomo Puccini | 1858 | Lucca | Opera Composer | Famous Italian Musicians And Composers |
| Benito Mussolini | 1883 | Predappio | Dictator, Politician | Italian Leaders & Politicians |
| Sophia Loren | 1934 | Rome | Actress | Modern Famous Italian Celebrities |
| Giorgio Armani | 1934 | Piacenza | Fashion Designer | Modern Famous Italian Celebrities |
| Luciano Pavarotti | 1935 | Modena | Opera Singer | Famous Italian Musicians And Composers |
| Silvio Berlusconi | 1936 | Milan | Prime Minister, Businessman | Italian Leaders & Politicians |
| Miuccia Prada | 1949 | Milan | Fashion Designer | Modern Famous Italian Celebrities |
| Nadia Santini | 1953 | Canneto sull'Oglio | Chef | Famous Italian Chefs |
| Andrea Bocelli | 1958 | Lajatico | Singer | Famous Italian Musicians And Composers |
| Monica Bellucci | 1964 | Città di Castello | Model, Actress | Modern Famous Italian Celebrities |
| Federica Mogherini | 1973 | Rome | Diplomat, Politician | Italian Leaders & Politicians |
| Niko Romito | 1974 | Castel di Sangro | Chef | Famous Italian Chefs |
| Francesco Totti | 1976 | Rome | Footballer | Modern Famous Italian Celebrities |
| Fabio Fognini | 1987 | Sanremo | Tennis Player | Modern Famous Italian Celebrities |
Italian Leaders & Politicians
Since Italy (or the area that would come to be known as Italy) was a superpower for much of history, it’s no surprise that many famous people from Italy were/are in business and politics.
Julius Caesar (100 - 44 BCE)
A famous Roman military leader and politician, Julius Caesar is not just a famous Italian, but probably one of the most famous people to have ever lived!
He seems almost like a mythical person now because he lived so long ago, but he was a real person from 2000 years in the past when Rome was flourishing as a continental superpower.
He was a writer, politician, and Roman general.
As a tactician and political genius, he became most famous for leading the Roman legions in their conquest of Gaul.
As a leader, he was instrumental in the rise of the Roman Empire and implemented many political and social reforms that are still evident today.
He declared himself Dictator for Life in 48AD and was famously assassinated 4 years later in the Senate.
After his death, his adopted son Octavius ended up reforming the Roman Republic.
The Julian calendar was introduced by Caesar in 46 BCE and became dominant during the Roman era. It laid the foundations for the Gregorian calendar (the calendar we use today) to be implemented in 1582.
Benito Mussolini (1883 - 1945)
Post-WWI, Benito Mussolini's ascent marked a grim era in Italian history. Initially a journalist, he joined the Italian Socialist Party but was expelled in 1914 for supporting Italy's involvement in WWI, contrary to the party's neutrality stance. Founding the National Fascist Party in 1921, he seized power in 1922 through coercion, becoming "Il Duce" and assuming multiple key government roles.
His rise inspired Hitler, and Mussolini's alignment with Nazi Germany in 1936 mirrored their ideologies and actions. Allied victories halted his reign in 1943. Captured in 1945, he was executed by Communists via firing squad.
While his reign is not memorable because it was good, he is still one of the most famous Italians because of his impact on Italy and the world.
Silvio Berlusconi (1936 - 2023)
Before being the career politician we knew him to be, Silvio Berlusconi was a businessman.
Born in Milan in 1936, Berlusconi founded and directed Fininvest (a financial holdings company) and Mediaset (a media group).
In 1994, thanks to his center-right Forza Italia political movement, he became prime minister for the first time.
Although he resigned, he later became the prime minister again in 2001-2006, and then again in 2008-2011.
After being convicted of tax fraud in 2013, he was banned from public office until 2019.
He had also been a Member of the Senate, European Parliament, and Chamber of Deputies during his career.
His fame comes from his political career as Prime Minister, his amassed fortune, the power he gained over media outlets that shaped public opinion, various scandals, and his flamboyant lifestyle and personality.
