Bologna la Dotta, Bologna la Rossa, Bologna la Grassa: three ways to define a city of a thousand shades, famous for its porticoes, its towers, its history... and its excellent food!
So here are 5 places not to be missed if you visit it (and where you can start your tour): enjoy it.
A truly unmissable point from which to start: the sanctuary is in fact connected to Bologna by almost 4 kilometres of Porticoes (don't worry: they go downhill!), the same ones that make up one of the most famous paths among the world's pilgrims (who walk them uphill).
Yes, a library: a modern and well-equipped space inside one of the most characteristic places in 19th-century Bologna. It is housed inside the 13th-century Palazzo Comunale, or Palazzo d'Accursio, a splendid medieval building.
A church that is literally impossible to miss: it is in fact the fifth largest church in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. The basilica is an impressive 132 metres long and 60 metres wide, but in the original design by architect Antonio di Vincenzo, which has unfortunately been lost, it was supposed to be even more imposing, with a length of over 183 metres and a transept that alone was supposed to measure 137 metres. It is dedicated to the Patron Saint of the city and has very ancient origins, having been built since 1390.
A little out of the way, but interesting for its history and original function. The structure, initially mistaken for a thermal bath from the Republican era (hence the toponym: 'Bagni di Mario'), was actually built in 1563 by architect Tommaso Laureti to bring water to the Neptune fountain, to which we have dedicated a separate article on Audiogiro.
115 metres long and 60 metres wide, it was commissioned by the city council as early as 1200, with a very specific function: to bring together the various city activities, especially commerce, and to establish a main point that would testify to the importance of the municipal institution. It can be defined as the true heart of Bologna, where some of its most representative buildings face each other, and which boasts a centuries-old history.
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