Fountain of Neptune
Bologna, Italy
San Petronio Basilica, Bologna
i
Photo: GiorgioGaleotti, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free; terrace and chapel paid
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Daily, with a midday break
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
i
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 45 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Highlights
- Façade, Cassini's meridian, chapels, terrace
- Length
- ≈ 132 m, one of the world's largest churches
- Time needed
- 40 minutes
- Location
- Piazza Maggiore, central Bologna
Key facts
1390building began
Sourcei
English Wikipediac. 132 mlength of the church
Sourcei
English Wikipedia1425–1438Jacopo della Quercia carved the main portal
Sourcei
English Wikipedia1655Giovanni Cassini laid the sun line
Sourcei
English WikipediaUnfinishedthe upper façade is still bare brick
Sourcei
English WikipediaHistory of San Petronio
The basilica is dedicated to St Petronius, patron of Bologna, and was begun in 1390. The city planned an enormous church to outdo the one in Rome, but building dragged on for centuries and the plans were cut back several times. Even unfinished, it's one of the largest churches in the world, about 132 metres long.
Its most striking feature is the façade: the lower part is clad in white and pink marble with carved portals, the upper part still bare brick. Above the main door are Jacopo della Quercia's reliefs (1425–1438) of Bible scenes, which the young Michelangelo studied.
Inside: the meridian and chapels
Inside is a bright Gothic hall with soaring vaults and columns of rosy brick. Along the floor of the left aisle runs a brass sun line, the meridian laid in 1655 by the astronomer Giovanni Cassini. At noon a ray of sunlight through a hole in the vault falls on the line and marks the date; it's one of the longest such lines in the world.
Some twenty side chapels line the nave with altars, paintings and stained glass. One holds 15th-century frescoes with lively scenes of the Magi's journey. Look up, too, at the great organs above the choir, among the oldest in Italy and still played.
What to see in San Petronio
- The façade — marble below, brick above.
- The main portal — reliefs by Jacopo della Quercia.
- Cassini's meridian — the sun line on the floor.
- Side chapels — altars, frescoes and stained glass.
- The historic organs — above the choir.
- The terrace — views over Piazza Maggiore and the towers.
Piazza Maggiore
The basilica stands on Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's main square, where locals meet, sit on the basilica steps and stroll in the evening. Medieval palaces surround it: Palazzo d'Accursio, the town hall with its clock tower, and the arcaded Palazzo del Podestà, with the famous Fountain of Neptune on the neighbouring square.
Under the arch of Palazzo del Podestà is a 'whispering gallery': stand in opposite corners of the vault, whisper into the wall, and your companion hears every word. In summer there's open-air cinema on the square, and at Christmas a tree and market.
How to get to San Petronio
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Fountain of Neptune is about 2 min away on foot.
- Towers of Bologna is about 5 min away on foot.
More tips
- The basilica is on Piazza Maggiore, right in the centre.
- From the Two Towers, 5 minutes along Via Rizzoli.
- From Bologna Centrale station, 20 minutes on foot along Via Indipendenza.
- Buses from the station to Via Rizzoli take about 10 minutes.
Tips for your visit
Entry is free, but there's usually a bag check at the door and large backpacks aren't allowed. Cover shoulders and knees. A small donation is sometimes requested for taking photos inside; ask at the entrance.
To see the meridian at work, come around noon on a sunny day, when the beam of light lands on the brass line and creeps along it. Afterwards have a coffee on the square and walk under the porticoes to the towers.
Before you go
Ready: 0 of 5Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser.
You are ready for the visit
Places in Bologna: compare and choose
Places in Bologna rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Towers of Bologna | 51 | 30 min | Free outside | 5 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Petronioyou are here | 48 | 45 min | Free | — |
| Fountain of Neptune | 45 | 20 min | Free | 3 min walk |
Central Bologna in half a day
San Petronio and Piazza Maggiore, the Fountain of Neptune, then the Asinelli and Garisenda towers.
- San Petronioyou are here45 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopFountain of Neptune20 min · Free
- 5 min walk from the previous stopTowers of Bologna30 min · Free outside
3 places · about 1 h 43 min with walks · 8 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
Towers of Bologna
Bologna, Italy
How to do it right
- Free entry.
- The meridian at noon.
- No large backpacks.
- The terrace faces the towers.
Questions
Is San Petronio free?
Yes, entry is free; the terrace and one chapel are paid.
Why is San Petronio's façade unfinished?
Building dragged on for centuries, plans were cut back, and the upper façade was left as bare brick.
What is the meridian in San Petronio?
A sun line on the floor laid by the astronomer Cassini in 1655; at noon a beam of sunlight travels along it.
Can you go up the San Petronio terrace?
Yes, from the side of the church on Piazza Galvani; it's paid.
What else is on Piazza Maggiore?
Palazzo d'Accursio, Palazzo del Podestà with its whispering gallery, and the Fountain of Neptune nearby.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: San Petronio Basilica and Piazza Maggiore
- Official basilica site, basilicadisanpetronio.org
Top YesGo picks: Bologna
Museo Ferrari, Maranello
Bologna, Italy