"BOLOGNA: the place to be!!" a Bologna Travel Page by Gillianina

That's where I live, and I couldn't have wished for a better place!
The city where I live is called Bologna, it's in the north of Italy and is not far from Florence, just to let you know, and 2 hours by train from Venice.

Bologna has about 400.000 inhabitants, has a 900 year-old University, to which students come from all Italy , has a wonderful historic centre, a lot of shops, and it's defenetely one of the best cities in Italy for fun and night life.

Althought it hasn't been very much a tourist place, more and more tourists every year are discovering it and we have an increasing number of people coming from Japan, England, USA, and Germany too. I've just heard tourists in Bologna have increased by 40% in the last years. Walking in the streets of the center I hear more and more people talking different languages. I like it, it gives me a good feeling.

Another important thing: Do you think Italian food is good? Well.....modestly Bologna is the city where you eat best in all the country ;-)

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HISTORY


First settlements

When then Roman Empire was founded, inhabitants had already settled in the area of Bologna for about 1000 years. The first civilization recognized in that period were the Villanovans (from Villanova, a small town still existing very close to Bologna), who were considered the precursors of the well knows Etrurians.

Bolognaýs geographical position between the river Reno and its affluent Savena, explains the prosperous growth of the zone. The fluvial valleys made trade exchanges with Etrurians and Tirreno sea easier.

When it was founded

In the VI century B.C. the Etrurians founded a city called Felsina: it was the first name of Bologna. Felsina was considered a real capital city, which maintained trade contacts with Greece.

The Roman Empire

In late VI century Felsina was invaded by Celts which gave it the name of Bona. The 30th December 189 B.C. the Romans imposed their hegemony, giving the city another name: Bononia.

Bononiaýs territory had great resources, and its cultured citizens, along with a position of important crossroads, favored the development of a rich upper middle class. Bononia had a great many activities running, and also important lawyers, playwrights, and its economical contacts with far markets allowed oriental culture to mix with Bolognaýs.

The middle age: economical crisis

In the middle age, the ýdark periodý of history, a large part of the city was abandoned and the period of prosperity ceased to exist, along with roman administration structures. Only the local Church was still a point of reference. A legend tells that it was the bishop Petronio who reconstructed the city. Later the most important church in Bologna has been dedicated to the bishop: it is the gothic church of San Petronio.

Middle age: the invaders

In the following centuries other peoples have dominated the area of Bologna, the Goths, the Byzantines and was also threatened by the Longobards. Bologna is later given to the Church and administrated by the bishops of Ravenna (a city nearby), but later obtained a complete autonomy.

During the XI century its economy and urban life sees prosperity again, along with a demographic development.

In 1115 some citizen revolted against the emperor to found a political and commercial system called ýComuneý, than could be translated ýcouncilý.

Middle age: The University

Between the XI and the XII century Bolognaýs University was founded. The private teaching of Roman law, begun at the end of the XI century, reached in the following century an European prestige. The presence of the University gave the city a cosmopolitan soul.

Middle age: Forms of government

In the second half of 1200 the city is divided in two factions: the guelfi (allied with the pope) and the ghibellini (allied with the emperor). At the end of the century the guelfi imposed their hegemony and the pope reigned over Bologna. Between 1337 and 1344 a new form of government takes the place of the Comune: the Signoria; this meant that a very important aristocrat family ruled the city. The rest of the XIV century is an alternation of Signorias and power exercised by the Church. One of the most important aristocrat family who controlled Bologna were the Bentivoglios.

When the power went back to the pope, the govern was conducted by a representative of the pope and a senate made up of 40 members, who were all aristocrats and their office was hereditary. Because it was the North capital of the Papal States, a lot of important events took place there. All along 1500 the economy was florid and important progresses were made in the agriculture, but at the end of the century foreign competition, famines and epidemics caused a crisis: there were unemployment and poverty.

Renaissance

It is with Renaissance that Bologna was brought back to life; while its fame as University city declined, art and music gave the city a new role in Europe.

The modern age

In the period of French Revolution, the political and social climate changed in Bologna too and a group of students revolted, but the revolt failed.

In 1796 Napoleone Bonaparteýs troops arrive at Bologna and it became part of the Cisalpine Republic. Napoleone made important reforms in order to improve the cityýs economy and to reorganize the University. After Napoleone, Bologna became part of the Papal States again.

The Reign of Italy

Between 1848 and 1859 two Independence wars took place and in 1861 the Reign of Italy was declared. In the second half of the XIX century the conflicts between the working class and the upper middle class increased; the Socialism was born. From 1896 the whole country had a huge industrial development, the economy grew, but this only lasted until 1913, when Italy was stricken by a crisis that led to the FirstWorld War.

Fascism and World Wars

From 1922 fascism came to power. During the Second World War Bologna was bombarded several times during air raids. From 1943 the country was occupied by Germans, who murdered civil population in the Marzabottoýs massacre. The Germans were finally defeated with the Porta Lame battle on November 1944.

Reconstruction and latest events

The years following the end of the war were marked by reconstruction and urban development. In the sixties the ýComuneý raised its interest in the safeguard of architectonic heritage.

In 1970 Bologna became the capital city of the region Emilia Romagna. The latest important historic facts are: the students revolt in 1977, the terrorist bomb at the railway station on August 2 1980 (these are the bad things), and the IX centenary of the University in 1988.