Pavia, University

The complex of buildings that host the University is divided in two parts; one dates back to the 15th century and hosted the San Matteo hospital, and another one (Neoclassical) dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and is made up of a sequence of four aligned courtyards.
In 1771 Piermarini - who had been called by the Austrian Government to direct the works for the restructuring of the University buildings – redesigned the face that faces Strada Nuova with clear geometrical lines and the two northern courtyards with a double order of porches with lowered arches, supported by Doric coupled columns.
Entering from the main entrance, you are in the so-called medical courtyard, then move to the legal courtyard, at whose centre is the statue of Alessandro Volta. Along the porches are many tombstones and sculptures of illustrious Pavia-born jurists.

The historic lecture rooms of the University are small architectural gems; in particular the great hall, whose face resembles a Greek temple, with Corinthian columns, a pronaos and a tympanum, on which the Chancellor Alessandro Volta is portrayed while handing over a degree thesis. It is also worth mentioning the Foscolo Hall, dedicated to the famous Italian poet Ugo Foscolo, who was a professor at this University; the Volta Hall, dedicated to the inventor of the electrical cell, and the Scarpa Hall, also known as “anatomical theatre".