The privilege of exemption

The Great Story
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about the Great StoryCountess Torelli invited the King of Spain to protect her Collegio of Spain in exchange of a considerable reward: exemption from any kind of taxation. The document, granted by Charles V, is the Confirmation of the privilege of exemption from duty. Philip II’s son, his heir and Duke of Milan, enacted it. it is written by hand on parchment in Latin.
The Hapsburg’s emblem used in Milan is between two wax seals. The emblem is surrounded by a writing saying: PHILIPPUS D.G. HISPANIARUM VIRUSQ SICILIAE REX – DUX MEDIOLANI. This act is made up by two separate documents, tied together by the chord in the cera rubea seal. The first document is the confirmation itself, it dates back to the 1st of July 1559. On the back there is a short summary in Spanish. The second document, probably an extract for the Senate of Milan, is dated 27th August 1560. There is a lime signature by Annibal Croceius, also known as Ludovico Annibale Della Croce (1509-1577), he was a writer, poet, translator from old Greek and Latin, secretary and archivist of the senate of Milan.

Filippo II1559

500 hundred years of history, art and education

In 1555 Countess Ludovica Torelli decided to reinvest the money obtained from the sale of the Guastalla Feud in a new project: educating poor girls. A place of beauty was needed, where the environments and spaces could meet her expectations: Collegio della Guastalla, one of the first in Europe, was founded.

For the first time are here presented some of the most significant works of the Collection of the Historical Archive of Collegio della Guastalla. Five centuries are told through works of art, artefacts, historical documents and educational tools in a rich overview that show us the great history but also everyday life. It consists of the vivid representation of the extraordinary and innovative pedagogical experience that is still going on today.