Basilica di San Petronio, Italy

From series “Famous unfinished buildings ”

4 out of 15 - Cathedral Of Saint John The Divine, USA

5 out of 15 - Szkieletor Skyscraper, Poland

6 out of 15 - Basilica di San Petronio, Italy

8 out of 15 - Palatul Parlamentului, Romania

Year: 14 century. Lenght: 132 m. Height: 51 m. Width: 66 m .

You can see the beautiful Basilica di San Petronio in the main square in the heart of Bologna. It is one of the largest Catholic churches in the world. Even though the church is not a cathedral, it is still considered the most important in the city due to its impressive scale. The cathedral is 132 meters long and 66 meters wide. The temple was never fully completed. But it is still one of the highest in the city. The height of the cathedral is 51 meters.

The basilica began to be built in 1390. The famous architect Antonio di Vincenzo was the author of its design. A very dense development took place in the center of Bologna in the late 14th century. It was necessary to destroy 8 old churches, as well as several defensive towers, to free up space for the basilica. There are 22 chapels in the cathedral today. 8 of them are named after churches that were destroyed. The cathedral turned out to be very luxurious already at the initial stage of construction. It surpassed the Church of St. Peter located in the Vatican. Pope Pius IV issued an order that the decoration of the facade of the basilica had to be simplified in 1562.

The project of finishing the facade was redone. You may notice that only a small part of it is lined with rare pink marble today. The basilica is several hundred years old. But it was officially consecrated only recently, in 1954. The complete reconstruction of the temple started about 20 years ago. It continues today. Visitors to the attraction have the opportunity not only to admire the interior design of the temple but also to climb to the observation deck. An important religious relic was moved to the cathedral in 2000. These are the remains of Saint Petronio. They attract pilgrims from various countries today.

Next - Villa Madama

Szkieletor Skyscraper, Poland

Villa Madama, Italy

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Basilica di San Petronio - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'La Cassa' located in 0.04 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'World of TUI Bologna' is located in 0.34 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'Q8' in 0.72 km

Supermarket: 'Nuovo Forno' in 0.06 km

Parking: 'Garage Piazza Maggiore' in 0.01 km

Apotheek: 'Pharmacy Beata Vergine of San Luca' in 0.09 km

Police station: 'Police headquarters in Bologna' in 0.08 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Gi.pi. srl' in 0.03 km

Railway station: 'Autostazione' in 1.32 km

Nearest airports:
» Guglielmo Marconi Airport BLQ - in 6 km

» Forli Airport FRL - in 66 km

» La Spreta Airport RAN - in 71 km

» Peretola Airport FLR - in 76 km

» Giuseppe Verdi Airport PMF - in 90 km

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Best hotels near Basilica di San Petronio

Panoramic Suite

Located in 0 km from Basilica di San Petronio
Route on the map:

Rooms: 3

With air conditioning, rooms all have parquet floors and views of the city. Some rooms have a balcony and each comes with a private bathroom. Piazza … More: photo, rates and booking

DailyBed Bolognina

Located in 1 km from Basilica di San Petronio
Route on the map:

Rooms: 5

Rooms are simply decorated and fitted with tiled floors and wooden furnishings. All rooms come with a cooling fan and a work desk. Piazza Maggiore … More: photo, rates and booking

Zer051 Bologna Apartments

Located in 2 km from Basilica di San Petronio
Route on the map:

Rooms: 1

With air conditioning and a washing machine, apartments feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a kitchenette with oven and dishwasher. … More: photo, rates and booking

B4 Bologna Tower by Boscolo

Located in 3 km from Basilica di San Petronio
Route on the map:

Rooms: 150

Rooms have essential Italian-style furniture and earth tones. They include a TV, air conditioning and bathroom with hairdryer. La Caveja restaurant … More: photo, rates and booking

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A beautiful early Christian basilica is also preserved in Ravenna. It is considered a striking example of the Byzantine style. It was named after Saint Vitale. The basilica has been a UNESCO site since 1996. Unique mosaics are considered to be its main value. They …

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80 km - Riva Lofts Hotel

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Top destination around Basilica di San Petronio - Bologna

With boys, it is worth paying a visit to the Museo Ducati. There is a possibility that some girls might like it. This museum is located on the territory of a famous factory, which has been producing motorcycles for several decades. In its halls, one can see both old models of motorcycles and the latest sport bikes. Visitors will have the opportunity to take a lot of great photos during the excursion. The excursion definitely involves a walk through the factory, during which you can see how to buid and test motorcycles.

With children of any age, it will be interesting to visit the Museo Geologico Geovanni Capellini. This geological museum is located on the territory of the University of Bologna. Its young visitors are sure to be impressed by the collection of unique geological finds here. Petrified shells of prehistoric mollusks, skeletons of mammoths and dinosaurs, are just a small part of the artifacts that can be seen in this museum. Children always like fascinating stories about dinosaurs, so the geological museum remains one of the most popular among tourists with children.
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