Museo Civico Medievale (Medieval Civic Museum), Bologna

Along Via Manzoni, the Ghisilardi Fava Palace stands as a quintessential example of Bolognese Gothic architecture. Today, it houses the Medieval Civic Museum, offering a fresh perspective on medieval and Renaissance artifacts that shed light on the city's cultural and intellectual heritage. A charming, arcaded courtyard leads visitors to a collection of intricately sculpted sarcophagi, notably portraying eminent medieval scholars and legal lecturers.

Among the museum's highlights are its coffered ceilings, stone statues, gilded wood sculptures, and monumental crosses that were once placed at significant city intersections. Notable works include Corrado Fogolini's "Pietra della Pace" (1322) in Room 9, commemorating peace between the university and municipality after a period of strife; Bartolomeo da Vernazza's red marble tombstone (1348) in Room 11, and Jacopo della Quercia's polychrome terracotta "Madonna and Child" (1410) in Room 12. The museum also houses an array of bronzes, weaponry, miniatures, medals, and musical instruments. Particularly striking is Manno da Siena's vast and peculiar bronze statue of Pope Boniface VIII (1301) in Room 7, serving as a reminder of the papacy's exertion of power.

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You can also explore Casa Fava Conoscenti at No. 6, one of the few remaining tower houses dating back to the 13th century, located adjacent to the museum.