Why Bologna?
Why can people who have visited Bologna never forget it?Why do people who visit Bologna want to stay
longer? Why can't people who visit Bologna say exactly what it is that they liked about
it?
Because it is difficult to describe an atmosphere.
 We suggest you simply try strolling down the arcades at sunset listening to the street
musicians.
Try sitting in the sun in the magical calm of Piazza Santo Stefano or, if you prefer the hustle and
bustle, drop in at aperitif time at one of the many hostelries for which the city is
famous. And what better way of finishing the evening than in a typical trattoria where you can relish delicious Bolognese pastas like tortellini and tagliatelle al ragł. The seat of the oldest University in the world, Bologna is culturally one of the liveliest cities in
Italy. It is the kind of city where you can still go everywhere on foot and where you can readily get to know its
inhabitants, whose friendliness and cordiality are famous throughout Italy. |
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The history of Bologna begins somewhere around 1200
BC, the period of the Villanova civilisation. As early as the 6th century BC we find references to an urban centre which the Etruscans called
Felsina. After being occupied by the Gauls, the town was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century
BC. and re-named Bononia. With the decline of the Roman Empire it came under the sway first of the
Byzantines, then of the Lombards and finally of the Papal State of Rome.Bologna continued to flourish until it became an important centre during the age of the
Communes, when it proudly proclaimed its independence as a free commune. It was here that the first university in Europe was
born, in 1088. During this period the numerous towers for which the city is famous were erected by Bolognese families as signs of
prestige. In the 16th century Bologna was incorporated in the Papal State, which enriched its architecture with many new
churches. In 1796 French troops seized Bologna, but after the Congress of Vienna in 1815 the city was restored to the
Church. Later, the Austrians took possession, but in 1860 Bologna was definitively annexed to the Kingdom of
Italy.
Bologna has almost 24 miles of
arcades! Protected from the sun and sheltered from the rain, you can enjoy the pleasure of strolling around the town in all
seasons. The arcades (known as the portici) were built when the growing numbers of university students and teachers created an urgent demand for new
lodgings. The upper storeys of the buildings were extended to make new rooms, leaving a covered space for pedestrians and for trading at street
level.
Bologna University came into being when famous law scholars known as the
"glossators" were ummoned to the city to make commentaries on the ancient Codices of Roman
Law. Whereas other universities - the Sorbonne, for instance - were founded by the Church or by
monarchs, the Studium of Bologna is an example of a secular establishment based on close links between the students and the
Commune. The life of the University has remained closely linked with that of the city ever
since.
Bolognese
cooking, which has earned the city the title of Bologna la grassa (literally "Bologna the
fat"), is famous throughout the world. Tortellini is one of its best-known
dishes. Legend has it that the shape of the tortellini was copied from the navel of
Venus. Another famous pasta dish, tagliatelle, is supposed to have been an imitation Lucrezia
Borgia's long blond hair at the time of her wedding with Alfonso d'Este, the Duke of Ferrara. Dishes well-worth sampling are
Bologna's delicious green lasagne and its passatelli in clear meat
broth. |
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