The "Osteria Del Cappello" or "Al Cappello Rosso" is one of the oldest inns in Bologna, and it is still nowadays in activity as a hotel and as a commercial concern serving food and drinks. It is located in Via de’ Fusari, near Piazza Maggiore.
History
Thanks to the Bolognese historical archives, it has been possible to date back to a “Hosteria del Cappello” certified from 1375. This Hostaria could have changed location many times until 1700. In fact the locals were not property of the host, and often the symbol of the inn remained the same even though its position had changed. The actual location of the Hostaria dates back to 1652, when host Domenico Simoncini decides to place the inn in Via de’ Fusari. And what about the origin of its name? It is well known that almost any kind of object could appear on a sign, it is enough to think about bells, keys, crowns, and hats, like in this case, that we are used to see on almost every Italian tavern banner. The hat of the Osteria Bolognese, rich of ribbons, was clearly linked to the Church, since it could represent the one of a prior or an archbishop. This particular determinates the colour of the banner, red. This colour had in fact to remind to the clergy their willingness to drop their own blood for the Church. Moreover, in the 15th Century Bologna’s bishop Niccolò Albergati had already stated the importance of this very tavern, also used as the only place, at the time located outside the city’s walls, where the Jews who happened to pass from the city could stay. In 1712 the Bolognese engraver Giuseppe Maria Mitelli included the Hostaria in the “Giuoco nuovo di tutte le osterie che sono in Bologna”, with the same logo as nowadays. The sign of the tavern in the game occupies the box #41, followed by the description of the tavern as a place where it is possible to eat “good partridges” finely larded, together with “croutons”. The Osteria Del Cappello is the only inn of this old game to be still in activity in Bologna, together with the Osteria del Sole.