The Palazzo Fava Ghisilieri in Bologna is a medieval building that came into the hands of the powerful Fava family in the mid-16th century. Today it is used as an exhibition space, but its main attraction is still formed by some fresco cycles by the Carracci brothers. The building s also known as Palazzo delle Esposizioni.
Palazzo Fava Ghisilieri Bologna
Useful information
Address: Via Manzoni, 2 – 40121 Bologna (Tel: +39 051 19936305). Opening hours: From Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00. Closed: Monday. The Card Musei Metropolitani is valid.
History and description
The Palazzo Fava only acquired its current form when the family of that name took possession of it in 1546. It is not certain who the original architect was, although it may have been Francesco Morandi (nicknamed il Terribilia).
In 1584 Filippo Fava commissioned the brothers Ludovico, Agostino and Annibale Caracci to fresco some of the rooms on the belvedere floor. This was the first major commission the brothers received. They painted one cycle featuring the mythological figures Jason and Medea and a second one highlighting events in the life of the Trojan hero Aeneas.
In 2007, work began on restoring the palace, with the collaboration of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, among others. Nowadays, the building is generally referred to as Palazzo delle Esposizioni.