Parma in 10 stages

What to see in Parma? Here is a nice 10-step walk through the heart of ‘petit Paris’, as it is sometimes called because of its architectural beauty, refined atmosphere, culture and history, which make it similar to the French capital.

DUCAL PARK

The first stop is the enchanting Ducal Park, familiarly called ‘the Garden’. Situated in the heart of the city (Largo Luca Ganzi 3), it is used as a place of rest and recreation as well as being visited as a site of relevant historical and artistic interest for its architectural design and the valuable buildings and artistic artefacts it houses. Built in the second half of the 16th century at the behest of Ottavio Farnese, it has undergone various renovations over the course of time, in line with the prevailing taste. It retains its neoclassical layout characterised by a large central boulevard and a large group of statues. Inside are the Ducal Palace and the Eucherio Sanvitale Palace.

ARTURO TOSCANINI BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM

The second stop is the Arturo Toscanini Birthplace Museum (Arturo Toscanini Birthplace Museum), located at number 13 Borgo Rodolfo Tanzi, a few minutes’ walk from the Parco Ducale. Here, on 25 March 1867, the famous conductor (considered one of the greatest ever) was born and spent his early childhood years. The house, which was turned into a museum in 1967 (on the occasion of the centenary of his birth), is a must-see for fans of classical music (and more). It brings together musical editions, numerous personal items, memorabilia, furniture, paintings, posters, drawings and photographs. The exhibition also includes films and recordings of his most famous performances.

PIAZZA GARIBALDI

The walk continues to Piazza Garibaldi, one of Parma’s most beautiful squares. Meeting point of the city’s main thoroughfares, with its open-air tables, nearby pedestrian streets and elegant shops, it is the true living room of the Parmigiani. Opened on the site of the Roman forum, later enlarged between the 13th and 14th centuries, it is surrounded by buildings completely different in architectural styles, shapes and colours. Among the architectural highlights of the square are: the Palazzo del Comune, built in late Renaissance style in the 17th century to a design by architect Giovanni Battista Magnani; the Palazzo del Governatore, which already existed in the 13th century and is now a prestigious exhibition space; and the Church of San Pietro, rebuilt in Gothic style between 1418 and 1492 under the direction of Cristoforo Zaneschi.

BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA DELLA STECCATA

The next stop, a short walk from Piazza Garibaldi, is the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata (Strada Giuseppe Garibaldi 5), built by Bernardino and Giovanni Francesco Zaccagni to a design by an unknown architect between 1521 and 1539. The name derives from a wooden fence that protected a 14th-century painting of a nursing Madonna, venerated by crowds of the faithful. Among the many works of art housed in the church are: the remarkable frescoes of the Three Sage Virgins and the Three Foolish Virgins in the sub-arch of the high altar by Parmigianino; and the frescoes of the Coronation of the Virgin in the eastern apse basin by Michelangelo Anselmi.

REGIO THEATRE

In the immediate vicinity of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata, also along Strada Giuseppe Garibaldi, is the Regio Theatre, the fifth stop on our walk. It was built between 1821 and 1829 to a design by architect Nicola Bettoli. The refinement of the stuccoes, the harmony of the proportions, the perfect acoustics, the illustrious history and the greatness of the artists who have graced its stage make it one of the most prestigious and well-known theatres in the world. It regularly hosts operas, ballets and symphonic concerts of the highest level, as well as some light music events. It is possible to discover the Teatro Regio and its history by visiting the Foyer, the Sala and the Ridotto through a guided tour, in Italian and English, lasting about 30 minutes.

PILOTTA MONUMENTAL COMPLEX

The sixth stop is the Pilotta Monumental Complex (Piazza della Pilotta 5), an imposing building consisting of several bodies. Erected at the behest of Duke Ottavio Farnese between the 16th and 17th centuries, it derives its name from the game of pelota that was played in one of its courtyards on special occasions. To visit it, one must carve out no less than a few hours. It houses museums and other places dedicated to culture such as: the National Gallery, which exhibits works dating from the Middle Ages to the 19th century; the Farnese Theatre, an extraordinary testimony to 17th-century theatre architecture; the Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest museums in Italy; the Bodoniano Museum, the oldest printing museum in Italy; and the Palatine Library, with precious incunabula and illuminated manuscripts.

CHAMBER OF SAINT PAUL

The next stop is the Chamber of Saint Paul (or of the Abbess), located at no. 3 Strada Macedonio Melloni. This is one of the rooms of the private flat of Abbess Giovanna da Piacenza in the former Benedictine monastery of San Paolo. Considered one of the masterpieces of the mature Italian Renaissance, it was frescoed in the first half of the 16th century by Antonio Allegri known as Correggio. The marvellous decoration includes the vault and the chimney hood, and focuses on the theme of the goddess Diana and philosophical-mythological correspondences. Another room frescoed by the Parma painter Alessandro Araldi is also included in the visit.

PIAZZA DUOMO

After admiring the Chamber of Saint Paul, the walk continues to Piazza Duomo, one of the most representative and evocative places in the city. It is overlooked by three important architectures: the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (better known as the Duomo), considered one of the best examples of Romanesque art; the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist, one of the most significant monuments of the transition from Romanesque to early Gothic; and the Bishop’s Palace, a Romanesque building housing the Diocesan Museum (with entrance from Vicolo del Vescovado). The famous poet Attilio Bertolucci loved to go to this square after violent summer storms, when the sun made the white and orange-red marble of the Cathedral and Baptistery shine with new light.

CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI EVANGELISTA

The ninth and penultimate stop is the beautiful Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, located in Piazzale San Giovanni. Rebuilt in Renaissance style after a fire that broke out at the end of the 15th century, it conserves masterpieces by Correggio, Parmigianino and Antonio Begarelli, most notably the cycle of frescoes decorating the dome by Correggio. Next to the church is the Monastery of San Giovanni (also worth a visit) with its three cloisters (the first with Ionic columns, the second with frescoes by Correggio and the third with 16th-century frescoes) and the Monastic Library, beautifully frescoed.

CHURCH OF SAN FRANCESCO DEL PRATO

The last stop is the Church of San Francesco del Prato, a Gothic jewel of the city of Parma, reopened after 200 years of troubled history. Overlooking the square of the same name, it was built according to the Franciscan canons dictated by St. Bonaventure probably starting in 1240. The main façade features refined niches and elongated single lancet windows, and is enriched by a polychrome rose window (the work of master architect Alberto da Verona), while the interior is composed of three naves separated by two rows of four circular-section pillars, on which rest five arches on each side, flexible and elegant closed by the wooden roof scaffolding.

Photo Arturo Toscanini Birthplace Museum © Luca Bacciocchi | Regio Theatre © Teatro Regio di Parma | Chamber of Saint Paul © Comune di Parma | Church of San Francesco del Prato Parma © Francesca Bocchia