Top Rated Attractions in Bologna

Established in 1088, the Università Di Bologna is considered to be one of the foremost and oldest universities in the world. It is also the largest university in Bologna with over 11 schools and 85,500 students enrolled in its various programs. The university offers courses as diverse as merchandising, popular science and gender studies. Not only does the alumni boast of the likes of Pope Alexander VI and Dante Alighieri but the faculty are among the best while largely modernized amenities set this institution apart from the rest. Check website for more details on courses offered.

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One of the most popular historic places of worship in the city, Basilica di Santo Stefano comprises several holy buildings, built and renovated over centuries. The complex consists of: The Chiesa del Crocifisso, the Chiesa del San Sepolcro, the Chiesa dei Santi Vitale and Agricola, the Chiesa della Trinita, the Benedictine Cloisters, the Chiesetta della Madonna del Loreto (protector of aviators), the Chapel of Santa Giuliana and the Chapel of the Cross. The Romanesque cloister, with its loggia columns topped with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic capitals, is the ideal place to reflect on the beautiful mystique of this legendary place.

One of the largest churches in the world and Bologna's most beloved, Basilica di San Petronio forms the focal point of Piazza Maggiore. Construction began in 1390, however, Antonio di Vincenzo's original designs were never fully realized, and the church remains incomplete even today. The bottom half of the facade is bedecked in red and white marble, replete with sculptures by Jacopo della Quercia and other master artists, while the rest is a simple front of bricks. Together, these two halves come together to paint a striking picture of flawed beauty. Inside, Italian Gothic influences abound with red-hued, rarefied pillars lit up by an ample flow of natural light, while the 22 side chapels preserve an extensive array of ecclesiastical art. Also of note is the Meridian line designed by the astronomer Gian Domenico Cassini in 1655; it is the longest of its kind in the world. Dedicated to the city's patron saint, the church was originally envisioned as a public space, rather than a place of worship, and has played host to several momentous events such as the coronation of Charles V in 1530, presided over by Pope Clement VII. Originally owned by the city, the basilica was only consecrated in 1954 and has since been one of the city's most revered churches.

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca is an impressive basilica in Bologna that is nestled upon a small hill-top. It was first constructed in 1193 CE and later redesigned by Carlo Francesco Dotti in 1757. Earlier a cable car used to lead up to the shrine until 1976. However, after the closure of the service, it can be reached by road. The sanctuary houses an icon of Mother Mary that is said to have been brought here during the 12th Century from Constantinople.

Located in the attractive piazza dell'Archiginnasio, former home to the Bolognese studio, this library was established at the beginning of the 19th Century. The large, bright reading room that is decorated with the coats of arms of its noble students and lecturers, is equipped with long and capacious wooden tables, where you can read quietly, is really pleasant. The bibliographic archives contain more than 600,000 volumes, thousands of manuscripts, prints, engravings and old geographical maps.