Ariadne's Thread: Guide ~ Italy ~ Bologna ~ Basilica of San Petronio. Amazing Bologna: the best attractions! Church of Santa Maria della Pioggia
The Basilica of San Petronio is the main church of Bologna, located in Piazza Maggiore and dedicated to the patron saint of the city. In the 5th century, Saint Petronio was the local bishop. Today, the basilica named after him is the fifth largest church in the world: its length is 132 meters, its width is 60 meters, and the height of the vaults reaches 51 meters. Inside it can accommodate about 28 thousand people.
The first stone for the future Gothic cathedral was laid in 1390, when Antonio di Vicenzo was chosen as the chief architect of such an important urban project. Construction continued for several centuries: after the completion of the facade in 1393, the construction of the first chapels began, which were completed only in 1479. In 1514, Arduino degli Arriguzzi proposed a new plan for the church - according to his idea, it should have the shape of a Latin cross at the base, in order to surpass St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. However, these plans were not destined to come true - the project was vetoed by Pope Pius IV himself.
The decoration of the main facade remained unfinished for many years - many architects took on it, including the famous Baldassar Peruzzi and Andrea Palladio, but for various reasons the work did not move forward. At the beginning of the 15th century, Jacopo della Quercia decorated the main entrance to the cathedral with sculptures, and two small side doors with images based on the Old Testament. His naked Adam and other figures placed on a rectangular bas-relief provided inspiration to Renaissance artists.
The interior of the cathedral is notable for its depiction of the “Madonna and Saints” by Lorenzo Costa Jr. and the “Pieta” by Amico Aspertini. The painted walls and colored stained glass windows are noteworthy. The choir was made in the 15th century by Agostino de Marchi, and the monstrance is the creation of Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola.
Since Bologna was the musical center of Baroque Italy, it is not surprising that the first instruments were installed in the Cathedral of San Petronio at the end of the 16th century. In the 17th century, two organs appeared here, which are still in excellent condition.
In the left side aisle you can see a sundial installed in 1655 - its author is the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini. This is the largest sundial in the world - its length is 66.8 meters.
The ceremonial consecration of the cathedral took place only in 1954, and in 2000 the relics of St. Petronio, previously kept in the Basilica of Santo Stefano, were transferred here.
The Basilica of San Petronio has always played an important role in the church and secular life of not only Bologna, but also Europe. In 1530, the great Charles V was crowned here, and in the 19th century, Eliza Bonaparte, sister of the French Emperor Napoleon, was buried. Already today, in 2002, five men were arrested who were planning to carry out a terrorist attack in the cathedral. And in 2006, the Italian police again managed to prevent a tragedy - then Muslim terrorists who wanted to destroy the basilica were captured because, in their opinion, the fresco inside insulted Islam. This fresco by Giovanni da Modena depicts a scene from Dante's Inferno where Muhammad is tormented by demons.
It is rightfully considered the “university center” of the country. There is also a more amusing characteristic of the province - Smart, Red, Fat.
The city was described this way because of the considerable number of educational institutions on the territory, the color of the roofs of the buildings, and finally, for the delicious food prepared in local restaurants.
Italy is a country with a centuries-old culture, rich nature, and developed architectural skills, so almost every city in the country is famous for its sights. And our province is no exception! In the city of Bologna, tourists will see the following attractions.
The history of the University of Bologna dates back to the 2nd century, because it was founded in 1088. It is considered one of the largest and most famous European universities since the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, the University of Bologna was called Studium; scions of influential families from all over the world sought to study here. Globe. The university educated such scientific luminaries as Erasmus of Rotterdam, Paracelsus, Albrecht Durer, Dante Alighieri, and Salimbene of Parma who later became famous.
The University of Bologna has been considered one of the largest and most famous European universities since the Middle Ages
Gradually, university teachers, including Irnerius, began to specialize in law, and as a result, the legal theories cultivated here began to be accepted and used throughout the country.
From the 14th century higher educational institution the city of Bologna - a local university, in addition to law, organized the following faculties on its territory: astronomy, philosophy, medicine, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, grammar.
A little later, theology was included in the list of disciplines. Currently, the university consists of five institutions located in different parts of Italy. Therefore, there is no clear answer to the question of where the University of Bologna is located. The faculties of the higher institution teach students with a total number of about 85 thousand people, in the following cities: Bologna, Rimini, Cesena, and Forli.
