On March 7, 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, produced 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 directed by Richard Donner was released, and the premiere of the remake of “The Omen” 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, here is a brief excursion into the essence of the matter. The backstory is this: the wife of the American ambassador to Italy, Richard Thorne, gives birth to a baby, but as soon as the new father arrives at the hospital, he is greeted at the entrance by a priest with such sad eyes and such large bags under them that it becomes clear that this messenger cannot bring good news. There really turns out to be three news: very bad, bad and good, the priest, who looks more like a fiend of Hell than a servant of the Lord, sets them out, strictly in the correct sequence, that is, first it hurts, then it feels good. Like, Mr. Thorne, your son was stillborn, I'm sorry. Again, I’m sorry, your wife will no longer be able to have children, but don’t be upset, in the next ward the woman in labor died during childbirth, but the boy she gave birth to is healthy and handsome. Would you like to take it instead of yours? We won't tell anyone, and your wife won't be upset. Diplomat Richard Thorne is a diplomat to resolve issues diplomatically, and therefore he hands his wife Catherine a baby from the next room, whom the couple names with the sonorous name Damien.
In the photo: a still from the 1976 film “The Omen”
Of course, Damien is the Antichrist, as evidenced by the three-six mole hidden under his beautiful dark hair. Soon the family moves from Rome to London, where they live comfortably until the baby’s fifth birthday. And at the age of five, the child’s devilish nature begins to manifest itself in different ways: first, as a result of various accidents, everyone who could interfere with the process of the proper growing up of the little Antichrist perishes, followed in turn by all those who understand that accidents, in in this case, are 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 he needs to be stabbed with sacred daggers. And here it is not the dark forces of Satan that intervene in the matter, but the good old British police, who manage to shoot the diplomat just at the moment when he raised his hand with a striking 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 accidents multiplied around the young Antichrist in geometric progression. Well, in the third, weakest and most illogical part of the trilogy, the Antichrist died at the hands of a journalist with whom he had a short intimate relationship. The death of Damien Thorne was so ridiculous that fans of the Omen series waited with hope for the resurrection of their favorite anti-hero for many years. They waited until they waited, 15 years after the premiere of the last film in the Omen series, the second coming of Damien Thorne finally took place.
Poster for the series "Damien"
In the new version, Damien is 30 years old, he doesn’t remember anything about his childhood, he’s not familiar with his mission in this world, and at first he takes all the talk about the Antichrist as the ravings of the city’s crazy people. Damien Thorne in the 2016 version works as a photographer in Syria, and on the day of his thirtieth birthday, everything begins to happen to him that should guide the young Antichrist on the true path - first baptism in blood, and upon returning to New York - the “accidental” deaths of loved ones, unfamiliar and complete strangers.
Poster for the series "Damien" 2016
In terms of texture, the creators of the series approached the matter quite meticulously; images of Hell and Lucifer in the canonical Catholic tradition flash in the frame every now and then. Let's dig into the details and find out where the show's creators got the frightening images of the devil that give the series its characteristic darkness and atmosphere.
LUCIFER FROM THE FRESCO OF THE BASILICA OF SAN PETRONIO (BOLONA)
In the series' intro, the creators included a classic image of Lucifer devouring sinners in Hell.
Still 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)
The Cathedral of San Petronio in Bologna is generally an extremely interesting place. Firstly, it is still in, let’s say, an unfinished state, the fact is that initially, according to the design 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. It is clear that the Pope did not really like this idea, and the basilica building simply did not begin to be built to the end, as a result it looks somewhat “truncated”, however, it is still the fifth largest cathedral in the world. Secondly, although construction of the temple began back in 1393, its facade is still not fully finished - only the lower part of the basilica’s façade is lined with marble, but the upper part 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 series' intro. It was created in 1415, and this is the only fresco in the world in which not only Lucifer and nameless sinners are present in Hell, but also the Prophet Muhammad, which from the position of Muslims is the greatest insult in every possible sense.
The figure on top of the fresco, carried away by a demon, is Muhammad
Despite numerous requests from followers of Islam to remove the image of the Prophet Muhammad from the fresco, no one began to correct the author's plan of Giovanni da Modena, because the opportunity to see the image of Muhammad in Hell on a fresco of the fifteenth century is one of the main reasons why tourists from all over the world visit the Cathedral of San -Petronio in Bologna.
THE MAGNIFICENT CHURCH OF THE DUKE OF BERRY
The image of the devil on a subway train car in the series' intro is also not a conventional abstraction. In this case, the creators of the series transferred onto a moving carriage a fragment of the miniature “Hell” from the fifteenth-century manuscript “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry,” created by order of Duke Jean of Berry by the miniaturists the Limburg brothers, and later modified by the artist Jean Colomb.
Interestingly, the image of the Underworld in the miniature is an illustration of the vision of the Irish monk Tundal, which was considered in the twelfth century one of the most reliable evidence of what really happens in Hell. Lucifer in this interpretation does not sit, as in Dante, in the center of an icy lake, but lies on a grate above a fiery pit. Demons use bellows to fan the fire in the pit, Satan breathes out hellish flames, simultaneously throwing the souls of sinners into his mouth, and other demons torment the souls of sinners at 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 funeral prayers, and its author was one of the Limburg brothers, presumably Jean. By the way, the same miniature from “The Magnificent Book of Hours” is shown in the first episode of the series by Professor Raneus during a visit to his home 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.
THE DEVIL FROM THE FRESCOES OF THE SCROVEGNI CAPELLA (PADUA)
Another canonical image 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 uniqueness of the chapel is that its walls and ceiling are completely decorated with frescoes by the great Giotto, the best artist of the time and one of the most influential Italian painters in the history of art.
In the photo: frescoes by Giotto in the Scrovegni Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni)
The images of Hell on the frescoes impress the unprepared 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 mosaics from the Florentine Baptistery of Santos. Giovanni, who inspired Alighieri to create the first part of the Divine Comedy.
Lucifer in Giotto's fresco 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 Bible researcher Professor Raneus leafs through with hands shaking in horror.
In the photo: a still from the series “Damien”, the first episode
But the illustration adjacent to the reproduction of Giotto’s fresco has nothing to do with Lucifer, or even with Christianity. This is just a fragment of the painting “Cadmus Slaying the Dragon” by the Dutch mannerist artist 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 painting is an illustration of the ancient Greek myth about 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 of 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 see, there is no connection with Christianity, but because this illustration was in the Revelation of John the Theologian, which Professor Raneus was leafing through, it remained a mystery to us.
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Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the website project. Former editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
The huge Basilica of St. Petronio (San-Petronio) is located in Bologna's main square, Piazza Magiore. The main cathedral of Bologna is the sixth largest basilica in the world and the 15th largest Catholic church in the world. It is for its size that San Petronio is called the main cathedral of the city; this temple is not a cathedral. The length of the Cathedral of San Petronio is 132 meters, the width is 66 meters, the height of the internal vaults is 45 meters, the height of the unfinished facade is 51 meters.
I had a chance to see a panorama of the center of Bologna from an airplane window on a clear night. The Basilica of San Petronio seemed incredibly huge. It’s interesting, but even when you are near the basilica in the evening, it seems larger than during the day.
The first stone of the foundation of the Cathedral of San Petronio was laid in 1390. The architect Antonio di Vincenzo was invited to supervise the construction of the ambitious temple. To make room in the city center, 8 churches and several towers were demolished in Bologna. 8 chapels were planned in the cathedral, which were named after the demolished temples; there are 22 chapels in total. Above the 11th chapel on the right is a bell tower, erected in 1481-1495. There are 4 bells on the tower, as prescribed by the traditions of Bologna.
The original design of the basilica was superior in size and luxury to St. Peter's Church in the Vatican. The Vatican did not like the idea; Pope Pius IV issued a special order in 1562, in which he adjusted the size and decoration of the future temple downward.
The Gothic style cathedral took an incredibly long time to build. In 1401, Antonio di Vincenzo died, and work continued after his death based on the miniature model of the temple he created. By 1479, the façade of San Petronio was completed, but its decoration with pink marbles was never completed. Attempts to complete the facade according to existing drawings and drawings were made even in the 20th century.
The history of the construction of the Cathedral of San Petronio is full of unpleasant stories about the theft of materials and waste of funds. Partly due to the constant lack of funds, the project was repeatedly simplified. As a result, construction was completed in 1663. Antonio di Vincenzo most likely would not have recognized his brainchild... The planned grandiose dome was never built. The Basilica of San Petronio became the latest Gothic church in Italy.
The basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of Bologna, Saint Petronius, who was a bishop in the 5th century. An interesting fact is that the construction of the basilica was not a church project, it was built as a symbol of the greatness of the communal power of Bologna. The statue of Saint Petronius in Bologna is located at the base of the leaning towers, and not near the basilica.
The temple officially came under the jurisdiction of the church only in 1929, although various events took place in the cathedral, including the coronation of Emperor Charles V in 1530. The official consecration of the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna took place in October 1954, when large-scale work on the restoration of the temple continues continuously to this day. Quite recently the façade was restored; now the back part of the temple is in the woods, from where the ascent is made. In 2000, the remains of Saint Petronio, previously buried in , were transferred to the Basilica of San Petronio.
The entrance to the Basilica of San Petronio is decorated with sculptures by Jacopo della Quercia based on 15 scenes from the New and Old Testaments.
The Great Michelangelo called the Virgin of the portal of the Cathedral of San Petronio by della Quercia the most beautiful Virgin of the 15th century.
Entrance to the Basilica of San Petronio is free, but you have to pay for the right to take photographs in the cathedral. The presence of a sticker, which must be stuck in a visible place, is checked by numerous security officers. There are always a lot of them in the cathedral. Those who are not too lazy to read the note to the end will find out why.
The interior of the Cathedral of San Petronio is designed in white and red colors - the colors of the coat of arms of the city of Bologna.
The pointed Gothic vault appeared in the basilica in the very last years of construction; the vaults were never completed.
The 22 chapels of the Cathedral of San Petronio differ in style and splendor of decoration.
In one of them, the luxurious Chapel of St. Abbondio, Pope Clement VII crowned Emperor Charles V.
The floor in front of the entrances to the chapel is also a work of art.
The chapels were decorated in the 15th and 16th centuries, many of them unfinished.
In the central part of the cathedral there is a nave with a canopy.
The Cathedral of San Petronio is filled with beautiful works of art, on which famous masters worked at different times. But according to the project, there should have been many more masterpieces here.
In the Basilica of San Petronio, two ancient working organs have been preserved. One of them is Lorenzo's organ from Prato, the oldest surviving organ in the world.
The main attraction of the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna is the 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 part of the earth's meridian. This 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. Meridian was restored in 1925, confirming the accuracy of the design. On solstice days, it is clear that the location of the sun's ray does not correspond to the circles drawn along the edges of the Meridian line. This is the effect of changing the inclination of the Sun's ecliptic. The difference will increase until 11250, and then return to the marks painted on the floor of the Basilica by 18200.
And another very famous landmark of the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna is the scandalous fresco of Giovanni da Modena “Hell”, created in 1410-12. The fresco is located in the fourth left chapel; entrance to it is paid separately. For 3 euros, visitors are given an audio guide in several languages. When there are visitors, the lights are turned on in the chapel. Other visitors to the cathedral can see the fresco from afar, as if from the side. In the chapel itself, photography of the fresco is not allowed.
The fresco illustrates canto 28 from Dante's Divine Comedy. The fresco also depicts the Prophet Mohammed, tormented by devils. Dante writes: “Vedi come storpiato è Maometto!” (Look how Mahomet is crippled). For obvious reasons, the fresco is the object of increased attention from theologians and Islamist terrorists, who have repeatedly planned to blow up the Basilica of San Petronio. Disputes among church ministers and politicians do not stop. The official Vatican response on this issue was given by Cardinal Ernesto Vecchi: “The fresco does not offend our Muslim brothers. She is not against Islam. It is impossible to interpret a work of art dating back to 1400 from a modern point of view."
The 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, its width is 60 meters, and the height of the vaults reaches 51 meters. Inside it can accommodate about 28 thousand people.
The first stone for 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 the shape 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 took on it, including the famous Baldassar Peruzzi and Andrea Palladio, but for various reasons the work did not move forward. 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. His naked Adam and other figures placed on a rectangular bas-relief provided inspiration to Renaissance artists.
