The Archiginnasio Palace was built between 1562 and 1563 at the request of the Papal Legate of Bologna, Cardinal Carlo Borromeo and Vice-legate Pier Donato Cesi. It was a project of Bologna’s architect Antonio Morandi, entitled Terribilia.
The external part of the building consists of a long portico made of 30 arches which spreads over two internal floors around a central courtyard with a double row of loggias. Two large staircases lead up to the upper floor, where there are rooms located at the two ends of the buildings, as well as ten classrooms which are currently being used as book deposits of the library and so unfortunately cannot be visited. There is a room which was dedicated to artists; now used as a reading room which is now a reading room in the library, as well as one for the Legists (former law students), called the Sala dello Stabat Mater.
At the end of your visit, you will be invited to a typical tavern to try a tasty Bolognese ‘Ranocchi’ accompanied by mortadella (Italian sausage) and tigelle (typical bread) and paired with typical wines of the Emilia-Romagna region.
Guided visit
Pick-up and drop-off service
