Basilica Santo Stefano

"Santo Stefano is the most unique complex in Bologna, a true city sanctuary and cradle of the faith of the fathers. It is best known as the “seven churches” because it is composed of several buildings built in different eras. The origins of the complex are controversial and debated. According to the most accredited hypothesis, it was erected by Petronius on the ruins of a pre-existing pagan temple, near which a reproduction of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem was later built, and next to the chapel with the remains of the Bolognese protomartyrs Vitale and Agricola, the buildings erected between the 10th and 13th centuries by the Benedictines. Overlooking the square are the church of the Crucifix, of Lombard origin, of Calvary and of SS. Vitale and Agricola and the church of the Trinity, renovated between the 12th and 13th centuries. Inside you can also admire the Pilate Courtyard, with a marble basin donated by Liutprando and Ilprando, kings of the Lombards, and the Benedictine cloister with double loggia (10th-13th century), one of the most superb creations of the Emilian Romanesque. Finally, the Museum is worth a visit, which houses paintings, sculptures and other works of art from various eras."

"Visitors enter the complex from the picturesque Piazza Santo Stefano - your introduction is the Church of the Crucifix, the largest and most prominent of the four extant buildings. Dating to the 8th century, the interior is austere while a painted figure of Christ on the cross hangs above the stairs. Stepping back three centuries you enter the beautiful Church of the Sepulchre, modelled on the church of the same name in Jerusalem. It has a central plan with marble and brick columns, some dating from Roman times. The next exit will bring you to the Basilica of Saints Vitale and Agricola, the most austere of the churches. It has little by way of decoration and is the oldest of the structures, dating from the 4th century. From here you can access the beautiful Pilate's Courtyard: an oasis of calm and tranquility at the heart of the complex. Your final stop is the Church of the Holy Cross: above the altar hangs a stark, solitary figure of Jesus on the cross. Don't miss the colourful Adoration of the Magi by Simone dei Crocifissi, one of oldest sculpted nativity scenes in the world, dating to the 13th century. "

"In the square of Piazza Santo Stefano you will find the Basilica, known as the Seven Churches. (Sette Chiese). Today only four remain. You can visit the four churches Crocefisso, Santo Sepolcro, Santi Vitale e Agricola, and Chiesa della Trinità to see historic sites dating back to the 8th century."