Federica Mogherini (1973 – )
Federica Mogherini is an Italian diplomat and politician who served as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from 2014 to 2019.
She was born in Rome in 1973, studied political science, and specialized in political philosophy before starting her political career with Italy's Democratic Party.
When she was appointed Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2014, she was one of the youngest people to ever hold that position. In the same year, she was selected to be the EU's top diplomat. She represented the EU in complex global issues, including climate change, migration, and security.
Famous Italian Explorers
Italy played a huge part in Europe’s discovery and colonization of The New World, as well as exploration in the East and Africa.
Marco Polo (1254 - 1324)
Marco Polo was an Italian merchant and explorer who was born in 1254 in Venice.
Famous for his voyages to China, Marco Polo acted as an ambassador to the first Mongol emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan.
He subsequently became a messenger for the Overlord of China, Iran, and Russia and completed a large number of diverse missions across Asia.
The 13th-century work, Le Livre de Merveilles, which was transcribed by Rustichello da Pisa, details Marco Polo's experiences as told by the explorer himself.
Marco Polo's Livre de Merveilles contains many interesting accounts of his first encounters with unfamiliar territories. Polo was one of the first Europeans to explore Asia, and due to having never heard of many of the flora and fauna of faraway lands, he wrongly believed some animals to be mythical creatures upon sighting them. One famous example of his blunder is his mistaking of a rhinoceros for a unicorn because of its horn!
His explorations influenced Christopher Columbus, who is said to have carried a copy of Polo's famous travelogue with him while on his travels.
Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506)
Everyone knows the most famous European explorer, Christopher Columbus (AKA Cristoforo Colombo), but did you know that he is one of the most renowned Italian historical figures?
As the first European to cross the Atlantic in 1492, Columbus became famous when he returned from his first voyage back to Spain.
Although he believed he arrived in the East Indies rather than the Americas, Columbus' voyage landed him in the Caribbean.
This one voyage changed the world forever, as Europe quickly began to colonize this new land and shaped the Americas as we know them today.
Perhaps Columbus' most consequential contribution to European colonialism was the initiation of the transatlantic slave trade, after having captured indigenous Caribbean people.
It’s unclear whether Columbus ever accepted the fact that he found a new continent rather than new islands off the coast of China, even though his contemporaries suspected this fact.
It wasn’t proven that the land was indeed not the East Indies until after Columbus’s death.
Amerigo Vespucci (1451 - 1512)
Though Columbus is credited with being the first European to find the Americas, he wasn’t the only Italian invested in learning about this previously unknown land, which at the time was thought to be the East Indies.
Vespucci participated in at least two voyages (perhaps four, but scholars aren’t sure) during the Age of Exploration in 1499 and 1504. After these voyages, two booklets were published under his name, although it’s unknown if he was the one to author them. Regardless, they conveyed important, new, and fascinating information about the discovery of the new land and they were widely read across Europe. The booklets gave Vespucci the reputation of explorer and navigator.
In 1501, he hypothesized that the discovered land that would come to be known as Brazil wasn’t actually part of East Asia, and was instead part of a previously unknown continent, which he dubbed the New World.
German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller was so inspired by this revelation that he labeled the new landmass as “America” (the Latinized form of “Amerigo”). From then on, people associated the New World with the name America, and that’s how North and South America got their names!
The name "America" comes from Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. A German mapmaker honored him by naming the newly identified continents after him.
Learn more about Italian words incorporated into our everyday language with Italian classes near me.
Italian Mathematicians, Scientists and Inventors
Due to movements like the Italian Renaissance, many Italians were able to explore incredible new ideas, leading to discoveries in science. In modern times, Italian scientists continue to make stunning progress.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519)
Da Vinci, whose real name was Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, has always been seen as a symbol of the Renaissance. A jack of all trades, and seemingly a master of all, too, Leonardo da Vinci was a painter, scientist, architect, mathematician, poet, diplomat, astronomer, and even a sculptor.
Da Vinci’s medical and anatomical studies, though enhanced with great artistic skill, were and still are influential in the medical field.
