Visit one of the most important palaces located in the heart of Bologna with an audio guide: the Archiginnasio Palace. Built between 1562 and 1563, the Archiginnasio once housed the headquarters of the ancient university, and is now Bologna's main library. Discover the history of the oldest university in the world and many testimonies of its long and important activity. At the end of the audio tour, enjoy a tasty board of typical cold cuts at the Quadrilatero, Bologna's central market.The external part of the Archiginnasio consists of a long portico made of 30 arches, which develops on two internal floors around a central courtyard with a double row of loggias. Two large staircases lead up to the rooms on the upper floor: ten, a room which was dedicated to artists now used as a reading room, and one hall for the Legists (former law students), called the Sala dello Stabat Mater. During the audio tour, you will also visit the Anatomical Theatre, which was the room used for the anatomy lectures held at the school of medicine.