Palazzo Franchetti overlooks Via Emilia S. Stefano, at number 33, with a secondary entrance on Via Raimondo Franchetti.
Historical notes
Palazzo Franchetti is an elegant noble residence along Via Emilia, in a refined urban setting, it today houses the “A. Manzoni” Middle School. The building reflects the late 19th-century taste, with a sober yet dignified façade.
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The palace was purchased in 1885 by Baron Raimondo Franchetti, a member of one of the most influential families of the 19th-century Italian Jewish bourgeoisie. After his death, the building passed to his nephews Raimondo and Guido, sons of Alberto Franchetti. In 1921, the palace was sold to the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, which divided up the surrounding park and converted the building into a school, now home to the “A. Manzoni” Lower Secondary School.
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The Architecture
The palace, spread over four floors and composed of fifty-nine rooms, is an example of late Baroque architecture with neoclassical influences. During the renovation, approximately 200 workers were employed, many of whom were artisans from Venice, who contributed to the creation of valuable interior decorations.
The Palace interior
Inside, the palace retains original decorative elements, including frescoes, gilded stucco, carved wood paneling, and marble floors. The monumental staircase, with a wrought-iron balustrade, connects the main floors and is one of the most significant architectural elements of the building.
Leggi tutto Guido Tirelli created the Grand Hall in an eclectic style, with stucco, molding, and paintings in Art Nouveau style by the artist Giuseppe Tirelli. In 1925, the new owner, Eugenio Terrachini, called Guido Tirelli back to complete the project that had been interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. Riduci Baron Raimondo Franchetti Jr. (1889–1935), a well-known explorer and collector, enriched the palace with numerous objects collected during his travels in Africa and Asia. Leggi tutto Among the collections were hunting trophies, ethnographic objects, weapons, clothing and musical instruments from regions such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Java, Borneo, Celebes and New Guinea. In 1911, returning from an adventurous journey, he donated a significant part of these finds to the Chierici Museum in Reggio Emilia. Many of these objects are currently preserved at the Civic Museums of Reggio Emilia, particularly in the ethnography and zoology sections. Many of these objects are currently preserved at the Civic Museums of Reggio Emilia, particularly in the ethnography and zoology sections. Riduci
The collection
