Emilia Romagna - Bologna - Ferrara - Forli - Modena - Parma - Piacenza - Reggio Emilia

Emilia-Romagna is the motherland of homemade pasta. In Bologna, tagliatelle, lasagne, and tortellini are favorites. In Emilia, preparing pasta is second nature and like an artform to watch.

Pork is a tradition of Emilia-Romagna's cuisine. Prosciutto, the most famous of Italy's pork products, is made in Parma. Coppa and pancetta are specialties of Piacenza in the north.

The delicate meat that is often passed off in other countries as bologna is in fact the famed Mortadella of Bologna.

Romagna has a tradition of fish dishes, brodetto, the most flavorful of fish soups. Parmigiano Reggiano, the unrivaled king of cheese.

Another of Emilia-Romagna's great culinary contributions is balsamic vinegar, which has been made in Modena for centuries.

Capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, Bologna is situated 54 m. above sea level, in a pleasant position at the foot of the outlying Apennine ramifications, at the mouth of the plain of the Reno and Savena valleys.

Founded in the 6th century BC. by the Etruscans, with the name Felsina, on a previous Italic settlement, two centuries later it became a settlement of the Boii Gauls; subsequently (191 BC.), already known by the name of Bononia, it became fully romanized. After the fall of the Empire, it was under Byzantine, Lombard and Frankish rule until it became a free municipality (11th century).The foundation of the famous university one of the oldest in the world, transformed the city into the cultural capital of Europe: at the same time, Bologna assumed the precise urban and architectural character still evident today, expanding within successive sets of city walls. In 1513, after being the object of struggles, between the various Signorie and the Papacy, it became part of the Papal State to which it remained loyal, except during the Napoleonic period, until 1859 when, following the Second War of Independence and the Plebiscites, it became a part of the Kingdom of Italy. The history of the University of Bologna, the Alma Mater Studiorum, weaves in and out of the richly textured tapestry of Bologna's history, a significant thread since the early 11th century. Via Zamboni, the present center of the venerable institution, where I had begun my search, has been part of the university's history since about 1803, when Napoleon designated those palazzi the university's home. At the same time he changed it from a church governed organization to the state one it remains today.

The city is rich in monuments and works of art, notably: Piazza Maggiore, the heart of Bologna, San Petronio (Gothic, 14th-17th century), the Palazzo dei Notai (14th century), the Palazzo Comunale (13th-16th century), the Palazzo del Podest? (15th century), the Palazzo di Re Enzo (13th century) and the Fontana del Nettuno (Renaissance fountain, by Giambologna). The Cappella Bentivoglio (Renaissance, works of art by Veneziano and Ludovico Carracci), San Giacomo Maggiore (13th-14th century, Gothic), San Domenico (13th century, with works of art by N. Pisano, Michelangelo and Filippino Lippi), San Francesco (12th century), the Archiginnasio (16th century), Santa Maria dei Servi (14th-15th century), the Palazzo della Mercanzia (14th century) and the `torri pendenti' (12th century leaning towers: degli Asinelli, 98 m., view of the city, and della Garisenda, 48 m.), are all worth a visit.

The economy of Bologna is based on an active industrial sector which, traditionally strong in the transformation of agricultural products and in animal husbandry, also includes the footwear, textile, engineering, chemical printing and publishing industries, as well as on flourishing commercial activity.

Ferrara’s origins date back to the 7th-8th century. During the High Middle Ages it was under the lordship of a number of powerful Earls, of whom little though is known.

