San Giorgio Palace

Its origins date nack to XVIIIth century, when Jesuits aimed to establish a college; when the Jesuits were driven out (1773), the building passed to the Regular canons of S.S. Salvatore and was then used for public schools, Archives, Library and Offices. Today it is the site of "Panizzi" Municipal Library.
Reggio Emilia
San Giorgio Palace

Address and contacts

Via Farini, 3 - 42121 Reggio nell'Emilia
Phone 0039 0522 456084 - Panizzi Library
sito web Panizzi Municipal Library
sito web GiraReggio

Opening times

Accessible according to the opening times of the Panizzi Library

Entrance fee

Free entrance

How to get there

Reggio nell'Emilia - Town centre

Historical notes

The building of the palace as is today began in 1701, and for this project many little buildings around main palace were acquired by the Jesuits in order to establish a college and schools of various kinds, active until their abolition in 1773.
It was then taken over by the regular Canons of S.S. Salvatore. When these too were driven out, the building was used for public schools, archives and a library until the restoration of the Estensi family (1814) which allowed the Jesuits to return and re-open their school until 1859 when, as part of the political consequences of the new Italian Kingdom, the palace was handed over to the Municipality. It is now the site of Antonio Panizzi Popular and Municipal Library. The first contains over 35,000 volumes, the second, established in 1796, about 250,000 volumes. Besides a large number of current publications, it also contains numerous manuscripts and incunabula, originating from the Cathedral Capitular Library, and a distinguished collection of ancient prints, engravings and a photographic library (plates, photographs and postcards) numbering more than 15,000 items.