Basilica di San Domenico
On Gingerguide's self-guided Bologna audio tour, Basilica di San Domenico is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Bologna Bologna guide
About Basilica di San Domenico
Gothic basilica where Saint Thomas Aquinas studied and where the tomb of Saint Dominic, adorned with sculptures by Nicola Pisano, Niccolò dell'Arca, and Michelangelo, draws pilgrims worldwide.
The Basilica di San Domenico, completed in 1251, is one of the finest Gothic churches in Emilia-Romagna and one of the most historically significant religious sites in Bologna. Founded by Saint Dominic himself, who died in Bologna in 1221 and is buried here, the basilica was an important centre of medieval Dominican intellectual life. Saint Thomas Aquinas, the greatest theologian of the Middle Ages, studied here in the 13th century. The church's greatest treasure is the Arca di San Domenico, the elaborate marble tomb of Saint Dominic, begun by Nicola Pisano in the 1260s and added to over subsequent centuries by some of the most significant artists of their age. The kneeling marble angel holding a candlestick beside the arca was carved by the young Michelangelo, who produced it in 1494-95 at the age of about nineteen. The reliefs on the arca are among the finest examples of early Italian Gothic sculpture. The church also features a remarkable series of chapels with paintings by important Bolognese and Italian masters.
Did you know? The marble angel holding a candlestick next to the tomb of Saint Dominic was carved by Michelangelo at about the age of 19, one of his earliest surviving works.
How much time do you need at Basilica di San Domenico?
Around ~45 min works well for Basilica di San Domenico — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Basilica di San Domenico?
Yes — Basilica di San Domenico made the cut as one of 22 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Bologna. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Bologna
Hear the story of Basilica di San Domenico
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