As time passed, it was able to set itself up as a self-governing municipality or “Comune”, strenuously defending its hard-won independence by joining the League of Italian Cities, which had formed an alliance against the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

Its main source of wealth was trade along the Po River, which at the time flowed south of the town. Like many other Italian cities, it was soon a prey of internal sectarian strife between the pro-Emperor party, the so-called Ghibellines, headed by the Torelli-Salinguerra family, and the pro-Pope party, initially led by the Adelardi-Marchesella family and later by the Este family. After a struggle lasting well over a century, this latter family prevailed and established a lordship over the city that was to be one of the longest in Italy. Marquis followed marquis and then duke followed duke. In this long line of successors to the throne, there were many different characters, but all were great lovers of the arts and sciences. The court was the hub of an intense cultural life, indeed one of the most intense in Europe. Its renown attracted artists from all over. There were painters such as Pisanello, Piero della Francesca, Cosmè Tura, Ercole de’ Roberti, Francesco del Cossa, Titian. Men of letters included Petrarch, Guarino Veronese, Ariosto, Tasso. Then there were the great intellectuals of the time, such as Leon Battista Alberti, Biagio Rossetti, Girolamo da Carpi , not to mention famed musicians from across Europe, including Josquin Desprez, Jakob Willaert, Cipriano De Rore, Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa, and Luzzasco Luzzaschi. Amidst such bountiful intellectual life, the University was founded in 1391. In 1597 the last Duke, Alfonso II, died without male issue and the city, considered a Papal fiefdom, was absorbed into the State of the Church. When the city was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy, it was given provincial-capital status.

Forlì , city (1991 pop. 109,541), capital of Forlì prov., Emilia-Romagna, N central Italy. It is a prosperous agricultural and industrial center. Manufactures include silk, rayon, clothing, machinery, metals, and household appliances.

A Roman trade center (Forum Livii) on the Aemilian Way, Forlì became a free commune in the 11th cent. After much strife between rival families, the Ordelaffi held power there for nearly two centuries. In 1504, Forlì became part of the Papal States. Of note are the citadel (14th-15th cent.), the clock tower (12th cent.), and the Basilica di San Mercuriale.

Main sites:

An ancient town, it is the seat of an archbishop, but is now best known as "the capital of engines", since the factories of the famous Italian sports car makers Ferrari, De Tomaso, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati are, or were, located here and all, except Lamborghini, have headquarters in the city or nearby.

Lamborghini is headquartered not far away in Sant'Agata Bolognese, in the adjacent Province of Bologna.

The University of Modena, founded in 1175 and expanded by Francesco II d'Este in 1686, has traditional strengths in Economics, Medicine and Law and is the second oldest Atheneum in Italy, sixth in the whole world. Italian officers are trained at the Italian Military Academy, located in Modena, and partly housed in the Baroque ducal palace. The Biblioteca Estense houses historical volumes and 3,000 manuscripts.

Modena is well known in culinary circles for its production of balsamic vinegar.

Famous Modenesi include Mary of Modena, the Queen consort of England; operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) and soprano Mirella Freni, born in Modena itself; Enzo Ferrari (1898 – 1988) eponymous founder of the Ferrari motor company; the Catholic Priest and Senior Exorcist of Vatican Gabriele Amorth; and the rock singer Vasco Rossi who was born in Zocca, one of the 47 comuni in the Province of Modena.

Situated at the center of the pianura padana region, Modena is a city easily reached from any location and by any means of transportation.

The antique via Emilia has left space for the most comfortable and rapid highways such as the A1 and the A22 in the direction of Brennero. Between Modena and Miland there are approximately 170 km and from Rome around 400 km.

The vicinity to Bologna (just 35 km) allows for a rapid connection to the modern "Guglielmo Marconi" airport and with the most important Italian and European cities.

Important railway junction, you can reach Modena also in comfortable trains that arrive a few steps from the historic center.

Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its architecture and the fine countryside around it. It is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is divided into two parts by the little stream with the same name. Parma takes its name from the roman round shield called Parma.

The Italian poet Attilio Bertolucci (born in a hamlet in the countryside) wrote: "As a capital city it had to have a river. As a little capital it received a stream, which is often dry".

