Basilica di San Petronio

""The Basilica of San Petronio is a beautiful church starting from the facade which, although unfinished, remains a jewel of Gothic art. The central portal is spectacular, a masterpiece by Jacopo della Quercia with the representation of scenes from the Old and New Testament. Inside, among the many works present, take note of the oldest organ in the world, built in 1470 and still in use today." Free access. BASILICA TIME SCHEDULE Open everyday from 8:30am to 1:30pm and from 3:00pm. to 6:00pm. MASS TIME SCHEDULE Monday-Friday: 11:00am. Saturday and the day before holidays: 11:00am/5:00pm. Holidays: 9:00am/10:00am/11:30am, Some history: "Basilica di San Petronio is Bologna's most famous church, where on February 24, 1530 Charles V was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and where, 17 years later, in 1547, the 9th and 10th sessions of the Council of Trent were celebrated, a fundamental passage of the Counter-Reformed Catholic Church. These historical facts explain the importance of the Basilica of San Petronio. Saint Petronio was bishop of Bologna from 431 to 450 and, subsequently, he was named the city's patron saint. It is not surprising, therefore, that the intentions of Arduino degli Arriguzzi, the architect that was commissioned in 1514 to complete the work begun at the end of the fourteenth century (1390), was the intention to surpass the size of the church of Saint Peter in Rome. At least this is the myth, according to which Pope Pius IV stopped this ambition by soliciting the works for the construction of the Archiginnasio." From: https://www.cosafarei.it/bologna"

"The Basilica of San Petronio, dedicated to the city's patron saint, is located in Piazza Maggiore and is the largest and most important church in Bologna. Its construction began in 1390 under the supervision of Antonio di Vincenzo. In 1514, Arduino degli Arriguzzi suggested a new Latin-cross model that would have been larger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome but, according to legend, Pope Pius IV blocked its construction and insisted on the erection of the Archiginnasio instead. The façade also remained unfinished, being only partly covered in marble by Giacomo Ranuzzi starting from 1538. The interior, completed in different eras, is divided into three naves, which open onto twenty-two chapels decorated by artists, including Francesco Francia, Lorenzo Costa, Parmigianino and Donato Credi. Famous is the Music Chapel of San Petronio, the oldest musical institution in Bologna (1436), whose most prestigious symbol is a still functioning organ, which, built around 1470 by Lorenzo da Prato, is the oldest in the world still in use. The Chapel of the Three Wise Men (IV) or Bolognini, is also very popular among visitors. Its walls were sumptuously frescoed by Giovanni da Modena with scenes representing “Heaven” and “Hell”. The sundial by the astronomer Cassini is also well-known and is the longest in the world, measuring 67.27 metres."

"This Basilica is located in Piazza Maggiore and is free to enter. Construction on the church began in 1390 and to this day it is still not finished. The church is filled with art and sculptures portraying the old and new testaments, but the most notable work of art is the Meridian Line. While the exterior looks unfinished, the interior is huge and very impressive. "