Bologna - a city rich in History

In the Medieval period, Bologna was an important and thriving city. Between the XII and XIV century, the most important buildings were constructed which set apart the heart of the city: among these were the Two Towers, traditional symbol of the city, the Basilica of San Petronio with its facade unfinished and King Enzo's Palace, so called by the son of Emperor Federico II of Swabia, who was imprisoned by the Bolognese and spent his time there in "golden exile" until his death in 1272.
Starting from the XVI century, Bologna was ruled definitively under the Church State: it was the second most important city after Rome and always maintained relative autonomy. In the XVII and XVIII century, the city expanded a lot, above all outside the wall. In the middle of the XVIII century, the Portico of San Luca was built.
Bologna is also a city famous for its painters, like the Carracci brothers, Guido Reni and, in the XX century, Giorgio Morandi, in which his famous still life works are exhibited at the Giorgio Morandi Museum, inside the Town Hall (Palazzo Comunale).


Bologna - a city rich in History
	The history of Bologna began with the Etruscans. In the VI century b.C., the city bore the Etruscan name "Felsina". Numerous testimonies of this meaningful past can be admired at the Archeological Museum. Later the Romans renamed the city Bononia, from which derives the current name. The most important date in the history of Bologna may be 1088, the year of the first historical testimony relative to the university. Based upon this, Bologna would be the oldest university in Europe.
Still today, in the courtyards of San Francesco's Church and San Domenico's Church, one can find the finely worked marble tombs of the "Glossatori", the first medieval scholars that made the university famous.
In the Medieval period, Bologna was an important and thriving city. Between the XII and XIV century, the most important buildings were constructed which set apart the heart of the city: among these were the Two Towers, traditional symbol of the city, the Basilica of San Petronio with its facade unfinished and King Enzo's Palace, so called by the son of Emperor Federico II of Swabia, who was imprisoned by the Bolognese and spent his time there in "golden exile" until his death in 1272. Starting from the XVI century, Bologna was ruled definitively under the Church State: it was the second most important city after Rome and always maintained relative autonomy. In the XVII and XVIII century, the city expanded a lot, above all outside the wall. In the middle of the XVIII century, the Portico of San Luca was built. Bologna is also a city famous for its painters, like the Carracci brothers, Guido Reni and, in the XX century, Giorgio Morandi, in which his famous still life works are exhibited at the Giorgio Morandi Museum, inside the Town Hall (Palazzo Comunale).

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