| If you are trying to find a European tourist | | | | to teach officially at a European University, |
| destination, you should consider the | | | | appointed professor of anatomy in 1732 at the |
| Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. This may | | | | ripe old age of 21. Bassi spent most of her |
| be the only region of Italy named for a road, one | | | | academic career teaching physics, but managed |
| constructed by the Ancient Romans almost 2200 | | | | to have eight children along the way. A super |
| years ago. The present article describes the Emilia | | | | woman in a super town. |
| subregion, a bit of its history, its many tourist | | | | The Basilica di San Petronio Cathedral was started |
| attractions, local food, and local wine. A companion | | | | in the Fourteenth Century and is still unfinished, |
| article presents Romagna, the eastern "half" of | | | | perhaps because of the university expansion next |
| the region that borders the tiny country of San | | | | door over four hundred years ago. Don't wait until |
| Marino and the Adriatic Sea. | | | | its finished to take a look. The Piazza di Porta |
| Our tour of Emilia is quite straightforward; it | | | | Ravegnana is the site of two towers worthy of a |
| follows the highway basically from east to west, | | | | reference in Dante's Inferno. The Torre degli |
| going slightly southward along the way. We'll start | | | | Asinelli is available for climbing. It also leans, |
| at Piacenza, a city founded on the Po River by | | | | perhaps less than the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but |
| the Etruscans. It became the first of many, many | | | | one look and you'll know it's not straight. |
| Roman military colonies. The Piazza dei Cavalli | | | | Other sights include the Palazzo Comunale |
| (Square of the Horses) in the city center contains | | | | (Communal Palace) the seat of Bologna's |
| baroque statues of two historic leaders. Nearby is | | | | government for the last seven hundred years or |
| a Thirteenth Century Palace, Palazzo del Comune, | | | | so. The Palazzo contains two museums and a |
| which was once the site of the city government. | | | | library, a few palaces, the Pinacoteca Nazionale art |
| The Duomo's (Cathedral) bell tower contains a | | | | gallery and the Museo del Patrimonio Industriale |
| cage in which troublemakers were imprisoned | | | | (Museum of Industry). You can guess that given |
| stark naked and taunted by the crowd below. | | | | the huge number of university students Bologna |
| You may prefer looking at the beautiful art and | | | | has quite an active night life. |
| sculptures inside the building. The Museo Civico | | | | We will finish our tour of Emilia with a look at the |
| (City Museum) contains Etruscan artifacts and a | | | | UNESCO world heritage site of Ferrara, this |
| famous Boticelli painting. Art lovers will want to | | | | article's only city off the main road. Ferrara was |
| visit the Galleria d'Arte Moderna Ricci Oddi for its | | | | featured in the famous movie The Garden of the |
| collection of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century | | | | Finzi-Continis. The famous filmmaker Michelangelo |
| Italian art. | | | | Antonioni was born in Ferrara. |
| Opera lovers shouldn't miss the town Busseto, | | | | You might want to start your tour with the |
| famous for Guiseppe Verdi, who was actually | | | | Castello Estense (Estense Castle) the seat of |
| born in the nearby village of Roncole now | | | | power of the Este dynasty that ruled the area |
| renamed Roncole Verdi. Busseto contains the | | | | with an iron fist for hundreds of years. Among its |
| Fifteenth Century Villa Pallavicino where he lived | | | | numerous features are a hanging garden, and |
| and worked and the Nineteenth Century Teatro | | | | moat, and a drawbridge. While its artwork is |
| Verdi that performs many of his magnificent | | | | magnificent, the castle was a site of unbridled |
| works. | | | | cruelty. Its dungeons were filled with prisoners for |
| Parma is a historic city that has changed hands | | | | centuries, up until the middle of World War II. |
| frequently over the centuries. It still maintains a | | | | Make sure to see the nearby Gothic Duomo |
| French influence. Parma is associated with two | | | | (Cathedral). Ferrara had an important Jewish |
