THE OLTRETORRENTE

The Parma River, with its wide, gravelly river bed, divides the town in half. To the east, the affluent part of town with its seats of power and the historical landmarks previously described. To the west, the more working-class section. Today, now that the tell-tale signs of centuries of poverty have disappeared, what remains is the charm of a less-exclusive, less-frequented area whose shops and houses bear a genteel "lived-in" air. Of particular interest: Via D'Azeglio (Ospedale Vecchio, Church of SS. Annunziata), B.go delle Grazie, Strada dei Farnese (Arturo Toscanini's birthplace), P.le Barbieri, Barriera Bixio and Porta S. Francesco.