Modenatur is a travel agency and tour operator. Since 1998, we have been a dependable contact point for visitors to Modena and the Emilia-Romagna Region. The wide range of tourist activities available in the Modena area - a land of classic cars, art, and fine cuisine - means that Modenatur can serve clients seeking vacation and travel options ranging from group tours to individual travel, from travel incentive programs to the organization of events and conferences.

Staff and Location: Modenatur is located in Modena, where our staff guarantees our clients and guests the utmost in on-site support, including direct contact throughout all programs with our partners and participating businesses.

ModEnatUR’S SERVicES in BRiEf:• Hospitality Services: hotel and restaurant reservations, airport transfers, tourist guides and chaperones, and hostesses.• Intriguing “hands on” activities: cooking classes, team building activities, “musical excursions” into the land of Pavarotti, tastings and theatre events.• Theme-based programs: art, gourmet food, music and opera, automobile/motorcycle tours, nature discovery, spas, bicycle vacation tours, and golf.• “Terra di Motori”/“Modena Is MotorLand”: tours and gourmet food-and-wine auto rallies in classic autos or supercars.• Motivational and team-building tours and travel, including for business-incentive programs.• Organization of trade fairs and conventions.• Organization of events, public presentations, and gala evenings.• Tourist promotions; organization of site visits, and educational and press tours.

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IAT-R Tourist Information OfficePiazza Grande, 1441121 Modena - Italyiatmo@comune.modena.ithttp://turismo.comune.modena.itwww.facebook.com/modenatouristofficeTel: (+39) 059-203-2660Fax: (+39) 059-203-2659Hours: Monday 3:00pm-6:00pmTuesday through Saturday: 9:00am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-6:00pmSundays and holidays: 9:30am-12:30pmClosed: December 25th, 26th, January 1st, 31st, Easter day and Easter Monday, May 1st, August 15th

Modenaturvia Scudari, 8/1041121 Modena - Italywww.modenatur.itinfo@modenatur.itwww.facebook.com/modenaturTel: (+39) +39 059-220-022Fax: (+39) 059-203-2688

Ferrovie dello Stato (Italian Train System)Information Tel: (+39) 892-021

Radio Taxi in ModenaArea RadiotaxiTel: (+39) 059-212-100Radiotaxi CotamoTel: (+39) 059-374-242

Discovering Modena’s Historical C e n t e r : A Brief Guide

WelcometoModena

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Construction of Modena’s Cathedral (or du-omo) began in 1099. Consecrated by Pope

Lucius III in 1184, the Cathedral is a masterpiece of the European Romanesque, notable both for Lanfranco’s architectural design and for the marble reliefs on the façade sculpted by Wiligel-mus. Modifications to the original project were undertaken between the 12th and 14th centuries by stoneworkers and builders known as the Cam-pionese Masters. The facade is divided into three areas that correspond to the nave and two aisles within. Below the rose window (12th century), the “Portale Maggiore” (main door), carved by Wil-igelmus and additionally decorated by four stone panels containing stories from the Book of Gen-esis, opens into the Cathedral. Two side gates - the Porta dei Principi (“Princes’ Gate”), created by the so-called “San Geminiano Master” and by follow-ers of Wiligelmus, and the Porta Regia (c. 1178) in pink Verona marble - decorate the Cathedral’s southern flank. The Porta della Pescheria is located on the northern flank and bears evidence of Bur-gundian influence.

The Cathedral’s interior includes a marble parapet with sculpted reliefs by Anselmo da Campione (dating to c. 1160-1180) and a terracotta crèche by the Modena-born sculptor Antonio Begarelli (1527). The Cathedral’s crypt houses the tomb of Modena’s patron saint, Geminianus, as well as the Madonna della Pappa, a crèche in polychrome terracotta by Guido Mazzoni (1480). Construction of the initial floors of the Ghirlandina Tower was finished by 1169 and building was completed in 1319 by the Campionese Masters. Eighty-seven meters in height (about 285 feet), the Tower played a role in civic life from its very beginning: custodians signaled from the Tower for the open-ing or closing of the city’s gates and kept watch over the commune’s treasury.

