Crema, Lombardy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Crema Crèma  (Lombard)
Comune
Città di Crema
Town Hall in Piazza Duomo
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Province	Cremona (CR)
Frazioni	Santa Maria dei Mosi, Santo Stefano in Vairano, Vergonzana
Area
• Total	34 km2 (13 sq mi)
Elevation	79 m (259 ft)
Population  (31 December 2017)
• Total	34,264
• Density	1,008/km2 (2,610/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Cremaschi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	26013
Dialing code	0373
Patron saint	Saint Pantaleo
Saint day	10 June

Crema is a city in northern Italy. It is located in the Lombardy region, near the city of Cremona. Crema is built along the Serio River. It is also the home of the Catholic Bishop of Crema. The bishop gave Crema its official title as a city.

For a long time, Crema's economy was based on farming and raising animals. People also made wool products. Later, the city became known for making cheese, iron goods, and cotton and wool fabrics.

History of Crema

Crema's beginnings might be linked to the Lombards. They were a group of people who invaded Italy in the 6th century. Some say the name "Crema" comes from a Lombard word meaning "little hill." But this is probably not true, as the city isn't much higher than the land around it. Other ideas suggest the name is even older, perhaps from a word meaning "boundary." Some historians think Crema was founded in the 4th century CE. At that time, Milan was an important capital city. Others believe it was an even older settlement built by the Celts or Etruscans.

Crema first appeared in history books in the 11th century. It was owned by the counts of Camisano. Then, a powerful woman named Matilde ruled it. In 1098, Matilde gave Crema to the Bishop of Cremona. During this time, Crema's area became more successful. Farming grew, and a religious group called the Humiliates started processing wool. Making wool was the main way people earned money here until the 1800s.

Crema Cathedral

In 1159, Crema made a deal with Milan. They joined forces against Cremona. Because of this, the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa attacked Crema. His army surrounded the city, broke through its defenses, and destroyed it. The attack was very harsh.

After a peace treaty in 1183, the city was allowed to be rebuilt. It was made into a "castrum," which means a fortified town. Later, Henry VI gave it back to Cremona. Then, Crema became a free city, ruling itself. But like many cities in northern Italy back then, it had many arguments and fights between different groups. Even so, the city built new walls, ditches, and gates in 1199. They also built canals to help farming. In the 1200s, Crema got its famous cathedral and the Palazzo Pretorio.

Crema stopped being an independent city in 1335. It became part of the lands ruled by the Visconti family. They controlled the city until the end of the century. In 1361, the terrible Black Death disease reached Crema. For a short time, the Benzoni family ruled Crema. Then, the Visconti family took control again. From 1449 onwards, Crema became part of the Republic of Venice.

Santa Maria della Croce church

As a part of Venice, Crema received many special benefits. It was safe from the economic problems that affected the nearby Duchy of Milan. Crema kept a lot of control over its own affairs. This allowed for many new buildings to be constructed. These included new city walls and the rebuilding of the Town Hall (from 1525 to 1533). The Palazzo della Notaria, now called Palazzo Vescovile, was also built.

The 1600s marked a decline for the city. Its industries started to slow down, even though farming continued to do well. In 1796, a special school for agriculture was started. In 1797, the Republic of Venice fell. Crema then became part of a new French-controlled republic called the Cisalpine Republic. Later, it was part of Napoleon's Italian Kingdom. The French army removed the last local leader and created a new city government.

After the wars with Napoleon, Crema became part of Austria. This was decided at the Congress of Vienna. It was part of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. In 1859, Austria gave Lombardy, including Crema, to France. France then immediately gave it to Sardinia. This was part of the Risorgimento, a movement that united Italy. Sardinia became the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. In 1946, the Kingdom became the modern Italian Republic.

Main Sights in Crema

Crema has many interesting historical places to see:

• The Cathedral: This church is built in a style called Lombard-Gothic. It has a very tall bell tower that was finished in 1604.
• The Civic Museum: A great place to learn about the city's history.
• The Church of Santa Maria della Croce: This beautiful church was built between 1493 and 1500.
• The Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall): The main building for the city's government.
• The Palazzo Pretorio: This old palace has a medieval tower next to it.
• The Palazzo Vescovile: The official home of the bishop.
• The Palazzo Benvenuti Arrigoni Albergoni.
• The Santissima Trinità church.

You can also find many other interesting churches and old private palaces throughout the city center.

• 

  Santissima Trinità church

• 

  Palazzo Terni Gregori

• 

  Palazzo Vescovile, official residence of the bishop

• 

  Torrazzo

• 

  Porta Ombriano, western city gate

• 

  Porta Serio, eastern city gate

Culture

Civic Museum of Crema

The Civic Museum of Crema opened in the 1960s. It is located in an old Renaissance building that used to be a convent.

Crema's Cuisine

Crema is famous for its special dishes!

• Tortelli Cremaschi: This is the most important local dish. It's a type of pasta similar to ravioli. What makes it unique is its sweet filling! It has parmesan cheese, Amaretti di Saronno (almond cookies), raisins, candied fruit, spices, and a special spiced cookie called mostaccino.
• Salva: This is a special cheese from the Crema area. It's often eaten with green Lombard peppers that are preserved in vinegar.
• Pipèto: A simple dish often eaten in winter. It's a kind of flan made from cabbage, butter, garlic, parmesan, and nutmeg. It's usually served with sausage or boiled meat.

For sweets, Crema has:

• The Treccia d'Oro
• Bertolina Cake (Bertulina): A popular autumn cake made with red grapes. There's even a festival just for this cake!
• Spongarda: A fancier sweet that people enjoy all year round.

During Carnival time, people make chisulì. These are little balls filled with a mix of lemon peel, yeast, raisins, apple, and lard.

Sport

AC Crema 1908 is the local football team. They play at the Giuseppe Voltini Stadium. The team played in Italy's second-highest league (Serie B) right after World War II. A famous player named Renato Olmi, who was a world champion, played for them.

Famous People from Crema

Many interesting people have come from Crema:

• Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676), a composer who wrote music.
• Giovanni Giacomo Barbelli (1604–1656), a painter.
• Giovanni Bottesini (1821–1889), another composer.
• Luca Guadagnino (born 1971), a film director who lives in Crema. His movie, Call Me by Your Name, was filmed here in 2016.
• Beppe Severgnini (born 1956), a well-known writer and journalist.
• Andrea Marcolongo (born 1987), a writer.

Transport

Crema has a railway station. You can take regional trains from here.

Three main roads connect the city:

• SS 415 goes to Milan and Cremona.
• SS 591 goes to Piacenza and Bergamo.
• SS 235 goes to Brescia and Pavia.

The closest exits to major highways are near Lodi-Pieve Fissiraga (on the A1 highway) and Romano di Lombardia (on the A35 highway, which opened in 2014).

Sister Cities

Crema has special friendships with two other cities around the world:

• Melun, France, since 2001.
• Nanning, China, since 2015.

See also

In Spanish: Crema (Italia) para niños