COLLEGIO’S PALACE

The sixteenth-century building of the Collegio is located in the historic centre of Pavia and is just a few dozen metres from the University headquarters and the humanities faculties. Its central elements are the suggestive four-sided portico on the ground floor and the large corridor on the first floor (called Quadrato), on which the students’ rooms open out. The chapel, completed in the early 17th century, is also very interesting and can be reached through the frescoed hall dedicated to Saint Pio.

One of the great treasures of the Collegio is undoubtedly its Library, which still holds the books bought by the founding pope. Over the centuries it has been constantly enriched, also thanks to numerous bequests from benefactors, and today with almost 130,000 volumes it is one of the largest private libraries in northern Italy.

The Collegio also has numerous classrooms for courses, seminars, conferences and provides students with various common areas for recreation and study.

In 2002 the Aula Magna of the Collegio Ghislieri was inaugurated in the ancient church of San Francesco da Paola which overlooks Piazza Ghislieri and has become the venue for numerous cultural activities and Ghislierimusica concerts.