Hotels near Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre

The Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio (Piazza Galvani 1) was the seat of the University of Bologna from 1563 to 1803 and contains one of the most extraordinary rooms in Italy: the Anatomical Theatre (Teatro Anatomico), a 17th-century wooden lecture hall where human dissection was publicly performed. The room is entirely lined with carved cedar wood - anatomical figures, heraldic shields, portraits of famous anatomists - with a professorial chair canopied by a carved skin-flayed cadaver. It was partially destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944 and meticulously reconstructed using original plans.

Entry to the Anatomical Theatre is 3 EUR; the building's cortile (courtyard) and the wall of student coat-of-arms inscriptions are free. Book online (archiginnasio.bo.it) as daily capacity is strictly limited. The building is open Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Pro Tip: Spend 20 minutes in the Archiginnasio courtyard before your Anatomical Theatre slot - the two-storey portico covered in student family crests (stemmi degli studenti) going back centuries is genuinely fascinating as a record of who studied here. The coats of arms line every wall and pillar of the courtyard.