South of the Lombardia, the city of Cremona stands as a bulwark of an ancient tradition. In its ancient and elegant streets, art flows lively and impetuous. And so, breathing its essence and tasting its flavor, Cremona preserves the traditional art of liuteria. Although it is not easy to study, the Cremona violin making school easily conquers the podium for its beauty and its wealth of details. All that remains is to discover it with the background of his violins.
The ancient origin of a city full of history
In 218 BC i Romans they chose the area adjacent to the Po to build the city of Cremona. But the choice was due to strategic needs: Hannibal it was advancing menacingly towards the Empire and measures had to be taken. The Po it thus offered navigable access to Roman soldiers who exploited all the potential of the territory. In line with their major urban projects, they contributed to improving Cremona's connections with other cities. There via Regina it joined Cremona with Chiavenna, crossing the present city of Milano.
La Via Brixiana, on the other hand, it connected Cremona and the city of Brescia. Finally, there was a road that connected the city with the Lake Garda. In addition to urban planning, Cremona brings with it a pinch of mystery: according to legends, it would have been Hercules to lay the first stones.
The three T's of the city of Cremona
Cremona is nicknamed the city of three T. They should refer to the torrazzo, or the bell tower that dominates the city. Then, Nougat, one of the tasty delicacies offered by Cremona. And finally, according to some, the last T should refer to Ugo Tognazzi. On the contrary, according to others, the third T should refer to the large breasts of women in the area. Undoubtedly, the most interesting T is that of the torrazzo. Lying next to the Duomo, is the second tallest historical bell tower in Italy.
In fact, its 112,217 meters high offer a breathtaking view of the whole city that shows itself at 360 ° in all its beauty and elegance. Unfortunately, there is a downside: the seven bells inside don't ring as often as they used to. This is due to the instability of the tower.
Antonio Stradivari: the pride of Cremona
Musical craftsmanship occupies a considerable place in the heart of the Cremonese. Everywhere, in fact, one can see the respects that the shopkeepers and the city itself offer to the ancient art of violin making. In addition, the city was the birthplace of the great luthier Antonio Stradivari. Its birth dates back to 1644 and has placed stone (or wood) for the musical tradition. In addition, he took care of building other instruments, such as violas, guitars and harps. Its production reached striking numbers: around 1116 instruments. Even today some of them are used, fully functional. Their inestimable musical value has not been exhausted but still today oozes from the streets of the city. The fame of the luthier extended to several European countries and currently the most important collection is exhibited at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Undoubtedly, Cremona's musical and artisan culture will resonate in the air for a long, long time to come.
