Once known as ‘Rua Grande’, via Farini is dominated by the imposing facade of the Ducal Palace°°, so perfect in its wonderful position. The name derives from Lugi Carlo Farini, statesman of Emilia-Romagna who led the region to the Unification of Italy in the middle of the XIX century.
According to some, the crossroads between the street and via Emilia°° was a crucial point of the ancient Roman town, whose ruins colud still be underground. Here a stone column stood for centuries, now in the Palazzo dei Musei°: built to commemorate the mass grave of the Germans dead in the wars with Frederick Barbarossa (XII century). In 1599, along the street, from the facade of the Palazzo Ducale°°, came the shot which killed Marco Pio, the lord of the city of Sassuolo, who threatened to undermine the Estense dominating the hills.
The palace at the corner of the via Emilia°° is called Gilly-Cloetta (formerly a theatre, founded in the XVIII century, and then rebuilt by Cesare Costa in 1862): there is a nice gallery which links the two streets. Number 12, Palazzo Rangoni Machiavelli is a good example of an aristocratic residence of the XVII century. Almost at the end of the street, before largo San Giorgio°¸ the Giusti delicatessen is the oldest in Europe: established in 1605, it is still going strong!
