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