You can take a virtual tour of the campus by watching the video:
Students are trained in areas such as jurisprudence, agricultural science, conservation cultural heritage, psychology, communications, politics, etc. The main building of the university is located on the street. Zamboni, no. 33, tel. +39 051.209.91.11 / 93.70. You can find out the details you are interested in about the University of Bologna by visiting the official website: www.unibo.it.
Temples
What else can you see in Bologna? In the Middle Ages, a considerable number of temples were erected on the territory of the city, each of which can rightfully be called an object of the country’s cultural heritage.
Basilica of St. Petronius
One of the largest temples in the world, located on central square Bologna - Maggiore. The basilica was built for quite a long time, over several centuries.
The construction of the original temple in the Gothic style began in the 14th century, and construction and decoration were completed only in the 17th century.
It is interesting that the church was built in the shape of an ancient Latin cross, among its creators are such famous architects as Andre Palladio, Giacomo Barozzi di Vignola, Antonio di Vicenza.
The Basilica of St. Petronius is located in Piazza Maggiore
The exterior of the church walls is also made in the Gothic style, famous for the strict geometry of the pattern. The inside of the cathedral is decorated with works by famous painters: “The Consecration of Christ with 4 Saints” by A. Aspertini, “The Mysterious Wedding of St. Catherine” by F. Lippi, “Madonna with Saints” by L. Costa Jr. and others.
An ancient relic from the 15th century, which was repeatedly attacked, deserves special attention.
This is a fresco with the Islamic saint Magomed, depicted, according to the plot of the picture, among the inhabitants of Hell, which religious Islamic fans who found themselves in Bologna tried to destroy.
What the Basilica of St. Petronius looks like inside - watch the video:
After the Middle Ages, the city of Bologna used the building of the Basilica of San Petronio for socio-political purposes, both the local court and the city council were located here.
Only in the 20s of the last century did prayer chants begin to sound in the church again.
You can visit the cathedral daily from 7-30 to 12-45 hours, and in the afternoon from 15 to 18 hours.
Monastic complex of Santo Stefano
St. Stephen's Cathedral consists of 7 buildings forming temple complex. According to legend, it was Saint Petronius, inspired by holy thoughts, who wished to reproduce the monuments to the seven main Jerusalem shrines.
The monastic complex of Santo Stefano consists of 7 buildings
Thus, the churches included in the San Stefano complex are named: Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Cathedral of John the Baptist, Church of the Holy Trinity, Cathedral of the Martyrs Agricola and Vitaly, the Court of Pilate and the Monastery. The visiting hours of the basilica, located in Piazza San Stefano, are similar to the opening hours of the Church of St. Petronius.
Temple of the Madonna of St. Luke
Built on a hill of about 250-300 m, “Guard Hill”. The name of the church comes from a work of art by St. Luke the Evangelist - Madonna and Child, brought to the city by a pilgrim from Greece.
The honorary burden was ordered to be raised to the Guard Hill, whose image appears on the icon, which was done.
The basilica was erected later, specifically to store the shrine.
The Temple of the Madonna of St. Luke was built on Guard Hill
The church is located outside the city; you can get to the cathedral by walking through a gallery of 666 arches, with a total length of about 4 meters, leading from the Saragossa Gate. The entrance ticket costs 10 euros.
What else to see in Bologna?
If you find yourself in the province of Bologna for a little more than 1 day, then be sure to explore the rest of the city’s relics and monuments. What can you see in Bologna in 2 or more days?
These are the city's world-famous museums, towers and palaces.
National Pinakothek
Stores the largest collections of works by Italian painters known throughout the world. The National Pinacoteca of Bologna offers tourists works of art created by the famous Titian, A. Coracci, L. Costa, G. Reni, Paramigiano, Raphael, on whose life the Italian city of Bologna left its mark.
The National Pinakothek houses the largest collections of works by Italian painters
The museum is located on Belle Arti street 56, open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, except Mondays. Ticket prices range from 2 to 4 euros.
Archaeological Museum
Formed in the 19th century, in 1881. It is famous for its exhibitions of archaeological origins from the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic eras, as well as historical finds recovered from Etruscan and Gallic tombs. A considerable amount archaeological finds was provided to the museum by the University of Bologna and the artist P. Palagi.