Modena:yesterdayandtoday TheCathedralofModena

The Cathedral of Modena: central nave, façade, and apse

Duomo, Torre Ghirlandina e Piazza Grande Patrimonio mondiale Unesco 1997

Modena was a Roman colony by 183 BC (Cicero called the city “most beautiful”) and served as the site for

the war between Decimus Junius Brutus and Marc Antony (43 BC) that marked the rise of Octavian and the birth of the Second Triumvirate. Partially destroyed during the 4th cen-tury and abandoned in the 5th and 6th centuries following wars and flooding, Modena was restored and refortified by its bishop and placed under his control around the end of the 9th century. As part of the Holy Roman Empire, Modena en-joyed a privileged position within the sphere of influence of the Canossa nobility. After the construction of the Cathedral, initiated in 1099, the first signs of a non- ecclesiastical gov-ernment brought Modena into its period as a free commune. Modena was subsequently governed by the House of Este and, in 1598, became the Este capital as well as the site of a new Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace) in 1634. French troops entered Modena in 1796 and initiated a period of dominance that lasted, with some interruptions, until 1814. Modena’s years under Austrian rule followed, and the Dukes of Austria-Este, Francis IV and Francis V, gov-erned until 1859, at which point new revolts resulted in Modena’s annexation into the ter-ritories of the Kingdom of Italy.

for its role in the Resistance movement during WWII, Modena was awarded Italy’s highest military honor, the Gold Medal for Bravery. In

the years following Allied Liberation, the city moved toward democracy and began an intense period of reconstruction. It was an era in which Modena’s citizens demonstrated both social creativity and innovation in urban planning. Beginning in the 1950s, Modena was at the center of a period of extraordinary economic development that far surpassed other Italian cities. Even as an important food and agricultural industry was born in rural areas, manufacturing firms in a variety of sectors developed else-where in the Province of Modena: biomedical products in Mirandola, ce-ramics in Sassuolo, and textiles in Carpi. During the 1960s, Modena was at the forefront of a creative scene that produced highly praised comic strips and the beloved pop-culture institution known as the caroselli-two and three-minute films made for television and intended as publicity, but often created by famous directors and featuring well-known actors and comedi-ans. Modena went on to become the capital of the Italian Beat Movement with musical groups and performers such as the Nomadi, Francesco Guc-cini, Caterina Caselli, and Equipe 84. Those musical traditions continue to bear fruit today in the work of such artists as Vasco Rossi, Paolo Belli, and Nek. The legendary Luciano Pavarotti, meanwhile, lives on in the schools of “bel canto” of Mirella Freni and Raina Kabaivanska.Among Modena’s famous citizens, one of the most celebrated is surely Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the top-of-the-line automobile manufacturing firm that bears his name and which has helped define the way the world sees both Modena and Italy. Modena is the ideal location for a pleasant stay in a land of art, music, fine cuisine, and automobile history.

Mutine Reformata statue, 1420-1485.Particular (Archivio storico comunale)

The Cathedral of ModenaOpen daily from 7:00am-12:30pm and from 3:30pm to 7:00pmSummer Hours (July and August): 6:00am-noon; 3:30pm to 7:00pmPublic visits are suspended during religious functions.

Museums of the Cathedral of Modena Hours: 9:30am-12:30pm; 3:30pm-6:30pmSummer hours: 9:30am-12:30pm; 3:30pm-7:00pmClosed: Mondays, Christmas Day, Easter Sunday. Admission: € 3The Ghirlandina TowerOpen on Saturdays and Sundays from April to October, including holidays, as well as on January 31 (Feast of St. Geminianus). Closed during the month of August and on Easter Sunday.Hours: 9:30am-12:30pm; 3:00pm-7:00pmAdmission: € 2; combo ticket with Palazzo Comunale: € 3

www.unesco.mo.it/

Unesco Site AudioguidesAt the Tourist office and at the Cathedral Museumsit’s possible to rent audioguides: € 4

