Theme Week Emilia-Romagna – Piacenza

25 October 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Piazza Duomo © Giovanni Dall'Orto

Piazza Duomo © Giovanni Dall’Orto

Piacenza is the capital of the province of Piacenza. Strategically the city is at a major crossroads at the intersection of Route E35/A1 between Bologna, gateway to eastern Italy, and Milan, gateway to the Alps, and Route E70/A21 between Brescia at the foot of the Alps and Tortona, where branches lead to Turin in the north, a major industrial city, and Genoa, a major coastal port. Piacenza is also at the confluence of the Trebbia, draining the northern Apennines, and the Po, the major waterway of northern Italy, draining to the east. Piacenza right from its foundation has been of vital interest to political powers who would control northern Italy, more than any other city there. In peace it is a cultural center; in war, a focus of conflict. Piacenza also host one campus of the Politecnico di Milano. Piacenza boasts a great number of historical palaces, often characterized by splendid gardens.   read more…

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