The Italian students have made a presentation of the town of Modena to show to the students of the partners schools during the first meeting in Italy. In the presentation there are all the historical monuments and the traditions of our town.

2. ..it’s in the North of Italy
Republic of
Italy:
• Population:
60.742.397
Modena:
• Inhabitants:

3. A Roman colony in 183 BC, Modena was the theatre of the
war between Decimus Brutus and Mark Antony.
Half destroyed during the 4th century,, abbandoned in the
5th and 6th centuries because of wars and floods, the city
came back to life around the bishop’s palace. After the
construction of the Cathedral, begun in 1099, and the first
signs of city government, which led to municipal Modena,
the city was governed by the Este family and in 1598
became their capital and saw the construction of the new
ducal palace. With the fall of Estense sovereignty the city
became part of the Kindom of Italy.

4. Its construction began in 1099. It is one of the greatest
masterpieces of the European Romanesque.
The façade is divided into three sections that
correspond to the naves.
On the South side there is the Princes Door, a work by
the so-called Maestro of San Geminiano and other
followers of Wiligelmo, and the Regia Door.
The crypt contains the tomb of the patron Saint
Geminiano.

5. • Estense Library:
It contains printed books, sixteenth century incunabula, and
numerous miniature codices from 14th to the 16th centuries.
The most precious text is the famous Borso D’Este Bible, a
masterpiece of Ferrara illumination work (15° century).
• Estense Gallery:
This is among the most important Italian collections and
reflects the Este family’s interest in paintings and sculpture,
but also archaeology and the minor arts.
• Civic Museums:
The Archaelogical Ethnological Civic Museum contains the
earliest of human beings in the Modena aerea. There is also
«The Gandini collection», which is very important; it contains
historical fabrics.
• Panini Museum:
It’s famous for its collectible stickers, cards, games, comics
and books.

6. The palace faces on to Piazza Grande and
incorporates «faced» medieval buildings from
the 17th century onwards.
Worth visiting are the Sala del Fuoco (Fire
Room) and the eighteenth century Sala del
Vecchio consiglio (Old Council Room).

7. Begun in 1634 following a design by the Roman
architect Bartolomeo Avanzini, the palace was the
home of the Este court for more than two
centuries.
Today the building is the site of the Military
Academy.
The most spectacular rooms are the vast, elegant
Hall of Honour and the eighteenth century Gold
Cabinet.

8. There are many churches in Modena, but the
most important are:
• Sant’Agostino: Founded in 1338, it was
converted in 1664 into the palace of funeral
rites of the dukes.
• Chiesa del Voto: This church, designed by
Cristoforo Malagola, was built in thanksgiving
to the Madonna for the end of the plague in
1630.

9. • Enzo Ferrari’s House Museum:
The Enzo Ferrari’s House Museum includes
the house where Enzo Ferrari was born in
1898 and a new futuristic exhibition
structure in the shape of a car bonnet,
coveret with yellow aluminium.
• Museum Ferrari:
Maranello (Mo). The museum, is near the
Ferrari factory and tells the story of car
company from Maranello and it’s
sensational success in racing, business
and image.

10. Modena is known worldwide as synonymous with good
food.
The place of honour among first courses goes to the
Tortellini, small pasta squares folded over a filling of
pork, ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
For the main course, Zampone, a mixture of minced
pork meats, seasoned with spices and made into a
sausage with the skin of the pig’s front leg.
The Lambrusco is a sparkling wine, ruby red in colour,
and the ideal companion for the local cousine.
Not to be missed is the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
of Modena. A good portion of Parmigiano Reggiano
cheese must not be lacking either.
And then there’s the fruit: the exquisite Vignola
cherries.

11. • Millemiglia: It’s on May. The famous vintage
car race that goes through Modena and
Ferrara attracting a solid crowd of fans. The
old-timer cars pass through Modena to then
continue towards Brescia, the finishing line.
• Festival filosofia: Mid-September. For three
days Modena, Carpi and Sassuolo stage
meetings with great leaders in contemporary
thought, philosophical dinnersfilms, shows
and exhibitions.
• Memorial Luciano Pavarotti: on 6th
September. Modena remembers tenor
Pavarotti with a great concert and other
events; the shops of the old town dress their
windows in memory of him, while under the
arcades of the areas song by the Maestro.