Churches

The Romanesque Cathedral houses both 12th century sculpture by Benedetto Antelami and a 16th century fresco masterpiece by Antonio da Correggio.
The Baptistery, adjacent to the cathedral was begun in 1196 by Antelami.
The abbey church of Saint John the Evangelist (San Giovanni Evangelista), was originally constructed in the 10th century behind the Cathedral's apse, but had to be rebuilt in 1498 and 1510 after a fire. It has Baroque facade and belltower (most likely designed by Giovanni Battista Magnani), with a Latin cross plan, a nave and two aisles. In 1520–1522, Correggio frescoed the dome with the Vision of St. John the Evangelist, a highly influential fresco which heralded illustionistic perspective in the decoration of church ceilings. Bernardo Falconi designed a putto in the high altar. Also the cloisters and the ancient Benedictine grocery are noteworthy. The library has books from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata.
The Benedictine Monastery of San Paolo, founded in the 11th century. It houses precious frescoes by Correggio, in the so-called Camera di San Paolo (1519-1520), and Alessandro Araldi.
The Gothic church of San Francesco del Prato (13th century). From Napoleonic era to 1990s it was the city's jail, for which the 16 windows in the facade were opened. The original rose windows (1461) has 16 rays, which, in the medieval tradition, represented the house of God. The Oratory of the Concezione houses frescoes by Michelangelo Anselmi and Francesco Rondani. The altarpiece by Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli is now in the National Gallery of Parma.
Church of Santa Croce, dating to the early 12th century. The original edifice, in Romanesque style, had a nave and two aisles with a semicircular apse. This was renovated first in 1415 and again in 1635-1666, with the heightening of the aisles and nave, the addition of a bresbytery, a dome and of the chapel of St. Joseph. The frescoes in the nave (by Giovanni Maria Conti della Camera, Francesco Reti and Antonio Lombardi) date to this period.
Church of San Sepolcro, built in 1275 over a pre-existing religious edifice. The church was largely renovated in 1506, 1603 and 1701, when the side on the Via Emilia was remade in Neoclassicist style. The church has a nave with side chapels. The Baroque bell tower was built in 1616, the cups being finished in 1753. Annexed is the former monastery of the Rrgular Canons of the Lateran, dating to 1493-1495.
Church of Santa Maria del Quartiere (1604-1619), characterized by a usual hexagonal plan. The cupola is decorated with frescoes by Pier Antonio Bernabei and his pupils.

Palaces

The Palazzo della Pilotta (1583). It houses the Academy of Fine Arts with artists of the School of Parma, the Palatine Library, the National Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, the Bodoni Museum and the Farnese Theatre.

The Ducal Palace, built from 1561 for Duke Ottavio Farnese on a design by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. Built on the former Sforza castle area, it was enlarged in the 17th-18th centuries. It includes the Palazzo Eucherio Sanvitale, with interesting decorations dating from the 16th centuries and attributed to Gianfrancesco d'Agrate, and a fresco by Parmigianino. Annexed is the Ducal Park also by Vignola. It was turned into a French-style garden in 1749.

The Palazzo del Governatore ("Governor's Palace"), dating from the 13th century.

Ospedale Vecchio ("Old Hospital"), created in 1250 and later renovated in Renaissance times. It is now home to the State Archives and to the Communal Library.

Sites of interest

The Teatro Farnese was constructed in 1618–1619 by Giovan Battista Aleotti, totally in wood. It was commissioned by Duke Ranuccio I for the visit of Cosimo I de' Medici.

The Cittadella, a large fortress erected in the 16th century by order of Duke Alessandro Farnese, close to the old walls.

The Pons Lapidis (also known as Roman Bridge or Theoderic's Bridge), a Roman structure in stone dating from Augustus reign.

The Orto Botanico di Parma is a botanical garden maintained by the University of Parma.

The Teatro Regio ("Royal Theatre"), built in 1821–1829 by Nicola Bettoli. It has a Neo-Classical facade and a porch with double window order. It is the city's opera house.

Museo Lombardi. It exhibits a prestigious collection of art and historical items regarding Maria Luigia of Habsburg and her first husband Napoleon Bonaparte; important works and documents concerning the Duchy of Parma in the 18th and 19th centuries are also kept by the Museum.

Piacenza (Placentia in Latin and scholarly English, Piasëinsa in the local dialect of Emiliano-Romagnolo) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza. Modern forms of the name descend from Latin Placentia.

