Chiesa di Santa Cecilia

The beautiful portico of San Giacomo Maggiore can be found on a stretch of Via Zamboni between Piazza Rossini and Piazza Verdi. You can enter the magnificent Santa Cecilia oratory which has been dubbed the "Sistine... More »

The beautiful portico of San Giacomo Maggiore can be found on a stretch of Via Zamboni between Piazza Rossini and Piazza Verdi. You can enter the magnificent Santa Cecilia oratory which has been dubbed the "Sistine Chapel" of Bologna. The small Santa Cecilia church dates back to the thirteenth century and it was taken over by the Agostinian Order in 1323. In 1505, Giovanni II Bentivoglio, a wealthy man from Bologna, instructed all the major producers of Renaissance art to help with the decoration of this small sanctuary. After some lengthy restoration, this historical treasure trove has finally been opened to the public, giving you the chance to see this valuable dedication to Santa Cecilia. The ten frescoes were painted by the Bolognese Art school between the 15th and 16th Centuries with work by artists like Lorenzo Costa, Francesco Francia, Amico Aspertini and Cesare Tamaroccio.