Amazing Bologna: Top Attractions! Gallop through Europe Fresco with Magomed in Bologna
January 29th, 2018
On New 2018, we found ourselves in northern Italy in the city of Bologna (regionEmilia
-
Romagna
).
« Scientist, Red, Fat"(La Dotta, la Rossa, la Grassa) - that's how they call Bologna. “Red” for the red color of its roofs and walls, “Tolstaya” for the delicious local cuisine (by the way, the meat sauce for Italian pasta Bolognese also comes from Bologna), and “scientist” because it was here in 1088 The first Bologna University in Europe was founded, which still exists today. Giovanni Boccaccio, Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, Nicolaus Copernicus, Umberto Eco "gnawed the granite of science" in it.
But we know more about the city because of the fabric of the same name for jackets and raincoats - Bologna. This material was first made here. It is curious that in Italy itself, Bologna was not popular. But Soviet women of fashion in the 60s \\ 70s considered a bologna raincoat a very stylish thing.
Remember, in Vysotsky's song "Dialogue at the TV": "... My friends, though not in Bologna, do not drag me out of the family ..."
There are many versions of the origin of the name of the city - from the Latin Bononia (in particular, from bona omnia - "common good"). Most historians believe that the name of the city comes from the name of the Celtic tribe, captured the city in the 4th century BC.
The visiting card of the city is two falling towers, originally from the Middle Ages (legends say that the local nobility loved to show off, and what could have been surprising then, not by carriages - so they ordered to build towers so that they were higher than their neighbors had. But the calculations were wrong, and the towers did not stand exactly , but rejected). Then there were almost 180 towers - not a city, but a forest!
In the city center, two such towers - Asinelli and Garisenda. 
On Asinelli, which is 97.2 m high, with the upper part deflected by 2.2 m, you can climb spiral staircase from 498 (!) steps. And we did it! 
We looked at the city from a bird's eye view, made sure that yes - indeed, Bologna is all red.))) In the center there are many preserved medieval buildings, palaces and churches. 
Near the towers stands statue of the patron saint of the city - St. Petronius. 
The largest square in the city - maggiore square
... Once it was a market square - citizens sold, bought, dined and socialized. Nowadays Piazza Maggiore is the "face of the city"; the facades of all the main architectural sights of Bologna look out here: the Cathedral of St. Petronius, Palazzo Communale, the Notaries 'Palace and the Banks' Palace. 
Cathedral of St. Petroniusdedicated to the patron saint of the city - St. Petronius. The cathedral is the fifth largest church in Europe and 15th largest cathedral in the world. 
San Petronio is not a cathedral, although it is often called the main church of the city for its great spiritual significance.
The construction of the building began in 1390. The architect Antonio di Vincenzo was commissioned to build a gigantic cathedral in Bologna, which was supposed to surpass in size St. Peter's in Rome. However, after the intervention of the Pope, the size of the cathedral was reduced. 
The construction of the cathedral took several centuries. The facade of the building is still incomplete.
Entrance to the Basilica of San Petronio is free, but you have to pay for the right to take pictures in the cathedral. The special ticker must be glued in a conspicuous place.
The elder sister of Napoleon I, Eliza Bonaparte, is buried in the basilica. Bachokki, Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Her husband settled in Bologna after her death, burying her ashes here.
In 2000, the relics of St. Petronius were moved to San Petronio from the Cathedral of Santo Stefano. 
The interior of the cathedral is made in white and red colors - the colors of the Bologna flag.
The main attraction of the basilica
- brass meridian, calculated with incredible accuracy by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini in 1655. The length of the meridian line is 67.72 meters, exactly 600,000 of the earth's meridian. It is the longest meridian in the world. The meridian is also a solar calendar, when sunlight hits the meridian through a small hole in the roof of the basilica, the month and day can be determined. The meridian was restored in 1925 with confirmation of the accuracy of the design. On the days of the solstice, it is seen that the position of the sunbeam does not correspond to the circles drawn around the edges of the Meridian line. This is the effect of changing the inclination of the Sun's ecliptic. The difference will widen up to 11250 and then return to the signs printed on the floorb aziliki, by 18200.
It's amazing how with
obor, which is usually associated with religious functions, was used for astronomical observations!E one more attraction- scandalous fresco by Giovanni da Modena « Ad "\\" The Last Judgment ", created in 1410-12. The fresco is in the fourth chapel on the left, the entrance to itpaid. With ticket an audio guide is issued in several languages.F they are not allowed to photograph the fresco.
The fresco illustrates Canto 28 from Dante's Divine Comedy. Including the fresco depicts the Prophet Muhammad, tormented by devils. Dante writes: “Vedi come storpiatoè Maometto! ”(See how Muhammad is mutilated).
For obvious reasons, the fresco is the object of increased attention of theologians and Islamist terrorists, who repeatedly planned to blow up the Basilica of San Petronio(so in In 2002, five al-Qaeda members were arrested and were planning to blow it up.) So do not be surprised that the entrance here is guarded by people with machine guns (although lately, all the cultural monuments of Italy are under their heavy protection!).
The controversy among church officials and politicians does not stop. Official Vatican response on this matter: ”Fresco does not offend our Muslim brothers. She is not against Islam. It is impossible to interpret a work of art dated 1400 from a modern point of view ”.
Besides, in basilica of San Petronio, two ancient organs have survived. One of them is the organ of Lorenzo from Prato, the world's oldest surviving organ.
