Piazza Santo Stefano
One of Bologna's most beautiful squares, Piazza Santo Stefano is now a favourite meeting place for the Bolognese, as well as hosting a colourful antiques market every second weekend of the month.
It was once located outside the city walls on the road leading to Florence, and was therefore a perfect stopover for pilgrims on their way to this city who took the opportunity to venerate the relics preserved in the marvellous Basilica of Santo Stefano.
What to see in St Stephen's Square
The square is surrounded by fine buildings, built by the city's noble families. Arriving from the Due Torri, however, your gaze is immediately caught by the basilica, also known as the
Sette Chiese (Seven Churches). Three churches overlook the square, the one dedicated to Saints Vitale and Agricola, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Crucifix, which is the main entrance to the building. However, the façade that we see today has undergone numerous changes over the past centuries, and therefore no longer corresponds in its entirety to the original design. The tree-lined street to the right of the basilica leads to what was once a hostel for pilgrims.
Among the beautiful buildings visible from the square, turning our gaze to the left of the church we notice
Palazzo Isolani, still owned by the Bolognese family of the same name. The special feature of Palazzo Isolani is the
covered passageway full of shops, bars and art galleries that connects Piazza Santo Stefano with Strada Maggiore, where there is the wooden portico on which the famous arrow is stuck.
On the right we can see the Case Tacconi houses, Palazzo Pasquini-Bianchi and Palazzo Salina Amorini. The latter is recognisable because of the faces sculpted in 1525 by Alfonso Lombardi that decorate the façade and portray very different characters, some with very funny expressions.
The surroundings of Piazza Santo Stefano
Around Piazza Santo Stefano there are two places that are very significant for the history of Bologna. The first is linked to
Pier Paolo Pasolini: few people know that the famous intellectual was born in Via Borgonuovo, in what was then a military guesthouse.
The second place is instead a few steps away from the square, in Via de Pepoli, the small street that connects it with Via Castiglione. As a commemorative plaque recalls,
the first workshop of Maserati, the famous Bolognese car manufacturer whose logo is inspired by the trident held by Neptune in the famous fountain, was founded here.
