I know that Bologna itself has no fault but I don’t have a pleasant memory about this town. I went there full of joy, as I know it is an old European university center but in about 3 hours since I arrived there I have been..robbed! Who were they? Gypsies, but I may say nothing about their nationality as they didn’t spoke a single word all the time, which was anyhow very short. I tell you all this to learn about this kind of tactics and to avoid it. I stopped on a little street to look in a book shop window. There were people inside. I saw three gypsy women coming toward me. One of them carried in her arms a little child. I retreated in the door of the book shop. The one with the child came so near that the child was right over my money-belt. She made eating gestures, obviously asking for money. She made me struggle to put a little distance between us, not paying attention to what she carried on… Suddenly they went away. I looked immediately to my money belt. It was wide open, and my portfolio was gone. The owner of the book shop, who looked from inside, came out and asked what happen. “Robatto” I said, “I was robbed”. He told me that this happens here frequently…My knees were trembling. At the corner, near the towers, it was a bench where I stopped to compose myself. I renounced to my trip and went directly to the railway station. I never went back to Bologna since then. It was 1998.
Now, coming back to the railway station, I want to tell you something about what I saw in Bologna. Passing by the nice stairs of Montagnola, a nice park, I went to the twin squares, Maggiore and Nettuno.
Middle-age palaces, a wonderful Rennaisance church (the fifth in the world as size), a nice fountain and one of the oldest European university. Palazzo del Podesta, Palazzo Re Enzo, Torre del Arengo, Palazzo Notai, Sala Borsa, Fontana del Nettuno, Basilica di San Petronias, Archiginnasio, Torre Asinelli and Torre Garisenda. These all are in my mind when speaking about Bologna, they are in my photos…
Stiu ca orasul n-are nici o vina dar nu pastreaz o amintire placuta Bolognei…M-am dus acolo cu multa bucurie dar, cred ca nu au trecut nici 3 ore de cand am ajuns si…am fost furata! De cine? E greu de spus. Autoarele au fost 3 tiganci dar n-as putea spune care era originea lor fiindca in tot timpul desfasurarii actiunii nu au scos nici un cuvant. Vreau sa va povestesc tactica folosita de ele fiindca mie nici nu-mi trecuse prin cap pana atunci ca mi s-ar putea fura banii din borseta fixata de mijloc! Era in 1998…De la gara m-am indreptat direct spre centru, cautandu-mi obiectivele. Pe o strada laterala, m-am oprit sa ma uit in vitrina unei librarii. Am vazut apropiindu-se de mine trei tiganci, dintre care una ducea in brate un copil foarte mic. Precauta, m-am retras in intrandul librariei, sa ma feresc din calea lor. M-au urmat hotarate (in librarie era lume) si cea cu copilul s-a apropiat de mine atat de mult incat m-a facut sa dau un pas inapoi, sa maresc distanta. Imi facea cu mana gestul de a manca si arata spre copil, inghesuindu-se in mine si tinand copilul…deasupra borsetei. A reusit sa-mi capteze atentia, sa nu ma mai gandesc la ce ar putea face, ci doar sa incerc sa o tin la distanta. Totul a durat cateva secunde. A facut un gest de lehamite si s-au indepartat. Imediat am coborat ochii si am dus mana spre borseta…Fermoarul era deschis, iesea afara un colt al port-ochelari-lor si, bineinteles, portofelul lipsea. Proprietarul librariei, care poate urmarise scena, a iesit imediat afara si m-a intrebat cum ma simt. “Robatto”, am raspuns, adica “m-au furat”. Am inteles din spusele sale ca se intampla asta frecvent pe acolo…. La doi pasi erau vestitele turnuri gemene si, in apropiere o banca, pe care m-am asezat. Imi tremurau genunchii…era a doua oara, dupa multi ani, cand mi se intampla acest lucru. Dupa ce m-am linistit, am plecat imediat la gara, renuntand la plimbare si m-am intors la Trento.
Revin acum la gara, pentru a va arata putinul pe care l-am putut vedea in Bologna. Chiar in apropiere am trecut pe langa Montagnola, un parc frumos al orasului, unde se tine si o piata. Mi-a placut intrarea, pe care am si fotografiat-o dar nu m-am oprit. Tinta mea era centrul orasului.
intrarea la Montagnola
Acolo, in centru, in doua piete adiacente, Piata Maggiore si Piata Nettuno se afla frumoasele palate medievale ale Bolognei. Aceasta este partea cea mai veche a orasului, centrul sau politic si administrativ dar si cultural.
