Measuring 270m by 60m, the Piazza dei Martiri is Italy's third largest after Piazza San Pietro in Rome and Venice's Piazza San Marco. Over 50 columns holding up an equal number of porticoes run down the western side.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.32 MILES
Overshadowing even the cathedral, the octagonal pink-marble baptistery on the south side of the piazza is one of the most important such structures in…
15.09 MILES
If peeking at the assembly lines at Ferrari and Lamborghini is like glimpsing inside a well-oiled machine, a day behind the scenes at Pagani is like…
26.36 MILES
For more than 300 years the enormous Palazzo Ducale was the seat of the Gonzaga – a family of wealthy horse breeders who rose to power in the 14th century…
17.57 MILES
Each year, hundreds of thousands of petrolheads make the pilgrimage to this museum in Maranello, Ferrari's home town. They come here to obsess over the…
27.29 MILES
Another daring Romanesque beauty? Well, yes and no. Consecrated in 1106, Parma has a classic Lombard-Romanesque facade, but inside, the gilded pulpit and…
9.68 MILES
Modena's celebrated duomo combines the austerity of the Dark Ages with throwback traditions from the Romans in a style known as Romanesque. The church…
27.54 MILES
The Galleria Nazionale displays Parma’s main art collection in dark and ambiently affective environs. Alongside works by local artists Correggio and…
San Colombano – Collezione Tagliavini
29.94 MILES
An absolutely stunningly restored church with original frescoes and a medieval crypt rediscovered in 2005, the San Colombano hosts a wonderful collection…
Nearby Emilia-Romagna attractions
0.02 MILES
Flanking the east side of Piazza dei Martiri, this muscular palace houses three museums. The Museo della Città has archaeological exhibits and an…
2. Museo Monumento al Deportato Politico e Razziale
0.04 MILES
The Palazzo dei Pio houses this museum, which documents the experience of prisoners in the nearby Fossoli Concentration Camp (which can only be visited on…
0.05 MILES
This fascinating noble apartment inside Palazzo dei Pio is a treasure trove of renowned art and well-preserved Renaissance frescoes (including detached…
0.09 MILES
Begun in 1515 and finished in the 19th century, the cathedral is an architectural cocktail, sporting a baroque facade and a neoclassical interior. The…
6.34 MILES
Modena's oldest balsamic vinegar producer (since 1605) is also one of the best and most dependable to visit, with six one-hour English tours daily (9.30am…
9.42 MILES
While Maranello’s Museo Ferrari focuses on the supersonic cars, this museum near Modena's train station, inaugurated in 2012, celebrates Signor Enzo…
9.54 MILES
The Biblioteca Estense, inside the Palazzo dei Musei, holds one of Italy’s most valuable collections of books, letters and manuscripts, including the…
8. Museo Civico Archeologico Etnologico
9.54 MILES
Housed together with the jointly administered Museo Civico d'Arte inside the Palazzo dei Musei, this small museum has well-displayed local finds from…