Modena Cathedral

Modena Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Modena Cathedral stands on the Piazza Grande in the centre of Modena, Emilia-Romagna, and entry is free; the cathedral museums and the Ghirlandina tower are ticketed, with combined tickets available. The cathedral, the Ghirlandina tower and the Piazza Grande were listed by UNESCO in 1997 as a masterpiece of Romanesque art. Modena is about half an hour from Bologna by train, and it is famous for balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano, Ferrari and the tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Walking tours of Modena combine the cathedral with the Albinelli market, the Ducal Palace, the Estense Gallery and balsamic vinegar tastings, and the Enzo Ferrari Museum and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello are nearby. The tower can be climbed on certain days for views over the city. The cathedral is active, and visiting pauses during services. Combined tickets for the cathedral museums and the tower are sold at the museum entrance on the Via Lanfranco.

Visiting Modena Cathedral: what to see

The cathedral was begun in 1099 by the architect Lanfranco, over the tomb of Saint Geminianus, the patron saint of Modena, and it was consecrated in 1184. The sculptor Wiligelmo carved the reliefs on the west facade, showing scenes from the Book of Genesis, from the creation of Adam and Eve to the story of Noah, among the finest Romanesque sculptures in Europe. The Porta della Pescheria, on the north side, carries an archivolt with scenes from the legend of King Arthur, one of the earliest known depictions of the Arthurian stories. Inside, the church has a raised presbytery above the crypt, where the tomb of Saint Geminianus lies among forest-like columns. The pontile, a screen carved by Anselmo da Campione in the twelfth century, shows scenes of the Passion.

The Ghirlandina, the bell tower, rises about eighty-six metres and is the symbol of Modena. The museum displays the metopes, carvings of strange creatures. The rose window on the west facade was added in the thirteenth century by the Campionese masters. The Porta Regia, on the south side, has two lions supporting columns. The crypt's columns have carved capitals. The cathedral's pulpit is decorated with carvings of the evangelists. A terracotta nativity scene by Antonio Begarelli stands in a side chapel. The Ghirlandina's upper storeys are Gothic, with a spire decorated with small columns. The cathedral museum displays capitals and sculptures removed from the building. The Piazza Grande's stone, the Preda Ringadora, was used for public speeches.

Modena Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, and the tower keeps set hours, with longer opening at weekends. Modena is pleasant in spring and autumn, while summer is hot and winter can be foggy. The feast of Saint Geminianus on 31 January brings a fair to the city centre. The Festival Filosofia in September brings lectures to the squares. Allow about forty-five minutes for the cathedral and museum, climb the Ghirlandina if it is open, and taste balsamic vinegar at an acetaia nearby. The Albinelli market, a few minutes' walk from the cathedral, is a covered food market with stalls selling local produce.