His drawings helped advance the understanding of early surgery and physiology.
In engineering, Da Vinci’s inventions, like the flying machine, may have seemed foolish at the time.
Still, they were centuries ahead of their time, and his calculations were used as inspiration in the development of modern aviation.
Da Vinci theorized airplanes, cars, submarines, and helicopters, as well as made critical discoveries in the fields of optics, anatomy, hydrodynamics, and civil engineering.
The number of invention ideas Da Vinci sketched out in his notebooks.
Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)
Part of the Scientific Revolution during the Renaissance period, Galileo is one of the greatest European scholars of physics, mathematics, astronomy, and geometry to have ever lived.
Born in 1564 in Pisa, Galileo was a pioneer of physics.
In fact, since 1680 he’s been considered the founder of the discipline.
Furthermore, he established the foundations of modern mechanics, making him one of the greatest famous Italians in history.
Galileo's passion for pursuing the truths that explain our place in the universe led him to make some remarkable discoveries in many fields which paved the way for modern science.
Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so.
Galileo Galilei
Galileo's world was heavily involved with astronomy and understanding the solar system - he was even accused of heresy for suggesting that the planets revolved around the sun! Sadly, his passion for studying the universe landed him a life sentence in prison, once again for heresy because he supported the Copernican theory. Thankfully, Galileo was able to soften his punishment to house arrest, but sadly, he was not entitled to share his thoughts, and Galileo had to renounce his heliocentric beliefs publicly.
Famous Italian Artists
Cultures are regularly observed by their contributions to the arts since they offer valuable insights to the society at the time, and none more so than Italian culture.
Michelangelo (1475 – 1564)
Michelangelo was a Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and artist.
In 1505, he was summoned back to Rome by Pope Julius II to design Julius' tomb, for which Michelangelo ended up only producing a sculpture of Moses. Michelangelo's next major commission was the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican (1508-1512), which made him rise in popularity and has made him one of the most famous historical Italian figures to this day.
Michelangelo additionally designed monuments to Giuliano and Lorenzo de' Medici in the Medici Chapel in San Lorenzo.
In 1534, the artist was asked to paint 'The Last Judgement' on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel (1537-1541). In the following decade, he was increasingly active as an architect, including completing St. Peter’s Basilica.
Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321)
You can hardly learn Italian without learning about Dante!
Dante Alighieri (real name Durante degli Alighieri) was a Florentine poet, writer, and politician, and is one of the most influential Italian people of all time. He’s most famous for his epic poem La divina commedia, or The Divine Comedy.
According to many historical sources, it’s thanks to Dante Alighieri that the Italian language is the way it is today.
His literary masterpiece helped impose the Tuscan dialect (particularly the Florentine subdialect) across Italy as the standard language of the nation. Dante shaped modern Italian by enriching the language as his work acted like a dictionary, expanding the Italian vocabulary and making it a fuller language.
Famous Italian Musicians And Composers
Of course, Italy is known widely for its contributions to opera and classical music, which continues to be performed in its original Italian today.
Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Antonio Vivaldi was a famous composer and violin genius. Born in Venice in 1678 and died in Vienna in 1741, Vivaldi left his mark on classical music. He was one of the most important composers of the Baroque period.
You may have heard The Four Seasons, Stabat Mater, and L’estro armonico - all were composed by Antonio Vivaldi.
Vivaldi's music is recognized for its bright and lively style, and in his time as a composer, Vivaldi penned upwards of 500 concertos (the majority of which were for the violin), 46 operas, and many other arrangements for instruments and voice.
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Giacomo Puccini was one of the most famous Italian opera composers to ever have lived. He was born in Lucca, Tuscany, during a transformative era in music, the verismo movement. This operatic style focused on realism and everyday people rather than heroic or mythological figures.
His most famous operas include La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, which remain staples in opera houses all over the world.
His ability to combine lyrical melodies with dramatic realism, rich emotional storytelling, memorable arias, and powerful orchestration made his works hugely popular then and now.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Giuseppe Verdi is easily one of the most iconic composers in the history of opera. He was born in the small village of Le Roncole in 1813, going from humble beginnings to a national hero.
