The Piazza Maggiore is the heart of the city of Bologna
and faces such famous buildings as the Palazzo Comunale and the Basilica di San
Petronio. The steps of San Petronio is a good place to sit and take in the
view, which also includes the tower of Clock of Palazzo D'Accursio and the
tower of Arengo of Palazzo del Podestà, It’s a crowded place, fileld with cafes
and Bolognese people crowding around street musicians and other performers.
National Gallery
This museum celebrates Bologna’s
rich artistic heritage, with works dating from between the 14th to
the 16th Century. The collection includes works by Bolognese
counter-reformation artists Guido
Reni and the Carracci brothers. Raphael’s Ecstasy of St Cecilia and El
Greco’s Last Supper should not be missed.
The
Archiginnasio
This
gracious old building was formerly the university and now houses one of the
largest municipal libraries in Europe. There are
painted halls stacked with ancient leather bound volumes now too delicate to be
touched. The highlights of a visit include the Stabat Mater Room, named after
the famous composition by Rossini which was first performed here in 1842. Also
don’t miss the Teatro
Anatomico, an 18th century dissection theater where the town’s
gentry used to pay to see public dissections. Visits now are free and without
such displays of gore.
Visiting Bologna
Bologna has a small airport which can be accessed from most
places in Europe, including Rome. It is a major rail hub
with regular service with Rome and Milan. Bologna has an efficient bus
system and taxis are regularly available. The best time to visit, as with most
of Italy, is in the Spring or Fall
months when the temperatures are moderate and the crowds of tourists are small.
Bologna is well known as a gastronomic paradise, a great
feat indeed in a country like Italy well known for it’s
delicious food and fine wine.