"Modena, a Peaceful, Charming Town" Modena by von.otter

“For me, music making is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.”
— Modena’s native son, Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)

Modena, 25 miles NW of Bologna, 250 miles NE of Rome and 81 miles NE of Florence, has Italy’s highest per capita income. Because of heavy bombing during the Second World War the city got a late 20th-century face lift through an extensive rebuilding project. Modena is home to automobile and racing giants Ferrari, Maserati, and De Tomaso. It is known for producing Lambrusco wine, a sparkling red, and balsamic vinegar, aceto balsamico. Modena was also the hometown of the operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died of cancer on 6.September.2007.

The Stolen Wooden Bucket

KICKING THE BUCKET We saw la Secchia Repita, the stolen bucket, not in the cathedral, as some guide books would direct you, but in the Mayor’s Office. From 1325 to 1337 Bologna and Modena, both independent city-states, were at war over a stolen bucket. A regiment of soldiers from Modena had invaded Bologna and stole a brown oak bucket. During the raid, the troops murdered several hundred Bologna citizens. Bologna, with its pride hurt because its defenses had been breached, went to war with Modena to avenge their fallen citizens, to restore their pride and to take back their bucket. Modena won the war; the people of Bologna never got back their bucket!

Modena’s Coat-of-Arms

Modena’s coat-of-arms is made up of a blue cross on a gold back ground and often topped by the ducal crown.

• Pros:A peaceful little town with much to offer the visitor.