Santo Stefano's Basilica is a complex of religious edifices in the city of Bologna

Bologna

Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. Located in the eponymous square, it is locally known as Sette Chiese ("Seven Churches").

According to tradition, it was built by Saint Petronius

Saint Petronius

Saint Petronius was bishop of Bologna during the fifth century. He is a patron saint of the city. Born of a noble Roman family, he became a convert to Christianity and subsequently a priest...

, who was bishop of the city during the 5th century, over a temple of the goddess Isis

Isis

Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...

. The church of St. John the Baptist (or of the Holy Crucifix) dates from the 8th century, while that of the Holy Sepulchre from the 5th (renovated in the 12th century), as well as that of San Vitale ed Agricola (renovated in the 8th and 11th centuries). A 13th century portico known as "Pilatus

Pilatus

Pilatus may refer to:* Pilatus , a mountain in Switzerland* Pilatus , an X-ray area detector developed at the Swiss Light Source* Pilatus , a 1917 play by Kaj Munk manufacturer* Pilatus Aircraft, a Swiss aircraft manufacturer...

' court" connects the other buildings to the church of the Holy Trinity (13th century).

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