Things to visit free of charge in Bologna

Things to visit in Bologna without having to pay

In the city of Bologna, there are so many things to see or visit without having to pay, in other words, "for free"!

In the classic guides and recommendations of those who know, you will often find visits to the Salaborsa, the Monumental Cemetery of the Certosa, Villa Spada Park.
the Montagnola Garden.and the Piazzola Market., the Wax Anatomical Models Collection “Luigi Cattaneo”,the minerals of the "Luigi Bombicci Museum", the Cathedral of San Pietro, the part of San Petronio open to all, the Mercato di Mezzo, the MAST Foundation, the Margherita Gardens, the Botanical Garden, the Basilica of Santo Stefano and the Morandi House. In addition to these and perhaps lesser-known ones, we want to remember other small "great" things to see that require little time and are concentrated like others in the Historic Center.

The three arrows

In addition to the aforementioned sights, there are certainly the water channels of the Moline on Via Piella with the famous "finestrella," as well as the "three arrows" on Strada Maggiore at number 19. Under the portico of Palazzo Isolani, by looking up, you will notice three arrows embedded in a corner. It is said that they are the arrows shot by three archers who were supposed to kill a noblewoman, at the behest of her husband, because she was suspected of adultery. Anticipating the danger, the woman stripped naked, and the archers, blinded by her beauty, more or less deliberately missed their mark completely.

Cimabue's Majesty

Every Saturday morning, volunteers from the Touring Club Italiano allow free visits to two of Bologna's most important artistic treasures.

The first one is located in the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi, at Strada Maggiore 43, just a few steps away from the "three arrows" mentioned above. It is the Majesty of Santa Maria dei Servi by Cimabue, an altarpiece from a triptych whose other panels are at the Louvre in Paris and the Uffizi in Florence. The visit is free and can be combined with a tour of the church, built in the middle of the 1300s, which features an extremely interesting portico outside and several works of art inside its nave and chapels.

Bentivoglio Chapel

The Bentivoglio Chapel, also open to visitors thanks to the volunteers of the Touring Club Italiano every Saturday morning, is located in the Church of Sant'Ambrogio, at Zamboni 15, in the heart of the university district. Dating back to the period spanning the end of the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century, the church features a Latin cross plan with three naves and thirty-five extremely rich chapels, among which the one belonging to the Bentivoglio family stands out for its grandeur. The Chapel is one of the most important Renaissance monuments and we recommend visiting it both for its architectural structure and the materials used in its construction, as well as for the artworks it contains.