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From its position looking out onto Piazza Grande, the Palazzo Comunale is actually a

series of annexed medieval buildings that were, beginning in the 1600s, “cloistered” within an arcade. The Palazzo also preserves the “stolen bucket” - plundered, as tradition holds, by the City of Bologna during the 1325 Battle of Zappolino. As a symbol of civic heroism, the bucket inspired Alessandro Tassoni’s celebrated mock-heroic epic poem, “La Secchia Rapita” (The Stolen Bucket). The Palazzo’s important attractions include the Sala del Fuoco (the “Fire Room”) where a brazier once supplied live coals for heating and which contains frescoes by Nicolò dell’Abate dating to 1546 (the frescoes depict the War of Modena, also known as the Battle of Mutina, in 43 BC), and the 17th-century Sala del Vecchio Consiglio (“Old Council Chamber”), where the Stalli dei Conserva-tori (a wooden bank of chairs for city elders) are found along with a processional standard painted by Ludovico Lana in 1633 to celebrate the end of the plague. The ceiling décor was created by Ercole dell’Abate and Bartolomeo Schedoni. The 18th-century tapestries in the Sala degli Arazzi re-call the preparations for and signing of the Peace of Constance in 1183, a “manifesto” of autonomy for the free commune of Modena.

Roman architect Bartolomeo Avanzini de-signed the Palazzo Ducale, whose construc-

tion began in 1634. The Palazzo housed the Este Court for more than two centuries and is today the headquarters of the Italian Military Academy. A majestic stairway climbs upward from the Hon-or Court to a loggia that leads to three “apart-ments”: the “Apartment of the Princes,” the “Pri-vate Apartment” (site of the Military Academy’s museum), and the “State Apartment,” which contains frescoes and portraits of the Este family.

The most spectacular rooms are the vast, elegant Hall of Honor and the 18th-century Golden Sa-lon, where it is believed Duke Francis IV signed the death sentence of Ciro Menotti, the leader of an unsuccessful 1831 rebellion against Austrian dominance.

Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace)Open on selected Saturday or Sunday mornings for guided tours. Reservations are required.For tour schedule and reservations, contact the Tourist Information Office:Tel: (+39) 059-203-2660Groups composed of at least 25 individuals may request admission and guided tours during times when the Palazzo is normally closed.For information regarding group visits:Modenatur Tel: (+39) 059-220-022No more than 50 visitors are allowed on each tour.Guided tour: € 7The Palazzo Ducale is the headquarters of the Italian Military Academy. Under exceptional circumstances, the Academy reserves the right to cancel guided tours.

PalazzoComunale(CityHall)PalazzoDucale(DucalPalace)

Above: Entrance to Modena’s City Hall.On right: the Palazzo Comunale looks out onto Piazza Grande.On left: “La Bonissima” graces a corner of the Palazzo ComunaleBelow: the Palazzo Comunale’s Sala del Fuoco

Above left: The Italian Military Academy’s Honor Court.Above right: The Golden Salon.Below: Military ceremony with the Academy’s cadets

Palazzo Comunale Monday through Saturday: 9:00am-7:00pmSundays and holidays: 3:00pm-7:00pm. Closed during August and on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.Sunday and holidays: € 2Combo ticket with admission to the Ghirlandina Tower: € 3Admission is free on weekdays.Information:IAT Tourist Information Office Tel: (+39) 059-203-2660Students and groups: Tel: (+39) 059-203-2582The Palazzo’s hours are subject to change; visitors are advised to phone ahead for the latest information.

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Biblioteca Estense (Estense Library)The library’s holdings include printed books, in-cunabula, and a large assortment of illuminated manuscripts from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The centerpiece of the collection is the Bible that belonged to Borso d’Este, a 15th-century master-work of illuminated miniature from the Ferrara school.

Galleria Estense (Estense Gallery) The Estense Gallery is among the most important Italian art collections and demonstrates the in-terest of the Este Dynasty not solely in painting and sculpture, but in archeology and traditional arts and crafts. Bernini’s marble bust of Francis I d’Este, a Velasquez portrait of Francis I, Cosmè Tura’s Saint Anthony of Padua, Correggio’s Ma-donna and Christ Child, an El Greco triptych, and a crucifix by Guido Reni are particularly noteworthy. The collection focuses prominently on painting in the Po River Valley area between the 1300s and the 1700s.

