Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Piazza Maggiore

Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. Founded by the Etruscans, the city has been an urban center for centuries, first under the Etruscans, then under the Celts, then under the Romans, and again in the Middle Ages. In 728 Bologna was conquered by the Longobard king Liutprand and thus became part of the Longobard Empire. In the 11th century the place grew again as a free commune. In 1088 the university was founded, today the oldest university in Europe. As the city continued to expand, it received a new ring of ramparts in the 12th century, and another was completed in the 14th century. In 1164 Bologna joined the Lombard League against Frederick I Barbarossa, and in 1256 the city promulgated the "Legge del Paradiso", which abolished serfdom and slavery and freed the remaining slaves with public money. The city center was a forest of towers. It is estimated that around 100 family towers of the leading families, church towers and towers of public buildings defined the cityscape. In 1272, King Enzio of Sardinia, an illegitimate son of the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II, died in Bologna after more than 22 years of imprisonment. The Piazza Maggiore is a central square in Bologna. The appearance reflects the layout from the 15th century. Seen is the Palazzo del Podestà, built around 1200 as the seat of the local podestà, the various functionaries of the commune. It is facing the Basilica of San Petronio and located just behind is the "Palazzo Re Enzo", where Enzio died.

The Basilica di San Petronio is 132 metres long and 66 metres wide. With its volume of 258,000 m³ this is the fifteenth largest church in the world - and the largest church built in bricks. The construction started in 1390, it took several centuries to build it. The facade, seen here, is still not completed.