The Building
The structure was constructed as a hospital in 1722, based on a design by Giuseppe Merenda.
On Merenda’s death, in a partial modification of the initial design, only three of the four planned internal courtyards were built and a monumental staircase was constructed by Raimondo Compagnoni. The current façade dates back to 1827, designed by Giuseppe Pani. In 1848, engineer Giuseppe Cantoni enlarged the establishment with an area dedicated to the ‘exposed’ (orphans) and one for hydrotherapy. The use of the building was redirected to the headquarters of the cultural institutes in 1922, following the construction of a new building for use as a hospital.
The Collections
After hosting the Esposizioni Romagnole Riunite in 1921, the following year the building became the permanent home of the cultural institutes: the ‘Aurelio Saffi’ Library, the ‘Melozzo degli Ambrogi’ Civic Art Gallery, the ‘Benedetto Pergoli’ Ethnographic Museum, and the ‘Albicini’ Armoury. The charming central hall is embellished with large paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries by Guercino, Cagnacci, Cignani and Maratta. One wing of the hall houses the Piancastelli Picture Gallery, an anthology of Romagna painting from the 16th century to the beginnings of Mannerism, with works by Palmezzano, Luca Longhi, Innocenzo da Imola, and Sebastiano Menzocchi.
Currently not open due to renovation works.