Sightseeing in Modena - what to see. Complete travel guide

This ancient Italian town attracts visitors primarily by its rich cultural program. There are many interesting and beautiful places, visiting which will become a real pleasure to any traveler.

Start your observation of sights of Modena with quite a gloomy place - the cemetery San Cataldo. In fact, the first impression of your excursion to this place will be misleading as this cemetery is the greatest architectural monument of Italy and best architects and designers of the country have worked over its design. Here you will also find tombs and majestic crypts, which sharp spikes go high into the sky, as well as skillfully performed burial complexes. Believe me, after visiting the cemetery you have only positive memories, as San Cataldo has an atmosphere of an old temple complex.

The Palazzo dei Musei Museum, opened in the old building of the 18th century, is another attractive place. The museum has a historical orientation, so here you will find a collection of important documents and archives. The oldest library of the city is also opened here.

Grande Square located in the center of the city is a real masterpiece of the architectural art. The design of the square was developed by numerous medieval masters. Once upon a time mass events were conducted on the square, so the square was designed like a spacious amphitheater. The main decoration of the square is the statue of la Bonissima, which was opened in 1468. According to one version, the prototype of the beautiful stranger was Matilda di Canossa, which was simply worshiped by the locals as a goddess of fertility and motherhood. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Among the notable religious sites of this place we should definitely mention Duomo Cathedral and the Cathedral of San Giuseppe and great architectural monuments - Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Comunale. A walk in the park called Garden Estense will become the best end of the day. In this park you will also find several monuments and a magnificent pond.

In the heart of the historic district of Modena is the Ducal Palace, built in 1634 by the famous architect Gaspare Vigarani. Now this magnificent baroque building is one of the main architectural monuments of the country. Part of the building is occupied by a military academy. After hundreds of years, the palace managed to preserve not only its unique exterior, but also its interior. Its visitors can see the luxurious Throne Room and the Hall of Honor, and the Golden Cabinet.

An interesting monument of late medieval time is the Obelet Church. In the first half of the 17th century, plague struck the city. After its retreat, locals decided to collect donations for the construction of a new church. Now it is an amazing combination of different architectural styles. In the appearance of the church, you can distinguish the features of baroque, renaissance and neoclassical styles.

Many interesting stories and legends are associated with the Town Hall building. It has remained unchanged since the 18th century. In this period, the last large-scale reconstruction of the building took place, during which it acquired its strict classical features. The only element that has survived since the Middle Ages is the clock tower, which was built in the 15th century. Today in this tower, there is an interesting historical trophy - an old wooden bucket, with which locals drew water from the main well in Bologna. At the beginning of the 14th century, one of the locals accidentally took this bucket home. This event subsequently caused numerous military clashes between Modena and Bologna.

An obligatory point of the excursion program in Modena is visiting the market of Mercato Albinelli. It is historical and has been operating since 1931. In this market, you can try and buy the most popular national delicacies. Every day, free tasting of Parmesan, wonderful home-made wines and balsamic vinegar, which is one of the main symbols of the national gastronomy, is organized for visitors.

In the immediate vicinity of the city is the world famous Ferrari Museum, which presents all the legendary models of famous cars. Here, visitors can be photographed behind the wheel of old cars and the newest models of cars. Visitors of the museum are even allowed to ride some cars.