Landmark
Basilica of Santo Stefano
Bologna · Emilia-Romagna
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Landmark
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Bologna · Emilia-Romagna
- DURATION
- 1–2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
The Basilica of Santo Stefano, known as the Seven Churches, is a complex of medieval churches and courtyards on a Roman temple site in the oldest part of Bologna. It was begun in the 5th century by the bishop Petronius over a Roman temple to Isis, and built over the centuries into a cluster of churches — the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Trinity, the Church of the Martyrs and others — linked by cloisters and courtyards. It is the most atmospheric religious complex in the city, a quiet maze of Romanesque architecture away from the busy centre, and the closest thing in Bologna to the layered, ruined quality of the churches of Rome.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
The complex was founded around 430 by Bishop Petronius, who built a church over a Roman temple to recreate the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, so pilgrims who could not reach the Holy Land could walk its stations here. Over the following centuries a cluster of churches, cloisters and courtyards grew around the original, giving the complex its “Seven Churches” name — though only four churches survive today. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre holds a 12th-century marble basin said to be the basin in which Pilate washed his hands. The complex was rebuilt after the barbarian and medieval periods and restored in the 19th and 20th centuries.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre — the central church, with its 12th-century marble basin and the model of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Church of the Trinity and the Martyrs — the smaller churches of the complex, with their medieval sculpture.
The cloisters — the Romanesque cloister with its carved capitals, and the Pilate courtyard.
The Roman remains — the base of the Roman temple to Isis, visible in the complex.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Santo Stefano is the complex that most clearly shows the deep history of Bologna — a Roman temple, an early-Christian pilgrimage site, a medieval cluster of churches, all in one quiet maze. For a visitor, it is the most peaceful sight in the city and the one that most rewards wandering, because the complex is a place to move through rather than a single building to see.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Basilica of Santo Stefano
Basilica of Santo Stefano, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
44.4908, 11.3447
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FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Trattoria di Via Serra — a beloved trattoria for handmade pasta and Bolognese classics, book ahead
Osteria Bottega — a wine bar and trattoria for the best tortellini in brodo in the city
Trattoria Anna — a no-frills trattoria in the market quarter for tagliatelle al ragù and boiled meats
Salumeria Simoni — a salumeria in the Quadrilatero for a mortadella sandwich and a glass of Lambrusco
Drogheria della Rosa — a romantic trattoria in a vintage grocery for refined Emilian cooking
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Grand Hotel Majestic gia Baglioni — a grand hotel in a 16th-century palace near the station, with a rooftop
Hotel Porta San Mamolo — a charming garden hotel just inside the old walls, a quiet base
Art Hotel Commercianti — a boutique hotel near the Piazza Maggiore, in a medieval building
Hotel Al Cappello Rosso — a historic hotel near the Piazza Maggiore, in business since 1375
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