Collegio di Spagna
The Collegio di Spagna or Real Colegio Mayor de San Clemente de los Españoles is located in the street of the same name that connects via Saragozza to via de' Carbonesi. Founded in 1364 by Cardinal Egidio Albornoz to offer hospitality to Spanish students in Bologna, the College is unique in its kind. Although there are other similar institutions in Europe, this university residence is in fact the only one that is still active today and houses the oldest private collection of medieval codices in the world.
The founder Egidio Albornoz
During his ecclesiastical career, the Spanish cardinal Egidio Albornoz took part in numerous military exploits. In our country he fought, in particular, to bring some territories in Central Italy back into the hands of the Pope, such as Forli, Senigallia and the Marca Anconetana.
Bologna itself was one of his conquests. The city was at the time
under the rule of Giovanni Visconti, an exponent of the famous Milanese lineage, who had, however, come into conflict with Bernabò, lord of Milan. Unable to compete with such an influential relative, and given Albornoz's insistent aims for the city, Giovanni decided to remedy the family clash by ceding Bologna to the cardinal himself. In return, he received the city of Fermo, and after this exchange nothing could prevent an open conflict between the Visconti of Milan and the Papal States.
In honour of his services to the papal state, Albornoz was summoned to Rome to receive the Pope's personal thanks. During the journey, however, he died and was buried in the church of St Francis of Assisi, according to his will. That was in 1367; only four years later, however, his body was transported to Toledo, where it is still buried today.
The residence and its students
Always called 'Domus Hispanica', even at a time when Spain was not yet a unitary state, the Collegio di Spagna was
designed by Matteo Gattaponi and finished in 1367.
On the outside we can see
the coat of arms of the Spanish crown and that of the Albornoz family, still present within the institution with the president of the council, a role that by the will of the founder is handed down to his heirs from generation to generation. The members of the council are represented by the Archbishop of Toledo, some representatives of the Spanish royal family and a representative of the students.
Given the role played by the residence over the centuries, which long before the existence of a united Europe was able to create a strong link between different nations, the European Union itself has recognised the
enormous cultural importance of this institution.
Today
home to Spanish doctoral students (the so-called 'bolonios') selected by competition, over time the College of Spain has been attended by illustrious students such as Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, and Miguel de Cervantes, father of the Spanish language.