Musei Civici (City Museums of Modena)The City Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology houses the earliest evidence of human occupation of the Modena area. Materials from the Neolithic, the Copper Age, the Bronze Age, and the begin-ning of the Iron Age are accompanied by items at-testing to Etruscan, Celt, and Gallic dominion over the city as well as from the era of Roman control. The ethnological collections include textiles, deco-rative objects, weapons, and ceramics from New Guinea, pre-Columbian Peru, South America, Af-rica, and Asia. The collections of the City Museum of Art include painting, ceramics, musical and scientific instruments, and weaponry that docu-ment the transformations the city has undergone between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The Conte Gandini collection of ancient textiles is es-pecially remarkable.

The Estense Library’s permanent collection of illuminated manuscripts and printed worksHours: Monday to Saturday: 9:00am-1:00pmTuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 2:30pm-6:30pmClosed holidays.

Galleria Estense (Estense Gallery)Hours: Monday: 8:30am-2:00pmTuesday through Saturday: 8:30am-7:30pmSunday: 2:00pm-7:30pmOpen January 31 (Feast of St. Geminianus), Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday, April 25th, May 1st, and the Feast of St. Stephen (December 26).Closed: Christmas and New Year’s Day and the last Sunday of each month exept for June. September and October. Admission: € 4Musei Civici (City Museums of Modena)

Hours: Tuesday through Friday: 9:00am-noon.Saturday, Sunday, and

holidays: 10:00am-1:00pm; 3:00pm-6:00pm (from October 1

to May 31) and 4:00pm-7:00pm

(from June 1 to September 30).

Closed on Mondays other than holidays and during the mornings of Christmas

and New Year’s Day. Admission is free.

PalazzodeiMusei(MuseumPalace) PalazzoSantaMargherita

Above: Marble frieze depicting the Slaughter of the Niobids (City Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)On right: Bernini’s Francis IBelow: Crucifixion by Francesco Bianchi (Estense Gallery)

Located on Corso CanalGrande, the Palazzo Santa Margherita stands on the site where a

church dedicated to Santa Margherita once stood. The Palazzo houses the picture Card Museum, the City Gallery, and the Delfini Library.

Galleria Civica (City Gallery)The opening of new exhibition halls on the third floor of Palazzo Santa Margherita provide a spa-cious and impressive home for the City Gallery’s extensive collections. In addition to three new ex-hibition areas, other parts of the Gallery have been designated as warehouses, workshops, and an ar-chive, all designed according to state-of-the-art standards of museum science and conservation.

Museo della Figurina The idea for Modena’s Picture Card Museum (Museo della Figurina) was conceived in the Modena publishing house founded by Giuseppe Panini, whose firm began mass-producing the popular cards in the early 1960s. In 1992, Panini donated the firm’s entire collection not only of picture and trading cards but of other collectors’ items (calendars, trading-card albums, vintage prints, and many other materials) to Modena for the creation of a museum dedicated to the history and development of these cultural icons.

Palazzina dei GiardiniThe Palazzina dei Giardini was commissioned by Francis I d’Este in the 12th century as a “casino”- a recreational retreat for members of the Este court - within the gardens of the Palazzo Ducale. The Pala-zzina was restored toward the end of the 1970s as part of a redevelopment plan for Modena’s histori-cal district sponsored by the city council. The ex-traordinary quality of the architecture and layout of the rooms, the large windows, and the ample wall space make the Palazzina an excellent site for exhibitions of all kinds.

