San Domenico★★

Home to one of the corner stones of Bologna's history

In the sixth chapel on the right inside San Domenico is one of the great treasures of Bologna, the beautifully crafted tomb of San Domenico. St. Dominic, founder of the teaching order that bears his name, died in Bologna in 1221, and his venerated modern X-ray decorates the chapel wall (it’s an actual X-ray of his bones; I’ve seen pilgrims kiss their fingers and touch it before turning to pray at the tomb). These saints and angels are a joint effort of Michelangelo, Pisano, and, most notably, Nicolo di Bari, who was so proud of his work on the cover of the tomb (arca) that he dropped his last name and is better known as Nicolo dell'Arca. Postcards near the entrance to the chapel show you who carved what. A 20-year-old Michelangelo did the candle-bearing angel at the lower right as well as the statue of San Petronius bearing a tiny model of Bologna up on the tomb toward the left. He also carved San Proculus––his cloak slung over one shoulder––on the tomb's backside. The chapel's apse fresco is by Guido Reni, who's buried in the baroque chapel across the nave. The two striking stilt-tombs on the piazza out front date from 1298 and 1300.

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