Modena Cathedral & Piazza Grande
Duomo di Modena, Torre Civica e Piazza Grande
A UNESCO-listed Romanesque cathedral, the Ghirlandina Tower, and Piazza Grande. The city is also the heart of Italy’s balsamic vinegar region.
Modena Cathedral was begun in 1099 and is a masterpiece of European Romanesque architecture. Its west façade features Wiligelmo’s Genesis reliefs. Together with the 86-meter Ghirlandina bell tower and Piazza Grande, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the tower can be climbed on weekends. In the old town, the Mercato Albinelli is a good place to buy balsamic vinegar, Parma ham, and Parmigiano cheese, and traditional balsamic vinegar workshops in the outskirts accept visits by appointment. Getting there: it is about 25 minutes by train from Bologna, and the old town can be covered entirely on foot.
Opening hours
Cathedral approx. 07:00–19:00; Ghirlandina Tower hours per official website
Nearby sights
- Palazzo Comunale, Modena
- Ghirlandina Tower
- Mercato Albinelli
- Ducal Palace of Modena
- Osteria Francescana
- Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti
- Galleria Estense (Palazzo dei Musei)
- Enzo Ferrari Museum, Modena