Parma
Parma is a
medieval city in the
Italian region of
Emilia-Romagna, famous for its
architectures and the fine countryside around it.
Parma is divided in two parts by the little stream with the same name. The
Italian poet
Attilio Bertolucci (born in a hamlet in the countryside) wrote: "As a capital city, it had to have a river. As a little capital, it received a stream, which is often dry".
The city was most probably founded and named by the
Etruscans, for a
parma (circular shield) was a
Latin borrowing, as were many Roman terms for particular arms, and
Parmeal,
Parmni and
Parmnial are names that appear in Etruscan inscriptions.
Diodorus Siculus (XXII, 2,2; XXVIII, 2,1) reported that the Romans had changed their rectangular shields for round ones, imitating the Etruscans. Whether the Etruscan encampment was so named because it was round, like a shield, or whether its situation was a shield against the Gauls to the north, is more a matter of choice.
The
Roman colony was founded in
183 BC, together with
Modena. 2000 families were settled. Parma had a certain importance as a road hub over the
Via Aemilia and the
Via Claudia. It had a forum, in what is today the central Garibaldi Square. In
44 CE the city was destroyed, and August rebuilt it. During the
Roman Empire it gained the title of
Julia for its loyalty to the Royal House.
The city was subsequently sacked by
Attila, and later given by the barbarian king
Odoacer to his fellows. During the
, however,
Totila destroyed it. It was then part of the
Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna (changing name to
Chrysopolis, "Golden City", probably due to the presence of the army's treasure) and, from
569, of the
Lombard Kingdom of Italy. Parma became an important stage of the
Via Francigena, the main Middle Ages road connecting Rome to Northern Europe: several castles, hospitals and inns were founded in the following centuries to host the increasing number of pilgrims.
Under the
Frank's reign, Parma became a committee's capital (
774). Like most northern Italian cities, it was nominally a part of the
Holy Roman Empire created by
Charlemagne, but locally ruled by its bishops, first being Guidobus. In the subsequent struggles between
Papacy and Empire, Parma was usually member of the Imperial party. Two of its bishops became
antipopes: Càdalo, founder of the Cathedral, as
Honorius II); and Guibert, as
Clement III). An almost independent
commune was created around 1140. After the
peace of Konstanz (
1183), quarrels with the neighbouring communes of
Reggio Emilia,
Piacenza and
Cremona became harsher: the aim was the control over the vital trading line over the
Po River.
The struggle between
Guelphs and Ghibelline was a feature of Parma too. After a long stance alongside the Emperors, the Papist families of the city gained control in
1248: the city was besieged by the Emperor
Frederick II, who was however crushed in the
battle that ensued.
 |
Piazza della Pace with the Farnese family's Palazzo della Pilotta |
Parma fell under the control of
Milan in
1341. After a short-lived period of independence under the Terzi family (
1404-
1409),
Sforza imposed their rule (
1440-
1449) through their associated families of
Pallavicino,
Rossi, Sanvitale and Da Correggio. These created a kind of new
feudalism, building towers and castles throughout the city and the land. These fiefs evolved into truly independent states: the Landi governed the higher
Taro's valley from
1257 to
1682. The Pallavicino seignory extended over the eastern part of today's province, with the capital in
Busseto. Parma's territories were an exception for Northern Italy, as its feudal subdivision frequently continued until more recent years. For example, Solignano was a Pallavicino family possession until
1805, and
San Secondo belonged to the
Rossi well into the
19th century.
 |
The Governor's Palace on the Piazza Garibaldi |
Between the
14th and the
15th Centuries, Parma was at the centre of the Italian Wars. The
Battle of Fornovo was fought in its territory. The
French maintained the city in
1500-
1521, with a short Papal parenthesis in
1512-
1515. After the foreigners were expelled, Parma belonged to the
Papal States until
1545.
In that year the
Farnese pope,
Paul III, detached Parma and
Piacenza from the Papal States and gave them as a duchy for his illegitimate son,
Pier Luigi Farnese, whose descendants ruled in Parma until
1731, when
Antonio Farnese (1679-1731), last male of the Farnese line, died. The state was consolidated by
Ottavio II Farnese (
1547-
1586). He also renovated the city's structures to create a true capital for his little but rich reign.
