The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Peter, or Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro, stands on Via Indipendenza in central Bologna. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Bologna, although visitors often mistake the much larger Basilica of San Petronio on Piazza Maggiore for the city’s cathedral.
A cathedral has stood on this site for roughly a thousand years, but the building seen today is largely the result of rebuilding in the 17th century, with a Baroque façade added in the 1740s. The medieval bell tower preserves an older layer of the complex. Inside, the lofty nave frames works including Ludovico Carracci’s Annunciation and Alfonso Lombardi’s expressive terracotta Lamentation over the Dead Christ.
Saint Peter’s is worth visiting for its art and architecture, but also for the relative calm it offers just off one of Bologna’s busiest streets. It is about a 15-minute walk from Bologna Centrale and a few minutes from Piazza Maggiore. Check opening times before visiting, dress respectfully, and be mindful that sightseeing may be restricted during Mass.