Architecture sights in Bologna
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Basilica di Santo Stefano
From Bologna's two leaning towers, head southeast along Via Santo Stefano for the Basilica di Santo Stefano, an atmospheric medieval religious complex. Originally there were seven churches – hence the basilica’s nickname Sette Chiese – but only four remain. Entry is via the 11th-century Chiesa del Crocefisso, which houses the bones of San Petronio and leads through to the Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro. This austere octagonal structure probably started life as a baptistry. Next door, the Cortile di Pilato is named after the central basin in which Pontius Pilate is said to have washed his hands after condemning Christ to death. In fact, it’s an 8th-century Lombard artefact. Bey…
reviewed
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Basilica Santuario della Madonna di San Luca
About 3.5km southwest of the centre of Bologna, the hilltop Basilica Santuario della Madonna di San Luca houses a representation of the Virgin Mary, supposedly painted by St Luke and transported from the Middle East to Bologna in the 12th century. The 18th-century sanctuary is connected to the city walls by the world’s longest portico, held aloft by 666 arches, beginning at Piazza di Porta Saragozza. Take bus 20 from the city centre to Villa Spada, from where you can continue by minibus (buy the €3.40 return ticket on board) to the sanctuary. Alternatively, continue one more stop on bus 20 to the Meloncello arch and walk the remaining 2km under the arches.
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B
Basilica di San Petronio
Dominating the piazza’s southern flank, the Gothic Basilica di San Petronio ([tel]051 22 54 42; [hours]7.45am-12.30pm & 3.30-6pm) is Bologna’s greatest church. Dedicated to the city’s patron saint and measuring 132m by 66m by 47m, it’s the world’s fifth-largest basilica. Surprisingly, though, it was never finished. Originally it was intended to be larger than St Peter’s in Rome, but in 1561, some 169 years after building had started, Pope Pius IV blocked construction by commissioning a new university on the basilica’s eastern flank. As a result the facade was never completed and if you walk along Via dell’Archiginnasio you can see semiconstructed apses poking out oddly.…
reviewed
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C
Basilica di San Domenico
The Basilica di San Domenico was built in 1238 to house the remains of San Domenico, founder of the Dominican order, who died in 1221. His elaborate sarcophagus is in the Cappella di San Domenico, which was designed by Nicola Pisano and later added to by a host of artists. Michelangelo carved the angel on the right of the altar when he was only 19. Notice, too, the intricately executed wooden tableaux of the choir stalls. When Mozart spent a month at the city’s music academy, he occasionally played the church’s organ.
reviewed