Archaeological Museum of Bologna founded in the 19th century
Household items from the ancient Romans, Egyptians, and Greeks are collected here, as well as extensive collections of ancient awards and banknotes. Entrance to the museum is paid, the cost is 5 euros. You can view the local collections every Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Via Arciginascio, 2.
The largest of them is the tower, which once belonged to the Asinelli family and was named after the eminent family. The structure was built in defiance of the Garisendi family, who were at enmity with the owners of the tower and built a similar high-rise building directly opposite. Rising above the city to a considerable height, it was created around 1120.
The Asinelli high-rise tower offers an excellent overview of the surrounding city of Bologna, so the structure was used as an observation tower.
Later, in the 15th century, a fortress building was added to the high-rise building, where trade flourishes today. A characteristic feature of the Tower is not only its height of about 100 meters and a staircase consisting of almost five hundred steps, but also its inclined location.
The famous leaning towers of Bologna
Being one of the “highlights” of the city of Bologna, the leaning towers of Asinelli and Garisendi seem to “look” at each other, tilting down. You can visit the high-rise building of the Asinelli clan every day, paying 3 euros, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer; in winter, visiting hours end an hour earlier. And the entrance to the Garisendi Tower is, alas, closed to tourists.
Palaces of Bologna
Bologna is famous for its palaces:
Flea markets
Bologna is famous not only for its huge number of cultural historical sites, but also for its fairly developed trade in the so-called “flea markets”. What can you bring with you as a souvenir from Bologna?
Visit your local retail outlets and be sure to pick up a memento:
- Flea market Mercato Antiquario di Santo Stefano Bologna, Italy, is famous for its antiques trade. Antique frames for mirrors and photographs, dolls, bags, and lamps are sold here. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter and until 7 p.m. in summer, every 2nd weekend. Located on the square of the same name;
- Market Mercado di Collecionismo, also offers customers antique items, but these are more printed publications: magazines, newspapers, manuscripts. Open from 9 to 6 pm on Thursdays. Located in Piazza Villa Agosto;
At the flea market in Bologna you can buy antiques as souvenirs
- flea Mercato del Vintage market, they sell antique hats, accessories, jewelry, sunglasses here every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
- Market La Piazzola. Both clothing and a variety of household items, paintings, and figurines are sold here. Trading takes place on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the day. Ares: Piazza Villa Agosto.
And this is not an exhaustive list. known to the world sights, cultural and religious, architectural monuments and colorful retail outlets that a Bologna tourist can benefit from the mind, soul and heart!
If you are planning Italian trip, be sure to visit this city with its rich cultural, religious, and simply colorful life.
Curiosities of the Basilica of San Petronio, Bologna melodie_del_mar wrote in December 20th, 2010
Sometimes you dig into seemingly the most ordinary things and find very interesting facts that make you see the “subject” in a new light.
Sitting with a cup of coffee on Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, I did not feel any special reverence for its Main Cathedral, the Basilica of San Petronio. And I read it and was surprised.
The temple is very curious, very unusual, based on its entire history. 
Firstly, the Basilica of San Petronio in Piazza Maggiore in Bologna is the fifth largest church in the world. Its height is 132 meters and 28 thousand people can be there at the same time! 
Secondly, despite the fact that the Basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Petronius, who was the Bishop of Bologna in the Fifth century, its construction was not an ecclesiastical project, but a communal project, it was built as a symbol of the communal power of Bologna and officially passed to The church was built only in 1929, and was consecrated only in 1954! Despite the fact that they were buried there and crowned...
Moreover, the remains of St. Petronius were buried in the basilica only in 2000. 
This is the strange main church in Bologna.
A municipal decree on its construction was issued in 1388, and the first stone was laid in 1390; the city council invited Antonio di Vincenzo to build the cathedral in the Gothic style. The work, as was often the case in those days, lasted for more than a century; the façade was completed only in 1479.
Thirdly, the main entrance with sculptures is the work of the famous Jacopo della Quercia. We in Lucches look with bated breath at his Ilaria, and here the whole door is in Della Quercia, look, I don’t want to. 
Bologna has always been the main center of Baroque music in Italy, the musical community was officially established by Pope Eugene IV in 1436, from the 16th century the first musicians appeared “on a paid basis” - receiving salaries for their work, and in 1476 and 1596 two organs were built which are still in excellent condition.
