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Bologna Attractions
A huge statue of a virile Neptune presides over the center of Bologna, facing the sweeping expanse of Piazza Maggiore and surrounded by crenellated 12th- and 13th-century palazzi and the enormous basilica di San Petronio. Just to the east the medieval Due Torri (Two Towers) lean tipsily towards each other, and beneath them the five main streets of the city spin out toward the ancient city gates. You can walk to just about any of the city’s sights from the piazza. Before you set out, take a look at one of the more intriguing presences, the Palazzo di Rei Enzo, on the northeast side. Enzo (1218–1272) was king of Sardinia and the illegitimate son of German Emperor Frederick II. While Enzo was studying at the University of Bologna, the papal-supporting Guelphs defeated the Ghibellines, who supported the Holy Roman Empire. Enzo, aligned with the Ghibellines, was imprisoned in this grim looking palace until his death 23 years later. He didn’t exactly languish in a dungeon—he was known for his lavish feasts, more than 150 romantic conquests, and a foiled escape attempt when his blonde hair, protruding from a basket, was a dead giveaway.
Staying Dry in Bologna
Almost 40km (25 miles) of porticos cover the sidewalks of Bologna. They seem purpose-built to provide the Bolognese with a venue to stroll and strut during the evening passeggiata, no matter how inclement the weather. Most are high enough to accommodate a man on horseback, as mandated by a 14th-century city ordinance. It’s said they were originally built to duplicate the porticos of the ancient Greek academies, giving students a place to walk and discourse, while pragmatists claim they allowed residents to extend the upper stories of their homes over the sidewalks, helping ease a medieval housing crunch. Showiest of all is the 3.5km (2 mi.) stretch of porticos, supported by 666 arches, that climb a green hillside to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca (www.sanlucabo.org). It’s said that Luke the Evangelist did the painting of Mary inside, and the views of the city and surrounding countryside are riveting.
Public Indecency
A Frenchman named Giambologna (the Italians altered his name) designed the Fontana di Nettuno (Neptune Fountain) in 1566 and gave the naked sea many rippling muscles and surrounded him with erotic cherubs and sirens spouting water from their breasts. The papal legate who occupied the Palazzo d’Accursio opposite deemed the spectacle indecent, but Giambologna got his revenge: If you approach the statue from its rear right side, you’ll notice that the left arm is positioned in such a way to suggest an indecently large . . . well, walk around the statue and see for yourself.
A Liitle-Known Treasure
Nicolo dell’Arca, famous for his carvings on Bologna’s tomb of St. Dominic, crafted another lesser-known but delightful work in the Church of Santa Maria della Vita, just off Piazza Maggiore at Via Clavature 8. His “Lamentation” is a set of life-size terracotta figures taking Christ from the cross; the expressions on the faces of the lamenters are etched in grief, and the grouping is one of the most humane and moving religious images you’ll encounter—even though they’re clumsily shored up with wood to prevent damage in an earthquake. The church is open daily (Mon–Sat 10am–noon and 3–7pm and Sun 3–7pm, but hours may vary), and admission is free.
