Founded in the early 19th century as a collection of works from the Academy of Fine Arts, the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna today preserves some of the most famous examples of Emilian pictorial art and those who came into contact with it between the 13th and 18th centuries.
Located a short distance from the famous Two Towers, the Pinacoteca di Bologna was created inside what was the 17th-century Jesuit Novitiate of Sant'Ignazio, a space intended to welcome young aspiring members of the Society of Jesus.
The building, in addition to housing the Pinacoteca Bologna, is currently also home to the Academy of Fine Arts and the Superintendency for Historical, Artistic and Ethno-anthropological Heritage: a true center for the conservation, exhibition and protection of the historical and artistic heritage of the region and beyond.
If you're wondering what to see in Bologna during your visit and you love art, we recommend including the Pinacoteca Nazionale Bologna on your tour.
Bologna National Art Gallery: the origins
The Pinacoteca di Bologna stands on the ruins of what was formerly the Accademia Clementina, a dedicated art section of the Institute of Sciences. Its first collection of works is attributed to Monsignor Giacomo Zambeccari, who purchased eight panels dating back to the early 16th century, which until then had been kept in the church of Santa Maria Maddalena.
In the following years, another dozen panels and icons of Byzantine origin were purchased for the specific purpose of enriching the Academy's collection.
Bologna Art Gallery and the Academy of Fine Arts Gallery
The nineteenth century was one of the historical periods of greatest expansion of the collection that can be admired today inside the museum of the National Art Gallery of Bologna .
Following the arrival of Napoleon's troops in the city, the fall of the papal regime led to the suppression of numerous churches and convents, whose works were, by order of the Bolognese Senate, gathered into a single collection. The accumulated paintings, nearly a thousand in number, were initially stored in the former Convent of San Vitale and remained there until 1802, when they were transferred to the newly established Picture Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts.
Its history between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
During the first half of the nineteenth century, the Pinacoteca of Bologna underwent an intense expansion project which resulted in theinclusion of the chapel of the Convent, in the vault of whose ceiling it is still possible to admire the fresco of The Glory of Saint Ignatius.
However, it was only in 1875 that the works contained in the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna were made accessible to the public. Just a few years later, the then Quadreria became an autonomous structure, separate from the Academy.
Various other expansion projects at the Pinacoteca Bologna were carried out throughout the twentieth century: from the construction of a new wing at the beginning of the century, to the design of the Salone del Rinascimento in the late 1960s, up to the complete renovation in the late 1990s, the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna currently represents one of the most important Italian art galleries.
The works of the collection of the National Art Gallery of Bologna
Consisting of over thirty rooms, the exhibition itinerary at the Pinacoteca Nazionale Bologna begins with historical testimonies from the fourteenth century and extends to eighteenth-century works.
Among the most famous names whose works are on display are Giotto, Raphael, Passerotti and the Carracci brothers, whose artistic spirit resonates with numerous other exponents of Italian painting.
This is why anyone planning a trip to visit Bologna cannot miss seeing such a heritage with their own eyes, which makes the Pinacoteca one of the things to see in Bologna.
Book your visit to the National Art Gallery of Bologna now
Planning a romantic weekend or a trip to Bologna? Let us help you organize a guided tour to discover the city's wonders and choose all the comfort you deserve by booking a room or apartment at theHotel Maggiore.
Contact us to check availability for your chosen dates. You can also book now directly on our website: request a quote tailored to your travel needs for one of our rooms or apartments. Experience Bologna in comfort and relaxation, taking advantage of our property's strategic location and our wide range of thoughtfully designed services
We also recommend you
