Santo Stefano, Bologna

About this place

The Basilica of Santo Stefano encompasses a complex of religious edifices in the city of Bologna, Italy. Located on Piazza Santo Stefano, it is locally known as Sette Chiese and Santa Gerusalemme. It has the dignity of minor basilica. According to tradition, Saint Petronius, a bishop of the city during the 5th century, built the basilica over a temple of the goddess Isis. The saint wished to have a building that recalled the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The different parts of the complex include: Church of Saint Stephen or of the Holy Crucifix, with the Crypt Church of the Holy Sepulchre Church of the Saints Vitale and Agricola Courtyard of Pilate Church of the Trinity or of the Martyrium Chapel of the Bandage dedicated to the strip of cloth worn around the head by the Virgin Mary as a sign of mourning. As you explore, compare the building itself with its decoration and later additions. Differences in materials, forms and imagery can reveal successive periods of patronage, making the visit a way to understand how religious places evolved over time.