Palazzo del Convitto

History

From a medieval city that did not know the reality of a "corso", perhaps only that of the square, to a city that managed through demolitions to equip itself with wide and main streets, the step was decisive, but behind it there was a whole culture that was anxiously trying to project itself forward, even at the cost of enormous financial sacrifices.

From the period immediately following the founding of L'Aquila until the 19th century, the urban block between Piazza del Palazzo and Corso Vittorio Emanuele was under the control of the Franciscan Order, which built the Church of San Francesco a Palazzo with an adjoining convent; the latter became particularly notable between the 14th and 15th century when it hosted religious and humanistic figures of the time, such as James of the Marches and, above all, Bernardino of Siena, who stayed there until his death on 20 May 1444.

The historical events that led to the construction of the Palazzo del Convitto are quite complex and originate in 1816 with the establishment of the Royal College of the Three Abruzzi (later Liceo Ginnasio Domenico Cotugno), whose headquarters were established within the Franciscan complex, which had been left unused due to the suppression of religious orders.

In the mid-19th century, the draining of Lake Fucine and the unification of Italy altered the geopolitical landscape of Abruzzo, and L'Aquila suddenly found itself in a marginal position relative to the main transportation and commercial routes of Central Italy. This situation prompted Mayor Fabio Cannella to seek reassurances from the central government, including the stabilization of the Royal Lyceum and its transformation into a state university. …

Description

The Palazzo del Convitto is a vast monumental complex located in the Quarto di San Pietro. It occupies the entire block bounded by Piazza del Palazzo and Via Teofilo Patini to the west, by Corso Principe Umberto to the north, by Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the east, and by Via Sallustio to the south; it also constitutes the western "cantonale" of the Quattro Cantoni.

The complex features three facades – facing Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Corso Principe Umberto, and Piazza del Palazzo – all designed in the same Neoclassical style, though built at different times, characterized by a continuous portico and developed over two levels. Two secondary facades face Via Teofilo Patini and Via Sallustio.

The interior, divided into several buildings, includes the Salvatore Tommasi Provincial Library – established in 1842 and considered the main library in Abruzzo, with an estimated collection of 250,000 volumes – and the National Boarding School Domenico Cotugno, which preserves among its rooms the cell of Bernardino of Siena, the only part that survived the demolition of the Convent of San Francesco. Particularly notable is the palace's artistic heritage, including the fresco L'Aquila by Teofilo Patini (1883) located on the vault of the Royal Lyceum's main hall, now called Sala Patini.