The Quadrilatero Market in Bologna is the core of the craft and merchant tradition of the city, of which we can still admire the traces today. Located in a central area of Bologna, between via Rizzoli, via dell’Archiginnasio, via Farini and via Castiglione, the particular district of quadrilateral shape gave the name to the area.
The space where the Quadrilatero Market in Bologna is rising, was once the premises of the main business activities of the city: banks, museums, universities, hospitals and job corporations of various nature were the consequence of the natural commercial attitude still characterising Emilia’s chief town.
Currently, the Quadrilatero Market represents a destination for tourists and citizens, thanks to the multitude of business activities offered along its streets.
In most cases, the shops within the Quadrilatero Market in Bologna inherited their craft traditions from generation to generation: the custom to hand down trades within families is witnessed not only by the gastronomic production that fills the streets, but also by the architecture of buildings and stores featuring furniture of high historic value. Indeed, the busy streets of the Quadrilatero Market in Bologna, visited by hundreds of visitors every day, take the name of ancient arts and professions. However, the late 19th-century General Regulatory Plan led to the destruction of many streets due to demolitions and knowing-down activities: the original sizes of the area are fairly left to imagination.
Walking among the suggestive atmospheres of the Quadrilatero Market in Bologna means immersing yourself in a reality in which past and present interlace harmoniously: deli shops, bakers, butcher’s shops and fruit and vegetable stands allow tasting the typical flavours of the region and tourists have the opportunity to take with them a piece of Emilia's gastronomy.
However, the Quadrilatero Market in Bologna does not only display the Bolognese craft traditions but acts like an actual gathering point for those who live in the city or simply transiting: it is a place where to meet and chat, where it is possible to fully experience the essence of the city’s social life.
The social importance of the area of the Quadrilatero Market in Bologna is also confirmed in the artistic field thanks to Agostino Carracci and Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, who were inspired for the creation of their works.
