Located in the vibrant heart of Bologna, in Piazza Galvani, the Archiginnasio is one of the most evocative reminders of Bologna’s great academic tradition. Constructed between 1562 and 1563 at the behest of Cardinal Carlo Borromeo and designed by architect Antonio Morandi (known as ‘il Terribilia’), the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio was the first building to house the main seat of the University of Bologna, one of the oldest universities in the world. The walls of this place seem to echo with the voices of the great minds of the past, who would gather here to debate and extend the boundaries of human knowledge.
The Archiginnasio also contains an absolute gem: the Anatomical Theater, built in 1637 by a pupil of Carracci, the Bolognese architect Antonio Paolucci, known as “il Levanti.” This room, which architecturally resembles the structure of an amphitheater, housed aspiring doctors who attended anatomy classes, exploring the mysteries of the human body. Paneled in spruce wood and adorned with statues of illustrious physicians of antiquity, the Anatomical Theater houses Ercole Lelli’s famous sculptures of the ‘Spellati’, skinned human figures displaying intricate muscle and tendon details, executed with ‘surgical’ precision. These figures at the same time also seem to be spectators of the dissections that took place inside this room, as if implying that knowledge is the result of a journey in which, in order to know the Other, it is necessary to strip oneself bare. Thus, the theater has not only a teaching function, but is also steeped in a profound symbolism that celebrates the acquisition of knowledge through study and observation.
Wandering along the corridors of the Archiginnasio and stopping by the Anatomical Theater is like opening a history book filled with discoveries and scientific revolutions, an awe-inspiring experience that will linger in the memories of those fortunate enough to visit it. A place that embodies not only the history of Bologna University but also the intriguing and inexhaustible soul of the city itself.
