Basilica of San Domenico

The Basilica of San Domenico stands on Piazza San Domenico in the south of Bologna's old centre, in Emilia-Romagna, and is the burial church of St Dominic, the Castilian friar who founded the Order of Preachers and died in the city in 1221. The church was begun soon afterwards, in the 13th century, and rebuilt in the 1720s by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti, so that the interior is predominantly Baroque while the exterior retains a plain medieval facade of brick and a Gothic bell tower. The saint's tomb, the Arca di San Domenico, is the centre of the visit. It began in 1267 as a marble sarcophagus carved by Nicola Pisano and his workshop, including Arnolfo di Cambio, with reliefs of the saint's miracles. In the late 15th century, the sculptor Niccolo dell'Arca added the elaborate cover with putti and angels, and the young Michelangelo carved a kneeling angel holding a candelabrum, along with figures of St Petronius and St Proculus, in 1494-1495, while staying in Bologna. The chapel containing the Arca is richly decorated, with a fresco in the apse dome by Guido Reni, showing the saint's glory, painted in the 17th century. In the choir, an inlaid wooden stall with scenes by Fra Damiano da Bergamo, made in the 16th century, is a masterpiece of intarsia. The basilica also houses a small museum of reliquaries and paintings, and the organ is attributed to the 15th century and still used for concerts. The church has suffered damage over time, including wartime losses and earthquakes, and has been restored repeatedly. It remains an active church of the Dominican community, so visitors should be respectful and keep to the visitor routes. Entry is free, with a midday closing break, and a modest donation for lighting the chapel is customary.