Now let's see the area around the basilica and its many palazzo.
The oldest palazzo in this square is Palazzo del Podesta... It was built around 1200 and served as a meeting place for the "podestà" - the highest leader of the city.
Soon the palace became too small for all the citizens participating in the work of the city council, so the Palazzo Re Enzo was added to it.
On the tower palazzo - Torre del Arengo, built in 1453, is the largest bell in Bologna, which once warned the inhabitants of Bologna about the danger.
They say that if you stand under the arches at one end, you can hear what they say in a whisper at the other. That is, these walls have "ears" and are very curious.)))
Palazzo d'Accursio (or Palazzo comunale) - this is the city hall since 2008. Here is located Civil art collection, which contains paintings from the Middle Ages to the 19th century; Museo Morandiwhere the works of Giorgio Morandi are collected and the city library (Biblioteca Salaborsa).
The facade of the building is decorated with a portico and Madonna and child, a terracotta sculpture by Niccolò dell'Arca (1478) in the upper section of the building.
Above the portal is a large bronze statue of Pope Gregory XIII of Bologna (1580). 
Opposite Palazzo Comunale - Palazzo dei Banchi,which was built in 1412 for the needs of city banks. Now there are shops here. 
Next to Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo of Notaries (Palazzo dei Notai). 
And although there are palaces here, as he says, for every taste, I "looked more" Trade Palace(Palazzo Della Mercanzia), which is next to the two leaning towers. This is a Gothic baked brick building, designed by Antonio Di Vincenzo between 1384 and 1391. Previously, there were buildings on the site of this palace Customs... From 1811 to this day, the building is a residence Bologna Chamber of Commerce.
From a marble balcony, judges once read out court orders. 
Eone more business card of the city - fountain of Neptune in Neptune square,into which the Maggiore square passes imperceptibly .
They say that for a long time the fountain was under reconstruction, but now everything is working and the beauty is fantastic! The bronze statue of Neptune for the fountain was made by the famous Florentine sculptor Giambologna. 
More than once in the reviews, this fountain was called erotic ...
And it seems that it was not Neptune himself who tried more in this, but the mermaids at his feet ... 
There are many legends about the fountain in the city. One of them says that before the exam, University students must walk around the fountain two times counterclockwise so that they can successfully pass the exam.
Evening version and the shadow of Neptune on the wall ... 
The largest Christmas tree in the city stands on the square!
!
But the evening version ..
.
Look closely, Neptune looks sideways at Palazzo Di Re Enzo. The palace was built between 1244 and 1246 in the Gothic style as an extension of the nearby Palazzo Podestà. Then it was called simply Palazzo Nuovo - New Palace. It was intended to accommodate the city's magistrate - weapons and army equipment were stored on the first floor of the palace, and a covered staircase led to the portico of the second floor, where the city meeting was held only once.
The palace is also known as the Palace of King Enzo (King of Sardinia and stepson of Emperor Frederick II - Enzio (Enzio)), who was captured during the Battle of Fossalta (1249) and imprisoned in the Palazzo as a prison for twenty-three years, until He was kept here in a cage suspended from the ceiling, but despite this, they say, he fertilized half of Bologna.)))
Enzo's father, Emperor Frederick, was so grieving for his son that more than once he offered the residents of Bologna any wealth for his release. Once he promised Bologna so much gold that it would be enough to either gild all the walls of the city, or build new ones - however, the proud Bologna residents said their firm "no". But in fact, Enzo did not live here very badly - it was only for the night that he was hung in a cage so that he would not run away, and so he even had his own staff of servants and his own cooks. I’m not even saying that women visited him regularly (during his imprisonment, they say, he had three daughters and a son).
And this tower Torre Lambertini in Piazza Re Enzo also belongs to the complex of the Enzo Palace. 
To be continued...
Basilica of San Petronio is the main church of Bologna, located in Piazza Maggiore and dedicated to the patron saint of the city. In the 5th century, Saint Petronio was the local bishop. Today, the basilica named after him is the fifth largest church in the world: its length is 132 meters, width - 60 meters, and the height of the vaults reaches 51 meters. Inside it can accommodate about 28 thousand people.
The foundation stone of the future Gothic cathedral was laid in 1390, when Antonio di Vicenzo was chosen as the chief architect of such an important urban project. Construction continued for several centuries: after the completion of the facade in 1393, the construction of the first chapels began, which were completed only in 1479. In 1514, Arduino degli Arriguzzi proposed a new plan for the church - according to his idea, it should have been in the form of a Latin cross at the base in order to surpass St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. However, these plans were not destined to come true - the project was vetoed by Pope Pius IV himself.
The decoration of the main facade remained unfinished for many years - many architects, including the famous Baldassar Peruzzi and Andrea Palladio, took on it, but for various reasons the work did not move. At the beginning of the 15th century, Jacopo della Quercia decorated the main entrance to the cathedral with sculptures, and two small side doors with images based on the Old Testament motif. His nude Adam and other figures, placed on a rectangular bas-relief, provided inspiration to Renaissance artists.
The interior of the cathedral is remarkable for the depiction of the Madonna with Saints by Lorenzo Costa Jr. and The Pieta by Amico Aspertini. Noteworthy are the painted walls and the colored stained glass windows... The choirs were made in the 15th century by Agostino de Marchi, and the monstrance is the work of Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola.
