...del Grano, one of the two market squares, this palace built
as headquarters of the University of Pîsa. Until then, classes
were held at the professor’s homes or in convents.
When this palace was built, the University had already a fairly long history. It had been established in the 12th century with the law teaching and the later addition of that of medicine. The college was reformed with a papal bull in 1343 and recognized equivalent to those of Paris and Bologna. The fate of the college is naturally tied to that of the city, and so with the florentine conquest of Pisa the institution declined. Lorenzo’s initiative excepted, a hundred years-long time of darkness follows, so much so that in 1535 it was deliberated that the college be closed for lack of teachers and facilities.
We have to wait for Cosimo I, the rebirth of the University being part of his overall political scheme intending to give new life to a city prostrated by war, illness and reduced to a few thousand souls. He imparted a new system to the college, induced many students to move to Pisa from other cities, founded a college for meritorious students - in other words, in a short time the pisan college became the main one in the State, even surpassing that of Florence.
When this palace was built, the University had already a fairly long history. It had been established in the 12th century with the law teaching and the later addition of that of medicine. The college was reformed with a papal bull in 1343 and recognized equivalent to those of Paris and Bologna. The fate of the college is naturally tied to that of the city, and so with the florentine conquest of Pisa the institution declined. Lorenzo’s initiative excepted, a hundred years-long time of darkness follows, so much so that in 1535 it was deliberated that the college be closed for lack of teachers and facilities.
We have to wait for Cosimo I, the rebirth of the University being part of his overall political scheme intending to give new life to a city prostrated by war, illness and reduced to a few thousand souls. He imparted a new system to the college, induced many students to move to Pisa from other cities, founded a college for meritorious students - in other words, in a short time the pisan college became the main one in the State, even surpassing that of Florence.
