Also called 'new palace' to differentiate it from the Podestà palace, King Enzo Palace was built between 1244-46 (at the same time than the palace of Podestà, or people's captain) as an extension of Municipal buildings. Just three years later it became the 'residence' of the King taken prisoner in the battle of Fossalta: King Enzo of Sardinia, son of Frederick II.

This was the first seat of the town government, represented by the Podestà and his judges and officers.

The old seat of the Notary's guild or association as inferred by the three ink pots with quills depicted in the coat-of-arm on the façade.

Palazzo dei Banchi was the last palace to be built in Piazza Maggiore. It was supposed to hide the narrow streets of the market behind it.

The building of the Palace was commissioned by Cardinal Borromeo between 1562 and 1563 following the project by architect Antonio Morandi called Terribilia; it was to house the lecture halls for the University Study (Law and Arts). Up to 1803 it was the seat of the University and since 1838 it has housed the Civic Library.

Seat of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Crafts, Palazzo della Mercanzia has governed trading and business activities of Bologna since the late 14th century.

The palace, built for Bartolomeo Ghisilardi at the end of the century, is the exemplary model of a 15th-century's noble house from Bologna.

Palazzo Fava, located in Via Manzoni, in the heart of the ancient city, took form in the Middle Ages. Thanks to the will of the Fava family who came into possession in 1546.

The Palace that today is called Sanguinetti, from the most recent family owner's name, is the result of the difficult evolution of that zone settlements, from the Middle Ages till today, and it shows evidence of every single transformation it underwent.

The Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna was founded in 1666 by the noble Vincenzo Maria Carrati, based in his family’s palace, located at what is now Via Guerrazzi 13. “Unitate melos” has been the Academy’s motto ever since its foundation.

The Davia Bargellini palace in Strada Maggiore, housing the museum with the same name, is one of the major non-institutional buildings of Bologna for its size and loftiness of structure.

In 1793 Bolognese architect Angelo Venturoli opened in Strada Maggiore 45 the construction site of a magnificent house for the princely line of the Hercolani family, which was completed in the early 19th century.

At the start of via Castiglione in the very heart of town two historical palaces of the Pepoli family face each other across the street. The noble family rose to local fame with the taking of power by Taddeo in 1334 (contemporary to the fall of Cardinal Bertrando del Poggetto).

Heart of Genus Bononiae, Palazzo Pepoli. Museo della Storia di Bologna opens to the public on January 28th, 2012. It houses a museum dedicated to the history, culture and transformations of Bologna, from the ‘Felsina etrusca’ to modern times.

The palace, designed in the mid 16th century probably by Pellegrino Tibaldi with the contribution of Bartolomeo Triachini, who is attributed in particular the inner courtyard, became the new seat of the National University, after the reform of Napoleon's period (1803).

The building made in the late 15th century shows a quadrangular layout and three fronts enlivened by a harmonious double open gallery.

The palace, seat of the Provincial administration, called "Palace of the dark arcade" derives its name from the typical dimness of its arcades.

Superb palace built in the old Strà (street) S. Donato, thus attesting the social rise of the Magnani family present in Bologna since the 13th century.

Together with few other noble dwellings - such as for instance Casa Isolani and Casa Reggiani - the palace is one of the few surviving examples of Medieval urban configuration.

Palazzo Isolani was built between 1451-55 by Pagno di Lapo Portigiani da Fiesole in a style marking the transition between Gothic and Tuscan Renaissance.

The Cassa di Risparmio of Bologna commissioned the building of its prestigious headquarters to one of the protagonists of Italian Eclecticism, Giuseppe Mengoni, well known for the construction in the same year (1868) of the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery in Milan. In less than five years the construction of the imposing building covered by variegated marble with iron and cast iron trimming was terminated and it stood on today's via Farini.

Palazzo delle Poste (post office palace) was designed in 1903 by the engineer Emilio Saffi.

The building of this magnificent palace opening on via D'Azeglio was commissioned between 1477 and 1482 by jurist Niccolò Sanuti and his spouse Nicolosia to an architect and workers perhaps from Tuscany or Ferrara. Its many stylistic choices, such as the lack of arcades and the use of smooth-angled ashlar similar to the Diamonds' Palace by Biagio Rossetti in Ferrara are not typically Bolognese.

Current seat of the Court.

Besides MAMbo (Modern Art Gallery), Museo Morandi (Morandi Museum), Villa delle Rose (Gallery) and the Museum dedicated to Ustica, the Istituzione Galleria D'Arte Moderna di Bologna (Institution of Modern Art Gallery of Bologna) has got a new space: the house where Morandi lived and worked almost all his life.

The Carducci House building dates back to the 16th century and witnesses an over two century-old history as a cult place. It is placed in the glacis of the ancient city walls between Porta Maggiore and Porta Santo Stefano.

Casa Isolani is one of the rare examples of civilian buildings from the 13th century.

This complex was founded in 1364, by Cardinal Egidio Albornoz, to host Spanish students enrolled in the famous university town.

The villa was built by Antonio Aldini, minister of Napoleon during the years 1811-16, according to a plan by Giuseppe Nadi.

The Villa is located in the Camaldoli estate purchased by Annibale Marescotti in 1616. A few years later, in 1690, after Raniero's death, the noble building and its gardens became the property of the Aldrovandi family. In the late 18th century the villa became the property of Marquis Mazzacorati. Now the villa houses the Historical Museum of Toy Soldiers "Mario Massacesi".

The villa, old summer residence mentioned in 18th-century land registers as Casino Cella, from the name of its first owners, was built in the second half of the 18th century in the place of a previous countryside residence belonging to the Spannocchi (family originally from Siena). Due to its flower garden the villa took the name of Villa delle Rose. Its garden still houses several sculptures from the early 20th century by Romagnoli, Baruzzi, Montaguti, Legnani, Drei and Boni.

The villa is located in the old estate of the marquis Zambeccari and replaced the building called Casino Zambeccari already mentioned by sources dating back to 1774. Since 1990 the villa has housed the Historical Museum of Tapestry "Vittorio Zironi".

Villa Impero was built in the early 19th century by Marquis Mazzacorati after a project by Francesco Tadolini as a building to be used for party and ceremonies for the extant Neo-classical Aldrovrandi villa at Camaldoli.

In 1756 the Bolognese Senate, thanks to Cardinal Lambertini's concrete involvement, assigned the task to design a new theatre to the famous  stage designer and architect Antonio Galli Bibiena.

The Arena produces dramas not only in theater but also dance and music. Interaction of theater, music and dance, contemporary drama, re-reading of classical drama, combining theater research and popular theater.

Classical prose, performances of civic engagement and contemporary drama, comedies and musicals, operettas and appointments with both classical and modern dance. This is the offer of artistic Duse Theatre, after a period of closure, reopened for the 2011 season.

This small theatre is located in the piano nobile of Palazzo Montalto, thus called after the birth-place of its founder, Pope Sistus V, who at the end of the 16th century turned it as a university boarding school for young students from the Marches region.

Eden is an original Belle Epoque theatre in Portici Hotel.