کلیسای سن پترونیو

Take note of the opening and closing times as it does close over lunch. It is free entry and we'll worth seeing on any trip to Bologna.

Awesome cathedral, very busy place. Lots of tourists and school kids on tours. Very high ceiling, usual church scenes inside. But, unlike Duomo in Firenze, gratis to enter. Army guys check your bags, hats off and in you go. Plenty of seating inside. Several rooms have a small fee (3E) to see very elaborate frescos. And a gift shop right inside, surprise. Very pleasant place to visit. Right in front of giant open piazza with tons of tourists sitting on stone steps watching sun go by. 10E tourist 'train' leaves from here, taking you around town without walking, if you like.

Loved the oculus on the ceiling. Don’t look up and you’ll miss it. The sunlight comes in through a small hole in the ceiling and lights up the longed meridian line in the world on the floor. It hits every sign in the zodiac throughout the year and seasons.

The Basilica of San Petronio is a minor basilica and church of the Archdiocese of Bologna located in Bologna, Emilia Romagna, northern Italy. It dominates Piazza Maggiore. The basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Petronius, who was the bishop of Bologna in the fifth century. Construction began in 1390 and its main facade has remained unfinished since. The building was transferred from the city to the diocese in 1929; the basilica was finally consecrated in 1954. It has been the seat of the relics of Bologna's patron saint only since 2000; until then they were preserved in the Santo Stefano church of Bologna.[citation needed

In 1388, the Consiglio Generale dei Seicento prepared the construction of the church as a civic temple.[1] To make room for the church, the adjacent Curia of Sancti Ambrosii was demolished, together with the majority of one of the city's burgs, including at least eight churches and towers.[citation needed] The first stone of construction was laid on 7 June 1390 under the supervision of architect Antonio di Vincenzo.[1] Works lasted for several centuries: after the completion of the first version of the facade, in 1393 the first pair of side chapels were begun. The series were completed only in 1479.[citation needed]

The third bay was built in 1441–1446. Its construction was delayed by the cardinal Baldassarre Cossa, who sold the construction material of the basilica and kept the money.[2]