Church of Santa Maria della Vita

Religious buildingsBologna Welcome Card

Chiesa_Santa Maria della Vita_2021 - ©M. A. Ghilardi

Bologna

The Church of Santa Maria della Vita is located in the Quadrilatero, the beating heart of the historical centre of Bologna; it houses the famous “Lamentation over the Dead Christ" (Compianto sul Cristo Morto) by Niccolò dell’Arca, dating back to the second half of the 15th century and called the "Scream of stone" by Gabriele D 'Annunzio. The complex also houses the Museum of Health and Assistance (Museo della Sanità e dell’Assistenza), which illustrates the history of health in Bologna through medical instruments and scientific materials, paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries, sacred furnishings and vestments and a collection of 150 small trees from the old pharmacy of the hospital, as well as the famous “jewel” of the Sun King portrayed by Jean Petitot on a miniature studded with diamonds.

Map

Church of Santa Maria della Vita

Via Clavature, 10 - 40124

How to get there

Telephone: +3905119936329
Site/minisite/other: https://genusbononiae.it/en/palazzi/santa-maria-della-vita/

Entrance

Full price Compianto	€5
Concession Compianto	€3

Tickets available at the entrance or online

Info by call center: mon-fri 9am-1pm, 2.30pm-4pm, +39 05119936329 – email

Free entrance:

Card Cultura holders
Bologna Welcome Card holders

More info on website.

Interests

Art & Culture

Details

Accessibility

Hearing disability

The museum is located in a consecrated church that must respect the times of the Mass. The entrance does not present any difficulty for the hearing impaired.

In the church work is in progress for the creation of descriptive panels for the chapel and the altar.

On the second floor there is the oratory from the imposing architecture that houses the temporary exhibitions and the painting "Il transito della vergine" ("The transit of the virgin") introduced by hall panels.

More information can be obtained via QRcode and the history of the building can be downloaded from the website.

Motor disability and difficulty of movement

The monumental complex of Santa Maria della Vita as a whole is accessible to everyone, but the visit to the famous Compianto sul Cristo Morto (Lamentation of the Dead Christ) by Niccolò dell'Arca is not accessible to people in wheelchairs or with serious problems of mobility.

Four consecutive steps, without a handrail nor aids to overcome them, must be taken to reach the sculptural group, placed to the right of the altar.