History, Art and Culture

Bologna is a city rich of art, touristic destination aspired by those who love discovering and getting to know streets and monuments which made the history of the so-called Erudite City.

One of the most famous squares is with no doubt Piazza Maggiore, the famous “Piazza Grande” quoted by Lucio Dalla. Spacious and suggestive, it hosts on the south the famous Basilica of St. Petronio. It will appear to you a bit bizarre because of its uncompleted facade: while the lower part presents gothic features, the upper part has a very different look because of a project which has never been completed (because of a lack of founds).

Turning around and facing the right you will find the Fountain of Nettuno, located in front of the city hall, which dominates the homonymous square. In front of the Fountain of Nettuno there is via Rizzoli, where the famous Two Towers spire: Garisenda (the smallest and pendant) and Asinelli (the tallest). They’re dated back to around 1110 d.C. and they had been praised by artists like Dante Alighieri and Goethe.

In the historic centre of Bologna there are also several interesting museums such as:

• The National Pinacoteca of Bologna: 56, Belle Arti st.
• Archeological Civic Museum of Bologna: 2, Archiginnasio st.
• Medioeval Civic Museum: 4, Manzoni st.
• Municipal Art Collections: 6, Piazza Maggiore
• Morandi Museum: 14, Don Minzoni st.
• MAMbo - Museum of Modern Art of Bologna: 14, Don Giovanni Minzoni st.
• International Museum and Music Library: 34, Strada Maggiore