Discover Casalmaggiore: Art, History and the Po Landscape

Casalmaggiore combines art, architecture and the landscape along the Po to create a diverse destination. The historic centre is home to museums, churches, palaces and streets that can be explored on foot. At the same time, a route follows the banks of the Po and passes through the Parco della Golena del Po, where numerous ducks, herons and cormorants live. This allows you to combine cultural sightseeing and nature observation when planning your trip.

Art and Local History

The Museo Diotti is a municipal art museum and house museum in a historic palazzo that formerly belonged to the painter Giuseppe Diotti. His studio house occupies eight rooms on the piano nobile. They illustrate the development of the painter's work from his years of study in Rome to his mature works. The collection also includes a Galleria d'arte moderna with significant works by local and Lombard artists of the 20th century.

The Percorso degli ateliers at the Museo Diotti brings together works and objects belonging to the painters Goliardo Padova and Palmiro Vezzoni and the sculptor Ercole Priori. This area is complemented by original furnishings, tools and archival materials. Visitors interested in artistic working environments and regional culture thereby gain a differentiated view of several facets of local art.

The Museo del Bijou documents Casalmaggiore's local industrial tradition in costume jewellery. It displays objects and machines from the factories that were formerly active in Casalmaggiore. The museum also preserves jewellery and accessories produced by various factories in Casalmaggiore between the late 19th century and the 1970s. Schools of all age groups, as well as families and groups, can take part in workshops and educational activities there by prior arrangement.

Architecture in the Historic Centre

Several buildings give Casalmaggiore its distinctly historic character. The Cathedral of Casalmaggiore is a Neoclassical building constructed in the mid-19th century. The Scuola di disegno Giuseppe Bottoli is housed in the Palazzo Martinelli. Its façade, richly decorated with terracotta ornamentation, is an example of Lombard Renaissance architecture. The school preserves plaster casts, teaching texts, as well as paintings, drawings and etchings.

The theatres also reflect different eras and concepts of space. The Teatro Comunale has a horseshoe-shaped layout with three tiers of boxes and a gallery. The Teatro della Società was inaugurated in 1783. The Torrione Estense is a tall, imposing brick tower that formed part of a well-developed defensive complex in the historic centre of Casalmaggiore near the embankment of the Po. Outside Casalmaggiore, the tomb of Parmigianino is located in the Santuario della Madonna della Fontana.

Getting There and Finding Your Way Around

Casalmaggiore is served by the Parma–Brescia railway line. The station can be reached on foot from the centre in ten minutes. TEP bus routes run from Casalmaggiore to Parma and Sabbioneta, while Arriva bus routes connect it with Cremona and Viadana. The different levels of accessibility are also useful when finding your way around: the streets, centre, museums, churches and palaces can be explored on foot, while the Santuario della Madonna della Fontana and the church of Santa Maria dell'Argine can be reached by car.

When choosing your hotel in Casalmaggiore, you can therefore take different priorities into account: a stay focused on art and architecture in the centre, or a plan that also includes the banks of the Po and the Parco della Golena del Po. The cultural attractions range from Giuseppe Diotti's studio house and the Museo del Bijou to the Teatro Comunale; the rail and bus connections also provide links to Parma, Sabbioneta, Cremona and Viadana.

More Places for Planning Your Trip to Italy

Crema, Corte De' Frati, Vailate, Soresina, Soncino, Pizzighettone, Casteldidone and Pescarolo ed Uniti

For the higher-level travel overview: Cremona.