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The centre piece of Bologna is the charismatic Piazza Maggiore. This magnificent square was created in 1200 and was the site of an ancient Roman Forum. These days it is lined with some of the city's most important buildings.
The most prominent of these is the Basilica di San Petronio, with its incomplete façade. The large basilica is a must see and there is no fee to enter.
Also on the square you will see the Palazzo Comunale, the city's town hall. Located on the western side of the square, this large fortress-like building was built in 1287 and has a lovely clock tower which was added in 1773. Inside the palazzo you can visit the Museo Morandi, which has a large collection of works by Giorgio Morandi, Bologna's most famous artist.
At the northern end of the square is the Palazzo del Podesta. If you walk under the arches, past the cafes, you will find a whispering gallery and a medieval tower.
Piazza Maggiore is a fabulous place to stop for a coffee and gelato, or a drink. Take some time to relax in one of the expensive cafes and watch the Italians do their thing. There is often some sort of street entertainers in the square to keep you amused too. Leave a Comment Directions: At the southern end of Via dell'Independenza
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Info from the municipality web site:
This imposing four-sided stronghold facing Piazza Maggiore presents in its façade the signs of different styles characterising its development. The oldest core on the left is composed of the Palace della Biada o d'Accursio, initially used as a granary. Around the mid 15th century the Visconti started changing the palace in a stronghold with moat, drawbridge and escarp wall. Instead the building of the part of the façade in flamboyant Gothic style dates back to 1425, on the right-hand side of the 16th-century portal surmounted by the bronze statue of Pope Gregory XIII.
At the first floor:Sala d'Ercole, named after the terracotta statue of Hercules, the mythological hero, found there and made by Alfonso Lombardi (1518). A fresco by F. Francia with Madonna of the Earthquake (1505);Sala del Senato ora Sala del Consiglio Comunale, frescoed by Angelo Michele Colonna with allegorical scenes and figures from the history of Bologna (1690)
Sala Regia poi Farnese decorated by artists from the Albani's school in the second half of the 17th century with important episodes of the town's history; Cappella del Legato o Farnese still showing remains of frescoes by Prospero Fontana with scenes of the Virgin's life (1562)
Additions from previous centuries are found in some palace rooms.
On the first storey the Sala Rossa, named after the red damask tapestry covering its walls and formerly used to celebrate wedding ceremonies, was decorated in its ceiling by L. Busi and L. Samoggia in the second half of the 19th century.
On the second storey, inside the winter apartment of the cardinal legates, today housing the Municipal art Collections, the Sala Urbana is open to visitors. Dedicated in 1630 to Pope Urban VIII presents on its walls a gallery of coats-of-arms of legates, deputy legates, and governors ruling Bologna between 1327 and 1744.
Today the upper storey of the palace houses two civic museums:
Municipal Art Collections
Morandi Museum Leave a Comment Address: In Piazza Maggiore, city center
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At the center of piazza maggiore is a large raised paved area called il "crescentone", which means the big crescente - the "flat" bread you can find in the city's bakeries.
Here you can look at an harmony of capitals and gothic windows, stylish shops and historical monuments, such as the Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio.
In 1859 it was called Piazza Vittorio Emanuele in honour of the king of Italy. It returned to its original name after the Liberazione. Leave a Comment Address: Center, center...
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In the heart and centre of the city. This piazza reflects both Bologna's historical wealth, with it's collection of tidy monuments, and its modern day prosperity, as the city can afford to maintain the piazza in well-swrpt repair.
Piazza del Nettuno adjoins p. Maggiore and this is a picture of the famous 16th century bronze Neptune and Attendants statue and fountain, the work of Giambologna. The locals affectionatley call it "The Giant". Neptune reigns over the seas and a collection of extremely erotic sirens and water-babies Leave a Comment Address: Piazza Maggiore
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At the centre of the oldest part of Bologna, the broad open spaces of the Piazza Maggiore is surrounded by some of the city's most impressive medieval and Renaissance buildings and monuments. But this huge pedestrian square, like the adjoining Piazza del Nettuno, is not a rarefied, contemplative place; in the midst of all the splendour you'll see hundreds of busy Bolognesi carrying on with their everyday business, meeting in cafes, and crowding around the many musicians and street performers. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza MaggioreDirections: The square in front of San Petronio church and Town Hall
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This building, which stands opposite the church of San Petronio, was erected in the 13th century but its façade was completely changed with Renaissance decorations between 1484 and 1494, on commission of Giovanni II Bentivoglio. Interesting is the wide porch, in the middle of which there is the arch cross known as the Voltone of the Podestà and the Arengo Tower, built in 1221 with a 4,900kg bell, which was placed there in 1453. Cafe's line the front of the Palazzo and it's also where you can find a good information bureau where I got my map. Leave a Comment
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At the top of the main portal of the Palazzo Comunale is placed magnificent Pope Gregory XIII bronze statue, carved by Alessandro Sermenghi. Pope Gregory XIII is claimed to have reformed the calendar. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza Maggiore
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To the west of Basilica di San Petronio on Piazza Maggiore is the Palazzo Comunale, which still retains its original medieval function, that is, housing the city council. Architecturally, it is a hodgepodge of different styles owing the various remodelings in the 15th and 16th centuries. Still, the palazzo's distinguishing feature is the huge statue of one of Bologna's most famous sons, Pope Gregory XIII who was the man behind the Gregorian calendar. Inside, the grand staircase was designed by Donato Bramante, which was a symbol ingenuity in that it had enough room to allow horse-drawn carriages to go up to the first floor. Leave a Comment
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This building was made up of many different public offices that, during the centuries, where assembled and bought together by the Municipality at the end of the 13th century. At the beginning, it was the seat of some municipal offices. Then, in 1336, it became the residence of the Anziani, the highest magistracy in the city and the seat of the city government as well. The building was enlarged in the first half of the 15th century and then the clock in the Accursio tower was added. The façade, where there is the Madonna with Child by Niccolò dell'Arca, a portal by Galeazzo Alessi was added in the mid 16th century and in 1580 the big bronze statue of Pope Gregory XIII was added on top of it. The palace is open to the public where visitors can see the council chamber, halls and an art collection.
Open: Tues-Sun 10am-6pm Leave a Comment
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This was Pope Pius IV's pet project that prompted the diversion of funds from Basilica di San Petronio resulting in the less-than-grand results for Bologna's main cathedral. In way, San Petronio's loss was mankind's gain, as the Palazzo di Archiginnasio housed the city's university from 1563-1805. Today, the Archiginnasio is the home to Bologna's biblioteca comunale (municipal library) and a museum on anatomy. Leave a Comment Address: Via dell'Archiginnasio
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