The etymology is long-standing, tracing an origin from the Latin verb, placēre, "to please." It is thus a "pleasant abode" or as James Boswell reported some of the etymologists of his time to have translated, "comely."This was a name "of good omen."

Strategically the city is at a major crossroads at the intersection of Route E35/A1 between Bologna, gateway to eastern Italy, and Milano, gateway to the Alps, and Route E70/A21 between Brescia at the foot of the Alps and Tortona, where branches lead to Torino in the north, a major industrial city, and Genova, a major coastal port. Piacenza is also at the confluence of the Trebbia, draining the northern Apennines, and the Po, the major waterway of northern Italy, draining to the east. Piacenza right from its foundation has been of vital interest to political powers who would control northern Italy, more than any other city there. In peace it is a cultural center; in war, a focus of conflict.

Places of interest

Piazza Cavalli is the main square of the town. It is named ("Cavalli" means "horses") for the two bronze equestrian monuments of Alessandro Farnese (Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586, nephew and valiant general of Philip II of Spain) and his son Ranuccio, who succeeded him to the dukedom. The statues are masterpieces of Francesco Mochi, a Mannerist sculptor.

The Duomo di Piacenza is the Catholic cathedral of the diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio. It was built from 1122 to 1233 and is one of the most valuable examples of a Romanesque cathedral in northern Italy. The façade, in Veronese pink marble and gilted stone, is horizontally parted by a gallery that dominates the three gates, decorated with capitals and Romanic statues. The interior has a nave and two aisles, divided by 25 large pillars. It has noteworthy frescoes, made in the 14th-16th centuries by Camillo Procaccini and Ludovico Carracci, while those of the dome are by Morazzone and Guercino. The presbytery as a wooden sculpture from 1479, a wodden choir by Giangiacomo da Genova (1471) and statues of Lombard school from the 15th century. The crypt, on the Greek cross plan, has 108 Romanesque small columns and is home to the relics of Saint Justine, to which the first cathedral (crumbled down in 1117 after an earthquake) was dedicated.

The church of St. Francis, in Piazza Cavalli, is a 12th century Romanesque/Gothic edifice which, thanks to its central position, assumed the role of civic Sanctuary in the Middle Ages. Part of the ancient cloisters remains. The main gate is enriched by a big lunette of the 15th century representing the Ecstasy of St. Francis. The interior, with nave and two aisles divided by low and strong brick pillars that support high gothic arches, has a Latin Cross scheme. The nave, higher than the aisles, has a pentahedric apse in which the aisle apses meet; decorations include 15th-16th centuries frescoes. In the church was proclaimed the annexion of Piacenza to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1848.

The basilica of Sant'Antonino is an example of Romanesque architecture, characterized by a large octagonal tower. It was commissioned by St. Victor, first bihsop of the city, in 350 CE, and completed in 375. It contains the relics of the eponymous saint, martyrized near Travo, in the Val Trebbia. In 1183 the delegates of Frederick Barbarossa and of the Lombard League met here for the premilimaries of peace of Constance. The church was renovated after damage cretaed by the barbarian invasion, and has a 15th century cloister. In the interior, the main artworks are the frescoes by Camillo Gervasetti (1622).

The basilica of San Savino, dedicated to St. Victor's successor, was begun in 903 but consecrated only in 1107. The façade and the portico are from the 17th-18th centuries. The presbytery and the crypts contain 12th century polychrome mosaics. The interior is in Lombard-Gothic style, with anthropomorphic capitals of the columns. Over the high altar is a 12th century wooden crucifix by an unknown artist.

San Giovanni in Canale was founded by the Dominicans in 1220, and enlarged in the mid-16th century.

Santa Maria in Campagna, a Renaissance church, faces Piazzale delle Crociate ("Crusades Square"), so called because Pope Urban II summoned the First Crusade here in 1095. The church was built in 1522–1528 to house a miraculous wooden sculpture of the Madonna. The interior was originally on the Greek cross plan, but was later turned into a Latin cross one. Il Pordenone finished fine frescoes in the dome and in two chapels on the left side.

