Emilia-Romagna: Bologna

Hotels Restaurants Sights Shopping

Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna. It’s a chic city with a manageable historical center. Almost half a million people live in Bologna and the town has commercial and educational aspects that add to the flavor of the town. As a matter of fact, the university here is one of the oldest in Europe (11^th century). I always start in the center of the old town: Piazza Maggiore and Piazza del Nettuno. Both are pedestrian areas and are filled with fine palazzi and buildings. Fontana di Nettuno/Neptune’s Fountain (16^th century) is in the Piazza del Nettuno. The Palazzo Communale/Town Hall (on the piazzas) is a 13^th century Gothic building (note the statue above the entryway - Pope Gregory XIII who was from Bologna). It is said that the reason the staircase (at the end of the courtyard) is so wide is that horse drawn carriages climbed up the stairs to the first floor (imagine that) to gain entrance. There are two museums inside this palazzo: the Collezioni Communali d’Arte and the Museo Morandi (fine paintings and water colors). The Palazzo del Podesta/Governor’s Palace (on Piazza Maggiore) is a 13^th century building with the Torre dell’Arengo (also 13^th century). Right next door is the Palazzo di Re Enzo where King Enzo of Sicily was kept a prisoner for 23 years. The Basilica di San Petronio (14^th century) is also in Piazza Maggiore and has a beautiful Gothic interior, frescoes and paintings that include the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian by Lorenzo Costa. The Museo Civico Archaeologico has a fine collection of Etruscan and Roman artifacts. The Egyptian section of this museum is one of the best in Italy (take time here). Towering (rather precariously — leaning to be exact…) over the Piazza di Porta Ravegnana are the Torre degli Asinelli (12^th century — the taller tower at 328 ft.) and the Torre Garisenda (11^th century — shorter tower at 158 feet) — both symbols of Bologna. The Pinacoteca Nazionale is a great museum with works from Bolognese artists (from the 14^th — 18^th century). There are also fine paintings by Francesco del Cossa, Lorenza Costa, Tintoretto, Vivarini, Francia and Raphael’s St. Cecilia (among other great works here). The Basilica di Santo Stefano is a grouping of four churches: Chiesa del Crocefisso, Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro, Chiesa di Santi Vitale e Agricola and the Chiesa della Trinita. Do take time to visit these churches as the architecture is very interesting. Do check out the Fontana di Pilato in the courtyard. The Basilica di San Domenico (13^th century) was dedicated to Saint Dominic who opened a convent here. The Cappella di San Domenico houses the saint’s sarcophagus (a magnificent tomb). Many artists worked on the chapel and interestingly it was Michelangelo who painted the kneeling angel and two saints. Look closely at the angel (to the right of the altar) — do you note any resemblance to Michelangelo’s David? Yes! San Giacomo Maggiore (13^th century) is a Romanesque/Gothic church. The church contains the Cappella Bentivoglio with frescoes by Lorenzo Costa. The Chiesa di San Francesco is in the French Gothic style (do see the altar). The Santuario della Madonna di San Luca is an 18^th century church set on a hilltop. Friday and Saturday are Market days in Bologna.