Since Bologna was the musical center of the Baroque era in Italy, it is not surprising that the first instruments were installed in the Cathedral of San Petronio at the end of the 16th century. In the 17th century, two organs appeared here, which are still in excellent condition.
In the left side aisle, you can see a sundial, installed in 1655, by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini. This is the largest sundial in the world - its length is 66.8 meters.
The solemn consecration of the cathedral took place only in 1954, and in 2000 the relics of St. Petronio, which had previously been kept in the Basilica of Santo Stefano, were transferred here.
The Basilica of San Petronio has always played an important role in ecclesiastical and social life not only in Bologna, but also in Europe. In 1530 the great Charles V was crowned here, and in the 19th century Eliza Bonaparte, sister of the French emperor Napoleon, was buried. Already today, in 2002, five men were arrested who were planning to organize a terrorist attack in the cathedral. And in 2006, the Italian police again managed to prevent the tragedy - then Muslim terrorists were captured, who wanted to destroy the basilica, because, in their opinion, the fresco inside offends Islam. This fresco by Giovanni da Modena depicts a scene from Dante's Inferno in which Muhammad is tortured by demons.
Hello travel lovers! Today we will tell you about one of the beautiful cities of Emilia-Romagna, which turned out to be "enchanted" for us. The city through which we passed 4 times and never got out. On this trip we decided to “break the spell” and live in it for at least a couple of days. Now we have considered all the sights of Bologna and want to tell you about them.
So, Bologna is a city in northern Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region. In terms of area, we can compare with our Kaluga (170.5 km²) and with the state of Liechtenstein (160 km²). The area of \u200b\u200bBologna is 140.73 km², but to be honest, I can't even call it a town. Everything is so grand here.
Bologna is a city of arches, covered galleries that save you from the hot Italian sun, towers and stately buildings. It is worth planning 2 days to explore the city. For a more detailed one (with visiting museums, galleries, studying frescoes) 3-4 days.
It is worth considering that in Bologna there are many restaurants and restaurants with very tasty national cuisine.
Walking through its streets and squares, you have to lift your head all the time - the Italians built the buildings of this city on such a large scale and generously. Not only towers and cathedrals, but also the houses of the nobility, which the center of Bologna is proud of, amaze the imagination and do not fit into the lens.
Swing
Each time, setting up her Canon for the next shot, Galya grumbled: "Well, who builds like that." The inhabitants of Bologna did not expect that after only 400 years we will take unimaginable poses and twist our cameras to take a normal picture of the building.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Bologna still retained the appearance of a medieval city.
Now Bologna is a large industrial center and the main transport hub in northern Italy.
In our own in Italy, we stayed in and from there went to Venice and, each time making a change in Bologna. Why didn't you go out and walk around the city? We listened to our acquaintances who very confidently declared: “Bologna? What to do there? A dusty industrial city. "
Yes, the city is not small, but there is something to do. And, of course, there is something to watch. You just need to go straight to the city center. There are old squares, cathedrals and the very first university in Europe.
Having visited Italy 3 times, I doubt if there is at least one city in this country that has nothing to see.
History
Bologna was founded by the Etruscans around 510 BC and was then called Felsina.
In the 4th century BC, it was captured by the Boyi tribe. It was then that the city received a name similar to the modern one - Bonnonia - after the name of the tribe.
The heyday of the Roman Empire brought prosperity to the city. A small, conveniently located Roman colony grew and developed, becoming one of the richest cities in Italy by the Middle Ages.
Piazza Nettuno in Bologna. Early 20th century
In the Middle Ages, a lot of interesting things happened here:
- The Church of St. Stephen was rebuilt
- The city was placed under the rule of the Lombard king Luitprand
- Charlemagne made Bologna a free city. Since then, the word "libertas" (freedom) has been adorned on the coat of arms.
- Having received the status of a free city, Bologna began to develop actively.
- The first European university, Studio, was founded here.
- By the middle of the 13th century, a law was passed abolishing serfdom. (!)
- The entire 15th century of the city's history was marked by an internal struggle for power.
- The 17th century brought the city the fame of the intellectual center of Europe.
University. Entrance of one of the faculties
One of the inner kindergartens of the university
Young people from all over Europe came to study here at the University of Bologna. Among them was N. Copernicus.
N. Copernicus studied here
The University of Bologna had one interesting feature. The teaching staff was chosen by the students themselves, or rather by the members of the student corporation. They could even fire an unwanted teacher.
By 1881, when the importance of Bologna as a railway junction grew, a plan for the development of the city was drawn up and signed. Then part of the walls was destroyed, new streets were cut. We propose to walk along them now.
Walk in Bologna
Let's start from the center.
- Two adjacent squares are considered the heart of Bologna - Piazza Nettuno or Piazza Neptune and Piazza Maggiore.
- Piazza Nettuno is easy to recognize - since the 16th century, the fountain of Neptune, the creation of Giambologna, flaunts here.
There are also two magnificent buildings here:
- Palazzo di Re Enzo - a gothic palace
- Рalazzo del Podestà (Palazzo del Podestà), a building reconstructed at the end of the 15th century in the Renaissance style.
Piazza Maggiore is known for its size and the buildings that surround it. It is on these squares that the facades of the city's most famous palazzo overlook.
In Piazza Maggiore or the Great Square there are:
- Palazzo dei Notai, built for the society of Notaries by 1411
- Palazzo dei Banchi (Palazzo dei Banchi). This palace was built for the city banks by 1412.
