The phoenix stood tall and proud in front of thousands of people fascinated to see its fate.
Seconds later, the crowd let out a loud roar and the mighty bird was set alight and reduced to ashes in a timeless Italian tradition.
For 104 years, the good people of Bologna have spent New Year’s Eve celebrating by burning a vecchione or puppet to mark the start of another chapter.
From humble beginnings, the vecchione is now used to spread a social message and this year, it was a phoenix named Mercurio and designed by Fumettibrutti, the artistic name of Yole Signorelli.
The artist envisioned a vecchione with feminine features, customary in leap years and representing a mythological figure that defends diversity.
A legendary and unique creature, the phoenix rose from its ashes, symbolising the ability to face adversity positively by nurturing the inner resources within each of us.
Pink in colour with long silver hair, Mercurio came from a mysterious and distant place and was placed on a closed blue chest, with hidden contents which pointed to the fact that the path to a more conscious society is still unfolding.
A new key around its neck, as a transfeminist message sent out the message for people to investigate within and the burning of the phoenix, only to rise again, opened the chest, transforming society into a multi-coloured space where everyone can express their uniqueness, and no one excluded.
The magical scene in the city’s Piazza Maggiore was lit up with stars to show everyone the way and the 9,000 people celebrating in the main square certainly marked the start of 2025 in style.
As it’s the tradition of Italy, fireworks are set off throughout the night, no health and safety here and miraculously no one seems to get hurt.
It’s frantic, but fun and everyone seems to have such a great time bringing in the New Year in a city which is the lively historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy.
Only hours after the celebrations, the city was swept clean of fireworks and sparklers and open for New Year revellers to enjoy some sightseeing.
The Piazza Maggiore is the place to start, it’s an impressive sprawling plaza with arched colonnades, cafés and medieval and Renaissance structures including the City Hall, the Fountain of Neptune and the Basilica di San Petronio.
With many towers, including the leaning Asinelli and Garisenda, the Torre dell’ Orologio or Clock Tower is the place to climb for 360 degree panoramic views of the lovely city.
An open top sightseeing bus and mini train are on hand to give a tour of the best sights and the Bologna Welcome Card, with an easy or plus version, is a must for visiting the plethora of museums and attractions.
One of the best is the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, the national gallery housed in the 17th century former home of the Jesuit novitiate of St Ignatius.
It was opened to the public in 1885 and was entirely renovated in 1997 and is now considered among the most modern and important National Galleries.
Its collection, with its first catalogue dating back to 1827, includes artwork from some of the leading Italian artists of the Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque periods, such as Raphael, Perugino, Tintoretto, Titian, the Carraccis, Guercino and Reni.
It’s just one of 100 museums in Bologna which as well as art, feature history, science and in a nod to the city’s famous automotive industry, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati exhibitions.
With warm and welcoming locals, fabulously simple churches and cuisine to die for, Bologna has it all for a short city break, a cracking way to start 2025!
Fact Box:
Low cost carriers fly from the UK directly to Bologna. Car parking at UK airports can be booked through APH Parking which has 44 years’ experience and offers a safe and reliable service with a booking system which can compare 150 car parks, hotels and lounges.
A great way to decide what to do and where to go is to take a look at the tourist board’s website: www.bolognawelcome.com.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2
Photographs courtesy of Bologna Welcome
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