Reggio Emilia is a very attractive city of Emilia Romagna located in the heart of the Po Valley on a bank of the Crostolo stream about ten kilometers from the picturesque Apennines which offers very suggestive landscapes and just halfway between the more famous "sisters" Parma and Modena with whom he has often shared historical events of relevance.
A well-known Roman settlement in the Imperial era since 175 BC, Reggio Emilia had a flourishing period in the Middle Ages closely linked to the Duchy of Este, preserving today a monumental heritage of importance.
The city also becoming well known in the late 18th century as the birthplace of the Tricolor, the place where the flag of Italy was officially born.
In the contemporary era Reggio Emilia has been consolidated as a very active manufacturing commercial center for several decades ago and the food industry, although for many this beautiful city appears as a "beautiful unknown".
The visit from the beginning will be very pleasant coming into contact with a city with a jovial and serene atmosphere in a very suggestive setting consisting of picturesque alleys and streets that form a large charming medieval village developed harmoniously around the monumental, urban nucleus.
The first salient stop I suggest is the iconic Piazza dei Teatri, a name adopted for the significant presence of the elegant Ariosto Theater dedicated to the great poet Ludovico Ariosto and the splendid Valli Municipal Theater which for its refined architectural lines is aesthetically, unquestionably among the most attractive in Italy.
You can continue reaching in a few minutes the beating heart of the city, the fascinating Piazza Prampolini also known as "Piazza Grande" where three of the important structures erected in the medieval period stand.
You can start with the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria, an imposing religious building with Romanesque architectural lines but also with strong Renaissance, Baroque and Mannerist influences due to modifications over the centuries following its construction and well known for its large unfinished façade.
In the external layout you can admire a wonderful dome added in 1700 and a beautiful Michelangelo portal next to two statues depicting Adam and Eve while in the lantern we will appreciate authentic 17th century masterpieces represented by a Madonna and Child, the Patrons and the Fiordibelli Spouses.
The extensive interior in the shape of a Latin cross is rich in numerous masterpieces made in the various chapels developed on the sides of the majestic central nave with a vast cycle of frescoes, stuccoes, paintings, sepulchral monuments and we will linger on the dome masterfully frescoed by the master Francesco Fontanesi.
Continuation with the nearby Baptistery also known as the Church of St. John the Baptist, a beautiful medieval building dating back to the 11th century in which the presence of a large baptismal font stands out in a central position.
This religious building is also famous for a rather peculiar episode because, after some restoration operations it was deprived of the apse which was inserted into the architectural complex of the adjacent Bishop's Palace.
The square exudes a unique charm with the presence of the statue of Crostolo and a picturesque passage next to an arch surrounded by numerous historic buildings, namely, Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo del Monte which was the municipal seat of the Notaries, the Civic Tower and the Municipal Palace which houses the iconic tricolor hall with the historic flag designed in 1797.
In this "monumental living room" of Reggio Emilia you can visit a grocery store to enjoy a welcome taste of the legendary Parmigiano Reggiano, gastronomic symbol of the entire province, savoring the exquisiteness of this universally famous dairy product.
Afterwards you can enter in the fascinating Piazza San Prospero to admire the Broletto, seat in the medieval era of the political and administrative activities of Reggio Emilia and a suggestive covered street located next to the beautiful Basilica of San Prospero erected in the 10th century dedicated to the patron saint and protector of the city.
The Basilica is flanked by a high tower of the 1600s built on an octagonal plan but curiously never finished.
Visiting the interior you will be delighted by a magnificent cycle of 7th century frescoes executed by Camillo Procaccini and an extraordinary choir that boasts beautiful inlays and wooden carvings of the high artistic school.
It’s time for your lunch and Reggio Emilia offers a superb, delicious cuisine.I suggest to start with a traditional appetizer based on Prosciutto Crudo, Erbazzone and Chizze and a slice of Focaccia con Ciccioli.
Among the first courses you can choose between Green Tortelli, Cappelletti al Ragu or Rice with Savoy Cabbage, among the second courses good typical options are Beef Stew alla Reggiana, or Bollito in Salsa Verde both with a side of potato pancakes.
Afterwards you will reach the very important Sanctuary of the Madonna della Ghiara, an ecclesiastical complex dating back to 1597 famous for a miracle that took place near one of its Marian frescoes.
The interior is rich of artistic masterpieces made by illustrious artists such as Guercino, Spada, Talami, Ferrari and Tiarini.
Continuation with the building that now houses the Civic Museums in its halls which was originally the Convent of San Francesco, currently containing exhibitions that chronologically narrate the historical stages of Reggio Emilia with a special theme linked to local uses, customs and traditions.
Afterwards you can have a stop in front of the splendid 17th-century Church of Saints Girolamo and Vitale, designed by the architect Gaspare Vigarani, who executed a magnificent Baroque composition on the façade in which there are wonderful joints of elements placed in various sections.
Highly interesting the
interior with one of the three oratories which represents a wonderful reproduction of the Holy Sepulchre of
Jerusalem.
The last stage of your journey can be dedicated to the Museum of the Tricolor, a very interesting exhibition devoted to the events of the birth of the Republic of Reggio Emilia preserving in its rooms various relics, objects and documentation linked to the two-year period 1796/97 and a section dedicated to the patriotic uprisings of 1831.
Visiting Reggio Emilia is a wonderful experience, admiring a great historical - artistic heritage of considerable value in a jovial and serene atmosphere, with all this you always have the desire to return in the future.
Link : https://www.reggioemiliawelcome.it/en/homepage
Where to Stay | Recommended Hotels
Albergo delle Notarie - https://www.albergonotarie.it/en/
Albergo Morandi - https://www.albergomorandi.com/
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Thanks a lot to read and note.