Below: “Nottingham Album” in the Picture Card Museum and the Palazzina dei Giardini

Palazzo Santa MargheritaCorso Canalgrande, 10341121 Modena

Galleria CivicaInformation: Tel: (+39) 059-203-2940Admission is free.Administrative Office hours:Monday through Friday: 8:00am-1:30pmMonday and Thursday 2:30pm-6:30pmInformation Center, ground floor:Open Monday: 2:00pm-8:00pm; Tuesday through Saturday: 9:00am-8:00pmPlease consult our website for the hours of specific exhibitions. www.comune.modena.it/galleria

Museo della FigurinaTel: (+39) 059-203-3090Admission is free.Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 10:30am-1:00pm; 4:00pm-7:30pm.Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, 10:30am-7:30pm.Closed Mondays.www.museodellafigurina.it

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1 Established in 1338, but transformed in 1664 into a site for ducal funeral rites, Sant’Agostino houses Antonio Begarelli’s Descent from the Cross and a Madonna and Christ Child by Tommaso da Modena.

2 The tomb of the historian, Ludovico Antonio Mu-ratori, who lived in the adjacent house from 1716 until his death in 1750, is found within the 18th-century Santa Maria Pomposa.

3 Rebuilt in 1660, but completed some time later, San Barnaba houses 18th-century paintings, fur-nishings, and altar objects.

4 Guido Mazzoni’s Lamentation of Christ in poly-chrome terracotta (1480) may be seen in San Giovanni Battista, erected in the 18th century.

5 Designed by Cristoforo Malagola, the Chiesa del Voto was built to give thanks to the Madonna for the end of the plague of 1630.

6 Built between 1708 and 1735, San Domenico houses a remarkable group of statues by Antonio Begarelli (c. 1544-46).

7 Designed by the architect and court designer, Gaspare Vigarani, during the mid-1600s, San Giorgio houses a number of Baroque paintings.

8 Begun in 1617 and restored in the early 1800s, San Vincenzo is the House of Este’s Pantheon in Modena, and Este dukes and other nobles are buried here.

9 Erected in the early decades of the 14th century, San Biagio was significantly restructured in the 17th century. On display are paintings and frescoes dating to the 1600s.

10 In ancient times, San Pietro was connected to a Benedictine abbey established in 966. It was rebuilt between 1476 and 1518 on a nave and double-aisle plan. Works by Antonio Begarelli, in-cluding altar frontals in scagliola and 16th-century paintings are on view here.

11 Designed for the Jesuits in 1607 (though the façade dates to the 1700s), San Bartolomeo houses 17th-century paintings, furnishings, and altar objects.

12 Construction of San Francesco began in 1244, and restoration was completed during the first half of the 1800s. The church contains a grouping of thirteen terracotta statues by Antonio Begarelli that form his Descent from the Cross (c. 1523).

Churches

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the theater’s original construction was entrusted to the du-cal architect, Francesco Vandelli, who had already created

the Foro Boario and the Church of San Giovanni del Cantone. Work began on May 1838 on a plot of land located between Corso Canalgrande, Vicolo Venezia, Fontedabisso, and Strada Santa Margherita. After nearly four years of work, the theatre, with its wide external portico built to accommodate the arrival of carriages, its many salons and parlors, and its horseshoe-shaped auditorium boasting four levels of tiers, a loggia, and a richly ornamented ceiling - was officially opened to the public on the evening of October 3, 1841 with a performance of Ales-sandro Gandini’s opera, Adelaide di Borgogna al Castello di Canossa. From that day since, the original structure has been modified very little. The original neoclassical façade remains in place, including a rusticated ashlar portico on the ground floor, a lower row of lintel windows, and an attic floor with smaller window treatments. The prominent centerpiece of the structure is marked by four Doric columns which support a railed balcony that runs the length of three windows separat-ed by Ionic pillars. Above the balcony stands the statue known as the “Genio di Modena,” at whose base stands the city’s coat of arms. In the interior, a grand chandelier, with orna-mentation by Camillo Crespolani and figures sculpted by Luigi Manzini, hangs from the ceiling (Manzini was also responsible for the stucco-work depicting episodes from the story of the “Genio” that run all along the tier-fronts inside the theatre).

The ceiling was repainted in 1869 by Ferdinando Manzini, who added four groups of putti. Following the great tenor’s death, the name of the theater was changed in order to dedicate the build-ing to Luciano Pavarotti.

automobile aficionados love Modena ... and Modena loves them back! Here in MotorLand, passion for powerful mo-

tors has a long tradition and legendary fast cars are an inte-gral part of local culture. Within a radius of a few kilometers, the visitor finds a wide range of museums and private collec-tions dedicated to autos, motorcycles, and the world of racing.

Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari “MEF” - (Enzo Ferrari Birthplace Museum) ModenaThe museum encompasses the house in which Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898, while its ultramodern external structure in yellow aluminum suggests the hood of a car. The museum’s mission is to acquaint the public with Modena’s dedication to the automobile and to auto racing as well as with the story of this great figure in the history of automobile design and manufacturing. The museum’s exhibits include multimedia in-stallations and theme-based displays.

Stanguellini Museum of Historic Cars - ModenaThe Stanguellini Museum was opened in 1996 by Francesco Stanguellini, the son of Automobili Stanguellini’s founder, Vit-torio. Over time, the museum’s holdings have continuously been enriched by the addition of rare automobiles to the collection, which includes more than thirty race cars and sports coupès.

The Umberto Panini Collection - ModenaThe Panini Collection displays a variety of classic cars and motorcycles, including an exquisite group of Maseratis. The collection is located at Hombre Farms where Parmigiano Reg-giano is produced.

Ferrari Museum - Maranello (Province of Modena)The Ferrari Museum keeps the legend alive. Located a short distance from the Ferrari plant, the museum traces the history of the Ferrari firm and of the sensational successes of its cars, its business, and of the Ferrari image around the world.

Righini Private Collection - Panzano (Province of Modena) The Panzano castle houses many of the most spectacular clas-sic autos in existence, as well as examples of prestigious mod-els from the modern era. Among the gems of the collection are the Avio, the first automobile built by Enzo Ferrari in 1940; the Chiribiri, which broke the world speed record in 1915, and a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C that belonged to Tazio Nuvolari.

Autodromo di Modena (Modena Raceway)The new Modena Raceway in Marzaglia, which opened in 2011, is the perfect place for exciting auto events.

TheLucianoPavarottiCommunityTheatre

ModenaisMotorLand!

Information:

The theater is open for guided tours to groups of at least 10. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the public relations office: (+39) 059-203-3003

Annual auto and motorcycle events in the Modena area:

Motorsport Expotech fairFebruary

Modena Terra di Motori / Modena Is MotorLand!April/May

Mille Miglia Classic Car RallyMay

Modena “Cento Ore” ClassicMay

Information:IAT Tourist Information OfficeTel: (+39) 059-203-2660iatmo@comune.modena.itModenaturTel: (+39) 059-220022info@modenatur.it

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FairCalendar

Modena: synonymous the world over with fine dining.Modena has long been known for its cuisine, a reputa-

tion earned for authenticity, respect for tradition, and atten-tion to the conservation of genuine flavor. A menu designed to show off the best of Modena’s cuisine has to begin with the city’s delicious salumi or charcuterie and, star of that category, Modena Prosciutto. Among first courses, the place of honor belongs to tortellini, pasta squares filled with pork, prosciutto, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and then folded into small bows. Second courses include zampone, a kind of sausage made of ground pork and spices stuffed into a trotter skin. No table can be without Modena’s tra-ditional Balsamic Vinegar, that savory elixir of which no other cuisine in the world can boast. Balsamic vinegar is made by cooking grape must and then aging the re-sulting liquid over a long period to guaran-tee natural fermentation and concentration of flavors. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is anoth-er requirement of fine dining in Modena, perhaps shaved from the wheel and en-joyed with a few drops of traditional bal-samic vinegar.The natural accompaniment to such a sumptuous meal, of course, is a fine glass of Lambrusco, a sparking, lively, ruby-red wine designed to bring out the best in local cuisine. For a fruit course, delicious Vignola cherries. And for des-sert, the gourmand may choose from among a variety of local specialties: bensone, a homemade sweet bread baked into characteristic “S”-shaped loaves; “zuppa inglese” (similar to tiramisu); and amaretti cookies. After dinner, a glass of nocino, a delicious liqueur made from green walnuts, makes the perfect digestif.

ModenaanditsCuisine

Events for Fine Food EnthusiastsInformation regarding events and tours to local wineries and producers of balsamic vinegar, cheese, and prosciutto.Modenatur Tel: (+39) 059-220-022info@modenatur.it

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october - novemberSkIPASSAnnual “Salone del Turismo” and winter sports fairwww.skipass.it

november7.8.NovecentoAntiques and Flea Marketwww.7-8novecento.it

decemberCURIOSAThe “Ideas, Ambiences, and Flavors” Fairwww.curiosainfiera.itIO CREOA celebration of local creative arts and artisanshipwww.iocreoinfiera.it

JanuaryELECTRONICS ExPO - Trade show and electronics market organized by Elettronica & CoCOLLEZIOSA Fair and exhibition dedicated to collecting, curios, and model buildingwww.blunautilus.it

februaryMOTORSPORT ExPOTECHExhibition and convention for cutting-edge materials, technology, products, and services for competition and other high-performance automobiles, motorcycles, go-karts, sailing, and aviationwww.motorsportexpotech.it

februaryUNICA - Modenantiquaria, Petra, ExcelsiorAnnual Antiques Market and ShowAnnual Antiques Salon for parks, gardens, and home renovationAnnual Exhibition of 19th-century Italian artwww.modenantiquaria.it

MarchARTIGIANAThe Best of Italian CraftsmanshipGarden, terrace, and country livingwww.artigianaitaliana.itCHILDREN’S TOURAnnual Travel and Vacation Fair for 0-14 Year Oldswww.childrenstour.itPLAY Festival del Gioco: The Games Festivalwww.play-modena.it

aprilMODENA FAIRThe Annual Modena Trade Fairwww.campionariadimodena.it

Additional information is available from Modena’s fair and trade-show calendar: www.modenafiere.it

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Antiques in Piazza GrandeFirst Saturday of each monthAntiquarian fair featuring antique dealers, restorers, and craftsmen.

“Modena Terra di Motori” - Modena Is MotorLand!April-May Cutting edge and classic autos are on display in the pictur-esque piazzas and alleys of Modena’s historical center.

Mille MigliaMayThis celebrated classic-auto competition crosses Modena and Ferrara and always attracts a huge crowd of auto lovers. Historic autos pass through Modena on their way to Brescia, the traditional end point for the race

Modena “100 Hour” ClassicMayThis international speed race for historic autos begins and ends in Modena.

Vie - Contemporary Theater FestivalLast two weeks of MayThe Vie Festival, which takes place in Modena, Carpi, and Vignola, focuses on contemporary life as it is reflected in theater and in the hybrid performing arts, including dance and performance art. Vie seeks to expose audiences to the very latest in performing and theater arts, even as it creates new inroads for both national and international theatre and theatre artists.

International Festival of Military BandsJulyMusicians in uniform come from all over the world for parades, concerts, performances, cavalcades, and marching processions.

September 6Modena remembers the great Italian tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, with a major concert in his honor. Throughout the historic center, shop windows are deco-rated in remembrance of the Maestro, while under the arcade in the heart of Modena the air is filled with the sound of his most famous arias.

FestivalfilosofiaMid-SeptemberFor three days, Modena, Carpi, and Sassuolo are the site of fine dining, film, performance, exhibitions, and encounters with the leading lights in contemporary thought.

“29 Settembre”Held on September 29, this event is dedicated to the Italian Beat Movement, a cultural phenomenon that spread across several decades, and in fact takes its name from one of that era’s most celebrated songs. Mode-na, the undisputed capital of the Italian Beats, is home to such artists as Equipe 84, Francesco Guccini, Caterina Ca-selli, the Nomadi, and other performers, hosts concerts and other events.

“Grandezze & Meraviglie”: The Estense Music FestivalEnd of September through Mid-NovemberThe Estense Music Festival presents music from the Middle Ages to the 18th century played on period in-struments. The Festi-val often hosts new productions, includ-ing those dedicated to events in the history of the Este family.

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Events