Corte Isolani

The Corte Isolani, in Bologna

The Corte Isolani is a picturesque passage of Bologna, whose entrance is marked by one of the oldest houses of the town. The Bologna audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this unusual place, with a remarkable wooden framework and the curious legend of the arrows.

The wooden house and the legend of the arrows

The entrance of the Corte Isolani is marked by one of the oldest houses of Bologna. To discover it, you must raise your eyes and follow the high wooden beams that support the projection of the house, a remarkable vestige of medieval wooden architecture, rare today. This thirteenth-century residence gives access to a covered passage that crosses a whole block, linking Strada Maggiore to Piazza Santo Stefano, through a series of courtyards, shops and galleries full of charm. A curious legend is attached to this place: three arrows are said to have remained stuck in the wooden ceiling of the portico, shot, according to the story, by ambushed brigands who would have missed their target, distracted by a lady at her window. Unusual and laden with history, the Corte Isolani is a secret passage to discover in Bologna.

What to see

You admire one of the oldest houses of Bologna, supported by high wooden beams, and you cross the covered passage full of charm linking Strada Maggiore to Piazza Santo Stefano, through courtyards and galleries, where the legend places three arrows stuck in the wooden ceiling. The Corte Isolani is a secret passage of Bologna. It is an unusual stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Corte Isolani links Strada Maggiore to Piazza Santo Stefano, in the heart of Bologna, reachable on foot. It is a passage generally freely accessible; the shops and galleries it shelters have their own hours. You discover it during a walk in the centre.

What legend is attached to the Corte Isolani in Bologna?

Three arrows are said to have remained stuck in the wooden ceiling of the portico, shot according to the story by ambushed brigands who would have missed their target, distracted by a lady at her window; the entrance is marked by one of the oldest houses of the town.

Where is the Corte Isolani?

Between Strada Maggiore and Piazza Santo Stefano, in the heart of Bologna, in Italy.