One of the most important streets in Modena, corso Canal Chiaro takes its name from the canal of pure water that once flowed along it.
Starting from the portico of the Archibishop’s Palace, on the left, stand the most ancient houses in the town, at numbers 13 to 33. The second one has wonderful painted loggias.
Along the first side street on the right there are more old houses, but the attention is caught by number is 62: Palazzo Levizzani, built in the XVI century and restored by Alfonso Torreggiani in the years 1741-43. Formely the facade had a double portico, a sort of open market. For some years, this was the Modenese residence of the tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Going ahead, at numer 70, Palazzo Fogliani conserves on the capitals the family coat of arms (one of them dating back to 1491). On its left, the yellow house belonged to the Carandini family in the XV century, and was then restored by Vincenzo Maestri in 1879 in the Renaissance style.
On the right, via Ruggera leads to the church of San Barnaba°°, whereas on the left via dei Servi° begins, with the so called casa Morano (in brown brick, built during the Renaissance).
At number 92, the plaque indicates casa Malmusi: Giuseppe, Emilio, Attilio Regolo Ferdinando, Benedetto and Giulio were all involved in the Italian Risorgimento.
Then, on the right, what remains of the old church of San Giacomo: the apses are along the side of a charming little square, piazzetta San Giacomo°.
On the corner of the square with the church of San Francesco°, the historic and well-known Telesforo Fini’s delicatessen (number 139): here you can find Modenese culinary specialities.
The pink palace with a turret and balconies is called Lolli-Venturelli. The street leading off, on the right, is Calle di Luca, which takes its name from some Venetians who lived there, running some water mills when there was the canal. The big red edifice on the right is the Tintoria Bergolli (1770), with a large open top floor for drying the cloth.