Bologna a fost mai intai capitala etrusca Felsina (600-450 i.e.n.), cucerita de gali (450-191 i.e.n.), apoi de romani (189 i.e.n.). Au mai trecut pe aici bizantinii si lombarzii. In 1088 a fost fondata universitatea, iar in 1338 orasul a fost lovit de o mare epidemie de ciuma, plaga europeana a evului mediu. In 1506 Bologna a intrat sub control papal. Abia in 1860 a intrat in Regatul Italiei.
Palazzo del Podesta a fost ridicat pe o latura a pietei, in sec. al 13-lea. In spatele sau se vede Torre del Arengo, construit in 1259. El chema cetatenii in piata la diverse evenimente. In aripa sa stanga exista un portal, construit in sec. al 16-lea, deasupra caruia se afla statuia Papei Gregoriu al 13-lea.
Alaturi de el, Palazzo Re Enzo construit in 1244 si extins in 1245, in care a fost tinut prizonier, pana la moarte, regele Enzo al Sardiniei.
Palazzo Re Enzo
Minunata basilica gotica, de pe alta latura a pietei este a cincea – ca marime – din lume si a fost construita incepand cu anul 1390 si continuind pana in 1500, cand a fost terminata. Este vorba despre Basilica di San Petronias, care poarta numele patronului orasului.
Basilica di San Petronias
Ca in multe piete italienesti, in mijloc se afla frumoasa Fantana a lui Neptun (Fontana del Nettuno), loc de intalnire al localnicilor si de poza obligatorie a vizitatorilor orasului. In stanga sa se observa Sala Borsa, cladirea bursei din Bologna. Atunci nu am putut sa o vizitez dar acum, am vazut pe internet, a fost deschisa acolo o mare biblioteca si librarie, care permite vizitatorilor sa admire minunatele ornamente etrusce.
Fontana del Nettuno
Nu pot sa nu remarc primul sediu al universitatii bolognese, Archiginnasio, construita in stil Renastere de catre Borromeo, in 1563, ca parte a Facultatii de drept si arte. In prezent se afla acolo biblioteca orasului. Peretii si tavanele sunt acoperite cu peste 6000 de insemne heraldice ale celor care au fost studentii universitatii. Nu am intrat sa vizitez edificiul dar, se poate vedea un celebru Amfiteatru de anatomie din secolul al 13-lea si Capela Santa Maria dei Bulgaris.
Archiginnasio
poarta de intrare
detaliu
Cotesc pe niste stradute laterale, cautand cele doua turnuri inclinate. In drum inregistrez o strada animata, ingusta, care duce spre piata. Unii chiar au scos aici pestele la vanzare.
aici e straduta unde am fost pradata, fotografiata inainte de eveniment
De pe banca pe care imi trageam sufletul, am pozat si cele doua turnuri. Cel mai mare, poarta numele familiei care l-a construit, Turnul Asinelli (1109-1119). Are o inaltime de 97 m. Cel mai mic, de doar 48 m, este Turnul Garisenda.
Turnurile Asinelli si Garisenda
Probabil ar fi existat un unghi mai bun dar eu nu mai aveam chef…De aici, am plecat direct la gara. Nu m-am intors cu alta ocazie in Bologna.
Palazzo dei Notai, construit de ghilda notarilor in 1381
I appreciate this post because I’ve been there too. I’m sorry your first experience was unpleasant but I’m glad you went back, it’s truly worth seeing. The last time I was there people offered to help me find what I was looking for, even before I asked! And the food… il cibo bolognese… meraviglioso!
Lovely place in Italy…..i like these shots very much.
thanks for sharing.
Greetings, Joop
au mers la sigur
Thanks, JoLynne, for your words!
Thank you, Joop!
am mai invatat si eu ceva, smalldot…
What amazing architecture!
Classics are always classics of beauty !
Renaissance is great, Randy!
Right, Wong! Thanks for the visit.
