L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano C r e m o n a m a y n o t b e a s w e l l known as other cities in Lombar- dia like Milan or Pavia, but it has a lot to offer to an attentive visitor. Never mind if you are into history, folklore, architecture, or food, the town has something for you. I t w a s f o u n d e d b y t h e Romans in 218 BC and played a significant role during the Empire as a military and trad- ing post. Legends say, howev- er, that Cremona had semi- divine origins because its first stone was laid by Hercules. According to this tradition Hercules, while returning f r o m o n e o f h i s f a m o u s a d v e n t u r e s — s p e c i f i c a l l y a f t e r s e c u r i n g t h e G o l d e n Apples of the Hesperides in Iberia — paused to rest in the rich plains along the Po River i n n o r t h e r n I t a l y . A t t h a t time, the area was besieged by a group of formidable giants w h o p r e y e d u p o n l o c a l s , instilling fear and disrupting their peaceful lives. The vil- lagers, desperate for relief from the relentless tyranny of their oppressors, found out Hercules was in the area, and, with hope rekindled, sent a delegation of their elders to the demigod and asked him to a i d t h e m i n t h e i r p l i g h t . Moved by their plea, Hercules agreed to confront the enemy for them. In a display of courage and s t r e n g t h , h e e n g a g e d t h e giants in a fierce battle and won, freeing the land and restoring peace and security. In gratitude for his heroic i n t e r v e n t i o n , t h e p e o p l e wished to offer Hercules the greatest honors and treasures they possessed, but Hercules sought no material reward, rather, he helped locals by laying the foundations of a new fortified city, which could guarantee their safety for cen- turies to come: he called it l i k e h i s o w n m o t h e r , Alcmene, which eventually became known as Cremona. D u r i n g o u r s t r o l l i n i t s Renaissance streets, we can't miss a visit to the cathedral, d e d i c a t e d t o S a n t a M a r i a A s s u n t a , a n i m p o s i n g Romanesque-Gothic struc- ture at the city's heart. Con- struction began in the 12th century, and over the years, it has seen additions and reno- vations that introduced ele- ments of both Renaissance and Baroque styles; its façade is a masterpiece of religious architecture, featuring beau- tifully carved portals, sculp- tures, and a superb series of frescoes inside. The interior houses also other important artworks, including a magnif- i c e n t a l t a r p i e c e b y t h e Renaissance painter Altobel- lo Melone. Adjacent to the cathedral, t h e T o r r a z z o o f C r e - mona stands as the symbol of the city. It is considered the tallest pre-modern tower in Italy, and possibly, the oldest brick structure of such h e i g h t s t i l l s t a n d i n g . A t approximately 112 meters (367 feet), it offers breathtak- ing views of the city and its surroundings, and its astro- nomical clock, dating from 1583, is one of the largest and oldest in the world. The Tor- razzo is also associated with another popular legend, cen- t e r e d a r o u n d a G a l l i c prince and a lion. After the Lombards destroyed the city, it remained abandoned for a long time until, one day, a prince set up camp near its ruins with his army. A lion w i t h a t h o r n i n i t s p a w approached them, limping, but the prince wasn't scared; instead, he helped the lion by removing the thorn. Grateful, the lion brought back a deer as a gift and then followed t h e p r i n c e a l l t h e w a y t o R o m e . I t w a s o n l y u p o n r e a c h i n g R o m e t h a t t h e prince realized their initial meeting place was Cremona. W h e n t h e l i o n p a s s e d away on their way back, the prince decided to rebuild Cremona in memory of their friendship: the first thing he did was bury the lion's bones under what is now known as t h e T o r r a z z o , t h e c i t y ' s famous tower. For a long time, a metal lion statue with a raised paw stood on top of the Torrazzo, symbolizing the wounded lion the prince had helped. According to legends, it was later used to make a large bell. But Cremona isn't only a place for arts and architec- ture lovers, it's also a perfect d e s t i n a t i o n i f y o u h a v e a sweet tooth because it's here that torrone was first creat- ed. As many of you probably know, torrone is made from a blend of honey, sugar, egg whites, and toasted almonds or other nuts, encased in a wafer-like shell, and it was created in Cremona. The story most often asso- ciated with its origins dates b a c k t o t h e 1 5 t h c e n t u r y , specifically to the wedding of Bianca Maria Viscon- ti and Francesco Sforza in 1441. To celebrate this auspi- cious occasion, a confection resembling the famous Tor- r a z z o w a s c r e a t e d a n d named "torrone," deriving its name from the tower it was meant to represent. Over time, the production and consumption of torro- n e e v o l v e d , w i t h v a r i o u s r e c i p e s a n d v a r i a t i o n s emerging, including choco- late-coated torrone and ver- sions with different nuts or dried fruits; but the tradi- t i o n a l r e c i p e r e m a i n s a beloved standard, especially during the holiday season and at the annual Festa del Torrone, a festival dedicat- ed to celebrating this sweet treat. Of course, we couldn't talk a b o u t C r e m o n a w i t h o u t mentioning what is, perhaps, its most famous and iconic export, the violin. The con- nection between the city and this beautiful instrument was born in the 16th century and revolves around the evolu- tion of stringed instrument m a k i n g , a c r a f t t h a t h a s turned Cremona into a syn- onym for excellence in the world of classical music and lutherie. The city's legacy in violin-making is connected to t h e l e g e n d a r y f i g u r e s of A n t o n i o S t r a d i v a r i , Andrea Amati, and Giu- seppe Guarneri, each of whom played a pivotal role in the development of the craft. But let's take a closer look at i t : t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e lutherie tradition in Cremona can be traced back to the Amati family in the 16th cen- tury, particularly to Andrea Amati, who is credited with creating the earliest known examples of the modern vio- l i n . T h e A m a t i s n o t o n l y r e f i n e d t h e d e s i g n a n d acoustics of stringed instru- m e n t s b u t a l s o l a i d t h e groundwork for a tradition of craftsmanship that would define the city for genera- t i o n s . F o l l o w i n g i n t h e s e footsteps, Antonio Stradi- vari and Giuseppe Guar- neri del Gesù, among oth- ers, further advanced the art of violin making in Cremona, experimenting with shapes, varnishes, and construction techniques that resulted in instruments of unparalleled sound quality and beauty. S t r a d i v a r i i s p e r h a p s t h e m o s t w e l l - k n o w n v i o l i n maker in the world, with his violins still celebrated today f o r t h e i r p e r f e c t b l e n d o f form, function, and acoustic excellence. CHIARA D'ALESSIO Cremona in focus: a tale of music, history and timeless traditions A view of Cremona from the top of the Torrazzo (Photo: Tino Serraiocco/Dreamstime) and, bottom right, a lutist's workshop (Photo: Claudio Giovanni Colombo/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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