RED RIDING HOOD

I digged into the city not expecting so much history well presented until today and offering so much. My discovery started at Via dell’ Indipendenza where I realised the portici (engl. archades) are dominating the city. The street is a shopping path as well 🙂

From there I came across to Piazza del Nettuno. Unfortunately, the statue was under construction and I did not manage to see it but I entered Palazzo Re Enzo, named after Enzo of Sardinia. As mentioned, I was surprised that everything in Bologna is so well preserved and actually ating from 13 century, like the palaces at Piazza Maggiore – the main square where Palazzo dei Banchi is situated as well – a former banking center of the 16 century when Bologna was a city state like most of the european cities. It is surrounded by the centers of religious and political governance, represented by the cathedral Basilica of San Petronio and the palaces and D’Accursio Palace (city hall).

As seen in the photo below, the Basilica is unfinished but it hosted a seminal event of the 16th century: the coronation of Charles V to Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement VII.

The 14 century Basilica of San Petronio contains an interesting moment of 15th-century Gothic fresco showing Mohammed being tormented by devils in hell.This exact fresco has been an intention of Al-Qaida and other islamic terrorist groups to attack. The painter was inspired by Dante who defined the last circle of hell for infidels and blasphemers. And that was the answer to my question why the military guy stands at the entrance the church with machine gun.

Piazza Galvani shows the statue of Luigi Galvani, a famous bolognese scholar mainly known for his research about bioelectricity, while observing the famous frog he used to study.

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To be more specific, Galvani studied in Bologna at the prestigious university as Bologna has the oldest university of the western hemipshere. This Palazzo dell’ Archiginnasio was founded in 1088. I was pretty impressed by the aula of Teatro Anatomico where anatomy lessons were once held.

After observing the beginning of Bilogna’s history,  was ready to taste local dishes. So, by the recomendation of my friends, I went to the district called Quadrilatero. It has an ancient tradition with its greatest development in the Middle Ages that kept  its trade vocation throughout the years. The main craft guilds of the city such as goldsmiths, butchers, fishermen,”salaroloi” (workers who salted meat to cure it), the Furriers, Barbers and the Society of Painters, had their headquarters in this area. With its hidden streets and nagging houses, today is a huge attaction to the tourists with the market and restaurants.

Bologna is home of mortadella , tortellini … and great wine of Emilia Romagna region. I enjoyed the San Giovanni.

Then it was a time to visit some of the many many churches and its clousters, like Basilica and Sanctuary of San Domenico and Tombs of the Glossatori. It is one of the major churches in Bologna, builded by Order of Dominicans  buried inside the exquisite shrine, re-constructed by Michelangelo.

Somehow, I entered behind the church to the gardens of orators and captured this:

Next churh I captured was Basilica of Santo Stefano. Like with many churches in Rome  this buidling was temple of the goddess Isis, but during the times of Crusades, it was re-builded and called ”New Jerusalem.”

The innerside is great and 13 century historic dedicated to the Holy Jerusalem. Notice the portici again, on every photo that I took. 🙂

From there I ended up in the former Jewish Ghetto. The layout of Bologna’s 16th century ghetto can still be precisely traced amid the narrow streets in the medieval heart of the city: here, a maze of alleys, covered bridges and small windows tells the story of a whole community forced to live in a specific area of the town by order of the Papal State beginning from 1556. In Bologna, Jews lived in the ghetto until 16 century, when they were expelled for the first time. Few years later, they were allowed to come back to town and lived here again until end of same 16 century, when their final expulsion happened: 900 people left Bologna and no Jewish community was allowed into town for more than two centuries.

Fnally, I arrived to the main cityscape of the city and its main recognition: Towers of Bologna, a group of medieval structures.

The reasons for the construction of so many towers are not clear, but what is clear that one of them is leaning and looks scarry. The towers are called Garisenda and Asinelli standing right in the middle of Porta Ravegnanna.

I finished my trip at Piazza della Merchanzia with beautiful 16 century building of commerce. Frome this square via Santo Stefano led to Milano since mediaval times as it leads today.

Bologna is the city of Lambourghini. So, not to forget this important thing for all the lovers of car speed. 🙂

Some 7-8 years later and I arrived to this city again. This time by car. And it still that very same amaze. I was in the city once and again. I reminded myself about the food, portici, the red facades which is why the city is called citta’ rossa...

We sat for a bolognese in a Donatello restaurant. It was delicious as the restaurant’s ceiling was offering the tones of art nouveau – a total contrast to the rest of the medieval-styled city.

Last time I visited, the city had it’s Nettuno fountain under reconstruction. I remember my disappointment. But somehow, the universe pays it back. The fountain is a model example of Mannerist taste of the Italian courtly elite in the mid-sixteenth century.

Apparently, the great Italian poet called Dante (don’t know if you have heard of him 😛 ) lived in Bologna in two different periods of life – in his happy young days and then in the hard years of exile before the Black Guelphs, his mortal enemies, took control of the town. Many hints at Bologna are scattered in his works, while all the Bolognese characters find themselves in Inferno. Only the Saints are saved! I met him in downtown as our paths crossed over the Piazza Maggiore.

Continuing down the Strada Maggiore my legs took me to the Church of Saints Bartholomew and Cajetan. A Renaissance style church, with the splendid interior.

The landmark symbols of the city built by noble families in the 12th century, offering city views – are the Two towers; Garisenda and degli Asinelli. I was never particularly interested in climbing these, so I avoided it this time as well. Instead, I have admired them from below.

Time for an apperitivo. My favorite aperol spritz. In Italy, whenever you sit for your aperitivo break – you will get some small bites of local food. We got the mortadella – a famous local ham. Another favourite of mine 😛 We paired it shortly afterwords with the typical wine of Emilia Romagna region.

Dinner came with the 5 commandments of the Bolognese cuisine:

• Do not order spaghetti bolognese in vain.
• Do not desire steak milanese, if you can have steak bolognese.
• Honour the tortellini, even better in a soup.
• Do not wish for any other lasagna than the one green inside lasagna.
• Do not forget that in Bologna, mortadella doesn’t not come with pistachio.