Parma

Parma is a city in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy. It is known for its beautiful buildings, music, art, and tasty foods like prosciutto and cheese. Many people visit to see the lovely countryside around the city.

As of 2025, about 202,111 people live in Parma. It is the second largest city in Emilia-Romagna after Bologna, the capital of the region.

The city has the University of Parma, which is one of the oldest universities in the world. Parma is split into two parts by a small river. The area on the west side is called Oltretorrente, meaning "The other side of the stream." Long ago, the Etruscans lived in the area, and the Romans later used the name Parma.

History

Parma has a long and interesting history. It was already an important place during the Bronze Age, with early villages called "terramare" built on wooden piles.

The city was likely founded by the Etruscans and later became a Roman colony in 183 BC. It grew as a key road hub and had a forum in what is now Garibaldi Square. After being destroyed in 43 BC, it was rebuilt by Augustus.

During the Middle Ages, Parma became a significant stop on the Via Francigena, a major road connecting Rome to Northern Europe. Many castles, hospitals, and inns were built to welcome travelers.

In more recent times, Parma was part of various states, including the Papal States and the Duchy of Parma. It joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1860. The city faced challenges, including economic crises and wartime damage during World War II, but it continued to grow and develop.

Geography

Climate

Parma has warm summers and cool winters. The average high temperature is 17 °C (63 °F) and the average low is 9 °C (48 °F). The city gets about 777 millimetres (30.59 inches) of rain each year. Because Parma is far from the coast, nearby mountains keep the sea air away. In winter, the city usually gets around 45 centimetres of snow.

Demographics

As of 2025, Parma had a population of about 199,000 people. About half were male and half were female. Young people made up about 15% of the population, and about 23% were older adults. This is a bit higher than the rest of Italy.

Between 2011 and 2021, Parma's population grew by about 11%, while the rest of Italy’s population decreased slightly. The number of people born outside of Italy in Parma grew a lot during this time.

On January 1, 2016, most people in Parma were Italian. The biggest groups of people from other countries came from Europe, such as Moldova, Romania, Albania, and Ukraine. Other groups came from Africa and the Philippines.

Main sights

Religious buildings

• Parma Cathedral – a big church that started in 1090, with old statues and beautiful paintings on the ceiling.
• Baptistery – a special marble building next to the cathedral where people are baptized.
• San Giovanni Evangelista – an old church with amazing paintings inside.
• Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata – a special church with beautiful round walls and more great paintings.
• Sant'Uldarico, Parma – a church from a long time ago that used to be part of a big home.
• San Paolo, Parma – an old place with special paintings inside a small room.
• San Francesco del Prato – a church that looked different for a while but now shows old paintings again.
• Santa Croce – a church with a simple shape and old paintings on the walls.
• San Sepolcro – a church built over an even older building, with a tall tower and bells.
• Santa Caterina d'Alessandria – a church with tall, narrow windows and a simple outside look.
• Santa Maria del Quartiere – a unique church with a six-sided shape and pretty paintings on the ceiling.
• San Rocco – a church built in a fancy style, honoring one of Parma's special protectors.
• Santa Cristina – a church with lots of detailed decorations made from a special kind of plaster.

Secular buildings

• Palazzo Ducale – a big old home for important leaders, with fancy rooms and a special theatre inside.
• Palazzo della Pilotta – a big building that now holds many museums and art schools. It was damaged during a big war but fixed up.
• Palazzo del Giardino – a large home built for a duke, grown bigger over time, with a beautiful park nearby.
• Palazzo del Comune – the city’s main offices.
• Palazzo del Governatore – an old palace for a leader of the city.
• Bishop's Palace – the home of the church leader, right next to the main church.
• Ospedale Vecchio – an old hospital that was made newer later on.
• Palazzo Tarasconi – a historic building now used for shows and events.