Another interesting fact is that in the basilica in the left aisle on the floor there is a “meridian” - a sundial in the shape of an astronomical meridian; in 1655 it was designed by the famous astronomer of that time Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who taught astronomy at the university. The length of the meridian is 66.8 meters, this is the longest astronomical meridian in the world, and the readings have always been accurate to the point of uniqueness. Cassini kept records of the readings of these clocks 
Basilica of San Petronio - La Basilica Di San Petronio. Located on the square Piazza Maggiore This Gothic basilica, the fifth tallest in the world, was begun in 1390 and is still not formally completed to this day. Upon learning that the building was supposed to be larger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Pope Pius IV stopped construction... Inside the cathedral - relics of Saint Petronius, patron saint of the city and unique 15th-century fresco depicting a scene from Dante, where the Prophet Muhammad was thrown into hell. In 2002, Islamic terrorists wanted to blow up the building and destroy the fresco, but the attack was prevented. Now there are metal detectors and security guards in front of the entrance to the cathedral. Also inside - meridional line of the sundial, which stretches 67 meters - the longest in the world, and burial of Napoleon I's sister, Eliza Bonaparte. The interior of the basilica can accommodate about 28 thousand people!
The initiator of the construction of a new big temple For the growing city in 1390, the Council of Six Hundred, that is, the city authorities, came forward. To clear the place for the construction of the cathedral, it was necessary to demolish the towers, personal buildings of the townspeople and eight small churches. Construction began already in 1390, the city entrusted the project to the architect Antonio Di Vincenzo. The plan of the three-nave basilica contains a Latin cross. Gothic vaults rest on ten pilasters with high capitals. The space is divided horizontally by side chapels.
After the completion of work on the facade, in 1393, the creation of the side chapels began, completed in 1479. Most of the chapels (22 of them) were decorated in the 15th-16th centuries. In 1514, Arduino Degli Arriguzzi proposed a new plan for the church - according to his idea, it should have the shape of a Latin cross at the base, in order to surpass St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It was to become one of the greatest churches, measuring 208 meters in length and 142 meters in diameter. However, after the intervention of Pope Pius IV - and Bologna was part of the Papal State at that time - the size of the cathedral was reduced. In 1538, the cladding of the walls and then the facade began according to the design of Domenico Varignana. His façade project caused a lot of controversy; many famous architects submitted their drawings to the competition (these drawings are now kept in the temple museum). The lower part of the facade is made of red Verona marble and white Istrian stone. The upper part of the façade was not covered.
Nowadays the length of the basilica exceeds 130 meters, the height of the vaults is 45 meters. San Petronio - no Cathedral, although it is often called the main church of the city due to its great significance. Currently, the cathedral bears the title of “small basilica” (Basilica Minor). Among the Catholic churches that have survived to this day, the cathedral ranks 15th in size and fifth in height.
Decorative work in the central part of the basilica was carried out under the direction of Girolamo Reynaldi in 1646 -1658. But they were interrupted in 1659 and were not completed. But work on the design of the building’s façade continued until the creation of new side portals designed by the architect Jacopo Della Quercia. However, then they too were stopped. Despite the involvement of several famous architects, including Baldassare Peruzzi, Andrea Palladio, Giacomo Barozzi Da Vignola, the façade of the building is still not finished. Construction was interrupted in 1759.
The external decorations are also made in the Gothic style, mainly by Giovanni Da Modena, as well as by the masters Parmigianino, Giulio Romano and Masaccio.
At the beginning of the 15th century (1426 - 1438), Jacopo Della Quercia decorated the main entrance (portal) to the cathedral with sculptures, and two small side doors with images based on the Old Testament motif (naked Adam and other figures placed on a rectangular bas-relief, including a sculptural group representing the Virgin and Child, Saint Petronius and Saint Ambrose). Michelangelo called Our Lady of the Della Quercia portal “the most beautiful Our Lady of the 15th century.” It is believed that it was the reliefs of Della Quercia in Bologna that marked the beginning of the Renaissance in the art of sculpture.
