Piazza Maggiore & Fountain of Neptune
Piazza Maggiore / Fontana del Nettuno
Bologna's city living room, surrounded by the cathedral, town hall and the Palazzo del Podestà, with a 16th-century bronze of Neptune by Giambologna next door.
Piazza Maggiore is the heart of the old city. On its south side stands San Petronio Basilica. On the west side is the Palazzo d'Accursio (the town hall), which houses a free municipal art collection and a tower. On the north side are the Palazzo del Podestà and the Palazzo del Re Enzo. Next to it is Piazza del Nettuno, where Giambologna's bronze statue of Neptune, created in the 1560s and holding a trident, is a symbol of the city. The Maserati trident logo derives from it. Beneath the Palazzo del Podestà, the Voltone del Podestà, or 'Whispering Arches,' is a fun spot: two people stand by pillars at opposite corners, facing the wall, and can hear each other clearly. In summer, roughly June to August, the square hosts an open-air film festival, and in the evening you can watch restored classic films for free. The arcade cafés around the square are ideal for a coffee and people-watching.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- Biblioteca Salaborsa
- Basilica of San Petronio
- Palazzo d'Accursio
- Museo Civico Archeologico di Bologna
- Archiginnasio of Bologna
- Quadrilatero
- Santa Maria della Vita
- Bologna Cathedral (San Pietro)