Fidenza, Historic commune in Province of Parma, Italy
Fidenza is a town in the Province of Parma in Emilia-Romagna, located along the Stirone river and historically serving as a stop on the Via Francigena pilgrimage route. The center is dominated by the Romanesque cathedral of San Donnino, with a sculptured facade attributed to Benedetto Antelami and a square opening beside it.
The settlement grew from a Gallic place called Vicumvia and became a Roman municipium in 41 BC along the Via Aemilia. During the Middle Ages the name changed to Borgo San Donnino and stayed that way until 1927, when the town reclaimed its ancient name.
The name Fidenza evolved from the Latin Fidentia, meaning trust, a word coined during the early Roman period. Today the old town displays facades typical of Emilia with red brickwork and low arcades where cafés and small shops line up along narrow streets.
The old center is easy to explore on foot, with most points of interest close together around the cathedral area. The train station sits about a ten-minute walk south of the historic center and offers regular connections to Parma and Milan.
The cathedral crypt holds the relics of Saint Donnino, who died as a martyr in the 3rd century and to whom the church is dedicated. The portal depicts Alexander the Great and Charlemagne, two figures seen in medieval times as models for Christian rulers.
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