Faenza

Faenza (UK: fah-ENT-sə, US: fah-EN-zə, Italian: [faˈɛntsa]; Romagnol: Fènza or Fẽza; Latin: Faventia) is a comune (municipality) with 58,746 inhabitants in the Province of Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The city is historically renowned for its production of artistic ceramics, to the extent that maiolica, due to the fame of local craftsmanship, is known worldwide as faience. Under the rule of the Manfredi, Faenza entered a period of significant growth that peaked during the Renaissance and Baroque eras, shaping its art and architecture. Due to its vibrant artistic and cultural activity, between the 18th and 19th centuries, it became a prominent center of Neoclassicism in Italy and Europe, with the finest example today being the National Museum of Palazzo Milzetti. Located just west of the heart of Romagna, at the foot of the first slopes of the Faenza Apennines, it serves as the administrative seat of the Union of Faenza Romagna and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Faenza-Modigliana. The economy is based on a productive system that includes agricultural, manufacturing, mechanical, agri-food, and service activities, linked to ceramic production and integrated with research and innovation activities in the fields of advanced materials, environmental sustainability, and technologies applied to agriculture and industry. Faenza is recognized as an area with an established ceramic tradition according to the National Ceramic Council. In October 2025, it received the designation of “UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts”.