“The historic centre, extending over 420 hectares, is the second largest in Europe. A guide from 1792 contained a significantly large and exhaustive survey, the last one to be compiled before the Napoleonic invasion and subsequent repression. It found that 12,973 artefacts, including canvases, paintings, panels, bas-reliefs, frames and frescoes were packed into this quarter as though into a treasure chest. In addition to these were, with little overlapping, 5,920 works, including statues, paintings and frescoes that Marcello Oretti mentions in his “guide” to private heritage artefacts. The historical body of the city, of course, has now much reduced due to wars, the ravages of time, abusive practices, etc... In fact, the guides to Bologna of 1830 show that compared to today, there were 140 more streets, 88 more palazzi, 30 more churches and about 20 more convents”.
Andrea Santucci, information from Il mirabile artificio, colonne, archi e capitelli dei portici di Bologna, Bologna, Gli Inchiostri Associati, 1997-1998