St. Sixtus is a Renaissance church with a precious choir, designed by Alessio Tramello. It was begun in the 15th century over a temple edificated in 874 by Empress Angilberga. Also by Tramello is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The most famous relic of the region's pre-Roman civilization is the Bronze Liver of Piacenza, an Etruscan bronze model of a sheep's liver dating from the end of the second century to the beginning of the first century BCE. It was discovered in 1877 in Ciavernasco di Settima, near Gossolengo, near Piacenza, and is housed in Piacenza's Archaeological Museum, part of the Musei Civici di Palazzo Farnese. Containing writing on its surface delineating the various parts of the liver and their significance, it was likely used as an educational tool for students studying haruspicy, or divination.

Palazzo Landi, built in the Middle Ages but rebuilt in the current form in the 15th century by Lombard craftsmen. It has a Renaissance marble portal. It is now seat of the local Tribunal.

Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal.

Ravenna once served as the seat of the Western Roman Empire and later the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna.

It is presently the capital of the Province of Ravenna. At 652.89 km² (252.08 sq mi), Ravenna is the second-largest comune in land area in Italy, although it is only a little more than half the size of the largest, Rome.

Places of interest

The ancient church of the Spirito Santo, which has maintained the original lines from the 5th century. It was originally an Arian temple. The façade has a noteworthy 16th century portico with 5 arcades.

The church of St. John the Evangelist is also from the 5th century, erected by Galla Placidia after a seastorm. It was restored after the World War II bombings.

The St. Francis basilica, rebuilt in the 10th-11th centuries over a precedent edifice dedicated to the Apostles and later to St. Peter. Behind the humble brick façade, it has a nave and two aisles. Fragments of mosaics from the primitive church are visible on the floor, which is usually covered by water after heavy rains (together with the crypt). Here the funeral ceremony of Dante Alighieri was held in 1321. The poet is buried in a tomb annexed to the church, the local authorities having resisted for centuries all demands by Florence for return of the remains of its most famous exile.

The Baroque church of Santa Maria Maggiore (525-532, rebuilt in 1671). It houses a picture by Luca Longhi.

The church of San Giovanni Battista 1683, also of Baroque style, with a Middle Ages belfry.

The basilica of Santa Maria in Porto (16th century), with a rich façade from the 18th century. It has a nave and two aisles, with a high cupola. It houses the image of famous Greek Madonna, which was allegedly brought to Ravenna from Constantinople.

The Rocca Brancaleone ("Brancaleone Castle"), built by the Venetians in 1457. Once part of the city walls, it is now a public park. It is divided into two parts: the true Castle and the Citadel, the latter having an extent of 14,000 m².

The so-called Palace of Theoderic, in fact the entrance to the former church of San Salvatore. It includes mosaics from the true Palace of the Ostrogoth king.

The church of Santa Eufemia (18th century), gives access to the so-called Stone Carpets Domus (6th-7th century): this houses splendid mosaics from a Byzantine palace.

Reggio Emilia (Latin: Regium Lepidi and Regium) is an affluent city of northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 167,013 inhabitants and is the main comune (municipality) of the Province of Reggio Emilia.

The town is also referred to by its more official name of Reggio nell'Emilia. The inhabitants of Reggio nell'Emilia (called Reggiani) usually call their town by the simple name of Reggio. In some ancient maps the town is also named Reggio di Lombardia.

The old town has an hexagonal form, which derives from the ancient walls, and the main buildings are from the 16th-17th centuries. The commune's territory is totally on a plain, crossed by the Crostolo stream.

Places of interest

The Baroque Basilica della Ghiara (1597), the most important church of the city.

The Basilica di San Prospero. Built in the 10th century and dedicated to Prosper of Reggio, a bishop of the city, it was reconstructed by Luca Corti and Matteo Fiorentini between 1514 and 1523. The façade, with eleven statues of saints and patrones, was redesigned by Giovan Battista Cattani in the mid-18th century. It includes a pleasant belfry/tower, begun in 1535 and never quite finished, with an octagonal plant. The interior of the church has a Latin cross plant, with three naves. The apse houses the splendid fresco Last Judgement, by the Bolognese artist Camillo Procaccini. Also noteworthy are the wooden choir from 1546 and the Assumption altarpiece by Tommaso Laureti and Ludovico Carracci (1602).