His operas, such as Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Aida, and Otello, are famous for Verdi's masterful ability to translate human experience into music. Themes encompass everything from personal tragedy to political rebellion, and the operas are renowned for their emotional depth, dramatic intensity, and unforgettable melodies.
Verdi's works pushed the boundary of the operatic form and are still some of the most popular operas performed today.
Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)
Luciano Pavarotti was a famous Italian singer. Born in 1935 and died in 2007 in Modena, Pavarotti was known as one of the greatest opera singers of his generation.
With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, he is not only famous for his voice but also for his success in bringing the classical style of opera to popular culture. The tenor collaborated with plenty of other famous artists including Mariah Carey, U2, and Barry White for humanitarian causes such as War Child.
Pavarotti's humanitarian work which involves using his fame to raise awareness of world issues earned him the title of United Nations Messenger of Peace in 1998.
The distinctive quality of his voice made him a legend in the world of opera. Pavarotti is hailed by many as one of the best tenors of the 20th century.
Andrea Bocelli (1958 - )
Another one of the world's most famous singers is also an Italian export. Andrea Bocelli is an Italian singer born in Lajatico in 1958. Andrea Bocelli is known around the world for his tenor vocal talent, having performed many operas and releasing a plethora of albums that were popular in the classical community as well as being incredibly successful in the music charts.
The singer (who has been blind since the age of 12) has sold over 80 million albums around the world. Bocelli has risen to fame not only in the world of classical music but he is also known for his pop music, too. You should check out Con te partirò, Vivo per lei, or Romanza.
Andrea Bocelli's contributions to music have earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and he has also been given the title of "Grand Officer of the Order of Merit" of the Italian Republic.
Understand opera, watch great Italian TV and movies, and travel the country like a native when you learn the language!
Modern Famous Italian Celebrities
Of course, many contemporary people in Italy reach fame in modern times. Italian people are mostly stereotyped as being known for things like fashion and leatherwork, cuisine, and their good looks. While there are, of course, tons of people in Italy who are talented in every realm of work and art, we can only talk about a few in this article!
Giorgio Armani (1934 - )
Born in 1934 in Piacenza, Giorgio Armani is an Italian stylist. He’s the co-founder of his namesake business and has developed several fashion lines for men and women. He became famous for dressing stars and famous athletes. Today, Georgio Armani's fortune is in the billions (estimated at $9.53 billion in 2021).
Armani rose to fame in the 1980s as his sharp designs for men's power suits came to the forefront of fashion, with his garments even being featured in the popular TV series, Miami Vice as well as other designs being donned by many stars of the silver screen, earning the Armani brand the A-list reputation it has today.
Miuccia Prada (1949 – )
Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer. She was born in Milan in 1949, earned a Ph.D. in political science, and even trained as a mime before joining the family firm.
She took over Prada in 1978 when the brand was a traditional luggage company. From there, she helped evolve the brand into a fashion powerhouse famed for its innovation, minimalism, and intellectual chic.
Miuccia introduced black nylon handbags and backpacks into high fashion, massively disrupting the expectations of luxury design.
She's also a key figure in the art world. She and her husband, Patrizio Bertelli, founded the Prada Foundation, a cultural institution dedicated to contemporary art.
Monica Bellucci (1964 - )
Wherever I go, I am Italian. The way I talk, the way I eat, the way femininity is important to me. The way I love Italian food.
Monica Bellucci
The Italian model and actress was born in Città di Castello in 1964.
She is famous for her roles in films such as The Matrix, The Passion of the Christ, and Spectre.
She is also often considered one of the most beautiful women in the world.
Interestingly, Monica Bellucci never intended to pursue an acting career since she was originally pursuing a career in law.
While studying for her law degree, Bellucci worked as a model to earn some extra money to help her through university.
However, this turned into a full-time career, and after her television debut in 1990, Bellucci's acting career took off.
Italian culture and influence permeate the East Coast, so why not look for Italian classes NYC?