The side portals were made in 1524 - 1530 according to the design of Ercole Saccadenari. Many other artists took part in the design of the side portals, including Tribolo and Alfonso Lombardi. Windows open in the side facades, illuminating the chapels. Among them is the Chapel of St. Abbondio, restored in the Gothic style in 1865 (it was here that the coronation of Charles V took place in 1530. Charles V was crowned there to rule the Holy Roman Empire, and his coronation to rule Italy took place in the Palazzo Comunale); Chapel of St. Petronius, where in 2000 the relics of St. Petronius, patron of the city and rector of the cathedral in the 5th century, were moved from the Cathedral of Santo Stefano); the oldest chapel of the Madonna of Peace with a sculpture of Our Lady, made in 1394; the Magi Chapel with a wooden triptych altar with 27 figures carved from wood and painted by Jacopo Di Paolo, as well as stunning wall paintings; and other chapels of noble families of the city with rich altars and sculptures. Napoleon I's sister, Elisa Bonaparte, is buried in the Basilica of San Petronio.
To the right (above the 11th chapel) rises the bell tower (built 1481 - 1495). According to Bolognese tradition, there are 4 bells on it. The cathedral crypt contains one of the oldest known "triumphal cross groups" - it was created between 1160 and 1180. Notable are the amazing wooden choirs created in the 15th century by Agostino De Marchi, and the monstrance is the creation of Jacopo Barozzi Da Vignola. The canopy over the main altar was made in 1547 by the master Giacomo Barozzi.
In the 17th century, the Basilica of San Petronio was widely known for the instrumental and choral music that was performed within its walls. There are still two separately installed organs (epistolary organ F-a 3 and gospel organ C-c 4). One of the two organs of the cathedral, created in Tuscany in the second half of the 15th century, is considered the oldest in the country (he is on the right). It was created in 1475 by the master Lorenzo Di Giacomo from Prato. The organ on the left dates back to the 16th century. He is the work of Malamini (1596). Both organs have survived to this day in their original condition.
The cathedral of paintings houses such paintings as “The Mystical Wedding of St. Catherine” by Filippino Lippi, “The Consecration of Christ with Four Saints” and “Pieta” by Amico Aspertini, as well as works by Giovanni Da Modena (early 15th century, “The Last Judgment”, “ Episodes from the Life of Saint Petronius", "The Way of the Magi", fourth chapel). Also interesting are the works of Giulio Romano, Parmigianino (1527, “Saint Roch,” eighth chapel), Lorenzo Costa (1492, “Our Lady Enthroned,” seventh chapel) and Vignola.
The basilica served as a workroom in the 1660s for the famous medieval astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini. In 1665, according to his calculations, the “meridian of Giovanni Cassini”, the meridional line of a sundial, 66.8 meters long, was installed here in the left side aisle. Due to the height of the basilica, the scientist’s measurements were amazingly accurate for his time. The meridian, rather, is not a clock, but a solar calendar - when sunlight falls on the meridian through a small hole in the roof of the basilica, the beam indicates the month and day.
The Basilica of St. Petronius has long been a communal property and was used for a variety of purposes: as a place for ceremonial events, for court sessions, for public meetings. Only in 1929, as a result of the Lateran Agreements, the cathedral became the property of the diocese. The solemn “final” consecration of the cathedral took place only in 1954.
In 2002, five men were arrested for planning a terrorist attack on the cathedral. And in 2006, the Italian police again managed to prevent a tragedy - then Muslim terrorists who wanted to destroy the basilica were captured because, in their opinion, the fresco inside insulted Islam. This fresco by Giovanni da Modena depicts a scene from Dante's Inferno where Muhammad is tormented by demons.
The cathedral is open to the public from 7.45 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 18.00. Opening hours: from 7:30 to 18:45 from Monday to Friday and from 8:00 to 18:45 on weekends. The Treasury is open on Sundays from 15:30 to 17:30, admission is free. However, for security reasons, access can be stopped at any time - the basilica is guarded quite seriously.
On March 7, 2016, the first episode of Damien, based on the British thriller series The Omen, aired. However, the definition of “based” in this case is not entirely correct - the series, produced by A&E, rejects the second and third parts of the trilogy and relies only on the first film in the series, which was filmed twice: in 1976, the original film directed by Richard Donner was released, and the premiere of the remake of “The Omen” took place on the most symbolic day of the calendar - 06/06/06.
