Giardino di piazza Cavour, Urban park in central Bologna, Italy.

The Giardino di piazza Cavour is a rectangular urban park in central Bologna, laid out with straight gravel paths that divide lawns and are lined with mature trees and clipped shrubs. A central path runs the length of the garden, with benches set along the edges and a bronze bust of Cavour placed within the greenery.

The garden was created after 1860 as part of a municipal urban development project that replaced 16th-century buildings and old streets in Bologna's center. This transformation was part of the city's modernization efforts during the period following Italian unification.

The garden is named after Camillo Benso di Cavour, and the bronze bust of him is by sculptor Carlo Monari, dated 1902. It stands as a commemorative monument within the public green space, showing how such gardens were used to honour national figures.

The garden is located near the Bank of Italy building and provides benches and shaded spots throughout the space for visitors to sit at any time of year. Access is straightforward from the surrounding streets, making it easy to step into the park while exploring the city center.

Among the trees are a male ginkgo, three horse chestnuts and a copper beech, set between evergreen shrubs. The ginkgo is dioecious: only female trees bear the fleshy, strong-smelling seeds, so a single male specimen produces none. Look for its fan-shaped leaves, which turn yellow in autumn.