Palazzo Fantuzzi, Bologna

Detail of the sculpted coat of arms with elephant.

The Palazzo Fantuzzi is a monumental Renaissance style palace located on Via San Vitale number 23 in central Bologna, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The palace is also known as the Palazzo degli Elefanti for its sculpted decoration, and it stands near the church of Santi Vitale e Agricola.

History

While attributed by some to Sebastiano Serlio or Baldassare Peruzzi, the palace was designed in 1517 by Andrea da Formigine.[1] The facade with the ashlar columns was commissioned in 1521 by Francesco Fantuzzi; the carved elephants with towers above the corner niches refer to the senatorial family coat of arms. The coat of arms was a pun on the ele-fantuzzi family.[2]

The interior courtyard has a monumental Baroque staircase designed in 1680 by Paolo Canali. The statuary at the top of the stairs is by Gabriele Bunelli. The piano nobile has a room painted with quadratura (1684) by Francesco Galli Bibiena and other rooms were frescoed by Angelo Michele Colonna.[3] Part of the palace is now used for exhibitions.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Emilia Romagna, by the Touring Club Italiano, Touring editore srl, 1991, page 191.
  2. ↑ Via San Vitale, Palazzo Fantuzzi: un abuso edilizio del Rinascimento bolognese, by Noemi Di Leonardo, Bologna Today, 23 September 2013.
  3. ↑ Biblioteca Salaborsa entry for palace.
  4. ↑ Bologna Today article.

Coordinates: 44°29′39″N 11°21′01″E / 44.494281°N 11.350275°E / 44.494281; 11.350275

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