Congress Venue

Piacenza, rich in in monuments and famous for its culinary specialties, is conveniently situated near Milan, and is easily accessible by road, rail, or air (Milan Linate Airport). The city (Placentia in latin) was founded in 218 BC on the site of a key Roman military campsite guarding the Po River fording. In 217 BC it was the site of a major battle, which saw the destruction of a whole Roman army by Hannibal’s troops. Since then, Piacenza, defined by Leonardo da Vinci “a city of transit”, maintained its military and strategic vocation, but, in view of the productivity of its soil, the ingenuity of its inhabitants, and the commercial value of its position, was progressively enriched by stately palaces and churches, while wine and food treasures, including PDO cheeses and no less than 17 DOC wines, characterize the surrounding territory. It should not be forgotten that Piacenza holds an important place in the history of classical music, being the birthplace of Antonio Stradivari and Claudio Monteverdi, while the country estate of Giuseppe Verdi, from the 1850s onwards residence of the great composer, is located at Sant’Agata near Villanova sull’Arda, close to the city.

Piacenza reveals itself as a place of thousand surprises. Not to be missed is the complex of Palazzo Farnese, symbol of the splendor of the ancient Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, ruled by the Farnese family, one of the most important among the noble families of Renaissance Italy. Now Palazzo Farnese is home to the Civic Museums, including a unique Museum of Ancient Carriages, the Museum of the Italian “Risorgimento”, the Archaeological Museum, with famous works such as the Etruscan bronze divinatory liver (2nd-1st centuries B.C.), and collections of works of art, ancient weapons, and paintings, among which the “tondo” with the Madonna adoring the Child and St. John, by Sandro Botticelli.

The Alberoni Gallery, which houses 18 ancient tapestries of rare beauty and a masterpiece by Antonello da Messina, the extraordinary Ecce Homo, is located across the road from the Congress venue.

Congress Venue

The Congress venue, the Piacenza campus of the Catholic University in Via Emilia Parmense, 84, is hub of a dynamic international network and a reference center for research and higher education in law, agricultural sciences, food production technologies, management and related fields. The venue is at walking distance from several Hotels, look at the map to locate the congress venue, and can otherwise be reached by public transportation (city buses ….. ) or taxi cab.