La dotta, la grassa e la rossa
There are many ways to describe Bologna, but its three nicknames encapsulate more about the city than it would appear at first glance
WORD BY ED CHAMBERLIN | PHOTOS TIM WHITE
THE BIG APPLE. PROBABLY the most renowned city nickname in the world, but do you know where it comes from? It has been a bit of a mystery for decades, although the most likely origin is from a description of American cities as apples on an interconnected tree spreading across the entire country, from which New York got "a disproportional amount of the national sap" as one writer, Martin Wayfarer, said in 1909. This is still contested, but then so are many city nicknames.
Bologna has three nicknames: la dotta, la grassa and la rossa, meaning "the learned one", "the fat one" and "the red one". Being home to Europe’s oldest university, an abundance of food and bright red architecture, it would seem that these monikers are pretty straightforward. But, as with so much else, the story runs much deeper, and these names betray more about the city’s history than you would think at first glance.
LA ROSSA
Arriving in Bologna, the reason behind la rossa becomes immediately clear. The winding streets of the city are flanked by buildings of all shades of red, orange and yellow giving it a relaxed, autumnal atmosphere.
The simple reason for this is that the surrounding countryside is rich in clay deposits; perfect for construction in the Middle Ages. However, today, the name has drifted to refer to the attitudes of the locals more than the colour of the architecture: Bologna has long been associated with left-wing thought.
"From 1946 we have always had the left-wing party in the town hall," says Giorgia Zabbini, Promotion Officer for Bologna Tourism. "So from the second half of last century, Bologna was known as la rossa because the majority of the people here are on the left-wing side.
"But this is a dichotomy of Bologna, because [it] is one of the wealthiest cities in Italy. We have a very important mechanical industry and motor industries: Ducati and Lamborghini are from Bologna and Ferrari is nearby."
That Ducati, Lamborghini and Ferrari are mostly associated with the colour red is no coincidence: "Red is the symbolic colour of Bologna," Giorgia continues.
The left wing stance of the Bolognese goes back further than 1946, and stems from the presence of the oldest and one of the most prestigious universities in Europe. Which bring us to la dotta.
LA DOTTA
The University of Bologna was founded in 1088. Put in historical context, this was 34 years after the schism between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, and seven years before Pope Urban II (who had ascended to the papacy in the year of the university’s foundation) commanded the First Crusade against the Seljuk Turks. The foundation of such a centre of learning during a time of ideological conflict was uplifting to some and threatening to others in equal measure.
"Although traditions vary and early documents are unreliable, 1088 may be accepted as the conventional date to indicate when teaching became free and independent of ecclesiastic schools in Bologna," says Roberto Grandi, Vice-Rector for International Relations at the university.
"The university here has always been independent from the power of the church," says Giorgia Zabbini. "The Pope ruled here for 300 years from the 16th century until the unification of Italy. But here we have the very non-religious component, which is part of the university. The first practical lessons in anatomy took place in the university."
Specifically, they took place in one of the most interesting rooms in the university: the Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio. Built in 1562-3, it was the stage for some of Europe’s first post-Renaissance human dissections. This was considered a heresy at the time - the human body simply was not an appropriate subject for scientific investigation.
That didn’t stop the inquisitive Bolognese who, inspired by Hippocrates and Galen (statues of whom adorn the sides of the room), looked at the human body itself for clues as to how it worked.
These lessons took place during January and February in 24-hour stints. Due to the rapidly rotting bodies they were studying, students and professors had to pick the coldest months of the year to delay decomposition, which meant they had to cram an entire year’s worth of study into two months, hence the 24-hour marathon classes. The bodies themselves came courtesy of the city’s undesirable inhabitants: vagrants, criminals and prostitutes.
While this may have ruined your appetite, that would be a shame, as one of the aspects of Bologna that everyone can enjoy is the food. Which brings us to la grassa. it’s really only in the 1600s that we get any evidence of mortadella production along similar lines to today."
Once exported, especially to the United States, mortadella was known as Bologna sausage, which was eventually corrupted to the famous Bologna (pronounced "baloney") in the USA.
However, once again, the nickname acquired a second connotation over time, this time a less flattering one. As Giorgia mentioned, the Bolognese dichotomy is in the coexistence of left-wing thought and high levels of wealth. La grassa became something of an epithet, similar to "Champagne Socialist".
Walking around the fragrant markets of Bologna, however, the culinary power of the city becomes clear, especially right to the east of the Piazza Maggiore: fish, meat, wine, pastries, ice cream and enormous mortadella sausages all battle for the most alluring fragrance. The pride and reverence for the cuisine among locals is also palpable.
"If you ask for spaghetti Bolognese here, we will throw you in jail!" says Giovanni Serrazanetti, manager of wine bar and restaurant Cantina Bentivoglio.