In
1594 a Constitution was emanated, the University enhanced and the Nobles' College founded. The war to reduce the barons' power continued for several years: in
1612 Barbara Sanseverino was executed in the central square of Parma, together with six other nobles charged of plotting against the duke. At the end of the
17th century, after the defeat of Pallavicini (
1588) and Landi (
1682) the Farnese duke could finally hold with firm hand all Parmense territories. The castle of the Sanseverino in
Colorno was turned into a luxurious summer palace by
Ferdinando Bibiena.
In
1731] the combined
Duchy of Parma and
Piacenza was given to the
House of Bourbon in a diplomatic shuffle of the European dynastic politics that were played out in Italy. Under the new rulers, however, it faced a certain decadence. In
1734 all the outstanding art collections of the duke's palaces of Parma, Clorno and
Sala Baganza were moved to
Naples.
Parma was under French influence after the
Peace of Aachen (
1748). Parma became a modern state with the energic action of prime minister
Guillaume du Tillot. He created the bases for a modern industry and fought strenuously against the church's privileges. The city lived a period of particular splendour: the Palatine Library, the Archaelogical Museum, the Picture Gallery and the Botanical Garden were founded, together with the Royal Printing Works directed by
Giambattista Bodoni.
During the
Napoleonic Wars (
1802-
1814), Parma was part of the
Taro Département. Under its French name
Parme, it was also created a
duché grand-fief de l'Empire for
Charles-François Lebrun, duc de Plaisance, the Emperor's Arch-Treasurer, on 24 April 1808 (extinguished 1926).
After its restoration by the 1814-15
Vienna Congress, the
Risorgimento's upheavals had no fertile ground in the tranquil duchy. In
1847, after
Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma's death, it passed again to the
Bourbons, the last of whom was stabbed in the city and left it to his Widow, Luisa Maria of Berry. On
September 15,
1859 the dynasty was declared deposed, and Parma entered in the newly formed provinces of Emilia under
Carlo Farini. With the
plebiscite of
1860 the former duchy became part of the unified
Kingdom of Italy.
The loss of the capital role provoked an economical and social crisis in Parma. It started to recover its role of industrial prominence after the connection with Piacenza and
Bologna of
1859, and with
Fornovo and
Suzzara in
1883.
Trade unions were strong in the city, in which a famous General Strike was declared from
May 1 to
June 6,
1908. The struggle with
Fascism lived its most dramatic moment in the August
1922, when the regime officer
Italo Balbo attempted to enter in the popular quarter of Oltretorrente. The citizens organized into the
Arditi del Popolo ("People's assaulters") and pushed back the squadristi. This episode is considered the first example of Resistance in Italy.
During
World War II, Parma was a strong centre of
partisan presence. It suffered large destructions for bombardments until it was liberated on
April 25,
1945.
|
The Cathedral and the Baptistry of Parma. |
* The
Romanesque Cathedral houses works by
Antonio da Correggio and
Benedetto Antelami.
* The
Baptistry (begun in
1196 by Antelami), one of the most important Medieval monuments in Europe.
* The church of
Saint John the Evangelist was built between
1498 and
1510 behind the Cathedral's apse. It has
Baroque facade and belfry, with a Latin cross plant and three naves. The
dome was frescoed by Correggio in
1520-
1522 with the famous
Vision of St. John the Evangelist, a masterwork of illustionistic art of the Late Italian Renaissance. Chapels have frescoes by
Parmigianino. Also the
cloisters and the ancient Benedictine grocery are noteworthy. The library has books from the 15th and 16th centuries.
* The
Monastery of Saint Paul has frescoes by Correggio and Araldi.
* The
Museum House of Arturo Toscanini, where the famous musician was born.
* The
Old Hospital (
1201)
* The
Palazzo della Pilotta (
1583). It houses the Academy of Fine Arts with artists of the
School of Parma (Painting), the Palatine Library, the National Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, the Bodoni Museum and the Farnese Theatre.
* The
Farnese Theatre was constructed in
1618-
1619 by G.B. Aleotti, totally in wood. It was commissioned by
Ranuccio I Farnese for the visit of
Cosimo I de' Medici.
