Medieval Civic Museum, Art museum in Palazzo Ghislardi Fava, Bologna, Italy
The Medieval Civic Museum occupies the Palazzo Ghislardi Fava and displays medieval works including weapons, stone carvings, ceramics, and applied arts across several connected rooms. The spaces are arranged to guide visitors through different categories of objects and materials.
The museum was established in 1985 and grew from two important private collections gathered by Marquis Ferdinando Cospi and General Luigi Ferdinando Marsili over many decades. These two collections provided the foundation for the current holdings.
The collection displays monumental tombs of university professors alongside illuminated manuscripts and guild documents from several centuries. These items reflect how strongly the university and craft guilds shaped the city's character and daily life.
The museum is located in the city center and can be easily reached on foot, with direct access from the street. Plan enough time to move through the rooms at a relaxed pace and look closely at the objects on display.
A gilded copper statue of Pope Boniface VIII, created by Manno Bandini da Siena around 1301, serves as a memorial to the resolution of conflicts between Bologna and Ferrara. This statue is among the rare surviving works of art from this early medieval period.
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