Parma

A historical centre of the city.

• Piazza Duomo.
  • ⊙Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo), Piazza Duomo. The cathedral and the adjacent baptistery were built in the late 12th century. The frescoes inside the building are very moving, as well as the relief sculptures on the interior stone. The painting inside the dome of the cathedral is one of the most remarkable paintings of the Renaissance. Entitled Assumption of the Virgin by Correggio, it shows the Virgin Mary being taken up to Heaven. For dramatic effect it is superior to the Sistine Chapel and Titian himself is reputed to have acknowledged that he could not have achieved this effect. Unfortunately the prior who commissioned the work was rather conservative and Correggio never worked in Parma again. (updated Apr 2016)
  • ⊙Battistero di San Giovanni. The baptistery was designed by Benedetto Antelami and is constructed from a pink marble called rosso di Verona. The marble appears to change color depending on how the sun hits it. It is one of the most recognized medieval structures in the country. (updated Apr 2016)
  • ⊙Palazzo Episcopale (Palazzo Vescovile), Piazza Duomo, 1. The Bishop's palace has a Romanesque appearance. Its construction began in the 11th century, then continued in th 15th, with some restorations made during the course of the 20th century. (updated Apr 2016)
• ⊙ Palazzo della Pilotta. The palace was named after the Basque ball game pelota once practiced in one of the courtyards, is a 16th-century complex of buildings constructed as court to the famed Renaissance Farnese family. It was said to be one of the finest in all of Italy. The Palazzo della Pilotta houses a number of museums: (updated May 2016)
  • Galleria Nazionale (National gallery), Piazza della Pilotta, 9/A. Tu-Sa 08:30-19:00 (14:00-19:00 for reduced visits), Su 08:30-14:00. Combined ticket for Gallery, Farnese Theatre and National archaeological museum €10 (14:00-18:30 €5). (updated May 2016)
  • Teatro Farnese. Tu-Su 08:30-14:00. A historic Baroque-style theatre. See Galleria Nazionale. (updated May 2016)
  • Museo archeologico nazionale (National archaeological museum). (updated May 2016)
  • Biblioteca statale Palatina (Palatina national library). (updated May 2016)
• ⊙ Camera di San Paolo (Chamber of Saint Paul), Via Melloni, 3/A. Tu-F 08:30-14:00, Sa 08:30-18:00, Su 08:30-14:00. A part of a former apartment of the abbess of the Benedectine Convent of Saint Paul. It's decorated by distinctive Renaissance frescoes. €2. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Palazzo di Riserva. During the Bourbon times it was a palace for important guests. It now hosts Poste centrale (central Post office), Società parmense di Lettura (Parma Literary society) and the Museo Glauco Lombardi. (updated May 2016)
  • Museo Glauco Lombardi, Strada Garibaldi, 15. Sep-Jun: Tu-Sa 09:30-16:00, Su 09:30-19:00; Jul-Aug: Tu-Sa 09:30-16:00, Su 09:30-14:00. The museum is a particularly interesting and well done. It is documenting the life of Maria Luigia (Marie Louise), the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duchess of Parma. The museum is very personal and engaging with many artifacts and belongings of the gifted, talented and well educated Maria. Well worth the visit. €5. (updated May 2016)
• Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi (Garibaldi Square). It is there the a forum of the Roman Colony, founded in 183 BC. The square served as a hub over Via Aemilia, the ancient Roman road. Today the modern square contains shops and restaurants. (updated May 2016)
  • ⊙Palazzo del Governatore (Governor's Palace). With a façade dating to 1760 and an astronomical clock. (updated May 2016)
  • ⊙Palazzo del Municipio (Palazzo Comunale). The 13th-century town hall. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Monastero di San Giovanni Evangelista (Monastery of San Giovanni Evangelista), Piazzale San Giovanni, 1. M-W F Sa 09:00-11:45, 15:00-17:00. The church has a Baroque facade, while the convent and it's cloisters are in Renaissance style. Free admission. (updated May 2016)
• Chiesa di San Giovanni. M-Sa 08:30-11:45, 15:00-17:30, Su 15:00-17:30. (updated May 2016)
• Antica Spezieria di San Giovanni (San Giovanni Old pharmacy), Borgo Pipa, 1/A. Tu-Sa 08:30-14:00. An old pharmacy of the monastery. €2. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Basilica di Santa Maria della Steccata, Piazza della Steccata, 9. 07:30-12:00, 15:00-18:30. A prominent Renaissance church. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Orto Botanico (Botanical garden), Via Farini 90, ☎ +39 0521 903433. M-Th 09:00-13:00, 14:30-17:00 (summer 18:00), F 09:00-13:00. Admission free. (updated May 2016)

Oltretorrente

Oltretorrente is historical district at the western side of the Parma stream.

• ⊙Parco Ducale (Giardino Ducale). Nov-Mar: 07:00-20:00; Apr-Oct: 06:00-24:00. The Ducal park was founded in the 16th century. In 18th century it was converted into a French park. On the western end of the park there is Peschiera, a fish-pond with a Baroque fountain Fontana del Trianon. A bit north-east of the pond there is rotunda of Tempietto d'Arcadia (aka Tempietto di Diana) and a bit further east a sculpture Sileno ed Egle (1765) by Baptiste Boudard (like all the other statues in the park). (updated May 2016)
  • ⊙Palazzo del Giardino (Palazzo Ducale del Giardino), Parco Ducale, 3 (presumably you need to wait by a security gate to the right of the palace for a palace's guide to collect you). Closed to visitors until further notice (was M-Sa 09:00-12:00). The palace was built in 16th century for Ottavio Farnese. In the 18th century, it was expanded. It's the headquarters of the Command of the Carabinieri Legion of Parma. (updated May 2016)
  • ⊙Palazzetto Eucherio San Vitale, Parco Ducale, 87/A. Apr-Oct: Sa Su 10:30-13:00, 15:00-18:30. It is an interesting example of Renaissance architecture. There is a fresco there attributed to Parmigianino and walls painted by Cosimo da Piazza. Free admission. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Ospedale vecchio, Strada D'Azeglio, 45/A, ☎ +39 0521 031031. check the opening times of the Historical archive and the Oratory of St. Ilario. A rare example of hospital architecture. Today the building is home to numerous cultural institutions including the Municipal Archives State Archives, the Public Library , the Library Bizzozero, the Municipal Newspaper Library, the Balestrazzi Library and the Municipal Library. Free. (updated May 2016)
  • Oratorio di Sant'Ilario, Via D'Azeglio, 43. Th 09:00-12:00, 15:00-17:30. Free. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Chiesa di Santa Croce. A Romanesque church with 17th-century frescoes. (updated May 2016)
• ⊙Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata. A Baroque church of an unusual form. (updated May 2016)