The Anatomical Theatre

It is in Padova, and in particular in the Paduan Studio, that modern anatomy was born. And it was in Padova in 1594, on the initiative of the physician and anatomist Girolamo Fabrici d'Acquapendente, that a permanent anatomical theatre was built in Palazzo del Bo, the first example in the world of a permanent structure created for the course unit of anatomy through the dissection of cadavers.
This definitively replaces the temporary structures, now unsuitable for the importance that the discipline had assumed, set up and dismantled when necessary, in which anatomists previously held their lessons and performed their interventions.

The work, financed by state funds, was inaugurated on 16 January 1595. It is not known with certainty who designed the structure, an inverted cone made entirely of wood articulated on six levels and gradually wider circles from bottom to top, ranging in width between 7.56 and 2.97 meters.

Inside, lighting was provided only by candles until, in the nineteenth century, a skylight was opened on the ceiling (later closed).
For three centuries, the Theatre has hosted, as a classroom-laboratory, anatomy lessons and dissections of cadavers. Here the lesson was generally held by a professor and two students (massari) with the function of assistants and, to make the atmosphere less gloomy, the performance of live music was frequent.

In 1872 the medical faculty moved from Palazzo Bo to the premises of the former convent of San Mattia and the activity of the Anatomical Theatre, symbol of the Paduan medical school, was interrupted. On May 5, 1874, the physician and anatomist Giampaolo Vlacovich gave his last lecture here.