Patriarchal Basilica of San Domenico, Bologna, Italy

In 1233, Dominic’s remains were moved from behind the altar to a simple marble sarcophagus placed in the right aisle of the church. This move was prompted by the large number of pilgrims who came to see the saint’s grave but were unable to do so because it was hidden behind the crowd. Recognizing the need for a more visible shrine, the Dominicans commissioned a new shrine designed by the renowned sculptor Nicola Pisano in 1264. In 1267, Dominic’s remains were transferred from the simple sarcophagus into the newly designed shrine, which depicted scenes from his life. The project was funded through a special tax, as it was considered a civic monument. Over time, Niccolò dell’Arca added a canopy to the shrine, and work continued on it for almost five centuries.

The Foundation of the Dominican Order

On December 22, 1216, Pope Honorius III approved the rule of the order founded by Dominic of Guzmán. This approval allowed the order to expand and send friars to major European centers, including Bologna and Paris, which were both populous cities and seats of universities. In 1218, Dominic and his companions settled in the convent of a church outside the walls, known as Santa Maria della Purificazione, later called Mascarella. The church was located on the corner between via Irnerio and via Mascarella and was rebuilt after the bombings of World War II.

The Thirteenth-Century Enlargement

In 1228, the church was expanded with the demolition of the apse and the widening of the pre-existing nave. The construction of the new basilica was almost completed by 1240, with the addition of a simple Romanesque façade. This basilica became a model for numerous Dominican churches across the globe. It was consecrated by Pope Innocent IV on October 17, 1251, and during the ceremony, the renowned crucifix by Giunta Pisano, dating from around 1250, was displayed for the first time.

Canonization and Relocation of Saint Dominic’s Remains

In 1233, during the ongoing construction of the basilica and convent, Dominic’s remains were placed in a cypress chest, which was then enclosed in a simple marble sarcophagus behind the altar of a side chapel in the right nave. After his canonization by Pope Gregory IX on July 13, 1234, the shrine for Dominic became a site of pilgrimage. To accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims, the shrine was upgraded in 1267, when his remains were placed in a more distinguished monument designed by Nicola Pisano and his students.

The original church, built in the 13th century, was divided into two main parts:

• The rear section, called the primitive or external church, was intended for the faithful.
• The front section, called the internal church, was reserved for the friars.

A partition wall separated the two parts, with the famous crucifix by Giunta Pisano placed in the partition. During the 15th century, a wooden choir by Damiano da Bergamo was also installed, which is now in the choir area of the basilica.

Gothic and Renaissance Modifications

In the 14th century, several modifications were made, including the addition of new chapels and a Gothic-style bell tower built in 1313. In the 15th century, chapels such as the Pepoli, Odofredo, and Guidotti chapels were built on the northern side. Several Renaissance chapels, such as the Volta and Solimei chapels, were added in later centuries, though they are now excluded from the church and divided into separate rooms. Between 1530 and 1534, the Renaissance Ghisilardi Chapel was constructed to the left of the façade. Financed by Ludovico Ghisilardi, a noble Bolognese, the chapel was designed by the Sienese architect Baldassarre Peruzzi. It was built under the direction of Jacopo Ranuzzi, although the design was not always strictly followed. In 1531, Ludovico Ghisilardi commissioned Alfonso Lombardi to complete the chapel’s decorative elements, and the altar was added by Pietro Fiorini at the end of the 16th century.

Baroque Restoration and 20th-Century Renovations

In the 17th century, following the directives of the Council of Trent, the partition separating the two sections of the church was removed, and the choir was moved behind the main altar.

Between 1728 and 1732, major modifications were carried out by Carlo Francesco Dotti under the patronage of Pope Benedict XIII. These changes aimed to enlarge the interior and merge the two medieval sections into a cohesive Baroque space. Dotti also had a portico built against the façade, connecting it to the pre-existing arm of the convent. Both arms of the portico were demolished in 1874, following a municipal order, along with the 15th-century porch that had been incorporated into Dotti’s design. In May 1884, Pope Leo XIII elevated the church to the status of a minor basilica.

20th-Century Restoration

Between 1909 and 1910, the façade of the basilica underwent restoration under the direction of Alfonso Rubbiani, based on the 1894 project by Raffaele Faccioli. The restoration restored the façade to its current form, including the reconstruction of the large rose window, which was modeled after its probable original appearance. Through these numerous phases of development and restoration, the Basilica of Saint Dominic has become one of the most significant religious and artistic landmarks in Bologna, housing works from some of the greatest Italian artists.

Guido Reni and Elisabetta Sirani, both influential Baroque artists from Bologna, were buried in the Chapel of the Rosary. Reni, who passed away in 1642, and Sirani, who died in 1665, are commemorated in the chapel that houses their tombs. Their graves are a testament to their lasting impact on Bolognese and Italian art.

Left Transept and Chapels of the Basilica

The left transept holds the eighteenth-century cenotaph of Enzo of Sardinia, who was buried here in 1279, as well as the tomb of the Dominican bishop Martin of Opavia. Also interred here is Blessed Giacomo da Ulma (died 1491), a Dominican artist known for creating Gothic stained glass windows in the Basilica of San Petronio. In the Chapel of St. Michael, behind the marble altar, is the Crucifix by Giunta Pisano (around 1250), once used for the consecration of the basilica by Pope Innocent IV in 1251. The left wall of this chapel features a fresco attributed to Jacopo Benintendi (Biondo), depicting Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Anthony the Abbot, painted in the mid-14th century. In the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a marble slab commemorates the death of King Enzo of Sardinia in 1272. Enzo, son of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, was captured by Bolognese forces in 1249. The painting above the altar, “Christ being laid down,” was completed by Pier Francesco Cavazza (1667–1733), while the Assumption of the Madonna on the right is by Vincenzo Spisanelli (1595–1662). In the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel, the imposing Crucifixion by Giunta Pisano (mid-13th century) dominates. The piece, still strongly influenced by Byzantine style, is one of the finest examples of 13th-century Italian painting and influenced later artists like Cimabue. The marble monument to Taddeo Pepoli, spanning the two chapels, was created in the 14th century but completed in the 16th century. On the left wall is a fresco of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Benedict from the 14th century. In the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, a papier-mâché bust of Ven. Serafino Capponi (died 1615) is placed to the left of the altar. Beneath the altar is the urn containing the relics of James Griesinger, Blessed James of Ulm (died 1491), who contributed many of the church’s stained-glass windows. The chapel also contains a canvas depicting Blessed James by Giacinto Bellini (1612–1660). Additionally, a fresco of the Madonna with Child among the Saints by an unknown Emilian artist from the late 13th century is displayed here. A fragment of a 14th-century fresco, showing the Face of St. Thomas Aquinas, faces the monument of King Enzo.

Right Transept

The right transept contains a small chapel where several notable works of art are displayed, including a painting by the Baroque artist Bartolomeo Cesi and another by Guercino, titled “St. Thomas Aquinas Writing the Holy Sacrament” (1662).