Bologna is a sophisticated peaceful city just like any other in Europe, famous for its unique porticos, red rooves, university, cathedral, cuisine, and great football club.

BUT it was not always this way! Back in the mists of time, things were very different. Porta Mascarella was built towards the end of the 13th century as an entrance to one of the town’s poorest districts. Around the same time a livestock market began to be held in the area along with many local festivals and carnivals. Mascarella became famous for it’s taverns and inns, but being such a crowded and popular place also made it attractive for all sorts of rogues, swindlers, con-artists and charlatans. The neighbourhood developed a reputation as a centre for crime, gambling, and prostitution and the word “Mascarella” entered the language as a term to describe deceit and fraud.

Of course, Bologna has evolved like all cities do. Now Via Mascarella is no different from any modern street, a centre for students and tourists from all over the world meeting in it’s many busy bars and restaurants. Long gone are the days where the area was considered a dangerous place for decent honest people. However, Mascarella still has its dark days. It was almost totally destroyed during the bombing of Bologna in the 2nd World War, and tragedy struck again more recently in 1977 when a 25-year-old student, Francesco Lorusso, was shot dead on the street by the police during a riot.

These days, Mascarella is a centre for Italian hip-hop, which might be a sign of how far the area has moved on from it’s dark past…or maybe that it’s not moved far at all. Time moves on, but maybe we can never really escape the past.