- The façade of the Basilica of St. Petronius also overlooks the Great Square.
Basilica of St. Petronius
- Pay attention to the decor of the doors. External bas-reliefs telling about the history of the creation of the world are the work of the master Jacopo of the work of Kverch.
Bas-reliefs above the entrance
- The pride and value of the interior decoration of the basilica are the perfectly preserved frescoes by Giovanni da Modena and the work of Giulio Romano.
The building is majestic, large inside, richly decorated, with two beautiful (by sound) organs. We listened to a "random" concert - in the afternoon the organist came. Either he was rehearsing, or I don’t know what he was doing, but from time to time he stood up and waved his pen to his friends.
Basilica of St. Petronius. View from the observation deck
So, the Basilica of St. Petronius is often called the Dome (Cathedral) Cathedral. However, it is not. The main cathedral of the city is the Cathedral of St. Peter (San Pietro). We will tell about it later.
Petronius was the bishop of Bologna in the 5th century. After his death, he was canonized. Saint Petronius is the patron saint of Bologna.
Interesting and paradoxical facts about the basilica:
- The assignment was built with the money of the townspeople and, unlike other religious buildings, was not a church project. It is a symbol of communal power.
- Services and coronations were held in the basilica, worthy people of the city were buried here. Only in 1929 the cathedral was officially transferred to the church.
- The consecration of the temple took place in 1954 (!)
- In 2000, the remains of St. Petronius were buried in the cathedral.
This is not the only paradox of Bologna, there is another interesting story associated with the Palazzo Communale. But for now, let's return to the Basilica of St. Petronius.
The temple has 11 chapels, decorated with stained glass windows, sculptures, frescoes. In one of the chapels of the temple, there are frescoes by Giovanni da Modena (Heaven and Hell, The Wanderings of the Magi).
- In addition to its size and rich decoration, there is a very precise sundial (meridian) inside the cathedral.
It is the longest meridian in existence in the world. The great astronomer of the Middle Ages Giovanni Domenico Casini - a resident of Bologna, a teacher at the University of Bologna, created a clock in 1665. They are called "Giovanni Cassini's meridian".
One of the parts of the meridian
The sundial "Meridian Cassini" is an arc drawn in the floor slabs of the cathedral. Its length is 66.8 m -1/600000 of the Earth's meridian. Zodiac signs are depicted on different parts of it.
If you raise your head up, then a hole is visible in the ceiling. As far as I understand, this hole is the whole thing. Apparently a sunbeam hits it and falls on the meridian, indicating a month.
While we were listening to the organ concert, various excursion groups entered the cathedral. They were taken to the meridian and told about what I told you. But how this ultra-precise clock works, I have not figured out. In the cathedral big windows and the ray is lost in the light. Maybe the hole was covered with colored glass, then this ray was visible?
Who knows, write in the comments - we will be grateful.
The entrance to the temple is free, for the opportunity to take pictures inside the fee 2 euros.
- And finally, the facade of the grandiose Palazzo Comunale (Palazzo Communale) opens onto the side common to the two squares.
This building, built in 1290, was reconstructed by 1425 and looks more like a mighty fortification than a palace.
The entrance to the palace is decorated with columns and a balcony. On the pedestal is a sculpture of Pope Gregory XIII blessing the city. Above it is a stone slab with the words "Divus Petronius Protector et Pater" carved into it. Translation: "Divine Petronius Father and Protector." This is another interesting history of the city associated with Napoleon.
1796 year. Bologna is captured by Napoleon's troops. On the personal order of the commander, the soldiers smash and destroy all the sculptures and images of the popes. Then the inhabitants of the city find a clever way to save the sculpture of Pope Gregory XIII (it was he who in 1582 decided to raise the status of Bologna). They hire a sculptor who turns Pope Gregory into the patron saint of the city, Bishop St. Petronius. Instead of a papal tiara, an episcopal miter appears on the head of the sculpture, and a staff is in the hand.
To avoid any doubts, they remove the slab with the name, and a marble plaque is erected over the sculpture with the signature "Divine Petronius Father and Protector." Thus Gregory XIII was “saved”. The French army left the city, but the sculpture was not changed for another 100 years.
In 1895, Petronius became Gregory again. But the inhabitants of the city left the marble plaque in memory of this incident. So read and smile - there is no mistake)
There are sculptures on the facade of the building. The eagle sculpture is believed to be the work of Michelangelo.
Courtyard of the Palazzo Communale
- Here, nearby, is the city's Cathedral. Cathedral of San Pietro.
The first mention of it dates back to the 10th century. During its long life, the building of the main cathedral changed its appearance several times - fires and earthquakes destroyed it. It was presented in both Romanesque and Gothic styles. It was completed and rebuilt, decorating with new architectural details and buildings.
The height of the central nave is comparable to that of the central nave of the Vatican Cathedral of St. Peter. The interior of the cathedral is presented in the Baroque style. The greatest Italian masters worked on it.
The cathedral is active. Services are held there.
- From an artistic point of view, the Basilica of San Domenico is also of great value.
Here is the tomb of St. Dominic, as well as sculptures by Michelangelo and Niccolo Pisano.
In general, there are a lot of churches in the city. There is even a complex of seven churches - this is the name of the Basilica of St. Stephen.
The basilica is located on St. Stefano (Basilica di Santo Stefano). According to legend, there used to be a temple of Isis. The temples of the complex were erected in the Middle Ages.
