San Sigismondo, Church building in Bologna, Italy.
San Sigismondo is a church in Bologna featuring an interior decorated with painted illusions and ornamental details across the vaults. The building contains multiple altars and displays a campanile added in 1795 that defines its exterior profile.
The original structure was built in 1271 as a prayer chapel for the Malvezzi family. A major renovation took place in 1725 under architect Carlo Francesco Dotti.
The church is placed directly under the Archbishop of Bologna and hosts pastoral initiatives for the University of Bologna. Its name comes from Saint Sigismund, king of the Burgundians. Inside, a single nave holds a Madonna with Child, Saint Anne and other saints by Giuseppe Maria and Luigi Crespi, while the remaining altarpieces are by Domenico Pedrini.
San Sigismondo stands on via San Sigismondo in Bologna's historic centre, a short walk from Piazza Maggiore. The church is under the direct authority of the Archbishop of Bologna and hosts pastoral initiatives for the University of Bologna, so visits may coincide with student events. Enter from the street through the dark brown double door; the small plaque to its left marks the entrance.
The church keeps the intact body of Saint Imelda Lambertini, a young girl venerated as patroness of first communicants. Her remains are displayed in a glass case, a detail many visitors walk past without noticing.
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