Page 266 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

264  CENTR AL IT AL Y

the city’s patron saint, whose Among the permanent displays
stone coffin lies under the in the Biblioteca Estense,
choir. Its most notice able the d’Este Library, are a 1481
feature is the Torre Ghirlandina, edition of Dante’s Divine
a perilously leaning tower Comedy, and dozens of
begun at the same time as fascinating maps and diplo-
the Duomo and completed matic letters, many dating back
two centuries later. It once centuries. A map dated 1501
housed the Secchia, a wooden was among the first to show
bucket whose 1325 theft from the 1492 voyage by Columbus
Bologna allegedly sparked a war to the New World. The jewel of
between the two cities. It also the collection is the magnificent
inspired Tassoni’s 17th-century illuminated Borso d’Este Bible,
mock epic poem La Secchia with gloriously decorated
Flora by Carlo Cignani (1628–1719) in the Rapita (The Stolen Bucket), and pages containing over 1,200
Galleria Estense in Modena became the symbol of a rivalry miniatures by 15th-century
between the cities. artists of the Ferrara school,
5 Modena The large reliefs on the most notably Taddeo Crivelli
Duomo’s main (west) façade and Franco Russi.
* 185,000. V @ n Piazza Grande
14 (059 203 26 60). ( Mon. are the work of the 12th-century
∑ turismo.comune.modena.it sculptor Wiligelmus. The highlight Environs
of the rather severe interior is a The Ferrari factory, 20 km
To most Italians Modena large carved tribuna (rood screen) (12 miles) to the south, was
means fast cars, for both Ferrari decorated with 12th-century founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1945.
and Maserati have factories scenes from the Passion. The Fiat-owned manufacturer
in its industrial outskirts, now produces around 2,500 cars
and opera, since this is the P Palazzo dei Musei annually. The Galleria Ferrari
birthplace of Luciano Pavarotti. Largo di Porta Sant’Agostino 337. has an excellent exhibition
Monuments to an earlier age, Galleria Estense: Tel 059 203 31 00. featuring memorabilia, classic
however, make this one of Open daily. & 7 Biblioteca engines and many vintage cars.
Emilia’s most enticing historic Estense: Tel 059 22 22 48.
destinations. A thriving colony Open Mon–Thu (Fri & Sat am). E Museo Ferrari
since Roman times, the city Closed pub hols. 8 Via Dino Ferrari 43, Maranello. Tel 0536
rose to medieval prominence Northwest of the Duomo, and 94 97 13. Open 9:30am–6pm daily (to
on the back of its broad reached through an attractive 7pm summer). Closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec.
agricultural hinterland and warren of old streets, is the & 7
the arrival in 1598 of the Palazzo dei Musei. Formerly
d’Este nobles from Ferrara. This an arsenal and workhouse, it
family continued to rule the is now home to the city’s best 6 Ferrara
city until the 18th century. museums and galleries. Its finest * 135,000. V @ n Castello
section is the Galleria Estense,
R Duomo given over to the d’Este private Estense, Largo Castello (0532 20 93 70).
( Mon & Fri.
Corso Duomo. Tel 059 21 60 78. art collection, which was
Open daily. Torre Ghirlandina: transferred here when the city The d’Este dynasty has left an
Open Tue–Sun & hols (closed at of Ferrara, the family’s former indelible mark on Ferrara, one
lunchtime Tue–Fri). & dominion, became part of of the region’s greatest walled
Modena’s superlative Duomo the Papal States. Most of the towns. The noble family took
rises alongside the old Roman paintings are by Emilian and control of the town under
Via Emilia. One of the region’s Ferrarese artists (notably Reni Nicolò II in the late 13th century,
greatest Romanesque buildings, and the Carracci), but there holding power until 1598, when
it was founded by Countess are also works by Velázquez, the family was forced by the
Matilda of Tuscany, ruler of Tin toretto, Bernini and Veronese. papacy to move to Modena.
Modena in the 11th century. It
was designed by Lanfranco and
dedicated to San Geminiano,

Ferrari 250 SWB, produced between 1959 and 1962
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p569–73 and pp590–96

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.9)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm