Culture of Bologna. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Bologna is famous for a huge number of old buildings and unique historic sites, each of which is connected with a huge number of interesting mysteries and legends. San Sepolkro Church is a famous landmark of the city. It was built in the beginning of the 11th century. The walls of the church still keep numerous religious artifacts, which attract thousands of pilgrims, who come here every year to see the sacred place. The church is the location of the tomb of St. Petronius - the patron saint of Bologna. Here is also installed a copy of one of the most important Christian shrines in the world - the Holy Sepulchre. The courtyard of the church is home to one more ancient place of interest - a beautiful fountain of Pontius Pilate. According to historical records, it was built 300 years earlier than the church.

Santo Stefano Basilica is a no less remarkable religious object and a true example of Romanesque architecture style. The Basilica is a complex of four ancient churches, the oldest of which was built in the 5th century. This wonderful architectural ensemble does not cease to attract couples and people who look for happiness in their personal lives. It is believed that a person who comes to the temple with pure thoughts will certainly find marital happiness. If medieval monuments are your true love, don’t miss a chance to visit the majestic castle of Palazzo Comunale, which is situated on one of high hills. Nowadays the castle is converted into a museum. Its halls keep old family coat of arms and art objects that once belonged to noble families of Bologna.

The center of the city is the location of famous Neptune Square with a beautiful fountain. The fountain has already become a symbol of Bologna. This place will be liked by fans of walks and travellers who are not indifferent to architectural masterpieces of antiquity. Torre degli Asinelli or "Leaning Towers" are another interesting excursions destination. Even a few centuries ago there were about 180 of such towers in Bologna. They were erected by the inhabitants of the city. Each representative of a noble family considered the building of a high tower his duty. The tower should have been visible from all parts of the city. So far, only two towers have survived till our times. However, due to improper foundation the towers leaned. The unusual name of the towers comes from this fact. Holiday-makers should definitely not forget to visit San Stefano Museum - an architectural complex consisting of seven fine churches, the construction of which lasted from the 11th to 13th centuries. Each church is distinguished by unforgettable and unique architectural style and stores unique religious artifacts. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

There are uncountable numbers of incredibly beautiful palaces in Bologna. Among them it is mandatory for you to visit Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo Fava, and Palazzo Hercolani. Each palazzo will leave an indelible impression on its visitor, forever imprinted in is his/her memory. Next to them, you will feel an elusive spirit of the times. However, while visiting the Porta Saragozza, a quite hard breeze of time is felt. Though the gates do not stand separately from the modern buildings, it seems as if they complement them, perfectly harmonizing with them. The gates are illuminated in the evening, which gives a special romance to the area.

You can immediately get to know that Bologna is an interesting city to visit, just by arriving at the Stazione di Bologna Centrale. The station is huge, and beautiful from an architectural and functional point of view. “Three in One”, is what it would be called in an advert, if it was necessary to advertise Bologna. The chic Teatro 1763 Villa Aldrovandi Mazzacorati is a great place to explore the architecture of the city. The theater was built in the 18th century in the style “neoclassicism”, while its interior is built in the “baroque” style. Needless to say, that the interior is equally impressive, as is its exterior. You can see beautiful paintings and sculptures dating from the 17th century everywhere, and all these only adds atmospherity to the place.

Teatro Anatomico is one of the most interesting places to visit in Bologna. Entering the room of the oldest university in Europe, you can easily imagine how surgical experiments were once carried out here – the place really immerses in this atmosphere, making every cell of your body feel a touch of history. The university suffered during the Second World War, and many exhibits had to be restored from scratch – this mainly refers to sculptures. Great views of the city can be seen if you climb up the Torre dell’Arengo. This tower is part of the Palazzo del Podestà, so you do not need to go far to see the sights. Torre dell’Orologio is an excellent viewing point, located next to the Palazzo Communale.

Not far from the railway station you can stumble upon a unique museum. It is called Museo per la Memoria di Ustica. Its uniqueness is in the fact that you can hear the heartbreaking cries of the victims of Ustica (injured in the crash that happened on June 27th, 1980), and also see the personal belongings of the passengers and the remains of the ship. The museum causes contradictory feelings. Another interesting institution is devoted to music – we are talking about the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica, among the exhibits of which are musical instruments, paintings, books about music. You can as well get acquainted with Bologna as an industrial center in the Museo del Patrimonio Industriale, where the machines of the 16th-19th centuries are represented.