from Italy in transition: public scenes and private opinions in 1860 by William Arthur ,1860

For a long time the lamps at the gate of Piacenza gleamed across the plain, as we slowly and wearily made our way to the banks of the Po; then we came upon a great bridge of boats, loosely put together, to replace the one which the Austrians had destroyed. The river is immensely broad. We passed through ruins upon ruins of fortifications demolished by the Austrians; then by a huge building, like some two or three greatest Manchester warehouses piled together, which we understood was a barrack; finally through a narrow and dirty street into the hotel. Here we found an odd combination of grandeur, kindness, and dirt. The latter is a very tolerable thing for a well seasoned traveller, as long as it continues inanimate;... The name Piacenza means "charm, grace, pleasantness," &c. ... for the city itself, if one must tell the truth in plain words, it is flat and dirty, without fine buildings or pleasant walks.