City and Nation in the Italian Unification

The book delves into the first national festival of modern Italy, examining it as a pivotal moment for the evolution of Italian national identity. Utilizing a wealth of un-catalogued and unpublished documents from the event's organizers, it reconstructs the festival's historical context and significance. The analysis reveals how the Centenary served as a platform for an alternative understanding of what it means to be Italian, highlighting the complexities of national identity formation during this period.