The northern Italian city of Parma lies on the southern edge of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of the same name and the second-largest city in the Emilia-Romagna region after Bologna.
The former capital of the Duchy of Parma is home to the historic University of Parma.
The River Parma, a tributary of the Po, divides the city centre into what is known as New and Old Parma.
The city is regarded as a cultural and culinary gem, combining impressive architecture with a long-standing tradition of music and fine dining.
Palazzo da la Pilotta
Construction of this building complex began in 1593, but it was never completed. The complex comprises the National Museum, the National Gallery, the Biblioteca Palatina and the Teatro Farnese.
Monumento Verdi
The Giuseppe Verdi monument, created by the sculptor Enrico Butti, was unveiled in 1920 to mark the twentieth anniversary of the composer’s death. The bronze statue depicts the composer holding a score. The photographs show the front and the back.
Bell tower of the former Church of San Paolo
The tower was built in 1616 in the Baroque style and fitted with bells in 1753. At its base stands the ‘Monumento ai Caduti’, a white war memorial dedicated to those who fell in all wars.
Complesso Monumentale di San Paolo
It is a former Benedictine monastery dating from the year 1000, which was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. The courtyard shown in the picture is the ‘Chiostro della Fontana’ (Fountain Cloister). Today, the complex houses, amongst other things, the ‘Laboratorio Aperto’, a library and museums.
Chiesa di San Giovanni
Located directly behind the cathedral, it impresses with its comparatively simple design, its floors and the frescoes by Correggio.
Cathedral
(Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Piazza del Duomo). The cathedral, which is over 1,000 years old, is best known for the Correggio frescoes in its dome. Antelami’s Crucifixion group is particularly worth seeing.
Baptistery
The Baptistery, situated right next to the cathedral, is arguably Parma’s most famous landmark. Built from pink marble in the late 12th century, this octagonal structure is architecturally representative of the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles. The façade, designed by Benedetto Antelami, is particularly worth seeing.
Parma ham
