At a glance

Type

Historic residence / cultural venue

Period

20th century

Style

Eclectic / early 20th-century

Location

Bologna area, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Coordinates

44.4808° N, 11.3508° E

Overview

Bologna, capital of Emilia-Romagna, is celebrated for its medieval arcades (the longest continuous portico system in the world), its university — the oldest in Europe, founded in 1088 — and its exceptionally rich artistic heritage spanning from the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna to the Baroque painting of the Bolognese school. The western suburbs of Bologna, where Maison Laviniaturra is situated, contain a mixture of late 19th and early 20th-century villas and residential buildings that reflect the city’s prosperity during the Belle Époque and the early decades of the 20th century.

History

The Bologna area’s residential architecture expanded significantly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the city’s commercial and academic wealth grew. Named residences and cultural houses in this tradition often served as salons, gathering places for artists, writers, and intellectuals who animated the cultural life of northern Italy. The name Laviniaturra may refer to a former owner or patron associated with the arts, a pattern common in the named residences of Emilia-Romagna. The building represents the intersection of private patronage and cultural life that characterised upper-bourgeois Bologna in the early modern period.

What you see

The residence is situated in the western area of Bologna, a district characterised by tree-lined streets and the eclectic architecture typical of prosperous Italian cities at the turn of the 20th century. The building’s style reflects the fashionable blend of historicist and Liberty (Art Nouveau) elements that distinguished private residences of the era. The surrounding urban landscape retains much of its early 20th-century character, offering a sense of the residential milieu in which the Maison was built and used.

Cultural significance

Historic residences of this type are important carriers of the cultural memory of Italian cities, preserving the material evidence of social and intellectual life in the pre-war decades. In Bologna, a city renowned for its contributions to art, music, and learning, named houses and salons played a significant role in cultural patronage. Maison Laviniaturra contributes to understanding the private and semi-public spaces through which culture was transmitted in early 20th-century northern Italy.

Practical information

Address

Bologna area, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Opening hours

Check official website for current access and event schedule

Admission

Check official website

Getting there

Bologna is one of Italy’s best-connected cities. Bologna Centrale station is a major hub on the high-speed rail network, with direct services to Milan (35 minutes), Florence (37 minutes), and Rome (2 hours 10 minutes). The site is accessible from the city centre by local bus or taxi. Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport is approximately 6 km from the city centre, with bus connections to the station.

Sources & resources

• Bologna — Wikipedia
• Cultural Heritage Online