Basilica di San Petronio, A Majestic Unfinished Masterpiece
Piazza Galvani, 5, 40124 Bologna, Italy
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Introduction
This rectangular church, ranked fifth in the world, is actually an unfinished building. It is 132 meters long, 60 meters wide, 45 meters high and has a facade of 51 meters high, with a capacity for 28,000 people. The originally planned scale was even larger than that of St. Peter's Basilica, but during the construction process, the pope unexpectedly interrupted the project, and a university was built on the east side of the church. Therefore, even if you enter the church, you will not find the common gorgeous decorations of other Catholic churches, and some walls are even unfinished. The church also has one of the largest sundials in the world that still exists. At noon every day, the sunlight passes through the sundial and projects the date of the day, which is fascinating. Address Piazza Galvani, 5, 40124 Bologna, Italy
Opening hours Daily from 8:00-18:30 (winter until 18:00).
Transportation Departing from the train station (Bologna Centrale) or bus station (Autostazione), follow Via dell'Indipendenza to reach the city center's Piazza Maggiore.
