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Palazzo del Seminario in Subiaco: the school founded by a pope
The Palazzo del Seminario in Subiaco was built at the behest of Pope Pius VI, who had it constructed for the education and instruction of young men. This is stated in the Latin inscription still visible in the atrium. A building commissioned by a pope and declared to be of national importance by Napoleon.
From Carlo Colombi to Napoleon
The final design is by Carlo Colombi of Merate. The exterior of the building is in a neoclassical style, with an entrance portal made of local stone from Mount Affilano. Above the portal is a window bearing the coat of arms and the inscription Seminarium Nationale. That word "nationale" is no mere affectation: it was declared as such by Napoleon Bonaparte during the French troops' occupation of Subiaco.
Inside the building
The interiors were restored thanks to Pope Pius X. The most interesting room is the Sala Braschi, which housed the Biblioteca Piana — so called because it was established by Pius VI for a learned public. Then there is the grand staircase, the refectory, the chapels, classrooms, corridors, dressing rooms, and gymnasium. These spaces tell the story of daily life in a seminary, a life of study and prayer.
