The Archiginnasio of Bologna

University of Bologna

Bologna is a very student-friendly city and has been a place of great academic interest for almost a full millennium. University of Bologna is believed to have been founded in the year 1088, and has been awarding degrees ever since. This makes it the oldest university in continuous operation in the world.

The Archiginnasio of Bologna is an important building in Bologna and lies a short walk away from Piazza Maggiore. It was once the headquarters of University of Bologna, before this was moved to Palazzo Poggi at the start of the 19th century. It was built in the 16th century, as a means to gather the various Schools that were previously scattered around town into one place.

There are three main attractions in the Archigginnasio: The Anatomical Theatre, the Stabat Mater Hall, and the Archiginnasio Municipal Library. Only the first two are accessible to visitors - for a modest fee of 3€ - but you can get a glimpse of the library if you know where to look for it.

The Anatomical Theatre

The Anatomical Theatre belonged to the medical school and was used for anatomical lectures. It’s a really impressive room, almost entirely made out of wood, with intricate carvings on both side panels and ceilings, and a white marble dissection table at its centre.

Sadly, the theatre was almost completely destroyed by an air raid during the Second World War. However, the room underwent extensive restoration and was rebuilt using the original pieces recovered from the debris, so much of what we see today is actually part of the original room.

Stabat Mater Hall

This room is basically a large hall with frescoes and books all around.

Make sure to check out the opening in one of the corners. There is a gate there guarding the Archiginnasio Municipal Library, that offers a really nice perspective right through the centre of the library hallway.