An enchanted place out of time: the Archiginnasio in Bologna and its anatomical theatre.

Considered one of the most important palaces in the city and the historical seat of the Alma Mater until 1803, the Archiginnasio in Bologna was commissioned by Cardinal Borromeo and built based on an idea by architect Morandi between 1562 and 1563.

In the 16th century, with the rise of new academic locations both in Italy and abroad and the consequent increase in competition, the need was felt to revive the prestige of the University, which until then had been fragmented in various parts of the city, by establishing the Archiginnasio as the University headquarter. In the same period, with the aim of urban redevelopment of the city, the Neptune Fountain, the Ospedale della Morte and the Palazzo dei Bianchi were also completed.

The Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio, built in an irregular space and on pre-existing buildings, develops mainly horizontally and its portico consisting of 30 arches overlooks the left side of San Petronio and Piazza Galvani.

The true nucleus of the building is the inner cloister surrounded by a beautiful, spacious loggia arranged on two levels; stylistically, it is influenced by the typical models of university colleges and is reminiscent of the courtyards of the city's noble palaces.

In the center of the courtyard, on the opposite side from the main entrance, on the east side of the complex, is the small chapel of Santa Maria dei Bulgari; this is named after one of Irnerio's four students, the Bulgari jurist, who had his house there. On the ground floor are the rooms once dedicated to professors and caretakers and now occupied by the Academy of Agriculture and the Surgeon's Medical Society.

To the side of the main entrance, the two wide staircases leading to the first floor begin. The grand staircase, on the right, is the one from where the Legisti (law students) ascended. Four recognizable female figures are portrayed there: Faith, Hope, Charity, and Temperance, and it is a tribute dedicated to Carlo Borromeo, cardinal of Bologna at the time the Archiginnasio was built. The other staircase is on the left. is where the Artisti (students of the liberal arts) where a fresco, unfortunately now discolored and partially ruined, in memory of the famous doctor Lazzari can still be seen.

Like the staircases, the interior spaces of the building are also divided according to the discipline studied; on one side were the classrooms of the Legists, on the other those of the Artists. Unfortunately, today it is impossible to access these classrooms that are used as storage for books in the municipal library. These rooms stretch the entire building length and are still adorned with heraldic coats of arms, inscriptions, and plaques that served as reminders of the students' names and backgrounds. For the uninitiated, the Archiginnasio still houses the widest wall collection of insignia and coats of arms in existence.

Also on the upper floor are the two splendid Aule Magne: one for artists, the current reading room of the library, and one for jurists, which is called the Stabat Mater room because the famous Italian composer, Gioacchino Rossini's opera of the same name was first performed there.

Of all that the extraordinary Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio has to offer, the part I have always appreciated most is the anatomical theatre; regal, ancient, and majestic it presented itself to me on my first time in Bologna, in a hot and humid summer of 2000. At 15 years old with the city and with that magical place, almost out of time, it was love at first sight, unaware that I would return there first as a medical student and then as a doctor.

I still have a clear and precise memory of that first visit to the theatre; the guide, who was very knowledgeable, recounted in a very passionate and exciting way, not only the history of the place but also that of anatomical science.

The dissection of corpses was a practice frowned upon and opposed by the Church and in fact prohibited, at least for teaching purposes, until 1200. Around the 14th century at the University of Bologna, where the Pope's personal physicians were trained, direct learning in the field was allowed for the first time for medical students, realizing the scientific importance of better clinical training.

When the anatomical theatre of the Archiginnasio was built in 1600, anatomy lessons were moved here. Thus, in that historical period, the anatomy show was born in Bologna, which also brought aristocrats and clerics to attend the spectacle of public anatomical dissection. In those years, there were in fact many curious people, even foreigners, who went there paying to attend what were in fact real shows. Both the lectures and this type of event, somewhat macabre and grotesque, let's face it, were held between 17 January and Carnival; in fact, in this season, with the cold Bolognese winter, it was easier to preserve the bodies.

The Anatomical Theatre, so called because of its characteristic amphitheater shape, was designed in 1637 by architect Paolucci and was built entirely of fir wood so as to absorb odors. The statues decorating the room are on two levels and represent famous names from the medical and anatomical world. The twelve sculptures, also made of wood, positioned on the lower level, are full-length because they represent eminent doctors who have made the history of the discipline (Galen, Hippocrates, Malpighi, Mondino, Tagliacozzo), while those placed at the top, half-length, represent minor figures in anatomy and medicine.

At the end of the room, on the 'short' side, you can see the chair of the professor who lectured, reading books that explained how to carry out organ dissection operations. The actual incision and extraction was the task of a prearranged person, the demonstrator, who sat in the chair below the professor's position. In the center of the room was the table, the only marble and not wooden element in the room, where the corpse to be dissected was placed. Starting with the stomach and ending with the brain, the lessons were often very long with the lecturers dwelling on all the details of the various organs examined, making it a real spectacle even for the audience.

The Reader's (or Professor's) Chair is still topped by a wooden canopy on which sits a female figure allegorically representing anatomy. The supporting columns appear very peculiar and cannot fail to intrigue the visitor; these are called 'di Spellati' because they depict two naked, skinless men with contracted muscles and were made of linden wood from ceroplasty by Ercole Lelli University.

At the top of the room, there was a secret window from which a representative of the Inquisition controlled what was said during the lectures to prevent statements contrary to Church dogma from being made. The lectures, in fact, although permitted, had very precise rules. The bodies used for the lectures, for example, were exclusively those of executed persons condemned to death or, at most, outsiders so as to minimize disrespect for the dead.

The wooden, coffered ceiling, built-in 1645 by Antonio Levanti, depicts a starry sky with fourteen constellations and in the center the figure of Apollo, protector, and God of the Medical Arts. This theme was intended to emphasize the closeness that existed between astrology and medicine in those times, influenced by the Arab tradition; before an operation, the stars were often consulted and every part of the body was under the protection of a specific astrological sign.

In 1944, during a World War II bombing, the Archiginnasio with its anatomical theatre was in danger of being completely destroyed and suffered extensive damage. Luckily, the statues and coats of arms were miraculously saved and the reconstruction, according to the original design, was possible. Fortunately, it is still possible to visit and admire this splendid artistic jewel where time seems to have stood still, allowing even young doctors like me to take inspiration and learn about the history of medical art.