Bologna is not your typical tourist destination, in fact, many Americans have never even heard of the Italian city. Therefore, it is no surprise that most people (including myself) had never heard of the Seven Secrets of Bologna. This evening I traveled throughout the city and found four of the seven secrets.
La Piccola Venezia “Little Venice”
Bologna sits on top of a variety of underground canals, with a few spots in the city where the water is actually visible. If you know what you’re looking for you will catch a glimpse of Canale delle Moline. The view itself explains how the location earned its nickname of Little Venice. The spot is definitely a local favorite because there were many people on both sides taking in the beautiful view.
L’erezione de Neptuno “Fountain of Neptune”
The Fountain of Neptune was sculpted in the mid 1500’s by Giambologna. The statue was erected when Pope Pius IV decided Bologna needed a reminder of the power the Catholic church had over them. The sculpture depicts Neptune with his hand out over the square, symbolizing the power of the Catholic church over the community. It’s ironic that the Pope had a sculpture of a Greek god established in the name of the Catholic church, even though the same church condemns the belief of other gods. The fountain was fenced off for thousands of years because the locals were using it to wash clothes and vegetables.
Il Telefono Senza Fili “The Telephone Without Wires”
The Telephone Without Wires is found at an intersection underneath a tower. This was one of my favorite spots because if you stand at diagonal angles of the intersection and whisper toward the wall, the other person can hear you extremely well even though you are standing about 50 feet apart. Many people have spoken into these corners throughout history, which is allegedly why the walls have turned black in the corners. It is rumored that lepers used to speak into the walls so they could confess their sins to a priest at the other end without transmitting their disease.
Le tre frecce “The Arrows in Strada Maggiore”
This was the most difficult of the secrets to spot, especially since it was beginning to get dark. In this location, there are three arrows stuck in the ceiling. Legend has it that a Lord of Bologna lived in the upstairs of this building in the 1400’s. According to the story, there were three thieves who planned on shooting the Lord with arrows when he was visible from the street. However, as the thieves were about to shoot their arrows they were distracted by a beautiful naked woman in a nearby window, thereby missing their initial target and shooting the underside of the roof.
What’s Next?
Exploring Bologna and immersing myself in the culture for the past three days has been an amazing experience. As I am finally becoming comfortable with my surroundings and finding my way around without any issue, it is time to begin a new adventure. Tomorrow (Friday the 4th) I will be taking a one hour train ride to Milan for the weekend. I’m excited to travel to one of the fashion capitals of the world and see how their life differs from Bologna. I also have tickets to see Da Vinci’s original painting of the Last Supper, which is supposedly a very powerful experience. Exploring Milan will be another opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and learn to embrace a different culture.
Colin's Italy Experience 