Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and of the foundations of the Italian language. Tuscany is a transitional region occupying much of the former grand duchy of that name near the base of the Italian peninsula. The characteristic landscape is a blend of gently rolling hills leading on to sharply peaked mountains that pose a major barrier between Tuscany and regions to the south.