Ex church of St Francesco di Paola or Torre dei Paolotti
Strada D'Azeglio, 85/A - 43125 - Parma (PR)
Opening times
inside there is the library of Letter of Università di Parma. For further information tel. 0521902111.
Togheter with the annexed monastery, the former church of San Francesco di Paola now plays host to a faculty of the University of Parma.
Built in 1625, it features two beatiful bell towers, known as Torri dei Paolotti, adorning the baroque facade designed by the architect from Piacenza Carlo Virginio Draghi.
The monastery was converted into a mental hospital by Marie Louise from Austria in 1818, while the dilapidated church was demolished, except for the facade. In 1872, when the lunatic asylum moved to the Ducal Palace in Colorno, the building became a children’s hospital.
After the restoration of the facade in 1902, the ancient monastery became a seat of the University of Parma in 1936.
In October 2011 was opened the restoration of ex monastery of San Francesco di Paola and the ex Chiesa known as Paolotti to host the new site of library of University of Lettere, with 128 thousand books. The library was opened on 2 July 2014.
