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Parma,
with its plenty of greenery and historical monuments,
is one of those places where one might enjoy a walk
even without a precise destination, losing oneself
among the tree-lined avenues , elegant shop windows
and the inviting traditional food shops.
The bright and pleasing atmosphere of the city centre,
characterized by its typical shades of yellow, is
to be ascribed mainly to the French artists that
moved in Parma
following Napoleon's
wife Maria Luigia,
who ruled the Granduchy of Parma two hundred years
ago. |
 
  
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The city became capital of the Granduchy of Parma
and Piacenza under the ruling of the Farnese dinasty,
then under the Bourbons. In the Middle Ages Parma
gained
fame and a set of magnificent buildings for its
Universities, among the oldest in Italy.
Among them the
Cathedral
is made particularly remarkable by its diverse
architectural elements: the three orders of loggias
are flanked by an imposing gothic bell tower decorated
with 16th century frescoes, while the dome sports
a celebrated fresco by Correggio.
Near the Cathedral is the ornate Baptistery,
while on the outside visitors can admire Antelami's
sculptures.
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