Basilica di San Domenico

The Basilica di San Domenico stands at Piazza San Domenico 13 in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, and is the burial place of Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican order, who died in the city in 1221. The church was begun in the early thirteenth century and later remodelled in the Baroque style, so its sober facade conceals a richly decorated interior. The centrepiece is the Arca di San Domenico, a marble tomb begun by Nicola Pisano and his workshop in the 1260s, to which Niccolo dell'Arca added the sculpted canopy in the fifteenth century. A young Michelangelo carved the kneeling angel holding a candelabrum and the figure of San Procolo on the monument, and visitors look closely at these small statues for their lifelike detail. The chapel of San Domenico, with a vault fresco by Guido Reni, is among the highlights of Bolognese Baroque art. Other points of interest include the inlaid wooden choir stalls and the organ, one of the oldest still playable in Europe, on which Mozart is said to have played as a boy. A visit typically takes 45 minutes. The church is quiet and contemplative, so photography should be discreet and without flash. The square outside is calm and features two column monuments to Saint Dominic and the Madonna, with the tombs of medieval law professors nearby. Crowds are modest, though worship services take priority, so Sunday mornings are best avoided. Entry is free, but a small fee may apply to the museum, and visitors must cover shoulders and knees. The basilica lies about ten minutes south of Piazza Maggiore via Via d'Azeglio, and combines well with a walk to Santo Stefano.