Welcome! This is one of the two "main" page of my account of the wonderful trip arranged by Cornell's Adult University to the region of Parma and Bologna in June 2014
This page will take you through much of what we saw in the "Bologna" part of the trip, in the order that those experiences arose. The "Parma" part (came first) has a similar page.
There is also a "top" page for the trip, with an overview, and links to some other pages relating to the trip.
MORE TO COME! PAGE INCOMPLETE, but, at 14 July 14, "enough for now"
PICTURES HERE a somewhat random selection, so far. Some trivia reported, some Main Events neglected... so far!
Unlike the "en route" page, not all new material will arrive on this page at the top. Sorry! You'll have to scan it to find new stuff.
This page tells the story of the second part of our trip. There is a separate page for the first, "Parma", part of the trip.
It was towards the end of 19 June 2014, Day 5, that we arrived at our splendid Bologna hotel- 16:40. It was a mere 200m stroll, as the tourist wanders, to the front door of San Petronio, and yet in a secluded, quiet side street. Perfect!
If you are thinking of a trip to Bologna, consider reading John Grisham's thriller "The Broker", by the way. (Broker as in "power broker".) Besides the usual Grisham Good Stuff, there is a wonderful introduction to Bologna, and also an interesting exploration of going into a witness protection program, and of learning a foreign language to be able to use it in daily life.
On a wall in Bologna
Set out 9:15 by coach, headed for Brisighella, arrived 10:40.
This section needs some editing, but I wanted to get these photos "up"...
All of the views you see here were within just a few miles of one another, in the immediate vicinity of Brisighella.
The town is in the flat land, (made pale, in map image) in the valley below stunning hills, which have not one but two impressive towers (B and C) on it. (Similar hills "frame" the valley to the south.)
After visiting a scenic outlook (A) well above the town, we drove closer. Those who wished to followed a high, but level, path (yellow dots) to the Torre Orologio (C), and then "plummeted" down the hillside, along easy path/ set of steps. The yellow line in the town is where we spent most of our time, once down the hill.
That's a static image of a maps.Google.com view that I commend to you, on which you can zoom in and out.
(Okay... I have to confess... I took out two cellphone masts. This one for Sandy.)
To left: Not the full group, but almost... these were the "vigorous ones" who trekked to the Torre Orologio above Brisighella, and from there down into the town.
Anyone for jigsaws? Brisighella from the Torre del Orologio..
(End of photos of scenes above Brisighella.)
M... waving from the Borge e Via degli Asini in Brisighella. Which is the best? (Didn't do justice to my model.)
From 15:15, in Dozza... pretty hill town, with art on walls all over the village.
I collect old books. Bologna's long association with academe suggested there might be a good bookstore or two in the town. Right in the center of town, adjacent to San Petronio (Via Dè Musei), the is a nice place you should visit... "Libreria A. Nanni". They were very helpful, commending Libreria Docet to me.
I'd done some research, and knew that as we entered town, returning from Dozza, we would pass near Libreria Docet, and at 17:30 our driver kindly dropped me off, so I didn't have to walk back from the center of town. I passed a memorial plaque saying something about Copernicus, which seemed a good omen.
Oh yes! Lovely things on offer. I try to be loyal to "my" dealers at home, and so, sadly letting sense rule the day, resisted having even one of three gorgeous books I was shown. Each was on offer at €2000. And probably correctly priced. Sorry to leave them there, but delighted to have seen them. I did manage to buy, as a memento of the trip, and for considerably less, a nice textbook on astronomy by an important French astronomer.
In the illustration to the left, you can see a bit of "brand awareness" work being done. The little image relates to the printer. It is of a fox, and, below it, you see "vulpe", Latin for fox, in connection with the printer.
Libreria Docet was very good, but not the only one of its kind in the immediate neighborhood. Time was short, and most of Italy was shutting down for an important match for Italy in the football World Cup, so I had to be "good", but even so....
On my way back to center of town, through the many and delightful arcades which are a feature of Bologna, I chanced upon another "proper" antiquarian bookstore. Here I obtained a copy of Cassini's work on the meridian he created. Sadly, not a first edition... but an excellent reproduction which will serve me well as a reading copy, should I ever come into ownership of a first edition of Cassini's work. (Joke.) Happily, the bookseller (genuinely) seemed to be another of the very small band of people in Italy that evening who did not "need" to be watching the TV.
8:30- Lecture
Start of Last Full Day. 9:40- Off into town. Museum of Bologna University (WP).... the first institution to call itself by that name, by the way. Recognized as the oldest university in continuous operation. Founded 1088. (Foundation of Oxford less clear... but evidence of teaching back to 1096. Cornell.... "USA old", as a diplomatic friend of mine says.)
