Description of the attraction
Casalmaggiore is a small beautiful town in the province of Cremona in the Italian region of Lombardy, which attracts tourists with its historical and architectural monuments and interesting museums. Its origin is still shrouded in mystery. The discovery in 1970 of the so-called "Stazione Enea" in the Temple of the Fontana and the finds made in the Fossacaprara area suggest that settlements on the site of modern Casalmaggiore have existed since the Bronze Age. The very first written mentions of the city are found in the inscription under the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church of San Giovanni Batttista in the Isolabella area. In the 11th century Casalmaggiore was known as the fortress of the Estensi family, and in the 15th century the city came under the rule of the Venetian Republic. The favorable geographical location also played a role in the history of the city - there were the residences of the Duke of Milan and the Marquis of Mantua, as well as the French and Spanish troops.
The center of Casalmaggiore is Piazza Garibaldi, designed in the 17th century. In 1813, it was paved and acquired its present appearance. At the same time, the reconstruction of the building of the City Hall, standing on the square, was carried out. Next to Piazza Garibaldi are the Palazzo Marcheselli and the former Church of Santa Croce, which today hosts various events.
Another attraction of Casalmaggiore is the unique Museum of Treasures, located in the building of the former College of the Barnabas Order. It was founded in 1986, and today its collection contains over 35 thousand exhibits - earrings, rings, glasses, bracelets, brooches, pendants, elegant cigarette cases, powder boxes, badges and much more. I must say that Casalmaggiore was once one of the main European centers for the production of jewelry, which was sold all over the world.
Another noteworthy museum is the Diotti Museum, which is dedicated to the 19th century. It is located in the house of Giuseppe Diotia - an old palace, renovated in 1837 for the professor of the Academy of Carrara, who spent the last years of his life here. The house housed his art collection, and also housed a workshop in which Diotti worked himself and taught others.
Among the religious buildings in Casalmaggiore, it is worth visiting the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, built in the middle of the 19th century, the nearby monastery of Santa Chiara from the 16th century and the Temple of Fontana, built in 1463 by the Capuchin order. The latter is notable for its Gothic architecture and a crypt with a miraculous spring in the center. There is also the grave of the artist Francesco Mazzola, known as Il Parmigianino.
