National Picture Gallery of Sassari

The National Picture Gallery of Sassari is located in the historic center of Sassari, between the church of Santa Caterina and the Palazzo Ducale.

The museum was inaugurated in 2001, after the restoration of the local historians that had hosted the Canopoleno National Boarding School, founded in 1611 by Archbishop Antonio Canopolo.

Since December 2014, the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities has been managing it through the Sardinian Museum Complex, which in December 2019 became the Regional Museum Directorate.

Monumental building that houses the picture gallery was built by the Jesuits.

These, who arrived in Sassari in 1559, played an important role in spreading culture in the city.

Soon, thanks to donations and bequests, they were able to build the Colegio nuevo (now the seat of the University) and the Casa Professa with the church of Jesus and Mary, now Santa Caterina.

In 1627 the construction of the Professed House was completed and the Jesuits moved there.

Probably those same religious architects who traveled between Spain and Italy building the most important headquarters of the order had probably given their own contribution to the design: Giovanni Tristano, Giandomenico de Verdina and, above all for the final project, Giovanni De Rosis.

The Church of Jesus and Mary and the Casa Professa constituted an organic building complex.

Map: National Picture Gallery of Sassari