“The scholar”, “the red”, “the fat”. Each of the three nicknames attributed to Bologna (Italy) tells one of its riches. Oldest university in Europe, built in bricks, long acquired by the Communist Party, the city of 400,000 inhabitants located in the Po plain is also known for its beef stew which accompanies tagliatelle and which should not be called ” bolognaise sauce “.
Day 1
7:30 a.m. Strolling and “goliardi”
In an Italian city, you should always start your day with a stroll through the streets, with no other specific goal than to savor the harmony of the facades, then greet this elderly man who is drinking his ristretto while reading his newspaper. The orange walls reflect the first rays of the sun. Because Bologna is a “red city”, built in bricks shaped with the material available in the region, clay.
Once the introductions are made, you can treat yourself to a macchiato, a brioche filled with cream and a freshly squeezed fruit juice on the square of the San Donato gate (1), right in the university district. Here, here are two goliardi ! These students, dressed in a long cape and an elongated hat, belong to a brotherhood born to celebrate the eight-hundredth anniversary of the university, in 1888.
9:45 a.m. Medieval Manhattan
Pigeons, tourists, musicians, jugglers… Between the town hall, the imposing San Petronio basilica and prestigious palaces, Piazza Maggiore (2) is the nerve center of the city, even if its construction dates “only” from the beginning of the 13the century.
To better embrace this urban landscape, you have to take the long ramp designed for the passage of horses in the town hall, then access the small terrace that surrounds the Clock Tower.
Only a handful of these high brick towers remain in Bologna, built by noble families to store grain, scrutinize the surroundings, and above all celebrate their power. In the Middle Ages, there were more than a hundred, as evidenced by a wooden model visible in the museum of the city, in the same building. A real “medieval Manhattan”.
11 a.m. The Pope and the Basilica
At that time, Bologna already had its university. The institution has marked history, to the point of sparking a sly rivalry between political power and papal authority. The Archiginnasio Palace (3)intended for teaching, was built in the 16the century by order of the Pope, right next to the Basilica of San Petronio. The sovereign pontiff wanted to physically prevent the Bolognese authorities from extending the nave of the church which risked, what a nerve, to surpass Saint Peter’s in Rome.
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