Piazza dei Martiri & Castello dei Pio, Carpi
Piazza dei Martiri / Castello dei Pio
One of Italy’s largest squares, surrounded by a Renaissance arcade, a cathedral, and the Pio family castle. It makes a half-day trip to a small town just north of Modena.
Piazza dei Martiri in Carpi is about 276 m long and one of the largest squares in Italy. One side is a Renaissance arcade of 52 arches, and the other side has the Pio Castle and the cathedral. The Pio Castle houses the Civic Museum, which displays Renaissance frescoes and “scagliola,” the imitation-marble technique for which Carpi is known. It also has a memorial about the nearby Fossoli concentration camp. Getting there: take a train from Modena for about 15 minutes, then walk about 10 minutes from the station to the square.
Opening hours
Square open all day; castle museum open Tue–Sun (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Galleria Estense (Palazzo dei Musei)
- Enzo Ferrari Museum, Modena
- Ducal Palace of Modena
- Modena Cathedral & Piazza Grande
- Ghirlandina Tower
- Osteria Francescana
- Palazzo Comunale, Modena
- Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti