Piazza Ravegnana-ingl

What this episode covers

PIAZZA RAVEGNANA The square, named after a gate in the first circle of city walls that opened toward Ravenna, is one of Bologna’s most iconic places. It is located in the heart of the historic city center and serves as a hub for several major streets: Via San Vitale, Strada Maggiore, Via Rizzoli, Via Zamboni, and Via de’ Giudei. Already documented in the 11th century as the Trivio di Porta Ravegnana, it assumed the character of a proper square by the end of the 13th century, when the Municipality of Bologna purchased and demolished several houses to create a public space suitable for the city’s growing urban activity. The square is dominated by the famous Two Towers, the Asinelli Tower and the Garisenda Tower, undisputed symbols of the city of Bologna. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries by noble families for defensive purposes and as a display of power and prestige, they are among the most fascinating examples of medieval architecture in Italy. The Asinelli Tower, nearly 97 meters tall, is one of the tallest medieval towers in Europe, while the Garisenda Tower, much shorter (just under 50 meters), is famous for its pronounced tilt of over 3 meters, caused by the settling of its foundations. Dante Alighieri mentioned it in The Divine Comedy, comparing the leaning tower to the giant Antaeus in Canto XXXI of the Inferno. Initially, the Garisenda was as tall as the Asinelli but was shortened in the 14th century to prevent collapse. At one time, the Asinelli Tower was equipped with a hanging cage known as the “gabbia degli Asinelli”, where criminals convicted of shameful crimes were exhibited publicly, often insulted by the crowd. In the Middle Ages, the square was a vital node of city life, frequented by merchants, students, and citizens. It hosted one of Bologna’s most important markets, where goods from across Europe and the East were traded. It was a place of both everyday activity and major public events: from sermons to executions, from civic parades to religious processions. In addition to the towers, the square is home to a 17th-century statue of Saint Petronius, the patron saint of Bologna. Commissioned by Cardinal Legate Lazzaro Pallavicini and sculpted by Gabriele Brunelli (with the pedestal by Giovanni Battista Albertoni), the statue was originally placed here by the Guild of Drapers (Arte dei Drappieri). In 1871, for both political and traffic-related reasons, the statue was moved to the Basilica of San Petronio. On October 4th, 2001, the feast day of the saint, it was returned to the square. On the eastern side of the square stands the Church of Saints Bartolomeo and Gaetano. In contrast, on the western side, at number 1, rises the Palazzo degli Strazzaroli, the former headquarters of the Guild of Drapers. Built by Giovanni Piccinini da Como between 1486 and 1496 during the Bentivoglio era, the building recalls elements of the now-lost Bentivoglio Palace, destroyed in 1507. The façade, attributed to Francesco Francia, features a ground level with nine blind arches separated by composite pilasters, a second level with elegant mullioned windows, and a top level with circular openings. A projecting cornice crowns the structure. The building was restored in 1620, when a balcony and a niche with the Madonna and Child were added. This sculpture, created by Gabriele Fiorini, is known as the “Madonna del Campanello” (“Madonna of the Little Bell”) because a small bell rings whenever the red curtain covering the statue is lifted—something that happens only on solemn occasions or important feast days. In the central pediment of the façade is a relief depicting Saint Jerome, the patron saint of the Drapers’ Guild. Since 1964, the building has housed one of Bologna’s most beloved bookstores, Feltrinelli in Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, which has successfully integrated itself into the historical fabric of the square while preserving its memory.

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