All SEE in Emilia-Romagna

The Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno) is a wonderful fountain in Bologna, made by Giambologna in the 16th century, located in the square dedicated to the same deity of the sea.   SHORT HISTORY OF THE FOUNTAIN OF NEPTUNE The Fountain of Neptune is, in fact, a collaborative project of Zanobio Portigiani, Tommaso Laureti and Giambologna, commissioned by the vice-minister Pier Donato Cesi to glorify the papal government of Pope Pius IV. The purpose of the fountain was to embellish the new Piazza del Nettuno, adjacent to the beautiful Piazza Maggiore. The project was assigned on August 2, 1563, to the Bolognese architect Zanobio Portigiani, to the Palermitan architect Tommaso Laureti, who was delegated to execute the architectural structure of the fountain, and finally to the Flemish Mannerist sculptor Giambologna (Jean Boulogne), commissioned to build the bronze statue of Neptune and the sculptural parts. The Fountain of Neptune was completed in 1566. In 1604, a high fence was built around the fountain, which effectively managed to prevent acts of vandalism. The fence was removed by the city’s administration only in 1888. Throughout its history, the Neptune fountain has undergone numerous restorations. A first restoration took place in 1708 by Read more [...]

Piazza Maggiore is the main square of Bologna and, at the same time, one of the most beautiful in Italy. The square is surrounded by the most important buildings of the medieval city, of which we can mention Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo d’Accursio, Palazzo dei Notai, Basilica of San Petronio and Palazzo dei Banchi.   SHORT HISTORY Piazza Maggiore is one of the very first squares built in Italy after the fall of the Roman Empire. The square was built starting with the year 1200, when the local people felt the need to have a central market and a public place for meeting. Only in the 15th century, the square received its present form, while in the 16th century the entire area was rearranged by papal will. Also, in the same century, the adjacent Piazza del Nettuno with the splendid Fountain of Neptune was built. In 1860, Piazza Maggiore was named after Vittorio Emanuele II, until 1943, when the king’s equestrian monument was transferred to the Margherita Gardens, where it is still located. From 1943 to 1945, the square was called Piazza della Repubblica, and in June 1945 received its current name.   ARCHITECTURE The square measures 115 meters in Read more [...]

Piazza VIII Agosto, also written as Piazza dell’Otto Agosto, is the largest square of the historical center of Bologna. On each Friday and Saturday, Piazza VIII Agosto hosts the traditional Piazzola Market (Mercato Piazzola), with over 400 street stalls.   SHORT HISTORY The area of the current square was acquired by the Municipality of Bologna in 1219, and was officially called Piazza del Mercato (Market Square) in 1251, for the livestock market that was held there. In 1390, the Bolognese Republic granted the organization, eight days before and eight days after the Feast of San Petronio, of a fair, for the sale of any merchandise. In the center of the square, there was a cross where mass was celebrated several times a day. During the fair, it was not allowed to set up stalls for the sale of goods anywhere else in the city. Around the middle of the 18th century, in the center of the square was a 20 meters Doric column with the coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII, who on July 14, 1656, established the annual horse fair during the month of May. For this purpose, in 1662, the square was raised and leveled. On August Read more [...]