Curious Florence: Studium Generale, the first University in Florence

Via dello Studio is called this because here is where people actually used to study, a name attested since the sixteenth century, which took into account how in this street, at the civic number 1, where located the headquarters of the Studio Fiorentino. It is in fact the street where one of the first Italian Universities was located in Florence (together with that of Bologna and Siena), the Studium Generale, founded in 1321.
Here were taught literature, civil and canon law and medicine and it was Pope Clement VI himself who sanctioned with a Bull of 1349 that the qualifications issued by this institute were to be recognized. The Pope also established that the first Italian faculty of theology would be in Florence.
Many illustrious professors taught at the Studium Generale, including Giovanni Boccaccio who gave lessons on Dante's Divine Comedy.

Today the entrance to the ancient university is found next to Zecchi, a historic Florentine fine art shop, and appears to be in serious need of restoration. However, this does not take away its charm, above the massive wooden doors there are the remains of a fresco that bears a Latin inscription and the coat of arms of the OPA (contraction of opera, meaning “work”, which refers to the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, the commission of works established in 1296 in order to supervise the construction of the cathedral). This fresco dates back to the 18th century and tells us that the Collegio Eugeniano, a school for the choir boys of Santa Maria del Fiore, moved to Via dello Studio 1 in 1784. Today it’s the headquarters of the Associazione Coro del Duomo di Firenze, the association of the cathedral choir.
When in Florence always walk the city center looking up, otherwise you’ll miss on much of the history that the buildings still recount us.