BOLOGNA — 1980 · Major Tragedy
The Bologna Station Massacre
At 10:25 on Saturday 2 August 1980, a time bomb hidden in a suitcase exploded in the crowded waiting room of Bologna Central Station. The blast destroyed much of the building, killing 85 people and injuring more than 200. It was the bloodiest attack of Italy's 'Years of Lead'. After long and complex trials, members of an armed neo-fascist group were definitively convicted, and courts found that investigations had been deliberately misdirected for years. In 2025 the Court of Cassation confirmed a further life sentence.
- Date
- 1980
- Place
- Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Bologna, IT
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 44.5060, 11.3430 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2 August 1980A bomb exploded in the waiting room.
- 1995Convictions of neo-fascist militants became final.
- 2020A further defendant was sentenced to life.
- 1 July 2025The Court of Cassation upheld that sentence.
Sources
- Britannica — Bologna train station bombing of 1980 britannica.com ↗
- ANSA — Bologna bombing was 'State massacre' says court ansa.it ↗
- Britannica
- ANSA
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.