The genius painter and sculptor was just 19 when he was asked to work on some additions to an important sarcophagus.
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Basilica Patriarcale di San Domenico
In Bologna, Italy the most famous site is probably the Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano, but for my money, the most interesting church in Bologna is Basilica Patriarcale di San Domenico.
Saint Dominic was a priest born in the Castile region of Spain in 1170. He worked in Spain and France, founding the Dominican order in 1216. Living a life of extreme austerity, Dominic wore the shabbiest of clothes with no shoes and slept on the ground, eschewing a bed.
He died in Bologna in 1221. Pope Gregory IX canonized him as Saint Dominic in 1237. His body was moved from a simple tomb to an ornate shrine in the church that bears his name in 1267.
For a saint who lived so simply, it’s ironic that his final resting place would be inside a fancy Romanesque church in an elaborate reliquary.
The so-called Arca di San Domenico was designed by Nicola Pisano in 1264 and completed by his assistants. The sarcophagus has been redesigned and updated over the years. The most interesting additions are the statues by a teenaged Michelangelo.
One, St. Petronius, was started by Niccolò da Bari (who was commissioned to finish the roof of the shrine, but died before it was completed) and finished by Michelangelo. Two other statues, The Angel and St. Proclus, show the great skill of the young sculptor who has not yet reached genius level. St. Proclus reveals what would later inspire his masterpiece, Michelangelo’s David.
Hard to believe that Michelangelo was just 19 when he carved these. Though not at the artistic level he would reach later in his career, he was just 10 years away from carving one of his masterpieces, David.
The rest of the church is filled with artwork from the Baroque and Rococo period, much of it by artists from Bologna and Emilia-Romagna.
Read the entire Bologna, Italy Food & Travel Guide
Getting to Bologna
Bologna’s international Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) has flights to most of Europe and a few airports in northern Africa. However, there’s no direct flights from North America, South America, or Asia. Connect through Rome or one of the other major European hubs.
A monorail runs from the airport to the central rail station in Bologna. A much less expensive bus takes 25 minutes to get from the airport to the train station.
Don’t use Uber in Italy. It is unreasonably expensive. The Freenow app is a much better option. Taxis are available at the airport.
About the Author
Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides on Destination Eat Drink, including several in Italy. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms and is distributed by the Radio Misfits Podcast Network.