Palazzo Carmi

Palazzo Carmi stands in an area deeply linked to the religious and cultural history of the city.
Indeed, the Church of Santo Spirito was located here, built in 1551 - a complex of great significance that housed a rich library and an elegant cloistered courtyard annexed to the church, witnessing the spiritual and intellectual vitality of the site.
In 1783, amid a climate of profound urban and institutional transformations, the church was demolished.

It was only in the mid-19th century that the area found a new configuration: in 1849, the construction of the current palace began based on a design by the Reggiano architect Pietro Marchelli (1806–1874), a prominent figure in the city's architectural scene, who worked on commission for the Carmi brothers.
During the twentieth century, the building underwent several structural interventions, necessary to adapt it to new uses and the functional requirements of the time, while maintaining its role as a representative landmark within the urban fabric.

Now, Palazzo Carmi houses the Reggio Emilia branch of the State Archives, guardian of a documentary heritage of extraordinary value.
The ancient documents preserved inside the palace constitute an essential source for studying the history of Reggio Emilia, recounting centuries of the city's administrative, social, and cultural life.