Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Modena
open-in-new
<p>Modena is a city and <i><a href="/facts/Comune/Bxsc8IYY">comune</a></i> (municipality) on the south side of the <a href="/facts/Po_Valley/ouh4TXtm">Po Valley</a>, in the <a href="/facts/Province_of_Modena/KSIVQTrU">Province of Modena</a>, in the <a href="/facts/Emilia-Romagna/T4ag5xaR">Emilia-Romagna</a> region of <a href="/facts/Northern_Italy/paEuCnnf">northern Italy</a>. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. </p><p>A town, and seat of an <a href="/facts/Archbishop/5qxa8woF">archbishop</a>, it is known for its car industry since the factories of the famous Italian upper-class <a href="/facts/Sports_car/R8l15RXB">sports car</a> makers <a href="/facts/Ferrari/HdvDk90a">Ferrari</a>, <a href="/facts/De_Tomaso/T4dkYdTd">De Tomaso</a>, <a href="/facts/Lamborghini/UQyUKejC">Lamborghini</a>, <a href="/facts/Pagani_Automobili/CjkAt93I">Pagani</a> and <a href="/facts/Maserati/r4L72G4A">Maserati</a> are, or were, located there and all, except Lamborghini, (having their factory in <a href="/facts/Sant%2527Agata_Bolognese/Mb1CbrWd">Sant'Agata Bolognese</a>), have headquarters in the city or nearby. One of Ferrari's cars, the <a href="/facts/Ferrari_360/RIpFB0VD">360 Modena</a>, was named after the town itself. Ferrari's production plant and <a href="/facts/Formula_One/BwdePyWY">Formula One</a> team <a href="/facts/Scuderia_Ferrari/aa79KuLs">Scuderia Ferrari</a> are based in <a href="/facts/Maranello/I59R5H4k">Maranello</a> south of the city. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/University_of_Modena/v9fSKxPm">University of Modena</a>, founded in 1175 and expanded by <a href="/facts/Francesco_II_d%2527Este/9fPE5EIT">Francesco II d'Este</a> in 1686, focuses on <a href="/facts/Economics/HYctA2Dn">economics</a>, <a href="/facts/Medicine/2fnp90Je">medicine</a> and <a href="/facts/Law/luzxWkg0">law</a>, and is the second oldest athenaeum in Italy. Italian military officers are trained at the <a href="/facts/Military_Academy_of_Modena/yhheLRK1">Military Academy of Modena</a>, and partly housed in the Baroque <a href="/facts/Ducal_Palace_of_Modena/XtvIKzu0">Ducal Palace</a>. The <a href="/facts/Biblioteca_Estense/xfxMrrKz">Biblioteca Estense</a> houses historical volumes and 3,000 manuscripts. The <a href="/facts/Duomo_di_Modena/EY24IlsU">Cathedral of Modena</a>, the <a href="/facts/Torre_della_Ghirlandina/sx0rncWl">Torre della Ghirlandina</a> and Piazza Grande are a <a href="/facts/UNESCO/QSbkRv3o">UNESCO</a> <a href="/facts/World_Heritage_Site/6AbWWKV4">World Heritage Site</a> since 1997. Modena is also known in culinary circles for its production of <a href="/facts/Balsamic_vinegar/48g1o2UK">balsamic vinegar</a>. </p><p>Famous <i>Modenesi</i> include <a href="/facts/Mary_of_Modena/tRjktFgI">Mary of Modena</a>, the <a href="/facts/Queen_consort/z6d39GDh">Queen consort</a> of England and Scotland; operatic tenor <a href="/facts/Luciano_Pavarotti/bCeeMYph">Luciano Pavarotti</a> and soprano <a href="/facts/Mirella_Freni/SAxUIGJY">Mirella Freni</a>, born in Modena itself; <a href="/facts/Enzo_Ferrari/eLU77zn1">Enzo Ferrari</a>, eponymous founder of the Ferrari motor company; Catholic priest <a href="/facts/Gabriele_Amorth/HDnSsuS2">Gabriele Amorth</a>; chef <a href="/facts/Massimo_Bottura/nrK81meB">Massimo Bottura</a>; comics artist <a href="/facts/Franco_Bonvicini/K8yIqoET">Franco Bonvicini</a>; the band <a href="/facts/Modena_City_Ramblers/njKIw4gY">Modena City Ramblers</a> and singer-songwriter <a href="/facts/Francesco_Guccini/2Ue49A2A">Francesco Guccini</a>, who lived here for several decades. </p>