| − | '''Bologna''', capital of the province of [[Emilia-Romagna]], is a historic city of northern [[Italy]], noted for its medieval architecture and as a centre of gastronomy (''ragu'', known outside Italy as ''bolognese sauce'' is a local speciality, as is the ''mortadella'' sausage). The University of Bologna, founded in AD 1088, is the oldest in the western world. | + | '''Bologna''', capital of the province of [[Emilia-Romagna]], is a historic city of northern [[Italy]], noted for its medieval architecture - in particular, the defensive towers erected by prominent local families - and as a centre of gastronomy (''ragu'', known outside Italy as ''bolognese sauce'' is a local speciality, as is the ''mortadella'' sausage). The University of Bologna, founded in AD 1088, is the oldest in the western world. Bologna was also noted for left-wing politics: between 1945 and 1999 the city was ruled by communists and socialists. In 1980 a terrorist bomb killed 86 people at the city's main railroad station. |