The amazing city of Bologna. Italy

At the foot of the Northern Apennines, in the hilly countryside of northern Italy, on the banks of the River Reno is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy - Bologna. It occupies an advantageous territorial position. The population of the city is 378 thousand people.

In the center is the Great Square with several beautiful palaces and the basilica of Saint Petronius. A lot of unique architectural and historical monuments have this northern Italian city - Bologna. Italy can be proud of its citizens, who are very sensitive and careful about their history.

One of the main and most visited monuments is the basilica of Saint Petronius, which is recognized as one of the six largest churches in Europe. Its length is 132 meters, width - 66 meters, height - 51 meters. In 1390, on the initiative of the city authorities, the construction of a new large church was started. The project of the basilica was designed by Antonio di Vincenzo. It is an example of Gothic of the late period.

The architect planned to build the largest temple in the country. The building of the basilica lasted for centuries. Only in 1515, under the guidance of the architect Arduino Arriguzzi, the interior decoration of the basilica was completed, but it remained without the main arch. Attempts to complete the construction were made in the nineteenth, and even in the twentieth century, but until now the facade remains unfinished.

Bologna - Italy in miniature. There are so many historical, cultural, architectural monuments, museums that they could be enough for a whole country. Two falling towers are in the center of the city. In the Middle Ages, they performed protective and residential functions.

In those days, it was necessary to defend not only from external enemies. The eleventh century is remembered by a fifty-year struggle for the right to appoint a bishop, which became especially acute between Emperor Heinrich the Fourth and Pope Gregory the Seventh.

The researchers believe that the construction of the towers was connected with this period in the history of Bologna. According to the surviving chronicles, at that time in the city there were more than one hundred towers. In the thirteenth century, they were destroyed or destroyed themselves. Of the twenty towers that survived, Garisenda (48 m) and Azinelli (98 m) are the most famous.

Three rings of fortress walls - so guarded against the enemies of ancient Bologna. Italy and the Italians remember these structures well. The fact is, the fortress walls surrounding the city, survived until the twentieth century, when they were destroyed in order to build roads.

The largest railway junction in Italy, besides having its own airport, Bologna plays an important role in the transportation of the country. An amazing city, occupying the second place in the country to preserve monuments of history and culture - Bologna. Italy is proud of this city-monument. The country's leadership and ordinary citizens are making efforts to preserve the national wealth.

In 2000, the European Commission recognized that the European city of culture of 2000 is Bologna, whose sights are the World Heritage.