One of the earliest depictions of an Arthurian scene that is shrouded in mystery.

Source: Duomo di Modena

Some of the world’s most treasured cheeses, meats, and condiments can be traced back to this lavish region.

Source: Plan The Perfect Food Tour Of Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s Culinary Capital

Modena is one of the most underrated cities in Italy. Its classy historic center packs a cultural punch with its monuments, museums, art, and entertainment.

Source: Modena, Italy – Retirement, Lifestyle and Cost of Living Information

Italy – Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

Keep reading if you wonder why Unesco World Heritage in Modena comprises a not immediately  interesting Romanesque cathedral with a soaring tower and other canonical buildings around Piazza Grande.

Maybe I’m becoming a tad blasé, when it comes to Italian churches, but it is hard to impress when you are measured against St. Peter’s in Rome, Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Milan Cathedral and Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice. I’m not even sure the Cathedral in Modena would qualify for a Top10 of Italian churches by these standards, but the grey, heavy-set building with its patched up appearance has been Unesco World Heritage since 1997 which warrants a certain interest and respect. So I challenged myself to find out why the Cathedral of Modena and the surrounding piazza is considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

It turned out to be a lot harder than first presumed, even though I had Unesco’s four criteria as an answer book.

Masterpiece of Creative Genius?

Read more from source: Signs of Life in the Middle Ages: Unesco World Heritage in Modena – Italian Notes

Italy – Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

The Italian city known for race cars, gastronomy and artistic treasures

Modena is a medium-sized city in the heart of northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Its medieval city center is among the most lovely in Italy, and its 12th-century duomo, or cathedral, is one of Italy’s best Romanesque churches. The cathedral, its Gothic bell tower called Torre della Ghirlandina, and Piazza Grande, the main square where these monuments are found make up a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Modena is the hometown of the late tenor Luciano Pavarotti and legendary carmaker Enzo Ferrari. The area is also known around the world for its balsamic vinegar and cheese production. Its rich history, gastronomic traditions and links to sports cars and opera music mean there is something for nearly everyone in this charming city in the Po River Valley. In fact, the tourist office of Modena uses as its slogan, Art, Food and Cars.

Top Things to See in Modena

Read more from source: Art, Food and Cars in Modena, Italy

Italy – Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

Overshadowed by powerhouse destinations like Rome and Florence, Modena flies under most travelers’ radars. But given that this northern city is the birthplace of many Italian icons — from balsamic vinegar to Ferrari cars to famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti — there’s no shortage of cultural and culinary riches to discover.

Thanks to its star turn in the most recent season of comedian Aziz Ansari’s Netflix show, “Master of None,” Modena is beginning to see some recognition. With picturesque cobblestone streets and many culinary delights, the UNESCO World Heritage site is ripe for discovery. Here’s some of the best Modena — and its home region, Emilia-Romagna — has to offer.

Irresistible eats

There’s a long waiting list to taste Chef Massimo Bottura’s modern riff on traditional regional cuisine at the three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana, ranked number two on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

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Italy – Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

Sara Scarpa spends a weekend in Modena, a city primarily famous for performance cars and the world’s best vinegar, but one that has much more to offer besides…

After wandering along the cobbled streets in the centre of Modena, we finally reach a small, dark square with a few tables lit by a tall lamp. The place is empty and very quiet; the only noises we can hear are distant voices from the nearby thoroughfare of Corso Canalchiaro.

We look across the small square towards the only lit building and through the window we can see a woman working in the kitchen. We check the name on the sign above the door to confirm that we are in the right place: La Frasca, a restaurant recommended to us by not one but three locals.

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Italy – Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

Modena is not the heavenly place Aziz Ansari showed you, but it’s not very far from that either.

So you just watched Aziz Ansari’s Master of None second season on Netflix, and you’ve been wondering about Modena, the Italian city where the first two episodes are set. If you liked what you saw and you want to know something more about the streets and the monuments, the bars and restaurants in Modena, this is for you. You will also read about the many stereotypes about Italy and Italians, so popular in the United States and frequent in those two episodes of Master of None. Well, let us start from this: you will not find in Modena most of the things you saw, and no one really says «mamma-mia».

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