Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

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NHK World Heritage 100 Series

Narration Text

This is Modena, a city in northern Italy with a population of around 170,000 people. It still retains much of its medieval character. The Emilia Road – the Via Emilia – built around 2 B.C. has been the primary route connecting the Adriatic and Mediterranean coasts. Modena is located halfway along the route. Its old city square, the Cathedral and the Bell tower are inscribed as World Heritage.

This Cathedral was built in the 12th century and is regarded as a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque Architecture. The central window is shaped in the form of a rose flower. The marble brick wall is carved with reliefs portraying scenes from the Bible. They depict the fears, hopes, faith and spirituality of medieval people. The belfry is 88 meters high and is also made of marble. It served as a landmark to travellers on the Emilia road while announcing the time to the citizens of Modena.

Cities along the Emilia Road are known for producing high quality produce. The road is also known as the "Gourmet Road". Parma is renowned for quality ham and Bologna is renowned for its Salami. Both towns neighbour Modena. Balsamic vinegar is one of the local specialities. It originated in Modena more than 1000 years ago. Balsamic vinegar is made using a special kind of grape knows as Trevviano. The variety has both large and small grapes in one cluster. Traditional balsamic vinegar must be stored and aged in barrels for over 12 years. It only goes to market after rigorous screening. Balsamic vinegar, hundreds of years ago, was highly valuable and occasionally was used for medicinal purposes. "Balsamic" means a fragrance from a tree. For long aging period, the vinegar is reduced to 1% of the original weight of the grapes.

The Emilia Road has always been known as the "Gourmet Road". An area where splendid market produce has been traded and transported from Roman times to the present day.