Palazzo Davia Bargellini, Renaissance museum and palace on Strada Maggiore, Bologna, Italy
The Palazzo Davia Bargellini is a Renaissance palace on Strada Maggiore featuring two large stone sculptures by Gabriele Brunelli and Francesco Agnesini flanking the main entrance. The building now houses a museum displaying paintings, furnishings, and decorative arts spanning multiple centuries.
Construction began in 1638 when Camillo Bargellini commissioned the palace, with Bartolomeo Provaglia leading the architectural work until 1658. This two-decade building process reflects the effort required to create a grand residence for a wealthy family.
The collection includes paintings by artists such as Vitale da Bologna and Simone dei Crocifissi, reflecting the city's artistic traditions. Works on display show how local painters portrayed their world across different periods.
The palace sits on a main street in the city center and is easily walkable from downtown Bologna. The surrounding neighborhood has many other attractions within walking distance, making it simple to combine this visit with other sites.
The museum preserves an 18th-century puppet stage and a scale model of a typical Bolognese house from the same period. These miniature works reveal details of daily life and furnishings that are rarely seen in this form today.
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