Palazzo Bentivoglio

The biggest, grandest palace ever built in Bologna exists today only in old paintings and prints. Somehow it's a fitting symbol for this city where great dreams and aristocratic pretensions go to die.

Begun in 1460, the Palazzo took over forty years to build, overseen by the long-reigning Bentivoglio despot Giovanni II. The complex stretched almost 500ft behind the grand arcaded facade, including two big courtyards, gardens and stables, barracks and arsenals, and a tower second in height only to the Torre Asinelli.

By 1507, only four years after the palace was completed, the Bolognesi had become thoroughly tired of the Bentivogli, their brawling offspring, their greed and their leaden rule. And Giovanni II, the last of the dynasty, made the fatal mistake of offending the ferocious Pope Julius II, who egged on the people to throw the bosses out, and rip down their proud new palace to help make sure they never came back.