The interior of the cathedral is notable for its depiction of the “Madonna and Saints” by Lorenzo Costa Jr. and the “Pieta” by Amico Aspertini. The painted walls and colored stained glass windows are noteworthy. The choir was made in the 15th century by Agostino de Marchi, and the monstrance is the creation of Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola.
Since Bologna was the musical center of Baroque 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 - its author is the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini. This is the largest sundial in the world - its length is 66.8 meters.
The ceremonial consecration of the cathedral took place only in 1954, and in 2000 the relics of St. Petronio, previously kept in the Basilica of Santo Stefano, were transferred here.
The Basilica of San Petronio has always played an important role in the church and secular life of not only Bologna, but also 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 carry out a terrorist attack in the cathedral. And in 2006, the Italian police again managed to prevent a tragedy - then Muslim terrorists who wanted to destroy the basilica were captured because, in their opinion, the fresco inside insulted Islam. This fresco by Giovanni da Modena depicts a scene from Dante's Inferno where Muhammad is tormented by demons.
Hello travel lovers! Today we will talk about one of the beautiful cities of Emilia-Romagna, which turned out to be “enchanted” for us. A city we've passed through 4 times and never left. On this trip we decided to “break the spell” and live in it for at least a couple of days. Now we have looked at all the sights of Bologna and want to tell you about them.
So, Bologna is a city in northern Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region. The area is comparable to our Kaluga (170.5 km²) and the state of Liechtenstein (160 km²). The area of Bologna is 140.73 km², but to be honest, it’s hard to call it a town. Everything here is so grandiose.
Bologna is a city of arches, covered galleries that protect you from the hot Italian sun, towers and majestic 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 along 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 the 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.
Scope
Every time, setting up her Canon for the next shot, Galya grumbled: “Well, who builds like that.” The people of Bologna had no idea that just 400 years later we would be taking unimaginable poses and twisting our cameras to take a normal photo of a building.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Bologna still retained the appearance of a medieval city.
Now Bologna is a major industrial center and the main transport hub of northern Italy.
On our trip to Italy, we stopped in and from there we 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 friends who said very confidently: “Bologna? What should we do there? 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. Where the old squares, cathedrals and the very first university in Europe are located.
Having been to Italy 3 times, I doubt whether there is at least one city in this country that has nothing to see.
Story
Bologna was founded by the Etruscans around 510 BC and was then called Felsina.
In the 4th century BC it was captured by the Boii tribe. It was then that the city received a name similar to its modern one - Bonnonia - after the name of the tribe.
The rise of the Roman Empire brought prosperity to the city. The 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
A lot of interesting things happened here in the Middle Ages:
- The Church of St. Stephen was rebuilt
- The city was given over to the Lombard king Luitprand
- Charlemagne made Bologna a free city. Since then, the word “libertas” (freedom) has been on the coat of arms.
- Having received the status of a free city, Bologna began to actively develop.
- The first European university, Studio, was founded here.
- By the middle of the 13th century, a law abolishing serfdom was passed. (!)
- The entire 15th century of the city's history was marked by an internal struggle for power.
- The 17th century brought the city fame as the intellectual center of Europe.
University. Entrance of one of the faculties
One of the university's internal gardens
Young people from all over Europe came here to study at the University of Bologna. N. Copernicus was among them.
N. Copernicus studied here
The University of Bologna had one interesting feature. The teaching staff was chosen by the students themselves, or rather by members of the student corporation. They could even fire an objectionable teacher.
By 1881, as Bologna's importance 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 and new streets were cut. We now propose to take a walk along them.
Walking around Bologna
Let's start from the center.
- The heart of Bologna is considered to be two adjacent squares - Piazza Nettuno or Neptune Square and Piazza Maggiore.
- Piazza Nettuno is easy to recognize - since the 16th century, the Fountain of Neptune, the creation of Giambologna, has been adorning here.
There are also two majestic buildings here:
- Palazzo di Re Enzo - Gothic style palace
- Palazzo del Podestà (Palazzo del Podestà), a building reconstructed towards the end of the 15th century in the Renaissance style.
Piazza Maggiore is famous for its size and the buildings surrounding it. It is on these squares that the facades of the city's most famous palazzos overlook.
In Piazza Maggiore or Great Square are:
- Palazzo dei Notai, built for the Society of Notaries by 1411
- Palazzo dei Banchi. This palace was built for the city's banks by 1412.
- Also overlooking the Great Square is the façade of the Basilica of St. Petronius.
Basilica of St. Petronius
- Pay attention to the decor of the doors. External bas-reliefs telling the story of the creation of the world are the work of the master Jacopo della Quercia.
Bas-reliefs above the entrance
- The pride and value of the interior decoration of the basilica are the perfectly preserved frescoes of Giovanni da Modena and the works of Giulio Romano.
The building is majestic, large inside, richly decorated, with two beautiful (sounding) organs. We listened to a “random” concert - the organist came in the afternoon. Either I was rehearsing, or I don’t know what I was doing, but from time to time I stood up and waved my hand to my acquaintances.
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 St. Peter's Basilica (San Pietro). We'll tell you more 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 basil:
- The building was built with the money of the townspeople and, unlike other religious buildings, was not a church project. This is a symbol of communal power.
- Services and coronations took place in the basilica, and worthy people of the city were buried here. Only in 1929 the cathedral officially became part of 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, and 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, inside the cathedral there is a very accurate sundial (meridian).
This is the longest meridian existing in the world. The great medieval astronomer Giovanni Domenico Casini, a resident of Bologna and teacher at the University of Bologna, created the clock in 1665. They are called the “meridian of Giovanni Cassini”.
One of the parts of the meridian
The Cassini Meridian sundial is an arc drawn into the floor slabs of the cathedral. Its length is 66.8 m -1/600000 of the earth's meridian. Zodiac signs are depicted in different parts of it.
If you lift your head up, you can see a hole in the ceiling. As far as I understand, this hole is the whole trick. Apparently a ray of sunlight hits it and falls on the meridian, pointing to the month.
While we were listening to the organ concert, various tour groups entered the cathedral. They were brought to the meridian and told approximately what I told you. But I still haven’t figured out how this ultra-precise watch works. The cathedral has large windows and the beam is lost in the light. Maybe the hole was covered with colored glass, then this beam was visible?
Who knows, write in the comments - we will be grateful.
Entrance to the temple is free, for the opportunity to take photographs inside there is a fee of 2 euros.
- And finally, the facade of the grandiose Palazzo Comunale (Palazzo Comunale) overlooks the side common to the two squares.
This building, built in 1290, was reconstructed by 1425 and looks less like a palace and more like a mighty fortification.
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 him is a stone slab with the words carved on it: “Divus Petronius Protector et Pater.” Translation: "Divine Petronius Father and Protector." This is another interesting history of the city associated with Napoleon.
1796 Bologna is captured by Napoleon's troops. By personal order of the commander, the soldiers smash and destroy all sculptures and images of popes. Then the city residents find a clever way to save the sculpture of Pope Gregory XIII (it was he who decided to raise the status of Bologna in 1582). They hire a sculptor who turns Pope Gregory into the city's patron saint, Bishop St. Petronius. Instead of the papal tiara, an episcopal miter appears on the head of the sculpture, and a staff is in the hand.
So that no doubts arise, they remove the slab with the name, and above the sculpture they place a marble plaque with the inscription “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 again became Gregory. But the residents of the city left a marble plaque in memory of this incident. So read and smile - there is no mistake here)
There are sculptures on the facade of the building. The eagle sculpture is believed to be the work of Michelangelo.
Courtyard of Palazzo Communale
- Here, nearby, is the city's Cathedral. Cathedral of San Pietro.
The first mentions of it date back to the 10th century. Over its long life, the building of the main cathedral changed its appearance several times - fires and earthquakes destroyed it. It appeared in both Romanesque and Gothic styles. It was completed and rebuilt, decorating everything with new architectural details and buildings.
The height of the central nave is comparable to the height of the central nave of the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica. 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 Niccolò 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 St. Stephen's Basilica.
The basilica is located on St. Stefano (Basilica di Santo Stefano). According to legend, there used to be a temple of Isis here. The temples of the complex were erected in the Middle Ages.