10 Results
- Religious Site
Basilica di San Domenico
Spanish-born St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order and patron saint of astronomers, lived only 3 years in Bologna, but he rests forever here in a shrine designed by the 13th century’s greatest sculptor, Nicola Pisano. Raised in wealth, Dominic aligned himself with the poor as a… - Religious Site
Basilica di San Petronio
The massive church honoring Bologna’s patron, the 5th-century bishop Petronio, was begun in 1390, designed to be larger than St. Peter’s in Rome. Papal powers cut off funding to protect their status and the basilica remains unfinished—the formidable brick walls were never sheathed in… - Religious Site
Basilica di Santo Stefano
Bologna’s most storied religious site is actually seven churches, a stone maze of medieval apses, romantic porticos and courtyards awash in legend. Petronius, the fifth century bishop of Bologna, allegedly founded the church on the remains of a Roman temple to the earth goddess Isis.… - Landmark
Le due Torri
It’s been estimated that in the 12th and 13th centuries as many as 100 stone towers rose above the rooftops of Bologna, reaching heights of 100m (330 ft.). They were probably built as places of refuge and for offensive purposes, and they implied no small amount of wealth, since it… - Museum
Museo Civico Medievale
Treasures of medieval Bologna collected in the salons of the Palazzo Ghisilardi include priceless rare codici miniati (illuminated manuscripts) and gold vessels, but the most riveting pieces are a courtesan’s shoes and other commonplace artifacts of everyday life. Ordinary funeral… - Museum
Museo Ebraico
A thriving Jewish community existed in Bologna throughout the Middle Ages, until the Pope forced Jews into the Ghetto in 1555 and expelled them from the city in 1593. The museum movingly re-tells that story, but also ventures into the future, covering the history of the Jewish people… - Museum
Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna (MAMbo)
A former bread factory is the city’s showcase for the avant-garde, with an emphasis on post–World War II art. Aside from the occasional blockbuster temporary exhibition, the standout is the collection of 85 works by Giorgio Morandi. The Bolognese native once said, "What interests me… - Historic Site
Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio
It’s no accident that one of the grander buildings of Bologna University, completed in 1563, is adjacent to the basilica of San Petronio. Pope Pius IV commissioned a central hall to house the various university faculties on this site to prevent the basilica from expanding and… - Museum
Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna
Beginning in the late 18th century, the former St. Ignatius monastery began to house altar pieces and other works gathered from religious institutions throughout Bologna. The collection grew considerably after 1815 when many works the French had sent off to the Louvre were returned… - Religious Site
San Giacomo Maggiore (Church of St. James)
Members of Bologna’s most powerful 15th-century family are laid to rest in the Cappella Bentivoglio (behind the altar to the left; you must insert .50€ to light the chapel). Their likenesses appear in frescoes by Lorenzo Costa, who came to Bologna in the 1480s from Ferrara before…
Bologna Shopping
Gastronomic Bologna specialises in food shopping. Pick up souvenir olive oils and balsamic vinegars and drool at displays of pastas, cheeses and speciality meats. Bologna's stylish Galleria Cavour shopping arcade features cashmere clothing in Brunello Cucinelli, while intact old shops pepper the key shopping streets surrounding Piazza Maggiore square. Most shops open 9am-1pm and 4pm-7.30pm, and are closed on Sundays and Thursday afternoons.
Bologna Nightlife
Bologna is a vibrant university city with an equally lively nightlife. Bars and clubs congregate round Piazza Maggiore square and the hip University quarter, specialising in cocktails or sedate glasses of wine, the latest techno or live music at venues like Osteria Polese. Most clubs open approximately 9pm-3am and dress code is smart. Many bars serve food and drinks throughout the day and into the small hours.
6 Results
- Nightlife
Camera a Sud
Three shabby-chic rooms in the Jewish ghetto are part coffee house, part wine bar and late-night hangout, and popular any time of the day. - Jazz Clubs
Cantina Bentivoglio
You’ll hear some of the best jazz in Bologna in the cellars of a 16th-century palazzo near the university; unless you need to accompany your jazz with hard booze, select from one of the more than 500 labels that fill the wine racks. - Gay & Lesbian Bars
Cassero
Bologna’s most popular gay bar and club stretches over several floors of one Bologna’s medieval gates, with a roof garden and open-air dance floor on top. - Coffee Houses
Le Stanze
Four chic rooms fill the nooks and crannies of a 17th-century chapel; come for lunch or coffee, and on weekend evenings begin with cocktails (accompanied by a terrific buffet) and hang around for the DJ sets. - Bars & Pubs
Nu Lounge Bar
Hip young professionals check each other out (and themselves in the huge mirrors) while enjoying martinis under the porticos in the Quadrilatero. - Jazz Clubs
Osteria de Poeti
Bologna’s oldest osteria, feeding students since around 1600, not only dishes up cheap pastas and hearty secondi but live jazz and folk music as well, set against a mellow background of brick arches.
