T his isn't the Italy that Americans think of first. Instead of showcasing Rome, the country's largest city, the Italians have chosen to spotlight the lifestyle and culture of Venice. The dominant feature of this sector is the 83-foot bell tower The original in Saint Mark's Square is topped with an angel covered in gold leaf, and so is this one but most visitors will never notice it because it's so high. Also duplicated here are bridges from Venice, and the 14th century Doge's Palace, also from Venice. The original palace was designed by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Buon and built from 1309 to 1424. A huge fountain ("Fontana de Nettuno") was inspired by Bernini's Neptune fountain.
The following may or may not be true:
One of the buildings in the Italian pavilion is surrounded by columns. One of the kings that adorn the columns is holding a bowling ball instead of a cannon ball or a sword.