According to the idea of St. 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 in the complex
- Church of Saints Vitaly and Agricola
- Martyrium
We won't be able to see the rest of the buildings now. This is a consequence of unsuccessful reconstructions.
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 for the icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria, which, according to legend, was painted by the Apostle Luke.
Well, 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 it is very interesting. Inside it there is a marble altar 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 you could enter it through 12 gates.
Wars, earthquakes, and simply time have taken their toll - 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 to erect towers during the conflict between the church and secular authorities. Each such structure represents a bastion in which a family could live and house its soldier-defenders.
Whatever the protective functions of these tall fortresses, over time, in medieval Bologna, almost a “sport” appeared - which family had the tallest 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 contain the surnames of their owners.
The architectural dominant of the city and a tourist attraction are the two leaning towers on the Piazza di Porta Ravegnana.
These are the famous leaning towers of Asinelli and Garisenda. Built at the beginning of the 12th century without the necessary technologies, the towers continue to fall to this day. What about Pisa?
- Asinelli height 97 m
- Height of Garisenda 48 m
Asinelli is the tallest leaning tower in the world.
Guess what's in the tower today? Of course - an observation deck. Old wooden steps lead to the very top, from where a wonderful panorama of the city opens up. From there, from above, it becomes clear why Bologna was called red.
- The observation deck is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer.
- From 9 to 17 in winter.
- Entrance fee is 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 13th-17th centuries, for example Francesco Parmigianino, Masaccio.
The International Music Museum and Library houses 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 tours are especially popular; they will introduce you to the most significant places in Bologna in a short time. These buses are convenient for those who want to visit the Church of the Madonna of St. Luke.
We didn’t use buses in Bologna and preferred to walk. But in and Potsdam we traveled 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 25th and everyone is welcome to take part. Even tourists. All you need to do is take a 10-liter saucepan with you on your trip. If the jury and the audience like your soup, you will receive a golden ladle.
On a more serious note – a film festival. Held in the summer in five cinema halls and Piazza Maggiore. Pictures from all over the world can take part in it.
We found an Italian film festival. The cinema hall looked like this:
Anyone can watch the films.
How to get there
- by plane
Bologna has its own Guglielmo Marconi Airport. From Rome, planes fly here three times a day.
- by train
Trains depart from Rome Termini Station to Bologna. This trip will take a little over 4 hours.
In addition, you can travel by train from Venice, Florence, and other cities.
- by bus
Buses leave from Rome's Tiburtina station. So you will spend 6 hours on the road.
Bologna on the map
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Sincerely, Alla Sutyagina
When visiting Bologna, don't miss the Basilica of San Petronio. This is not the main temple of the city, but it is the most majestic, built in order to surpass St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican in size. However, the basilica has one attraction, because of which they tried to blow up the temple several times.
At first glance, the church on Piazza Maggiore is difficult to appreciate - the façade is unfinished, gray brick and some marble cladding do not bode well for anything interesting. However, at the entrance there are a couple of police patrols - local and military (Carabinieri). I was in Bologna twice and went to this temple twice and both times I was searched (in general, a normal practice only for Rome), but the second time the policeman even asked for my passport, going to check it against some of their databases in the car. These are security measures that can be explained simply - there is a real threat of the church being undermined by Islamic fanatics. The reason for this is that the temple has a 15th century fresco depicting hell. Among the inhabitants of this place is a Muslim prophet...
In those days of constant wars on the border of Europe and for the Holy Land, no one thought about tolerance; Muslims were enemies of Christians and it was believed that the relatively new religion - Islam - was a heresy, a pseudo-religion designed to stop the spread of Christianity and increase the army of the Antichrist. In 1410, the artist Giovanni da Modena added the image of Muhammad to his fresco; more precisely, one of the figures tormented by demons in hell was signed with this name.
For six centuries, the presence of such a fresco did not cause any complaints, however, starting in the 2000s, the police detained several people planning to blow up the church.
Everything inside the cathedral is quite calm, although you can’t take pictures, but there are no police here. The chapel with the fresco is fenced, you can look at it for 2 euros. However, the controversial image itself and the entire upper part of the fresco are visible from the side.
