Bologna - center for culture and tourism.

One of Italy's most beautiful and charming cities, Bologna is the seventh most populous city in Italy, with nearly 400,000 people living here. It lies on the Po plain stretching between the Po River and the peaks of the Apennines in the northern part of the country and is the capital of the Emilia Romagna region.

According to various sources, the city was founded by the Etruscans or Umbrians as the settlement of Felsina. In the second century BC, the Romans established a town here called Bononia, built a road and numerous buildings, which contributed to its significant development as a major center of trade. In the late Middle Ages, Bologna again experienced intensive development - the first European university was founded there, and the city became one of Italy's most active urban communities.

Bologna has everything that is characteristic and so beautiful in Italian cities - a large historic center, historic churches, monumental architecture, long arcades, fountains and lively piazzas. Bologna is also famous as the capital of Italian cuisine, has a rich history and numerous monuments, and its street signage makes sightseeing a breeze. So what is worth seeing in Bologna?

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Piazza Maggiore with the Basilica of San Petronio

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In the center of the city is Piazza Maggiore, the main square dating back to the 13th century, surrounded by historic palaces and townhouses and many smaller squares. In Piazza Maggiore is the basilica of St. Petronius, bishop and patron saint of the city. This temple had been under construction since 1390 and is still unfinished to this day. The Basilica of San Petronio is the third largest Catholic temple in Italy and one of the largest in the world. Inside, the frescoes by Giovanni da Modena, the longest indoor sundial and the 15th-century organ are especially worth a look.

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Le Due Torri - Two Towers in Bologna

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These two towers - Asinelli and Garisenda - are symbols of Bologna. They are medieval defense towers, named after the families that built them. Torre degli Asinelli is accessible to the public after climbing 498 stairs. From it you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the "red city," or La Rossa, as Italians used to call Bologna.

Neptune's Fountain

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This monumental fountain dates back to the 16th century - the figure of Neptune alone is 320 centimeters long and was sculpted by Jean de Boulogne di Douai of Flanders called Giambologna. The lord of the seas is surrounded by four nymphs symbolizing the great rivers Ganges, Amazon, Nile and Danube. It is worth knowing that the Bologna-based car brand, Maserati, was inspired by Neptune's trident when designing its logo.

St. Stephen's Basilica

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Also known as the Church of the Seven Churches, the temple is actually a complex of religious buildings that are interconnected by corridors and courtyards. The oldest of the churches, built on the initiative of the Bishop of Bologna, St. Petronius, dates back to the 5th century and is dedicated to the martyrs Saints Vitalis and Agricola. Over time, it began to grow in importance, serving as a popular pilgrimage site. So more churches began to be added, each with its own unique character and interesting story to tell.

University of Bologna

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This is the oldest university in Western civilization, founded in 1088, providing a model for many later universities. Dante Alighieri, Nicolaus Copernicus and Umberto Eco, among others, studied here. Worth a visit is the Museum of Pathological Anatomy, which is part of the university, where you can see preparations of human organs or tissues, including those showing various diseases or deformities, and the university's Botanical Garden. This garden was founded in 1568 by Ulisse Aldrovandi. An area of about 2 hectares is home to more than 5,000 species of native and exotic plants.