Araata frumos Bologna ta, cu tot cu evenimentul neplacut :). Eu as vrea sa revin, in ciuda faptului ca am trait un sentiment permanent de nesiguranta in oras. As vrea sa vad universitatea, as vrea sa simt Bologna asa cum mi-o imaginez eu.
Multumesc, Liliana! E la indemana pentru noi sa ajungem acolo, eu insa nu ma mai intorc.
Adevarul e ca o astfel de experienta nu poate fi uitata si vrand-nevran nu poti sa ai amintiri frumoase dintr-un loc unde ai fost jefuit….
Pe de alta parte, imaginile sunt frumoase.
Multumesc, Claudia! Ai dreptate…
I was sorry too for the occurrence of theft, dear friend of mine!
It’s the worst thing to happen to your journey …
The pictures you are amazing and wonderful Bologna with nice buildings!
Thank you for the nice ride and a detailed tour!
Best regards
Thank you, Magda! It’s all in the past now.
Ohno! The first part made me feel what happened to you more than a decade ago. I felt nervous for a while.
Glad you went back and now with lots of wonderful photos. Stay safe in all your travels, my dear friend.
Thank you, Rizalenio! These photos are from that time, I didn’t ever went back there. All the photos from Italy to be posted till the middle of the month, like those from the Northern Europe countries already posted before, are paper photos from the period 1997-2000. I photographed them with the digital camera and this is the reason they have this vintage aspect. I explained this already but may be you didn’t read this.
Da, inteleg. Am si eu in minte cateva orase care nu m-au primit cu surprize placute. Frumos oras,totusi…
Sa ai o saptamana frumoasa!
Eu vreau sa ma intorc, vreau sa imi domin teama si prima impresie. Eventual imi angajez un ghid sau merg cu un tur prin oras. Insa vreau sa merg …
… vorba ta, asemenea incidente îţi moaie picioarele… te ia cu toţi fiorii… mai ales când nu eşti în ţară…
no comment: ei au universitate de aproape O MIE DE ANI… ce să mai zici? ce să te mai mire? parcă fiecare piatră respiră istorie…
păcat că turnurile înclinate nu gustă măcar puţin din celebritatea celui din Pisa…
mulţumesc, şoimule…
Multumesc, Wind, si tie la fel!
Good for you, Liliana!
pai asa mai vedem/auzim si noi, Victor, ca nu suntem cei mai cei, cum ni se spunea…in ceea ce priveste celebritatea, ai dreptate…e un oras mult mai putin vizitat de turisti decat alte orase italienesti…sa ai o saptamana mai putin ploioasa ca cea de pe aici…
You are coming quite close now! Sorry for your misadventure, I won’t comment on this because I would use very harsh words. Bologna is an interesting city, but I haven’t been there in a while…
Thank you, VP! Anyhow is in the past now…
It really looks beautiful, the colors, the people , the street, everything looks so good.
I am always careful, for we are always warned about these pick pockets, they are really very bad for any country, especially robbing innocents travellers.
Do we admire the beauty of a place or do we keep watching out for thieves, I think we are lucky if we can do both.
You are right, Rama. I am also very careful every time but I was not aware of that technique!
eu as vrea sa ajung acolo.sa sti ca am vazut in venetia o faza asemanatoare.i-am vazut pe unii ca fugeau de rupeau pamantul si dupa vreo doua colturi am vazut pagibitii.dar pana la urma… toate padurile au uscaturile lor.trebuie depasit momentul.
Multumesc, Mircea pentru cuvintele de consolare. Avand in vedere ca vizita mea in Bologna a fost in 1997, momentul a fost depasit:)
Bologna looks like a gorgeous place to visit but sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience there.
Thank you, Life Ramblins! This was long time ago, it is already in the past.
Sorry you had an initial bad experience, it seems a lovely place for the tourist. It reminds me of Barcelona .. & I don’t mean the buildings !!
Thank you for the empathy, J_on_tour! I understand what you mean with Barcelona…my husband was very near to be robbed there in the metro…but nothing bad happened, I was there…
Oh, man – that’s horrible — so sorry to hear about your experience in Bologna. 🙁 It’s unfortunately something that happens all to often, and something more of us need to be prepared for when we travel. I hope someday you do find the opportunity to get back to Bologna. It’s such a lovely city, off the largely traveled tourist path. So many great restaurants there… and some great coffee too! Cheers!