| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
457km (283 miles) NW of Rome, 97km (60 miles) NW of Bologna, 121km (75 miles) SE of Milan Parma, straddling Via Emilia, was the home of Correggio, Il Parmigianino, Bodoni (of typeface fame), and Toscanini, and has also given us prosciutto and parmigiano cheese. Parma rose in influence and power in the 16th century as the seat of the Farnese duchy, and is still one of the most prosperous cities in Italy. Upon the extinction of the male Farnese line, Parma came under the control of the French Bourbons. Its most beloved ruler, Marie-Louise, widow of Napoleon and niece of Marie Antoinette, arrived in 1815 after the Congress of Vienna awarded her this duchy. Marie-Louise became a great patron of the arts, and much of the collection she acquired is on display at the Galleria Nazionale. Rising unrest in 1859 forced her abdication, and, in 1860, following a plebiscite, Parma was incorporated into the kingdom of Italy. The city has also been a mecca for opera lovers such as Verdi, the great Italian composer whose works include Il Trovatore and Aïda. He was born in the small village of Roncole, north of Parma, in 1813. In time, his operas echoed through the Teatro Regio, the opera house that was built under the orders of Marie-Louise. Because of Verdi, Parma became a center of music, and even today the opera house is jampacked in season. Back to Top Note: This
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | Parma Historical Background Parma began as a Roman colony in 183 BC set on an old Celtic settlement (which in turn was based on former settlements dating back to the 17th-13th centuries BC). Its founders were the triumvirate of M. Emilio Lepido, T. Ebuzio Caro and L. Quinto Crispino. At the time, the city had around 2000 inhabitants and saw a period of rapid growth. The land was fertile which led to pig and sheep rearing, in turn giving rise to beautiful wool to the extent that the industries of spinning, weaving and dyeing boomed. The traces of Roman settlement are still clearly visible. Especially the Via Emilia which crosses the city taking various names in the centre from Via Gramsci to Via D’Azeglio, from Via Mazzini to Via Repubblica; all the other streets of the old town (or at least the oldest) run perpendicular or parallel to this one according to the ancient layout of Roman settlements. During this period the town had a theatre, an amphitheatre, a thermal spa, a basilica and of course a forum, where Piazza Garibaldi stands today, and which is still the very heart of Parma. Darker times came with the Barbaric invasions (V and VI centuries). The Huns, the Erulis and then the Longobards (570) – in the intermediate period of 493 to 569 with Teodorico and the Byzantine government, the city, In those years it experienced raids and destruction which completely changed its appearance. After the French reign, the bishops’ hegemony began until the period of
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | Getting There: By Air: Parma is serviced by the Aeroporto di Parma G. Verdi ( http://www.aeroportoparma.it/zeindex.htm ). The following airlines offer service to the airport: Air One ( http://www.air-one.it ) Air Alps ( http://www.airalps.it ) Alitalia ( http://www.alitalia.com ) Club Air ( http://www.clubair.it ) Taxis ( +39 0521 252562 ) are available outside the arrivals hall. Rental car companies from the airports include: Avis ( http://www.avis.com ) Hertz ( http://www.hertz.com ) Europcar ( http://www.europcar.com ) By Train: Italy's national train company, Trenitalia ( http://www.trenitalia.com ), offers services to Parma. By Bus: Eurolines ( http://www.eurolines.com ) offers bus service to destinations throughout Italy and Europe. By Car: Parma is accessible by the A124, A56, S343, and A13 motorways. Getting Around: Parma is serviced by an efficient system of local buses and taxis. The city is also pleasant to view by foot. Taxi Companies: Consorzio Taxisti Di Parma - Con.Ta.P. Scrl ( http://www.radiotaxiparma.com ) Taxi Parma
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | That's entertainment!! (in Parma) Parma is a small provincial city but there is plenty to do and to see. There are museums, historical attractions, various cinemas, concerts and nightspots to keep everyone happy, (for those who like to paint the town red as well as those who prefer culture to pure fun). Let’s start with the museums. Firstly, we have the Galleria Nazionale . The museum is located inside the Palazzo della Pilotta , a former Farnesian fortress only partly preserved, overlooking the Piazzale della Pace, in the heart of the centre, not far from the Teatro Regio and Piazza Garibaldi. You will encounter canvases from the 13th to the 19th century, with an important 16th century sculpture collection from Parma, there are major works by Correggio and Parmigianino. The sculptures are mostly relics from the city’s two symbolic monuments: the cathedral and the Battistero . Still within the Pilotta, the Museo Archeologico and the Museo Bodiniano , should not be missed, nor should the Teatro Farnese, testimony to art at the time of the Farnese, a unique example of a wooden theatre which has remained intact, at least in the main structure, which has captured the hearts of tourists form all over the world. Right in front of the Pilotta is the Museo Glauco Lombardi , at no.15 Via Garibaldi. A visit to this recently renovated treasure chest is a step back in time (3 centuries ago, to be precise), to the time of the Parma dukedom – 1748-1859 – and of Maria Luigia,
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