Raise your hand if you know that Bologna was once the capital of silk. We know it as red for its medieval bricks, rich for its opulent cuisine, scholarly for having the world’s oldest university, and a UNESCO heritage site for its 62 km of porticoes. But little is known about its silk history. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, Bologna established itself as a significant international silk production center, thanks to a series of favourable circumstances.
First of all, the introduction of the innovative water-driven spinning wheel, which, thanks to subsequent mechanization of the warping and twisting phases, allowed for reduced processing times and the creation of a finer, more durable fabric. The so-called “Bolognese mill” is still considered the most advanced technology known in Europe before the steam engine—a precursor to the production methods of the Industrial Revolution.
Another development factor was the complex system of artificial channels, sluices, and underground conduits that distributed water over considerable distances and generated energy. Complementing the entire process, the construction of the port in 1548 and the rebuilding of the Canale Navile facilitated transportation towards Venice and beyond Italy’s borders.
By the 17th century, at the height of its prosperity, the silk industry employed nearly half the population, with over a hundred active mills within the city walls. The flagship product was the Bologna veil, renowned for its transparency and lightness, used for various purposes—from sieves to highly sought-after fashion accessories among Europe’s most elegant ladies.
The rise and decline (due to industrial espionage) of this prized fabric are recounted in Seta di potere, a small book by Federico Chiara, Culture Editor of Vogue Italia, published by Minerva (€5, online) for Duetorrihotels, which offers guests of the historic Grand Hotel Majestic (formerly Baglioni) a glimpse into a curious side of Bologna.
Although most of the channels are now underground, one can imagine the ingenious urban water system following the “City of Water” route suggested on Bologna Welcome’s website, stopping, for example, at the tiny window in via Piella overlooking the canal of Moline (where you’ll momentarily think you’re in Venice), at the Renaissance cistern of Bagni di Mario built to feed Neptune’s fountain, and at the Manifattura delle Arti, the former port zone that thrived as a commercial hub until the 19th century.
As for the silk manufacturing, only sparse traces remain, apart from some literary and iconographic references, such as in Guido Reni’s Ritratto della madre (1615), displayed at the National Gallery. The most substantial evidence is found at the Industrial Heritage Museum, which hosts a functioning model of the famous mill, along with a roll of fabric you can touch to experience its lightness firsthand. The museum also exhibits some of the earliest models of machines used to make tortellini, ice cream, to produce hydrolyte, and the legendary FBM motorcycles—demonstrating that Bologna was a pioneer in automation across various sectors.
Productive, certainly, but without sacrificing pleasure. In fact, according to the research Italy and its reputation – The cities by Italiadecide, published on June 25, Bologna ranks first for quality of life in Italy, thanks to its balanced mix of work, services, and leisure.
Bolognesi, indeed, do not give up the pleasure of a sandwich with mortadella (we recommend the one at Pigro, behind the Basilica of San Petronio), or a plate of tortellini drowned in Parmigiano cream (for example, at the historic Ristorante Diana or in the frescoed hall of I Carracci), while for a more unconventional experience, there’s Estravagario, which defines itself as “the first queer, anti-species refuge with organic, fair, and Solidarity cuisine.”
The hotel alternative is The Social Hub, a multitasking space with coworking and leisure areas. The old does not exclude the new; rather, they continually intertwine—just like water and silk.