Anciently based on an Etruscan settlement called “Felsina”, it is simultaneously the capital and the largest city of Emilia-Romagna. Interesting fact is that the very first European university was founded in Bologna back in 1088. Bologna’s Medieval and Renaissance historical centre is considered by UNESCO as the best preserved in the world. The lovely city centre boasts 39 museums and is framed by about 40 km of arcades called “portici”.
Between the 15th and 16th centuries, Bologna had a high-level position in the artistic field, while its government was changing between the House of Bentivoglio and the Papal State.
In 1582, Ludovico and his cousins Annibale and Agostino Carracci founded the “Accademia degli Incamminati” in Bologna. This innovative art academy was oriented around the representation of the true and had significantly influenced the 17th century art on a national level, likewise Emilia’s master painters, Guido Reni and Guercino.