For those who for some reason have not heard anything about the series of films about the formation of the Antichrist, short excursion to the heart of the matter. The backstory is this: the wife of the American ambassador to Italy, Richard Thorne, gives birth to a baby, but as soon as the new father arrives at the hospital, he is greeted at the entrance by a priest with such sad eyes and such large bags under them that it becomes clear that this messenger cannot bring good news. There really turns out to be three news: very bad, bad and good, the priest, who looks more like a fiend of Hell than a servant of the Lord, sets them out, strictly in the correct sequence, that is, first it hurts, then it feels good. Like, Mr. Thorne, your son was stillborn, I'm sorry. Again, I’m sorry, your wife will no longer be able to have children, but don’t be upset, in the next ward the woman in labor died during childbirth, but the boy she gave birth to is healthy and handsome. Would you like to take it instead of yours? We won't tell anyone, and your wife won't be upset. Diplomat Richard Thorne is a diplomat to resolve issues diplomatically, and therefore he hands his wife Catherine a baby from the next room, whom the couple names with the sonorous name Damien.
In the photo: a still from the 1976 film “The Omen”
Of course, Damien is the Antichrist, as evidenced by the three-six mole hidden under his beautiful dark hair. Soon the family moves from Rome to London, where they live comfortably until the baby’s fifth birthday. And at the age of five, the child’s devilish nature begins to manifest itself in different ways: first, as a result of various accidents, everyone who could interfere with the process of the proper growing up of the little Antichrist perishes, followed in turn by all those who understand that accidents, in in this case, are not accidental. Then the boy’s adoptive mother dies, after which Damien’s father, Richard Thorne, conducts his own independent investigation and finds out that his adopted son is the Antichrist, which means he needs to be stabbed with sacred daggers. And here it is not the dark forces of Satan that intervene in the matter, but the good old British police, who manage to shoot the diplomat just at the moment when he raised his hand with a striking blade over the body of his adopted son. In short, everyone except Damien died, the end of the first part.
In the second part, which the creators of the series ignored, Damien grew up, matured and discovered his secret knowledge and skills for himself and those around him, and a series of deaths disguised as accidents multiplied around the young Antichrist in geometric progression. Well, in the third, weakest and most illogical part of the trilogy, the Antichrist died at the hands of a journalist with whom he had a short intimate relationship. The death of Damien Thorne was so ridiculous that fans of the Omen series waited with hope for the resurrection of their favorite anti-hero for many years. They waited until they waited, 15 years after the premiere of the last film in the Omen series, the second coming of Damien Thorne finally took place.
Poster for the series "Damien"
In the new version, Damien is 30 years old, he doesn’t remember anything about his childhood, he’s not familiar with his mission in this world, and at first he takes all the talk about the Antichrist as the ravings of the city’s crazy people. Damien Thorne in the 2016 version works as a photographer in Syria, and on the day of his thirtieth birthday, everything begins to happen to him that should guide the young Antichrist on the true path - first baptism in blood, and upon returning to New York - the “accidental” deaths of loved ones, unfamiliar and complete strangers.
Poster for the series "Damien" 2016
In terms of texture, the creators of the series approached the matter quite meticulously; images of Hell and Lucifer in the canonical Catholic tradition flash in the frame every now and then. Let's dig into the details and find out where the show's creators got the frightening images of the devil that give the series its characteristic darkness and atmosphere.
LUCIFER FROM THE FRESCO OF THE BASILICA OF SAN PETRONIO (BOLONA)
In the series' intro, the creators included a classic image of Lucifer devouring sinners in Hell.
Still from the series “Damien”
In this case, we have before us an animated fragment of a fresco by Giovanni da Modena, which can be seen in the main cathedral of the Italian city of Bologna - the Basilica of San Petronio.
Fresco by Giovanni da Modena in the Basilica of San Petronio (Bologna)
The Cathedral of San Petronio in Bologna is generally an extremely interesting place. Firstly, it is still in, let’s say, an unfinished state, the fact is that initially, according to the design of the architect Antonio di Vincenzo, the basilica was supposed to become the largest in the world and surpass the size of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. It is clear that the Pope did not really like this idea, and the basilica building simply did not begin to be built to the end, as a result it looks somewhat “truncated”, however, it is still the fifth largest cathedral in the world. Secondly, although construction of the temple began back in 1393, its facade is still not fully finished - only the lower part of the basilica’s façade is lined with marble, but the upper part looks very sad.
