Bologna is a very beautiful city in the north of Italy between the rivers Reno and Savena. It is chief town and is also the seat of the local government of Emilia Romagna and of the oldest university (at least in Europe). It is a highly active industrial and commercial center, a strategic street and railway junction. Bologna is a  city among the most monumental and pictoresque in Italy, characterized by the long streets and arcades, the medieval towers and the superb fourteenth and fifthteenth century palaces. It is famous for many things, but I guess the one you might have most likely heard of, is the sauce and the lasagne, which outside Bologna are known under the name Bolognese Sauce and Lasagne alla Bolognese.

History and Art

        Ancient Etrurian (Felsina) and later Roman center (Bononia), Bologna has had a long and intense history and cultural life, particularly during the centuries from the XI to the XVII. It was one of the first cities to rise to Commune and fought against the Barbarossa and Federico II; it reached the apogee of its fortunes during the XIII century. This eventually declined because of the internal fights between the many factions, that originated the seign(i)ories of the Pepoli, the Visconti of Milan, of the Pope, the Bentivoglio, until in 1506 under Pope Giulio II the city definitely passed under the control of the Church which lasted until 1859. The communal period comunale (XI-XIV centuries) was marked by the highest thriving of the famous University, which drew students from all over Europe, and by an intense building activity. To this period date many romanic and gothic monuments like the complex of Santo Stefano, the two surviving leaning towers,  palazzo Re Enzo (King Enzo's palace), the churches of S.Domenico and San Francesco, those of S.Giacomo and of the  Servi and last but not least the big temple of S. Petronio; inspirer of the major ogival constuctions was the local architect Antonio di Vincenzo. A painting school was active through almost all the XIV century with Vitale da Bologna, Simone de' Crocifissi, Iacopino di Francesco and others. During the Renassance the monumental outlook of the city was completed with the building of many palaces, like those of the Podestà, the Bevilacqua, the small palace of the Viola and many others. Many churches and cloisters were also erected or renovated during the XVI century. Important works were left by famous sculptors like  Iacopo della Quercia, Niccolò dell'Arca, Michelangiolo and last but not least Giambologna. At the end of the XV century the painting school of Ferrara moved into Bologna with Lorenzo Costa and the Francia, and at the end of the following century the brothers Carracci started an eclectic movement, from which in the following century developed itself the famous bolognese school of the  Reni, Guercino and the Domenichino.
During the XVIII century were active the architects A.Torreggiani and C.F. Dotti, to whom it is owed the sanctuary of Madonna di S.Luca.
  

 

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