Gregorian University

41 53'51 "N 12 29'6" E / 41.8975, 12485

The Pontifical Gregorian University - PUG), called the Gregorian University is a Roman led the Jesuits , and depending on the Holy See.

History

The first Jesuit school founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyola , founder of the Society of Jesus , is via dell'Araceli, the slope of the Capitol and is called the Roman College. In 1581 Pope Gregory XIII , wanted to give a new seat at the Jesuit College. He therefore entrusted to the architect Bartolomeo Ammannati building a new larger building and not far from the old one, opened October 28, 1584. The pontiff was regarded as the founder and father of the Roman College, which was divided into two institutes: the College and the Gregorian University Gregorian. In the new headquarters, called the Roman College , the number of subjects taught had risen sharply. In recent years the number of students exceeded the 2000: the university chapel, no longer able to accommodate so many, was demolished and we realized the current church of St. Ignatius between 1626 and 1650.

In 1773, the year of the abolition of the Society of Jesus , the university was entrusted to the secular clergy of Rome, then returned to the Company renovated 17 May 1824 by Pope Leo XII.

In 1873 the Roman College building was confiscated by the Italian State with these allocations: the library, the firm scientific and astronomical observatory etc.. The university being deprived of his seat, was divided: the university section was transferred to the nearby palace Borromeo-Gabrielli , head of the College Germanico-Hungarian College in 1879 and was transferred to the Villa Peretti at Termini, who later became Massimo Institute.

On December 4, 1873 Pope Pius IX , the university conferred the title of the Jesuit Gregorian University College in Rome. From 1886, when the College Germano-Hungarian left the palace Borromeo-Gabrielli, the university found his academic vocation, taking up the teaching of several disciplines.

In 1919, Benedict XV was the acquisition of some buildings and land located at Piazza della Pilotta the slope of the Quirinal , to make the new headquarters building of the university, near the Pontifical Biblical Institute , also managed by the Jesuits. Pius XI gave the project after its predecessor and 27 December 1924, there laid the foundation stone of the new complex, coinciding with the centenary of the revival of the Society of Jesus. The demolition of old buildings which occupied the place, have identified the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to the god Serapis. The project, entrusted to Giulio Barluzzi, envisaged the creation of a vast building overlooking the square, with a large internal courtyard with pool and rooms, offices, housing for teachers, two chapels and a large library.

During the month of August 1927 they began construction, which lasted 3 years.

The building style neoclassical rather sober, inspired the architectural and decorative features typical of the Roman Renaissance. The facade is reminiscent of the ancient seat of learning of the Jesuits, the Roman College. The architectural structure is rather elegant with a box at the top, at both ends, the arms of Gregory XIII , who founded the Roman College, and Leo XII, who had returned to the Jesuit institution, and the arms of Pius XI in within the tympanum of the central balcony.

In recent years the headquarters of the Gregorian University has been expanded through various buildings built within the new complex and communicating with the central building.

Today, the Gregorian is always entrusted to the direction of the Jesuits. Over 1500 students are studying theology , the philosophy , the canon law , and social sciences. It also houses the Cardinal Bea Center , designed for studies on Judaism , which includes the archives and library of the former SIDIC Rome. The center is currently headed by Thomas Casey , SJ.