According to the idea of \u200b\u200bSt. The Petronius (Bishop of Bologna) Basilica was supposed to repeat the elements of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. There are several temples inside the basilica:
- Church of the Holy Crucifixion (another name is the Church of St. John the Baptist)
- Church of the Holy Sepulcher - the oldest of the temples of the complex
- Church of Saints Vitaly and Agricola
- Martyrium
We will not be able to see the rest of the buildings now. This is a consequence of unsuccessful renovations.
Another religious building, the Church of the Madonna of St. Luke, is located 5 km from the city center on a 300-meter hill.
This building was built as a special repository of the icon of Our Lady of Hodegetria, which, according to legend, was painted by the Apostle Luke.
And the last basilica we want to talk about is the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi.
This is far from the largest basilica in Bologna, but at the same time it is very interesting. Inside it, there is a marble altarpiece by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, frescoes from the 14th century and one of the best organs in Europe.
Towers
Bologna was once called “the city of 100 towers”. There were even more towers - 180. The city was surrounded by a wall. And it was possible to enter it through 12 gates.
Wars, earthquakes, just time has done its job - only about 20 towers have survived to this day.
One of them was visible from our balcony.
View from our window
Researchers suggest that wealthy families began building towers during the conflict between the church and secular authorities. Each such structure is a bastion in which the family could live and house their defenders.
Whatever the protective functions of these tall fortresses, over time, in medieval Bologna, almost "sport" appeared - which family has a higher tower. So they measured their towers. The remaining structures can serve as an illustration of human vanity.
Each tower has its own name. Sometimes it is just the "Clock Tower", and sometimes the names of the towers keep the names of their owners.
The city's architectural dominant and tourist attraction are the two leaning towers in the Piazza di Porta Ravegnana.
These are the famous falling towers of Asinelli and Garisenda. Built at the beginning of the 12th century without observing the necessary technologies, the towers continue to fall to this day. What is Pisa!
- Azinelli height 97 m
- Garisenda height 48 m
Asinelli is the tallest leaning tower in the world.
Guess what's in the tower today? Of course - observation deck... Old wooden steps lead to the very top, from where a wonderful panorama of the city opens. From there, from above, it becomes clear why Bologna was called red.
- The observation deck is open every day from 9 am to 6 pm during the summer.
- From 9 am to 5 pm in winter.
- The entrance is paid - 3 euros.
Art
Among other things, Bologna is famous for its museums. There are many of them here. Let's name a few.
The National Pinakothek will delight you with the works of local masters of the XIII-XVII centuries, for example Francesco Parmigianino, Masaccio.
The International Music Museum and Library contains a huge collection of portraits of great composers, musical instruments, various manuscripts and documents.
At the State Archaeological Museum, you will learn about the city's past.
As you can see, there are many attractions here. Therefore, sightseeing bus excursions are especially popular, which in a short time will acquaint you with the most significant places in Bologna. These buses are convenient for those who want to visit the Church of the Madonna of St. Luke.
We did not use buses in Bologna and preferred to walk. But in, and Potsdam, we went on such buses. A convenient option for exploring the big city.
Festivals
The soup festival has become an interesting tradition. It is held every year on April 25, and everyone can take part in it. Even tourists. You just need to take a 10-liter saucepan with you on your trip. If your soup is enjoyed by the jury and the audience, you will receive a golden ladle.
More serious - a film festival. Held in the summer in five cinemas and in Piazza Maggiore. Pictures from all over the world can take part in it.
We met the Italian Film Festival. The cinema hall looked like this:
Anyone can watch the films.
How to get there
- by plane
Bologna has its own airport, Guglielmo Marconi. From Rome, planes fly here three times a day.
- by train
Trains leave from Rome Termini Station to Bologna. This trip will take just over 4 hours.
In addition, you can get by train from Venice, Florence, and other cities.
- by bus
Buses run from Roma Tiburtina Station. So you will spend 6 hours on the way.
Bologna on the map
Thank you for subscribing to our blog. And goodbye!
Best regards, Alla Sutyagina
On 7 March 2016, the first episode of Damien, based on the British thriller series The Omen, aired. However, the definition of "based", in this case, is not entirely correct - the series, filmed by A&E, rejects the second and third parts of the trilogy and relies only on the first film in the series, which was filmed twice: in 1976, the original film by director Richard Donner was released, and the premiere of the Omena remake took place on the most symbolic day of the calendar - 06.06.06.
For those who, for some reason, have not heard anything about the series of films about the formation of the Antichrist, a brief digression into the essence of the matter. The background is as follows: the wife of the American ambassador to Italy Richard Thorne gives birth to a baby, but as soon as the newly-born father arrives at the hospital, a priest meets him at the entrance with such sad eyes and such large bags under them that it becomes clear that this messenger cannot bring good news. Indeed, there are three news: very bad, bad and good, they are presented by the priest, who looks more like a devil of Hell than like a servant of the Lord, strictly in the correct sequence, that is, at first it hurts, then it is pleasant. Like, Mr. Thorne, your son was born dead, sorry. Again, I’m sorry, your wife will no longer be able to have children, but don’t be discouraged, in the next ward a woman in labor died during childbirth, but the boy born to her is healthy and beautiful. Do you want to take it instead of yours? We won't tell anyone anything, and your wife won't be upset. Diplomat Richard Thorne is also a diplomat in order to resolve issues diplomatically, and therefore to his wife Katherine, he presents a baby from the next room, whom the couple calls the sonorous name Damien.
