Trentino Alto Adige, has been an autonomous state since 1948 with a special constitution; it is made of Trento the capital and the province of Bolzano.

The Roman presence in the territory began at the end of the 2nd century B.C. and ended in 14 B.C. with the annexation of Trento to the 10th Roman region (Venetia).

As most of the peninsula, the region suffered from the decadence of the Western Roman Empire and from the barbaric invasions. The power over the region was detained first by the Eruli and Ostrogoths, and then after the Byzantine period, the Longobards and finally the Franchi.

With Pipino il Breve the region became united with the Reign of Italy, though it lost its independence in 962 and became a part of the German kingdom led by Ottone I. This latter created a space for access to Italy by separating the valley of the Adige from the reign of Italy and annexing it to Baviera. In the 13th century the territory was governed by the seigniority of the Da Romano, a Venetian family, while in the 14th century the Hapsburg family took control of it.
In the 16th century Trento housed the famous Council of Trent, assembled by the pope Paolo III in 1545 to reform the Catholic church after the protestant reformation.

During the Italian Risorgimento in the 19th century Trentino, differently from Alto Adige (that had been subjected to the Hapsburg influence since medieval times), actively participated in the reunification of Italy. Unfortunately Trentino was annexed to the Reign of Italy (1861-71) and remained under Austrian domination.
It wasn’t until the First World War when, in 1918, Trento and Trieste were conquered by the Italian troops.
This is why in Alto Adige (or South-Tyrol), during fascism, re-education of people took place because of their past German influence.
Because of this, in 1946, between the Italian and Austrian governments, language and local administration protection laws were established, forming the constitution of the new born region of Trentino Alto Adige.
After a period of crisis, due to the separatist extremist terrorist attacks (1953), in 1969 the agreements were reviewed and perfected. Today the situation in the region is much more peaceful.