It was founded in 1346, as the church of the Servite Community of the Blessed Virgin Mary and was designed by Padre Andrea da Faenza (died 1396). The facade is unfinished with the portico and arcade added in the 15th century. The piazza in front of the basilica was quite small and a wide arcade was able to be built around it, enclosing the entire square. Bologna was noted for the 34 km of arcaded streets at the time. It appears to have been modeled on the arcade built by Brunelleschi at the Hospital of the Innocents (Ospedale degli Innocenti) in Florence. The church was raised to the status of basilica by Pope Pius XII.