Santa Maria dei Servi

The city’s Gothic jewel, Santa Maria dei Servi, is preceded by a rare and lovely quadroporticus mingled amidst the portici of the Strada Maggiore. This is in the Early Renaissance Tuscan style, with slender columns and iron braces; one side of it dates from the 1390s, while the rest had to wait until 1855.

The church was a little slow too; begun in 1346, according to a design by Friar Andrea da Faenza, and assisted by Antonio di Vincenzo, it wasn’t completed for another two centuries. Typical for Bologna, however, they never got around to the façade.

Inside, also in typical Bolognese medieval fashion, the brick ribs of the vaulting of the three naves and pillars handsomely contrasts with the white walls and vaulting. And on the walls there's a fine mix of medieval and Baroque art art. The first chapel on the right contains The Virgin with the Seven Founders of the Servites by Marcantonio Franchesini and God the Father by Guido Reni.