The Cathedral (9th-12th century). It was reconstructed in the second half of the 16th century. It has three naves with works by Guercino, Palma the Younger, Prospero Spani and Alessandro Tiarini.

Saint John the Baptist *The church of St. Augustine. Once dedicated to St. Apollinare, its dedication was changed in 1268 when it was rebuilt, along with the annexed convent, by the Augustinian friars. It was restored in 1452, when the tower was also erected. The current interior dates from 1645–1666, while the façade was added in 1746.

The church of San Giovannino (dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist) (c. 1200). It houses Baroque paintings by Sisto Badalocchio, Lorenzo Franchi, Tommaso Sandrini, Paolo Guidotti and Tiarini.

The church of St. Peter, designed by Giulio della Torre and built in 1625-1629. A belfry tower was added in 1765 and a façade added in 1782, while the cloister was constructed in the 16th century. The interior is in a Latin cross shape with a single nave. It houses notable Baroque paintings by Tiarini, Pietro Desani, Luca da Reggio, Camillo Gavasetti and Paolo Emilio Besenzi.

Rimini is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini.

It is located on the Adriatic Sea, near the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient Ariminus) and Ausa (Aprusa).

Coast navigation and fishing are traditional industries and, together with Riccione, it is probably the most famous seaside resort on the Adriatic Riviera.

Places of interest

The 13th century cathedral (San Francesco, best known as Tempio Malatestiano) was originally in Gothic style, but was transformed by order of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta according to the designs of Leon Battista Alberti and never completed. In the cathedral are the tombs of Sigismondo and his wife Isotta.

The Arch of Augustus. Built in 27 BC, it has a single gate 9.92 m high and 8.45 m wide. The merlons were added in the Middle Ages.

the church of San Giuliano Martire (1553-1575), housing the great picture of Paul Veronese (1588) representing the martyrdom of that saint. It includes also pictures of Bittino da Faenza (1357) dealing with some episodes of the saint's life (1409).

The Tiberius Bridge: As the inscription on the internal parapets recalls, the bridge over the Marecchia River, then known as Ariminus, began under the Emperor Augustus in 14 and was completed under Tiberius in 21. The bridge still connects the city centre to Borgo San Giuliano and leads to the consular roads Via Emilia and Via Popilia that lead north. Built in Istria stone, the bridge consists of five arches that rest on massive pillars with breakwater spurs set at an oblique angle with respect to the bridge’s axis in order to follow the current. The bridge’s structure on the other hand, rests on a practical system of wooden poles.

The amphitheater (2nd century). It was erected alongside the ancient coast line, and had a two orders of porticoes with 60 arcades. It had elliptical shape, with axes of 117,7 x 88 meters. The arena measured 73 x 44 meters, not far from the greatest Roman amphitheatres: the edifice could house up to 15,000 spectators.

The Castel Sismondo or Rocca Malatestiana of Sigismondo Pandolfo was later used as a prison.

Palazzo dell'Arengo e del Podestà (1204), seat of the judiciary and civil administrations. On the short side in the 14th century the podestà residence was added. It was modified at the end of the 16th century.

The church of San Giovanni Battista, erected in the 12th century. It has a single nave with rich stucco decoration from the 18th century.

The town hall has a small but valuable gallery (Perin del Vaga, Ghirlandajo, Bellini, Benedetto Coda, Tintoretto, Agostino di Duccio); the Gambalunga Library (1677) has valuable manuscripts.

Church of San Fortunato (1418). It houses the Adoration of the Magi (1547) by Giorgio Vasari.

Welcome to Emilia Romagna!

Main sites:

Churches

Palaces

Sites of interest

Places of interest

Places of interest

Places of interest

Places of interest