Bologna, 17 June 2024 – An exceptional event. The Royal College of Spainnormally closed to the public, opens Thursday 20 June from 11am to midnight its historic door to celebrate the 660th year since its foundation. The people of Bologna have always thought that behind the palace and the greenery of the garden in via Collegio di Spagna there was a magical place. And that’s how it is. Now, thanks to the will of the rector Juan José Gutiérrez Alonso, this beauty can be shared with visitors.
The College is, in fact, one of the most private places in Bologna, occupied by college students who come from Spain to follow master’s degrees at our University. He came founded in 1364 from the Cardinal Egidio Albornoz who, in addition to purchasing the headquarters (still the same today), also bought other properties, with the proceeds of which the College could self-finance And keep young people to postgraduate studies. The palace is worthy of great charm and interest both from an architectural and artistic point of view, and has been the subject of numerous studies in this regard; among the most recent, those of S. Frommel.
It was built by the architect Matteo Gattapone from Gubbio, and the first rector was Alvaro Martinez, elected by the collegiate members according to the statute. So they can visit the cloister, the church, the garden, the music room, the university hall and the internal rooms.
The College lives for the collegians, also called bolonioscreating a second home for them: so much so every day the Rector has lunch with them and personally follows their studies, concerns and problems. For a few years they have become part of the collegians girls tooan absolute novelty and a positive sign of female emancipation.
Very important people from institutions are often invited, such as former prime minister Mario Draghior the world of culture, as one Chinese delegation in 2015, and conferences and relations are held with the various departments of Unibo. To demonstrate how the College is always in touch with today’s reality.
There is no shortage of visits from exes bolonios which, because of the prestigious careers that they followed, return not only to remember their university moments, but also as representatives of important positions. On Thursday, visitors will realize the charm of the place and will be led by the students themselves who, for the occasion, become ‘ciceroni’. Visits last an hour.
Info to register: booking.realecollegiospagna.it. Entry is free.
