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Biblioteca Giuridica Universitaria | University’s Law Library 165
tocento si aggiunsero sopra al portico due logge a colonne doriche masonry – correspond to the sober pillars. Above the porch, a simple
su alti plinti, trabeate, e ringhiere in ghisa; la loggia a colonne binate string-course marks the start of the noble floor. Almost in the middle
corrisponde al portico dai pilastri binati. Questa aggiunta architetto- of the eastern wing, the series of arches is interrupted by a serliana
nica e l’uso della ghisa appaiono in linea con il classicismo di Cesare opening, an arch between two architraved openings, while on the last
Costa, il noto ingegnere modenese fra i protagonisti della cultura della floor a clock is located, which is surmounted on the cornice by an
Restaurazione, cui si devono i progetti di nuovi edifici, come il Cimi- iron structured pedestal that supports the bell. The cloister certainly has
tero di San Cataldo o il Teatro Municipale Valli di Reggio Emilia, o di long-standing roots, but its appearance seems to have been regularised
ristrutturazione di edifici esistenti, come quello non realizzato per il by the 19th century inputs, presumably datable to Restoration times.
palazzo dell’Università. This can be assumed by noticing similarities of style with a building
Probabilmente ai primi del Novecento si piantumò il leccio al centro like the Palazzo Santa Chiara of Rua Muro – Convent of the Clares
del quadriportico - ora noto come Cortile del Leccio - rigoglioso readapted in 1839 as College of the Jesuits by architect Ducal Giovan-
esemplare che è autentico “monumento” naturale. ni Lotti. During the 19th century, in the southern and western wings,
La recente ristrutturazione del complesso ha destinato il piano supe- some elements were added to the porch, such as: two trabeated Doric
riore delle quattro ali attorno al Cortile alla Biblioteca Giuridica Uni- columned loggias on tall plinths and cast-iron railings. The twin-col-
versitaria, con accesso dallo stradello Camatta, assai prossimo al Dipar- umned loggia corresponds to the portico through the twin pillars. This
architectural addition and the use of cast iron seems to be in line with
the classicism of Cesare Costa, the famous Modena engineer who was
among the protagonists of the culture of the restoration. Thanks to him
we owe both the creation of new buildings - such as the cemetery of
San Cataldo or Reggio Emilia’s Teatro Municipal Valli - and the resto-
ration of existing buildings - such as the /incomplete for the Palazzo
dell’Università.
Probably in the early twentieth century, the Holm oak was planted in
the centre of the quadriporticus - now known as the Cortile del Leccio-
a luxurious specimen that is seen an authentic natural “monument”.
The recent restructuring of the complex turned the upper floor of the
four wings around the Courtyard into the University’s Law Library. It
is accessible from Stradello Camatta, very close to the Department of
Law on the same block, and located where was once the Augustinian
Monastery of San Geminiano. The Library - reachable through the
Two views of the Cortile del Leccio, San Paolo Monastery, Modena