An extreme measure, you may think, but just as Chinese food is just food in China, spaghetti Bolognese is simply spaghetti in Bologna. It’s an important piece of local etiquette of which to take note. (Similarly, do not order a cappuccino after 11 in the morning - after that, only espressos are taken.)
Cantina Bentivoglio is a Bolognese institution, attracting visitors from far and wide for food, wine and music; it’s absolutely guaranteed to impress a date.
"We have jazz every night," Serrazanetti, now less indignant about spaghetti, states. "I’m not talking about smooth background music, our music is there in person, but it’s an acoustic-y kind of sound, and it works well; people can chat, listen and chat. Not all music works well accompanying food, one part of jazz that works perfectly is the swing."
Despite all the name-calling, with that comment Serrazanetti surely sums up the essence of life in Bologna.
Bolonia ma trzy przezwiska: "la dotta", "la grassa" i"la rossa", czyli ‘uczona", "gruba" i "czerwona". Jako, że jest to najstarsze miasto uniwersyteckie, pełne doskonałego jedzenia i jasnoczerwonych budynków, przezwiska wydają sie łatwe do wyjaśnienia. Jednak, jak to zwykle bywa, prawda leży głebiej niż sie wydaje.
Zaraz po przyjeździe pierwsze co rzuca sie w oczy to rzedy budynków w jesiennych odcieniach czerwieni. Jednak przezwisko la rossa ma także inny wydźwiek- Bolonia znana jest z swoich lewicowych poglądów.
"Od 1946 mamy w ratuszu partie lewicową"- mówi Giorgia Zabbini z biura promocji turystyki w Bolonii. "Jest w tym pewna dychotomia, ponieważ Bolonia jest również jednym z najbogatszych włoskich miast."
Lewicowe poglądy Bolonii mają swoje źródło w fakcie, że mieści sie tam najstarszy i najbardziej prestiżowy uniwersytet w Europie. Został założony w 1088, były to czasy wielkich konfliktów ideologicznych.
"Uniwersytet był zawsze niezależny od Kościoła"- mówi Giorgia Zabbini. "To właśnie tutaj odbyły sie pierwsze lekcje anatomii."
W tamtych czasach sekcje zwłok uznawano za herezje, ale to nie powstrzymało Bolonczyków, którzy badali mechanizmy działania ludzkiego ciała. Takie zajecia trwały czasem całą dobe, ponieważ możliwe były tylko zimą, kiedy ciała rozkładały sie wolniej.
Ten obraz może zepsuć apetyt, co było by wielką szkodą, ponieważ przechodzimy do kolejnego przezwiska Bolonii -"la grassa". "Bolonie zaczeto nazywać ‘la grassa’ już w średniowieczu, głównie dlatego, że było to bogate miasto, gdzie można było dobrze zjeść"- mówi John Dickie, autor Delizia!, historii kuchni włoskiej. "Kuchnia bolonska słynie z kiełbasy mortadelli, produkowanej tu od XV wieku".
Siłe bolonskiej kuchni można poznać spacerując po rynkach, gdzie zapachy ryb, miesa, wina, biją sie o lepsze z wonią ciast, lodów i mortadeli. Bolonczycy są dumni ze swojej kuchni. "Jeśli zamówisz spaghetti po bolonsku, wrzucimy cie do wiezienia"-ostrzega Giovanni Serrazanetti, manager retauracji Cantina Bentivoglio. Spaghetti po bolonsku w Bolonii to po prostu spaghetti.
BOLOGNESE HOTSPOTS
* Cantina Bentivoglio Via Mascarella 4b, +39 051 265 416, cantinabentivoglio.it. If you visit only one restaurant in Bologna, make it this one. With a menu that rotates with the seasons, the food is always fresh, delicious and accompanied by tasteful jazz every evening.
* Da Cesari 8 Via de’ Carbonesi, +339 051 237 710, da-cesari.it. A little more low-key and intimate than Cantina Bentivoglio, da Cesari has a superb wine list and very game-y menu, perfect for meat-lovers. Try the sweet and sour rabbit.
* Osteria del Sole Vicolo Ranocchi 1d. Established in the 15th century, this wine bar has stubbornly resisted the temptation to become overly commercial, and remains an authentic card games-and-wine hang out.
* Cremeria Funivia 1/de Piazza Cavour, +39 051 656 9365, cremeriafunivia.com. It may not be ice cream season now, but nevertheless give these guys a try. With their micro-brewery-style ice cream factory visible from the main shop floor, you can see the process in motion.
* Voltone del Podesta (Whispering Gallery) If you are travelling with a friend, go to the Palazzo del Podesta, on Piazza Maggiore. Inside you will find the main vault in the centre. One of you stand in one corner facing the wall and the other stand in the opposite corner, also facing the wall. Due to the acoustics of the vault, you will be able to hear one another speaking above passers-by.
