Bologna

We drove on in the afternoon from Modena to Bologna. By 7PM we had given up on attempts to find a sosta or other cheap/free parking and ended up at the municipal campground/resort. 25 euros. We did some wash, cheaper there, just to justify the unexpected expense. Next morning, getting a late start, we took the bus (runs every 2 hours) to the city.

Dueling Saints: in our pagan ignorance, we did not realize
it was the feast day of Italy's national patron saint, St. Francis,
and Bologna's city patron saint, St. Petronius; nor did we
fathom the implications for public transportation, business
closings, large crowds and rock concerts in the big piazza,
and the 8 day-time masses held at the cathedral...such is
the life of the wanderer errant

Roman ruins at the outskirts of the old city; near the great
Parco Magnolia garden

It is a town of great old architecture, covered arcades, the
oldest of universities...

Many painted arcades

This is the largest city we have been in in a
while, and, alas, there were far more beggars
than we have seen recently

We had a nice long lunch at Osteria dei Poeti; pictured is the
house specialty, pounded and rolled chicken breast, stuffed
with mozzarella and porcini, then wrapped in prosciutto and
baked; served on toast on a bed of greens; Vicki had a
disappointing spaghetti Bolognese

Near the church of San Domenico--think:
Domenican Order--a casket with a view

More arcades

Ditto--I love this stuff--and the wonderful colors (mostly
pinko) of this town

High up in the courtyard of a palazzo we stuck our heads into,
now the parking area for building tenants, a della Robia

Beautiful curves

In the fashionista district, camo is the new lime...

Festivities! Although we couldn't tell whether they were for
St. Francis or St. Petronius

The very famous Neptune fountain by
Giambologna

Interesting poses all around; apparently
there's a water conservation program in effect

At this point we had missed our bus and were hurrying
back across the old town to catch a supposed alternative
bus...on the Via Malcontenti

But we managed to get a good look at
Bologne's emblematic Due Torri--its two
towers--the Garisenda and the Asinelli, 97
meters high (think: 30 stories)

Both lean rather precariously; you can climb
up to the top of the Asinelli, but not the
Garisendi

Modena Cathedral

According to our guidebooks, Modena's cathedral, completed in 1099, is the finest of Italy's Romanesque cathedrals. Apart from its age, it seemed fairly unremarkable, except for one item of sculpture.

West facade

South (starboard) side

Extra south-side portal for VIPs

Looking up the great campanile, the Ghirlandia

On the west facade, possibly not a Last Judgment; possibly someone had been
to Siam?

Some good Old Testament reliefs

Cain bonks Abel, etc.

Knave view

Elevation: alternating piers and columns, triforia,
clerestory, and then...4-part Gothic vaulting...
it was indeed an age of transition, and the
Church was a hugely international organization 

The crypt was very interesting and accessible; almost
Moorish-looking

Thus, with tomb of St. Enzo on the right

View of rood screen from altar; the white band across the
screen is actually the Last Supper tablecloth! So it said

Back outside; the little arched recesses all around the church are entirely exposed
brick now; except for these two, showing earlier plaster and paint

North door frame sculpture...the months and their labors...pretty
standard 

North door, archivolt: the Porta della Pescheria; this is the first known stone
representation of Arthurian legend; scholars appear to agree on a date in the
early 12th century; not only are there relevant scenes from the legends, the
various characters are given their Breton names: Artus de Bretania, Winlogee
(Guinevere), Galvagin (Gawain), et al.; it's not unusual to see something
completely secular on a church; but it's a long way to Tipperary, I mean,
Tintagel

Modena

Vicki was running low on aceto balsamico, and I was running low on Ferraris, so we decided to head on to Modena. We found ample public parking close in to town, by the bus station, and walked the rest of the way to the centro storico, a few hundred meters.

An old San Giovanni church, dated 1190

Above the Farmacia San Marco (his attribute is the lion)

Street scene, on a major piazza

Painted arcades

Love the gentle curve

Ditto

Before Old Navy, Original Marines

Central piazza

Orator's stone, a Medieval soapbox of sorts

Modenans killed resisting Mussolini

Contemporary building art; oh, Vicki got some 30 year-old aceto balsamico; the
Ferrari will have to wait until the lira drops dramatically

More Parma Churches

But not too many more...

Just east of the duomo is the monastery
church of St. John the Evangelist...mostly
16th century

Stern to bow shot; note the floor tile, which runs throughout

View from altar

Coronation

More Corregio

Interesting St. John receiving the Revelation, over the west
door

And now for something completely different: in the monastery
museum next door, this interesting scene, identified only as
"Luigi Tessoni, 1987, Parma, Italia"; Tessoni died in 1988, and
there was a retrospective of his work some years back at the
monastery; the above was in a closed off room

Moving right along, we were in the Church of St. Mary della
Steccata, and I was snapping another apparent swirler, when
Vicki observed a Celebration was in progress and that I
should show more respect..."fanculo quella merda" I muttered,
respectfully...