Mercato Quadrilatero
Bologna's oldest and most picturesque market is the Mercato Quadrilatero. Located in the heart of Bologna and an unmissable destination for food and wine lovers, the Quadrilatero area stretches between Via Rizzoli, Via Castiglione, Via Farini, Via dell'Archiginnasio and Piazza Maggiore.
The origins of the market
The roots of the Mercato Quadrilatero date back to the
Middle Ages, when this area of Bologna housed the headquarters of the trade guilds and related craft activities. The past of the Quadrilatero still resounds in the place's toponymy. The
names of the streets evoke the ancient guilds and the products sold here, such as via Drapperie, via Clavature and via Orefici.
The term 'Mercato di Mezzo' is often used to describe the Mercato Quadrilatero, but it only represents part of the Quadrilatero area, the one that has recently undergone redevelopment. Actually, the Mercato di Mezzo was larger than it is today, but part of the market was demolished due to the widening of Via Rizzoli in the late 19th century .
The Mercato Quadrilatero today
Today, the Mercato Quadrilatero is
a lively and colourful place, where shops selling typical products and fruit and vegetable stalls stand side by side with places for aperitifs and small restaurants. The vocation of the place has therefore remained virtually unchanged over time, thanks to the presence of so many shops and stalls that daily supply the Bolognese with vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, cheese, wine, fresh pasta and much more.
Strolling through the narrow streets of the Quadrilatero, however, you can also go shopping in the
clothing shops and handmade workshops, which hand down their knowledge from generation to generation. Among the places to have a glass of wine, we recommend the ancient
Osteria del Sole, founded in 1465, a living testimony of Bologna as a city of osterie. Here you can quietly enjoy a glass sitting side by side with strangers at long wooden tables, and bring in any kind of food from outside.
Another peculiarity of the Quadrilatero is the presence of a real
Bolognese walk of fame, reminiscent of the years when the city hosted
a jazz festival of international scope, under the aegis of Alberto Alberti. Walking along Via Caprarie - renamed the Jazz Street - under our feet it is easy to see the stars dedicated to the great jazz musicians who have in some way passed through the city
