Bologna

Bologna is a city of arcades. Not the type of shopping arcades we get in Australia, but rather massive verandahs with elegant columns that protect the pedestrian from the elements.  As much of the old city of Bologna has these collonaded arcades, one can only assume that there is a reasonable amount of time each year when the elements must be quite severe!

The colonnaded arcades are many and varied, as you can see from these photos.

This arcade is near my hotel.

If the arcade stops there are overhanging buildings that give some shelter.

 Sometimes the columns go on for a loooong time.......

.......and sometimes are richly decorated.

I arrived in Bologna by train.  When showing the hotel receptionist in Ferrara the directions for walking she was horrified, as there was a considerable distance on main roads. Later, over lunch, Michael also confirmed this and so I decided that safety was my prime concern and hopped on a train, smiling all the way to the station as I listened to the creaks and rattles  of the bikes passing to and fro.

 I couldn't resist taking a photo of the post bike in Ferrara (every other place delivers mail either by van or scooter).

and here in Ferrara a couple of young women stop to get some running repairs.

Bologna is a very vibrant city, friendly, and easy to get around, though pretty expensive. I knew little about it till I arrived here, least of all how big it is.  I also didn't realise that this city is also known for its towers.  Interestingly one of them looks to me to have more of a lean than the Pisa tower!

This is the base of one of the towers in Bologna.  I think the lean on it as much, if not more than the Pisa tower.  Hopefully you can see the sort of lean I mean from the three photos below.

The leaning tower, the smaller of the two, was 

lowered because of fear of collapse.  It is just over 48 m high while the taller one is just over 97 m high.

So much of these northern towns have their historic buildings shrouded in scaffolding and fabric as busy beavers work behind restoring them.  This is the side of the massive cathedral, the front had a dress of scaffolding.

King Neptune, near the central square of Bologna, and below, part of one of the old buildings in Piazza Maggiore.

 An old building in the market area.

 I love looking through the gates and doors, and also the patterns made.

Here is a good reason to underground power lines!  These lines look like they are for trams, but there is no sign of tram tracks!

A canal flowing through Bologna.

A public building on the Plaza Maggiore, complete with a stone "lounge suite".