Photo: Fabrizio Garrisi, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Historic villa / palace, 17th century
Palazzo Davia Bargellini
Building in Bologna, Italy
Bologna (BO), Emilia-Romagna
At a glance
- Period
- Early modern period, 17th century
- Style
- Renaissance architecture
- Architect
- Bartolomeo Provaglia
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 44°29′32″ N, 11°21′07″ E
- Address
- strada Maggiore, 44
History and description
The Palazzo Davìa Bargellini is a Baroque style palace located on Strada Maggiore in central Bologna, Italy. It presently hosts the Civic Museum of Industrial art and Davìa Bargellini Gallery, which is an eclectic collection of paintings as well as applied arts and functional ornamentation, described as curiosities of the old Bologna. The diverse applied art collection includes ceramics, liturgical robes, keys, ornamental door knobs, marionettes from street theaters, furniture, iron grille work, elaborately carved wooden frame, and a gilded carriage.
Palace
Construction of the palace was commissioned in 1638 by Camillo Bargellini of a Bolognese Senatorial family. The architect was Bartolomeo Provaglia, and building was directed by Antonio Uri. A notable feature of the palace entrance are the two flanking telamons, locally called giganti or giants. These were sculpted in 1658 by Gabriele Brunelli and Francesco Agnesini. The scenic entrance stairwell was designed in 1730 by Carlo Francesco Dotti and Alfonso Torregiani.
After a feud between the Bargellini family and the Ariosto family in the late 17th century, that led to both families' extinction, the Davìa family inherited the name, property and money of the Bargellini. In 1839–1874, the Davìa family occupied the palace. The last member left everything to public institutions.
The idea of a museum was forwarded in 1924 by the then owner and Superintendent of Galleries, Francesco Malaguzzi Valeri, in part to display the collection of paintings assembled by the Davìa Bargellini families, and his personal collection of applied art. It became a "Museum of "Industrial Art".
Collections
The painting collection is varied and includes works from medieval age through the 19th century, from icons to portrait miniatures. Artists represented include Vitale da Bologna with a Madonna dei Denti, Simone dei Crocifissi with a Pietà con Giovanni da Elthinl (1368), Cristoforo da Bologna with a Madonna and Child, Jacopo di Paolo with a St John the Baptist, and Michele di Matteo with a St John the Evangelist. Other artists in the collection include Marcantonio Franceschini, Bartolomeo Cesi, Alessandro Tiarini, Prospero Fontana and his daughter Lavinia, Giuseppe Maria Crespi and his son Luigi. There are portraits of the Bargellini family by Bartolomeo Passerotti.
Among the sculpture represented is the bust of Virgilio Bargellini by Vincenzo Onofri, statuettes by Giuseppe Maria Mazza and Angelo Gabriello Piò, and the rich collection of figures for presespi (crèches).
The Berlin-type carriage likely had more than one owner, and while engraved with the heraldic shield of Filippo de Angelis (1792–1872), it likely previously belonged to the Pepoli family.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Palazzo Davia Bargellini».
Timeline
- 17th centuryBuilt
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Bologna ZanoliniTrain, nearest
900 m as the crow flies
Palazzo Davia Bargellinistrada Maggiore, 44
Aeroporto di Bologna "Guglielmo Marconi"6.9 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore historic villas and palaces in Emilia-Romagna
- Free 1st Sunday
Frequently asked questions
Where is Palazzo Davia Bargellini?
Palazzo Davia Bargellini is in Bologna, in the province of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. Address: strada Maggiore, 44. GPS coordinates: 44.49226, 11.35189.
How old is Palazzo Davia Bargellini?
Wikidata dates it to the 17th century.
What else is there to see near Palazzo Davia Bargellini?
Nearby you’ll find: Davia Bargellini Museum (0 m away), Torre degli Oseletti (100 m away), Palazzo Sanguinetti (100 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Palazzo Bargellini, Bologna — Fabrizio Garrisi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bologna Palazzo Davia Bargellini 313 — GFreihalter, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Davia Bargellini 1 — Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net )., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Davia-Bargellini dietro al portico di Santa Maria dei Servi. - panoramio — Carlo Pelagalli, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bologne palazzo bargellini atlantes — Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- DSC 0166Museo civico d'arte industriale Davia Bargellini — Anita.malina, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Telamoni di palazzo Bargellini — Fabrizio Garrisi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- DSC04689-01-01 — Maretta Angelini, CC BY-SA 4.0
- IT-BO-Bologna032 — Szeder László, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences