BOLOGNA
In Bologna it is possible to get a feel for the elusive Etruscan history of this part of Italy. Certainly Bologna was an Etrsucan town but I didn’t expect to find any remnants of that period. The Etruscans are the reason we still say things like “Tuscany” and “Tyrrhenian Sea”, the Etruscan name for Bologna was Felsina, it was the Romans who came later and renamed it Bonōnia which is where we get today's name.
The Romans famously constructed two of their stellar Roman Roads here, the Via Aemilia which leads to the Adriatic and the Via Flaminia connecting back to Rome (the Aemillian Way and Flaminian Way respectively). The two roads intersect in Bologna. The Via Aemilia remains today as Bologna’s main thoroughfare though rechristened as Via Ugo Bassi.
Even though Bologna may have started as Felsina and even blossomed as Bonōnia, the Bologna visible today is Medieval, despite the Renaissance which seems to have been ignored here. Massive clunky towers, wooded buttressed colonnades, elongated skinny archer-style windows. To be honest it’s exactly how I hoped to find it!
Have a look at my map below to see my favorite places in Bologna. You can click on the markers to be taken to my stories on these places.
Fountain of Neptune
To one side of Piazza Maggiore stands the Fountain of Neptune (1566). I particularly like this first picture I took the at night right after a rainstorm. The modern civic illumination in Piazza Maggiore is well thought out. The imposing silhouette of Neptune casts an enigmatic shadow upon the distant façade of the Palazzo d'Accursio (the town hall)
The pedestal of Neptune's statue is graced with the presence of lactating mermaids, symbolizing the fountain's source.
People like to poke fun at Neptune’s unimpressive penis. In 1920 his trident was the inspiration of the Maserati brothers when they were looking for an emblem for their luxurious cars.
The charm of Bologna is reflected in its extensive arcades, elegantly covered archways that grace nearly every street. These arcades offer a unique experience, allowing you to traverse the city even on a drizzly day without a worry about getting soaked.
Defiance is deeply rooted in Bologna, it prides itself as a city of intellectuals and free thinkers. Here is a contemporary poster I spotted freshly slathered on a wall, an obvious response to the recent election of Giorgia Meloni hardly a month prior. An unmistakably smug Mussolini with the caption:
"Educate yourself so as not to become a fascist like me."
A glass of Nocino - deep walnut liqueur from the nearby town of Modena
This little dog spotted me on the street and stared at me for a long time.
Palazzo del Podestà at night