In 1997 the Modena Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande have been declared UNESCO World Heritage.
"The joint creation of Lanfranco and Wiligelmo is a masterpiece of human creative genius in which a new dialectical relationship between architecture and sculpture was created in Romanesque art. The Modena complex bears exceptional witness to the cultural traditions of the 12th century and is one of the best examples of an architectural complex where religious and civic values are combined in a medieval Christian town."
The Modena site is included on the World Heritage list on the basis of cultural criteria. The site itself represents 'a masterpiece of human creative genius' and, in particular, of the exceptional figures of (its two very talented creators Lanfranco, the architect, and Wiligelmo, the sculptor. Indeed, their creation, with its many references to antiquity, is considered by many to be an important model for the Romaneque movement in the Po Valley. It is 'an outstanding example of a type of architecture, which illustrates a particular phase in human history'.
At the beginning of the XII century, Modena Cathedral was the birthplace of a new figurative language which was to exert considerable influence on the development of Romanesque art in the Po Valley . The cathedral's sculptural framework gives us a privileged insight into the cultural context surrounding the rebirth of monumental sculpture in Europe.
The complex, formed by the Cathedral, Ghirlandina tower and the Square, bears 'a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which …. has disappeared'. It is an outstanding example of urban settlement and civic community values, with all the intertwining of religious and civic functions these imply.
For the citizens of Modena, inclusion in the world heritage list is a source of great pride, and for tourists too, the UNESCO reputation is seen as a guarantee of brand quality. Indeed, in recent years the number of visits by tourists from further and further afield has increased considerably.
The challenge for us is to preserve the complex in the condition which first made it a World Heritage site, and protect and maintain it over time. At the same time, we must be mindful of the delicate balance between respecting the traditions of the site and enhancing its potential.
Times of Mass:
Closed: Easter Sunday, the month of August and from 1 November 2010-31 March 2011.
Opening hours: 9:30 to 12:30 and 15:00 to 19:00
Ticket price: €1
Ticket to visit the Ghirlandina Tower and the City Hall: €1,50
Getting there
"The joint creation of Lanfranco and Wiligelmo is a masterpiece of human creative genius in which a new dialectical relationship between architecture and sculpture was created in Romanesque art. The Modena complex bears exceptional witness to the cultural traditions of the 12th century and is one of the best examples of an architectural complex where religious and civic values are combined in a medieval Christian town."
 "Modena Cathedral")
 "Modena Cathedral")
At the beginning of the XII century, Modena Cathedral was the birthplace of a new figurative language which was to exert considerable influence on the development of Romanesque art in the Po Valley . The cathedral's sculptural framework gives us a privileged insight into the cultural context surrounding the rebirth of monumental sculpture in Europe.
The complex, formed by the Cathedral, Ghirlandina tower and the Square, bears 'a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which …. has disappeared'. It is an outstanding example of urban settlement and civic community values, with all the intertwining of religious and civic functions these imply.
For the citizens of Modena, inclusion in the world heritage list is a source of great pride, and for tourists too, the UNESCO reputation is seen as a guarantee of brand quality. Indeed, in recent years the number of visits by tourists from further and further afield has increased considerably.
The challenge for us is to preserve the complex in the condition which first made it a World Heritage site, and protect and maintain it over time. At the same time, we must be mindful of the delicate balance between respecting the traditions of the site and enhancing its potential.
INFORMATION
Cathedral
Open every day from 6:30 to 12:30 and from 15:30 to 19:00 (for the Patron Saint's holiday the 31st January: open from 6:30 to 19:30).Times of Mass:
- Weekdays (in the crypt): at 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 18:00
- Sundays: 8:30 am, 10, 11, 12:15 and 18:00
- Weekdays: 7:30 to 12:30 and 15:30 to 17:30
- Public holidays: 15:30 to 17:30
Ghirlandina
Open: every Sunday and all public holidays from April 1 to October 31, 2010 and January 31.Closed: Easter Sunday, the month of August and from 1 November 2010-31 March 2011.
Opening hours: 9:30 to 12:30 and 15:00 to 19:00
Ticket price: €1
Ticket to visit the Ghirlandina Tower and the City Hall: €1,50
Piazza Grande (Great Square)
Freely accessible to all.Getting there
- By air: the nearest airport to Modena is "Guglielmo Marconi" in Bologna. A shuttle bus connects the airport to Modena every 2 hours.
- By train: the train station is near from the city centre, reachable in about 10/ 15 minutes on foot or by bus line 7
- By car: motorway A1 (Milano - Roma) exit "Modena Nord" or "Modena Sud". Alternatively, the state road no. 9 "Emilia".
Modena:
Cattedrale, torre civica, piazza grande
Cattedrale, torre civica, piazza grande
Coordinamento sito Unesco c/o Museo Civico d'Arte
Viale Vittorio Veneto, 5 - 41124 Modena
Tel.: 059/2033122 - Fax 059/2033110 - E-mail: info@unesco.mo.it
Viale Vittorio Veneto, 5 - 41124 Modena
Tel.: 059/2033122 - Fax 059/2033110 - E-mail: info@unesco.mo.it