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Palazzo Dal Monte

This is one of the few cases in which the portico follows the canons of classical architecture, i.e. quadrangular pillars supporting the portico arch in front of which are extremely tapered columns supporting the lintel. In Bologna, it is more common to find the arch of the portico laid directly on the pillars. The historians' explanation of the exception of this building refers to the year it was built, 1517, when the city had only recently returned to papal dominion after the autonomist interval under the Bentivoglio family.
The client, Panfilio Dal Monte, was a graduate and learned individual dedicated to the classics, while the architect was named as Baldassarre Peruzzi, already working on other construction sites in the city. The details are not documented, but it is certain that the master builder Andrea Marchesi da Formigine was in charge of the construction aspects.
vista di scorcio dell'edificio

The building was inspired by the Roman triumphal arches and boasted exceptionally accurate Vitruvian proportions, resulting in an unusual façade design. It is therefore possible that the creator was actually Peruzzi, a leading figure of the Italian Renaissance era. The portal and balcony date back to the 18th century expansion and redecoration works, when the property was passed on to the Monari family, who also carried out internal interventions between 1782 and 1787.Today, it is one of the University of Bologna hubs and is also used for private purposes. 

 

Sources

F. Ceccarelli, D. Pascale Guidotti Magnani, Il portico bolognese. Storia, architettura, città, Bologna, Bononia University Press, 2021, p. 117.

Photo: 1Cinquantesimo