CARPI

carpi, a town and episcopal see of emilia, italy, in the province of modena, 9 m. n.n.w. by rail from the town of modena. pop. (1905) 7118 (town), 27,135 (commune). it is the junction of a branch line to reggio nell' emilia via correggio, and the centre of a fertile agricultural district. carpi contains several renaissance buildings of interest, the facade of the old cathedral (an early romanesque building in origin, with some early 15th-century frescoes), the new cathedral (after 1513), perhaps the nave of s. niccolo and a palace, all being by baldassare peruzzi: while the prince's palace (with a good court and a chapel containing frescoes by bernardino loschi of parma, 1489-1540) and the colonnades opposite the theatre are also good. these, and the fortifications, are all due to alberto pio of carpi, a pupil of aldus manutius, expelled in 1525 by charles v., the principality being given to the house of este.