Bologna: the Seven Secrets

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[{"address":"Città Metropolitana di Bologna,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.008708126842975616,"latitudeDelta":0.008355712695298223,"latitude":44.5028692182682,"longitude":11.346351820975542},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":600,"height":600},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2Fstop_0_1.png?alt=media&token=cb8340ba-f7d6-4824-a823-ee8416aba700"},{"type":"text","content":"### Parco della Montagnola\n\nOur starting point is Parco della Montagnola, where, as far as XIII century, used to take place the livestock market. If you are luky enough and you start this tour on Friday or Saturday, you may experience and enjoy the modern Montagnola market."}]},{"address":"18 Via Piella,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.003277324140068316,"latitudeDelta":0.0031449459622479026,"latitude":44.49869432998188,"longitude":11.345112640410662},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":1000,"height":455},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2Fstop_1_1.png?alt=media&token=ca23fc8b-1503-4fec-8537-cf1a0a94cc5e"},{"type":"text","content":"### The first secret of Bologna: *The little window on Venice*\n\nJust walk under the arcades and look on your right for a little window to open and reveal the little Venice.\nThis is Reno River, a subterranean river that passes through the city and comes out from time to time between buildings. "},{"type":"text","content":"### 1° Culinary advice\nThat's also a good place to have an *Italian espresso* ☕ and breakfast 🥐 on the river. Check on Google maps and find *Opera Caffè e Tulipani*, go inside the bar on the little terrace on the river."}]},{"address":"4a Piazza Giuseppe Verdi,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.003277324140071869,"latitudeDelta":0.0031450808951092313,"latitude":44.49619262018969,"longitude":11.350462976843119},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":577,"height":353},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2Fstop_2_0.png?alt=media&token=17d0e87d-d8c6-41e8-9d8b-c9b8476d8155"},{"type":"text","content":"### Piazza Verdi and the ancient University\n\nAfter a walk on *via delle Moline* you'll find yourself in *Piazza Verdi* and *Via Zamboni*. This is the place where in **1088 AD** was born the first university in the world: ***Alma Mater Studiorum Università degli studi di Bologna*.**\nUniversities are still into the buildings around this place."},{"type":"text","content":"## 1° Curiosity\n\n***Do you know why Bologna is full of arcades?***\nIt's because of the university. During all this time the city transformed itself to welcome university students. Students needed rooms and the inhabitants of Bologna built extra rooms in their houses over the streets, holding them with columns--> arcades! \n\n(If you are an Erasmus student in these days, you will find that this was not enough to welcome all the students in Bologna) "}]},{"address":"Piazza Di Porta Ravegnana,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.0032773241400736453,"latitudeDelta":0.003145177505935237,"latitude":44.49440134821708,"longitude":11.34665323421359},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":839,"height":560},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2Fstop_3_0.png?alt=media&token=5344f88d-ca07-4b2f-9a4e-26111c22485a"},{"type":"text","content":"### The two towers: Torre degli Asinelli and Torre della Garisenda (+ second secret)\nOne of the symbols of this city. If you are wondering why they completed just one out of two towers, just look at the inclination of Garisenda Tower. As you may understood the terrain under Bologna is such a mess: marshy terrain, subterranean rivers, sand etc etc.. well they just started building it but the had to stop 😂\n\nit's highly recommended to walk through the 498 steps and reach the top of the Asinelli tower, where you will find the **second secret of Bologna: *the Broken vase*** at the top of Asinelli tower which is the symbol of the city problem solving skills. "},{"type":"text","content":"### 2° Culinary advice\n**Hungry?** \nYou can enjoy some fresh handmade *tortellini* in Bottega Portici, just on the other side of the street. Or wait another two secrets to have some delicious cured meats and cheeses."},{"type":"text","content":"### 2° Curiosity\n**Fun fact**: some bad administration in the past years, tried to build an underground under Bologna. [In that messy terrain??!]. Of course the project failed when the houses began to lean towards the center of *Strada Maggiore*. You may find the underground entrances in *piazza maggiore* with the M upside down, just as a memory, just like the broken vase.