BOLOGNA is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Northern Italy and is the seventh most populous city in Italy, at the heart of a metropolitan area of about one million people.
   Of Etruscan origin, the city has been a major urban centre for centuries, first under the Etruscans, then under the Romans (Bononia), then again in the Middle Ages, as a free municipality and signoria, when it was among the largest European cities by population. Famous for its towers, churches and lengthy porticoes, BOLOGNA has a well-preserved historical centre, thanks to a careful restoration and conservation policy which began at the end of the 1970's.
   Has the oldest university in the world, the University of Bologna, established in AD 1088, the city has a large student population that gives it a cosmopolitan character. In 2000 it was declared European capital of culture and in 2006, a UNESCO "City of Music" and became part of the Creative Cities Network.
   BOLOGNA is an important agricultural, industrial, financial and transport hub, where many large mechanical, electronic and food companies have their headquarters as well as one of the largest permanent trade fairs in EUROPE.
   According to the most recent data gathered by the European Regional Economic Growth Index (E-REGI) of 2009, BOLOGNA is the first Italian city and the 47th European city in terms of its economic growth rate. As a consequence, BOLOGNA is also one of the wealthiest cities in ITALY, often ranking as one of the top cities in terms of quality of life in the country: in 2011 it ranked 1st out of 107 Italian cities.
BOLOGNA suffered extensive damage during World War II.
   On 24 July 1943, a massive aerial bombardment destroyed a significant part of the historic city centre and killed about 200 people. The main railway station and adjoining areas were severely hit, and 44% of the buildings in the centre were listed as having been destroyed or severely damaged.
   After the armistice of 1943, the city became a key centre of the Italian resistance movement (i.s.).