B-O-L-O-G-N-A

On our way to Venice, we decided to fly into Bologna and see it first.

Bologna has about 375,000 people and is famous for its Bolognese cuisine. The oldest university in continental Europe is in Bologna so much of the population is students.

It has miles and miles (nearly 25 miles) of covered walkways known as porticos.  I've included photos of several throughout this post.

They are perfect for a rainy day - which it was on the day we were there.  I wonder why the Belgians didn't think of this portico thing.

One of the few places with no portico.

The Piazza del Nettuno - Fountain of Neptune built in 1563 by Tommaso Laureti and later embellished by Jean de Boulogne.

The arches are beautiful, but so are the tile floors.

Palazzo Comunale - Bologna City Hall

Some of the portico ceilings are elaborately painted.

The Basilica of San Petronio is on the right side of this photo.  Its actual front was completely covered while a new facade is completed.

Frazier was a big help when it came to navigation.

At the end of the 12th century, Bologna porticoes were compulsory for all streets where they were considered useful on private soil (Law settled in 1288), also preserving their public uses.  This law is still in force.

Definitely the best gelato we ate in Italy.  And we ate a lot.

One of my favorites.

I just liked this picture of the old buildings and the myriad of power lines.

Having a drink at a cafe on the Piazza Maggiore.

Not only protection from the rain, but also the sun, snow . . .

The Two Towers are a landmark in Bologna.  The taller one is the Asinelli and the smaller and more leaning one is the Garisenda.  The names derive from the families traditionally credited for their construction between 1109 and 1119.

Now where?

This is Parco Montagnola.  It has been a public park since the 17th century.  

This is the entrance to the park.

The church in the background is the Basilica Sanctuario di Madonna di San Luca built between 1664 and 1793.

Rampo Maggiore Leopoldo Serra

The original Porto Galliera was constructed in the 12th century and was one of 12 entrances to the city.

Waiting for the train to take us to Venice!

When researching Bologna, I realized how very little of the fabulous city of Bologna we actually saw.  Perhaps we can return some day.