Pinacoteca Nazionale

At one time, the porticoed building that today houses the Pinacoteca Nazionale Art Gallery, together with the rooms of the Academy of Fine Arts, constituted the Jesuit Novitiate of Sant'Ignazio. The complex was built by Alfonso Torreggiani between 1728 and 1735.
In the early 20th century, during the directorship of Francesco Malaguzzi Valeri, Edoardo Collamarini designed the plans for a considerable expansion of the spaces, now visible on the non-porticoed east-facing side.
Between 1957 and 1973 the Art Gallery part underwent a layout overhaul by the architect and artist Leone Pancaldi, who was brought in by Cesare Gnudi to modernise the Museum rooms in line with the principles of contemporary museography. Traces of the previous uses remain in the access stairwell, once a chapel, whose ceiling houses a spectacular Glory of Saint Ignatius by Giuseppe Barbieri.
In the 80s and 90s the complex was further renovated and enhanced with new spaces for teaching rooms.
The Pinacoteca Nazionale of Bologna preserves key examples of Emilian painting between the 13th and 18th centuries, as well as works by Giotto, Raphael, Titian, Tintoretto and a wooden model attributed to Bernini.