Sophia Loren (1934 - )
Sophia Loren is an Academy Award-winning Italian actress, now aged 90. Known for her striking beauty, Loren is often listed among the world's all-time most attractive women in polls and charts across the world.
Loren was born in Rome in 1934 and raised in poverty. She first began her film career as a teenager and quickly came to be regarded as one of the most beautiful women of all time. She won the "Best Actress" Academy Award for the film Two Women in 1961 and an Academy Honorary Award in 1991. Some of the movies she was known for are: Aida; The Gold of Naples; The Pride and the Passion; Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow; and Marriage, Italian Style.
Loren continued to star in Italian, American, and French films throughout the 1960s.
Loren returned to her home country during the 1980s to spend more time with her family, which now included two teenage sons. During this time of less intense screening, she also launched her perfume, makeup line, and book.
Francesco Totti (1976 - )
Francesco Totti is an Italian footballer who was born in Rome in 1976. He spent his entire playing career at Roma.
He started his career in 1993 and, during that time, the only other team he played for was the Italian national side in several international competitions. In addition to winning the World Cup with Italy in 2006, he is also one of the 100 greatest players of all time. During his career, Totti scored a total of 250 goals for Roma.
As a "lifer" with AS Roma and so much love for the club, Totti's farewell was understandably emotional.
Learn even more about Italian language and culture with online Italian courses.
Fabio Fognini (1987 – )
Fabio Fognini is a professional Italian tennis player. He was born in Sanremo in 1987 and was a professional by 2004.
He won the prestigious Monte-Carlo Masters in 2019, becoming the first Italian man to win a Masters 1000 title since the series began. He reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 9 in the same year.
He's also enjoyed a successful doubles career, winning the 2015 Australian Open men's doubles title with his compatriot Simone Bolelli.
Famous Italian Chefs
What are Italians known for? Why, their cuisine, of course!
Italy is third in the amount of Michelin-star restaurants. Only France and Japan have more establishments.
Nadia Santini (1953 - )
Santini is best known for her restaurant, Dal Pescatore, which has had three Michelin stars since 1996. It’s located in Canneto sull'Oglio, Lombardy, Italy. She was the first female chef in Italy to earn the distinction of three Stars.
Nadia was named 2013 Veuve Clicquot World's Best Female Chef by Restaurant magazine for her work at The World's 50 Best Restaurants.
Niko Romito (1974 - )
Even though Romito and his sister inherited their father’s trattoria unexpectedly in 2000 and intended to sell it, they have since found their passion in the culinary world.
Romito quickly learned how to create his brand of cuisine, and was appointed "Young Chef of the Year” by Espresso Guide in 2006. The very next year, his restaurant, Reale Restaurant, was awarded its first Michelin star. The second was in 2009, and the third in 2014.
The restaurant also houses the Niko Romito Vocational School for aspiring chefs (Accademia Niko Romoto). In 2012, he was named ‘Best Chef of the Year’ by Identità Golose.
Romoto has also collaborated to make projects like ‘Nutritional Intelligence’ and help charities. He now has restaurants in China, and Reale Restaurant is number 15 on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, while Chef Romoto is ranked the 14th best chef in the world.
Ready to Learn How to Speak Italian?
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Imagine all the media you can enjoy and the biographies you can learn from when you can understand this bouncy, ear-pleasing language!
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I enjoyed this article and it helped me get an A+ in my school project thanks a lot superprof.com
A+ yess
Great work Jon, loved reading it
its okay got me a C+ on a teast
Nice Job
Thank you so much I’m making a presentation and article honestly helps so much!
This will Help With My Research For Italy
Buena tierra ese lugar del mundo.
Great website! I got a bunch of people for my project and my presentation! Might get an A+
You made my Italian ancestors proud
Julius Caeser was born in 100BC, not 100AD.
Very informative. And Inspirational.
I really like this story about Italian important people from Italy and celebrity’s from America that bought homes and live there. Thanks for the history lesson.
You left out Garibaldi?!?! 🤔
Buena tierra ese lugar del mundo. Falto un MARTINI y ROSSI