Other sites of interest

• The Cittadella – a strong wall built a long time ago by a duke to protect the city.
• Pons Lapidis – pieces left of an old stone bridge from ancient times.
• Orto Botanico di Parma – a garden for plants studied by scientists at the university.
• Teatro Farnese – a wooden theatre made for a special visit by an important leader.
• Teatro Regio – the city’s main opera house with a fancy outside look.
• Auditorium Niccolò Paganini – a place for concerts designed by a famous architect.
• Museum House of Arturo Toscanini – the home where a famous music leader was born, now a museum.
• Museo Lombardi – a museum with art and history from important times in Parma.

Culture

Food and cuisine

Parma is famous for its tasty food and rich traditions. Two of its most well-known foods are Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma ham. Both of these foods have special protection. Parma is also known for its stuffed pasta dishes, like tortelli d'erbetta and anolini in brodo.

In 2004, Parma became the home of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and joined the Creative Cities Network as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Big food companies like Barilla and Parmalat are based there. Many visitors come to enjoy the city's delicious foods through programs like Parma Golosa and Food Valley.

• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the true "Parmesan"
• Prosciutto di Parma (cured ham)
• Tortelli d'erbetta
• Anolini in brodo

Frazioni

The city of Parma is divided into many smaller areas called frazioni. Some of these areas include Alberi, Baganzola, Beneceto, Botteghino, and many more. There are many neighborhoods that make up the beautiful city of Parma.

Notable people

Painters and sculptors

Parma has been home to many famous artists. Some well-known painters and sculptors from Parma include Michelangelo Anselmi, who was born in Tuscany, and Benedetto Antelami, an architect and sculptor. Other notable painters are Alessandro Araldi, Sisto Badalocchio, and Jacopo Bertoia. Antonio da Correggio, another famous painter, was born in Correggio, near Parma.

More painters from Parma include Francesco Marmitta, Filippo Mazzola, and Parmigianino, who is one of the most famous artists from the city. Other artists from Parma are Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli, Giovanni Maria Francesco Rondani, and Bartolomeo Schedoni.

Others

Parma has also been home to many famous people in other fields. Vittorio Adorni was a well-known cyclist, and Giovanni Amighetti was a composer and musician. The Amoretti Brothers were famous typographers. Andrea Belicchi and Pietro Gandolfi were racing drivers, and Attilio Bertolucci was a poet. Bernardo Bertolucci and Giuseppe Bertolucci were both famous directors.

Other famous people from Parma include Giambattista Bodoni, a typographer, and Vittorio Bottego, an explorer. Cleofonte Campanini was a conductor. Adalgisa Gabbi was an opera singer, and Francesco Gabriele Frola was a ballet dancer.

Vittorio Gallese was a physiologist, and Fiorello Giraud was an opera singer. Giovannino Guareschi was a writer, and Enzo Magnanini and Marcus Thuram were footballers. Adriano Malori was a cyclist, and Artemio Motta was a composer. Franco Nero and Giuseppe Verdi were both famous actors and composers. Niccolò Paganini, a famous musician, is buried in Parma. Arturo Toscanini was a conductor, and Paul Yeboah, known as Bello FiGo, was a singer. Simone Feroci was a bassist, and Jerry Torre was a footballer. Sergio Costa was a businessman and the founder of Costa Coffee.

Sport

Parma Calcio 1913 is a football team that began in 2015. They play in the top league called Serie A and have a home stadium named Stadio Ennio Tardini that can hold up to 23,000 people.

The city also has a rugby team named Zebre that plays in a top competition around the world. There are also other rugby teams, an American football team called Parma Panthers, a volleyball team, and a baseball team. They all have their own special places to play in Parma.

Economy and infrastructure

Parma has a strong economy, especially in food. Big companies like Barilla and Chiesi Farmaceutici have their main offices in the city. The European Food Safety Authority is also here.

Transport

Parma railway station is part of the Milan–Bologna railway system. The city has a Parma trolleybus system that has been running since 1953, replacing an older tramway network. There are four trolleybus routes today. Parma has its own airport, Aeroporto Internazionale di Parma, but it offers only a few flights to European places. The closest big international airport is Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport, about 94 km (58 mi) away.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Parma is twinned with:

• Bourg-en-Bresse, France
• Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Shijiazhuang, China
• Szeged, Hungary
• Tours, France
• Worms, Germany
• Stockton, United States