Piacenza, the beautiful and elegant city where Giorgio Armani was born

A sad day for the fashion world. Today, September 4th, marks the end of a master of global fashion, a designer who redefined standards and became a true king in his field. Giorgio Armani has passed away at the age of 91, but his legacy will live on forever.

The famous designer always had a fondness for his beloved Milan , but he was born 70 kilometers away from that Italian city. He was born in the city of Piacenza , a destination renowned for its gastronomy and elegant architecture , and lived there until he was 15.

Piazza Cavalli, the heart of the city

The city of Piacenza stands on the right bank of the Po River , right on the border between the regions of Emilia-Romagna , to which it belongs, and Lombardy. Leonardo da Vinci passed through here, calling the city a "land of passage" due to its strategic position near Milan. And just as it welcomed the Florentine polymath with open arms, it welcomes all visitors with the same hospitality.

On a tour of Piacenza, the first stop should be Piazza Cavalli , the epicenter of the city. Its name comes from the two Baroque equestrian monuments dedicated to Ranuccio and Alessandro Farnese, father and son, who were Dukes and Lords of Parma and Piacenza. The Palazzo Comunale also stands here, with its facade divided between brick and white marble. Nicknamed the Gothic Palace, it is said to have housed the famous philosopher Petrarch, considered the father of humanism.

From the legacy of the Farnese to the eclectic cathedral

The Farnese Palace bears witness to the dynasty's rule over the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza for centuries. Today, this imposing 16th-century building houses the Civic Museums , where notable pieces such as a tondo of the Madonna and Child by Botticelli and the Liver of Piacenza, a bronze model of a sheep's liver with Etruscan inscriptions, are on display. Also not to be missed are the Farnese Walls that surrounded the historic center in the 16th century.

Continuing with the Piacenza museum scene, the Alberoni Gallery , which exhibits Antonello da Messina's Ecce Homo , and the Ricci Oddi Modern Art Gallery , where you can marvel at works from the 19th and 20th centuries, are also a must-see. Another must-see is the magnificent Piacenza Cathedral , dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and Santa Giustina. Its beautiful design combines Emilian Romanesque with later Gothic elements, and its interior houses a dome with frescoes by the Baroque painter Guercino.

Other churches worth visiting are Sant'Antonino and Santa Maria di Campagna . We should also add the Municipal Theatre and the staircase that connects Via Mazzini with Via San Bartolomeo to the itinerary. This staircase, known as the " Muntä di Rat" (the rat's mountain) is a legend that tells of mice climbing up it during the Po River floods to avoid drowning.