The Albinelli Market is absolutely one of the visits to do if you decide to come to Modena. It is one of my favorite places in the city that I try to visit as often as possible. Usually I go there on Saturday morning, when I have more time, both for shopping and for enjoying the magic atmosphere that you can breathe inside. This market is “the place” of tradition, where the Modenese values of culture and gastronomy find their highest expression.
A bit of history
Opened in October 28th 1931 , Albinelli Market has just had its eighty-fourth birthday.
With its opening, the retail trade has moved from “Piazza Grande”, the square which until then was the point of reference for trading, to Albinelli street, transforming the street vendors into stable traders.
As it’s explained on the Albinelli Market website: “the covered Market project had the goal first to relieve the pressure on the city center day in and day out full of stalls, to protect from severe weather and regulate the permanent piazza vendors then to discourage the activities of the street vendors considered socially dangerous because difficult to control”.
Therefore Albinelli Market was built on the site of the traditional local butcher (the slaughterhouse) and the fish market. The market street was renamed and called “Albinelli” in honor of the mayor who decided to build it, Luigi Albinelli.
Designed by engineer Giuseppe Tubini, several years prior to its realization, the Albinelli Market has a structure that looks “industrial”, typical of the architectural production of the nineteenth century, conferred by the impressive elegantly handmade iron coils. In the center of the market is proudly displayed the fountain of the “little girl with the basket of fruit” , made by Giuseppe Graziosi. Over the years, the market has undergone several restorations and modernizations, the last of which ended in 1997.
Today
It is a characteristic historical place of Modena where you can find fresh, genuine and quality products linked to the traditional cuisine of Modena, visited weekly by about 30,000 visitors.
Take a walk among the stalls, in a warm and “colored” atmosphere, is an experience that I highly recommend: it puts you in a good mood and stimulates your appetite! 🙂
All markets are beautiful for me, every time I visit a new city I visit its market. You can understand many things from the local markets. Obviously I’m particularly fond of my city market. Probably it is for the air that make me feel at home or perhaps because here you can still find an authentic “Modenese” feeling belonging more to the past but Albinelli Market is a place that is able to “wrap” and involve you, through its products and “its” people, the customers and merchants with who you can always have a chat maybe even in Modenese dialect 🙂
“Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single
most significant trademarks of a culture.”
Mark Kurlansky
The story of Albinelli Market is also on Steller:
The Albinelli Market is in:
via Luigi Albinelli 13
41100 Modena
Tel. +39/ 059 211218
web site: www.mercatoalbinelli.it
Opening hours: from Monday to Saturday, 6.30 am to 2.30 pm. On Saturdays and days preceding a holiday from 16.30 pm and 19.30 pm. Evening openings: Friday and Saturday from 18.00 to 24.00 pm.
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