In the photo: Cathedral of San Petronio in Bologna
And, of course, the famous fresco by Giovanni da Modena depicting Hell, which we see in the series' intro. It was created in 1415, and this is the only fresco in the world in which not only Lucifer and nameless sinners are present in Hell, but also the Prophet Muhammad, which from the position of Muslims is the greatest insult in every possible sense.
The figure on top of the fresco, carried away by a demon, is Muhammad
Despite numerous requests from followers of Islam to remove the image of the Prophet Muhammad from the fresco, no one began to correct the author's plan of Giovanni da Modena, because the opportunity to see the image of Muhammad in Hell on a fresco of the fifteenth century is one of the main reasons why tourists from all over the world visit the Cathedral of San -Petronio in Bologna.
THE MAGNIFICENT CHURCH OF THE DUKE OF BERRY
The image of the devil on a subway train car in the series' intro is also not a conventional abstraction. In this case, the creators of the series transferred onto a moving carriage a fragment of the miniature “Hell” from the fifteenth-century manuscript “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry,” created by order of Duke Jean of Berry by the miniaturists the Limburg brothers, and later modified by the artist Jean Colomb.
Interestingly, the image of the Underworld in the miniature is an illustration of the vision of the Irish monk Tundal, which was considered in the twelfth century one of the most reliable evidence of what really happens in Hell. Lucifer in this interpretation does not sit, as in Dante, in the center of an icy lake, but lies on a grate above a fiery pit. Demons use bellows to fan the fire in the pit, Satan breathes out hellish flames, simultaneously throwing the souls of sinners into his mouth, and other demons torment the souls of sinners at the pit in order to then push them into the fire.
Miniature “Hell” from “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry”
By the way, this miniature was an illustration for funeral prayers, and its author was one of the Limburg brothers, presumably Jean. By the way, the same miniature from “The Magnificent Book of Hours” is shown in the first episode of the series by Professor Raneus during a visit to his home by reporter Kelly and Damien Thorne. Today, the manuscript “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry” is kept in the collection of the Condé Museum in the Chantilly estate, which is located near Paris.
THE DEVIL FROM THE FRESCOES OF THE SCROVEGNI CAPELLA (PADUA)
Another canonical image of Satan can be seen in the small church of the Scrovegni Chapel, built in the fourteenth century in Padua by the merchant Enrico Scrovegni to atone for the sins of his father Reginaldo. The uniqueness of the chapel is that its walls and ceiling are completely decorated with frescoes by the great Giotto, the best artist of the time and one of the most influential Italian painters in the history of art.
In the photo: frescoes by Giotto in the Scrovegni Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni)
The images of Hell on the frescoes impress the unprepared viewer with their naturalism and genuine cruelty; by the way, in the Dante Museum in Florence, it is the reproductions of frescoes by Giotto from the Scrovegni Chapel and Giovanni da Modena from the Cathedral of Bologna that are presented as ideal illustrations of Dante’s Hell, and not mosaics from the Florentine Baptistery of Santos. Giovanni, who inspired Alighieri to create the first part of the Divine Comedy.
Lucifer in Giotto's fresco in the Scrovegni Chapel
It is a fragment of this fresco, together with the miniature “Hell” from the “Magnificent Book of Hours,” that we see in the Book of Revelations, which Bible researcher Professor Raneus leafs through with hands shaking in horror.
In the photo: a still from the series “Damien”, the first episode
But the illustration adjacent to the reproduction of Giotto’s fresco has nothing to do with Lucifer, or even with Christianity. This is just a fragment of the painting “Cadmus Slaying the Dragon” by the Dutch mannerist artist Hendrik Goltzius, who worked in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
Painting "Cadmus Slaying the Dragon" by Hendrik Goltzius (1600-1617)
The scene in the painting is an illustration of the ancient Greek myth about Cadmus, the son of the Phoenician king Agenor and the founder of the city of Thebes. According to legend, before founding the city of Thebes in Boeotia, the hero had to kill the sacred dragon of the god of war Ares, after which the dragon's teeth were sown into the ground, and from them the legendary wars of Sparta grew. As we see, there is no connection with Christianity, but because this illustration was in the Revelation of John the Theologian, which Professor Raneus was leafing through, it remained a mystery to us.
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Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the website project. In the past, he was the editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and the editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
