Name: Piazza Maggiore
Address: Piazza Maggiore, Bologna, Bologna, IT
Telephone: +390516583111

Squares & fountains ·Bologna

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Piazza Maggiore is Bologna’s central square, with Palazzo d’Accursio on its western side and the Basilica of San Petronio to the southeast.

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Vanni Lazzari · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited

See the unfinished Basilica of San Petronio on the square’s southeast side.
Look up at Torre dell’Arengo above Palazzo del Podestà, the square’s oldest building.
Take in the former marketplace, which hosted Bologna’s largest market until 1877.
Follow the Palazzo dei Banchi arcade toward the Archiginnasio’s Pavaglione.

Palazzo d’AccursioThe building houses the Museo Morandi and the city art collections.Western side of the square
Palazzo del PodestàThe palace formerly housed police and justice offices; its Torre dell’Arengo bell summoned people to gather.Northern side of the square

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Palazzo dei Notai on the southwest side formerly housed the notaries’ guild.
Piazza Maggiore - Wikipedia
Palazzo dei Banchi was a banking and money-changing centre; its façade was designed by Giacomo Barozzi, known as il Vignola.
Piazza Maggiore - Wikipedia

Around the marketplace stood the town hall, the notaries’ guild, banking premises, and offices for police and justice.

Early 13th centuryThe municipality bought and demolished buildings to create a marketplace.
13th centuryPalazzo del Podestà was built on the square’s northern side.
1290Palazzo d’Accursio was built.
1384–1422Palazzo dei Notai was built.
1390Work began on the Basilica of San Petronio under Antonio di Vincenzo.

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1425After a fire, Fioravante Fioravanti renovated Palazzo d’Accursio.
15th centuryThe square acquired its present layout.
1472–1484The Bentivoglio rulers extensively renovated Palazzo del Podestà.
1565–1568Palazzo dei Banchi’s façade was built.
16th centuryPapal direction oversaw redevelopment of the area.
1934The Crescentone was built.
1945An equestrian monument to a king was moved from the square to Giardini Margherita.

Use Palazzo d’Accursio on the west, Palazzo del Podestà on the north and Palazzo dei Banchi on the east to orient yourself.

Piazza del Nettuno and its fountainLeave through the northwest corner for the fountain; Biblioteca Salaborsa flanks Piazza del Nettuno.
Piazza Re EnzoAt the northeast corner, beside Palazzo Re Enzo and Palazzo del Podestà.
Archiginnasio portico (Pavaglione)The Archiginnasio was the university’s medieval seat and houses a major library.

Crescentone marksLook for marks along the Crescentone’s eastern edge, traditionally attributed to a US tank on 21 April 1945; another account connects them with a 1970s agricultural fair.
Passage beneath Palazzo Re EnzoA pedestrian four-way crossing runs beneath the palace.

Where

Piazza Maggiore, Bologna

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