Discover the University's treasures
In 1753 the University and City Library - "Pubblica Libraria" - was opened in Ferrara, in the Palazzo Paradiso, which at the time was the only seat of the University schools, and which today is the Ariostea Municipal Library. In the following decades, its collections were significantly enriched thanks to the seizing of library collections from abolished religious institutions and bequests from private donors.
In 1862 , the administration and management of the library was passed entirely to the City Council, although its users were still primarily students and professors.
The university gradually left Palazzo Paradiso, establishing its faculties in other historical palaces that were equally prestigious, scattered around the city of Ferrara. However, the majority of the library heritage of the university library remained at the Municipal Library, and we can see the evidence in the many books there still bearing the university stamp.
The volumes transferred from the "Libraria" form the nucleus of the historical collections of the present day Unife libraries.
Special collections

Human Anatomy
Collection

Historical Library of the Sant'Anna Central Hospital of Ferrara

Evolutionary Biology Collection

Botany Collection

Chemistry Collection

Economics Collection

Physics Collection

Literature and Philosophy Collection

Mathematics Collection

Legal Sciences Collection

Earth Sciences Collection

Carlo Savonuzzi Archival Collection
The palaces and the libraries

Palazzo Bevilacqua-Costabili (1458)
Economics Library

Palazzo Trotti-Mosti (1493)
Law Library

Ex-Convent of S. Maria delle Grazie (1501)
Chemistry and Biology Library

Palazzo Tassoni Estense (1482)
Architecture Library

Ex-Ferrarese Agricultural Sugar Refinery (1900)
Science and Technology Library

Palazzo Tassoni-Mirogli (1434)
Literature and Philosophy Library

Palazzo Contughi-Gulinelli (1542),
future seat of the Literature and Philosophy Library

Palazzo Turchi-Di Bagno (1492)
Seat of the University Museum System