Three Days in Bologna

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I thought that I would just do one post for the three days that I just spent in Bologna. There is actually not all that much to do so three days was probably a bit of overkill. In the end, I still managed to fill my day and I certainly did not get bored. It also gave me time to just hang out in the park, read and give myself a much need pedicure/facial!! I also re-read the blog postings that I have done so far. I am starting to realize that I will clearly remember something but I can never seem to remember in what city I was in. It was to be expected I guess!!

I arrived on Saturday the 14th and after checking in and unpacking made my way out the door. I made my way to Piazza Maggiore which seems to be the heart of Bologna. There was a lot going on in Piazza Maggiore this sunny Saturday. There were kids gathered for what looked like a small sporting event. There were boys playing soccer and baseball. There were tourists and locals alike. I headed towards the imposing Basilica di San Petronio which flanks the piazza. The facade is unfortunately in scaffolding. The interior is light and airy. The highlight for me was that there was a reproduction of Foucault's pendulum in one of the side chapels. This is meant to prove that the earth does indeed revolve. The pendulum was in motion (at the Pantheon in Paris it just stays still) but of course I was not there long enough to actually witness the earth move (or at least not enough to actually see a difference in the pendulum!) There is also a meridian line that runs through the basilica.

I then made my way to MAMbo which is the modern art museum in Bologna. I am actually starting to recognize works and tying them in to other museums that I have visited throughout this trip. I am definitely enjoying that because it makes the whole experience make more sense.

The rest of my first day was spent with aimless meandering and rounding out the day at a park that is just across the street from my hotel.

My second day here, Sunday, was rainy and slightly cold. This meant that I would be doing the rounds of the museums. The first was the Archeological Museum. I wish I would have taken the audioguide because many of the signs were solely in Italian. This is quite an extensive museum and definitely interesting. Many of the items were still surrounded by dirt as if to show how they had been found originally by the archeologists. This included a number of skeletons. The stunning piece is two fossilized horses that are essentially intact and they both still have the bronze mouthpiece that they were buried with.

After a couple of cappucinos on a well covered terrace (it was pouring!!) and a bit of reading, I then made my way to the Medieval Museum. This was filled with tombstones of former Bolognese professors, traditional paintings, remnants of churches, armours and antique hymnal books. From there I would move to the Palazzo Fava which is now used as an exposition hall. There are modern artworks on the ground floor and the more traditional paintings on the second floor. The surroundings are also quite spectacular with again ornate frescoed borders, intricate ceilings and beautiful chandeliers.

My last day here was more meandering aimlessly and popping into a number of the many churches around town. The highlight is the incredible Palacio dell'Archiginnasio which now home to the municipal library. This used to be the seat to the University of Bologna. It also includes the Teatro Anatomico which was built in 1637 and used to teach anatomy. The room was destroyed in January 1944 after Allied bombings but was restored to its original design. This room is quite stunning as is the rest of this amazing building.

I ended my day with a picnic and general laziness in the park. A month ago today, I was getting on a plane for Paris. My feet are definitely starting to feel the effects of all of the walking (hence the slower pace in Bologna!!). Don't get me wrong, I have not been miserable here in Bologna but it has not been my favorite. I have definitely seen some interesting things but I am ready to move on. The city is odd ... you walk around and the buildings are as old as time. There should be this feeling of having stepped back in time. But the traffic and general noise gives it a big city feel and I just found that it took away from the surroundings. Or maybe I am just traumatized by traffic ... I so loved the fact that there were no cars in Venice!!

So I say goodbye to Bologna and tomorrow I am heading to Florence. yay!

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Photos

15 One of the towers
Leans by 1.2 meters

16 Second tower
The shorter one leans by 3.2 meters