Bologna, the city of towers, is torn apart in the 12th and 13th centuries by conflict between two powerful factions — the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. Fortified palaces rise behind the city walls, enclosed courtyards form between houses, and family towers climb ever higher above the rooftops, symbols of both prestige and power. Yet the city's fate isn't decided by stone alone — the favor of the podestà, a foreign official entrusted with governance and justice, can mean the difference between rule and ruin.

In Bologna, two players take command of rival families vying for dominance over the city. Turn by turn, they fill the districts with buildings, raising houses and towers and forming enclosed courtyards that grant immediate influence points. Every placement decision shapes not only the current board state but future possibilities — players must carefully judge when to close off a courtyard, when to expand their influence, and when to invest in raising their towers higher.

The rules are simple, but the room for strategy runs deep. On each turn, a player places one building in their color within a district — either a house, a house with a study, or a tower. Houses help control territory and generate influence through courtyards, while towers determine control over each district's dominant landmark. Whoever is first to enter an empty district also determines its landmark, which will be scored at the end of the game.

The game can end immediately if a player reaches the required level of influence. Otherwise, a final scoring phase determines the winner through a combination of courtyards claimed and tower supremacy over landmarks. With no luck involved and full control over how the game unfolds, only your decisions determine who becomes the ruler of Bologna.

The game is designed for 2 players ages 10 and up. Rules are available in Czech and English; game components are language-independent.