If you have read my last post, you could see the real reason of our visit and stay in Modena, but even if Osteria Francescana is not something that would interest you, Modena, I’m sure, would.

This rather small Italian city, with around 180 000 people is a birth city to operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti, poet and writer Alessandro Tassoni, comics artist Franco Bonvicini, Michelin star chef Massimo Bottura and founder of the Ferrari motor company Enzo Ferrari.

Tassoni’s poem La secchia rapita (The stolen bucket) is loosely based on a war fought between Modena and Bologna in 1325.

The central episode, in which the Modenese steal a bucket from their rivals, is not confirmed by the historians, however a copy of a bucket, purported to be that very trophy, has been on display, in the basement of the Torre della Ghirlandina, from the times of the battle to present. The real one is in the museum just next to the Cathedral.

The Romanesque Cathedral of Modena, the Torre della Ghirlandina and Piazza Grande belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.

An ancient town of Modena is known for its automotive industry since the factories of the famous Italian sports car makers Ferrari, De Tomaso, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati are, or were, located here and all, except Lamborghini, have headquarters in the city or nearby.

Fast cars and slow food is the cities motto, and we have come to understand it why.

Modena is vibrant and modern city full of young people of different origins, rich in small café bars and traditional trattorias with the opportunity to drink aperitivo just on every step.

Situated between two other major cities in Emilia-Romagna region, Parma and Bologna, Modena turned out to be perfect place to reside during our stay. We rented a car on Bologna airport and used it for roaming around the Po valley in search of all the good things that this region has to offer. And there are plenty. From Parmigiano Reggiano to aceto balsamico and prosciutto. From tortellini and tortellacci to passatelli and tagliatelle. From local red sparkling wine to all beloved aperitivo aperol spritz whose bright orange color are wearing many of Modena’s buildings and porticoes.

We have ate and tasted way more that we have seen when it comes to art and history, but that’s what Modena is all about; fast cars and slow food and this brief text is just an introduction to tasty and delicious Modenese food scene 🙂

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MODENA

Ako ste pročitali posljednji tekst na blogu, mogli ste vidjeti pravi razlog našeg posjeta Modeni, ali čak i ako Osterija nije nešto što bi vas zanimalo, Modena definitivno jest.

Ovaj mali talijanski grad, s nekih 180 000 stanovnika rođeno je mjesto opernog tenora Lucijana Pavarottija, pisca i pjesnika Alessandra Tassonija, crtača stripova Franca Bonvicinija, kuhara Massima Botture i osnivača Ferrarijeve tvornice Enza ferrarija.

Tassonijeva poema La secchia rapita (Ukradeno korito) dijelom se temelji na ratu između Modene i Bologne u 14. stoljeću.

Povjesničari ne potvrđuju glavnu epizodu, u kojoj Modenezi ukradu korito od svojih protivnika, no svejedno kopija koja se smatra ratnim trofejom visi u podrumu Ghrilandina tornja. Prava je, naravno, u muzeju, no i ova mi je bila dosta da se prisjetim talijanske lirike 17. stoljeća.

Romanička katedrala, toranj i Piazza Grande uvršteni su na UNESCOv popis baštine 1997.

Drevni grad Modena poznat je i po automoto industriji obzirom da su u okolici smještene tvornice nekih od najpoznatijih sportskih auta. Ferrari, De Tomaso, Pagani i Maserati imaju čak i svoje sjedište u gradu dok Lamborghinijevi zaposlenici moraju malo van grada.

Brzi auti i polagana hrana glavni je moto Modene, a vrlo brzo shvatili smo i zašto.

Modena je živahan i moderan grad pun mladih ljudi raznog podrijetla, grad bogat malim kafe barovima i tradicionalnim tratorijama. Grad je na svakom koraku možete popit aperitivčić prije nego sjednete na večeru s prijateljima.

Smješten između dva druga velika grada regije, Parme i Bologne, Modena se pokazala kao savršeno mjesto našeg odmora. Unajmljenim autom vozali smo se po selima i okolici u potrazi za bogatstvom koje ovo područje nudi. A toga ima na pretek. Od Parmigiana reggiana do aćeta i pršuta. Od toretlinija i tortelaccia do passatellija i tagliatella. Od lokalnog pjenušavog crnog vina do premilog mi aperol spritza čiju žarku narančastu boju nose i brojne zgrade i portici Modene.

U Modeni i okolici kušali smo i jeli daleko više nego što smo vidjeli povijesno i umjetničko, ali zbog toga smo i došli; zbog brzih automobila i polagane hrane. Ovaj kratki tekst, zapravo, je samo mali uvod u ono što je slijediti poslije; niz tekstova posvećen hrani, hrani i opet hrani. 🙂