Cremona is the city of music.
This ancient city is the architectural jewel of Lombardy and has a rich history. Cremona has outstanding sacred monuments and medieval sights.
It is a place where craftsmanship has become a true art. Cremona is located on the plains of Southern Lombardy, southeast of Milan.
Cremona was founded in the 5th century BC on the banks of the Po River by the Celts. At the turn of the 3rd and 2nd century BC, it was transformed into a typical Roman colony, an outpost near the borders of Caesalpine Galia. Its prosperity was interrupted in 69 AD by destruction at the hands of Vespasian, who then helped rebuild it himself. Then in the 6th century there were the Gothic wars and the Lombards. Despite this, the city developed quite well, largely due to the river port built here. It even became the centre of the diocese.
And in the mid-16th century, an event took place here that was the beginning of the city’s transformation into the world capital of musical instruments – the future founder of the Cremona violin factory, Andrea Amati, was born here. In addition to the Amati dynasty, Cremona was made famous by other violin makers, most notably the unrivalled Antonio Stradivari and the Guarneri family. Stradivarius violins can still be seen in the city’s museum. But violins are still made here, and you can visit one of these workshops. Of course, the violin maker himself will not reveal his secrets to you, but he will tell you a lot of interesting things. And then, of course, you can visit the famous Violin Museum.
Cremona was also the birthplace of one of the greatest composers of the period of transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque – Claudio Monteverdi.
Cremona was also the birthplace of one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance-Baroque period, Claudio Monteverdi. The three symbols of the city are “Torazza”, “Torrone”, “Tettone”.
“Torazza” is the tower of Cremona Cathedral. Incidentally, the tallest in Italy, and one of the three tallest brick bell towers in the world. 111 metres.
“Torone” is another pride of the city. A wonderful treat of honey-nut nougat that has no equal. It is believed that the treat of whipped egg whites, nuts and honey was invented for the wedding of the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforza and Bianca Visconti. Cremona even hosts an annual torone festival. It attracts people from all over Italy. Cremona pastry chefs like to combine the two symbols of the city by making torone tiles in the shape of violins.
The third “T” is more complicated. The fact is that the word “Tette” (“Tettone”) is a frivolous jargon term for a lady’s bust in Italian. According to many and various legends, the inhabitants of this city have especially outstanding forms. I think we can leave those views to the Cremonese. Let them indulge their ego. According to the “children’s” version, this word refers to the sloping tiled roofs of the city’s buildings.
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