The city of Bologna
Bologna has one of the largest and best-preserved historic centres in Europe, with its porticos that are the "longest monument dedicated to the city".
There is Bologna "the learned" with the oldest university in the world. Then there is Bologna "the stout" with its tradition of fine food and wine - famous throughout the world.
But Bologna is also art, painting, music, medieval towers, business and culture.
History
Bologna was founded by the Etruscans with the name of Felsina, while under the Romans it was known as Bononia; later it became a free municipality and then a papal city. There are many aspects of the city that make it unique.
it has the oldest university in Europe and is the gastronomic capital of Italy. It is also well-known for the quality of life it offers its citizens who are also universally recognised for their civic virtue.
Bologna offers the visitor one of the best-preserved historic centres in Europe, the result of centuries of development that has proceeded through stages of contrast and integration: a single monument.
It is a complex whole in which towers, piazze, churches and palazzi are interwoven into a fabric of connected porticos, over 37 km long, and that provide fantastic plays of light and angles of view.
Bologna is a spectacular city - a monumental organism that integrates its architectural and urban aspects.