Page 270 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

268 І CENTR AL IT AL Y

Exploring Bologna R Abbazia di Santo Stefano
Via Santo Stefano 24. Tel 051 648
Monuments to Bologna’s rich cultural heritage are scattered 06 11. Open 8am–7pm daily.
across the city, from the leaning towers and the church of Santo Stefano is a curious
San Petronio in the old centre to the Pinacoteca Nazionale collection of four medieval
in the university district. churches (originally seven)
jumbled together under one
roof. The 11th-century church
P Torri degli Asinelli and still leans some 3 m (10 ft) of the Crocifisso provides
e Garisenda from the ver tical. At 97 m (318 ft) little more than a corridor to
Piazza di Porta Ravegnana. Torre degli tall, Torre degli Asinelli is the
Asinelli: Open daily. & fourth-highest tower in Italy after
The famous leaning towers – those in Cremona, Siena and
Torre degli Asinelli and Torre Venice. Its 500-step ascent offers
Garisenda – are among the few fine views over the city’s rooftops
survivors of the original 200 that to the hills beyond.
once formed the skyline of
Bologna. Both were begun in
the 12th century, though there
were probably earlier towers on
the site – Dante mentioned a
pair of towers here in his Inferno.
Torre Garisenda was shortened
as a safety measure within only
a few years of its construction, Exterior of the Abbazia di Santo Stefano

R San Petronio The altarpiece of the Martyrdom
Piazza Maggiore. Tel 051 23 14 15. Open daily. 7 of St Sebastian is from the late
Dedicated to the city’s 5th-century bishop, this church ranks among Ferrarese School.
the greatest of Italy’s brick-built medieval buildings. Founded in
1390, it was originally intended to be larger than St Peter’s in Rome, The pink and white
interior adds to the overall
but its size was scaled down when the church authorities diverted light and airy effect.
funds to the nearby Palazzo Archiginnasio. The resulting financial
shortfall left the church decidedly lopsided, with a row of columns
on its eastern flank that were intended to support an additional
internal aisle. The project’s financial profligacy,
nonetheless, was said to have been instrumental
in turning Martin Luther against Catholicism.
The canopied main portal features
beautiful biblical reliefs (1425–38)
by Jacopo della Quercia.

Gothic Interior
The interior is airy, with Entrance
graceful pillars supporting
the roof. Twenty-two chapels, Unfinished upper façade
shielded by screens, open
off the nave. In 1547 the
Council of Trent was The stained-glass
temporarily moved here The meridian line was traced in 1655 windows (1464–6)
due to the plague. by the astronomer Gian Domenico in this chapel are
Cassini. It is 67 m (219 ft) long. by Jacob of Ulm.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

268-269_EW_Italy.indd 268 4/4/17 5:34 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.3)
Date 13th June 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm