Things to see in Maranello

Maranello is a town in Modena Province, 18 km south of Modena city in northern Italy. It's best known as the home of Ferrari motors and their racing team, and in 2017 had a population of 17,500.

Maranello is close to two other large towns, which it's convenient also to describe here: Formagine (population 31,640) with a medieval castle, and Sassuolo (population 40,270) with the Ducal Palace.

Museo Ferrari.

You can also see part of the Fiorano test circuit from the road into town. If there is testing going on, expect to see a cluster of tifosi - Ferrari fans.

Chiesa di San Biagio (Church of St Blaise). The earliest documented church was in 1375, using parts of the castle. The present church was completed in 1903 in neo-Gothic style, with the belltower added over the next decade. Castello di Spezzano. This 11th century castle has a frescoed gallery with scenes of battles fought by Duke Alfonso I d'Este (1527-1531). On the lower floor is a hall with mid-16th century landscapes commissioned by Marco III Pio. A pentagonal tower once housed a prison and is now a vinegar store. The castle now hosts a ceramics museum. Castello di Formigine. Built in 1201 but destroyed, so the present castle is from about 1400. It was owned by the Calcagnini family from 1648 until 1946, when it became city council offices. From 1998 it was restored, re-opening as a museum in 2007. Palazzo Ducale. The Ducal Palace was designed by Bartolomeo Avanzini in 1634. In 1638–56 the interior was frescoed by the French Baroque painter Jean Boulanger and others.