Italy recently named some incredible finalists for the 2012 Wiki Loves Monuments contest. Drawing from more than 7,000 images, the top ten finalists capture modern architecture, ancient ruins and the countryside’s natural beauty.
The top prize went to Nicola D’Orta’s photo of the ancient Capua Roman amphitheatre in Santa Maria Capua Vetere. The black and white photo depicts the impressive ruins that remain of this once-great 3rd Century B.C. arena.
The second place photo, taken by Bernardo Marchetti, is of the Galleria Alberto Sordi, a famous shopping center in Rome. The photo highlights the grand architecture of the shopping center’s main entrance with its high arches and golden stained glass.
The third place prize went to Andrea Parisi’s photo of the Ferrara Communal Theatre. The photo captures the impressive architecture of the opera house built between 1786-1797.
As noted on the Wiki Loves Monuments website, obtaining images for Wiki Loves Monuments in Italy was no small feat for the contest organizers. Unlike most countries, Italy prevents even amateur photographers from publishing a photo of a historical monument on any website without government consent. As you can imagine, obtaining prior permission can be quite difficult. Fortunately, Wikimedia Italia convinced the Italian Ministry of Culture and Artistic Heritage to grant an exemption for Wiki Loves Monuments this year, making it possible for these images to be shared with the world. We hope the Italian chapter is just as successful for the contest in 2013.
For more information about the contest, visit www.wikilovesmonuments.org or view the other Italian finalists here.
Alice Roberts, Communications intern
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