Palazzo Manzoni, Historical palace in Piazza Morlacchi, Perugia, Italy
Palazzo Manzoni is a three-story building in Piazza Morlacchi featuring a formal facade framed by travertine columns and decorative brick pilasters. The interior contains a barrel-vaulted corridor leading to the main staircase, with a secondary entrance opening to an atrium decorated with 19th-century ornamental details.
Construction of this building took place between 1681 and 1703 under the Aureli family, who consolidated several earlier structures including a 15th-century house and Palazzo Saracini into one unified work. The University of Perugia acquired the property in 1960 and converted it into academic space for the Department of Letters and Languages.
Inside the palace, a room on the upper floor displays early 17th-century frescoes depicting literary scenes, now part of the Art History Department. These painted walls create an atmosphere that blends scholarly work with Renaissance artistic traditions.
The building remains an active university facility with spaces dedicated to teaching and research, so visitor access to certain areas may be limited. It is best to plan a visit during quieter times and check ahead to learn which rooms or corridors are open to the public.
A distinctive feature is the barrel-vaulted corridor that guides visitors from the entrance toward the main staircase, creating an unexpected spatial flow through the building. Few notice how this architectural choice subtly shapes the experience of moving through the palace in a way that feels almost choreographed.
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