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MODENA

Since 1598 and for several centuries, Modena has been the capital of the duchy of Este (until its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in 1859), and is an ancient university and archiepiscopal city.
Since 1947, the city is also home to the Army and Carabinieri Military Academy. The Duomo (Cathedral), Torre Civica (Ghirlandina) and the Piazza Grande have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites. The city is located approximately in the centre of the province of which it is the capital, in the Po Valley.
Two rivers surround it without crossing it: the Secchia and Panaro, whose importance for the city is also demonstrated by the presence of the Fontana dei due fium (Fountain of two rivers) by the sculptor Giuseppe Graziosi, located in Largo Garibaldi.
The first layers of Modena apennine mountains are located about 10 km south of the city, outside the municipal area. The city, and particularly its metropolitan area, is economically one of the major in Europe. Important food companies (including Grandi Salumifici Italiani, production centres of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and pork processing) have been established in the province.
Modena can be considered the world capital of motor racing, with the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, Maserati in Modena and, up to a few years ago, Bugatti in Campogalliano; also, of great importance are ceramics (Sassuolo), textiles (Carpi) and biomedicine ( Mirandola). Just outside the town walls, an Aerautodromo was built in 1949, to be used as a commercial runway, car and motorbike racing track, and also testing ground for the local automotive industry (Ferrari, Maserati and Stanguellini). It remained in use until 1962,and for longer just for motorcycle and car events and exhibitions. In its place there is now a large park dedicated to Enzo Ferrari.