History
Built as the new prestigious headquarters of the Compagnia degli Strazzaroli, replacing its smaller former seat located nearby, construction was commissioned in 1485 and entrusted to the master builder Giovanni Piccinini from Como. He was instructed to follow the model of the then Domus Aurea of the Bentivoglio family, de facto rulers of Bologna. The façade was completed in 1496.
From that moment, and for the following three centuries, the Palace became the administrative, commercial, and representative headquarters of the Drappieri, so called for their main activity of reworking old fabrics (drapes and rags, hence the vernacular term strazzaroli) and selling them as new. The wealth achieved by the Compagnia gradually allowed it to gain prestige in the city and to renovate its headquarters with artistic commissions and expansions of the interior spaces, making the building—overlooking the very centres of their trade (Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and what is now Via Rizzoli, then known as Mercato di Mezzo)—increasingly imposing.
At the end of the 18th century, with the arrival of Napoleon’s troops in Italy, the Palace suffered the same fate as many other artistic and religious institutions, with the suppression of the companies and the confiscation of all assets.
In 1801, the building was divided among the former members of the Council (the governing body), and the individual units were fragmented. Gaetano Manini, a highly skilled ironworker, gradually acquired various parts, transforming the noble floor into the first headquarters of the renowned Hotel Brun (clickable curiosity).
In 1846, Manini sold his shares to the esteemed Bolognese doctor Gioacchino Malaguti, who repurchased the entire building thanks to his economic prosperity. In 1925, Malaguti’s heirs sold the Palace to Mrs. Laura Francia in Monetti.
Art
In the heart of Bologna, Palazzo degli Strazzaroli preserves centuries of creativity and patronage. The rich and varied artistic commissions of the historic Compagnia transformed this building into a true treasure trove of art, where styles, eras, and influences intertwine.
From the notable sculptures adorning the façade, to the lost works of Bartolomeo and Tiburzio Passerotti that once decorated the Chapel, to the still-existing decorations by Girolamo da Cotignola, Antonio Basoli, and Vincenzo Martinelli, and up to the works of Mario Roversi and other masters, every space tells a story of history, beauty, and passion.
Frescoes on the Piano Nobile
Sculptures and
Decorations
Anecdotes
Palazzo degli Strazzaroli is not just a building, but a silent witness to Bolognese life through the centuries. Every corner holds a trace, a detail, a fragment of memory that still speaks to us today.
Anecdotes
In the twentieth century, the palace experienced moments that bound it inseparably to the city's life. Here stood the Bar Nazionale, a meeting place for Bologna’s university bohemians and a cradle of creativity. It was frequented by the poet Dino Campana, who wrote part of his Canti Orfici within these walls, and by the young painter Giorgio Morandi, destined to become one of the great masters of twentieth-century Italian art.
For a brief yet intense period (1919–1920), the palace also served as the headquarters of Bologna F.C. it was here that the season took shape, leading to the club’s first championship title under coach Hermann Felsner.
Since 1963, the palace has been home to one of the first and most historic Feltrinelli bookstores. More than just a bookshop, it became a symbolic place of the city’s social life and a cultural laboratory, always at the forefront of the Italian scene. Still today, it remains a landmark for generations of readers and citizens.
