Parma

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For the U.S. town, see Parma, New York or Parma, Ohio.

Template:Infobox CityIT | 

 frazioni          = See list|
 telephone         = 0521|
 postalcode        = 43100|
 gentilic          = Parmigiani (Parmensi are 
 called the province's inhabitants)|
 saint             = Sant'Ilario di Poitiers, Sant'Onorato, San Rocco |
 day               = January 13 |
 mayor              =  Elvio Ubaldi (since May 28 2002)|
 website           = www.comune.parma.it |

}} Parma is a medieval city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, with splendid architecture and a fine countryside around it.

Parma is divided in two parts by the little stream with the same name. The Italian poet Attilio Bertolucci wrote: "As a capital city, it had to have a river. As a little capital, it received a stream, which is often dry".

Contents

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History

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 |Gothic War, 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 inn were founded in the following centuries to host the increasing number of pilgrims.

Under the Franks 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. Image:Parma 02.jpg Parma fell under the control of Milan in 1341. After a short-lived period of indpendence 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 the today's province, with the capital in Busseto. Parma's territories was an exception for Northern Italy, as its feudal subdivision continued often until recent years. For example, Solignano was a Pallavicino's family possession until 1805, and San Secondo belonged to the Rossi well into the 19th century. Image:Parma 01.jpg

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 mantained 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 descendents 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, 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 Maria Luigia's death, it passed again to the Bourbon, 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.

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Main sights

  • 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 1520-1521. 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 Franch-style garden in 1749.
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Food

Parma is famous for its food: its cheese "Parmigiano Reggiano" (along with Reggio Emilia) and for its Parma ham. In year 2004 Parma has been appointed seat of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

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Sport

Parma F.C. was founded in 1913. It is 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. The stade Ennio Tardini 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.

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Miscellaneous

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.

The Serie A football club Parma F.C. play in the city's Ennio Tardini stadium. Parma is also home to two rugby union teams, Overmach Rugby Parma and SKG Gran Rugby.

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Famous people from Parma

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Painters and Sculptors of Parma

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External links

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