Google Italia's cover illustration is dedicated to Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni, on his 277th birthday. Manzoni was born in Milano on the 7 March 1785 and lived until 22 May 1873. The image depicts characters from his work, I promessi sposi, 'The Betrothed'. Published in 1827, it was Italy's first historical novel and remains one of the most famous and widely-read Italian books. Set in Northern Italy in 1628, when the country was under the oppressive power of Spain, it symbolises the Risorgimento, with its patriotism and its part in the unification of the Italian language.
