The toponym derives from the Patron Saint of the castle, San Giorgio, and from the geographic location of the town in the plain.
San Giorgio di Piano is a typical small town of the Bolognese area. Its historical centre, remarkably well-preserved, has a characteristic "torresotto" (tower) from 1321, today the public library.
It is worth seeing the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), built at the end of the 18th century, and the 19th-century Romanesque Church of San Giorgio. Of the ancient castle built in 1403, there remains only Porta Ferrara , with the typical slits for the drawbridge. Near where there was once Porta Bologna, the Oratory of San Giuseppe and the Nativity of the Madonna (18th century) contains a Sacred Family of the School of the Guercino.
A popular site for film-loving pilgrims is the birthplace of Giulietta Masina, workmate and wife of Federico Fellini. You can see the facade of her house in the main street of the town.
The territory between San Giorgio di Piano and San Pietro in Casale was the site of a historical battle: in the area of Gherghenzano, Annibale I Bentivoglio defeated the army of the Viscount in 1433. As evidence of the past centuries, there is a monumental plane tree, a good 33 metres tall.
Places not to be missed in San Giorgio di Piano
More information
- Distance from Bologna: 17 Km.
- Altitude: 16/27 m.
- Inhabitants: 8.512 (updated January 1st 2016)
- Market day: Monday
- Patron Saint: San Luigi (last Sunday of September)
- Hamlets: Cinquanta, Gherghenzano and Stiatico
Recurring events
- Corso dei Fiori, nocturnal parade of floats: early June
- Not(t)e in piazza: late June - early July
- Festival of San Luigi Gonzaga: fourth week of September (from friday to Sunday)
- Living Nativity scene: Advent
The text is taken from
Guide to the province of Bologna - Valley itineraries
How to get to San Giorgio di Piano
By car
- Roads from Bologna: Via Stalingrado, turn left in Via Aposazza, then turn right in Via Shakespeare, keep on going along SS 4 Galliera up to San Giorgio di Piano
- Motorways from Bologna: A13 Motorway, exit Bologna-Interporto, take SP 3 Trasversale di Pianura, turn into SP 4 Galliera till San Giorgio di Piano.
By bus
From the Bologna Bus Station, ATC Public Transport Company (for information on timetables and fares visit www.atc.bo.it):
- Bus n. 97 Bologna-San Giorgio di Piano-SanPietro in Casale-SanVenanzio.
By train
From the Bologna Central Station (for information on timetables and fares visit www.trenitalia.com): railway line Bologna-Poggio Renatico, San Giorgio di Piano stop.
By plane
The Guglielmo Marconi Airport is about 19 km. from San Giorgio di Piano.
The BLQ Airport shuttle connects every 15-30 minutes the airport to the city centre and to the central station. Piazza XX Settembre stop to get a bus towards San Giorgio di Piano.
Information
URP - Public Relations Office
Address: Via della Libertà 35 - 40016 San Giorgio di Piano (BO)
Phone: +39 051 6638507 | +39 051 6638548 | +39 051 6638508
Fax +39 051 892188
urp@comune.san-giorgio-di-piano.bo.it
www.comune.san-giorgio-di-piano.bo.it
Opening times:
- Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri 8.30am-1pm
- Thursday 8.30am-7pm
-
Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm