Aula Scarpa, Neoclassical university lecture hall in Pavia, Italy.
Aula Scarpa is a neoclassical lecture hall at the University of Pavia with a semicircular layout, five arched windows, and marble busts of professors positioned in niches along the curved wall. The room features elevated seating rows that allowed students to observe anatomical demonstrations and lectures from different viewpoints.
The space was designed in 1785 by Leopoldo Pollack as an anatomical theater after original plans by Giuseppe Piermarini were rejected by Emperor Joseph II. Accepting a new design marked an important shift in how medical education was shaped at this university.
The name comes from the architect who shaped medical teaching here around the turn of the 19th century, and the entire room design speaks to that mission. The wall decorations depict medicine and surgery, showing how completely this space was devoted to training future physicians.
The lecture hall is part of the university and located in Pavia's historic center, making it easily accessible on foot. Check in advance whether guided tours are available, since the space remains in active use.
The walls display frescoes with urns and winged figures holding surgical instruments, an unusual blend of classical style and medical purpose. These symbolic images are often overlooked even though they play an important role in the visual language of the space.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
