What is the first thing that comes to your mind thinking of Italy? If it is pizza, you are in the right place. This is of course where this delicious food comes from, even though in other different forms it has been eaten ages before. What is really surprising is the fact that pizza, the real and original one as we know it today, was first made in the 18th century.
Back then pizza was not something loved by everyone. In fact, people were a bit skeptical about it in the beginning. It took some time before the Italians and later also other nations fell in love with this special combination of dough, tomato and cheese. Nowadays there are so many pizza lovers around the world, that more than one Pizza Day were created. There is, for example,
National Pizza Day on February 9 in the United States and other countries; but also holidays such as National Pizza Party Day, National Pepperoni Pizza Day, International Beer and Pizza Day, National Sausage Pizza Day or even National Pizza with the Works except Anchovies Day – all of them observed in the United States! Yes, the Americans really love pizza. But not only them – we can all observe an international holiday no matter where we live: World Pizza Day.
World Pizza Day is quite a new observance. It was established in 2017 which was a really special year for pizza. This is when pizza has been given the official title of World Heritage by the UNESCO Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage as an Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’. The day of the observance is January 17, which is also in Catholic and Orthodox churches the feast day of Anthony the Great (also known as Saint Anthony or Anthony the Abbot). This Egyptian monk is considered to be the patron of the pizzeria. Even though most countries of the world celebrate International Pizza Day on February 9, in Italy it is annually observed on January 17. Pizza is so good, however, that we can all celebrate pizza day at any time.
Did you know?
The longest pizza in the world was made – of course – in Italy in 2015. It was nearly 1,600 meters long weighing about 5 tons! Over 300 people worked to make this amazing pizza, members of the Italian Pizzaioli National Team included. That huge pizza would have however disappeared really quickly in the United States, where about 350 slices of pizza are eaten every second.