THE PALACE HISTORY

The Archiginnasio palace was constructed between 1562 and 1563 as desired by the Papal Legate of Bologna, Cardinal Carlo Borromeo and Vice-legate Pier Donato Cesi, by the project of Bologna’s architect Antonio Morandi called Terribilia. The purpose of the operation, during the cultural climate of the Council of Trent, was that to give a unit seat to the university teaching until then dispersed in various seats.
The external portion of the palace is presented by a long portico of 30 arches and is pronounced in two internal floors around a central courtyard with a double order of loggias.
Two grand staircases lead to the floor above that presents 10 scholastic lecture halls (today they are not able to been visited, as they hold the principle books deposits of the library) and two home lecture halls located at the two ends of the building, one for the Artists (today Reading Hall of the Library) and one for the Legisti (Ancient Law students) (Sala dello Stabat Mater).
The sides of the rooms, the vaults of the grand staircases, and of the open galleries are decorated with inscriptions and monuments commemorating the masters of the ancient university and thousands coats of arms and students names.
The building’s university function ceased in 1803; from 1838, after being for a few years a primary school, is the seat of the Library. At the ground level some of the antique lecture rooms are occupied by the Società Medica Chirurgica and by the Accademia di Agricoltura.

To know more you may consult:

L'Archiginnasio. L'Università, il Palazzo, la Biblioteca, Bologna, Credito Romagnolo, 1987.
L'Archiginnasio di Bologna: da Università a Biblioteca, Videocassetta a cura di V. Roncuzzi, S. Saccone, M. Grandi. Collana "Un museo nel museo", IREService Coop, 1993, 33'.