In Parma for Correggio
By day, enjoy the exhibitions, and by night, admire the illuminated monuments that make Parma the perfect city for a weekend getaway. Let’s start with the exhibitions. The city is celebrating, until January 31, the 500th anniversary of Correggio completing the fresco cycle of the dome at the Monastery of San Giovanni. This is a great opportunity to visit the basilica and admire the dome before heading to the nearby Refectory. Here, the idea is to show all the details of the frescoes with the installation “Il Cielo per un istante in terra” (The Sky for an Instant on Earth), created by Lucio Rossi. Entering the room hosting the installation, immersed in darkness, you come face to face with the artwork.
Not far away, you’ll find the Cathedral, where you can also admire Correggio’s work, specifically his fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin on the dome. Nearby is the Baptistery, made of pink Verona marble, featuring the famous Months and Seasons statues by Benedetto Antelami.
Just 500 steps (also marked on the pavement) will take you to the Monastery of San Paolo, where you can admire another masterpiece by Correggio: the Camera della Badessa (Abbess’s Room). This room remained hidden for two and a half centuries after the death of Abbess Giovanna in 1524, who had commissioned it. At that time, noblewomen had a choice between marriage and the convent. Giovanna from Piacenza chose the latter and, in addition to radically renovating the place, she turned it into a Renaissance court, open to artists and intellectuals, reigning there for 17 years. Cultured and modern, she invited Correggio, who frescoed the vault with playful putti and a Diana, the goddess of chastity.
Thanks to Hortus Conclusus 2.0: History and Development of the Monastery of San Paolo, the dome is the star of an immersive experience that takes the visitor on a journey from Roman Parma to the time of Correggio (parmawelcome.it).
https://www.palazzodallarosaprati.it/
chiedete la camera da cui si vede la piazza con Duomo e Battistero
https://www.ristorantecocchi.it/, cucina tipica parmigiana
https://www.ristoranteinkiostro.it/, stellato
https://www.aidueplatani.com/ in campagna
https://www.magnanirocca.it/ per vedere la villa e la mostra in corso
https://reggiadicolorno.it/ la Versailles dei Duchi di Parma