Photo: still from the movie "The Omen" 1976
Of course, Damien is the Antichrist, as evidenced by a birthmark in the form of three sixes, hidden under his beautiful dark hair. Soon, the family moves from Rome to London, where they live happily ever after until the baby's 5th birthday. And now, at the age of five, the devilish nature of the child begins to manifest itself in different ways: at first, as a result of various accidents, everyone who could interfere with the process of the correct maturation of the little Antichrist perishes, after them, in turn, all those who understand that accidents, in this case is not accidental. Then the boy's adoptive mother dies, after which Damien's father, Richard Thorne, conducts his own independent investigation and finds out that his adopted son is the Antichrist, which means that he must be stabbed with the help of sacred daggers. And here they don't interfere in the matter dark forces Satan, and the good old British police, who manage to shoot the diplomat just at the moment when he raised his hand with a cutting blade over the body of his adopted son. In short, everyone except Damien died, the end of the first part.
In the second part, which the creators of the series ignored, Damien grew up, matured and discovered his secret knowledge and skills for himself and those around him, and a series of deaths disguised as incidents multiplied around the young Antichrist exponentially. Well, in the third, weakest and illogical part of the trilogy, the Antichrist did die at the hands of a journalist with whom he had a short intimate relationship. The death of Damien Thorne turned out to be so ridiculous that fans of the Omen series for many years waited with hope for the resurrection of their favorite antihero. They waited until they waited, 15 years after the premiere of the last film in the Omen series, the second coming of Damien Thorne did take place.
Damien TV series poster
IN new version Damien is 30 years old, he does not remember anything about his childhood, he is not familiar with his mission in this world, and at first he takes all talk about the Antichrist for the ravings of city madmen. Damien Thorne in the 2016 version works as a photographer in Syria, and on the day of his thirtieth birthday, everything that should guide the young Antichrist on the right path begins to happen - first, baptism by blood, and upon returning to New York - the "accidental" deaths of loved ones, unfamiliar and completely unfamiliar people.
Poster for the TV series "Damien" 2016
From the point of view of texture, the creators of the series approached the matter quite meticulously, in the frame every now and then there are images of Hell and Lucifer in the canonical catholic tradition... Let's take a look at the details and find out where the creators of the series borrowed the frightening images of the devil, which give the series its characteristic gloom and atmosphere.
LUCIFER FROM THE Frescoes of the BASILICA OF SAN PETRONIO (BOLOGNA)
In the screen saver of the series, the creators marked the classic image of Lucifer devouring sinners in Hell.
Shot from the series "Damien"
In this case, we have before us an animated fragment of a fresco by Giovanni da Modena, which can be seen in the main cathedral of the Italian city of Bologna - the Basilica of San Petronio.
Fresco by Giovanni da Modena in the Basilica of San Petronio (Bologna)
In general, the Cathedral of San Petronio in Bologna is an extremely interesting place. Firstly, it is still in, let's say, unfinished condition, the fact is that initially, according to the project of the architect Antonio di Vincenzo, the basilica was supposed to become the largest in the world and surpass the size of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Of course, the Pope did not like this idea very much, and the building of the basilica was simply not erected to the end, as a result it looks somewhat "cut off", however, it is still the fifth largest cathedral in the world. Secondly, although they began to build the temple back in 1393, its facade is still not completely finished - only the lower part of the facade of the basilica is faced with marble, but the upper one looks very sad.
In the photo: Cathedral of San Petronio in Bologna
And, of course, the famous fresco by Giovanni da Modena depicting Hell, which we see in the screensaver of the series. It was created in 1415, and this is the only fresco in the world on which not only Lucifer and nameless sinners are present in Hell, but also the Prophet Muhammad, which from the point of view of Muslims is the greatest insult in all possible senses.
A figure on top of a fresco, carried away by a demon - Muhammad
Despite the numerous requests of the followers of Islam to remove the image of the Prophet Muhammad from the fresco, no one corrected Giovanni da Modena's author's intention, because it is the opportunity to see the image of Muhammad in Hell on a fifteenth century fresco that is one of the main reasons why tourists from all over the world visit the Cathedral of San -Petronio in Bologna.
THE MAGNIFICENT CLOCK OF THE DUKE OF BERRY
The image of the devil on a subway train car in the series' intro is also not a conditional abstraction. In this case, the creators of the series transferred to a moving carriage a fragment of the Hell miniature from the 15th century manuscript The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry, commissioned by the Duke Jean of Berry by the Limburg brothers miniaturists, and later modified by the artist Jean Colombes.
Curiously, the miniature depiction of the Underworld is an illustration of the vision of the Irish monk Tundal, which in the twelfth century was considered one of the most reliable evidence of what actually happens in Hell. Lucifer in this interpretation does not sit, like Dante's, in the center of an icy lake, but lies on a grate above a pit of fire. Demons fan the fire with bellows in the pit, Satan exhales hellish flame, simultaneously throwing the souls of sinners into his mouth, and other demons torment the souls of sinners near the pit, in order to then push them into the fire.