* The
Teatro Regio ("Royal Theatre"), built in
1821-
1829 by
Nicola Bettoli. It has a Neo-Classical facade and a porch with double window order. It is the city's
opera house.
* The
Auditorium Niccolò Paganini, designed by
Renzo Piano.
* The
Museo Lombardi: it exhibits a prestigious collection of art and historical items regarding
Maria Luigia of
Habsburg and her first husband
Napoleon Bonaparte; important works and documents concerning the Duchy of Parma in the 18th and 19th centuries are also kept by the Museum.
* The
Ducal Park (
1561), built by
Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola for
Ottaviano Farnese. It was turned into a French-style garden in
1749.
Alberi,
Baganzola, Beneceto, Botteghino, Ca'Terzi, Calestani, Carignano, Carpaneto, Cartiera, Casalbaroncolo, Casalora di Ravadese, Casaltone, Case Capelli, Case Cocconi, Case Crostolo, Case Nuove, Case Rosse, Case Vecchie, Casino dalla Rosa, Casagnola, Castelletto, Castelnovo, Cervara, Chiozzola, Coloreto, Corcagnano, Eia, Fontanini, Fontanellato, Gaione, Ghiaiata Nuova, Il Moro, La Catena, La Palazzina, Malandriano, Marano, Marore, Martorano, Molino di Malandriano, Osteria San Martino, Panocchia, Paradigna, Pedrignano, Pilastrello, Pizzolese, Ponte, Porporano, Pozzetto Piccolo, Quercioli, Ravadese, Ronco Pascolo, Rosa, San Prospero, San Ruffino, San Secondo, Sissa, Soragna, Valera, Viarolo, Viazza, Vicofertile,
Vicomero, Vigatto, Vigheffio, Vigolante.
Parma is famous for its food:
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (also produced in
Reggio Emilia),
Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham). In 2004 Parma was appointed the seat of the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).Parma also has two food multinationals,
Barilla and
Parmalat.
* Rosario (
Argentina)
*
Shijiazhuang (
People's Republic of China)
*
Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
United States of America*
Guadalajara (
Spain)
*
Bourg-en-Bresse (
France)
*
Tours (
France)
*
Lubiana (
Slovenia)
*
Worms (
Germany)
*
Szeged (
Hungary)
Parma F.C. was founded in 1913. It is a
Serie A football club renowned in Italy and Europe for its successes including three national cups, a European Cup of the Winner's Cup, two UEFA Cups and a European Supercup. It plays in the city's stade Ennio Tardini which can host up to 29,000 spectators. Also
volleyball,
women basketball,
rugby and
baseball have large popularity in the city and have scored relevant successes.
Parma is also home to two
rugby union teams,
Overmach Rugby Parma and
SKG Gran Rugby.
Parma hosts the
Teatro Regio, a famous
opera theatre.
Stendhal set much of his masterpiece (
The Charterhouse of Parma) in the city, even though there was no "Charterhouse" in real life.
Famous people from Parma
*
Giambattista Bodoni,
typographer*
Charles Ponzi, swindler and namesake of the
Ponzi scheme*
Ferdinando Paer,
composer*
Giuseppe Verdi, opera composer
*
Arturo Toscanini,
conductor*
Alessandro Araldi, painter
*
Michelangelo Anselmi, painter born in Tuscany
*
Bernardo Bertolucci, director
Painters and sculptors of Parma
* Francesco Mazzola, called 'Il
Parmigianino', painter
*
Sisto Badalocchio,
painter *
Alessandro Araldi, painter
*
Michelangelo Anselmi, painter born in Tuscany
*
Giovanni Maria Francesco Rondani, painter
*
Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli, painter
*
Antonio da Correggio (Antonio Allegri), painter born in
Correggio *
Benedetto Antelami*Jacopo Zanguidi Bertoia
*Jose Antonio Parma
*Giovan Federico Bonzagni
*Amadeo Bocchi
*
Bartolomeo Schedoni*
The European Food Safety Authority Website*
Parma's view from satellite (Google Earth)*
360° photos of City of Parma*
Interactive high quality fullscreen QTVR panoramas (A broadband internet connection is recommended
