
The Palazzo della Sapienza was built at the behest of Lorenzo de’ Medici starting in 1486, his desire was to bring together the various schools in Pisa, so as to solve the problem of the fragmentation of teaching. The architectural work was completed by Cosimo I de’ Medici, who had the Pisa studio reopened in 1543.
Its large courtyard represents the center of knowledge around which the double loggia leads to the university lecture halls.
On May 29, 2012, due to an earthquake, the Palazzo della Sapienza was closed to the public due to the seismic vulnerability of the building, and consequently the University Library of Pisa was also temporarily closed. It was finally reopened on May 29, 2018.
Today it is the main seat of the University of Pisa Faculty of Law and the University Library of Pisa.
Its Aula Magna Storica and Aula Magna Nuova, is still used for official academic inaugurations and graduations, as well as for important scientific conferences.