Miniature "Hell" from "The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry"
By the way, this miniature was an illustration for memorial prayers, and its author is one of the Limburg brothers, presumably Jean. Incidentally, the same miniature from The Magnificent Book of Hours is also shown in the first episode of the series by Professor Raneus during a visit to his house by reporter Kelly and Damien Thorne. Today, the manuscript "The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry" is kept in the collection of the Condé Museum in the Chantilly estate, which is located near Paris.
DEVIL WITH Fresco DROPS OF BLOOD (FALLING)
Another canonical depiction of Satan can be seen in the small church of the Scrovegni Chapel, built in the fourteenth century in Padua by the merchant Enrico Scrovegni to atone for the sins of his father Reginaldo. The chapel is unique in that its walls and ceiling are completely decorated with frescoes by the great Giotto, the best artist of that time and one of the most influential Italian painters in the history of art.
Photo: frescoes by Giotto in the Scrovegni Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni)
The images of Hell on the frescoes impress the untrained viewer with their naturalism and genuine cruelty, by the way, in the Dante Museum in Florence, it is the reproductions of frescoes by Giotto from the Scrovegni Chapel and Giovanni da Modena from the Cathedral of Bologna that are presented as ideal illustrations of Dante's Hell, and not at all mosaics from the Florentine San Baptistery Giovanni, who inspired Alighieri to create the first part of The Divine Comedy.
Lucifer on a fresco by Giotto in the Scrovegni Chapel
It is a fragment of this fresco, together with the miniature "Hell" from the "Magnificent Book of Hours", that we see in the Book of Revelations, which the Bible researcher Professor Raneus flips through with shaking hands with horror.
In the photo: a frame from the series "Damien", the first episode
But the illustration, adjacent to the reproduction of the fresco by Giotto, has nothing to do with either Lucifer or even Christianity. This is just a fragment of the painting "Cadmus Slaying the Dragon" by the Dutch mannerist painter Hendrik Goltzius, who worked in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
Painting "Cadmus Slaying the Dragon" by Hendrik Goltzius (1600-1617)
The scene in the picture is an illustration of the ancient Greek myth of Cadmus, the son of the Phoenician king Agenor and the founder of the city of Thebes. According to legend, before founding the city of Thebes in Boeotia, the hero had to kill the sacred dragon, the god of war, Ares, after which the dragon's teeth were sown into the ground, and from them the legendary wars of Sparta grew. As we can see, there is no connection with Christianity, but because this illustration was done in the Revelation of John the Theologian, which Professor Raneus leafed through, it remained a mystery to us.
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Yulia Malkova - Julia Malkova - founder of the site project. In the past, the chief editor of the internet project elle.ru and the chief editor of the website cosmo.ru. I'm talking about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of readers. If you are a representative of hotels, tourism office, but we are not familiar, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
Address: Piazza Maggiore, 40124 Bologna
www.basilicadisanpetronio.it
Opening hours: daily 7.45-13.15 and 15.00-18.30. During the
religious services, the tourist visit could be limited or suspended. During the service, the entrance to tourists may be restricted or closed.
Panoramic Terrace: daily 10 - 20. Opening times may vary depending on events.
Entrance to the terrace € 3.00, free for children under 12. Entrance to the terrace - maximum 25 people at a time, the visit takes about 30 minutes.
The entrance to the basilica is free.
It is prohibited to enter the church with backpacks, there are no storage rooms.
Map
Complesso di santo stefano
Also known as the "Seven Churches", the Basilica of St. Stephen's Church is one of the most remarkable ecclesiastical complexes in Bologna, serving both the church and the cradle of the faith of the fathers.
Address: Via S. Stefano, 24 - 40125 Bologna
Web site: www.abbaziasantostefano.it
Working hours: weekdays: 9.00 - 12.30 and 15.30 - 18.30; Holidays and weekends: 9.00 - 13.00 and 15.30 - 19.00
7 pm. During the service, the entrance to tourists may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Sanctuary san luca
Address: Via di S. Luca 36, \u200b\u200b40135 Bologna
e-mail:, Web site: www.sanlucabo.org
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 6.30 - 17.00 from November to February and 6.30 - 19.00 from March to October. Closed on weekdays from 12.30 - 14.30. Sundays and Holidays: 7 - 17 November to February and 7 - 19 March to October. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Basilica of San Domenico
Opening hours: pg - fri 9.30 - 12.30 and 15.30 - 18.30; Sat and Sun 9.30 am - 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm - 5.30 pm. During the service, the entrance can be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Basilica san francesco
Address: Piazza S. Francesco, 40122 Bologna
Opening hours: daily 6.30 - 12.00 and 15.00 - 19.00. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
The church is temporarily closed, except for the Muzzarelli chapel.
Free admission.
Map
Church of Santa Maria dei Servi
Address: Strada Maggiore, 43, Bologna
Opening hours: daily 7.00 - 12.00 and 16.00 - 20.00. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of Santa Maria della Vita
Address: Via Clavature, 10 - 40124 Bologna
Opening hours: Sanctuary and Compianto: Mon - Sat 10.00 - 17.00; Sunday and holidays 16.3019.00. Free admission.
Map
Basilica San Giacomo Maggiore
Working hours: church - Mon-Fri - 7.30 - 12.30 and 15.30 - 18.30; weekends and holidays - 8.30 - 12.30 and 15.30 - 18.30. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of San Michele in Bosco
Address: Piazzale S. Michele in Bosco, 40136 Bologna Web site: www.genusbononiae.it
Opening hours: Church: daily 9.00 - 12.00 and 16.00 - 19.00. Library: Mon and Tue 9.30 - 17.30; Wed, Thu and Fri 9.30 - 15.00; Sat 9.00 - 13.00
The entrance is free.
