Modern technology gives us a closer look at 400 years of Bologna’s history held in the Sala Urbana of the Palazzo d’Accursio. Thanks to a new website, it is possible to discover the wonders of the intricately painted walls and ceilings from your own computer or from computers within the sala. The online portal gives particular insight to the time period in which Bologna was under the rule of the Catholic Church.
The room was built in 1630 and is partially adorned with 188 painted crests of members of the Pontifical Government which commanded from 1327 to 1744. While the meaning of the symbolism on the crests might not mean much to today’s visitor, via the portal you can discover the details on the people and symbols depicted.
By clicking on different parts of the crests, it’s possible to discover biographies of people depicted, stories of monuments and buildings of the city, and to discover the symbols the artists used to distinguish differently ranking church members from one another. For example, cardinals are marked by red hats, bishops by green ones, captains have helmets and noble citizens are marked by a crown.
The ornately decorated room becomes a treasure hunt and this new portal is the only map you need to discover all the room’s secrets.
By Kathy McCabe
Photo by Miguel Cuesta
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