There were many splendid things there... we saw a major collection of waxworks created to help student doctors and midwives. It was at Bologna University that Galvani made his discoveries, and there was a good display associated with that.
Besides collecting books, I seem to be starting to collect maps. I keep telling "my" booksellers, and a map seller I visit(!), that I "don't collect maps". But I seem to keep acquiring new ones. Well, new old ones, if you see what I mean.
There was a magnificent globe. The placard said it was from c.1688, and was by Corenelli, famous around the world, from Venice. Founded the Accademia degli Argonauti, considered the oldest geographical society in the world. Read the excellent "On the Map", by Garfield for a fascinating discussion of globe making. Just making and mounting a suitable sphere is a very considerable first step, let alone the cartographic elements.
From the globe... First most of Italy, and then on the right, the detail of the area we were in. You can see "Toscana", "I T A"... which is interesting. Italy must have been a region in those days... it wasn't a unified nation again (since the days of the Romans) until fairly modern times. You can certainly see "Bologna". Also "Reggio" (Which is also a modern region and town, next door to Parma. "Milino", I think. Clearly in the place for today's Milan. Something near where Parma is, that I can't quite decipher. Nearly "Parma". Also "Modona", which we call Modena. The towns of Parma, Reggio-Emilio, Modena and Bologna (and others) were garrisons along the Roman Via Aemillia, running from modern day Rimini to Piacenza. Their spacing of about 25 km being dictated by the distance soldiers could march in a day. (Visit the Wikipedia page for a useful map showing how the physical geography dictated the route's location, and some other important things.
Ever wonder why artists, especially photographers, go on and on about the question of the light they are working with? In this, we have the same subject (from the facade of San Petronio) in two different lights.
(In other news... That is Adam's thumb, by the way. I think the sculptor could perhaps have placed it differently, unless it was meant to be a visual double-entendre!)
Arrived in good time at San Petronio... to watch solstice and local noon (12:52 and 1:15.. ish.. numbers may be slightly wrong. But we saw these important events of the solar year, solar day! (Sun behind cloud for "the moment" the image would have been on the meridian... but throwing good image in time leading up, and shortly after.)
Very nearly the summer solstice. The white circle on the floor is the sun's projected image; the dark line running from lower left to mid-right is the meridian line. As the sun moves across the sky (as Ptolemy would have it), the image moves more or less at right angles to the dark line, crossing it at local solar noon.
The "line" is a strip of bronze, laid in the floor with great care to make it level, and marked off like a long ruler.
A long trough of water was used as a reference for "horizontal" when laying the meridian down. Laid down in 1655 by Giovanni Cassini (WP). For me, he is also important for significant contributions to a major mapping of France, which was a goad to the English (WP), helping inspire them to do their "Great Trigonometric Survey", which success was followed by their great survey of India.
"Linea Meridiana"
"Constructa Anno MDCLVI"
-- i.e. 1656
"... Renovata"
"Anno MDCCXXVI"
-- i.e. 1725
(Above:) The church, unusually runs almost north/south, the high alter being just slightly west of south.
The left hand image shows you (arrow) the hole in the roof through which the sun shines. The yellow lines indicate the position of the meridian line, neatly just squeaking through some pillars.
The right hand image gives, I hope, some idea of the length of the meridian. Curiously, it was made longer than was necessary. Nearly 67m long, the longest in the world. Perhaps as part of arranging that it runs as nearly north/ south as possible?
And here, no effort spared, an exterior view, taken from the Northeast. The cyan circle marks the hole in the roof. The brown arrow points to the location of our splendid hotel , tucked in a quiet side street close to the west flank of the duomo.
I have done a bit more about the meridian, and an old book related to it, in a page of the astronomy section of my Flat-Earth-Academy
Our last afternoon was "free time", and I am indebted to D... for reminding me that climbing the Asinelli tower would be a good use of the time. Well... enjoying the view would be a good use of the time. The climbing bit was worth the view. 82 meters. 270 ft. Roughly a 27 story building. 498 steps.
The tower was completed in 1684.
15:45- began ascent of tower... after smacking the hand of a pick-pocket (gypsy lady begging with one hand while trying to pilfer with the other.
I'd been at the top a short time when I was joined, much to my delight, by D.. and M..
My exterior photo of the tower fails to show properly its twin, just peeking into view at the left. From many angles they are reminiscent of the New York Twin Towers.
As I said... the climb was worth it!...
View looking west from tower, including San Petronio, Piazza Maggiore
Strolled with them (M&D), had a Coke and gelato for "dinner", back to hotel by 18:05
(No photos yet.) Today didn't involve any of the joys of the trip, just smooth transfer (of course: N... was in charge!) to the airport, and flights home.
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