\n"}]},{"address":"19 Corte Isolani,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.001421906054019928,"latitudeDelta":0.0013644268772310397,"latitude":44.49329572377244,"longitude":11.34884124621749},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":1000,"height":1592},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2FBologna-Casa%20Isolani.jpg?alt=media&token=4889d0f6-293d-4857-b19a-ce98b0aeea36"},{"type":"text","content":"### The third secret: The Three Arrows\nWalking thorugh *Strada Maggiore* you'll find yourself inside a huge arcade: the entrance of *Corte degli Isolani*. \n\nThe legend says that three brigands were there to kill a Bolognese squire. A girl, looking naked at a window, distracted them. The arrows each set off in a different direction and stuck in the ceiling, thus causing the attack to fail.\n\nI challenge you to find the three arrows in the high ceiling, stay there until you find at least one of them. It depends on the light, but it's very difficult. "},{"type":"text","content":"### 3° Culinary advice: \nIf you are hungry (and also if it's raining), inside the court you are surrounded by good restaurants, even though they are a little bit touristic. (wait for *via delle pescherie* to have the real experience) "}]},{"address":"Città Metropolitana di Bologna,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.0022151693701726316,"latitudeDelta":0.0021259627290746153,"latitude":44.49220488386197,"longitude":11.34847478941083},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":1000,"height":664},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2F2590200541_d2e07234dc_o-1140x757.jpg?alt=media&token=844bfb1c-d742-4643-bf5b-7fdfeca60109"},{"type":"text","content":"### The seven churches and Piazza Santo Stefano\nPass through the court and come out in *Piazza Santo Stefano* where are located the seven churches. I'm not taking too much time to describe the wonderful building, born from many different ages and religious culture. It's higly recommended to have a wolak in the inside and if you want to go deeper in details here's a link with their full history: \nhttps://bologna-guide.com/seven-churches-basilica-santo-stefano/ "}]},{"address":"2b Via Pescherie Vecchie,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.00047508627176107154,"latitudeDelta":0.000455602986392023,"latitude":44.49370326023195,"longitude":11.344239916652441},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":680,"height":1023},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2F5036561337_efc52eb5db_b.jpg?alt=media&token=87343605-c9b8-4d4b-b3c5-0745acb7a7eb"},{"type":"text","content":"### Via Pescherie Vecchie\nWalking towards *Piazza Maggiore*, you will be immersed in a magical Bologna, made up of narrow streets and typical markets. Here you will find the real taverns of Bologna (the oldest of which: the *Osteria del Sole*)\n\nThis is the perfect place to eat a platter of cold cuts and cheeses, accompanied by a good bottle of red wine.\nSee below the 4° culinary advice:"},{"type":"text","content":"### 4° Culinary advice: \n*Da Simoni*. If I have to advice one of my friends a place where to have lunch with friends or her/his partner, well this is the place. Just take a seat in one of the narrow stools on the street and ask the waiter for one of his platters of salumni and cheeses. Don't forget the wine, red please!"},{"type":"text","content":"### 3° Curiosity: \nDid you know that, when taverns were born, their scope was just to serve wine and spirits to their customers. This concept remains in *Osteria del Sole*. Bring your food from home or from one of the markets in these streets and take a seat at the tavern, they will serve you their best wine!"}]},{"address":"Piazza Maggiore","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.10234184804510059,"latitudeDelta":0.09219986310369421,"latitude":44.493710765602096,"longitude":11.34304854999999},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":1000,"height":745},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2FBasilica-San-Petronio.jpg?alt=media&token=34118b09-0984-42a5-a478-f9ff8f8dd5fd"},{"type":"text","content":"### Basilica of San Petronio and the largest indoor sundial in the world\n\nPassing across *Piazza Maggiore* you will be amazed by the *Basilica di San Petronio*. \nFor further information a guided tour inside the church is needed, or look for some details here: https://bologna-guide.com/san-petronio-must-see-church-of-bologna/\n\nWhat i'm telling you of this church is to be amzed by its hugeness, it was built to be the largest church in the world, it is now at the seventh place. \n\nGo inside and have a look at the *largest indoor sundial in the world* **(the fourth secret, non-secret, of Bologna)**. "}]},{"address":"Bologna,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.0008452311158180237,"latitudeDelta":0.0008109910623588235,"latitude":44.494146902482385,"longitude":11.343268286436796},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":600,"height":800},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2FVoltone%20Podest%C3%A0.jpg?alt=media&token=923a3a76-a274-4876-9dec-d50a25261a06"},{"type":"text","content":"### The fifth secret: the acoustic phone\n\nGo inside the arcades between *Palazzo del Podestaà* and *Palazzo Re Enzo*, find a perfectly square arcade, put one of your friends in a corner and yourself on the opposite one, now speak against the wall. \n\nThis trick was to act as an intimate and discreet \"channel\" of remote communication, designed in medieval times to make lepers and plague victims confess, avoiding the danger that these infect priests."}]},{"address":"1 Piazza del Nettuno,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.0007862225174886106,"latitudeDelta":0.0007545479754611506,"latitude":44.49425213291227,"longitude":11.342651713639498},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":600,"height":900},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2F687948809_10a5a614b1_o-600x900.jpg?alt=media&token=cf324a09-6179-4c4e-a9fc-3c27702b9f5d"},{"type":"text","content":"### The sixth secret: Nettuno's dick\nAs many of you will have noticed in your lives, all the ancient male representations, statues and paintings, have a small penis. it has always been so because of modesty, religion and public decency.\n\nNeptune in Bologna is no exception to this tradition. it was commissioned by Cardinal *Pier Donato Cesi* to the artist ***Giambologna***.\n\nThinking of Neptune, the artist wanted to give the right representation to the king of the seas: imposing, muscular, divine and **with a large member**.\n\nThe church clearly could not approve such a depiction and asked the artist to represent Neptune with a modest penis.\n\nThe artist then, in the name of artistic freedom and, just a little bit, **for revenge**, sculpted the statue in such a way that the perspective from the window of the cardinal's room, **showed the neptune with a vigorous erection**, thanks to the thumb of his right hand. \n\nYou can also observe the perspective erection from a black tile behind the statue."}]},{"address":"3 Via dell'Indipendenza,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.0008244439959543826,"latitudeDelta":0.000790886581455652,"latitude":44.49525683286752,"longitude":11.34273486211896},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":768,"height":538},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2F441245849_ef64994559_o-768x538.jpg?alt=media&token=daacab4f-1b16-4f61-ad9d-a2b0d3e2732a"},{"type":"text","content":"### The seventh secret: Panis vita, canabis protectio, vinum laetitia\nTo see our last secret, have a walk into the arcades of via indipendenza (stay to the right). at some point you will see on the ceiling the statement: \n*Panis vita, canabis protectio, vinum laetitia*\nLiterally: Bread is life, cannabis is protection, wine is joy. \n\nThe most interesting one is the center of this statement which refers to the thriving hemp trade that made the city great "}]},{"address":"11/B Via Belvedere,Bologna","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.0016673281788808225,"latitudeDelta":0.0016001548945823174,"latitude":44.49646765943899,"longitude":11.338393371552229},"media":[{"metadata":{"width":550,"height":366},"type":"img","version":1,"content":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/freeguides-prod.appspot.com/o/assets%2Ftours%2FExhdD21AeEdQplyKrdfo%2Faltro.jpg?alt=media&token=26c65813-b768-4aa3-a885-212d3ed2ee53"},{"type":"text","content":"### Il Mercato delle Erbe\nOur tour is almost finished and after al this arts, culture and walking around it's time for a good aperitif. \n\nFrom the arcades of *Via dell'Indipendenza* you can both walk in the narrow streets shown in the maps or have a relaxed walk in *Via Ugo Bassi*, untill you reach *Mercato delle Erbe. \n\n*Mercato delle Erbe* is a real market: you can buy vegetables, fish and meat. But it is also a place where you can drink and eat from different taverns and bars. \n\nAround the market there are also some pubs. The one I've selected for you is *Bar senza nome*, a pub run by deaf people. These girls and boys can understand you by the labial, or you can learn a little bit of sign language from the instruction on the wall. \n\nThe experience is super particular and recommended for a night drink after a pizza inside the market. "}]}]