City gathered within walls now disappeared, with its monuments it tells a story that, starting from the strength of the Romans and the charm of the medieval period arrives at the Baroque elegance of the era when it was the capital of the Duchy Estense. UNESCO has recognized the value of its treasures by declaring the Duomo, Piazza Grande and the Ghirlandina Tower, a World Heritage Site.
The classic tour of the half-day historic center of Modena begins with a visit to the outside of the Palazzo Ducale. The palace was built on the remains of a medieval fortress by the Este family as soon as Modena became the new capital of the duchy in the early seventeenth century. The majestic Bernini-inspired façade presents a Baroque stylistic unity despite the enlargements that followed until the last century. It is now the headquarters of the Military Academy for Cadet Officers.

We pass through the Jewish ghetto created by Francesco I d’Este in 1638. Here the Modena Jewish community continues to meet in the synagogue, a monumental nineteenth-century building

We arrive in Piazza Grande, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The square is the center of city life and many elements show us the public importance of the place. Here we will visit the Duomo and, next to it, we will see the bell tower of Ghirlandina: those are extraordinary buildings initiated by Wiligelmo and Lanfranco, two of the greatest exponents of the Romanesque in Europe, and finished with Gothic lines at the beginning of the XIV century by the Campionesi Masters. Here there are also the precious relics of San Geminiano, patron saint of the city.

From the square, we will then enter in the Palazzo Comunale with its prestigious frescoes and the famous “Stolen Bucket” during the battle of Zappolino in 1325.

In case of free lunch, the visit could end at the characteristic covered market Albinelli, inaugurated in 1931, where it is possible to introduce the products of the area, as the Lambrusco wine, the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena and the Parmigiano Reggiano.

DURATION: 3 hours