“Via della Grada” (Bologna): history and “hidden secrets” of this street

Landscape Bologna night San Luca

What is “Via della Grada”?

“Via della Grada” is one of the historic streets in the center of Bologna, located in the area between “via San Felice” and “via Monaldo Calari”, in the “Saragozza” district (in the area where the former “Malpighi” district was previously).

Continuing the reading of this article you will find a summary of the history of “via della Grada” and the revelation of some of the forgotten “secrets” of this historic street in Bologna.

The “secret” of the name of “Via della Grada”

“Via della Grada” is a very ancient street of the city, of which we have the certainty of its existence starting from 1635, that is the date to which the first document of the city that testifies to its existence dates back (and where it is called “via della Madonna della Grada”); in reality, this street was probably already present in an older era, considered as a part included in the “via Riva di Reno”. Another ancient name used to indicate the street is “Dietro a Reno” or “Dietro al Reno”.

“Via della Grada” takes its name from a component of the ancient river gate of the city: the “grada” (which in Italian means “grate”).

Bologna, especially in the past, was an “aquatic” city, where the canals occupied a large part of the city, allowed the entry and transport of goods, as well as the operation of ancient medieval industrial machinery: one of the causes of its wealth, in addition to the famous university, it is contained in its industry, which was particularly active and productive in the past.

After a first change, due to the reform of the toponymy of 1801, determined by Napoleon, the area took the name of “Grada”; later the name “Via della Grada” will be made official, around 1873/1878.

The “grada” (note the similarity with “grate”), specifically, was that component of the river gate (still visible today) that prevented access to the entrance channel for the city, creating a major obstacle for those who were willing to use the canal to let contraband goods or unwanted people into the city: therefore a sort of real “grate”, made of metal and rather large, positioned in the waters of the Reno canal, near the area where the Grada church stands.

The “secret” of the church of La Grada

It is said that some of the victims of the terrible plague that struck Bologna around 1630 were buried near the gardens of the church of the Grada; at the time the Bolognese population, also counting the numbers of the countryside, was just under 80,000 people: the plague killed about 16,000/17,000.

In the past in the area of ​​the Grada there was a shelter, equipped with an image of the Virgin “Madonna”, which was used precisely to assist the plague patients, as well as a cemetery; with the drama of the contagion and the deaths, behind the image of the “Virgin in the Grada” area a real cult began to take place, which then determined the will to build the church, which began around 1632.

The street began to be so “relevant” that around February 8, 1634, the construction of a portico of 60 arches was allowed to connect San Felice with the Church of the Grada.

The “secret” of the public toilets in via della Grada In 1804 the area saw the opening of a public bathroom, with the possibility of bathing and a primitive “shower”; a staircase was added to the bathing complex in 1889, which allowed a less tiring descent into the water.

Since the force of the current was often strong (and at times very strong, unfortunately), the area of ​​the canal was full of ropes, mounted in such a way as to avoid being dragged by the current of people who were bathing.

The “secret” of the washerwomen of via della Grada

There were also many taverns, factories, mills, bathrooms (whether public or private), as well as laundries located in the area; another “secret” of via della Grada was the constant presence in the area of ​​the washerwomen, who went to the public wash houses, located next to the public baths, to carry out their work: they carried out a hard job, conducted daily and with great sacrifice, bending down to rub and wash the items entrusted to her from time to time. But why, if Bologna was rich in water, did the washerwomen go to “Via della Grada” to wash their clothes? The reason probably lies in the fact that the water that arrived in this area of ​​the canal, having just entered the city, was among the cleanest, and therefore a useful resource to be exploited to improve and simplify the work of the washerwomen.

The washerwomen in Bologna were very numerous, and their presence is also remembered today by a statue.

The “secret hero” of via della Grada

In “via della Grada” there is also an old building, which previously housed a factory, and which had previously been used as a tannery; in modern times the building of the factory was used as a laundry, and finally used as a power station. Later, there were various uses of the building, including that of housing. One of the heroes of Bologna is Cesare Tartarini, remembered with a plaque in “via della Grada”, located just above the building of the former Grada factory, which tells a tragic story caused by the force of the current of the waters:

In memory of Cesare Tartarini, a laundress man who, while courageously rescued a young boy who was about to drown here in the prime of life, perished overwhelmed by the waters on the 20th July MDCCCLXXVIII leaving the family desolate and poor.

The City Hall

It was the year 1878, probably July 20: two children were drowning, overwhelmed by the force of the current; the washerman Cesare Tartarini, who seems to have been 29, intrepid and without hesitation, throws himself into the troubled waters of the canal, trying to rescue the two young men.

Tartarini will be able to save one of the two children, but when he tries to save the second, exhausted, he will be dragged by the current, drowning.

Certainly, a rather touching story, considering also that Tartarini, in addition to sacrificing himself, was an important source of sustenance for his family, who then suffered, in addition to mourning, poverty. A Bolognese tragedy whose history is still little known, but certainly touching.

Discover the other secrets of Bologna One might think that the “secret” stories of Bologna end here, but in reality, there is so much to tell: in fact, Bologna was one of the richest Italian cities of intricacies and curious situations, characters and events to be discovered.

If you want to become an expert in the history of Bologna and start loving and familiarizing yourself with the history of its streets and monuments, we recommend that you buy and read a book on the history of Bologna, or a collection of its most curious facts: you can find many interesting books about it sold online.

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