Geography and location
Modena is a northern Italian town situated along the
Via Emilia, between the two rivers
Secchia and
Panaro, about 160 Km. South East of
Milano and 35 Km North West of Bologna.
Modena's climate is "continental" - on the cold side in Winter, muggy in the Summer. Fog tends to be a fixture of the Fall and Winter months, especially in the northern reaches of the province (though the warmer decades of the last part of the XX century have made fog a rarer sight).
(Very little) History
Modena has a long history, dating back from when the region where it is located (
Emilia) was inhabited by a
Celtic people.
The history of Modena, first as a Roman dominion, then as a commune and as the capital of the possessions of the D'Este family, is rather uneventful, as it can be expected from a town in the plains of northern-central Italy, whose principal activity is farming.
A few noteworthy events and characters are linked with Modena and his history:
- at the end of the X century, the cathedral church (Duomo di Modena) is built. It is widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of the romanesque architecture. Its belfry, the Ghirlandina, will become Modena's symbol. The complex of the Duomo has been named World Heritage by the United Nations Organizations.
- Alessandro Tassoni writes in 1622 its heroic/comical poem "La secchia rapita" (The abduction of the pail) the - largely fictionary - story of a war, opposing Modena and Bologna, about the theft (on the part of Modena) of a Bolognese Wooden pail. The wooden pail itself can to this day be seen in the Ghirlandina;
- Ludovico Antonio Muratori (1672-1750) a scholar and the librarian of the town archives writes his work "Rerum italicarum scriptores", (1723-1751). He is considered the father of the Italian storiography.
Some economy
The economy of Modena is today largely detached from its farming past, its main resources being found in the areas of building material (the tiles district of
Sassuolo), textiles (
Carpi's district), medical/pharmaceutical supplies (
Mirandola) and the mechanical industry (just about everywhere)
Modena's most recent claim to fame rests surely with its being home to the Ferrari racing and sports car maker, who has its headqueaters and birthplace in the Maranello village.
Famous People from Modena
In random order...
/msg me if you have people you'd like added to this node.
Tasty and traditional food from Modena