Cremona is an interesting town in Lombardia, in the north of Italy. In the Middle Ages it became a renowned music centre. In particular it was a centre for violin making. The Amati and Rugeri families were involved and later Guarneri and Stradavari made high quality instruments.
These days violin making continues, along with food industries such as salumi, cheese, mostada (candied fruit in spicy mustard flavoured syrup) and nougat. There is also a violin museum highlighting the city’s music history.
We arrived in Cremona just before lunch and we were in time to visit the magnificent Cremona Cathedral. The interior is stunning and quite unlike any I have seen in Italy. It is quite dark and foreboding.
We had entered the cathedral from the side and after our brief visit we walked around to the Piazza del Comune.
The piazza is lined with stunning buildings, the Renaissance arcade, the front of the cathedral and the octagonal baptistery.
The baptistery is fascinating.
The cathedral is huge! Construction began in 1107 but damaged by an earthquake in 1117. Building resumed in 1129 and probably finished in 1160 – 1170. It was originally built in Romanesque style, with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements added later.
The main facade is said to date from the late 13th century and early 14th century. The facade and adjoining baptistery are some of the most important monuments of Romanesque art in Europe.
The Torrazzo bell tower with its astronomical clock is the symbol of the city and is the tallest pre modern tower in Italy.
It is impossible to stand back far enough to capture the whole building, so here are some of the details.
Wherever you walk in the centre of town bits of the cathedral appear.
Cremona is well presented and there are a couple of pretty shopping streets off the Piazza.
We found a shop with an excellent selection of nougat and mostarda.
We bought several varieties of nougat and I can report that they were all delicious.
Violins feature in shops, including these chocolate versions.
On the way out of the centre we walked past the back of the cathedral. It is one of the most interesting churches I have seen in Italy. It is worth a trip to Cremona just to see it.
We spoke to a few locals who told us that Cremona doesn’t attract a lot of tourists, and those who do visit stop for only a few hours. They see the cathedral and see the violin museum and move on. This is a pity as the city has a lot to offer.
Our visit was brief but I would like to return to take some more time to wander. Cremona has a pleasant atmosphere and we spotted several restaurants that looked inviting. We arrived at lunch time, so a lot of places of interest were closed. An overnight stay is required.
Here is a Google photo of the cathedral so you can see how amazing it is. I find it incredible that these buildings survive!
