piazza Grande

Piazza Grande is the principal medieval square in the historic centre of Modena, northern Italy, and forms a UNESCO World Heritage ensemble with the adjacent cathedral and civic tower. The site’s outstanding Romanesque architecture dates principally to the 11th and 12th centuries.

The square is dominated by the Modena Cathedral, whose construction began around 1099 and whose façade and sculptures are major Romanesque works. The adjacent Torre della Ghirlandina marks the skyline and the Palazzo Comunale frames the long rectangular piazza used historically for civic events and markets.

The cathedral and its sculptural program were created in the 11th-12th centuries by master builders and sculptors including Lanfranco and Wiligelmo. The civic tower and surrounding civic buildings developed in the medieval and later periods, with the whole ensemble preserved as an example of medieval urban planning.

Piazza Grande sits in the historic centre of Modena, Emilia-Romagna, surrounded by the city’s principal medieval buildings.

• UNESCO inscription: Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 as an ensemble comprising the cathedral, the civic tower and Piazza Grande.

What to See #

• Modena Cathedral (Duomo): Modena Cathedral (Duomo) - Romanesque cathedral whose construction began around 1099 and which was consecrated in 1184; notable for medieval sculpture and reliefs.
• Torre della Ghirlandina: Torre Civica (Torre della Ghirlandina) - the civic tower beside the cathedral that historically served as Modena's bell tower and city symbol.
• Palazzo Comunale: Palazzo Comunale - the town hall and administrative buildings that define the western side of the square and face the cathedral.