Italy is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Its rich history and amazing nature amaze and attract. Therefore, tours to Italy are always popular with tourists. Famous cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Genoa, San Remo, Milan, Pisa and Sorrento do not need to be introduced. Although you can have a great time in Italy in other, less well-known places. Any of them has an ancient history and unique beauty. Each of its cities is proud of sunny and ever-young Italy, Modena is one of such settlements.
History
The history of the city has more than two thousand years. He is mentioned as one of the conquered by the Roman Empire and turned over time into a colony. True, at that time the city had the name Mutina. It is located on the Emilia Road, which was very convenient from a strategic point of view. And after colonization in Mutin, the Roman garrison was located. But this did not save him from numerous wars and destruction.
Since the ninth century, Modena has been constantly changing its protectorate, but already in the twelfth century it has become independent and quite influential. The rapid development of the city begins. In 1175, one of the first universities in Europe was founded. In 1288, the city passed into the power of the Este family. And in 1598, Modena became the capital of this principality. Today, Modena is a very developed city, the economy and social protection of which are at a high level. Unfortunately, not all of Italy can boast of this. Modena is one of the richest cities in the country, due to its location. The city is located in one of the oldest and most developed areas of Europe, occupying the central part of the Po river valley, it is located at the intersection of continental trade routes.
Duomo Cathedral
Italy is adorned with magnificent cathedrals, wide squares and wonderful parks. Modena is no exception. One of the most famous sights of the city is the Duomo Cathedral. It was built from stones left on the ruins of buildings of the Roman Empire. Interestingly, the initiators of the construction were the townspeople. Due to errors in construction calculations, the old church could collapse at any time, as a result of which it was decided to build a new cathedral in its place. In 1106, construction work was completed. After that, the cathedral opened its doors to parishioners. The Duomo impresses with its magnificent decor and sculptural compositions; its facade is decorated with a series of bas-reliefs that tell the biblical story of the creation of man. The author of this work is the famous Wiligelmo. The cathedral is also known for the fact that Saint Geminianus is buried in its walls, which the city residents consider the patron saint of Modena. The bell tower of the Duomo has the name Garlandina. From the height of its tower, a beautiful panorama of the city opens, the height of the bell tower is 86 meters. Inside you can see the frescoes of the fifteenth century and a copy of the epic "The Stolen Bucket" by Alessandro Tassoni, a monument to which is installed on Piazza Torre.
Other temples
All the churches and temples of Modena are worthy of attention. Outstanding masters of the Middle Ages and Renaissance worked on their decoration. So, the Cathedral of San Giuseppe is famous for its murals on the walls and stained glass windows, which are perfectly preserved to this day. And in the church of St. Augustine, you can see a fresco called the “Madonna of Consolation” of the famous Tommaso da Modena and the work of Antonio Begarelliego. The sculptures also adorn one of the oldest temples in the city - the Church of St. Francis. The San Giovanni Temple, built in honor of John the Baptist, is famous for the painting by Francesco Vellani, depicting the scene of the decapitation of John the Baptist. And one of the oldest city churches - Santa Maria della Pompaza - is now part of the museum complex. Therefore, her visit is indicated in all tourist routes.
Church of the Vow
It will be interesting to visit the Vow Church, which is famous for the fact that the townspeople built it in gratitude to the Lord God. In those days, an epidemic of plague mowed down European cities. She came to Modena in 1630. Then the hope remained only on God. Therefore, having prayed to him, people promised to build a church, the plague receded and the construction of the church began four years later, the main attraction of the church is a painting by Lodovico Lana called "Madonna of Giara."
Palace
What other interesting places does Modena have? Attractions in the city also appeared thanks to the Dukes of Este. The famous palace, made in the style of Italian Baroque, was erected in 1634. All apartments amaze with their luxury, even the main staircase, decorated with magnificent statues, personifies the power and wealth of their owners. Today, the palace building is occupied by a military academy.
The park of the Dukes of Este is certainly very beautiful. A botanical garden with many amazing plants and a swan pond is a great place to relax.
You can not ignore the famous gallery of the Dukes of Este. The collection of the Museum Palace contains the works of such famous masters as Rubens, Tommaso da Modena, El Greco, Paolo Veronese and Dosso Dossi.
central square
And of course, you need to remember about the central square of the city of Piazza Grande, which hosts city holidays and carnivals. Today it is a favorite vacation spot for citizens and tourists. Only the memorial plaque reminds of the terrible times and executions in this square ; in the old days, the paved stones of the square saw a lot of blood.
Formula 1
Tours to Italy also attract fans of Formula 1, the legendary Ferrari cars are even exhibited in stores of this brand, let alone museums, Modena is the birthplace of the brilliant designer Enzo Ferrari. Therefore, of course, the city has a huge museum with a collection of legendary cars.
Luciano Pavarotti
Also, the city can be proud of its great countryman, Luciano Pavarotti. The famous tenor was born in Modena in 1935 and is buried in the suburbs at the Montale Rangone cemetery.
Conclusion
Now you know how beautiful Italy is. Modena is a city that you should definitely visit. He will not leave anyone indifferent, especially since getting to him is quite simple, about half an hour by train from Bologna. A trip to Modena from Milan or Parma will take a little longer.