The Three Arrows (Le Tre Frecce) are three thin arrows stuck in the wooden ceiling of the portico of Casa Isolani, a 13th-century house at Strada Maggiore 19 in Bologna. Nobody knows for sure how they got there, and the city has several stories to explain them. Finding them is a small game in itself: most people walk straight underneath without noticing.
The Three Arrows at a glance
- Where: Strada Maggiore 19, under the portico of Casa Isolani, a few minutes' walk east of the Two Towers.
- Built: the house in the mid-13th century; when the arrows appeared is unknown.
- What it is today: a private building whose high wooden portico is part of Bologna's network of porticoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.
- Time needed: 5–10 minutes, longer if you walk on through Corte Isolani to Piazza Santo Stefano.
A medieval house on the old Via Emilia
Strada Maggiore follows the line of the Roman Via Aemilia, the road that crossed Bologna and gave Emilia-Romagna its name, and it has been one of the city's main streets ever since. Casa Isolani is one of the rare private houses in Bologna to survive from the 13th century. Its upper floor rests on a portico of brick pillars and oak beams about nine metres high, described as the tallest in the city, a reminder of the medieval porticoes that were built of wood before stone and brick took over.
The house is named after the Isolani, a family of counts who by the 19th century owned a large block between Strada Maggiore and Piazza Santo Stefano. The building was restored in 1877 by the painter and engineer Raffaele Faccioli, and since the 1990s the courtyards behind it have formed Corte Isolani, a passage of shops and cafés that links Strada Maggiore with Piazza Santo Stefano.
What to look for
- The arrows themselves: stand under the portico and scan the wooden ceiling slowly. They are thin and dark and easy to mistake for nails or splinters.
- The tall oak beams and brick pillars of the portico, noticeably higher than the porticoes of the neighbouring houses.
- The 13th-century façade above, with single and double lancet windows whose arches were restored in the 20th century.
- The entrance to Corte Isolani, the passage that leads through the block to Piazza Santo Stefano.
- The long run of porticoes along Strada Maggiore, from the Two Towers to the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi.
The legends of the three arrows
The best-known story is a legend. Three assassins were hired to kill a member of the noble family living here; in some versions the target had been accused of adultery by a jealous spouse. As they took aim, a woman appeared naked at a window, the archers were so startled that they missed, and their arrows stuck in the portico ceiling. Another version speaks of a fight between two noble families and their guards. A more down-to-earth theory points to the restoration of 1877 and suggests that the arrows were a later addition, perhaps a students' prank. None of these stories can be proved.
Tips for your visit
- Look up slowly and give your eyes a moment: the arrows sit in the shadow of the beams. The zoom on your phone camera helps.
- Do not try to touch or knock down the arrows: the portico belongs to a private, protected building.
- Come in daylight; under the portico after dark the arrows are much harder to spot.
- Walk through Corte Isolani to Piazza Santo Stefano instead of going back the way you came.
Nearby
- Basilica of Santo Stefano: the group of churches known as the Seven Churches, on the triangular Piazza Santo Stefano behind Corte Isolani.
- Two Towers: the Asinelli and the Garisenda, a few minutes' walk west. The leaning Garisenda is being stabilised, with works expected to last until at least 2028, and the area at its foot is fenced off; check before you go.
- Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi: a Gothic church further east along Strada Maggiore, with a wide arcaded portico in front.
- Piazza Maggiore: Bologna's main square, a short walk west, with the Basilica of San Petronio and the Fountain of Neptune.
See Bologna with World City Trail
Our Bologna scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 33 minutes of walking. It includes the Two Towers and the Biblioteca Salaborsa, both a short walk from the Three Arrows.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Bologna.
Play the Bologna scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Bologna →
Play the outdoor escape game in Bologna →
Facts checked in October 2026.