| culinary delights; Parmesan cheese (more strictly | | | | population from 1492 until the Second World War. |
| Parmigiano Reggiano cheese) and Parma ham | | | | You can visit the ghetto and the Museo Ebraico |
| (prosciutto crudo). The term crudo means | | | | (Jewish Museum), which was once a synagogue. |
| uncooked. It doesn't stand for crude; this | | | | The Palazzo dei Diamanti (Palace of the Diamonds) |
| absolutely delicious ham is the opposite of crude. | | | | owes its name to the thousands of pink and |
| Piazza Garibaldi (Garibaldi Square) forms the | | | | white little decorations that cover the building. Go |
| center of Parma. Among the sights to see are | | | | inside to see the Pinacoteca Nazionale art gallery. |
| the Sixteenth Century church Santa Maria della | | | | The mile long Via delle Volte running parallel to the |
| Steccata and its frescos, the Twelfth Century | | | | Po River is one of the most ancient streets in |
| Duomo (Cathedral) and nearby Battistero | | | | Europe. There are many other palaces to see. |
| (Baptisry), and several churches and museums. | | | | Finish your tour of the city with a nightcap in |
| Parma is also known for its opera at the Teatro | | | | Osteria Al Brindisi, Europe's oldest wine bar dating |
| Regio. Modena and its surroundings is the home to | | | | back to 1435. The famous scientist Copernicus |
| four very different international stars: the opera | | | | once lived and drank here. |
| singer Luciano Pavarotti, Maserati and Ferrari | | | | What about food? Emilia-Romagna, in particular |
| sports cars, and balsamic vinegar. Which do you | | | | Emilia is a true favorite among gourmets. As good |
| prefer? | | | | as Parma ham is, many prefer the rare, |
| Be sure to see Modena's old city, the Twelfth | | | | expensive Culatello di Zibello ham aged for at least |
| Century Duomo (Cathedral) with its fascinating | | | | eleven months. Certified foods include balsamic |
| medieval sculptures, marble bell tower, and crypt | | | | vinegars, cured meats, cheese, fruits, vegetables, |
| containing the tomb of its patron saint, San | | | | and even bread, Copia Ferrarese from Ferrara. |
| Geminiano. The Palazzo dei Musei (Palace of the | | | | Let's suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start |
| Museum) contains many illuminated books and a | | | | with Prosciutto con melone (Parma Ham with |
| very historic Bible and map showing Columbus's | | | | Melon). Then try Vitello Bolognese (Veal with Ham |
| landing in America, not many years after the fact. | | | | and Parmesan Cheese). For dessert indulge |
| The Consorzio Produttori Aceto Balsamico | | | | yourself with Zuppa Inglese (Italian Trifle). Be sure |
| Tradizionale di Modena (Traditional Modena | | | | to increase your dining pleasure by including local |
| Balsamic Vinegar Producers Association) will give | | | | wines with your meal. |
| you a taste of the city's most famous food | | | | We conclude with a quick look at Emilian wine. |
| product. Stop in the Salumeria Gusti, founded over | | | | Emilia-Romagna ranks 5th among the 20 Italian |
| four hundred years ago claiming to be the world's | | | | regions for acreage devoted to wine grapes and |
| oldest delicatessen. Perhaps because there are | | | | 4th for total annual wine production. The region |
| only four tables don't expect to pay regular | | | | produces about 57% red and 43% white wine. |
| delicatessen prices. | | | | The Emilia-Romagna region produces about |
| Bologna. Don't judge this city by the bottom of | | | | twenty DOC wines about half of which come |
| the line prepared meat that somehow shares its | | | | from Emilia. DOC stands for Denominazione di |
| name. Among Bologna's notable achievements, it | | | | Origine Controllata, which may be translated as |
| is home to the oldest university in Europe. This | | | | Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a |
| was no little University; by the Thirteenth Century | | | | high-quality wine. Try some Lambrusco DOC red |
| its student body numbered more than ten | | | | wines, which are often fizzy or frothy. Frankly in |
| thousand served by 150 taverns. Laura Bassi was | | | | Emilia-Romagna the wine isn't as good as the |
| its first female professor, in fact the first woman | | | | food. |