Basilica di San Petronio
Weather :
Tags : Church & Cathedral
Timings : Monday - Sunday: 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM, 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Terrace timings : Saturday and holidays: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (last admission at 12:30 PM), 3:00 PM - 6:30 (last admission at 6:00 PM)
Entry fee : Free
Terrace fee : Adults: EUR 5
Children from 10 to 18 and over 65s: EUR 3
Children under 10: Free
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Basilica di San Petronio, Bologna Overview
The Basilica di San Petronio, established in 1390, is a monumental Gothic church located in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's central square. Known for its unfinished façade, the basilica houses impressive frescoes, including Giovanni da Modena’s depiction of Dante’s Inferno. It features one of the largest sundials in the world, designed by astronomer Giovanni Cassini in the 17th century.
Construction of the basilica started in 1390, but the facade remains unfinished. It was consecrated in the name of St. Petronio, the patron city of Bologna. The bottom marble part glows at night, contrasting with the upper, which is made of bricks and melds with the night sky. It was supposed to be the largest church in the world, but it was never completed; it still stands at an impressive height of 132 meters and is the seventh largest in the world. Egnazio Danti designed the original sundial, but it was destroyed when the church was renovated in 1653. Giovanni Domenico Cassini later made a similar, more sophisticated sundial, measuring 67.7m in length. In the Chapel of the Three Wise Men is Giovanni da Modena’s fresco depicting phases of St. Petronio’s life. However, it is considered a work of blasphemy by the Islamic World as the figure of Muhammed appears in hell in this depiction.
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