The celebrated Italian violin maker is Antonio Stradivari, commonly known as Stradivarius. He was born in 1644 in Cremona, Italy and is widely considered to be the most renowned of all violin makers. His instruments are highly sought after and are known for their superior sound quality. Stradivari's family of violin makers, the AMATI, were well-known in Cremona and had been making violins since the 16th century.