Day 12

Have to keep it kind of short today, as we lost our lease in Bologna (some big concert tonight has everything in town sold out solid.)

Fortunately, every alternative in Italy is pretty decent- we ended up coming down to Florence a day early, but our hotel for tonight doesn't have wi-fi, so we're sitting at a gelateria using the free link.

no idea, but i found it in Bologna

We got in quite a bit of touring before we left, including a great science and art museum in the Palazzo Poggi, in the middle of the University district. Really more of a science museum set in a beautifully painted space, with vitrines full of early science displays of creatures and geology, and a wax model anatomical museum that was phenomenal!

Wax anatomical model in the Palazzo Poggi museum

There was another beautiful library full of antique architectural volumes that had me wishing I had a key, and an interesting military museum with large wooden panels with geometrical motifs that were actually plans for fortesses.

Fortress diagrams made of wood.

When we came out we sat in a little piazza there to drink some water and bathe in the university atmosphere. Lots of bikes and interesting hairdos, with some fun looking cafes all around. We made our way down to the center again and passed by the leaning towers (and their amazing crystalline stone bases) before finding the Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande, which I had sought the day before but missed. The house was built in the XVII century and houses an art collection which is not nearly as interesting as the fresco decorations, most of which were created around 1700 and are in good shape. The house was restored in 1997. 

The bases of the leaning towers of Bologna are made of  massive selenite blocks. Very cool looking up close!

A few more churches and arty bits, and then we jumped on the train down here to Florence, where we will stay 5 days (tomorrow we have a better place with wi-fi) Caught the Duomo at sunset- WOW!

Giotto's belltower next to the Duomo of Florence