Map
Corpus Domini o Chiesa della Santa
Address: Via Tagliapietre 19, 40123 Bologna
e-mail: Web site: www.clarissesantacaterinadevigri.it
Opening hours: Sanctuary - daily 9.30 - 12.00 and 15.30 - 18.00. Holy chapel -
Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun 10.00 - 11.30 and 16.00 - 17.45. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of Santa Maria della Pioggia
The church, located at the intersection of the Galliera road and Riva di Reno, has recently been renovated inside and out. The exterior murals have been restored by the Pii Educational Institute, the current owner of the church.
Address: Via Riva Reno 124 (corner. Via Avesella), 40121 Bologna
Opening hours: Tue - Sun 9.15-12.00 and 16-18; Sun and holidays 10.00 - 12.00. Closed: Monday. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
www.bologna.chiesacattolica.it
Free admission.
Map
Chiesa di san martino
Since the 13th century, the Church of San Martino has been the cradle of the Carmelite Order of Bologna. The church was built in the first half of the 14th century. The brick vaults were made in 1457, and the new façade at the end of the 15th century (it was redesigned in the Gothic style in 1879). The interior of the church - spacious and elegant - is enlivened by a beautiful Renaissance aristocratic chapel, which houses some precious paintings.
Address: Via Oberdan, 25, 40126 Bologna
Opening hours: Mon - Sat 8.00 - 12.00 and 16.00pm - 19.00; Sun and holidays 9.00-13.00 and 16.00-19.30. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Chiesa di SS. Salvatore
Church of Sts. Salvatore is built on an ancient foundation. In the 15th century, it was slightly altered, and in 1606-23 it was completely rebuilt. The new monumental temple was designed by chaplain Abrogio Mazenta and architect Tommas Martelli.
Address: Via Volto Santo 1, 40123 Bologna
Opening hours: 9.00 - 14.00 and 16.00pm - 19.30. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of Santi Bartolomeo e Gaetano
e-mail:
www.parrocchiasantibartolomeoegaetano.it
Opening hours: daily 7.00 - 13.00 and 16.00pm - 19.00. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of San Giovanni in Monte
Address: Piazza S. Giovanni in Monte, 1/2 - 40124 Bologna. www.parrocchie.it/bologna/sgm/
Opening hours: daily 7.30 - 12.00 and 16.00 -19.00. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Chiesa di san paolo maggiore
Address: Via Carbonesi 18, 40123 Bologna
Opening hours: Mon - Sat 8 - 12 and 16 - 19, Sun and holidays 8 - 13 and 16.30 - 19.00. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church Santi Vitale e Agricola
Church of Sts. Vitale and Agricola was built on the ruins of the Roman arena, where, according to tradition, Saints Vitale and Agricola were killed.
Address: Via S. Vitale 50, 40125 Bologna
Opening hours: daily 8.00 - 12.00 and 15.30 - 19.30. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed. Free admission.
Map
Church of Santi Gregorio e Siro
Address: Via Montegrappa, 15 - 40121 Bologna
Opening hours: 8.00 - 12.00 and 17.00pm - 19.30m (call for confirmation). During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of San Procolo
Address: Via D'Azeglio 52 - 40123 Bologna
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 7.30 - 11.00, Sat also 17.00 - 19.30;
Sun 7.30 - 12.30. During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Church of San Girolamo della Certosa
Opening hours: summer 8.00 - 12.00 and 14.30 - 17.45; winter 8.00 - 12.00 and 14.30 - 16.45.
During the service, the entrance may be restricted or closed.
Free admission.
Map
Campanile della Basilica di San Petronio
Address: Piazza Maggiore, 40124
Opening hours: Usually closed to the public, contact tel. 051 231415.
Map
Campanile della Basilica di San Domenico
Bell tower of St. Dominico was built in 1313 in the Gothic style and is 51 meters high.
Address: Piazza S. Domenico, 13 - 40124 Bologna
Opening hours: Usually closed to the public, contact tel. 051 6400411.
Map
Campanile della Basilica Santa Maria dei Servi
This bell tower was completed in 1455 and is 52 meters high.
Address: Strada Maggiore, 43, 40100 Bologna - 40125 Bologna
Opening hours: Usually closed to the public, contact tel. 051 226807.
Map
Campanile della Chiesa di San Giacomo Maggiore
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The bell tower, built in 1471, was made on the left side of the church and is 55 meters high.
Address: Piazza Rossini - 40126 Bologna
Opening hours: Usually closed to the public, contact tel. 051 225970.
Map
Campanile della Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Gaetano
Address: Strada Maggiore, 4 - 40125 Bologna www.parrocchiasantibartolomeoegaetano.it
Opening hours: Usually closed to the public, contact tel. 051 227692.
Map
Campanile della Chiesa di San Girolamo della Certosa
Address: Via della Certosa 18, 40133 Bologna
Opening hours: Usually closed to the public, contact tel. 051 6142382.
Oratorio San Rocco
The oratorium is dedicated to the saint-healer of the plague of San Rocco. Inside are valuable frescoes painted by some of Karacci's students since 1618.
Address: Via Monaldo Calari 4/2 40122
Working hours: Thu 14.30 - 23.00, weekends 10 - 12, on other days - by agreement.
Map
