In Bologna, the Archiginnasio Palace, a splendid 16th-century building constructed to unify all the university campuses, is the cultural heart of a city that houses the first university in the Western world, the largest heraldic archive, and the world’s most beautiful anatomical theatre.

Founded in 1088, the oldest continuously operating university in the Western world, it began as a free association of students who paid professors for their education, which is why the coats of arms of those who attended are preserved there.

Bononia Docet, Mater Studiorum.

A palace hymn to the Bolognese Renaissance

The palace as we see it today was built between 1562 and 1563 at the behest of Cardinal Borromeo. Bologna was the second city of the Papal States for centuries, with a specific goal: to provide a single home for the University of Bologna, which until then had held its classes in various locations.

As soon as you enter the main door, you’re greeted by a majestic courtyard with a breathtaking double loggia. The architecture is a hymn to the Bolognese Renaissance, but it’s only when you look up that you discover the palace’s true visual treasure.

The largest heraldic collection in the world

The walls, ceilings, and vaults of the Archiginnasio are entirely covered with over 6,000 student coats of arms. Each coat of arms tells the story of a young scholar who, centuries ago, chose Bologna for his education.

A tradition that came to an abrupt end in 1797 when Napoleon’s troops entered Bologna and, with the establishment of the Cisalpine Republic, the symbols of the feudal, noble, and heraldic past became illegal.

The most beautiful anatomical theater in the world

The Anatomical Theater is an absolute masterpiece of art. Designed in 1637 by Bolognese architect Antonio Levanti, it is a room entirely carved from fir wood.

• The Marble Table: In the center of the room stands the white table where autopsies were performed. Around it, the student desks are arranged in a circle, allowing everyone to observe the secrets of the human body.
• The “Spellati”: Supporting the canopy of the lecturer’s desk are the famous statues of the “Spellati,” two male figures sculpted with naked muscles, a masterpiece of anatomy and art by Ercole Lelli.
• The Astrological Ceiling: The coffered ceiling is decorated with constellations. At the time, it was believed that the stars influenced the parts of the human body: medicine and astrology dance together here under a wooden sky.

During the bombings of 1944, the Anatomical Theater was almost completely destroyed. What we see today is a miraculous restoration that used all the original pieces recovered from the rubble.

The Stabat Mater Hall

There is another magnificent room in the palace, the Aula Magna dei Legisti, today known as the Stabat Mater Hall. Its name derives from a memorable social event: on March 18, 1842, within these sumptuous and book-filled walls, Gioachino Rossini conducted the first Italian performance of his masterpiece, the Stabat Mater, before the eyes of a young Gaetano Donizetti.

The room features a monument to Cardinal Legate Fabrizio Savelli (1648), with a double-headed eagle, a reminder of the cardinal’s patronage of Germany.

Entering this room with one’s coat of arms was the height of glory. Here we find the coats of arms of the most illustrious patrons, cardinal legates, and students of royal or princely families.

In 1803, the University was moved from the Archiginnasio to Palazzo Poggi, where it remains today. This move marked the definitive end of the palace’s “educational” function, which first became the seat of secondary schools and then, from 1838, the majestic Municipal Library we admire today.

The Secret

When a student committed a serious crime or, worse, was convicted of heresy by the Inquisition (which, as we’ve said, closely monitored the University), the Municipality and the Church ordered their coat of arms to be scratched or covered.

Useful Info

Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio
Piazza Luigi Galvani 1
40124 Bologna
Tel. +39 051 2196611

Ticket: with guided tour or audio guide, €10