Historic Center of Modena

If there's one thing Modena does exceptionally well, it's blending grandeur with everyday life. The Duomo di Modena is widely considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Romanesque architecture in Europe. Consecrated in 1184 and built over the burial site of Saint Geminianus, Modena's patron saint, the cathedral--alongside its towering Ghirlandina bell tower and surrounding Piazza Grande--was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Duomo di Modena

Inside, this large sculptural piece immediately caught Ira's eye. Robby explained that it was made of terracotta. It is called the Altare delle Statuine (Altar of the Statuettes) and was created between 1440 and 1441 by Michele da Firenze. 

Altare delle Statuine

The crypt of the Duomo is a fully realized underground church constructed between 1099 and 1106. It safeguards the mortal remains of Saint Geminianus, the 4th-century bishop and patron saint of Modena. While the tomb is now protected inside a modern glass case, every year on January 31st, the tomb is opened so worshippers can view his remains.

The ceiling of the crypt was beautiful as well, with its low arches and ancient stonework giving the entire space a quiet, reverent feeling.

Tomba di San Geminiano

Ceiling of the crypt

On the exterior wall of the Duomo, Robby pointed out carved relief outlines known as the Misure Comunali (Municipal Measurements). These markings served as the official medieval units of measurement for the Commune of Modena and were placed on the cathedral to ensure fairness in trade.

Because the cathedral stood at the center of civic life, merchants and builders would physically bring their goods here to compare measurements against these stone standards, helping prevent fraud in the marketplace.

Municipal Measurements

From there, it was just a short two-minute walk to the Mercato Storico Albinelli, where the atmosphere was absolutely buzzing. Robby even ran into one of his old classmates, who now owned one of the market stalls. 

The market is truly the gastronomic heart of Modena. This lively covered food market has served as the city's culinary hub for nearly a century after vendors were moved indoors from Piazza Grande to create a more organized and hygienic marketplace.

Mercato

And then it was time for the climb.

The Torre Ghirlandina (officially the Torre Civica) is the stunning 86-meter bell tower of the Modena Cathedral and the architectural symbol of the city. Connected to the Duomo by two elevated stone arches, the tower gets its nickname from the delicate marble balustrades near the top, which locals thought looked "light as garlands".

About halfway up the tower is the Sala della Secchia Rapita--the Hall of the Stolen Bucket. It houses a replica of Modena's most famous war trophy: an ordinary wooden bucket stolen from rival Bologna.

Legend says that in 1325, the rivalry between Modena (supporters of the Holy Roman Emperor) and Bologna (supporters of the Pope) erupted into the Battle of Zappolino. Although heavily outnumbered, the disciplined Modenese forces won decisively and chased the Bolognese back to their city gates. Before leaving, Modenese stole a wooden bucket from a well outside Bologna's walls as a final act of mockery and triumph.

Sala della Secchia Rapita

View from inside the Tower

At the top of the tower, we were rewarded with sweeping 360-degree views over Modena.

From above, Elena pointed out the impressive Accademia Militare di Modena and insisted we visit it later up close. The academy traces its roots back to the Royal Academy founded in 1678 and is considered the oldest military academy in the world. Today, it serves as the exclusive training academy for officers of both the Italian Army and the Carabinieri.

Accademia Militare di Modena

On our walk there, we stopped outside the Teatro Comunale Pavarotti-Freni. Originally opened in 1841, the opera house stands as a monument to Modena's enormous contribution to classical music. 

Nearby stood a bronze statue of Luciano Pavarotti, Modena's beloved hometown tenor.

Bronze statue of Luciano Pavarotti

Then we arrived at the Accademia itself, housed inside the magnificent Palazzo Ducale di Modena, one of the most important Baroque palaces in Europe. Commissioned in 1634 by Duke Francesco I d'Este, the palace served as the lavish seat of the Este Court for more than two centuries.

One detail that stood out were two sculpted lion heads gripping the decorative entrance chain. Cadets traditionally touch a lion head when returning to the academy grounds. Over time, the gesture evolved into a personal ritual:

• a good luck charm before exams
• a symbolic return to "duty mode,"
• and a quiet tradition carried on by generations of officers.

After decades of use, the metal has become visibly smoother and shinier where thousands of hands have touched it. 

Decorative Lion Head

By this point, it was finally time for lunch at our special destination: Trattoria Ermes.

Located on Via Ganaceto, this legendary trattoria is considered a protected culinary institution in Modena. Founded in 1963, it became famous for serving uncompromisingly traditional Emilian comfort food in an atmosphere that felt more like eating at your grandma's house than dining in a restaurant.

For decades, the trattoria was run by the beloved and eccentric Ermes Rinaldi and his wife Bruna. Ermes became a local folk hero for loudly calling everyone "Gabian" ("silly bird" in Modenese dialect) and squeezing strangers together at communal tables.

Today the tables are technically separate, though still packed tightly together. Lunch runs in two strict reservation blocks: 12:00 and 1:30 sharp. And when they say sharp, they mean it--the entire second seating stood outside waiting until the doors opened exactly at 1:30.

We were forbidden from ordering tagliatelle al ragu because Robby planned to serve ragu later that evening at home. Instead, the waiter convinced me to try the passatelli in brodo.

Passatelli are not technically pasta, but rather one of Emilia-Romagna's great examples of cucina povera. The dough is made from grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, eggs, nutmeg, and a touch of lemon zest, then pressed through a thick metal press into short noodle-like strands and served in a rich broth. 

Soft, rustic, comforting, and deeply flavorful--it was easy to understand why locals speak of it with near-religious reverence.

Passatelli in Brodo

Ira and Robby ordered the gramigna alla salsiccia, another cornerstone of Modenese home cooking. Gramigna pasta consists of tiny curled tubes that locals affectionately call "little worms," perfect for catching every bit of sausage sauce.

Gramigna alla Salsiccia

For dessert, the four of us shared three slices of cake: 

• chocolate cake with mascarpone cream
• apple cake,
• and chocolate pear cake.

Torta x3

After such a long and satisfying lunch, we spent the afternoon wandering slowly through the streets, trying our best to walk off at least part of the meal. Elena and I did a little shopping before we finally made our way back to the car.

At that point, a long rest sounded perfect--and maybe, just maybe, we'd eventually be hungry again for dinner.

Ciao ciao.