PIACENZA, pe-i-ch&i'zi (ancient PLACEN• TIA), Italy, city, capital of the province of Pia cenza; one-third mile south of the Po River; 43 miles southeast of Milan and 35 miles north west of Parma. It is a fortified city and has always been considered of great strategic and commercial importance. The fortifications are kept in repair and improved from time to time as new defense methods are introduced. The city was founded 219 B.c by the Romans. About 20 years later it was destroyed by the Gauls. When the Via /Emilia, a Roman military road, was constructed, the western terminus was at Piacenza. The city entered the Lombard League in the 12th century, later fell under the domination of the Visconti, the Sforza, and the popes. In 1545 Pope )Saul pre sented it together with Parma (q.v.) to his son Pier Luigi Farnese. From then on its political fortunes followed those of Parma.
Among the historic buildings of Piacenza is the ancient church, San Sisto, rebuilt in 1499 1511, for which Raphael, about 1515, painted the Sistine Madonna. This picture was sold, in 1753, to Frederick Augustus of Saxony and is now in the Dresden Gallery. Other noted
buildings are the cathedral (1122), in which there are paintings by Guercino, Carracci and others. The church of Santa Maria di Cam pagna has fine frescoes by Pordenone; the square has sonic fine equestrian statues. The public library has about 120,000 volumes. The Palazzo Municipale is an impressive building dating back to 1281. The huge, uncompleted Palazzo Farnese, begun in 1558, now serves as a military barrack. It has modern theatres, hospitals and educational institutions. It has considerable manufacturing interests, especially in silk, cotton and woolen goods, pottery, wine, cheese and machinery. In the vicinity are valu able marble quarries. Pop. commune about 40,000. •onsult (Monumenta Historica ad Provincias Parmensem et Placentinam Per tinentia) (8 vols., Parma 1855-60) ; Giarelli, (Storia di Piacenza) (2 vols., Piacenza 1889) ; Jordan, L.,