Bologna the red

Bologna is known as the red city mainly for two reasons:

The typical bricks.
Its political past.

But there are more curiosities about the link between the city and this color!
Let's see in detail what makes the city of Bologna so red.

Red like its bricks

The City Hall, the Palace of King Enzo, the Towers, the 7 Churches of Santo Stefano and San Petronio are just some of the city's most emblematic buildings that exhibit this preponderant use of terracotta, giving a reddish hue to the entire city.

On facades, arches and columns, the mota stone is carved and molded to create rich decorations, ennobling this traditionally humble material.
You can see this clearly on the facade of the City Hall in Piazza Maggiore or in the Palazzo della Mercanzia, where brick alternates with small marble decorations.

The reds on the left

The second meaning attributed to the red of the city is related to the political history of the city and the region it heads.

Since always, red has been the color of the left in Italy and many cities around the world, and Bologna has historically been a left-wing city.

Since 1945, the mayor of Bologna (elected every 5 years) has always been of the left, except only once (1999-2004), when an independent candidate closer to the center-right won.

📊 If we look at the presidents of the region, all have been left-wing without exception.

The red of speed

The Bologna red has also been associated with the Italian red par excellence: Ferrari.
Bologna is the capital of the region where the legendary brand of the prancing horse was born.

🏎️ Ferrari and 🏍️ Ducati also have their history in the region:

Ducati was born near Bologna, and many of its motorcycles, such as the iconic Panigale, are traditionally red.
Ferrari has made the "Ferrari red " a symbol of Italian motoring around the world.

However, since these brands are much more recent than the traditions of the city and the region, I doubt that Ferrari and Ducati chose red because they were born in a red region. 😉 😉

📌 Some curious notes.

🔸 Many historic buildings, whose facades are painted and do not show exposed terracotta, such as the Archiginnasium, are colored with warm tones of yellow, red and orange, reinforcing the chromatic uniformity of the city.

🔸 The typical Bologna curtains, traditionally used as blinds in summer, are of a lively red and are still present in many historic buildings.
📜 Fun fact: If you have one of these curtains, you cannot remove it by law, as they are part of the historical heritage of the city.

🔸 At night, you will notice that the lights in the center are warm, giving the impression that the city is lit by torches, as in the Middle Ages.