The Basilica of San Francesco is one of Bologna’s most distinctive medieval churches and an early example of Gothic architecture in Italy. Begun in 1236, just ten years after the death of Saint Francis, it combines a restrained brick façade with a spacious interior. French Gothic influences are especially clear around the apse, where flying buttresses frame an ambulatory and radiating chapels.
The basilica also speaks to Bologna’s history as a centre of learning. Outside the apse stand the tombs of the Glossators, medieval jurists associated with the revival of Roman law at the city’s university. Inside, take time over the elaborate marble altarpiece completed in 1392 by the Venetian brothers Jacobello and Pier Paolo dalle Masegne. The church was heavily damaged by bombing during World War II and later restored.
A short walk west of Bologna’s central squares, San Francesco often feels quieter than the churches around Piazza Maggiore. Circle the exterior to appreciate its unusual buttresses and the scholars’ tombs, then linger in Piazza San Francesco. Check current opening hours before visiting, as they can change around services and religious holidays; dress modestly and keep your voice low inside this active place of worship.